2. Keiro #2
"I sensed she was in some sort of desperate situation. I also sensed she was my fated mate." His voice roughened on the admission. "I might have overreacted."
"You definitely did." The older woman's tone carried no judgment, only amused certainty. "Though I have to say, ten million dollars is quite the romantic gesture, even if it was completely misguided."
Keiro's jaw clenched. What he'd intended as protection had become the exact opposite—public humiliation for a woman who clearly valued her independence above everything else. His wolf snarled, demanding they track their mate down immediately and explain.
"Why were you trying to outbid her in the first place?"
The woman's eyes flashed gold and her smile turned mysterious. "Well, I was just putting a little friendly pressure on her, seeing if she would rise to the occasion. And she did. She put everything on the line for that pride land."
Everything on the line.
The phrase echoed in Keiro's mind as he processed what that meant. Poppy had been betting her last resources on something that mattered more than financial security. And he'd steamrolled over her efforts without understanding what they represented.
"How do I get out of this mess now?" The question came out sharper than intended, carrying all the frustration and self-recrimination that had been building since the moment he'd opened his mouth in that auction room.
The woman tilted her head, considering him with the expression of someone solving a particularly interesting puzzle. "Well, I might be able to arrange a meeting with her. Then you can figure out a way to move forward."
Relief flooded through him so quickly it was almost embarrassing. "Can you bring her by my office tomorrow? I don't want to wait too long to fix this."
What he didn't say was that he couldn't wait to finally talk to her properly, to get her close enough to catch her scent again, to find out everything about the fierce lioness who'd fought for her territory with such desperate determination.
He didn't mention that his wolf was pacing restlessly, demanding they claim their mate and sort out the complications afterward.
He definitely didn't voice his growing concern about how Helias and the pack elders would react to their Alpha taking an Alpha lioness as a mate.
"I'll bring her by tomorrow morning. Oh, I'm Gerri Wilder by the way.
So nice to finally officially meet you, Keiro.
" Gerri's smile carried the satisfaction of someone whose plans were falling into place exactly as intended.
She turned to leave, then paused. "Oh, and Keiro?
Next time you want to help your mate, try asking what she actually needs instead of assuming you know better. "
Before he could respond, she disappeared down the sidewalk with the fluid grace of someone who'd orchestrated this entire mess on purpose. Keiro stared after her, wondering how she'd known his name when he was certain they'd never met.
The purr of a high-performance engine drew his attention as Dax's Ferrari pulled to the curb, the sleek black paint reflecting the city lights. Keiro climbed into the passenger seat, immediately enveloped by the familiar scents of leather and his Beta's steady presence.
"Well?" Dax's voice carried that careful neutrality as he pulled into Manhattan traffic. "What was that all about?"
"I was just informed how badly I overstepped tonight. But I'm fixing it tomorrow."
Dax's hands tightened slightly on the steering wheel. "Overstepped how, exactly?"
"I interfered in something I didn't understand." Keiro leaned back against the seat, watching the city blur past the windows. "My mate was fighting for her pride land, and I turned it into a spectacle."
Dax was quiet for several miles, processing information with the methodical approach that made him invaluable in both business and pack matters. "The elders aren't going to be thrilled about a cross-species mating."
The understatement drew a bitter laugh from Keiro.
Helias had been pushing him toward suitable wolf shifter females for years, convinced that pack strength depended on maintaining traditional bloodlines.
The idea of their Alpha bonding with a lioness—especially an Alpha lioness with her own territory and responsibilities—would trigger every conservative instinct the elder possessed.
"The elders can adjust."
"And if they don't?"
Keiro's wolf stirred with territorial aggression at the implied challenge. "Then they'll learn that some things aren't negotiable."
As they left the city behind and entered the winding roads that led to their Catskills territory, Keiro found himself caught between anticipation and dread.
Tomorrow he would see Poppy again, would have the chance to explain his intentions and hopefully begin repairing the damage he'd caused.
But his wolf was already demanding more—demanding they claim their mate and figure out the political consequences later.
No. We handle this properly.
Though as the familiar forests of his territory came into view, Keiro suspected things had just become significantly more complicated than a simple apology could fix.