Chapter One

Sparkling tutu swirling around her, the fairy princess fluttered and spun, waving her wand to bring happiness to the sad and magic to the mundane. Her curls were fluffy and untamed, unlike when her omega father, my beloved mate was here to take care of them. I reminded myself that she shouldn't have to miss out on anything, even ringlets, because he was gone.

"Come here, Thia." I held out my arms and she spun into them and then away again, her giggles holding so much innocent joy, it was hard to believe she was the same little girl who woke up sobbing for her daddy. During the day, she seemed to put it aside, playing with her friends in the fluffle and being her sweet, charming self, but at night… Everyone said she was too little to remember, but everyone did not have to cuddle her and stroke her bedraggled curls while she begged me to make him come back.

It took every bit of willpower and self-control I had not to break down and join her in a flood of tears. Her daddy never would have left us of his own free will. I'd known he was my mate when we were just kids, waiting to grow up enough to make it real. And when we finally mated, we'd made vows to one another to always be there no matter what happened. Unfortunately, those young rabbits couldn't predict the future, and so I found myself alone, raising the beautiful girl who reminded me of her father's happy spirit so much.

"Papa, I want to go outside and play." She waved her wand at me as if it would help her to get her way.

"It's going to be dark soon, so only for a few minutes."

"Oh, Papa. Thank you." Thia did her little girl version of a pirouette and darted for the door as if I might change my mind.

"As soon as the sun sets, you be right in," I called after her.

She was perfectly safe here on our lands, even after dark, with so many members of the fluffle all around, but I would still go out and call her back before the shadows completely took over.

Once Thia disappeared, the brightness of the late afternoon went with her. If not for our daughter, I didn't know how I'd have managed to go on. Everything in our home reminded me of him, his love for both of us reflected in the choices he'd made. The soft couch with its subtle pattern, the table and chairs set right where morning light would cast its warm glow. Everything. And while once, those things had brought joy, now, they merely reminded me of a considerate and loving omega who would no longer be cooking my meals, no longer lie beside me in our bed.

When he carried our young, he'd been even more home-loving. I had video, but I didn't dare to continue to dwell on our life together. Partly because Thia needed me to move forward. She needed a father who showed her the way to accept what couldn't be changed. Her daddy was not coming back through no fault of his own. He would have walked through fire to raise this child. To keep her safe and give her the life she deserved.

And since I could not do what we both wanted and bring him back to us, I had to do the next best thing and devote myself totally to raising our daughter. No matter how hard it was. He'd expect no less.

The last light of the sun filtered through the shades on the western-facing windows, and I forced myself to stand and head for the door. Time to put my own unhappiness aside again. Would this ever stop? Would I ever be able to wake up smiling in the morning? It seemed unlikely. But I did trust that this flaring pain every time I thought of him would at least ease to some extent. I had the honor of being the one who survived to watch our daughter grow up. And I would never take that for granted.

Throwing my shoulders back, I stepped outside and looked around for my daughter.

"If you're looking for Thia, she's over there with the alpha's daughters." Arnold, my friend who'd known me since birth, approached and came to stand next to me. "But I don't know if you want to go there."

A sinking feeling took residence in my chest at the words. "And why is that?" I asked, even though I knew. I'd seen it coming. Rarely had someone been allowed as much time before being taken in hand and given their orders.

"I think you're aware that it's been a while and he's been waiting for you to come to him."

"That won't happen." My tone was so flat, but it expressed how I felt. "It's too soon."

"Friend, it's not just for the good of the fluffle. Our alphas are always mated, and having you drift around in a funk is hard on everyone."

"Zeus." Oops. He was done waiting for me to come to him. "We have allowed you an extended mourning period in respect for your long and happy mating. But now that's over. It's time for you to begin anew."

Could he really think it was that simple? That just because a specified number of days or weeks or months had passed, I could leave my mate behind and accept another into my and Thia's life?

"Zeus?"

"Yes, alpha?"

"I am waiting for you to agree so I can check this off my list."

My life, my future and that of my daughter, an item on his list. He was a good alpha, putting the fluffle first, but for the first time, I was not inclined to go along with his orders.

"Come to my office tomorrow morning," he said. "I'm going to round up my daughters, and I'll send yours in your direction."