Sasha's Lion

By Hazel Gower

When shy eighteen-year-old Sasha Brento moves to America for her final year of high school, her innocence is blown out of the water when she learns shifters are real.

Not only are they real, but a lion shifter named Savron wants to claim her as his mate. The determined shifter is ten years her senior, and Sasha knows nothing about the mating bond. Her life quickly becomes filled with drama as she begins to question everything she's ever known.

Can Sasha and Savron overcome their fears and make their relationship work?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hazel Gower
• Release date: Feb 7, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215870242

Hazel Gower

I'm a mother of four amazing children. I started writing down my story ideas in high school, and never really stopped. Writing, I have to say, is my salvation. After I've gotten all the kids in bed and have cleaned up, I sit at my computer or sometimes a notebook with a pencil and relax, write, and escape.I love to hear from any of my readers, so feel free to send me an email and like me on Facebook.

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Copyright © 2023 Hazel Gower,

by Hazel Gower

All rights reserved. 2023

All rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the author or publisher constitutes unlawful piracy and theft of the author’s intellectual property. If you would like to use the material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained from the author.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblances to actual events, locales, or persons living or dead, are coincidental.

Edited by

Cover by Jess Buffett Graphic Designs

MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR

Some of the characters speak Australian English, so if you see the word ‘arse’ instead of ‘ass’ it is because that’s how we say it in Australia where the book is set. If you find a word you haven’t heard before, look it up or message me I’d be happy to talk to you.

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy my book.

Dedication

To my amazing husband, thanks for putting up with me, I love you more each and every day.

A huge shout out to my best friend Jess Buffett, who lets me bounce ideas off to her and always tells it to me straight.

Chapter One

Sasha was dragged through Britney’s front door. She’d been friends with Britney since the first day she’d started school in America, and this was the first time she’d been to her house. Sasha usually hung out with her drama friends. But Britney was hard to resist, your typical cheerleader, bubbly and popular.

When Sasha started school in September, she hadn’t known what to expect. Sure, she’d seen movies and shows, but she didn’t really trust what she saw. Sasha had seen firsthand that the movies were right. Her first day had been a shock. Sasha had been worried because it was her last year of school, and that she wouldn’t fit in as everyone would already have their own little cliques.

She and her mum had also debated if she should go to a public or private school. In the end they had chosen private hoping that with a uniform she might not feel so out of place. Sasha hadn’t expected the acceptance and popularity she’d gotten. She’d had lots of friends in Australia, but nothing like the instant popularity she’d received here.

Britney had been one of the first girls to introduce herself, and then the others had followed. Sasha had never had so many people to talk to or fight to sit with her. She’d thought it would wear off, but after months passed and she was still the center of attention, she stopped her worrying and just stayed true to herself.

She had three friends she’d met through drama, whom she’d almost instantly become best friends with: Zeck, Jess, and Travis. But Britney was determined to become a closer friend to her.

This was the first time Sasha had been to Britney’s house. Britney had invited her many times, but Sasha had wanted to settle in and get to know everyone, to get a feel for who really liked her, and she liked back.

Don’t worry about the noise. My brothers are home for the weekend. Tyler is a senior in college, and Carl is a freshman. Savron and Brandon work with my Dad managing the nightclubs. Tyler will be graduating this summer, and he’ll join them. Britney pulled Sasha toward the stairs at the end of the hall.

Nodding, unsure of what to say, she followed Britney up the stairs to her room, passing quickly by a lounge room filled with men yelling at the TV and wrestling one another. From her quick peek all four of Britney’s brothers were huge muscular men, with thick mops of blond hair and cover model looks.

Britney was stunning, but her brothers were drool-worthy. Maybe moving to America for her last year in school wasn’t so bad.

Sasha followed Britney into her room only to pause at the threshold. There were bright pink walls, while photos of popular bands, pompoms, and photos of her friends were scattered around the room. A queen size four poster princess bed sat in the middle of the room against the back wall. Sasha walked in to see a walk-in wardrobe that led into a white and cream bathroom. Wow, spoiled much? Sasha thought.

Do your brothers all live with you?

Tyler and Carl do, but Savron and Brandon have their own place. I don’t know why, when they’re here ninety percent of the time. Britney cocked her head to the side. Although the pride does stick together.

Pardon? What do you mean by pride?

Argh … it’s what I call my family. I’m Britney Pride. She smiled and walked to her closet taking off her uniform. I hear in Australia you wear a uniform to school even if you don’t go to a private school?

Sasha grinned and looked at the uniform she wore. It was blue and grey with a white cotton shirt and a jacket that matched the skirt. Sasha had a shapely body, and no matter what she did it stayed that way. She’d modified the skirt she’d been given to fit her better, made it a lot shorter, and once she’d added some black tights, cute Mary Jane shoes, and left her long black hair out, she was ready for her school. She’d fit right in, and soon Britney had introduced herself and so had the rest of the school.

Yes. My uniform at home isn’t much different from this one. It’s a red and orange pleated skirt with a white top.

Cool, so not much of a change. Sit on the bed. Get comfy. Britney walked to the bathroom and yelled, I still can’t get over you moving in the last year of your schooling.

Dumping her backpack on the floor next to the bed. She quickly rearranged the pillows for maximum comfort and then sat with her back against the pillows. Trust me, I wanted to stay. I was ready to live with my father. The thing that stopped me, though, was I knew my mother would never go without me. This is the first real relationship she’s had since my dad left over ten years ago. I’m also not planning on doing anything huge when I finish school. I want to be a childcare worker, and maybe go for my teaching grades in dancing so I can teach Latin and ballroom, and those things can be put on hold for a while. Australia has an awesome TAFE and university system, for all ages.

That’s good that you cared enough for your mother to come, Britney said as she came out in blue tracksuit pants and a white singlet.

If I really don’t like it here, I turn eighteen in a week and a half.

A squeal resonated around the room. Oh my God! P-A-R-T-Y Time.

As Britney finished squealing, four guys barge into the room, only to almost slam into one another as they stopped when they saw no danger to their sister. Sasha knew she shouldn’t laugh, but the fierce look on the four brothers as they burst in ready to defend their sister was classic. She giggled as they turned glares on her, which only made her laugh harder.

Britney stared at her open-mouthed, then at her brothers. Sasha studied her brothers and noticed they were a lot bigger than she remembered seeing downstairs. The one she thought was the oldest studied her, and his eyes penetrated her to her core. Sasha would swear they flashed bright yellow. She blinked and stopped laughing, as unease seeped into her.

Um, I … I think I’ll go. I, ah, have a class to get ready to go to tonight. Sasha slowly eased off the bed never taking her eyes from the predator’s gaze in front of her. She grabbed her backpack and carefully moved around the men and backed out of the room. Mum will be wondering where I am anyway. Well, I’ll … see you at school tomorrow.

Once out of sight from the eerie yellow eyes, she ran down the stairs and straight out the door.

****

Savron watched the girl scurry away, and his lion demanded he go after her, take her, and claim her. She was theirs.

He straightened at that notion and glanced at his brothers to see them watching him and the girl. Savron turned to his sister and narrowed his eyes. What the hell did you scream like that for with a human in the house? We thought she’d done something to you.

This time it was his sister who giggled. Seriously, guys, she’s human. What could she do to me, a lion shifter, who is at least ten times stronger than she is. You need to stop worrying over me. Mom and Dad both knew Sasha was coming over here, and they are both cool about it. Britney cocked her head to the side. I have a couple of human friends, and none of them have made you react like that.

Sasha. His lion repeated the name over and over. Something was wrong with him. His lion wanted a human for mate, and not only that, she was a girl. He groaned. He’d turned twenty-eighty a couple of months ago. He was too old for anyone his sister’s age. Fuck, he needed to get out. Head to inner Vegas and kill some vampires and get laid, maybe not even in that order.

I haven’t seen her before, Britney. She was hot, Tyler said interrupting his thoughts. Savron looked at him and growled.

She’s new, been in school for a couple of months now. Don’t worry about her finding out about us. She’s from Australia and has no idea that over half the school is full of shifters. Britney ignored his growling and winked at Tyler. She’s has quite a number of admirers.

Savron had heard enough. He turned and stalked out of Britney’s room, telling himself he would stay away for a while, use his own house.

****

Sasha didn’t end up going dancing. She decided after imagining what she saw yesterday afternoon she should have a quiet night and go to bed. Now as she drove to school, she prayed that Britney didn’t think she was a weirdo and tell everyone how strange she was.

Sasha was actually enjoying the new school and America. She didn’t want to do anything to mess her life up. It also helped that she hadn’t seen her mum this happy in years. Steve treated her mother like a queen, and he treated her and her little sister like his own. Steve was a good man.

She pulled into the school parking lot and walked to the gates. Britney and the rest of the cheerleaders waited out the front.

Sasha sighed in relief when the first thing that came out of Britney’s mouth was, "We’re all excited to