Page 49 of Mane Attraction
She couldn’t stop herself. The careful control she’d maintained for days, the distance she’d tried so desperately to preserve, all of it crumbled like a dam bursting. Her arms wrapped around his neck as she pulled him close, and then hispowerful arms were encircling her waist, drawing her against the solid warmth of his chest.
Their lips met in a kiss that spoke of everything words couldn’t capture. Not the desperate hunger of their first encounter in this very royal vehicle, when the mate bond had slammed into them both like lightning. This was different—deeper, richer, layered with emotions that made her chest tight.
Relief flooded through her, sweet and overwhelming. Love poured between them through the bond, no longer something she could deny or compartmentalize. It filled every corner of her being, warm and golden and absolutely right. Trust wound through the kiss like silk, the knowledge that this man would protect her and she would protect him, would stand beside her and she would stand beside him no matter what storms they faced.
And hope—bright, shining hope for a future she’d never dared to imagine. A life where she didn’t have to manage and control every moment, where she could simply be loved and love in return.
Lev’s hands tangled in her hair as he deepened the kiss, and Xelene lost herself in the connection that had terrified her just days ago. Now, it felt inevitable and unshakeable. The mate bond sang between them, no longer a foreign invasion but a symphony of two souls finally in perfect harmony.
When they broke apart, both breathing hard, Lev rested his forehead against hers. His eyes searched her face with a burning intensity that made her heart skip.
“I thought I might lose everything,” he whispered.
“You didn’t,” she replied softly, her fingers tracing the strong line of his jaw. “We’re both here safe and sound. And now you’re king. You proved to everyone the kind of man you really are.”
The past twelve hours flashed through her mind in vivid detail. Tracking Crispin through the winding streets of the prideterritory, crouched in shadows with Janice as they listened to the conspiracy unfold. Three men, shifting into lions, charging the council during what should have been a test of loyalty. The plan had been diabolically clever—force Lev into an impossible three-on-one fight while protecting one of the very people who wanted him dead. Paint him as either a coward or a hero who died protecting the man who betrayed him.
My powerful, courageous, honorable mate,she thought, the word no longer foreign on her tongue.
She’d been using it more and more these past few days, and each time it felt more natural, more right. This man—this incredible, infuriating, magnificent man—was literally and emotionally bound to her in ways that had first terrified her but now made her feel whole.
Without him, she would be empty. Incomplete. The thought of losing him to Christoph’s schemes had driven her to risks she’d never taken before, pushed her beyond the careful boundaries of her controlled life.
“Lev,” she said, her voice steady despite the emotion threatening to overwhelm her. She looked straight into his eyes, seeing her future reflected there. “I choose you. Now and forever.”
His breath caught, hope flaring bright in his expression.
“I choose to stay here on Nova Aurora,” she continued, her words carrying the weight of absolute certainty. “I choose to become your queen.”
The smile that spread across his face was like sunrise breaking over the horizon—brilliant, warm, and transformative. But then it faltered slightly, concern creeping in.
“What about your career?” he asked, his thumb stroking across her cheek. “Your life on Earth? Everything you’ve built?”
Xelene laughed, the sound light and free. “You know what I discovered? Being a queen seems much more fulfilling thanmanaging other people’s lives from the sidelines. I can put my skills to better use in that role—protecting our people, building something lasting rather than just fixing what’s broken.”
The relief that washed over his features was profound, like a man who’d just been handed the greatest prize in the universe. His hands framed her face as he kissed her again, and this time the primal intensity she’d grown to crave blazed between them. His desire mixed with hers through the bond in that perfect harmony that was uniquely theirs.
Xelene’s body responded instantly, heat pooling low in her belly as she remembered exactly how good they were together. She’d been depriving herself for days while actively resisting the bond, and now she felt foolish for not trusting her heart sooner.
Her hands moved to the buttons of his torn jacket, but Lev caught her wrists gently.
“As much as I want you right now—and believe me, I do,” his voice was rough with restrained hunger, “I want to wait until we reach the castle.”
“Lev—”
“I want to bring you to my bed,” he said, his alpha authority bleeding through his words. “No woman has ever been allowed there—it’s sacred space that my lion has been guarding for the right mate.”
The honor of his words hit her unexpectedly hard. She realized this moment was truly a turning point—not just for them, but for him. The playboy prince was gone forever, replaced by a king and mate who understood the weight of what they were building together.
“This marks the beginning of everything,” he continued, his eyes burning with possession and love. “I want it to be as monumental as it feels.”
Xelene’s heart swelled with emotion. “Yes,” she whispered, understanding completely. “Yes, I want that too.”
The royal vehicle glided through the streets toward their future, and Xelene settled against Lev’s side, marveling at how perfectly she fit there. His lion had been waiting for the right woman to cherish and honor, and she was his. Just as he was hers—completely and irrevocably.
Forever.
Once back at the castle, Xelene moved beside Lev, her hand clasped firmly in his. To any pride member they passed in the grand corridors, they likely looked like a triumphant king and his queen returning from the arena, a united front. The image was correct, but the calm it projected was a lie.
