Shifters

Chapter 3

Kayla was presented last. After the other 16 year olds pranced around the stage, it was finally her turn. Her fur glistened, she was lean and healthy. As she twirled around the stage, letting her tail swing gracefully behind her, male wolves of all ages howled. She couldn't help but wag her tail a little at the attention. Within the crowd, a handsome blonde wolf, Cody, howled the loudest. Their eyes met each other, anticipation was strong in both. He panted happily with a brisk grin on his muzzle, his ears flicked sideways for a second. Neither of them could wait for the presentation to be over. She made a silent promise with a lick of her jaws to make her speech quick, so they could run off somewhere in beautiful Bermuda.

At the head, where the begrudging Serius pack brooded, rolling their eyes at the Pelisian princess, Devon watched closely. He followed the trail of her amber eyes to the cocky male she glowed for and growled low, his back arched with his fur as it stood on end. The Pelisian heir didn't know that she already belonged to his son. He glanced back at Anthony who had also noticed her gaze set on Cody, worry plagued the alpha's hard face.

As she prepared to make her speech, promising a great future to the Pelisians, the Serius alpha suddenly jumped onto the stage. He glared at her father, then shifted to her. She turned to him, very disturbed with his rudeness and barked at him.

Anthony growled at him. "What is the meaning of this Devon? My heir is about to make her speech!"

Devon ignored him and stared at Kayla, his green eyes bore into her so deeply that she felt as though he were burning holes into her, "What do you want?" She barked.

Devon's ears twitched, he stalked toward her. Kayla waited for her father to stop the Serian leader, but he didn't. Instead, his ears dropped sadly, and a snarl murmured upon his black lips.

Her hackles rose as the large, dark furred creature circled her, taking notice of her every feature. The softness of her coat, the point of her ears, the way her fur hung over her muscles, the claws on her delicate paws, and her sweet scent. As he got closer to poke his nose under her tail, she twisted around with lightning speed and attempted to bite at his face. Luckily, he backed away in just enough time. So instead she sent furious snaps into the air, driving him away from her.

She lifted every hair on her back and snarled so hard that her throat hurt, but she didn't dare to stop. Her teeth gleamed at him threateningly and she stared him in the eyes. "What is the meaning of this!? How dare you ruin my presentation!?"

Devon growled and his hackles rose too, but he controlled his anger to the best of his abilities. Her fierceness and strength of snarl had startled him, but he was in no way frightened of her. She wasn't threatening, despite those sharp fangs and angry amber eyes. Something about her was just so, soft looking. He glanced back toward the crowd of Pelisian's that were all snarling, barking and snapping at the Serius pack. He picked out Cody, watching intently, not even a wrinkle creased on his snout. The blonde Lobain was too shocked to even grumble in her defense, it made Devon snicker. It was all too typical.

"What's so funny!?" Kayla snarled. She knew he had looked at Cody, the way he laughed angered her.

"It's funny that your father has waited till now to tell you." He replied smoothly, flitting his eyes from her to Anthony.

"Tell me what?" She asked looking at her father, who slowly padded toward her. The clamorous cries of his pack against the Serius pack faded to the back of his mind as he looked at his poor daughter. He had failed her. He let her grow hopeful, he let her love Cody, when all this time he knew she could never have any of it. She looked at him with worry strewn in her face, she could read his sadness, she knew something was wrong. Above them, the pale moon swelled with grief of a romance lost. Anthony sighed, letting his duties as alpha overcome the pains of fatherhood.