Page 80 of The Wolf's Prince
They all waited with bated breath. And at Soren's first movement, they all fell forward, breaking into a run after him.
It all happened so fast.
One moment, Nikolai was standing on flat ground, the next, he was running as fast as he could, wolves all around him, close enough that their fur brushed his skin.
Soren had been right; the ground was uneven and unforgiving. His feet kept slipping, catching rocks or unsteady earth but instead of hurting him, it only made him laugh as he sometimes stumbled, never giving up his pace.
And when all the large wolves began to outpace him, it became even more fun, because Nikolai was left with the pups.
He laughed at their antics, touched by the fact that all the little ones closed around him. When his pace slowed, he was gently nipped on the back of the ankle.
Laughing, he jumped forward and before he knew it, it turned into a game. Little wolf pups tugged at his pants with their sharp little fangs and butted playfully against him. Their run turned into a happy skip, keeping the human company.
When they arrived at the meeting place, Nikolai was laughing and breathless, one of the smallest pups in his arms, licking his face incessantly while one of the older ones pushed him forward the rest of the way with the back of his head pressed against his rear.
“We're here,” he laughed breathlessly. “You can stop now!”
But they didn't until he was being shoved through the entirety of the pack, his cheeks heating as he was shoved toward Soren’s wolf form. Nikolai turned and tried to catch the little wolf, but they skipped out of reach.
“You rascal!” he chastised as the young one scampered off.
Behind him Soren huffed.
Chuckling, Nikolai turned to give him the attention he wanted.
He looked majestic standing there, the moonlight glistening on his fur.
Still catching his breath, Nikolai reached out brushing his fingers over his head. Soren butted into the touch, allowing it for a moment before shifting back.
The moment he was human, he pulled Nikolai into his arms.
Soren was smiling, his top off, a sheen of sweat over his skin, the moonlight brushing his human shoulders in just as majestic a way.
Soren caught him by the wrist, tugging him in for an embrace and Nikolai let him, bursting into laughter again when the puppy still in his arms stuck his nose in between their lips before they could meet and started to lick them both profusely.
Laughing, Soren took the pup, kissed the top of his head, and handed him to his parents before turning back to Nikolai and finally getting that kiss he wanted.
His lips were warm and gentle at the same time, a lingering pressure against Nikolai's that made his knees weak, especially after all the running. When he pulled back, his eyes were glittering with reflected moonlight.
“It looks like you made it,” he said. “With a little help.”
Nikolai chuckled.
“Yes, and I couldn't have asked for a better experience. Somehow, I think I'll always be running with the children, keeping them in line.”
He winked and Soren shook his head softly.
“That would be lovely. Far better than leaving them at the back. We must unleash our wolves like this on the full moon. None of us can remain behind. But to have my own mate close the run, watching over the most vulnerable of us... I never thought of it, but somehow, the thought of it is special to me.”
Nikolai lifted onto his toes, taking another of those kisses that meant Soren had to hold him tightly, lest he fall.
“These traditions are so beautiful,” Nikolai whispered once he'd pulled back. Around him, their pack bathed in moonlight. Some in wolf form, some in human form. Nikolai did not feel separate from them. He felt like he had found a part of himself. The wolf that dwelled deep inside, perhaps in everyone.
The side that was strong and fierce in their love and loyalty, that valued connections, nature, and the entire world around them. The kind that stood with family and friends and cared for more than their own comforts.
And he felt that support from those around him too. He loved his family and hoped that Soren would too when they finally met, but out here in the wilderness, he was more than just a prince. He was a part of White Water Pack. Together they were one living organism, interconnected in all ways.
All thanks to this man before him.
