A Lion's Pride

by Susan Bliler

  “C’mon, temperature’s dropping fast.”

  He turned and stalked toward the house, and with one last look back at the dogs, Maia followed.

  Outside, the snow was falling steadily. Walking beside Carter, shoulder to . . . elbow, Maia took a moment to be amazed at the world. She loved the winter, loved the snow. She loved how a riot of snowflakes could fall silently to the earth and blanket everything the eye could see without boisterous thunder or blinding lightning. Snow could come without the howl of the wind or without even the slightest of breeze. It just showed up, without need for acknowledgment. She loved that she could go to bed and wake up to feet of snow outside without ever having even known it was coming down. Silent, beautiful, crystalline snowflakes were each unique on their own, much like shifters. A single shifter was rare and beautiful, but a pride of lions, a clan of bears, a pack of wolves . . . they were breathtaking. Like snow, the shifter community had come to light almost silently. A few stories in the headlines here and there. A few months of shifter-craze, and then everything died down. Shifters just wanted to exist, to be the beautiful thing that they were without fanfare or the need for acknowledgment, and without having to ask permission. It’s the way things should be. Tilting her head back, Maia beamed up at the sky. Natural, calm, easy. Glancing at Carter, she wondered if he ever stepped back just to appreciate what he had here. Ramsey rarely did. Too busy trying to lead and to make life everything he wanted it to be for his clan, her brother rarely took a moment to simply to stop and be grateful for all they were and all they had. Ramsey liked to rage against all that they weren’t. He sometimes forgot to be thankful for what they were. Shifter packs were closer than most families. Loyalty ran marrow deep, and hard work, strength, and dedication were ingrained in them.

  Tearing her eyes from Carter, Maia murmured, “It’s beautiful here.”

  Carter’s agreement came in the form of a quiet, “Mmm.”

  She smirked because it reminded her of Ramsey. “Take a look around.” She waved her arm toward the ranch. “You’re really lucky, Carter.”

  Angling his chin toward her, he frowned and shot her some side-eye. “Ain’t luck, Maia. It’s hard work and . . .”

  “Dedication,” she filled in, voice monotone. “God, you sound just like Ramsey. Why is that?” She took a couple quick steps to get in front of him and then turned to walk backward facing him. “Why do Alphas and Apexes have such a hard time seeing beauty in things? When’s the last time you actually admired something?”

  Carter’s eyes narrowed on her, but she kept right on talking.

  “Do you even remember the last time you found something so beautiful that it stole your breath?” She opened her mouth to keep hounding him, but her heel caught on something and she started falling backward. A startled gasp left her as her arms shot out.

  In a flash, Carter was there. Arms around her waist, face inches from hers, he caught her just before she hit the ground.

  Chest heaving, breath coming out in panting puffs, Maia simply blinked up at him. Her breathing seized when Carter’s sky-blue gaze took a leisurely dip to her mouth and he said, “Yeah, Maia. I do remember the last time I saw something so beautiful it stole my breath.” His eyes slowly slid back up to lock on hers. “It was a lot more recent than you’d think.”

  Lifting her, he set her on her feet and then released her before stepping around her and heading for the house.

  Dazed, Maia stood out in the cold before her head whipped around. Eyes locked on Carter’s back, she wondered if he’d meant to say the words the way they’d sounded. There was an implication there, an implication that had butterflies flitting to life in her belly.

  Booted foot stomping up the front steps, Carter barked, “Get in the house, Maia. It’s getting cold.”

  Chapter 8

  In the house, Carter didn’t wait at the door for Maia. He couldn’t. If his ma were alive, she’d slap seven shades of shit out of him for not holding the door for Maia. His dad would be equally as disappointed, but they weren’t here. They were dead because of humans.

  Humans.

  He needed to remember that Maia was one. He didn’t need to be getting caught up in her pretty green eyes or her addicting juniper berry scent.

  Stalking through the house, he bypassed the clang of pans and the scents wafting from the kitchen to head up to his room. He needed a shower, he needed get the stench of sweat from the day off him, he needed . . . to be away from Maia.

  Halfway down the hall, he heard the front door close quietly. Then Zander’s big mouth was bellowing, “There she is! Lady of the hour! Hot damn, you sure do know your way around dogs. You know that?”

  Carter rolled his eyes and walked into his room, slamming his door on all the noise.

  ***

  Maia smiled at Zander’s exuberant welcome, only to cringe at the loudly slamming door coming from upstairs. She’d seen Carter heading down the hall just as she’d reached for the door.

  What in the hell is his problem?

  Just as she thought it, Zander frowned up the stairs and asked, “What in the hell is his problem?”

  Maia shrugged. “It’s probably me. Everyone knows Carter hates humans and I’m . . .”

  “You’ve been busting your ass to save our dogs. You’ve been working from sunup to sundown. You’re not even taking breaks! It’s bullshit, Maia.” Zander glared up the stairs again. “He needs to get the fuck over it.”

  She shrugged up one shoulder as she took off her coat and hung it on the rack by the door. “Hate isn’t something you can just get over.” She shot a sympathetic look toward the stairs. “I get it. He lost a lot.” She looked at Zander. “You all did. And it was because of humans, and I’m a human, so . . .”

  “Fuck that!” Zander snapped. “Last spring a cougar got into the barn and lit into the dogs. They fought back, but two didn’t make it. Do you see Carter pouting around and hating mountain lions because of it? No! Because it ain’t right!”

  Maia shook her head and lowered her voice. “There’s a difference between dogs and people, Z. It was your parents that my kind went after, not a couple of dogs. Carter’s . . . Well, when someone hates like that it’s because they’re covering up a mountain of hurt.” She jerked her chin toward the stairs. “Let him have it. He’s entitled to it. I don’t blame him one bit, and you shouldn’t either.”

  But Zander’s stare had gone distant as he angled his face away from her and breathed, “They were my parents too.”

  “I know. And I’m sorry. I’m more sorry than I could ever say. And I want to apologize to you and your family, I want to . . .”

  Zander’s head whipped around, his eyes hard as he boomed, “Stop! You’re not apologizing to us for shit you didn’t do, Maia. And you’re not gonna bear the brunt of Carter’s hate while I stand idly by either. In fact, I don’t think his treatment of you has shit to do with our parents or his dislike of humans.”

  Maia didn’t say anything.

  “I think you’re making him rethink his hate. And I think that’s what pisses him off.”

  “I’m just trying to help.”

  “I know.” Zander smirked, and his delight reflected in his eyes when he said, “And that makes it worse. Because I think Carter wants to hate you, but you’re just so naturally kind and genuine that he knows he can’t. He has no right to.” Cracking his knuckles, Zander drawled, “It doesn’t hurt that you look like you do.”

  “Look like I do?” Maia glanced down at her body. She was a disaster. She’d been wearing the same clothes for two days now. There was so much mud and muck on her boots that she couldn’t even tell what color they were anymore, and the tight ponytail she’d started the day with had long since slid to the base of her neck. Tendrils and wisps of hair fanned her face, and she knew she smelled like wet dog, sweat, hay, and just a barn in general.

  “I’m not talking about your clothes, Maia. I’m talking about the woman beneath.”

  “Oh, brother!” With
a roll of her eyes, she shoved Zander in the chest and made a beeline for the kitchen, tossing over her shoulder, “Don’t try your flattery on me Zander Concolor. I’m immune.”

  “To all Concolor charm, or just mine, Rall’s, and Deek’s?”

  Pretending not to hear his last barb, Maia used a hand to fan at her cheeks as she stepped into the kitchen and asked, “Need help?”

  Deacon was at the stove stirring a pot of delicious smelling something. Rall was standing over a cutting board on the counter hacking away at a head of lettuce.

  Rolling up her sleeves, Maia rushed to wash her hands before hurrying to take the knife from Rall. “Let me.”

  He muttered, “I have made a salad before,” but he relinquished the knife with a little too much enthusiasm.

  Maia made quick work of chopping the head of Romaine and rinsing it off. Leaving the colander in the sink to drain, she shouldered up to Deacon and eyed the yummy looking stew he was stirring.

  “What else can I do?”

  Smiling down at her, Deacon jerked a thumb over his shoulder.

  Following it, Maia looked at the empty table then back at him and guessed, “Set the table?”

  Deacon’s smile widened as he nodded. Behind her, Rall and Zander offered, “We’ll help.”

  The four of them worked together to get the table set, the salad garnished with cherry tomatoes, the stew onto a trivet, and the loaf of hot bread out of the oven and into a basket on the table when Rall said, “Hey! If you’re gonna be here a few more days that means you can come with us to the festival.”

  “Festival?” Maia asked.

  Zander stopped working. “Don’t tell me you’ve never been to the festival?”

  Maia pulled a face and shook her head. “I’ve never heard of it.”

  Zander and Deacon exchanged a look, but it was Rall who explained, “It’s a party held once a year at the community center in town. Shifters only! It’s a blast! There’s music and dancing and food and drinks and women.” He blushed at the last and shot Maia look before clearing his throat and continuing. “Everyone dresses up and we just have fun. I can’t believe Major has never taken you to it.” His look turned contemplative. “Now that I think of it, I don’t remember ever seeing Major or any of your clan there.”

  Maia turned her face toward her shoulder, her mind reeling. There was a yearly festival for shifters? Why had Ramsey never told her? Why had they never gone? Then it hit her. Rall had said shifters only, and Maia wasn’t one. Oh God! Had her brother been forcing their clan to forego the festival simply because she wasn’t welcome? Mortification seared her.

  Zander ordered, “Drop it, Rall.”

  “What? Why? It’s a good time, and if Maia’s gonna be here, she should come with us.”

  “It’s fine.” Maia gave Zander a weak smile. “I don’t need to . . .”

  “Need to what?” Carter asked as he walked in.

  Chapter 9

  “Nothing,” Zander answered for Maia. “Just shooting the shit before dinner. Nice of you to help, by the way.”

  Carter just grunted a displeased sound and made his way to his seat at the head of the table.

  Eyes snagging on him, Maia couldn’t help but be distracted. Hair still damp from his shower, legs encased in thigh-hugging denim, chest and arms shown off in a deliciously form-fitting white T-shirt, Carter looked like he’d just stepped off the pages of GQ magazine. Ruggedly handsome.

  The words ghosted through Maia’s head just before she tore her eyes off Carter. Even when he took his seat at the head of the table, Maia didn’t look at him again. She was trying to respect the internal struggle he was having with her presence in his territory by giving him the space that she could.

  “Maia, what’s it like with the bears? Are they as dumb as they look?”

  With a chuff, she crinkled her nose at Zander and gave him a dark look. “No, they’re not dumb! They’re strong and independent. They work hard and rarely have time to play.” A smile claimed her face. Reaching across the table to accept the basket of bread Deacon handed her, she grabbed a piece of bread and put it on her plate before passing the basket to Rall beside her. “That craft beer the guys make is some of the best I’ve ever had, and we don’t really get a chance to indulge often, but when we do . . .” She waggled her brows.

  Rall smiled as he ladled stew into bowls and handed them out. “We traded a run for some of their beer last winter. It was awesome.” He beamed.

  “It was alright,” Zander countered, but Deacon snorted and shook his head, denying Zander’s claim.

  “Last summer, the guys let me pick the flavors for a new batch,” Maia continued undeterred. “I picked huckleberry and honey. It. Was. Phenomenal.”

  Rall stopped his spoon of stew halfway to his mouth. “I bet it was.”

  “There’s still some left. I’ll send some over when I get back to The Den.”

  Rall and Zander started talking about how great that’d be while Deacon nodded enthusiastically, but Carter clipped out an authoritative, “No.”

  The guys fell silent, and Maia looked at Carter. “It’s not a big deal. It’s just beer.”

  “It’s a favor,” Carter countered. “One that always requires repayment where the bears are concerned.”

  “That’s not true,” Maia bit out angrily, brows snapping down. “I’m here as a favor and I’m not asking for any repayment.”

  “That’s because you’re not a true bear.”

  Carter’s words hit Maia like a shotgun blast. She sat stunned a moment before her eyes flooded with stinging tears. Eyes dipping to the bowl in front of her, she tried to compose herself.

  All her life she’d hated that she was different. The lone human in the Major Clan, she’d begged Ramsey when they were young to change her. He’d refused saying it was a decision to be made when she was an adult. He kept saying he didn’t want her to regret her decision, that she needed to wait until she was fully mature and had lived a little first. She kept asking, he kept saying no. It got to the point where she’d finally stopped asking, but she’d never stopped wishing. It’s why Carter pointing out her one major flaw felt like a slap. She physically ached from his words. It hurt to be called out, to be reminded, which was odd. She didn’t care when he called her a human, but him saying she wasn’t a true bear was saying she wasn’t a Major, and that just wasn’t fair.

  Zander drew in a slow breath through his nose and then breathed, “Jesus, Maia, he didn’t mean it like it sounded.”

  Rall instantly jumped to her defense, turning to glare mutinously at Carter. “Why do you always have to be such a fucking dick?”

  “It’s fine,” Maia uttered, shoving up from the table. “It’s the truth.” Taking one leg over the bench seat and then the other, Maia backed up. “I’m not a bear. I’m a disgusting lowly human.” She ignored Deacon as he shook his head in denial, and she waved off Zander when he made to stand. Looking at Carter she flashed a sad smile. “I know what I am, Carter. And I know what I’m not. Every day at The Den I’m reminded how much I don’t fit in. Every day, I look at my clan and feel like an outsider and an inconvenience. If I could change things I would, but Ramsey has refused every single time I’ve asked.”

  Rall’s voice was filled with disbelief when he asked, “You asked the Major to change you?”

  Ignoring him, Maia kept her eyes on Carter. He was studying her intently like he was trying to gauge whether she was lying, and that only hurt more. He didn’t trust her, he never would. He’d never see her as anything more than a disgusting human, one of the monsters who murdered his parents.

  “I’ll start early tomorrow.” She backed toward the door. “If the dogs are better maybe I can get out of your hair sooner than expected.”

  Without another word and ignoring Rall’s and Zander’s bellowed, “Maia!” she exited the kitchen and went up to her room.

  Inside, she quietly closed the door and then turned and pressed her shoulders into it before sliding down to h
er butt. Arms resting on her bent knees she let the tears that had been threatening all day come. They fell silently, and she swiped at her cheeks with the back of her hand. Living with shifters, she’d learned long ago not to sob or carry on. Shifter hearing was excellent, and growing up she’d had more than one pity party crashed by her nosey loving clan.

  Thinking about them made more tears come. She was homesick. Back at The Den everyone was careful not to hurt her feelings by pointing out that she was less than them. They claimed her as one of their own despite it. Carter wasn’t like that. He didn’t care if he hurt her feelings. In fact, he’d been rude to her since day one, which sucked. When they were working, she could see what a good leader he was, what a good man he was. It was after, when he let his preconceived notions and pent-up hatred seep back in, that he turned into an ass.

  A soft knock hit the door, but Maia didn’t move, just said, “I’m tired, Rall. Have a good night, okay?”

  “It’s not Rall.”

  The sound of Carter’s deep voice shocked her momentarily, but she recovered quickly. “I’m tired, Carter.” She didn’t add on the “have a good night.”

  “I brought your dinner.”

  “I’m not hungry,” she lied. She was starving and had been really looking forward to trying Deacon’s stew, but she wasn’t an emotional eater. In fact, when she was upset, her appetite was slaughtered.

  “I’m coming in.”

  “No you’re not,” she bit out, but scooted away from the door just in case he tried to throw it open. She didn’t need whiplash on top of everything else.

  “It’s my house, Maia, and I’m coming in in two seconds, so get away from the door.”

  On the floor, she quickly wiped the tears off her cheeks. She was shoving up to her feet just as Carter slowly pushed the door open.

  He stepped silently into the room and eyed her.

  Staring at the tray in Carter’s hands, Maia motioned toward the nightstand. “You can put it there.”