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A lice couldn’t believe it. Axel lived in a mansion.

She walked next to him, dazzled by the sheer size of the house in front of them.

He unlocked the door and invited her inside.

Her jaw dropped when the lights came on.

The chandelier glowed softly over marble floors and a sweeping grand staircase which curved upward.

In the center, an ornate pedestal had an arrangement of bright yellow and orange flowers.

She turned an almost full circle, taking in the set of archways which led to other rooms.

“You live here? But you only own a bar. How?”

“Hasn’t he told you it’s a bit more than that?”

She spun around at the sound of the female voice.

Atop the staircase stood a smiling woman with luxurious golden locks.

She was dressed in tight black leggings and a turtleneck which hugged her curves and accented her beauty somehow.

The low growl coming from Axel had the hair on the back of her neck stand. He touched her lower back possessively.

“Scarlet, what are you doing here?”

The woman began walking down the stairs.

“This is the pride home, Sir.” She gave him a smile and a brief nod. “There’s also been a problem. We needed to speak to you but couldn’t reach you on your phone or in your city home since it’s being renovated, so the next logical step was to come here.”

Axel reached inside his coat.

“Shit,” he mumbled. “I must have left my phone in the bar.”

Scarlet chuckled.

“Clearly, you’ve had your mind elsewhere.” She gave Alice a once-over. Alice felt her cheeks redden.

“What has happened?” Axel asked.

Scarlet raised an eyebrow.

“Perhaps we should speak in private,” she said.

Axel frowned and sighed deeply. “I’m sorry Alice, I need to tend to this.” He took her hand and squeezed it. “I wasn’t expecting this, or I wouldn’t have brought you here,” he said.

Alice nodded dumbly.

“Of course,” she agreed automatically. “I’ll call an Uber and be out of your way.”

“No.” He grasped her shoulders tightly and looked into her eyes. “I don’t want you to leave. I just need you to wait, Baby Girl.”

“But you ... she ... me,” she babbled incoherently. Her mind raced. He wanted her to stay?

“There are no buts. There is no she. It’s just you and me. Understand?” He waited for her to nod. “Now, you’re going to be a good girl and wait for me here. I won’t be long.”

“Okay,” she whispered.

“Maybe she’d be better off waiting in the living room?” Scarlet pointed out. Amusement was clear in her features.

Axel scowled, giving the woman what looked like a warning gaze.

“Yes, you’re right. Come, Alice.” He took her hand and led her matter-of-factly under one of the arches.

Alice couldn’t hide her gasp. The room they entered was a blend of luxury and comfort.

The marble floors were softened with a plush rug.

The oversized leather sofas full of throw pillows invited comfort.

A grand fireplace commanded attention, crowned with a striking art piece of a pride of lions.

“Wait here,” Axel said. “I won’t be long.”

Alice nodded, too dumbfounded to say anything.

She watched them walk out together and sunk into the couch.

She stared at her hands. What was happening?

What did that woman want with Axel? Maybe they were romantically involved?

Perhaps he had an open relationship, and he’d failed to speak to her about Alice. Jealousy snaked its way into her gut.

“What the hell?” she mumbled.

She didn’t have a right to be envious of another woman.

Axel was just some guy she was going to fuck.

She placed her palms on her warm cheeks.

Was she even sure about it? Really, she didn’t know him and getting into bed with random strangers had never been her thing.

Yet, she’d agreed to come here, hadn’t she?

She had accepted the invitation. What is more, the previous two times she’d had the chance, she’d regretted not taking it, so there was no going back. She really did want this.

She smiled. Her therapist would be proud. For once, she was certain of what she wanted, and she had taken the step to grasp it.

Alice wanted Axel. She couldn’t say why.

She didn’t know if it was because of pheromones, hormones, or simply the fact that she felt safe with him.

When she was with him, she forgot to be afraid, indecisive, anxious—or at least, as much as usual.

She had been fearful when she’d gotten on the motorcycle, but as they’d ridden on, and after the first bend, she’d held onto his solid frame, casting her anxiety aside and enjoying the ride.

He would take care of her. It was almost as if she could be who she really was with him and he wouldn’t judge her, wouldn’t run like others had.

“Who are you?”

Her head snapped up at the soft female voice.

She stared at the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

She had thought the other one was incredible but surely this one was a model.

At least five foot seven, she stood at the entrance to the living room dressed in curve-hugging skinny jeans and a tank top.

Golden hair cascaded around her framing the face of an angel with cornflower-blue eyes and full, rosy lips.

A natural luminous glow seemed to emanate from her.

“Who are you?” she repeated.

Alice realized she had been staring and blushed.

“I’m Axel’s guest. He told me to wait here.”

“Oh, he’s home then?” She smiled, the gesture full of venom making Alice recoil. The malice in her expression darkened her features, making them almost cruel and predatory.

“I’m Ariadna, his mate,” the woman said.

“Mate?” Alice echoed.

She walked into the room, nodding. Standing in front of the fireplace, she pointed at the painting and at the lioness sitting to the left of the largest lion in the picture.

“Yes. Do you know what that is?”

“I can guess,” Alice murmured.

“Life mates are destined to be together. Our animals ... you’re not a shifter, are you?

” She paused to give her a once-over. “No, you’re not.

Well, shifters mate. They are bound to one lover for life, and they can immediately recognize the person that completes them, the person who will lighten up their world. ”

Ariadna’s words slapped her in the face. Fear coiled in her chest, entwining with shame. She shouldn’t be here. This had all been a mistake.

“Oh, I didn’t realize. I’ll leave now.”

“Yeah, so I’m not sure what you’re doing here,” Ariadna continued as if she hadn’t heard her. She stood in front of her. “Unless you’re a gift.”

“A gift?”

Her malicious smile turned dark. She tapped her nose as if she were nothing more than a bothersome child. “Yes, a gift to me.”

Alice gaped. “I don’t understand.”

The woman laughed, the sound grating Alice’s already frazzled nerves. She took an involuntary step back.

“We’re lions, darling. We like to hunt,” Ariadna said.

“Hunt?” Alice gasped. Panic squeezed her innards, nausea climbing to the back of her throat. She was rooted in place.

“Oh, yes, you must definitely be a gift.” Ariadna inched closer sniffing at her neck.

“I can smell the fear on you. When we let you loose on the planes you’re going to run for your life, fight for survival.

You’ll be a thrill,” the woman whispered, her warm breath caressing her ear unpleasantly and making the hairs on her arm stand.

“No, I’m no one’s meal,” Alice cried. She took another step. Her fight-or-flight response began to kick in. She needed to get out of there.

“Are you not? Didn’t you come with Axel?”

“To fuck!” she yelled.

The woman burst out laughing.

“Darling, he could be your father. Do you really think he would go after someone like you?” She touched her lip with a perfectly manicured finger and took her in. “No, you’ll be a delectable meal. As a matter a fact, I don’t see why we can’t start the game right now.”

“Game?”

Alice screamed as the woman’s features began to shift and change. Panic surged within her, and she backed up frantically. Her feet tangling on the rug, she tripped and crashed onto the floor with a cry.

This was the end.

Except, it wasn’t. A massive lion jumped over her and slammed into the lioness.

They tumbled onto the floor a few feet away from her, snarling and clawing at each other.

Within seconds, the lion pinned the female lion down and roared, the victorious sound echoing in the room. Then, its gaze met hers.

Alice bolted.