Her father’s warning rang in her head. He’d already made her decision for her. Against her own body’s needs, she grabbed the window and started to shut it. He stopped it with a strong hand.

“Do you really believe this is a coincidence, Princess? I’ve been searching for my Queen. And here we are together during your mating cycle. I found you.” The one time of year she would be fertile.

“I—” A hopeless look came over her face, and he wanted to wipe it away. “I cannot have sex.” She looked down, her face flushing.
A surge of fierce protectiveness ran through Vane. “You can’t possibly be alone during your mating cycle. It will be excruciating. You need a male to ease you. At the very least you need someone to protect you.” He put both hands on the windowsill and leaned closer as if his mere presence could persuade her. She could smell him so much better now, and it was intoxicating.
“I’ve always dealt with my cycle alone.” A spark of anger ignited in his eyes, Sarina licked her lips thinking she should have kept her mouth shut.

“How old are you, Sarina?” he asked between tight lips.

“Twenty-two.”

His face twisted into a feral mask of anger. He wanted to plow his fist into the bastard’s face that would do this to a female. “You’ve dealt with your cycle for years without a male to ease you? That’s torture. Who did this to you?”

“He sends me here for my own protection. It’s for my own good, really. He’s not a bad man.”

“Is this what he does to his precious daughter? Sends her away, keeps her away from men so she’ll never know what a real man feels like? So that she’ll have to deal with the pain on her own for an entire week.”

Her breathing grew erratic. No one had anyone stood up for her before. She knew what her father did was unusual. Most women were not sent away, but were chosen a prided male of choice to ease the cycle—usually with lots of condoms. Safe sex meant the female could be eased without much risk for an early pregnancy.

“I am a member of the Pride. That means I must take extra care of my body,” she added weakly at his continuing glower.
The fact that he was standing up for her, made a lump grow in her chest. The sincerity in his eyes was enough to almost bring tears to hers. She pushed the tears away though, refusing to let them dampen the thrilling beat of her heart.

“No one follows the way of the Pride anymore. Those days are long dead, Princess. And he left you completely unguarded? What would happen if some stupid human found you? One whiff of those hormones and they’d be on your without asking why first.” He was angrier than he should be, but that didn’t stop him any.