Horizon Ridge A Flicker in the Wind

Pied smiled at Kisu's improper wording (seeked versus sought), finding it endearing. She looked at him as he spoke, finding herself attracted to his youthful, handsome features. The idea of a mate had really begun to excite her, yet Pied didn't want to settle down with just anyone. She wanted real romance. In this moment, she decided she could achieve this with Kisu in time.

But then his next words made her stomach drop and these wispy daydreams abruptly evaporated into the cold, salty air. It wasn't just that he'd joined a pack. She heard words like cannot be with you and we can still be friends and felt bile rising in the back of her throat, the physical manifestation accompanying a powerful sense of rejection. Along with it came a sudden, fierce and unexpected fury.

When he made to lick at her face, Pied lifted her lip, growled and shoved him away. "Don't," she said simply, her voice thick with disappointment, though she tried to hide the true depth of her emotions behind a cold mask. "You asked me to be your mate, then turned around and joined a pack without considering the impact on what we could've had. You're an ass," she declared, "and a flake."

Without another word, Pied marched out of the water and began to stride up the beach, back toward the place where she was supposed to rendezvous with Vires. It was time anyway; the sun had set and darkness now crept along the edge of the world. Fitting, Pied thought, happy for the breeze that blew past her, whipping away any tears that threatened to fall.