Jezebel's Lion

By Hazel Gower

This is a rerelease. I have re-edited it and added a couple of extra scenes.
When her two best friends forget her birthday, crushing her, Jess is amazed when one of the infamous Pride brothers shows up, apparently wanting nothing more than to sweep her off her feet. Jezebel’s life will never be the same, and though she is sure the relationship is only temporary, Jezebel embraces the attention Brandon showers on her.

Brandon has found his mate. He is overjoyed, his lion content, but then he suddenly finds all is not easy in love, at least not when you are a lion shifter with a human mate totally unaware of the paranormal world. Now, Brandon must not only reveal the existence of shifters to his mate, but also tell her of the very real threat they fight against.

Will Jezebel be able to accept everything that comes with being a shifter’s mate? Or will the truth be too much, sending her running back to the familiar, safe harbor of the human world?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Hazel Gower
• Release date: Feb 10, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215178126

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.

Book preview

Copyright © 2023 Hazel Gower,

Jezebel’s Lion 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 Susan Child

Cover by Jess Buffett Graphic Designs

Dedication

To my family who let me devote my time to the job I love. Lastly, to my fans thanks for all your support.

Chapter One

Jess sat on the sofa between her two best friends, Zeck and Travis, in the family room of her house. They had popcorn, M&M’s, chips, and soda as they sat watching cable. Usually on a Saturday they watched a movie, but today their friend Sasha was in a dance competition that was being broadcast live. Sasha was a new friend of theirs from Australia. Zeck had a huge crush on her. Travis thought she was hot, too, but wasn’t as hung up on Sasha as Zeck, or so Jess thought.

Today was her eighteenth birthday, and her two closest friends had forgotten. She’d known and been best friends with Zeck and Travis most of her life, and neither of them had ever forgotten her birthday. Her mother had told her she could have a party, her brothers had called and said they would drive over and take her somewhere special, but after she’d had her birthday breakfast and unwrapped her presents with her parents Jess had wanted to spend the day with her two besties.

Since Sasha turned up, Jess’s world had started to change. Not only was she invited to parties, but to girls’ shopping trips and girls’ nights out. For as long as Jess could remember it had been her, Zeck, and Travis. Their parents had been friends, and she’d met them through them. They started hanging out and never stopped. Jess’s mother and father had told her many times that she needed to venture out of her circle, that Zeck and Travis would want their own friends when she hit puberty, or high school. That hadn’t happened. She’d hit both milestones’ years ago, and they were still going strong. The sleepovers stopped for a while, but other than that nothing changed. Lately, though, everything felt weird.

Wow. Sasha looks amazing. Zeck’s comment had Jess blinking and focusing on the big screen TV.

Sasha did look hot. Jess felt a pang of jealousy as she stared at her friend on screen. Jess wished she had a body like Sasha’s. Jess had used to diet all the time but had given up last year when her mother had started taking her to a shrink, worried about her eating and always dieting. After many sessions, Jess was slowly accepting her size eighteen, sixteen on a good day, body.

Her mother continually told her that it was inside that counts and that she was beautiful. That the guy she was meant to be with would think that, too. Jess hoped her mother was right, because no man so far had been interested in her. Not that Jess had tried to get any guy’s attention. Sure, she’d crushed on guys, but they were way out of her league. Most of the guys at her school were ridiculously good looking, and the girls were gorgeous. Jess’s mother had joked that it was something in the water where they lived, but Jess drank that water and she wasn’t a size 6 or 8, tall, and model beautiful. Jess supposed it was Vegas, and all the gorgeous people seemed to stick together and produce even better-looking offspring.

Jess didn’t think she was ugly. She had light olive skin with no blemishes, hazel eyes, and long chestnut hair. She just wasn’t in the same league as most of the people around her. She was okay with that, but sometimes, like now, when her two best friends forgot her birthday because of a hot girl, it got her down. Jess knew it wasn’t Sasha’s fault she and her friends had forgotten her birthday. Sasha did have a lot going on, and Jess had only told her the date of her birthday once.

Playing with the hem of the baggy shirt she wore, Jess berated herself for not saying something to remind her friends. She was cutting her nose off to spite her face as her mother would say, but Jess thought it was the principle. Travis and Zeck should remember. She shouldn’t have to remind them. They didn’t have to remind her about their birthdays. Jess never forgot theirs. She could say something now, but…

Travis threw a pillow at her interrupting her thoughts. It’s finished. It’s been finished for a while. What are you staring into space about?

Jess shook her head. No, she wasn’t going to tell them. They had known her almost all her life and been friends all that time. They should know her birthday.

Travis studied her for a moment before he continued. What do you want to watch now? He winked at her. Or has watching the dancing made you motivated? Do you want to go out instead? We could go dancing and shake our booties.

Jess rolled her eyes at Travis’s attempt at being funny. She looked at her tracksuit pants and her brother’s old shirt. She wasn’t dressed to go out. Where would we go?

Travis shrugged. There must be something on. It is Saturday night.

Zeck winked at her. Yeah, Jezebel.

Jess glared at Zeck. Lately he was being a real asshole. Zeck knew she hated being called by her full name. Don’t call me that.

Zeck’s lips curled in a wicked smirk. What’s up with you tonight? You’ve been all quiet and moody.

Here was her chance to say something. I’m upset because you idio— Her mobile rang, and Jess ignored it and started again, but the ringing wouldn’t stop. Sighing, she pressed answer. Hello.

Hey, Jess, wanna come around and help me celebrate how well I did? Sasha sounded upset. Her voice was shaky like she was crying or trying not to.

Um, is everything all right? You sound like you’ve been crying.

Everything will be fine when I have my friends around me.

Jess knew something must have happened with Sasha’s boyfriend, Savron. From what Sasha had told Jess the relationship was rocky. If Jess had a Pride man, she’d do anything to keep him happy. The Pride men were all gorgeous. Two of them, Tyler and Carl, had been friends with her brothers. They were on the football team together. Jess had loved it when they came around. Sasha dated the oldest brother, and she even lived with him. Sure. I’m with Travis and Zeck, and we’ll be around in halfa. I just have to get changed.

Thanks, Jess. I need the company. Her friend’s voice hitched at the end, and Jess felt bad for her jealousy of her earlier.

Jess hung up, and Zeck got off the sofa with a huge grin on his face eager for the chance to be with Sasha. Quick, Jess, go get changed so we can go.

Getting off the sofa Jess glared at Zeck. Tonight he was being a dickhead. Not only had he forgotten her birthday, but he’d used her full name and was being a massive asshole. What is with you tonight?

Nothing, Zeck growled. Ah, fine, I’m sick of staying in almost every Saturday. This is our last year of high school. I want to enjoy it, not be stuck here all the time. His hands waved around her parents’ family room.

Jess felt like she’d been stabbed in the heart. Did Zeck not want to hang out with her anymore? Was that why he and Travis had forgotten her birthday? If that’s how you feel I’ll go up to my room and be down in ten minutes, and we can go to Sasha’s boyfriend’s house, and you can pine over someone you’ll never have. She turned and stormed away.

Way to go, idiot. Real smooth. Jess heard Travis speaking as she stomped up the stairs to her bedroom.

Angry with herself that she still hadn’t said anything about her birthday, she went into her closet and picked out her best party dress and laid it on her bed. Jess was going to have fun tonight. Tomorrow she would ignore Travis and Zeck, and when they asked her why she would tell them what they’d missed.

Going to her drawers she picked out some sexy black lacy underwear. She always felt better when she wore sexy underwear. Even though they were only going to Sasha’s house, Jess was going to make sure she was ready to party.

Walking back to the bed she put her clothes on and unbound her long hair, letting it flow behind her. She then went back to her closet and put on her only high heels. Moving to her vanity, Jess sat in front of it and opened the drawer with make-up her mother had bought her, but which Jess rarely used. She put on light foundation, a tiny amount of eye shadow, and lastly a bright red lipstick that brought out the chestnut in her hair.

Standing up, Jess stood back and smiled as she looked at her reflection. She looked pretty. The dress complemented her very shapely figure, bringing the focus to her large breasts and her legs. Jess may not be tall, but she did like her calves.

Reaching back to the table she gathered her ID and cash and stuffed them into her bra. Glancing at the mirror she straightened her shoulders and walked out of her room and down to Zeck and Travis, whom she found in her kitchen shoving pizza into their mouths. When they saw her Travis choked, and Zeck spat his pizza out.

Jess, what happened to you? You look really pretty, Zeck muttered.

Travis groaned and elbowed Zeck. Jess couldn’t believe Zeck.

What do you mean what happened to me, I look pretty? Do you mean I usually don’t?

Yes … no … argh. It’s just you’re just Jess.

Oh man, Zeck, just shut up now, buddy, Travis moaned.

You’re an asshole, Zeck. Jess couldn’t get over Zeck’s behavior and on her birthday. Walking past her friend she went to the front door, opened it, and walked to Travis’s car. No way was she going in Zeck’s car after the way he’d acted tonight. The car beeped to say the doors were open, and she sat in the front passenger seat and put her seatbelt on. Seconds later Travis got in the driver’s seat and did his seat belt up.

You know he didn’t mean to sound so rude, don’t you, Jess? Zeck is just cranky ‘cos his thing for Sasha will never go anywhere. He’s just taking it out on you.

Jess’s anger deflated a bit. She felt sorry for Zeck. Yeah, I know. He’s still an asshole though.

Travis nodded. I think you look beautiful, Jess.

Thanks, Travis. It is a special day, you know.

Travis smiled and started the car. Come on, we’d better go. Zeck’s taken his own car, so he can leave when he wants to. I think it’s so he can leave quickly when Sasha’s boyfriend comes home. Travis chuckled, and Jess giggled, feeling calmer.

The drive