It didn't take long to catch up with Lydia. Once I caught her scent on Ella, tracking her through the fair was easy. Leaving the feast pavilion, I set off into the twinkling lights, finally spotting her in line for mulled wine at a food stall near the snow maze. She looked exactly as she had the last time I saw her.

I waited for the familiar tug on my heartstrings, for our bond to trigger my wolf—to hear him chanting mine in my head as he does with Ella. But it never came. I felt no compulsion to claim her, or even approach her. If she hadn't been sniffing around Ella and my pup, I wouldn't have considered going near her. I was amazed to realize that—after all this time—I was finally free of her influence. I was finally over her; she no longer held any power over me.

When did that happen? I wondered. The last time I saw her was over a year ago. Although I hadn't felt affection for her, my wolf had still recognized her as my mate. There was chemistry between us, even though I'd wanted nothing to do with her. Then again, perhaps my animosity was evidence of lingering feelings. I honestly felt nothing for her now, and that felt much more final than when I still held our past against her.

Taking a steadying breath, I approached. Lydia turned to face me when I was still a few paces away, and gasped in surprise. "Dominic!"

My hackles raised instinctively. I didn't believe her surprise for a moment. She obviously knew I was there because she'd helped Ella in the bathroom, and my scent was all over the little human. Knowing Lydia, she'd probably approached Ella to engineer this situation. I was annoyed with myself for playing into her hands—but I couldn't have done 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 demanded coolly, not bothering to greet her. "Oh, come now, Dominic, is that any way to greet your mate?" Lydia smiled, batting her lashes.

"Don't do that," I growled. "We haven't been mates for a long time, 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 reminded me, her smile dimming but not disappearing. "And I was curious. I heard you found a new Luna and wanted to see my replacement for myself."

"Ella isn't your replacement," I bit back. "She has nothing to do with you."

"She is a pretty little thing, I'll give you that," Lydia sneered, flashing her fangs. "But she seems awfully meek for your taste. I thought you liked strong she-wolves, not frail damsels afraid of their own shadows."

"I'm not going to discuss my mate or dignify your comments with a response," I declared icily. "Where's your new husband? Surely you didn't come all this way alone?"

"Oh, Sloan is back in the Bloodbane pack. He doesn't like to travel," she answered boredly.

"Does he know you're here?" I inquired, wondering if things were sour enough between them that he didn't care, or if she was sneaking around behind his back. I didn't know an Alpha who would allow his Luna to visit her ex alone, even in an unhappy relationship—it would look bad for his reputation.

"He knows what he needs to know and no more," she answered archly, confirming my suspicions.

"You can't honestly tell me you went to all this trouble just to see Ella," I countered. "What are you up to?"

She laughed humorlessly. "I guess the damsel act works; you were never this protective of me." "Of course I was," I hissed. "I loved you with all my heart—even after I realized you only married me for my title."

Lydia pretended 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 recalled. "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 didn't need her to answer. I knew the dates by heart. Roger never realized it, but our bond presented itself when I was 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 for my mate so long that I would have done anything to be with her. I couldn't see her for the scheming social climber she was—but I do now.

"You're right," she simpered. "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 avoided all this drama."

"Or maybe we'd be in exactly the same place we are now," I countered. I wished 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 me anywhere. I might have pointed it out if I hadn't thought it so cruel. For all her faults, Lydia had always wanted pups, and I knew better than anyone how much it hurt her not to conceive.

"No," she frowned. "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 made sense. She was back because she knew I wasn't sterile, but she still couldn't conceive with her husband. "Go home, Lydia," I gritted 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 whispered, 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 took all my willpower not to reel back in shock. I'd always known Lydia was calculating and power-hungry, but I hadn't thought she'd go this far. I didn't even believe this was all about Ella—except that Ella had finally given the Alpha council and allied packs enough confidence in my ability as King to get me elected. Was Lydia here because she thought I could give her a child, or because I might be king? Maybe both—but either way, she wasn't here for me.

Ella wasn't here for me either, but her dedication to our baby was undeniable. I knew she'd do anything for our child, and I'd never seen that kind of emotion in Lydia. Ella had more love in her little finger than Lydia had in her entire body, and that's the mother I wanted for my son.

"You're out of your mind," I told 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 argued, pouting. "Is that so wrong?"

"You wanted power," I corrected. "You've always wanted power, but never the responsibility that comes with it."

"You're wrong," she insisted. "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 was amazed to realize I was telling the truth. We weren't even together, but I felt like I'd finally found the partner I'd been looking for. Even if nothing ever happened between us, I knew we'd be good parents together, and lifelong friends. I might wish we could be more, but I was satisfied just having Ella in my life. As I thought this, I turned away from Lydia, wondering why I'd ever let her drag me away from my heart's true desire.

"I'm not going to leave, Dominic," Lydia said to my back, and I could hear other shifters murmuring around us. Our conversation was clearly no longer private, and I regretted coming after her. "I'm not going to give up on you."

"I've made my decision, Lydia," I countered, turning away again. "Deal with it."

My good mood lasted only until I got back to the feast table, where I found my father and no sign of my little troublemaker. "Where's Ella?"

My father sighed, looking tired and forlorn. "She left."