The ratio of men to women is devastating. How many had been lost while I was away?
A little girl with a traditional bead wrapped around her head waves. Grinning I return her smile and she giggles.
I remember how exciting these nights were when I was her age. Too young to worry about the politics and power plays taking place around me I saw it as a fun dress-up holiday with extended family.
All wolves love their pups. We believe youngsters belong to everyone. I nod at some of the families I’m on friendly terms with and smile at some of my fellow schoolmates.
“Yl.” I turn my head toward the soft-spoken voice. Heart in my throat, I watch the tall blonde with close-cropped hair steps into the patch of moonlight beside me.
“Fell,” I whisper.
His strong square jaw, sharp cheekbones, and broad forehead have matured. I’m not prepared for this. Why didn’t you show up? Or answer my calls?
Words dance on the tip of my tongue as my heart threatens to burst from my chest. The man standing before me bears little resemblance to the boy I once knew.
“I tried to see you earlier, but your uncle and aunt said you were unwell.” His forest green tunic molds to broad shoulders and a firm chest.
He’s grown up well. My pulse quickens and I fight down the arousal.
The chunky bracelet is made from the same gold as his necklace, adorned with garnet.
“Why?”
He hadn’t cared when he ripped my heart out and retreated to the woods with the rest of
his family. A fact I’d found out weeks later from a friend.
Overnight they’d all withdrawn without any explanation. In the span of a heartbeat and three words, I’d
lost the one person I’d come to count on over the years.
His brow furrows. “I was worried. You said you were never coming back.”
Pale green eyes stare into my soul.
“That wasn’t my choice to make.”
He scowls. “Since when do you care about pack rules? You’ve always pushed boundaries.”
“Someone should,” I mumble too low for him to hear.
We’d argued about this for the majority of our courtship. He had a blinding faith in the pack and their ways I disagreed with.
It made sense he wanted to become a keeper of our oral history.
“Since they showed up at my graduation and forced me back like a rabid dog.”
“No. Alpha wouldn’t do that.” Fell’s voice holds a hint of doubt. I double down.
“Yet, he did.” I refuse to argue.
Fell’s always held the high-up members of the pack in great esteem. I hated how they blinded him to the injustices done.
“I don’t understand.”
“Then I suppose you’re feeling how I did that night,” I whisper as melancholy settles in.
“Ylva,” his voice shakes.
I ignore his beseeching gaze. “The elders are not perfect.”
“Shh.” He steps closer and I scoff.
“They may lead, but they’re also still just human. People who sometimes make shitty choices.”
He frowns and my eyes drop to his perfectly formed mouth. His fuller lower lip still begs to be nibbled and sucked on.
By some other girl. The thought still stings.
“No faith.” The disappointment in his voice chafes. Who is he to judge me?
“It died with the rest of my family in a freak fire and once more when the love of my life walked away without looking back.”
“Don’t be like this.”
Sorrow softens his voice, and mutes his rosemary, lemon, and salt scent.
This isn’t the same boy who’d stood by my side against bullies. He bought into the brainwashing and it soured our connection.
