Lily scoffed and crossed her arms. "Says the man who was considering trading off one of his pack members for a fake dream of peace. You can't tell a woman what she can or can't do with her body. Or is that all you see women as, big man? Bodies?"
"How dare you suggest that. I have a mate. A child on the way. She is far more to me than abody, just like every member of my pack is more than just another mouth to feed. They're myfamily, and that includes the ungrateful, disobedient ones like you. You have no idea what you've done, have you?"
Lily held up her hand, which was still had Theo's mark on it. "It looks like I'm saving your ass by becoming a goblin's slave bride. Funny that."
"Ken was right about you. What the fuck are you planning?"
"What, you mean you were thinking of trying to get out of the deal on your own?"
"That's beside the point," Ryel growled. "I was keeping our options open until we talked with the rest of the council to see what they thought, or if there would be anywillingwolves who would step up."
"What's wrong with me?"
"Everything's wrong with you," Ken growled. "You're the most disingenuous person I've met. Now tell us what's going on through that crazy head of yours, before I march you back in there to make Theo take back the mark."
"Are you planning on going through with the wedding?" Rick pressed. "Or did you just lie to the prince who could be our greatest pain in the ass when he finds out?"
A stream of light hit Lily's face, and her scheming eyes seemed to glitter with wrath. "I have every intention of going through with the wedding, but I also have every intention of doing my due diligence. If the prince turns out to be full of shit, and he, or any of his ugly little friends scheme against us, I'll be the first to know, and to alert the pack."
The wolves looked between each other. They all knew that this had to happen for the sake of their pack, and even if they had planned to go about it a different way, there was no saying how Theo would react if they went back in there and demanded that he release Lily from her promise. He had seemed to approve of her stepping forward, after all.
Lily's selfishness had put them in a tight spot, and Ken didn't see any way but forward.
"Fine," Ryel growled, "if that's how you want it. Fine. But why, Lily? Why couldn't you wait?"
She shrugged nonchalantly, but she didn't meet any of their eyes. "I'm bored of Silvercoast, honestly. All the men have sticks up their asses, and I've given up hope of finding my mate while I'm still capable of having children. I figured I might as well do this for my pack if it will help us out, and maybe it'll inject a little more fun into my life, you know? And I thought if I waited, no one would let me do it. So I made the jump."
Ryel's aggression faded away, and he sighed. "I'm sorry you haven't found your mate yet, and that you're struggling to find your place in Silvercoast. I know it's been hard for you. I wish you didn't have to do this, but you're doing us all a favor. Thank you."
She smirked. "Don't worry, I won't let you forget it. Now let's get the hell home."
Lily threw off her robe and shifted back into a wolf before the dark fabric hit the ground. She howled into the afternoon sky, and one by one, the others followed.
All this time, Ken had thought Lily was a selfish bitch, but maybe he'd been wrong about her. One bad interaction didn't define a person completely. Whatever Lily's issues were, no one deserved to go their life without a mate.
Hers might still be out there somewhere, but instead of finding them, she was giving up that hunt for the sake of their whole pack. It was an admirable sacrifice, one no one would forget.
But as they all ran back through the forest, back toward their home, Lily's actions made Ken appreciate his mate all the more. Beth. He'd lost her once, and he was never going to let her go again. With peace with the goblins on the horizon, he hoped a time never came when he would have to worry about her again.
***
On the way home, Ken and Beth fell behind the others. They were so grateful that their encounter with the goblins hadn't ended up as a deadly one that they took their time getting back. They pranced through the trees and meadows, just enjoying the prospect of being alive. Birds fluttered about, and the sun caught the river at sunset and made the water look like shifting fire.
As the moon began to take prominence in the sky, Beth yipped and ran around, calling for Ken to follow her. She stopped behind a tree, wagging her tail, and that was a tempting offer if he'd ever seen one. He was a hunter at heart, and if she wanted to play ... she would lose.
But he hoped that was the point.
Ken barked and ran after her. They made a game out of it, chasing each other in a feral game of tag. Their movements were instinctual, their minds focused only on the joy of the chase and the wild abandon of being in their wolf forms. Of being without any real fear for the first time in who knew how long. They wove through the underbrush, nipping at each other's heels and lunging for each other's throats, but there was no real malice in it.
Finally, Ken wore her down enough, and he caught Beth around the midsection and brought her down in a tangle of limbs. Grass split around them, and they wrestled for a few moments, gnawing on each other's ears before Ken stopped to keep licking her face instead. Beth shifted into her human form, and Ken was on top of her. When he shifted, too, he could feel her whole body pressed against him, soft, supple, and his for the taking. Her breasts were pinned against his arms, her nipples already hard buds from the cool night air.
"Hey!" she laughed, "That's not fair! You cheated!"
"No, I just used my natural advantages." Ken smirked as he loomed over her, taking in her beautiful body, all its perfections and flaws. He grew hard from lying tangled with her like this, and his cock pressed against her thigh.
"What advantages?"
"Well ..." Ken leaned down to nuzzle her neck, "I happen to know that you're ticklish."