Lucy's POV
I sat frozen in place, my body refusing to obey me. My mind screamed at me to move—to run, to fight, to do something—but fear locked me into stillness. My breath came shallow, quick, and ragged. This was it. This was how my story ended. Mauled by a lion in the middle of civilization.
I tried to shuffle backward, sliding clumsily on my butt, but it was useless. I wasn't going anywhere. My legs felt like they belonged to someone else. My heart thudded so loudly I was certain the creature could hear it, and my eyes—traitors that they were—remained locked on the beast.
And then something strange happened.
Those eyes.
Golden, glowing, intense—and yet familiar. Too familiar. Recognition stirred inside me, though I couldn't explain it. Instead of drowning me in terror, those eyes soothed me, like a cool hand pressed against fevered skin. The panic surging through me slowed. My chest eased.
What on earth is happening to me?
'Wait a minute,' I thought wildly, 'why do I feel… calm? Am I some kind of lion whisperer now? Is that a thing?'
Lost in my frantic inner dialogue, I didn't even notice the beast moving closer until the heat of its breath ghosted against my skin. My heart lurched—but instead of attacking, the lion pressed its massive body against me, rubbing its golden fur along my side like an oversized housecat. Then—goddess help me—it licked my face.
I giggled. Giggled! My own laugh startled me more than the lion's rough tongue.
"What are you doing?" I whispered, unsure if I was speaking to the lion or to myself. Its fur was softer than I expected, thick and warm beneath my trembling fingers. Part of me wanted to recoil, but another part—the stronger part—ached to lean in, to sink into that strange comfort radiating from the beast.
'Don't be an idiot, Lucy,' my inner voice scolded. 'It's just getting familiar with its lunch. That's all. You are the lunch.'
Fear surged again, crashing over me like a wave. As if sensing my panic, the lion froze. Its golden eyes locked on mine, and in them I saw something I never thought possible—hurt. Genuine hurt, as though my fear wounded it.
It backed away, shaking its massive head, and the distance between us carved a hollow pit inside my chest. An emptiness so sharp, so unexpected, I nearly whimpered aloud.
"No," I breathed, my hand reaching out before I could stop myself. "Wait—Leo, don't go. I'm sorry. I was just scared. I didn't mean to push you away."
My cheeks burned. What was I doing, begging a lion not to leave me? I should've been halfway back to the castle by now. Instead, here I was, talking to it like it was my… friend.
Stupid Lucy.
But to my shock, the lion returned. It padded back, its great paws silent against the earth, and nudged its head beneath my hand as if forgiving me. My fingers slid into its fur almost instinctively, stroking the thick golden mane. A purr-like rumble vibrated from its chest, and warmth flooded me where our bodies touched.
I should've been terrified, but instead I felt… calm. Safe. Strangely at peace.
"This is insane," I whispered, patting its shoulder. "You're acting more like a puppy than a predator."
It leaned into me, and I couldn't help but laugh softly. The warmth of its fur seeped into my skin, calming me further.
"You know," I murmured, lowering my voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "this is kind of weird, Leo. But for some reason, I feel safe with you. It's the same way I feel when I'm close to Kenneth."
The name slipped from my lips before I could stop it. My heart squeezed. "Kenneth," I whispered again. "My Kenneth. Though he hasn't exactly been honest with me."
I kept stroking the lion's mane, my words tumbling out unchecked. "I just found out he's not only a prince, but that he might be… something else. Those girls told me I wasn't his kind. I don't know what they meant. I've only heard of werewolves in stories—like Twilight. Could Kenneth be one of those? A wolf?"
The moment the word wolf left my lips, the lion jerked upright with a sharp huff, stepping back as though the word itself burned. Its eyes blazed, and unease prickled down my spine.
"What—are you scared of wolves?" I whispered nervously. "Or are you… jealous of Kenneth?"
Before I could puzzle it out, a sound ripped through the air—like bones grinding, snapping, shattering. My blood ran cold.
The lion convulsed. Its body contorted, fur rippling as muscles shifted beneath the skin. Paws shrank into hands. Claws retracted into fingers. My heart pounded violently as golden fur melted away, revealing dark skin slick with sweat.
I stumbled back, my legs trembling, but I couldn't look away. My brain screamed at me to run, but my body was rooted in shock.
Right before my eyes, the beast turned into a man.
Into him.
"K… Ken?" I whispered, my voice cracking as my eyes bulged.
There he stood, my Kenneth, naked and magnificent, the scent of him flooding my senses and erasing any lingering doubt.
My gaze betrayed me, traveling shamelessly down the sculpted lines of his torso, lower and lower until—heat flooded my cheeks. My breath caught. I quickly darted my eyes back up, but it was too late.
He smirked, that infuriating smirk that said he had caught me staring. "A wolf, Lucy?" His voice rumbled, low and edged with amusement. "Is that what you think I am? Who's been filling your head with nonsense about 'my kind'? I thought you'd be resting—not out here… cuddling with lions."
The irony in his tone made my jaw drop. He sounded… jealous. Jealous of himself.
"Shouldn't this be the part where you apologize?" I snapped, folding my arms tightly over my chest. My voice trembled with a mix of anger and disbelief. "Apologize for lying to me, Mr. Kenneth Paige Jr.?"
The smirk slipped from his lips. His gaze dropped to the ground, shame shadowing his face.
"I didn't lie to you, Lucy," he murmured, stepping closer.
I instantly backed away, my pulse quickening. The movement stung him—I could see it in his eyes, those same eyes I had looked into when he was a lion.
"Oh really?" My voice rose higher, sharp and brittle. "So what do you call it, then? Did I really need to hear it from other people—that the man I love isn't even human? You should've told me yourself!"