Moon Touched (Zodiac Wolves: The Lost Pack #1)(7)
As if to prove my point, Wesley glanced back at us with a smirk. He’d continued on with Dad and Jackie, but none of them were far enough ahead for Mira’s comment to have escaped them. Luckily, our parents were deep in conversation, but no such luck with my brother. Wesley rolled his eyes at me, but the grin on his face showed his amusement, and Mira’s face flushed with embarrassment. I looked between her and Wesley with raised brows. I’d suspected that she’d been crushing on my brother for some time, and she’d just confirmed it.
I shook my head. It wasn’t as if I could warn her off the scent. Wesley was a flirt, and everyone knew it. She’d have to deal with him on her own. He still hadn’t found his mate and made the most of it. I wondered if she secretly hoped they’d be mated tomorrow. Of course, half the fun of the Convergence was wondering who you’d be paired with at the mating ceremony—if you were paired at all.
“Come on,” I said. “Let’s set up our tents.”
Before I could move, someone shoved past me hard, nearly knocking me over. I stumbled forward, instincts kicking in just fast enough to stop me from falling. When I glanced up, a big, muscular guy with blond hair was walking past, along with his friends. He shot a look over his shoulder, and it was pure venom.
“Watch yourself,” he said. “Or better yet, stay out of the way.”
I gained my balance, rage sparking inside of me at the hateful tone like a Pavlovian response. I’d had more than enough of my own pack members talking to me like this my whole life. I’d come here to change that, to find the connection I’d been missing, and my first interaction with another pack member was someone who thought it was okay to treat me like the Cancer pack did. Fuck that.
“Watch where you’re going,” I snapped back. He’d already been walking away as if he didn’t expect me to say anything back to him, but at my words, he paused and turned back fully, eyes smoldering.
Damn, he was attractive. I found myself checking him out, even though I doubted we’d get along if he talked to strangers like he had done to me. He was tall, muscular, and sun-kissed, with blond hair that was right on the verge of being long and wild. He obviously spent a lot of his time throwing his weight around outside.
He looked me up and down, and then peeled his lips back in a snarl. “You’re the outcast in the Cancer pack, aren’t you? I’d recognize Harrison’s eyes anywhere, and you have your human mother’s hair.” He said the word human like it was dirty. Ah, yes, another reminder of home. Whichever pack he was a part of, I made a mental note to never associate with them.
I lifted my chin and faced him down. “And you’re just another bully who thinks it’s okay to pick on anyone you believe is beneath you. I don’t need your name. Your actions speak loud enough.”
Mira’s hand caught mine and tightened at the words. It was a silent warning. Careful. I didn’t want to be careful. Whoever this prick was, he could have a piece of my mind.
A low growl went through the group of males gathered around the guy, and the tension became palpable in the air. So much for keeping the peace. I’d managed to break it moments after stepping onto the campsite.
“Hey,” Mira said, stepping in front of me holding her free hand out in supplication. “No fighting here, remember? We’re on neutral ground.”
The guy shook his head, disgust pouring off of him almost tangibly. “You’re lucky we’re at the Convergence. Anywhere else, and I would have given your half-human friend there the beating she deserved.”
Something inside of me died at the words. I’d hoped that outside of the Cancer pack, my heritage wouldn’t be as big of a deal, but here I was, dealing with the same prejudices I’d encountered on a daily basis. I was never going to escape this shit, was I?
The guy gave me one more disgusted once-over before walking away. The other males fell into line with him, almost as if he was commanding them. This male was high up in the ranks of his pack, and it irked me that dicks like him got to be in power so often. With a sigh, I pushed the encounter out of my mind. Hopefully, I wouldn’t have to deal with him again.
Wesley jogged up to us, worry plain on his face. He put a hand on my shoulder and stared after the shifters. “What just happened?”
“Nothing,” I grumbled, tugging Mira forward. “He was a prick, I told him to shove off. The asshole didn’t know how to say ‘excuse me’ instead of ‘move out of my way’.”
“You shouldn’t mess with him.” Wesley’s hand tightened on my shoulder, going from comforting to a warning. When I glanced over at him, his eyes were serious. “That’s Jordan from the Leo pack.”
As I watched the retreating group, they turned off of the main path where the Leo banner was planted into the ground, an instant confirmation of Wesley’s words.
“Well, Jordan from the Leo pack needs to learn some manners,” I grumbled, turning away. “No matter how much he doesn’t like me, I’m still the daughter of an alpha. I get that Leos and Cancers hate each other, but this is the Convergence. We’re all supposed to be getting along. Trust a Leo to try to bring our clan rivalry into this.”
“You don’t get it,” Wesley said, his brow furrowed. “That’s Jordan Marsten. Next in line to be the alpha of the Leo pack. He’s not someone you want to fuck with. Stay away from him.”