Fighting A Lion: BBW Paranormal Lion Shape Shifter Romance (Sleeping Lions - Shifters Prime Book 3) by Harmony Raines

Dan had given them some money, even though Kieran had insisted they didn’t need it. He also gave them some supplies, fresh food and water, that would sustain them on their journey. But there were other things they needed and he was grateful for the coins, promising to come back and repay him one day soon.
    “Yes, I’d like a simple life. If that suits you.” Kieran was struggling to get used this new way of thinking. He had lived his life for the last five years since Philippe died, doing whatever he wanted. Well, more or less. As long as he fought in the cage, his boss was happy, and the rest of his time was his own. Now, everything, every decision, had to be done with Misty in mind. He was just lucky that she was easy-going; all she wanted was for them both to be happy.
    “It suits me, it’s the life I was used to, before I went to the Prime.” She smiled, and they walked on.
    At least they seem to be on the same wavelength, even if they were a lion and horse.
    They set a good pace, their strength renewed from the good food Dan provided, and a good night’s sleep in a proper bed. They hadn’t made love; that was more to do with the beer than anything else, and the fact that they were completely exhausted. One thing he was happy about, and that was that they had fallen into a kind of easy friendship. Which, seeing as how they didn’t know each other very well, was fortunate.
    Now they walked in a companionable silence, side-by-side, hands locked together, while the day dawned full of promise. The village proved to have everything they needed; they purchased some rope, and a tarpaulin, which they could use to build a makeshift shelter, as they headed north.
    He had told Dan where they were going, and the old guy estimated it would take them three or four days, may be more, depending on their pace. Unless they could find some other form of transport. Dan had said they might be able to find a truck going their way, if they stuck to the road. That’s what they decided to do, although Kieran quite liked the idea of the open air.
    His subconscious reminded him that he was just trying to put off the inevitable. The longer they took to get to the pride lands, the longer it would be until he found out the truth about himself and his family.
    And right now, he didn’t mind putting it off: he could just forget it all, he was happy, and he wished that was the way he could stay
    “So we have everything we need?” he asked Misty.
    “I think so, the main problem is going to be water; there is only so much we can carry.”
    “Then let’s go,” he said and he hitched the heavy pack Dan had given them up on his back, and they set out, following the road. This made the going easier, it was a longer route, but Dan had told them that the terrain got rockier and steeper, the further north they went, and going across country would slow them down.
    At lunchtime, they walked fifty yards off the road and sat and ate some apples and some ham sandwiches Dan had prepared for them. He got out the rough map the old farmer had drawn, and looked at it. “So we’ve made good time today so far. I was thinking, if we can walk for another three or four hours, we should be able to reach the outskirts of this village here.” He pointed at the map.
    “It would be nice to sleep undercover again.” She looked at the sky. “Because it kind of looks as if it might rain later.”
    “So you can forecast the weather too?” he said good-naturedly. His old arrogant self had disappeared now his lion was back in his life. It seemed they complimented each other well. In short, he felt like a new man.
    “Don’t you look happy?” she asked. “And yes, the weather is another thing my dad taught me to read.”
    “Do you think they’ll like me?” Kieran asked.
    “That depends,” she said. “If you get me back in one piece.”
    “Won’t they be worried about you?” he asked.
    “Not yet, I never had a chance to tell them I was coming back