King Pontione’s POV
“Mate!” my lion Zuka roared, wagging his tail at the back of my mind. I couldn’t believe this. I wasn’t expecting it. How come? My fated mate died when Lance was only three years old. For 18 years, the Goddess made me suffer without giving me a second-chance mate—and now she decides to give me a human mate in my old age?
I know we live for centuries, and I’m not really that old. She doesn’t appear that old either, but I can’t accept a human mate. How will my subjects look at me?
My eyes had softened toward her, but I wasn’t going to let the mate bond toy with me. I debated and reasoned with Zuka. He told me he wouldn’t forgive me if I rejected his mate. She is beautiful, gosh! She is the only sunshine I’m seeing right now. My eyes grazed all over her—checking her cur
