Sinclair
It doesn’t take me long to catch up with Lydia. Once I caught her scent on Ella, it was easy to track her through the fair. I leave the feast pavilion and set off into the twinkling lights, finally spotting her in front of one of the food stalls near the snow maze.
She’s standing in line for mulled wine, and she looks exactly like she did the last time I saw her.
I wait for the familiar tug on my heartstrings, for our bond to trigger my wolf – to hear him chanting mine in my head the way he does with Ella. But it never comes. I don’t feel compelled to claim her, or even to approach her. If it weren’t for the fact that she’d been sniffing around Ella and my pup, I wouldn’t even consider going near her. I’m amazed to realize that – after all this time –
I’m finally free of her influence. I’m finally over her, and she no longer holds any power over me.
When did that happen? I wonder. The last time I saw her was over a year ago, and though I hadn’t felt anything like affection for her, my wolf had still recognized our mate just like always. There was chemistry between us even though I’d wanted nothing to do with her. Then again, maybe the fact that I felt so much animosity for her then was evidence of lingering feelings. I can honestly say I feel nothing for her now, and that seems much more final than when I still held our past against her.
Taking a steadying breath, I approach. Lydia turns to face me when I’m still a few paces away, and she gasps in surprise.
“Dominic!”
I feel my hackles raise instinctively. I don’t believe her show of surprise for one moment. She obviously knew I was here because she helped Ella in the bathroom, and my scent was all over the little human. In fact, knowing Lydia, she’d probably approached Ella in order to engineer this exact situation. I’m annoyed with myself for playing into her hands – but I also couldn’t do otherwise.
A jealous female is a threat to a breeding she-wolf, especially when the title of Luna is on the line.
“What are you doing here, Lydia?” I demand coolly, not bothering to greet her.
“Oh come now, Dominic, is that any way to greet your mate?” Lydia smiles, batting her lashes.
“Don’t do that,” I growl. “We haven’t been mates for a long time now, and I know you approached Ella – what are you up to?”
“We might not be married anymore but we’ll always be mates, whether you like it or not.” She reminds me, her smile dimming but not disappearing. “And I was curious. I heard you found a new Luna and I wanted to see my replacement for myself.”
“Ella isn’t your replacement.” I bite back, “She’s nothing to do with you at all.”
“She is a pretty little thing, I’ll give you that.” Lydia sneers in return, flashing her fangs. “But she seems awfully meek for your taste. I thought you liked strong she-wolves, not frail damsels who are afraid of their own shadows.”
“I’m not going to talk to you about my mate, or dignify your comments with a response.” I declare icily. “Where’s your new husband anyway, surely you didn’t come all this way alone?”
“Oh, Sloan is back in the Bloodbane pack. He doesn’t like to travel.” She answers boredly.
“Does he know you’re here?” I inquire, wondering if things are sour enough between them that he doesn’t care, or if she’s sneaking around behind his back. I don’t know an Alpha alive who would allow his Luna to go visit her ex alone, even if they were in an unhappy relationship – it would look too bad for his reputation.
“He knows what he needs to know and no more.” She answers archly, confirming my suspicions.
“You can’t honestly tell me you were willing to go to all this trouble just to get a look at Ella.” I counter. “What are you up to?”
She laughs humorlessly. “I guess the damsel act works, you were never this protective of me.”
“Of course I was.” I hiss. “I loved you with all my heart – even after I realized you only married me for my title.”
Lydia pretends to look offended. “How can you say that, we were fated.”
“Fate didn’t matter to you until after my father named me his heir.” I recall, “remind me, how many years did you stay with Roger after figuring out I was your true mate? And how long did it take you to leave him after realizing he’d never be Alpha?” I don’t need her to answer me. I know the dates like the back of my hand. Roger never realized it, but our bond presented itself when I was just sixteen – two years before my father named me his successor. Lydia broke my brother’s heart the very next day. I knew it then, but I was young and foolish. My wolf had been pining after my mate for so long then that I would have done anything to be with her. I couldn’t see her for the scheming social climber she is – but I do now.
“You’re right.” She simpers. “I wasted too many years on him hoping to become Luna. I should have listened to my wolf from the beginning. Maybe if I’d gone to you when the bond first appeared we would have had children and we could have avoided all this drama.”
“Or maybe we’d be in exactly the same place we are now.” I counter. I wish I could tell her how easy it had been for Ella to conceive with me. That even after the damage Mike did to her ovaries, one simple insemination had done the trick when years of trying hadn’t gotten Lydia and I anywhere. I might point it out if I didn’t think it was so cruel. For all her faults, Lydia had always wanted pups, and I know better than anyone how much it hurt her not to conceive.
“No.” She frowns. “I obviously gave up on you too quickly. I blamed you for our fertility struggles but I was wrong. I think we deserve another chance.”
Oh. Of course, now it all makes sense. She’s back because she knows I’m not sterile, but she still can’t conceive with her husband. “Go home, Lydia.” I grit out. “Go back to your husband. You’re still young. It wasn’t in the cards for us, but it obviously can be with other people. Ella proves that.”
“You know she’s not strong enough to be your Luna.” Lydia whispers in an undertone, looking up at me from beneath her lashes.
“Keep her as a plaything if you like, but don’t put her in charge. If you care about her you wouldn’t subject her to that pressure.
Let me come back, we can keep trying and if it doesn’t work I’ll even adopt her pup as my own.”
It takes all my willpower not to reel back in shock. I always knew Lydia was calculating and power-hungry, but I didn’t think she’d go to this length. I don’t even believe this is all about Ella – except that Ella finally gave the Alpha counsel and the allied packs enough confidence in my ability as King to get me elected. Is Lydia here because she thinks I can give her a child after all, or because I might be king after all? Maybe it’s both – but either way, she isn’t here for me.
Ella isn’t here for me either, but her dedication to our baby is undeniable. I know she’d do anything for our child, and I’ve never seen that kind of emotion in Lydia. Ella has more love in her little finger than Lydia does in her entire body, and that’s the mother I want for my son.
“You’re out of your mind.” I tell her bleakly. “You can’t honestly believe I would ever take you back after you walked out on me.
You’re the reason I might lose this campaign, and that puts the entire realm at risk. You should have stayed for that duty alone.”
“I wanted more than duty, Dominic.” She argues, puffing out her lips into a pout. “Is that so wrong?”
“You wanted power.” I correct. “You’ve always wanted power, but never the responsibility that comes along with it.”
“You’re wrong.” She insists. “And I’m going to prove it to you, I’m going to win you back, Dom!”
“You’re not, because I’m happier with Ella than I’ve ever been.” I’m amazed to realize I’m telling the truth. We’re not even together, but I feel like I’ve finally found the partner I’ve been looking for in life. Even if nothing ever happens between us, I know we’ll be good parents together, and lifelong friends to boot. I might wish we could be more, but I’m satisfied just having Ella in my life. As I think this, I turn away from Lydia, wondering why I ever let her drag me away from my heart’s true desire.
“I’m not going to leave, Dominic.” Lydia says to my back, and I can hear other shifters murmuring around us. Our conversation is clearly private no longer, and I regret coming after her. “I’m not going to give up on you.”
“I’ve made my decision, Lydia.” I counter, turning away again. “Deal with it.”
My good mood only lasts until I get back to the feast table, where I find my father and no sign whatsoever of my little troublemaker. “Where’s Ella?”
My father sighs, looking tired and forlorn. “She left.”
