The Lion's Pride (BBW Paranormal Lion Shifter Romance) (The True Date Agency) (5 page)

S
eeing
the kids always cheered me up. There was something about the way they threw themselves into everything with joyful enthusiasm, no inhibitions or awkwardness, just plain ear-wrenching fun. I should have come sooner. I’d meant to, but the weeks had passed, turning into months, and then I’d been deep in the hole, unable to find a way back out.

Gretchen had begged me to go back to the house, to seek Lara out and just
ask
her what she wanted. But I hadn’t, it wasn’t my right—screw it, it wasn’t my choice to make. If we were meant to be together, then we would be together. If she wanted me, she would find me. I wasn’t going anywhere.

I did return once, though I didn’t tell anyone. Even before I had set off, I’d hated myself. But I’d needed to see her, to catch a glimpse of her big brown eyes, or perhaps hear her laugh. It sickened me, how weak I was, but it was the only way to keep my lion from driving me insane. As it was, he already scratched and clawed at me, refusing to give up hope no matter how many times I told him it was out of our hands.

The husband had spotted me. He had marched over and informed me that Lara was pregnant, and that she sent a message.
Leave me alone.

The nail in the coffin. She was having another man’s baby.

After that… I hadn’t gone back, instead spending weeks—
months
—searching the bottom of a bottle, snapping and snarling at anyone who dared to get too close.

It been Sarah’s phone call that had pulled me out of the pit of misery, reminding me that I hadn’t visited in ages. That I had a duty of care to these kids, that they needed me.

So, here I was.

“Zane!”

I turned my head to see Sarah strolling across the grass toward me, her smile one of welcome. “It’s great to see you.” She squinted at me, her smile flickering. “Though, to be honest, you don’t look that great.”

“I’m fine,” I said, fighting back a snarl. Knowing she wasn’t likely to let it go—Sarah was too good a friend to let that happen—I tried to head her off. “So, how’s it going here? Are the kids making good progress? How many new ones have you taken in?”

She laughed, punching me lightly on the arm. “Why all the questions? Don’t feel like talking, do you?”

I shrugged. Hopefully she knew me well enough to know not to keep digging.

Surprisingly, she dropped it, shaking her head then proceeding to answer my questions. “Everything is great, actually. We’ve got six new kids and a new staff member. A teacher. She specializes in disadvantaged kids, so we’re really lucky to have her here.”

“Really?” I tried to inject appropriate enthusiasm into my question, but I wasn’t really listening, my mind elsewhere. That had been a big problem recently, my mind drifting, spiraling off into thought.
Dammit
, I wasn’t even coping at work, and the sympathetic looks grated on me.

It was if they’d never seen a man partially mated before. Yeah, I was pretty sure they hadn’t. I knew I hadn’t before. Until me.

I tuned back in to what Sarah was saying, still only half listening.

“…She’s really nice. I think you need to meet her.”

“Uh huh,” I said noncommittally. Whatever. It didn’t really matter.

“No. I think you really need to meet her, Zane!”

Her insistent tone finally caught my attention. Crouching down, I lifted one of the younger kids up onto my shoulders in a squeal of laughter. I wanted to frown, but kept the smile on my face for the kids’ benefit. “Why, what’s wrong?”

Her mouth twisted, an indication that she was clearly fighting an internal battle. “First, let me tell you, I wasn’t one-hundred percent sure, otherwise I would’ve called you. You’ve got to believe that, but now…” Her voice trailed off, guilt coloring her face red.

“Just spit it out, Sarah,” I grunted, setting the kid back on the floor.

A muffled thud reached my ears, the sound indistinct and coming from the other side of the courtyard. I froze. A light breeze carried a multitude of scents and smells, but underneath that, was that—?

“Her name’s Lara.”

Sarah’s words echoed in my ears. The soft thud, the scent—it was
her
. She was here!

Urgency tore through me. I strode across the courtyard, distantly aware that Sarah and the children followed behind me. I sped up into a jog, unease threading through me. The thud, the quiet gasp that hadn’t even registered until right now.

Rounding the corner, I ground to a halt. Sprawled before me on the ground was Lara, her belly big and round, swollen with child. Her face was pale, her chest rising and falling in ragged breaths. Her eyes were closed, head lolling to the side.

“Oh my God, Lara!” Sarah screamed, running toward her while quickly giving instructions to one of the older children to run and fetch help. “Zane! Snap out of it! Can you carry her inside?” She motioned me over, her face etched with worry.

I was frozen, unable to move. That was my true mate lying there. But she wasn’t mine; I wasn’t allowed to claim her. If I touched her, how could I let her go again? And she didn’t want me, her stomach making that fact very clear. “I—I can’t.”

“What do you mean,
you can’t
?” Sarah snapped out.

“She—” I gestured at her swollen stomach, hoping that Sarah would interpret what I couldn’t seem to find the words to say.

“What’s wrong with you? Even if she isn’t your mate—”

“She is.” My voice sounded hollow, even to my ears.

She snarled at me, temper lighting her eyes. “What is your problem then? Come and help your mate—and your baby!”

At her words, I stiffened. “My baby? It’s not my baby; it’s her husband’s.” Couldn’t she tell it was taking everything I had not to scoop Lara up and take her away? That if I did, it would be for good. Forever.

“For God’s sake, Zane. Use your nose. This is
your
child growing inside of her! She’s not married, and from what I’ve managed to piece together, she’s just escaped a nasty divorce.”

At that moment, I realized I hadn’t been breathing, my control teetering on a knife’s edge.

Hope soared inside of me, along with the devastating knowledge that if everything she was saying was true, I had let my mate go through this pregnancy alone.

I sucked in a deep breath, bracing myself.

It was true!
Lara’s scent filled my nose, along with a new one mingling and intertwining with hers—the scent of a lion—the scent of my cub.

I was going to be a father.

My lion roared inside of me.

We would never be alone again.

The room was pitch black, the darkness swallowing me.
No, that wasn’t right.
My eyes were shut. I had to open them. I tried to blink, but nothing happened. I was being sucked back under.

Low murmurs grew louder as I struggled, trying to make my way back to consciousness.
What had happened?
I remembered everything going dark and the ground hurtling towards me…then nothing.

Zane!
He was here! Determination to find out why spurred me on. I focused on the voices, using them as an anchor.

A door clicked shut, and the room fell silent.

No!
I needed the voices. Needed them to help me open my eyes. But everything was silent.

“Lara?” a deep voice called to me, and I felt a whisper of skin feather over my cheek. “Lara, you’ve got to wake up,” the voice said urgently. “I can’t stand this—I have so many questions. Just please wake up.”

“I’m awake,” I whispered, my throat dry and scratchy. Gritting my teeth, I finally managed to peel my eyelids open. Bright green eyes met mine, though they were cloudy with worry and…something else?
What?

My breath hitched as my heart thundered in my chest. He was really here, which meant—now he knew.

“Hey,” he whispered, suddenly looking uncomfortable. “You had us all scared. How are you feeling?” His eyes darted down my body, and I knew he what he was looking at, his gaze riveted and unblinking.

My baby!
My hands flew to my stomach, cradling the bump. “Is he—?” If anything had happened to him, I wasn’t sure if I—

“He’s fine. Tough little guy you’ve got in there.” He was staring at me, as if waiting for me to say something. Hunched over in the chair, he looked miserable, lines of fatigue etched around his eyes.

The worry dissipated, replaced by confusion.
Why was he here?
Had he found out about the baby? Did he want to be a part of his life?

“So, were you ever—” “Why are—” We both spoke at once.

The corner of his lips twitched. “You go first.”

“Why are you here?” If he said it was because of the baby, then that was good, right? It was what I had wanted.
What a load of utter rubbish!
Who was I trying to kid? My hand itched to touch him again, to have him hold me and tell me everything was going to be okay. To stroke me, and kiss me, and— Heat flooded me at the thought of what I
really
wanted, him buried deep inside of me, taking me on a slow ride of passion and tenderness.

But what we had shared hadn’t been slow or tender; it had been a fast, hard fuck. And that was all.
Just like all men, out for a good time.
If I’d never got pregnant—if there wasn’t a baby involved—he wouldn’t be here right now. I had to remember that.

“I…it’s kind of hard to explain.” He paused, suddenly looking a little cagey.

My mind spun, jumping to a hundred conclusions. If he’d come here to see me, then he’d just say it. Which meant… “Are you here to see someone else?” It had to be a shifter; did he think he’d found his mate? “Sarah?” I forced my friend’s name out, already dying a little inside.

“Not exactly,” he muttered, looking like he’d rather be anywhere but here.

It was like a stab to my heart, his evasion confirming everything I had guessed. I tugged together the little pride I had left. Who knew, he might not even want to stick around for the baby, and then I wouldn’t have a front row seat when he found his mate.
I could only hope.
“I’m sorry, you’ll have to be a little more specific,” I stated, sarcasm dripping from my voice.

He jerked back, a frown creasing his brow. “Hey! You’re the one who didn’t even tell me you were pregnant! If there’s anyone that should be pissed off, it’s me!”

“No, just you wait a minute! I did tell you!”

“What? No, I think I’d remember something important like that. Being told I’m about to be a father is not something—”

I cut off his indignant reply with a slash of my hand. “I came to your club, and was told in no uncertain terms that you
didn’t
want to see me. Ever.” I folded my arms over my chest, daring him to call me a liar. If he thought just because I was pregnant that I would be a pushover, he had another thing coming. My hormones were driving me crazy, and he was about to find himself on the receiving end, no matter how fuckable and kissable he was.
Concentrate, Lara!

“Who said that?” His words were a low growl, his eyes glowing as they narrowed dangerously.

He didn’t scare me with his glowy eyes and snarly lips. The way I was feeling, I could eat him for breakfast!
In more ways than one…
Biting back an inappropriate sigh, and totally blaming it on the hormones, I replied, “It was the girl at the front desk, you know which one, the same girl I left my phone number with. Not that you bothered using it.”
Okay, that came out a little snarky.

His voice was low and controlled when he replied. “I didn’t leave any message for you, and I
certainly
didn’t get passed your phone number.”

I stiffened in shock at his words.
Why would she—?

Meanwhile, Zane looked like he wanted to murder someone, and I nearly felt sorry for that little blonde bitch.
Nearly.

His jaw tensed as he swallowed, clearly fighting for control, reminding me I was sharing the same space as a man who could turn into a massive lion. He looked away, eventually forcing a smile, though it ended up being more teeth than lips. “I’m going to be having words with her. She’s going to…” He didn’t have to finish the sentence, I could read his intention in his eyes. Maybe I
did
feel a little sorry for the girl
.

I took a deep breath. I had to know where I stood in all this, what his intentions were. “So, at least that explains why you didn’t come find me when you knew about the baby.”

“If I’d had your number, I would’ve called you that first night.”

Swallowing a squeak at the intensity of his gaze, I murmured, “Would you have? Why?”

He answered my question with one of his own, regarding me shrewdly. “Why did you run off that night, Lara? Why didn’t you wait for me to get back?”

I floundered. How could I explain? “Because…I know you know nothing about me, but I had my reasons.”

His mouth twisted in what looked like resignation. “Do those reasons happen to include your husband?”

“My husband! How do you—?”

“I went to see him. We had a very…enlightening conversation. He told me you were still his wife, and that the baby was his.”

That sounded like something Archie would do; he had a twisted sense of morality, and the last thing he’d want would be my happiness. But how had he known about the baby? “And you believed him?”

“What the hell was I supposed to believe? You ran off!”

“And from what
I
knew, you never wanted to see me again. How do you think that made
me
feel? What about me? I don’t hear from you, so for all I know, this
thing
between us actually was a one-night stand, and the next thing I know, I’m pregnant! Even though I can’t
get
pregnant. The reason my husband cited for our divorce, humiliating me in the process, not that he cared. He only cared about his money and his cars and his women and his—”

Zane grabbed my hand from where it was waving in the air, threading his fingers through mine. “You were right, it wasn’t just a one-night stand, Lara. I think it’s safe to say we’ve both been idiots. If we’d just talked to each other, none of this would have happened.”

I knew he was right, but it still didn’t change what I knew to be true. I stared at our hands, trying to absorb the feel of him so I would always remember it. The second he had touched me, it was as if something had clicked inside of me. It had been the same that eventful night we had come together in a whirlwind of lust. How could something that felt so right hurt so much? “So, what do you want to do then? I mean, about the baby—?” I didn’t want him to think I was asking for anything more. I wasn’t going to beg for scraps.