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.