B008IJW70G EBOK by Soraya Lane

permanently. 
          Besides, how could she go home, back to school and her friends, and pretend like this had never happened? It would be hard enough thinking about not seeing Hunter again, let alone considering a life without Sophia, without being able to change , now that she knew how. And what could potentially happen to the human race didn’t exactly sound promising. 
          “And if I do stay?”
          Sophia had started walking again. Riley followed, like a puppy clinging to its owner. 
          “If you stay, you have to decide what your destiny here is. You can take your place as my successor sooner rather than later if you take Hunter as your,” she hesitated, before selecting her next word, “partner.”
          It was just as she thought, all questions came back to Hunter. To her taking him, accepting him. Falling in love with him.
          “There’s no pressure, but you cannot fight and lead us forward until you have a long term mate. It’s not enough for Hunter or any other male to protect you, without every other leopard out here knowing you are spoken for. For life.”
          It sounded almost ominous when said like that. But how bad could a life bound to Hunter be? After last night, she was starting to think that a life by his side would be rather… nice. Better than nice. 
          But being married off at seventeen or eighteen, if marriage was what they called it here, was young. Way too young . 
          “Have you seen the future?” It was a question she’d been dying to ask Sophia for days. 
          She received a nod and a smile in return. “I have.”
          “And?”
          “Seeing forward into the future or the present is a wonderful gift our guiders can endow us with. But looking into your own personal life, into the future of it, without knowing all the twists and turns that get us there first, can do more harm than good.”
          Riley cleared her throat, still wanting to know. “But did I look happy?” She wanted to ask her more about this whole guider thing, but she bit her tongue. Hunter had asked her not to, and she’d given her word. 
          “If happiness is what you seek, and you are confident in Hunter now, then you are right to take him as your mate.”
          Ick. There went that word again. She was going to stick with husband in her own mind. Partner. Anything but mate .      
          “You have a lot to think about, Riley.” Sophia gave her a gentle pat on the back and squeezed her shoulder. “Hunter will take you to your guider. Your answer will be there. I know he’s already told you, so go.”
          Riley grinned. There was nothing they could keep secret from her. “Sophia?”
          She met Sophia’s eyes. “When you lost your sister, and then found out what you were, did you say yes straight away?”
          Riley heard a deep voice then, projecting from behind them. She would recognize that voice anywhere. 
           Hunter . A voice deep, smooth as honey and so calm. 
          “She’ll try to tell you otherwise, but the answer is no.”
          Riley watched as Sophia’s face lit up at his words. At the way her smile widened as Hunter appeared behind them. She obviously cared for him, even more than Riley had realized. 
          Riley had a flutter of butterflies in her belly when she turned to listen to his voice. Shirtless again . She was never, ever going to get used to him looking like that. Barefoot, jeans riding so low it made her eyes wander, and a tanned, muscled chest that never failed to make her pulse ignite. 
          She hoped he hadn’t overheard their entire conversation. She wouldn’t have spoken quite so candidly. 
          “Should I tell her?”
          Sophia waved Hunter closer with her hand, smile still fixed on her face. 
          “Tell me what?” Riley