Part 2
(Present day.)
Chapter five
Thorne
Pausing at the large Christmas tree in the town square, I smile, admiring the beautiful handmade ornaments from the Pride. The wishing tree tradition is something I started after that night six years ago.
Movement catches my eye right as Mrs. Rina, the owner of our local stationery shop, steps out of the grocery store. She’s the sweetest lion omega that has been a part of this Pride for longer than I’ve been alive. When she looks up and sees me, she smiles, right as everything seems to slow down and happen in slow motion.
Her tiny, frail hands lose their grip on one of the paper bags in her arms, causing a domino effect. The bags tumble out of her grasp and spill in front of her. An apple rolls out of the bag right as she gasps in shock. And as soon as she tries to recapture her balance, her foot lands on the apple, causing her to slip.
Thankfully, I’m already there, catching her before she can truly fall.
“Oh, dear.” Mrs. Rina clutches her chest with her free hand. Her breathing is strained, and she looks like a frightened mouse rather than the strong lion I once knew. “My goodness, Alpha. I don’t know what I would have done if you weren’t here to catch me.”
My left arm is around her for support while she’s clutching my other arm firmly like her own personal grab bar. I keep my right arm steady and firm. Something I always remember from taking care of my grandmother is that a lot of elderly folks just want something stable to grasp onto.
I chuckle softly. “Mrs. Rina, how many times do I have to tell you to call me Thorne. Hearing you call me Alpha is just so strange.”
She finally lets go of me and pats me on the chest. “Now, now. You worked hard to become the alpha of this Pride. It’s only right that I respect your title, just like everyone else should in our small town.”
It’s true, I did work very hard with my father and brother to take over seamlessly. The Pride is everything to me. My lion ancestors established Stone Joy as a sanctuary town, but over time, they began to form relationships with shifters like wolves, bears, and other wild cats. There was even a rumor that one of the lions from our Pride found love with a dragon shifter. From then on, Stone Joy embraced all shifters looking for a home. As long as my Pride is safe, then anyone was allowed into our town. It’s something I love being a part of, and wish more of the world had towns like ours.
“Why hello, Mrs. Rina,” my brother Dimitri says, joining us. I eye him curiously, but he shakes his head, silently indicating he wants to chat in private. Holding my arm out to Mrs. Rina, she grasps it, tiny hands circling my arm through my winter coat. Dimitri reaches for her groceries and beams over at me. We’ve always made such a great team. Dimitri might not be my blood or even a lion shifter, but he’s still my brother.
We make our way through the town square and over to Rina’s house, located right behind her shop, before making sure she’s settled in.
“What’s up, Dee?” I ask as soon as we leave her place. We step into an even pace as we make our way back toward the main Pride house.
He reaches inside the lining of his jacket and pulls out a folded piece of paper. Dimitri side eyes me as he hands it over. “You know, Thorne, if you don’t want anyone else finding out your business, it’s probably better if you don’t print out your confirmation paperwork at the Pride house.
I unfold the piece of paper and wince. It’s an email from Branson, the booking clerk at Winter Wonderland Wilderness Lodge. I requested that he forward my receipts, the dates, and the lodge address.
“Thank you for giving this to me. Did Papa or Dad see? My voice remains surprisingly even, despite just having been caught in a little white lie. Goddess, this is why I don’t lie in the first place. I’m shit at it.
“No, you’re lucky. But tell me what this is all about. You told our parents that you were going on a romance cruise for single shifters during the holidays. My face heats under the pressure, and I find myself embarrassed that I even have to explain this to my little brother.
A few shifter children rush by, paying us no mind as they talk about what toys they want to add to their Christmas list. I catch a few words like roses and plushies, and I make a mental note to donate some of my funds to the annual toy run. I turn toward my brother instead.
Tugging Dimitri to a stop so we aren’t overheard at the Pride house, I explain. “You know how they get during the holidays, always asking me if I met an omega. And ever since taking overas the Pride’s alpha, it’s only gotten worse.” Not to mention, when I turned forty-one last month, Papa sat me down and explained I wasn’t getting any younger, like I didn’t know how aging works. My inner lion whines, tail slashing back and forth. He believes we have already met someone special.
I sigh. My hand wanders into my coat pocket, fingertips caressing the lion keychain I keep hidden on me at all times.
“They just want you to be happy,” Dimitri says.
“And what about you? I’m not their only son,” I tease, nudging him. “Why don’t you get this special treatment?”
“But youaretheir only son.” His lips turn down into a heartbreaking frown. Is this how he really feels? “Plus, you’re the alpha of the Pride now. We need an heir.”
I roll my eyes. “An heir,” I scoff. “Such an old-school term. We already have an heir. That’s you. And don’t give me this bullshit that I’m their only son. Papa and Dad adopted you. Just because you don’t share their blood doesn’t mean anything. You’re their son. You’re my brother.”
“I know, but—”
“No buts.” I yank Dimitri into a fierce hug. “Our parents gave us a choice. If you’d wanted to be the alpha, the job could have been yours. They respected our decision to decide between ourselves. I would gladly be your second, if you prefer. Everyonein town loves us both. Respects us. If I stepped down, they would embrace you with open arms.”
To my shock, Dimitri pulls me tighter against him, clearly needing the touch. As a wolf, it’s in his nature to crave companionship, to crave a pack. But as strong male alphas, we are trained not to show weakness. It’s bullshit. Some wolves are naturally touchy-feely, and I get the impression that my brother is touch-starved.
