Unleashing His Roar: Sanctuary, #6

By Megan Slayer

Wanted: a shifter. Must be caring, understanding, open-minded and looking for a shifter in return.

 

Zeus knew from the beginning he was different. Where the other lion shifters had paired up, he was still single. All he wants is a partner and finds a dating app on his phone. Will the app lead him to the man of his dreams or to a disaster just waiting to happen?

 

Justin isn't where he wants to be. He knows shifters aren't supposed to work for the humans, but due to a circumstance that spiraled out of his control…he's in over his head. He wants out and when he spies Zeus on the dating app, he's willing to risk everything to get to the lion shifter. He believes Zeus might be the one to help him move beyond his past and unleash his roar.

 

Will the panther and lion find each other or will Justin's past keep them apart?

 

This book has been re-edited for this re-issue.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Megan Slayer
• Release date: Jun 11, 2020
• ISBN: 9781393500599

Megan Slayer

Megan Slayer, aka Wendi Zwaduk, is a multi-published, award-winning author of more than one-hundred short stories and novels. She’s been writing since 2008 and published since 2009. Her stories range from the contemporary and paranormal to LGBTQ and BDSM themes. No matter what the length, her works are always hot, but with a lot of heart. She enjoys giving her characters a second chance at love, no matter what the form. She’s been the runner up in the Kink Category at Love Romances Café as well as nominated at the LRC for best author, best contemporary, best ménage and best anthology. Her books have made it to the bestseller lists on Amazon.com. When she’s not writing, Megan spends time with her husband and son as well as three dogs and three cats. She enjoys art, music and racing, but football is her sport of choice.

Book preview

Unleashing His Roar

A Sanctuary Story, book 6

by

Megan Slayer

Unleashing His Roar

Copyright © 2020, Megan Slayer

Edited by Michele Paulin and Liza Green

Cover Art by WZDesigns

Published by Megan Slayer Publishing

Warning: All rights reserved. The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

Electronic Release: June 2020

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and occurrences are a product of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, places or occurrences, is purely coincidental.

Wanted: a shifter. Must be caring, understanding, open-minded and looking for a shifter in return.

Zeus knew from the beginning he was different. Where the other lion shifters had paired up, he was still single. All he wants is a partner and finds a dating app on his phone. Will the app lead him to the man of his dreams or to a disaster just waiting to happen?

Justin isn’t where he wants to be. He knows shifters aren’t supposed to work for the humans, but due to a circumstance that spiraled out of his control...he’s in over his head. He wants out and when he spies Zeus on the dating app, he’s willing to risk everything to get to the lion shifter. He believes Zeus might be the one to help him move beyond his past and unleash his roar.

Will the panther and lion find each other or will Justin’s past keep them apart?

Contents

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

About the Author

More in the Sanctuary Series

For everyone who wanted more lions – looking at you Lucky Ducks.

I can’t wait for you to see the new direction.

For CD because you wouldn’t let me give up.

For JPZ. You’re my rock.

Chapter One

HOW DO YOU SUGGEST I prove they’re shifters? Zeus asked. He sat behind the desk at Sanctuary and stared at the laptop screen. He’d learned quite a bit about electronics since he’d moved to the front of the building as the greeter, but he still wasn’t sure how to determine whether or not the people who came to Sanctuary were the real deal. Markas, the alpha of the group, had told him his lion would know. Right. The lion didn’t show up often, and when he did, it was only when Chris, the lion shifter from an outside zoo, had come around. But Chris wasn’t interested in him.

We’re working on a system, Joe said. He and his brother, John, were the only humans at Sanctuary. Joe and John also happened to be in charge.

Zeus abandoned the computer for his phone. According to Chris, others were in search of a safe place to exist. He’d put out the word about Sanctuary on the underground channels, but then once he’d gone public about being a shifter, he’d taken away some of the stigma of being different. Chris had claimed others were supposed to arrive from the outside world, so John and Joe insisted everyone have a phone. More tech, they said. No one had said he couldn’t put applications on the device. Zeus had made sure to talk to Chris before he did much with the phone, but still. Once he’d found the dating app, he’d downloaded it. If the Sanctuary lawyer, Luke, could find love on the outside then so could Zeus.

Zeus glanced out at the foyer. For the first time since Chris’ announcement, there wasn’t a horde of humans swarming the place and wanting to gawk at the shifters. He appreciated the silence. He’d needed the break.

He tapped the icon for HookedUp. Since joining, he hadn’t had anyone show interest in him, but a shifter could dream. He wanted a hook up or at least a one night stand since he’d never had one. Plus, he wanted out of the house. Chris and a few of the other shifters were permitted to leave. He could leave too, but he had no real reason. Besides, there were too many individuals who wanted to hurt or exploit the shifters.

Today, he found a few people had finally sent him requests. A pang of excitement hit him, but it quickly went away when he looked at his potential dates. None of them turned him on, and his lion didn’t respond. Hell, the lion seemed as disinterested as possible. Well, shit.

He sighed. If he revealed he was a shifter, he’d get responses, but they probably wouldn’t be the ones he wanted. Ever since Chris had announced to the world earlier in the month that shifters existed, humans had pounced. Celebrities wanted to be seen with shifter friends—although he’d swear none of the individuals passing themselves off as shifters were truly able to switch forms. He didn’t want to be laughed at in public for being able to shift into a lion.

He sighed and flipped through more images of guys on the site. He might be on a dating app, but he wasn’t settling.  A few of the photos caught his attention, but not many. Tall, blond and handsome didn’t seem to be his type. He swiped across a few more images then paused.

Now, this guy... According to his profile, the man was over six feet tall. Sexy face. Shaggy black hair...dark, moody eyes and a slight tan. Holy shit. Zeus’ lion stirred within him. He sucked in a ragged breath. The lion actually cared? The animal had been attracted to other shifters, but not to humans, except for Luke.

Zeus bit back a growl. He should’ve known Luke hadn’t been interested. Luke had wanted someone more exotic, and Chris fit. If only Luke and Chris weren’t quite so good together. Still, Zeus couldn’t complain. If they were happy, fine. He wished someone looked at him the way Chris watched Luke and craved him that way, too. Being the last lion shifter in the house without a partner sucked.

He focused on the phone screen again. He’d never know if romance was possible if he didn’t try with someone. Maybe, the guy on the app was a good place to start. He tapped the photo. At least, he’d learn more than the basic information about him...like his name.

Justin.

Zeus sighed. He’d never heard the name Justin, and he liked it. He flipped through Justin’s additional photographs. The man personified sexy—lean muscle, just a little body hair and a serious, almost animalistic look in his eyes.

The lion paced within Zeus. It wanted to meet Justin. More than meet him. The animal wanted to claim him. Zeus snorted. The lion couldn’t know so fast. He had to meet Justin and get used to him. Maybe sleep with him a few times. Then the lion could choose.

He tapped the instant message feature. If Justin wasn’t logged into his HookedUp account, Zeus would leave him a present, but if he was, they’d be able to talk.

Saw your pic. Would like to talk. Hit me back if interested.

As soon as he hit send, Zeus second-guessed his decision to make the first move. What if Justin wasn’t interested? What if he laughed? Not that Zeus would know. He wasn’t anywhere close to Justin at the moment. But still. His ego couldn’t handle the rejection again.

Well, if nothing else, he hoped he sounded intelligent. He still wasn’t up on his slang terms. Half the time, he understood what the others at Sanctuary were saying, but sometimes, he still got confused.

His phone beeped and vibrated in his hand. He tensed at the sound. The noise came back. He should look at the screen. Should. His heart hammered, and the lion clawed at him from within. He turned his attention from the big cat to the phone. A gigantic arrow with Justin’s photo in it bounced back and forth on the screen. He touched the arrow and held his breath. Justin had replied.

Hi. Saw you, too. I’d like to talk. Tell me about you.

Holy shit. Excitement rippled through him. The lion stood at attention within him, equally thrilled. Zeus blew out the breath he’d held. What should he say? He didn’t want to sound silly.

I’m thirty-three. Single. I work @ a shelter. He paused. What else should he add? I’m looking for love.

He hit send before he could delete the words he’d typed. He probably sounded ridiculous. When Justin replied, Zeus yelped. He glanced over at Joe, who didn’t seem to have noticed.

Love, huh? Are you a romantic?

A romantic? More like a horny bastard who wanted sex that might become love. He drummed his fingers on the desk. Answering would be smart.

Justin replied first. Oh. You’re unsure? I’m a romantic. There’s someone out there for everyone, and I’m looking for my someone.

Damn. Justin was a romantic or, at least, came across that way. Maybe, the sweetness was a little much, but oh well. He’d never know if he didn’t try. Want to meet? You sound like my kind of guy.

He wasn’t sure if he sounded that way since he’d bulldozed right over