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But I didn’t want to live in their shadow all my life, nor did I want to define myself by doing things purely to be contrary with them. The grind of work was exhausting me and I’d never felt anything like the sense of intrigue and excitement that had come over me when I learned the truth about the lions. The more I thought about it the more I realized there was still much to be learned.
“I think I need to go and see Rick,” I said, rising from my seat.
“Before you make any decision make sure that you’re doing it for yourself and not for anyone else. We don’t want you to feel like you’re being forced into anything. That’s not why we tried to get them to find you. Just try to make the right decision for yourself and we’ll support you in whatever you do.”
I thanked them, although I refrained from telling them that they had become much more reasonable in the intervening years. The time with the lions had given them a new perspective on life and I wondered what it might do for me if I stayed, but first I had to go and see Rick and see if he could answer the rest of my questions.
Chapter Fourteen
I found Rick standing by the edge of the lake, looking out upon the waterfall. The water shimmered under the sunlight and the mountain towered over us. Out here it was easy to forget that we were part of a wider world, that the city waited for us, and that other lions were out there vying to take control of this area. When I approached him, I told him I had a few questions and he seemed happy enough to answer them, but first he told me to go with him, and he started walking towards the mountain.
“You promised me I wasn’t going to have to climb this mountain,” I said.
“We’re not climbing it,” he smirked, “we’re going inside it.”
I followed him up the stone slope and was already working up a sweat when he took a turning into an opening. The temperature dropped instantly and the light faded. Rick promised me he wouldn’t take me too far in.
“I just want you to get a sense of our history. A long time ago, this is where the lions lived, staying in the caves, only venturing out when we needed to hunt.”
“Where did you come from?” I asked.
“Nobody really knows. Our history is just as vague as your own. Some think we were blessed by a god, some think there was a union between a man and a lioness a long time ago, others think magic was involved. I prefer to think that there was some genetic quirk in our history and everything followed from that. But, of course, it’s not the past that concerns us now, it’s our future.”
“Yes, it is.” My words echoed around the cavern. “I need to ask you Rick…if Dalton was never going to be made leader, then why weren’t you the one to chase me? If I was brought here to be with you, then why send Dalton? You must have known, given his history, that he was likely to fall in love with me.”
“Yes, I did. And it’s not through any malice, I can assure you of that.”
I rubbed my temples. “But, if I stayed…I’d have to be with you?”
“I hope that would not be too offensive a prospect for you,” he grinned, “but, more specifically, you would be the mother to my children, to the next generation of lions. You would be the progenitor for a strong, new batch of younglings to reinforce the strength of this pride, and you would hold a privileged position within our community. You would never want for anything. You would be held in the highest esteem and everyone would look to you for guidance. You would have the opportunity to shape and guide this pride.”
“But, why me? Aside from the fact that I might be willing, and that my parents volunteered me?”
I was still at something of a loss to understand how Rick could want me to be the mother of this new generation when I hadn’t seen myself display any of the characteristics I assumed were necessary for the position. It seemed odd that I could be passed up for a promotion at work and, yet, be deemed worthy of leading a tribe of lion shifters.
Rick placed a hand on one
of the cave walls and closed his eyes, breathing in deeply. This was obviously a place of reverence, a hallowed area where his ancestors had ruled.
“I’ve watched you closely and I’ve listened to everything that Dalton told me about you. I know that you’ve endured much pain in your life, but you’ve come back stronger. You’re tenacious, you’re brave, and don’t forget that you saved me, as much as I saved you. If you had not distracted Bruce at a pivotal moment he would have killed me. You might think you’re just an ordinary girl, Ellie, but you’re far from it. You’ve also accepted our culture and our way of life without batting an eyelid. You’ve taken it all in stride and you haven’t even tried to question us.”
“Believe me, I have plenty of questions, I’m just holding off on the less important ones for the time being, otherwise I’ll be overwhelmed.”
Rick chuckled and took his hand away from the rock, turning to face me. His deep brown eyes were fixed on me and I felt a pull towards him. It was different than the attraction I felt for Dalton. That was more emotional. This was something more physical, more primal.
“The quality I’m most looking for in a mate is strength, Ellie, and you have that in abundance. I need someone who knows what it’s like to suffer, so that she might be better able to teach our children how to cope with the stresses of the world. I never want this pride to be in a weakened state again. I believe you’re the one to help me achieve that.”
As he spoke to me, I felt myself wanting it too. For a long time now, I had been yearning for a more important position, for a way to showcase what I knew I was capable of. Rick was offering me a fantastic opportunity and I took a step closer towards him. My hand twitched, and it was as though he had cast a spell on me with his words. The two of us had only been alone together in my bedroom. There had always been an undercurrent of attraction between us, but I had never fully acknowledged it, because my attention had always been on Dalton. If I was to stay here, then I would be the mother to Rick’s children, and it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world…but what about Dalton?
“What about Dalton?” I gasped, feeling awful for ruining the intimate moment that was being conjured between us, but I couldn’t deny my feelings for Dalton either. I was caught between the two men. My attraction was strong for them both, but it felt so wrong in my head, so taboo. I tried to pull myself away, fighting my instinct to fall into Rick’s arms, out of some sense of loyalty to Dalton, even though I knew that if I stayed I would be Rick’s woman. It was wrong for me to be so attracted to two men at the same time. Maybe it was best if I just left. It would have been easier had they been fused into one man so I could have the best of both worlds, but I feared I was destined to miss out on something.
Rick caught my hands, stopping me from pulling away. He drew me close into him and I felt the warmth of his body and the force of his strength. I knew I couldn’t show a sign of weakness in front of him, because that’s not the person he thought I was.
“Ellie,” he said, interrupting my wild train of thought. “You don’t have to be worried about that. Dalton and I…we’ve talked about this from the beginning.” He spoke in a calm manner. My chest was heaving with heavy breaths and he led me over to a patch of rocks where I sat down. Rick remained standing. “We have to be pragmatic about the situation. There are certain things Dalton can offer you that I can’t. I’m going to be the leader of this pride and thus my time is going to be divided between you, our children, and the rest of the pride. I won’t always be able to be there for you, but Dalton can. And, in truth, I have never been one for romantic companionship. I fear I would not be a suitable man to share your heart with. Dalton, on the other hand, is made to love and be loved. He is my dearest, closest friend and all I want is for him to be happy. It would not bruise my ego to see the two of you together, and I know he feels the same way.
We are not like the city you’re from Ellie. We do not play by the same rules, and we are not beholden to the same traditions and structures. You will be a lioness and you get to choose your own mates. You can have us both, in whatever capacity you desire. The only rules we have to live by, are the rules we define for ourselves. There is much you still need to learn about being a lion, and I would be honored to teach you.”
He stepped forward and before I knew it he was there in front of me, his lips on mine, and we were locked in a kiss. Whenever I had fantasized about him before, I had felt guilty for thinking of another man aside from Dalton, so I had never allowed myself to enjoy the thoughts properly; I had never allowed myself to let the warm tingles flow through my body, but now they came with the force of a tornado. My body was alive with desire and I gave myself to Rick wholly and willingly. His grip was strong and firm, his breath hot and ardent against my lips. He squeezed me so tight I was sure that bruises would bloom upon my pale skin but I didn’t care.
