She leans back and crosses her arms. “I don’t know whether to be appalled or flattered.”
“I was hoping for the latter.”
“I don’t know what to say.” She hides a smirk behind her hand.
“So no matter what you wore, we’d match. Letting everyone know you’remine.”
Pink floods her cheeks, making her red hair shimmer.
“A fox?” a voice interrupts. “Thorn, you’re losing your touch.”
Steele approaches wrapped in a black silken pelt. It wraps around his waist, and the head of the panther sits on his shoulder. Behind him is Olcan and his brother, which is becoming typical lately, always together. The brothers are both wrapped in a large brown pelt of a bear. Olcan has the beast’s bottom half. Its torso wrapped around his waist, and the bear’s head over his like a hood. Then Koa has the rest of the bear across his torso and over one shoulder with the creature’s teeth strung around his neck.
“Yeah,” Koa says, “even we grabbed a bear.”
“Together,” I mutter.
“What’s that?” Olcan leans forward, flashing his teeth.
“I’ve hunted countless bears over the years and was able to kill them alone with my bare hands.”
“A yes, because this is what…your hundredth ceremony?”
Surprisingly, it’s Ember who steps forward. “I’d rather have a wolf that waited, than one that would mate a new female each mating season.”
Finally, someone who gets it.
The priest’s voice cuts through the icy look Olcan shoots her. “Welcome to the ceremonial feast before the Chase tomorrow. Many amazing looks this year, it shows great resourcefulness and strength. May this Mating Trial season bring many successful unions and hearty offspring for years to come. The rules of the ceremonial ball are simple: the males can askanyfemale to dance, and they cannot be turned down. So eat, drink, and dance the night away until this week culminates in the Chase at midnight upon the full moon tomorrow.”
With his words, twinkle lights along the columns sparkle to life and a band of priests behind him strike up instruments. Wow, the priests really went all out this year. Soft music drifts across the temple, echoing against the stone and into the cool night air. The night smells like solstice and moonwine.
I turn back to ask Ember to dance.
“May I?” Olcan cuts in, reaching her hand before I get the chance.
She shoots me a look, but we both know she can’t say no, not tonight.
Chapter 23
EMBER
Olcan smells like arrogance and ambition. His grip is firm, possessive. The face of the bear hovering above his is obnoxious and unbearable to look at. I personally hate to look at my kills, and here Olcan has it staring right in my face. Instead, my eyes remain on Thorn against the far column. I’m trying not to loop Olcan into a conversation. I only have to dance; I don’t have to entertain him.
“You know,” he murmurs as we turn, “Thorn almost chose a mate once.”
My steps falter. “Oh?” I keep my voice neutral.
“Actually, she’s right over there. That girl with the short brunette hair and skirt of moss. He strung her along like he always does, but when it came time to choose her in the Chase, he just kept going. Left her tail up in the woods. If you’re looking for a mate, be sure you choose correctly.”
Ice crawls down my spine.
“He’ll do the same to you. Thorn’s just trying to get the priests off his back, he doesn’t really want amate. At least that’s what I heard. That was before my time. Since this is his tenth season and all. I wonder if the only reason the priesthood puts up with his mockery of the trials is because he’s Alpha. Although, that can change…”
“Change?”
“Oh, there’s been talk of a Challenge for years, each year he doesn’t take a mate, the talks grow. So, I’m just biding my time. Thorn can’t handle a woman. He sure as hell can’t handle being Alpha.”
“And you think you can do better?” I ask coolly.