“Ooh, that’s a good one. Because Bears do shit in the woods.”
“I bet those pinecones are scratchy as hell.” Cyn’s expression was solemn, but Julian could see the grin trying to break free.
“You have no idea. And God forbid if you haven’t figured out what poison oak looks like yet.” Ryan shuddered melodramatically.
“I sense a story there.”
“Not one I’m willing to tell.”
Julian rolled his eyes. “Children, behave please.”
Cyn batted her lashes at him. “Yes, Daddy.”
“Say that again when we’re alone.” He heard Ryan’s sigh even over Cyn’s quickly muffled giggle. “Stay here and guard Cyn. I’ll go fetch Glory.”
Cyn’s brow rose. “How are you going to get her to leave? She was having a pretty good time, and Glory loves to close the club down.”
From the way Ryan’s shoulders tensed once more the club would be permanently closed if they didn’t get Glory out of there soon. “Don’t worry about it. I’ve got this one covered.” He patted Ryan’s shoulder sympathetically. Honestly, if his mate had pulled half the stuff Glory had he wouldn’t be handling it nearly as well.
He stepped once more into the club and scanned the sea of dancers looking for pale blue hair. He spotted Glory quickly and cursed under his breath. She was at the bar and flirting outrageously with the bartender. She brushed his hand and shot him a coy look, a look that clearly stated she was ready, willing and available.
She might be ready and willing, but she certainly wasn’t available no matter what she thought. Julian plastered on his most innocent smile and sauntered to the bar. “Glory! I’ve been looking all over for you.”
He could see Glory’s teeth clenching as she shot him a dirty look. “Go away, Julian.”
The bartender scowled. “Is this man bothering you?”
Only the genuine concern Julian could sense pouring from the man kept him from fetching Ryan. “She’s a friend of my girlfriend, Cyn. We were worried about her.”
The man’s smile dimmed. “Cyn is here? And you’re dating her?”
Now it was Julian’s turn to clench his teeth. Who the hell was this guy? “I most definitely am.”
Pain flashed across the bartender’s features, but was quickly masked by resignation. “Oh. Well, I hope things go better for you than they did for me.”
“Thanks. I’m planning on making it permanent.” While Julian felt some sympathy for him, there was no way in hell he wouldn’t stake his claim to Cyn. But right now he had other things to worry about. He placed his hand on Glory’s shoulder, and smiled. “Time to go!”
“Ugh. I don’t think so.” She tried to brush his hand away but he wasn’t budging. “Rude much?”
“Aren’t you feeling tired? Maybe even a little dizzy?”
She wobbled on the stool, her eyes going wide with horror and suspicion. “You son of a—”
“Like I said, time to go. You’ll be fine once we get a few carbs in you.” He tsked and shared a look with the bartender. “She was so excited to come out tonight she forgot to eat.”
He could tell the bartender wasn’t buying it, but when Julian waved to Tabby and got a wave back the bartender backed down. Julian helped Glory down from the stool, wrapping one arm around her waist when it was obvious she couldn’t stand on her own. When they were far enough away from the friendly bartender she growled at him. “When I get changed into a Puma I’m going to eat your face off.”
Was she still going on about that? Ryan would never allow anyone, not even Emma, to change his mate, no matter how many times the Puma Curana offered. “Aw, you’re so cute. Sort of like a rabid weevil. With anthrax.”
She tried to stomp on his foot but missed horribly, nearly sending them both to the pavement. “I hate Bears.”
“Is that any way to speak to your future pseudo-brother-in-law?” She growled again and Julian laughed. By the time they reached Ryan she was beating him with tiny, ineffectual fists. He deposited her on Ryan’s lap. “Yours, I believe.”
“Whether she likes it or not.” Ryan’s eyes had begun to take on chocolaty tones again, sort of like a half-melted blue M&M.
“Not!” Glory struggled to get out of Ryan’s arms, but he wasn’t letting go of his prize any time soon.
Julian watched her wriggle, and nearly burst into laughter. Now he remembered who she reminded him of. “By the ancestors, I get it now.”
Cyn wrapped an arm around his waist and Julian pulled her close, cuddling her up against his side. “Get what?”
“The blue hair.”
“What about it?”
They both watched as Glory slumped over Ryan’s arms and panted for a few seconds before renewing her struggles.
“She’s Super Grover.”
Glory snarled at them both as he and Cyn collapsed together in a cackling heap of oh-shit-you’re-right.
How in the hell had she wound up here?
Marie Howard held out the wicker basket. “Breadstick?”
She stared from the basket to the woman and back again. “Why the hell not?” She picked up one of the garlicky, buttery pieces of heaven and bit in. Noah’s had the best food, but it wasn’t exactly what she’d expected to eat for lunch today. Cyn’s salami and provolone sandwich was currently sitting in the fridge back at Living Art Tattoos, “stinking up the place” as Tabby put it. When the invitation for lunch had arrived from Marie she’d been startled, but intrigued.
If Marie had told Cyn she was taking her to Noah’s she would at least have grabbed her fedora. As it was, she felt woefully underdressed. A black tank top and jeans weren’t exactly the classiest thing to wear to a place like this.
“Are you all right? I heard about what happened at your shop. Jamie was worried about you.”
Cyn smiled. Jamie and Julian were becoming good friends. Making nice with Marie made sense, even if they had nothing in common. They were going to wind up spending at least some time together, thanks to their men. This was a good place to start learning about one another. “I’m good. Super Bear fixed me up just fine.”
“That’s good to know.” Marie twisted the breadstick, jumping as it fell apart. She dusted off her fingers, her gaze glued to her plate. Cyn had never seen anyone so nervous in her life. “So.”
She stared at Marie, waiting. It was obvious she was up to something, but Cyn had no clue what it could be. Marie was toying with half her breadstick, ripping it to tiny crumbs. “So?”
Marie loomed up with a grimace. She took a deep breath. “So. You and Emma are friends, right?”
Oh. Huh. This was not quite what Cyn had expected. She’d thought that it was a get to know my mate’s friend’s mate lunch, not…whatever the hell this was. “Maybe? I’m not sure.” The Puma Curana was a hard one to figure out, at least for Cyn. She had a way of bowling everyone in her path over, and for some reason the people she ordered around actually felt grateful for it. Cyn just didn’t get it, or her, but she had to admit it was fun whenever Emma came by LA. The bikers especially adored the Little General. “I like her, except when I don’t, if that makes any sense.”
Marie laughed. “I think it does. She’s a force of nature.” She blushed. “Look, can I trust you?”
Cyn nodded. She didn’t know if what Marie wanted to talk about was good or bad, but if it affected Marie, then it affected Jamie. If it affected Jamie, then it had the potential to affect Julian, and Cyn wouldn’t have that.
“Oh. Good.” Marie blew out her breath, but Cyn could tell she still wasn’t entirely comfortable. “This is Pride business, okay? You can’t let anyone know I talked to you about it.”
Cyn mimed zipping her lips shut.
Marie grinned. “Thanks. Emma and I, we…” She gulped again. “We had a falling out early on in her reign. Now we’re cordial, but not nearly as close as we used to be.”
“It has something to do with Belinda Campbell, right?” Marie winced at the name of the Poconos Pack Luna, and Cyn nodded. “I tho
ught that might be it. Even I’ve heard of how Belle left Halle in a cloud of suspicion. What the hell happened?”
Marie sighed and took a sip of her soda. “Belinda was so close to Livia, I thought for sure she was in on the plot. I mean, she was Livia’s best friend. How could she not know?”
Cyn tilted her head, confused. “Plot?”
Before Marie could answer the waiter came by to take their order. Cyn ordered her favorite, the lasagna, while Marie went for the pasta e fagioli and a salad. Once the waiter was gone Marie answered her question. “When Max claimed Emma as his Curana, Livia was furious. She thought she should be the Curana, always did. She was just waiting for Max to return home from college before she mated him.”
“I thought mates were destined by fate.” Cyn ate another breadstick, fascinated by this insight into the local shifters. After all, she’d be joining them soon.
“Usually, yes. But if you don’t meet your mate by the time you’re thirty, it’s safe to assume you never will. Most people will choose to mate with someone they fall in love with rather than wait any longer. It’s not a true mating, but I’ve known people who lived very happy lives with their chosen spouse.”
“What happens if the mate actually shows up?”
Marie shivered. “I have no idea, but it can’t be good.” She smiled at the nice young man who brought her salad. “Anyway, Livia wanted Max, Max wanted Emma, and Max took Emma.”
Cyn laughed. “Max took Emma?”
“Alphas can be pretty strong-willed.”
“That explains why she calls him Captain Caveman.” Cyn waggled her eyebrows, happy when Marie laughed.
“Anyway, Max wasn’t going to give Emma the chance to say no. He marked her before he told her what he was, and from all accounts she took it pretty well.” Marie finished her salad and pushed the empty plate aside. “When Livia found out who the new Curana was, she went nuts and attacked Emma’s best friend Becky, hoping to get the Curana’s ring off Emma’s finger.”
“What ring? And why Becky?” This Pride shit was confusing as hell. Thank God Julian was a Bear. Since Bears lived in family groups rather than Packs or Prides, Cyn wouldn’t have to deal with this kind of crap very often.
Then again, I haven’t met his parents yet. Maybe I should reserve judgment until I do. For all she knew the DuCharmes were just as insane as the Bunsuns.
“Puma Alphas wear rings signifying their status. Since there are only two cat species who form Prides, the ancient Pumas decided to follow the example of their Lion brothers and sisters, who also wear rings, rather than the Wolves and Coyotes, who don’t.”
“Why is that, anyway? That’s been bugging the shit out of me.” Cougars were solitary cats in the wild, so why did the shifter Pumas form a Pride?
Marie grinned. “I love telling this story. Let’s see. It’s said that, long ago, the spirits chose humans to meld with, creating the first shifters. The Lions were first, making the Leo the ruler of us all. He formed the first Pride, his Lion instincts driving him.”
“In other words, his cat wanted its harem.”
Marie coughed. “So not going there.” Cyn chuckled, and Marie continued. “Anyway, the Wolves and Coyotes also formed Packs, the Bears and Foxes had their family groups, but most of the cats, they were solitary creatures who preferred to live alone. The Wolf Alpha received the ability to talk to anyone in his Pack. The Leo, he could command anyone, and I mean anyone, because he was the shifter King. All Lion Alphas have that ability to some extent, but none stronger than the Leo. Foxes could hide better than anyone, Bears could heal, Coyotes got the gift of sensing lies, et cetera. Anyway, when it came time for the first Pumas to ask for their gift, they took a look around, pointed at the Lions, and said basically ‘We want that.’”
“What they meant was the ability to command others, right?”
Marie shook her head. “Nope. They wanted the safety of numbers that a Pride gave the Lions. So, even though it’s not in the puma’s nature to bond in that way, all Puma Prides have the same structure as a Lion one. When the more solitary shifters were hunted for rights to their land by other shifters, only the Pumas and the Lions were able to hold on to their territory. The Tigers were hunted to near extinction; only the intervention of the Leo prevented it.”
Cyn whistled. “That’s…damn.”
“Yeah. I don’t think any Puma has truly regretted the bargain the first made with the spirits. We like our Prides, thank you very much.” Marie shrugged. “So Emma is the Curana, ring or no, but not everyone understands that the ring is just a symbol. If it fell down the drain tomorrow Emma would still be Curana. Nothing would change that.”
“Let me guess. Livia didn’t believe that.”
“Not one little bit. She also knew Emma would do almost anything to protect Becky except give up Max.” Marie shook her head. “Livia never understood what being the Curana truly meant. You can’t be the Curana without being the mate of the Alpha. A female Puma who leads a Pride is called an Alpha, not Curana. So when Livia attacked Becky and pretty much ordered Emma to surrender the ring and her position as Curana, it wasn’t Emma’s title Livia was threatening, it was her bond with Max.”
“And you don’t threaten a mate bond.” Cyn understood. Just watching the way Alex was with Tabby, the way Ryan watched Glory, had taught her that much.
“Nope. Not without severe repercussions. Livia believed that if Emma handed over the ring the Pride would view her as being weak. She thought the Pride would force Max to name her Curana in Emma’s stead, making her Max’s mate and Emma Max’s piece on the side. Add in the fact that Livia had hurt Becky, and Emma was pissed. We were in the ballroom and they were in the garden, and we could still feel just how ticked off Emma was. She used her powers to force Livia to obey her, proving once and for all that she was the Curana, ring or no ring.”
“I bet that went over really well.”
“Rumor has it that Livia was fit to be tied, but it no longer mattered what she felt. Max Outcast her, and each of us could feel that bond sever, no matter how far away we were.” Marie grimaced. “Here’s where it gets a little tricky. See, everyone believed Belinda knew what was going on, since she’d been in the house trying to pick up Simon.” Marie shook her head, her expression grim.
Cyn frowned, still somewhat confused. Belinda “Belle” Lowell, once Campbell, was the Luna of the Poconos Pack. What the hell did she have to do with all of this? “Wait. You think because they were friends Belle was in on Livia’s plans to attack Becky?”
“They weren’t just friends, they were best friends.”
“But didn’t I hear that you were friends with Livia? Wouldn’t that make you suspect too?”
“We were friends, but not best friends. I mean, what don’t Tabby and Glory know about you?”
Cyn thought about that for a moment. “Not much, but if I were about to go postal on the Mayor I might not tell them about it first. They’d probably guess if I was upset or angry, but not that I was about to do something so monumentally stupid.”
“Why not?”
Cyn shrugged. “Because I wouldn’t want them in trouble with me.”
Marie gaped. “You’re joking. Right?”
“Nope.” She was serious. If she ever went off the rails like that she wouldn’t want to drag Glory and Tabby down with her. They’d suffered enough in their lives.
Besides, they were her family.
“Huh.” Marie shrugged. “I don’t think Livia was ever that altruistic.”
“Perhaps.” Cyn tapped her fork against her plate. “It’s also possible she thought Belle would rat her out. Let’s face it, from what I’ve heard Belle has more than proven her loyalty to the Pride. It could be that Livia pointed her toward Simon without once mentioning why she was supposed to be distracting him.” Cyn tore into another breadstick. Damn, they were good. Almost as good as the lasagna. “Wasn’t Belle in love with Simon? I’m pretty sure she could have been persuaded to keep him occupied.”
Even Cyn had heard of Belinda and Simon; she’d been in the same high school, just a year or two behind Belle.
“She was in love with him. Desperately.” Marie stroked her forehead. “Maybe you’re right. But I wasn’t the only one who thought Belle had betrayed our alphas. Most of the Pride agreed with me.”
“What did they do?” God, the lasagna here was incredible. She’d have to drag Super Bear’s butt here sometime soon. The best part was there were no Bears or Foxes in sight.
“Everyone practically shunned Belinda.” Cyn noticed that Marie never once called the Luna Belle the way everyone else did. It was as if she refused to admit that Belle wasn’t the woman she’d always thought her to be. “But she helped Becky when she got sick, then sacrificed herself to save Sheri, and attitudes started to change. Emma and Becky both agreed that Belinda hadn’t done anything wrong. Even Max and Simon believed her.”
“But you don’t.”
Marie shook her head. “I’m sorry, I don’t. She had to see something was going on that night. It’s like those women who marry serial killers. How can they not know that their husbands are crazy?”
“Sometimes you see what you want to see, instead of what’s right in front of you.” Cyn had lived with someone just like that. Her mother had adored everything about her father, even the things that weren’t good for her. Oh, her father had never been abusive, but he’d controlled every aspect of their lives. Her mother had fallen apart after his death, and was still picking up the pieces.
Marie shrugged. “True.”
“So what does this have to do with my friendship with Emma?”
“I’m hoping you could put in a good word for me.” Marie winced. “It’s a lot to ask, but this isn’t just about me anymore. There are a number of Pumas who feel the same way I do about Belinda, but none of us want the Curana’s anger directed at us. We just want to heal the breech in the Pride.” She stared at Cyn, her gaze determined, and sad. “It’s gone on too long.”
Cyn had no clue what she could do to ease Marie’s pain. The woman had obviously brought this on herself. “Have you apologized?”
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