Snow Leopard's Lady (Veteran Shifters 1)

Had she adopted Nina entirely on her own, then?

Wilson told himself to stop speculating. There was clearly some kind of story there, but it wasn’t any of his business, and he wasn’t going to figure it out by theorizing wildly alone in his hotel room. Maybe tomorrow or the next day he’d have a chance to talk to Mavis again.

He hoped so.

Wilson had been assuming that this weekend wouldn’t be much of a social occasion for him, and figured he would spend much of his free time out in the countryside. He had been eagerly anticipating seeing Sergeant Westland again, of course, ensuring that the man was happy in his new life, that Wilson’s recommendation had worked out for him. He’d been looking forward to meeting Lillian, as well, and he hadn’t been disappointed.

But there would always be a social barrier between him and Cal. And it was the same with the rest of the non-coms who’d shown up. As pleased as Wilson was to see them, he could tell that they still weren’t quite prepared to relax around him. No matter how long they’d been out of the military, the Corps was in their blood, and with it, the instinct to snap to attention when an officer showed up.

Wilson couldn’t sit down for a few beers with them. Not if he wanted them to enjoy the experience, instead of keeping one eye on him the entire time.

It was good to see them, though. Particularly those four, who’d been the cream of the crop overseas. Ken Turner, quick

on his feet, sarcastic to a fault—Wilson could remember more than a few yes, sirs that had had a tinge of Screw you, sir behind them. But unbeatable in combat, quickest reflexes he’d ever seen on any man, shifter or not.

Carlos Gonzales, quiet and unassuming, but an absolute crack marksman. He could hit a target in the dead of night with a howling wind, no hesitation. Though Wilson had always had the sense that Gonzales wasn’t too happy with his lot in life as a deadly marksman, though of course the man had never said so out loud. He hoped Gonzales was happier as a civilian.

Nate Sanders, a Southern good ol’ boy who somehow managed to find single ladies no matter where they were stationed. He could smile lazily at a man, while behind those blue eyes, he was calculating the best way to take him out, and that brain never stopped working, not for one second.

And Tyrone Neal. Friendly, cheerful, dedicated to his family—and determined to keep them, and the rest of the country, safe from any threats that might come their way. Wilson knew that he’d stayed single while he was in the Corps because he felt his calling was to be the protector, always on the outside.

Four good men. From what he’d learned tonight, though, none of them had quite managed to settle down. Oh, sure, they all had civilian jobs, but none of them had families or kids. Maybe attending the wedding of one of their old buddies would give them some ideas. They all deserved to be happy.

Wilson’s thoughts landed on Mavis again. There was a good woman, he could tell. He wondered if there was a man in the picture somewhere, or if she might be looking around herself.

Maybe he should’ve left her to talk to the men, rather than taking her off.

Something in him rebelled at that idea, though. The thought of her graceful, thoughtful face turned to Sanders, or Gonzales, that quiet smile spreading at something one of them said—

No. He was sure she wasn’t suited for any of them. He didn’t know how, but he was sure.

***

Mavis set off for Glacier Park the next day with a strange anticipation in her chest.

She always liked going out to the Park, of course. It was the most beautiful place she’d ever been, hands down. And Nina loved it—she’d explored all over it, in human form and as a snow leopard, and she always wanted to show Mavis new and wonderful things about it. They’d hiked for miles, some days, with Nina pointing out this view and that flower and those animal dens.

But she didn’t usually feel this sense of bubbly excitement. This idea that something wonderful might happen.

It couldn’t be because of that Marine officer. That would just be silly—Mavis was a fifty-year-old woman, not a fifteen-year-old girl. She had a grown daughter and a failed marriage behind her. She shouldn’t be getting giggly over some handsome man.

Particularly a handsome man who had an important job somewhere else. A Colonel in the Marines? He must be extremely busy deploying troops, or arranging supply runs, or whatever it was Marine Colonels did with their time. Approving secret weapon research. Something. He probably worked overseas, or in Washington, DC.

An interesting friend to have, Mavis told herself. She’d had one nice conversation with him, and maybe she’d have one or two more, over the course of the wedding weekend. She could learn some things about his important job, maybe, and come away having expanded her horizons.

They’d probably never see each other after this weekend, but in the future, maybe Mavis could say in conversation, I know a Marine Colonel who...

That was a nice, reasonable expectation. Mavis nodded firmly to herself as she pulled in to Glacier and parked her car, going to meet with the rest of the group. A few interesting conversations. A distraction from anything else that might be going on in her life right now.

She could use one, after all. Divorce was the sort of thing that weighed a person down, even if the relationship had been over for years and years.

At the visitor’s center, a crowd of wedding-goers had gathered. Lillian had some extended family in town, all of the Park employees were going to come unless they had to work, and Cal had apparently been surprised by the number of locals who were excited to attend his wedding.

Mavis knew that he thought of himself as a loner, but he was a good man who had made a lot of solid connections without quite realizing it.

Nina was holding hands with Joel, her mate, up near the front of the group. Mavis went over to say hello and hug her daughter, still overwhelmed with joy that she could, anytime she wanted.

Nina grinned at her and said, “I’m so excited for the hike. We’re going to see all the new spring flowers, and the little rabbits, and by the pond there’s the beaver lodge, and—”