Cynful

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?”

“Should I apologize for something I believe to be true?”

“If Belle proved to her Alphas beyond a shadow of a doubt that she was innocent, shouldn’t you grant her the courtesy of belief?”

Marie took a deep breath, then let it out in a rush. “I’ll give it some thought.”

“I hate to say it, but I think the healing needs to come from you, and all the ones who feel the way you do. I think you’re the only ones who can end it.”

Marie nodded slowly, but it was obvious she was unhappy about it. “I’ll talk to them. Thanks, Cyn.” She smiled softly. “I think we’re going to be good friends.” Marie suddenly grinned. “Now, on to more important things.” She leaned forward, her gaze darting to Cyn’s neck. “When is that hunka hunka going to mark you?” She waggled her brows with a lecherous grin.

Cyn snorted, amused. “Please. He hasn’t been properly trained yet.”

Marie laughed. “Call me if you need any pointers. Those men of ours need to be reminded who really rules the roost. Oh!” She started digging through her purse. “I have the cutest little safari hat you can borrow.

Cyn giggled as Marie shoved a cell phone in her hand. On it was a picture of Marie, safari hat perched on her head, her mate at her side. “Are those bear ears?”

“Yup. I totally made him dance too.”

“You’re nuts.” But she was Cyn’s kind of nuts. Marie was right; they were going to be good friends.

Satisfied that her Dr. Phil moment was over for the week, she polished off her lasagna and wondered what