Robbed of her roar, Nicia doesn’t want a lion. She goes to the Crossroads and has a wolf follow her home. No red hood required.

Nicia was at the fundamental lion compound and rescued from a life as guard beast for her family.
Her mother’s family takes her in and helps her recover from the years of abuse.
Once she is recovered, she decides that it is time to seek out a mate, provided she could change her mind and come home if needed. With that agreement in place, she heads to the Crossroads.
Braxton has been watching for a mate, and while several women came close, it was the sombre lioness asking for directions that caught his attention. He wanted to make her smile, and when that became his primary pleasure, he knew he was in deep.