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1
A NEW UNDERSTANDING
ARIA
“We have company,” Atlan called, body twisting and morphing like water as he went from wolf to human in a matter of moments.
It was disorienting to see someone shiftthatfast, but maybe that was just a perk of being as old as he was; the man hadn’t even taken a complete step, and there he was, fully wolven.
While I was admittedly jealous of their ability to just be fully clothed and not have to deal with any of the uncomfortable reassembling of civilized appearances, now seemed like a bad time to sulk.
Yet another round of howls went up.
Kiran hurried out behind his brother, lips pulled back in a snarl that made my hair stand on end, before he followed suit and shifted as well.
“I noticed,” Auren said with a grimace, staring toward the woods.
My wolf was clawing desperately to get free. Sariel didn’t seem to be holding up much better, trembling beside me in an attempt to hold the shift back.
Are you okay?
His eyes were wild when I asked, and I nodded slowly in understanding.
Pack dynamics were always strange, but when it came to entering another’s territory, announcing your presence like this was thepolitething to do. Even though it never failed to alert the nearby wolves of your intent to stop by, intentions didnottranslate well without accompanying body language, so it always made the resident wolves jumpy and territorial.
There weren’t enough of us here to really take issue with any visiting packs, but our wolves considered this territory their turf regardless.
“Is it an attack?” Auren asked, looking at me as if I would have the answers. I then realized the others were relying on me to navigate this situation.
“I don’t think they would announce themselves if they were here to hurt us,” I offered hesitantly, making him purse his lips. It really would have made more sense for them to try sneaking in and ripping through us before someone could sound the alarm if they’d wanted to, after all.
“We come in peace,” a voice suddenly called from the trees. We all turned to squint into the shadows. “Pinky swear.”
The voice was followed by a chuff of annoyance that had to be a wolf’s.
When a lithe man slipped from the trees with a smile, hands up in a placating gesture, Auren made a quiet, strangled noise.
I frowned at him, inching away from Sariel to whisper, “Auren?”
“That’s my mate,” he hissed.
I imagined that behind those aviators, he was wide-eyed with surprise. I knewIwas. All three Ambrose brothers had a mate? What were the odds?
I soon squinted into the dark to try and get a better read on our new visitor. Looking at him felt… odd. Like Ishouldn’tbe, even though he was literally walking towards us.
“Are you sure? How do you know?” I asked. It was hard to see the newcomer fully in the darkness, but I thought I could make out a glinting, toothy grin.
“I just do.”
Back in control all at once, the man rolled his shoulders.
I glanced at Sariel to see if he was also concerned. My mate gave away nothing, though, just staring into the trees with near-glowing eyes.
“We just want to talk,” the man called out again. A pair of wolves stalked out of the woods behind him, settling on their haunches as if to show support.
“Okay,” Auren relented after a moment. “Let’s talk.”
It was probably his bond that made him so amicable to the strangers prowling into our safe haven, but I didn’t tell him that.
