Chapter One
Moira considered herself a pragmatist. She wasn’t the kind to pine. She made a point not to regret the path not taken—even if she had once desperately wanted to take it.
So she didn’t often think about that night, or the foolish hopes she’d briefly entertained all those years ago. The life that might have been.
Nevertheless, when she heard the announcement, as surprise flowed around the Pride Hall, her first thought was of him . Hugo.
The Alpha of Lone Pine Pride was stepping down, handing over power to his chosen successor. No longer Alpha, his wife would no longer be Alpha’s mate. Which meant their relationship would no longer be crucial to the stability of the pride. They could divorce.
Hugo was free to pursue her now.
Moira told herself she was happy for him, happy that the stupid old bear was finally in a position to find his bliss with the soon-to-be-former Alpha’s mate. He’d pined for her for twenty-five years. At this point he deserved a medal for unrequited fidelity. Spending his golden years with the love of his life was a fitting reward.
But Moira still felt a traitorous tightness in her chest—traitor to her own determination to be over him—an ache she didn’t want to acknowledge as her last spidery thread of hope finally snapped now that Lucienne was free.
Hugo would never choose Moira now.
She sat in the Pride Hall, surrounded by her pride mates, projecting calm. Her colleague, Dr. Brandt—whom she still could never seem to think of as just Aaron, no matter how many times he asked her to call him that—leaned forward at her side, hanging on the Alpha’s every word as the announcements continued, outlining the changes to come in the pride. Thankfully, Brandt hadn’t noticed Moira’s momentary lapse into futile romanticism. Why would he? She was a steady, reliable fixture in the pride. No reason to expect emotional outbursts from sensible Moira—even as the shifters around her stirred restlessly with each new bit of news.
Moira couldn’t work up much concern about the changes. She’d adapted to a lot in her life. She would adapt to this too. No sense worrying about how it would affect them. The effects would be seen only too soon.
As the meeting continued, she let her gaze drift over the figures on the stage. The narrow space was packed—fitting, in a way, as the entire pride was busting at the seams with overcrowding these days, new shifters arriving every day begging for sanctuary from the Organization that hunted them.
Gregory Fallon, the current Alpha, stood shoulder to shoulder with his successor, Roman. Both men were massive and muscular—lions bristling with physical strength and an indefinable sense of authority.
At Roman’s other side was the lean, dark-haired cougar shifter who would be bucking pride tradition by becoming the first non-lioness Alpha’s mate. Patch was dwarfed by her lover, but what she lacked in stature, she made up for in guts as she stood at his side, her hand clasped in his, and stared down any who would doubt their bond. As if anyone would doubt a love so obvious and fierce.
In contrast, on Greg’s other side, his mate stood with regal poise, supporting him, but without a trace of affection flowing between them. Lucienne. She was beautiful. Even at fifty she was an exquisite woman—tall, blonde, attractively curved but without the softness that Moira seemed to carry with her own curves. Moira could definitely see the appeal. Lucienne was almost too perfect to be touched by mortal hands, the radiant, distant queen of the pride. Hugo’s obsession.
Lucienne and Greg’s daughter, Lila, had joined them on the stage as well, along with her own non-lion lover. Just weeks ago Moira had sat in the Pride Hall as the announcement was made that Lila would marry Roman—and the girl had looked like a deer in headlights. Now she stood beaming at her jaguar fiancé’s side while Roman pledged himself to the pride and Patch instead.
It
Moira considered herself a pragmatist. She wasn’t the kind to pine. She made a point not to regret the path not taken—even if she had once desperately wanted to take it.
So she didn’t often think about that night, or the foolish hopes she’d briefly entertained all those years ago. The life that might have been.
Nevertheless, when she heard the announcement, as surprise flowed around the Pride Hall, her first thought was of him . Hugo.
The Alpha of Lone Pine Pride was stepping down, handing over power to his chosen successor. No longer Alpha, his wife would no longer be Alpha’s mate. Which meant their relationship would no longer be crucial to the stability of the pride. They could divorce.
Hugo was free to pursue her now.
Moira told herself she was happy for him, happy that the stupid old bear was finally in a position to find his bliss with the soon-to-be-former Alpha’s mate. He’d pined for her for twenty-five years. At this point he deserved a medal for unrequited fidelity. Spending his golden years with the love of his life was a fitting reward.
But Moira still felt a traitorous tightness in her chest—traitor to her own determination to be over him—an ache she didn’t want to acknowledge as her last spidery thread of hope finally snapped now that Lucienne was free.
Hugo would never choose Moira now.
She sat in the Pride Hall, surrounded by her pride mates, projecting calm. Her colleague, Dr. Brandt—whom she still could never seem to think of as just Aaron, no matter how many times he asked her to call him that—leaned forward at her side, hanging on the Alpha’s every word as the announcements continued, outlining the changes to come in the pride. Thankfully, Brandt hadn’t noticed Moira’s momentary lapse into futile romanticism. Why would he? She was a steady, reliable fixture in the pride. No reason to expect emotional outbursts from sensible Moira—even as the shifters around her stirred restlessly with each new bit of news.
Moira couldn’t work up much concern about the changes. She’d adapted to a lot in her life. She would adapt to this too. No sense worrying about how it would affect them. The effects would be seen only too soon.
As the meeting continued, she let her gaze drift over the figures on the stage. The narrow space was packed—fitting, in a way, as the entire pride was busting at the seams with overcrowding these days, new shifters arriving every day begging for sanctuary from the Organization that hunted them.
Gregory Fallon, the current Alpha, stood shoulder to shoulder with his successor, Roman. Both men were massive and muscular—lions bristling with physical strength and an indefinable sense of authority.
At Roman’s other side was the lean, dark-haired cougar shifter who would be bucking pride tradition by becoming the first non-lioness Alpha’s mate. Patch was dwarfed by her lover, but what she lacked in stature, she made up for in guts as she stood at his side, her hand clasped in his, and stared down any who would doubt their bond. As if anyone would doubt a love so obvious and fierce.
In contrast, on Greg’s other side, his mate stood with regal poise, supporting him, but without a trace of affection flowing between them. Lucienne. She was beautiful. Even at fifty she was an exquisite woman—tall, blonde, attractively curved but without the softness that Moira seemed to carry with her own curves. Moira could definitely see the appeal. Lucienne was almost too perfect to be touched by mortal hands, the radiant, distant queen of the pride. Hugo’s obsession.
Lucienne and Greg’s daughter, Lila, had joined them on the stage as well, along with her own non-lion lover. Just weeks ago Moira had sat in the Pride Hall as the announcement was made that Lila would marry Roman—and the girl had looked like a deer in headlights. Now she stood beaming at her jaguar fiancé’s side while Roman pledged himself to the pride and Patch instead.
It
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