The Witch On The Mountain

Chapter 39

The voices around me meshed together, the blurred figures of passing wolves fading as I listened to Juana. I wasn't exactly following her words but she was talking in my direction.

I felt Nate's warm hand run up my thigh, shifting in my seat I tired to focus.

"You're drunk." Nate said low in my ear.

Was I?

I probably was from whatever concoction I'd drank, he was drunk too. The slurr in his words gave away his altered state.

"Of course she is!" Juana's cup met the table with  force, a loud bang ending her words. Alexander was wrapped around her kissing at her exposed neck. She didn't seem to mind him latched on to her like a leech.

Nate's hand found its way up my skirt, his fingers edging towards my center. "You're drunk too." I opened my legs, the table providing cover from prying eyes.

"Hey! No funny business at the table." Juana's weight knocked the wind out of me as she bumped our shoulders together. I glared at her noting she hadn't thought that when she and Alexander were getting frisky earlier.

"Yeah no funny business." Aiden said emerging from the trees. Sarah wasn't latched on to him like before instead her hands were occupied holding more cups.

" You're one to talk." Nathan said downing his last cup.

Looking at the pair their crumpled clothes and devilish hair gave away whatever they'd done in their noticeable absence.

Finding my cup empty I reached for another one, quicker than I could grab one Sarah reached out extending a new cup to me. Her eyes looked down at me from her standing position her hands shaking with her offering.

I could feel the eyes of the table on me, watching our exchange.

If I didn't take the cup, they'd judge my actions.

Not wanting to prolong the interaction I took the cup nodding with a thank you. Looking down at the brown liquid it didn't seem as if anything was wrong with it. Setting it down next to my empty cup I looked up at the commotion that had started on the raised platform.

It was a wolf I had seen before in passing, his steps wobbly as he tried to steady himself. The chattered died down as all eyes turned to him.

"My Marie is the best shewolf of the pack, no one has a wolf as beautiful as hers." He said holding his cup to who I assumed was Marie.

The gathering for wolves suddenly erupted with objections.

"Her wolf's dirt brown, next!"
"My mate's wolf is better! Not her."
"She's tiny my mate's wolf could step on hers."

Looking left and right I wasn't sure who was saying what but eventually the wolf stepped down leaving the stage for someone else.

This cycle continued for some time, wolves coming  and going, defending their mate until they yield. I was mostly uninterested until Alexander walked up to the stage.

Sitting up I was interested to hear what he would say. The silence of the crowd awaited his words too.

"My Juana is the best." Unlike the others he didn't offer any reason as to why she was the best. The crowd erupted almost immediately.

Nathan chuckled from his place against my neck. "He does this every year." He said before going back to nibbling at my skin.

"But is he wrong." Juana sighed entranced  from next to me, ignoring the outpouring of disagreement.

The crowd argued with him for awhile but  that didn't deter him. He argued back with anyone who would hold his attention.

"She can bake a better anything than whatever your mate can. She's the best, in every way!" He yelled pointing into the crowd at someone, his words slurred slightly as the many drinks he'd downed took there toll.

"I better stop him, they had to drag him off stage last time." Nathan released me, leaving my side and heading towards Alexander.

He didn't say anything as he pulled him off stage, Alexander almost falling on his butt as he was ushered in our direction. Juana opened her arms to him, his face seeking refuge in her cleavage.

My heart began to pound in my chest as Nathan took the stage. What would he say about me?

The crowd fell silent as he stood before them his voice strong.

"Azula is the best because anything your mate can do she can do better." He said his eyes surveying the crowd for objections, he didn't have to look for long.

His words were true.

I wasn't prepared for the response of the crowd.

"She's not a wolf." So what?
"She's scary." Was I?
"She smells funny." I had heard that before
"Shes a psycho." Who even said that?

Looking around I was baffled to hear what the wolves that always smiled as I passed by had to say.

Nathan wasn't too pleased at the reception, he let out a hostile growl. "Anyone who has anything bad to say about their future Luna can say it to me directly."

The crowd surprisingly ignored his warning and continued to object that I was not infact the best. Nathan postured his displeasure towards the crowd before stepping off stage. Dejected and annoyed the alcohol in both our systems made our bond hard to decipher.

He enveloped me pulling me onto his lap, burring me in his arms. "You're the best baby."He mumbled encircling my waist, what the wolves had to say wasn't infuriating anymore. After all I knew I was the best.

"Let's get out of here." Nathan's fingers were warm against my middle, I wanted to be alone with him. Reaching for the cup it slips from my hand. Standing I held out my palm to him, helping him up he swayed as he stood.

I thought he would lead us home but he pulled me into the trees, the noise of the gathering fading as we ventured further into the darkness.

I could hold back a giggle as I looked back at the fading fire light. "Wheat are you doing?" He had my back against a tree falling to his knees the  moonlight twinkling in his gaze. He licked his way inside me in reply.

Squirming I locked my finger in his hair.

"I want to taste you." He fumbles his way under my dress exposing me to the night air. His mouth over me quickly.

I look up at the moon my gasps leaving fog in the cold night air. My drunken mind thinks back to Aiden's mate and the cup she'd brought me. Maybe I was misjudging her.

Nathan rises from his knees hitching my legs up. "You're distracted." He shifts my garments and enters me, " I'll have to get your attention."

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