Page 33 of Feral Fates
I glance around, noting the wolves sharing meals and laughter, their bodies pressed close as stories fly back and forth across the long benches.
I look back to the black table, my stomach twisting.
I hate it.
My wolf stirs, watching with sharp, steady eyes.We are pack. We should not be separate.
I agree.I don’t want to be stared at.
Then be with the pack.
Relief curls in my chest as I turn to Elias. “If it’s okay, could I join you?”
Surprise flickers across his face, followed by a look that might be approval. “Of course.” He indicates his table, where several wolves watch our interaction with undisguised curiosity.
The choice feels significant somehow, my first real decision as Alpha Female. I nod, following him back to his table. The wolves seated there rise in respect, though their expressions range from open interest to careful neutrality.
“My hunting unit,” Elias explains. “Zella, our tracker.” He indicates a woman with pale-cream skin, delicate features,and warm-chestnut hair that frames her face in soft waves. Her eyes, a striking forest green, light up with genuine warmth when they meet mine. She offers a brilliant smile that immediately puts me at ease.
“Heath, weapons master.” A massive Black man with a bald head and scar bisecting his left eyebrow nods solemnly. His shoulders are broader than Ryker’s, though he lacks the alpha’s predatory grace.
“And Kaden, our resident troublemaker.” Said with a gesture toward a lean wolf with mischief in his green eyes and silver-streaked-black hair that seems at odds with his tan, youthful face.
“I prefer comedian,” Kaden corrects with an easy grin that reveals slightly crooked canines. “Someone has to keep things interesting around here.”
I slide onto the bench, hyperaware of the space they make for me. In Silvercrest, no one would have willingly sat beside me.
“We saw your training session,” Zella says, leaning forward with an encouraging smile as she helps herself to what looks like roasted venison from a central platter. “Very impressive.”
I blink in surprise at her unexpected praise. “You were there?”
“Even if we weren’t we already know about it,” Kaden says, pushing a plate toward me. His movements are casual but there’s an intensity to his gaze when it meets mine. “For most it’s our first time seeing a seer work. Plus, you know, curiosity about the Alpha’s new mate.”
Zella gently nudges a basket of freshly baked bread in my direction. “You have to be starving after that workout. The kitchen made blackberry honey butter today—it’s perfect on the warm bread.”
I take the plate, unsure how to respond. Through theclaiming bond, I sense Ryker’s distant awareness spike. I force myself to calm, turning away from his questing mind.
I need to stand on my own.
“What they’re failing to say,” comes a new voice, cool and precise, “is that they wanted to see if you’re worthy of the Alpha’s mark.”
A slim woman slides onto the bench across from me. Unlike the others, who wear jeans or sweats suited for hunting and fighting, she’s dressed as if she’s about to go to a party. Her coppery hair is pulled into severe braids, while her deep-burgundy dress complements her milky skin perfectly.
“Sara,” Elias acknowledges, his tone neutral but with an undercurrent of tension. “I didn’t realize you were joining us.”
“Of course I am,” she replies, her eyes never leaving mine. “I’m the pack historian and record-keeper. Your claiming is the first time a Shadowmist alpha has taken a mate who can’t shift. It’s a historic event.”
There’s something in her tone, not quite hostility, but a clinical detachment that makes me feel like a specimen being examined. I straighten my spine, meeting her gaze directly.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“We’ll see.”
Kaden chokes slightly on his drink, eyes widening at her boldness. Heath’s massive hand tightens around his fork, while Zella watches the interaction with sharp interest.
“Sara,” Elias says, his voice carrying a warning.
She shrugs one elegant shoulder. “I merely speak what others think. Our pack survives on strength. The Alpha’s mate must embody that strength.”
