Chapter 152

She chased after the deer and ignored the male, who was still trying to get some attention. He nipped at our heels, chased after us, and tried to get us to play the entire time, but we were on the trail of the deer. She skidded to a stop, with Erubus stopping next to me. He opened his mouth, but she sunk down and edged under the bush in front of us.

The deer was in a clearing, ears twitching, eyes alert. She felt him sink next to us, and he went on alert when he saw the deer. We separated and then circled the deer, working together to get the deer. We both lunged as if we were one unit. She went for the neck while he landed on the buck, taking him down to his belly. I pulled back as our teeth dug into the buck’s neck, and I felt the first gush of blood hit our mouth. Megan cackled at me, gagging as Nix focused on the kill.

“You don’t have to hunt with us,” Megan’s voice was cheerful. “You can pull back enough that it is just her.”

“I know.” I pushed my hand deep into her coat. “But I want to be with you two for all your big moments, like you were with me. Even if I pull back when it gets too much, I still get to experience it with you.”

Megan nuzzled against me, and we sat in content silence as Nix pulled back from the buck. She looked up to see Erubus sitting back as the deer was in its death throes. When he noticed her watching, he nudged the deer towards her. “You eat first,” his words were soft, but low.

Nix nodded and dug in, but Megan’s eyes widened. “What’s wrong?” I felt her tremble, but she shook herself and settled.

“What do you know of wolf etiquette?”

“Not much. My mom said she would teach me once I came of age, but I spent the summer with my dad instead. Why?”

Megan pulled out of my hand and stood. She paced while we watched on as Nix had her fill of the deer. “A male alpha will only step back from a kill for his mate or, if unmated, a female he was interested in as a chosen mate. He is showing his interest in Nix.”

I reeled back from her words. “We don’t even know who this wolf is.”

“Exactly, but Nix accepted his advances by accepting the deer.”

Nix’s voice came back to us. “This is my deer, and I’ll be damned if Erubus here claims that this was his kill. So what if he fancies me? Doesn’t mean I fancy him back?”

Megan snorted. “But you do.”

“I did,” Nix called back. “But that was before he ignored us for months. It’s been what, two, almost three months since the first week of school. Inconsistency will get him nowhere.” I felt her pull back to finish her meal and then sat back on her butt.

“Eat,” she stated flatly.

“You are angry with me,” his voice was surprised.

Nix looked off to the side. “I have no feelings toward you at all. Eat or don’t eat.” She got up to walk away.

“Wait.” He walked over to us and tried to scent her, but just like with Brandon, she stepped away. He sat down in front of us and tilted his head. “Why are you mad?”

“I said I’m not mad,” Nix huffed out a sigh. She looked at him and then snorted. “Males seem to think that they have a right to my body, my scent, my time, without proving they are worth it. I do not have to grant you access to my time just because you are an alpha wolf. I am an alpha all on my own.”

“Don’t lump me in with that pup from earlier,” his tone turned angry.

“Why not? What have you done differently to deserve my attention?” Nix’s accusation had him freezing.

“I… I just…” He stumbled over his words.

“You assumed that because you are an alpha male and every she-wolf around you usually throws themselves at your feet, that I would be the same.” Nix snorted and walked past his face, flicking his face with her tail. “I won’t.”

He sat frozen for an extra minute before he got to his feet and caught up with us. “Do you know who I am, who my human is?” His voice held confusion.

“No. Do you know who I am? Who my human is?”

“Well, no…” he answered, and we laughed.

“So I don’t deserve the time and effort a male should give to win over a female? That you are so important that you can just walk in, and I would throw myself at your feet. Please. I am not a weak she-wolf, and inconsistent males don’t deserve my time.” With that, Nix took off back to school. Let him think about that.