by Zelda Knight
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Synopsis
Each page of this anthology offers enchanting tales of transformation and seduction from royal prides to foxy thieves. Lions, tigers, dragons, gargoyles, werewolves, mermaids, and more inhabit each magical story. Fall in love with a shapeshifter in this limited edition collection of shifter romances brought to you by thirteen New York Times, USA Today, and international bestsellers, as well as hot new authors!
ROYAL PRIDE:
A Limited Edition Shifter Romance Anthology
Limited © 2021 Zelda Knight
* * *
All rights reserved. Published in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written consent, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles, reviews, and so on. This is a collection of fiction. Any semblance to persons, names, characters, organizations, places, events or incidents is the product of imagination. Any resemblance to the aforementioned is otherwise purely subliminal influence from our dormant shifters.
www.aurelialeo.com
Cover Design by Design by Definition
Book Design by Knight Designs (www.authorzknight.com)
* * *
FEATURING:
Lion’s Bride © 2021 Imani Jay
Stolen Mate © 2021 Juliet Moon
Breaking Chains © 2021 Margo Bond Collins
Cat Among the Demons © 2021 Lillia Hunter
For the Love of a Mermaid © 2021 Diana Dawn
Earthen © 2014 RaeLynn Blue
Ritual Island © 2019 J. P. Uvalle
Tricks, Treats & Trial by Fire © 2021 Sapphire Winters
Wings © 2021 Sofia Aves
Bonded © 2021 Isabeau Moon
Pride of a Lioness © 2021 Katia Kozar
Serpent’s Nest © 2021 W.M. Dawson
Foxy Heist © 2021 Zelda Knight
Visit prideanthologies.com for more!
Tables of Contents
Lion's Bride
A Curvy Girl Instalove Shifter Romance
About Lion’s Bride
The Rogue Lion
Chapter One
GAÏNDÉ
Chapter Two
LINGUERE
Chapter Three
GAÏNDÉ
Epilogue
About Imani Jay
Also By Imani Jay
Stolen Mate
(Omegas of the Wilds, Book One)
About Stolen Mate
Chapter One
MINA
Chapter Two
CAINE
Chapter Three
BRIGHTON
Chapter Four
MINA
Chapter Five
BRIGHTON
Chapter Six
CAINE
Chapter Seven
MINA
Chapter Eight
CAINE
Chapter Nine
MINA
Chapter Ten
BRIGHTON
Chapter Eleven
MINA
Chapter Twelve
MINA
About Juliet Moon
Breaking Chains
A La Isla Perdida Paranormal Prison Short Story
About Breaking Chains
Chapter One
MARA
Chapter Two
GAGE
Chapter Three
MARA
Chapter Four
GAGE
Chapter Five
MARA
Chapter Six
GAGE
Chapter Seven
MARA
Chapter Eight
GAGE
About Margo Bond Collins
Also By Margo Bond Collins
Cat Among the Demons
About Cat Among the Demons
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Epilogue
About Lillia Hunter
Also By Lillia Hunter
For the Love of a Mermaid
About For the Love of a Mermaid
Chapter One
The Crystal Petra
Chapter Two
The Cavern Of Pools
Chapter Three
The Seagate
Chapter Four
Marinus
Chapter Five
Soul Mates
About Diana Dawn
Earthen
A Dragon’s Keep Story
About Earthen
Prologue
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Epilogue
About RaeLynn Blue
Ritual Island
About Ritual Island
Chapter One
BLAIRE
Chapter Two
BLAIRE
Chapter Three
DORIAN
Chapter Four
BLAIRE
Chapter Five
DORIAN
Chapter Six
DORIAN
Chapter Seven
BLAIRE
About J. P. Uvalle
Tricks, Treats & Trial by Fire
About Tricks, Treats & Trial by Fire
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
About Sapphire Winters
Wings
About Wings
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Epilogue
About Sofia Aves
Bonded
(The Candle District Series, Book 1)
About Bonded
Chapter One
NAEMI
Chapter Two
ARAMI
Chapter Three
NAEMI
Chapter Four
ARAMI
Chapter Five
NAEMI
Chapter Six
ARAMI
About Isabeau Moon
Pride of a Lioness
About Pride of a Lioness
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
About Katia Kozar
Serpent’s Nest
About Serpent’s Nest
“The sea is endless when you are in a rowboat.”
“Pain makes man think. Thought makes man wise. Wisdom makes life endurable.”
“Physics is like sex: sure, it may give some practical results, but that’s not why we do it.”
“For there is nothing lost that may be found if sought.”
“During the negotiation, information is more valuable than eloquence.”
“I guess what scares me the most now is the thought that I won’t be able to protect you.”
“There are no ordinary people. You never talked to a mere mortal.”
“Much unhappiness has come into the world because of bewilderment, and things left unsaid.”
“We are the playthings of the gods.”
“The ache for home lives
in all of us. The safe place where we can go as we are and not be questioned.”
“Each of us needs to learn the unique language of our own soul.”
Epilogue
About W.M. Dawson
Foxy Heist
(A Lucky Break Novel, #1)
About Foxy Heist
Prologue
Chapter One
SARAH
Chapter Two
SARAH
Chapter Three
SARAH
Chapter Four
MIN-JOON
Chapter Five
SARAH
Chapter Six
LILLIAN
Chapter Seven
TOSHIYUKI
Chapter Eight
SARAH
Chapter Nine
LILLIAN
Chapter Eleven
SARAH
Chapter Twelve
SARAH
Chapter Thirteen
LILLIAN
Chapter Fifteen
BO CHANG
Chapter Sixteen
MIN-JOON
Chapter Seventeen
BO CHANG
Chapter Eighteen
SARAH
Epilogue
About Zelda Knight
Also By Zelda Knight
Lion's Bride
A Curvy Girl Instalove Shifter Romance
© 2021 Imani Jay
Edited by Jane Quintana’s & Nana Hall
About Lion’s Bride
A Curvy Girl Instalove Shifter Romance
A lion shifter king and a princess share an incredible night. But come morning, she disappears...
* * *
Linguére
I’m the odd princess of my country. The one that’s too tall, too curvy, too opinionated… not a single male wants to wed me.
* * *
Gaïndé
I’m the shifter king who’s lived centuries without meeting my mate. But when my eyes fall on this perfect woman, I know I’m done waiting!
The Rogue Lion
GAÏNDÉ
“We need to go back, brother,” I tell my Lion in a soothing tone. He stands still, ears twitching, eyes lost beyond the horizon. In what we both know is the direction to our home. Our palace. Our kingdom. “It’s okay to feel upset,” I add. “I, too, feel our void. But our people need us. We have to go back, guardian of my soul.” He emits a long, pained whimper, shakes his mane, then leaps on the road to Ndoumbélane.
When we arrive at the palace, he walks in circles in front of the gate, struggling to relinquish our body to me. “It’s all good, Gaïndé, one day soon we’ll find her. But for now, you have to work with me, brother.” He roars, shaking his big head, then I feel a sensation I haven’t experienced in weeks. The telltale tingle at the base of his spine that signals our imminent transformation. The shift from lion to human. I brace for calm, not wanting to risk enraging him again. I can barely believe it when the turn comes to completion for the first time in fourteen days. I let my head fall back at the base of my neck, roll it from side to side, followed by my shoulders. Then I take stock of my entire body. Tall, strong. A bit less bulk than when we left a fortnight ago, new scars from some of our encounters in the wilderness. But still me. King Gaïndé of Ndoumbélane. Heartbroken, missing a piece of my very soul, but back home to lead my people.
The guards standing at the gate advance to greet me.
“Your Majesty, it’s so good to have you back,” one of them says with fervor.
“We were so worried,” the other one adds, gaze intense with relief.
Rightfully so, we all know the stories of lion-shifters who went rogue and never returned to the pride. Forever erring in their beast form, stricken with grief, mad with pain. Losing one’s mate will do that to their mind. But we’re back now, and I haven’t lost all hope of finding her one day soon…
Chapter One
GAÏNDÉ
I study the pathetic creature facing me, my large hand running over the neatly trimmed beard covering my jaw. I’ve lost the bushy facial hair, my braids are back to their neat, intricate style, and I’ve regained a bit of weight in the month since I’ve been back from roaming the savanna. The haunted look hasn’t left my gaze though…
The man standing in front of me looks much older than I do, although I’m more than a century past his measly seventy or so years. I knew his father before him, and his grandfather when I was only a cub. These feeble creatures age so ungracefully, fade from the surface of the earth so quickly, it’s a wonder their species has survived and thrived for so long. The contradiction between their weakness and extraordinary adaptability annoys and baffles me all at once. I despise human beings. “Not all of them”, my treacherous Lion reminds me. I do my best to seclude him from my conscious thoughts. After all, I have a guest to tend to. One desperate for my full attention.
The specimen standing in front of me is a prime example of human limitations. The mighty King Damél, sovereign of Cayor, the human kingdom neighboring my magical realm of Ndoumbélane. He’s an old man trembling in his boots because the prince regent of Banjul, the nation located on his other flank, has made very clear his ambitions of expansion.
“Are you sure?” I ask with a hint of annoyance, my deep voice coming out even gruffer than its usual low timbre. I sense my Lion twitch, his curiosity piqued by the entire ordeal.
King Damél nods, swallowing with difficulty. His bobbing Adam’s apple betraying the state of his nerves. Lamentable. “Yes, Your Majesty. I’d be honored if you agreed to take my daughter’s hand in marriage.” He bows slightly, displaying a deference no king should show one of his peers, magical or not, and I loathe him even more for his meekness.
“Let me make sure I understand your proposal, son of man. You’re asking for our protection against Banjul, in exchange for your daughter?” I reformulate his ludicrous offer.
“And riches, Your Majesty. You’ll receive a chest of gold and precious stones as her dowry,” he adds agitatedly. Making me want to tear his goddamn throat out to put him out of his misery. When I don’t respond, simply staring him down, he adds, “And anything else that might please you, King Gaïndé.” As if he possessed anything I could wish for.
“Are you sure your daughter agrees to this plan of yours?” I enunciate each word. “Once she makes it to Ndoumbélane, there’s no turning back,” I growl low and menacing. Then watch as his throat works again. A sheen of emotion passing over his eyes, and his dark skin turns a shade paler. Oh, for fuck’s sake!
“She knows, Your Majesty. She’s honored to have been chosen,” he lies through his teeth. I’m sure, praying I tire of his precious princess and send her back home within days. Which is a definite possibility, as it’s well known I have little patience in general, and close to none when it comes to dealing with humans. Not all of them, My Lion purrs again, and again, I ignore Him. I don’t foresee a lot of tolerance on my part for a spoiled princess.
For years, there have been no great battles to fight, no fearsome enemy to slay, not even an extraordinary beauty to conquer. My Lion emits a growl of disagreement, making me pinch the bridge of my nose. Bringing back the memory of the woman who felt closer than any female of any species, more perfect than any fantasy I’ve ever conjured. “The one who’s proven herself impossible to find for five fucking months, driving me to the brink of insanity”. I need to let go of the memory of our single night together. “No!” My Lion growls. “She’s ours. You have to keep looking!”
I shut my mind to his demands and turn my attention back to the poor man begging for my help. My insides burn at the thought of making someone other than my mystery woman, My Queen. But I forge on. More than two centuries on this earth and the only time I felt a true connection was with her. I cannot keep going like this. An alliance with Cayor will benefit my people. The prince of Banjul isn’t only coveting new territory but also the many natural resources of the small kingdom. Some battlefield action might just be what I need.
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