Page 18 of The Wolf's Prince
The shifters that he had known all his life carried on with normal life. The evening bonfire was lit. A goat carcass was on a spike, already roasting, filling the air with the smell of smoke and sizzling meat.
Some were sitting by the fire sewing, others sat talking. Pups scampered around his legs. Knowing each one by name, Soren bent, nuzzling them and pushing them back toward their parents who had finally noticed the party's return.
“Soren and the others have returned!” a young rambunctious beta named Arine hollered, then to them, she said, “You decided not to remain with the humans after all. We all thought that they would win you over.”
Soren finally shifted back into his human form, stretching as his limbs popped back into their upright arrangement.
“Now why would you think that?” Soren asked, smiling.
Behind him, Homare snorted.
“Why indeed,” Eri said quietly.
He turned, glaring at his companions. The others avoided eye contact.
Homare raised his chin in challenge, and Soren had to stop himself from reacting. The fact that thebetafelt he had a right to challenge Soren, arguably the strongest alpha in the pack, was a bad sign.
Yet, he was the one who was in the wrong.
They were right to be mad at him.
In front of him, the wolves who had been approaching to welcome them home and discuss the trip slowed in their strides.
Multiple sets of noses lifted into the air, sniffing in confusion.
Arine had stopped, her normally jovial young face frozen in a frown.
“Soren,” she said slowly. “You smell different.”
The news of Soren’s misguided mating would spread fast, but he did not want to be here to see the faces of all his friends and family turned toward him in disgust just yet.
“Where is Alpha Jin?” he asked. “Is he okay?”
“Of course, he is okay,” a deep voice said from the back of the forming crowd.
Kamon's large form emerged from between the people, striding confidently toward Soren with a cold smile in place on his sharp features.
“Tell me Soren, why would that be your first question?”
An equally cold smile fell onto Soren's lips.
“You know why,” he said.
Kamon's jaw tightened.
“You think I would hurt my alpha?” he asked, voice low.
Soren could see in Kamon's eyes that he was right. He had the look of someone caught red-handed.
“Perhaps if you'd been left alone with him?” Soren suggested.
Kamon opened his mouth, ready to splutter a response before his frown suddenly deepened in surprise. He sniffed the air around Soren's face and then grinned, his fangs on full display.
“What's this?” Kamon demanded. “The priggish Soren has finally chosen a mate?”
He took a deep inhale of the rest of the party.
“And to someone not of our pack! Tell me, were you drinking?” He laughed loudly. “It must have taken a skinful foryouto mate with someone out of passion.”
