Crossroads

The smaller the creature, the bolder its spirit

Song : Laura Marling - Devil's Spoke

We walked hand in hand and when we got out of the woods, I saw clearly the true magnitude of man power this pack had. The clearing was like a circle in the middle of the woods and I could spot a large bonfire near the end of it on the left side. Everywhere you looked, you could see men with their mates on their side, pups chasing each other and laughing without a care in the world, teenagers engaged in teasing each other, elderly wolves that were sitting at tables that were set near an open boufe that was untouched. I felt a little guilty seeing them there, waiting patiently for their Alpha to come so they could have something to eat knowing I held him back.

Ian's presence was noticed moments after we were in plain sight. At once the chatter quieted down and everyone turned to us. He grabbed my hand a little tighter, without turning to look at me and he led me through the crowd. He was relaxed but his posture clearly stated that he was their leader. I held my head high and relaxed the muscles on my face to appear calmer than what I was. My wolf on the other hand had all her senses on high alert, assuring me that if someone tried anything, she would take care of it which was fine by me, she could stand guard and I could be friendly.

Everyone's heads were tilted a bit or lowed but there were smiles on their faces and a warm feeling was infiltrating the air around us along with curious gazes towards me. I couldn't sense any hostility and that soothed my anxiety.

We reached the table with all the food and a tall male with light brown hair came to our side.

"Welcome home Alpha" his voice was strong but his tone had a hint of affection in it.

"It's good to be back, brother" Ian's voice held the same warmth. He brought me closer to his side "Kenneth, this is my mate Vivian"

I could see the resemblance in their faces but his brother's face held more gentle features and his eyes had more green in them than brown. He smiled at me and Ι returned it with a smile and a nod.

"It's nice to meet you Vivian. Welcome to the Ravens, I hope you'll like it here and don't hesitate to ask for anything you need, I'll be happy to assist you," his words were sincere and I gave him a bigger smile.

"Thank you Kenneth, I appreciate the offer" Ian on the other hand brought me even closer and threw a glare at his brother which wasn't exactly hostile, more like a warning to stop. His brother seemed to understand but his demeanor didn't change. They reminded me of my brothers and how they acted clueless when one of them did something the other didn't like. I had the urge to giggle with the memory and the Barker siblings but I refrained myself.

Ian turned us around and he picked a plate filling it with a variety of deliciously looking treats. He took a bite out of a piece of what looked like chocolate cake and his brother filled a plate of his own and ate after him. Ian cut another piece of cake and he offered it to me. This had great significance in our world, he would always eat first and then the second most important member would eat second, in this case his brother. If we completed the mating, that person would become me but since we were half-way there, I couldn't have that spot but by feeding me from his plate right after his brother, he showed everyone how much he valued me.

I was a little embarrassed to have him do this in front of all these strange wolves but at the same time I was deeply touched. He was serious when he said that he would make sure that I was respected by all and by doing this he proclaimed it for all to see.

I opened my mouth and accepted his food and by extension I accepted him. The cake was rich in chocolate and sweet and it awakened my senses but the look that was in Ian's eyes was what made me flush and had my wolf come to the forefront and darken my gaze with desire.