Kayden eyes widened, listening from the other side of the door. What was he doing?! She stepped forward and opened the door to look at him, blocking him from coming in. Her hair was wet and wild, her nightgown too short on her petite body. It sat nicely on her shoulders, and she had sewn the sleeves so they sat just above her elbows, the collar a wide sweep dipping near her breasts.
"You cannot do this," she raised an eyebrow at him, her breath catching still at how good he looked, but she kept her cool, "A
candidate of the ceremonies should not be searching for another wolf. Your focus should be on my sister, Katerina."
And you should give her the attention she wants. Because she's me. I'm Katerina. And what have I done? He sees me as two girls.
"I left the party early. I got sick from something I ate. It's fine now, I just need sleep. My brother checked in on me. You should return to the party before anyone sees you speaking to someone outside the court."
She had been late to the party. Her brother, Daerk, had brought her as his guest and she had never been outside the pack's small territory within clan territory. Her father, the Beta of the fire wolves, had always kept her close, seeing her more of a dainty princess than a fighter. Due to that she had never strayed far from the pack, able to hunt but always needing to stay within distance of the pack should a problem arise. So was her father's orders. Until now, when Daerk had convinced their dear father to let him bring her along, so that she could see the rest of the territory, of the small patch of world they lived in.
And she had gotten so wrapped up in enjoying exploring, running through the cavern halls and outside in the snow that she had forgotten the time. Now she was rushing, having quickly piled her curly hair into a high bun and doned on the black dress her brother had left her, with a note scolding her for her tardiness. When she arrived in the mess hall she did not see Daerk but she saw many other wolves dining or drinking, talking amongst themselves. She had been told most of the festivities were held in the Throne room, and she could hear music distantly, which told her the real party had to be in one of the rooms down the hall.
Firstly though, I should eat something, she thought, stepping up to the buffet and filling a plate with raw elk, seared boar, heart of lamb, and fresh blueberries. Grinning wickedly to herself she even snuck a glass of wine, knowing Daerk would never allow it if he saw her. She was still seventeen for a fortnight, and both her father and brother were rather protective. Alcohol was not allowed for pups.
Turning quickly to find a seat she suddenly smashed into a hulking man that smelt of iron and blood, sloshing her wine over the front of his leather garbs. Her cheeks flushed red as she apologized profusely, putting her plate down and grabbing a few napkins to try and soak up the mess.
"I'm so so sorry," she blubbered, dabbing at the wine on his chest, yet to look up at his strong, masculine face, "I'm such a klutz. First royal party I've been to and I'm already throwing drinks on people. My father would be ecstatic."
She finished cleaning him up and then wiped off her hands, looking embarrassed as she finally looked up. He was handsome, with dark eyes and a thick jaw, his face clear of emotion. He had a unique hair style, the brown locks shaved off the sides so they only sat at the top of his head, and there were black tattoos etched on the skin where he shaved, adding to his good looks. He was bulky and tall, looming over her like many of the men in the Southern Pack did.
"I'm, uh, Hayley," she squeaked out, eyes wide and cheeks hot, "Daughter to Gernish, Beta of the Southern Pack, and sister to Daerk, candidate to the future Alpha of this great clan."
She'd practiced those lines for days and finally got to speak them, only to sound like a mouse, terrified she'd just spilt wine on the wrong person. If her father saw any of this, he'd be livid. Gernesh was also attending the ceremony as it was mandatory for all Betas, but so far she'd been able to stay clear of him, and she'd hoped he'd be knee deep in wine by now, too drunk to notice her absence.
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