As they wound their way through the trees, following a path worn down by countless paws and feet, they passed packmates moving around the territory, going from one den to another, or just returning home from work in the city. Cubs peeked out from behind legs to peer up at their alpha’s mate, and older members stopped to introduce themselves.
Camille seemed shocked that they would bring their young out to meet her. When a toddler had been hastily deposited in her arms by way of greeting, she went white as a sheet.
Viktor frowned, concerned. “Are you not comfortable holding babies?”
“No, I…” Camille swallowed thickly, eyes darting around to take in the bemused expressions of the parents and her mate. “No, I love spending time in the nursery. I’ve just never been allowed to hold an Other child before.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “I’m worried I’ll scare him.”
The toddler didn’t seem to notice her hesitancy, as he was busy tugging at one of her ears. Coyote inquisitiveness meant her heavy diamond studs were, at least briefly, the center of his universe.
Kate, the toddler’s mother, let out a bark of laughter and dared to nudge Camille’s shoulder. “Please. That’s a coyote cub. You could dangle him off a roof by the toe and he’d just laugh.”
Camille looked scandalized. “I’dneverdo that.”
The parents laughed and, with an encouraging pat on her back, said, “Don’t worry, you’ll get used to it. You see enough feral cubs running around and eventually it’ll feel normal.”
“If you say so,” his mate replied, looking entirely unconvinced.
There was a certain stiffness to the interactions at first, but after the third introduction and obligatory embrace, Camille’s spine lost its starch. “I’m sorry if I’m awkward,” she muttered as Mia brought her in for a tight hug. “Elves don’t— we’re not big huggers.”
Again, his mate received that same good natured advice: “Oh, you’ll get used to it!”
By the time they finally made it to their den, nearly the entire pack had come out to introduce themselves to Camille and not so subtly assess their new alpha. Viktor’s chest swelled with pride every time their eyes met his, glowing with humor and approval.
While Camille was a little awkward, she was sincere. Every introduction was met with a solemnity and steady eye contact that made each packmate feel special, important. While he wasn’t in a mood to share his mate with the whole world yet, he knew better than to interrupt or hustle her away. This moment was as important to his mate as it was to his pack.
Thiswas her family now.
Still, he was relieved when they finally walked up the hidden path to his den. Only Benny stood outside, his brawny arms crossed over his chest and his expression unreadable.
Viktor tensed, the coyote immediately recalling how he rejected Camille only hours before. He held himself back from following instinct. Benny was one of his best friends. He was no threat to Camille. More than that, like the rest of the pack, he had to sense that the bond was made, that she was his alpha now.
He was owed the chance to reintroduce himself to Camille on those terms — but if he rejected her again, Viktor knew he would have to step in and handle it. Best friend or not, second or not,no onewas allowed to make his mate feel as though she did not belong with her pack.
But that tension and readiness to act did not prove necessary.
As they strode up to the hidden door, Benny came to meet them. As one, they paused. For several long seconds, his mate and his second simply stared at one another.
In that stony silence, Camille drew herself up to her impressive height and, with a small tilt of her head, opened her arms.
It was perhaps not the most natural offering of a hug he’d ever seen, but it was genuine. Warmth rushed through his veins when he saw Benny’s lips twitch upward in a crooked, bemused smile. Without hesitation, his second swooped in to wrap his arms around her middle and hoist her off the ground.
“Sorry I was hard on you,” he gruffly apologized. “Didn’t mean to make you think I didn’t like you.”
Camille caught Viktor’s eyes over Benny’s shoulder. She looked shyly pleased. “It’s okay. I understand. In your place, I would have ripped out throats first, asked questions later.”
Benny’s laugh boomed off of the trees. Dropping her back onto her feet, he gave her shoulder a proud pat. “Pretty sure you did do that, grape.”
“Grape?” Camille wrinkled her nose. “…Because I grew up on a vineyard?”
Viktor coughed into his fist, covering up his laughter when his second answered, “Because you’repurple!”
Camille sputtered. “And you’refurry!”
“Only sometimes.”
Making a disgusted sound in the back of her throat, she gave his shoulder a solid punch with one deceptively dainty fist.
Benny stumbled backward, taken by surprise by the sheer wallop even a delicate-looking elf’s hit could pack. “Damn!” He craned his neck to peer at Viktor. Rubbing his shoulder, he exclaimed, “She’s strong as fuck!”
