NARRATOR

Now that the heat had passed, she wondered if this impulsive decision was the right one.

I mean, Lavinia seemed like a good person, but she was a sorceress, and she didn’t have a great opinion of that race.

At least not of the mages who lived on this continent, though Theron came from somewhere else.

Her muzzle lifted toward the hole where the sunbeams came in.

What if she later wanted to return and couldn’t? Would they really accept her in a world where beast-men were rare?

Suddenly, a soft lick landed on her little nose and her eyes met the wolfish ones of her mate.

“Don’t be afraid, Zera… don’t get nervous. I’m going to take care of you, my love, and no one is going to treat you badly.”

The lioness’s soul filled with warmth and she nodded, already thinking about how to reveal the truth to Theron later.

It was impossible to hide her identity; running into Aidan’s mate and the winter prince would be enough to recognize her.

As Theron stepped toward the magic passage that led