Surprise

AARYN

He was outside the market and just stepping onto the trail when the small voice rose behind him. "Aaryn, wait!"

He turned and his heart sank.

Pretty Gwyn, her cheeks slightly flushed, followed him, trotting across the space between them, her blond hair bouncing.

She had to have excused herself as soon as he'd turned to leave. Which meant Elreth knew he'd been there and hadn't come to talk to her.

Shit.

"Why are you leaving?" Gwyn said, slightly breathless as she slowed to stand next to him.

Gwyn was small for an Anima and barely reached his shoulder. She was strong, but she had no… spirit. No light. Aaryn didn't mind quiet females—sometimes, after too many hours with Elreth, he preferred them. But Gwyn lacked that spark that made his stomach clench.

He'd made a terrible mistake one night, a year ago, and mated with her after a feast. They'd both been drunk and she'd made the signals and he'd thought, why not?

Now, he knew why not. It saddened him that he'd used her as he had. He'd apologized the next day and she'd been good about it. But she'd pined after him ever since. And he didn't know what to do about it.

She was blinking up at him and it took him a second to realize she'd asked him a question.

"I just… I was just making sure Elreth wasn't alone," he said honestly. "I'm not actually hungry. So…" he shrugged.

"You should come up though, she wondered why you were leaving."

His lips twisted. "I don't think she'll want me there. We're fighting again."

"Yeah, that's what she said. She thought you left because she was there."

Shit.

"If you want to come back in, I'll sit with you down at the tables if you want. I don't really like sitting up there where everyone can see anyway."

"No, I'm fine. Thank you. I really was just checking that she was okay. These first few days…"

Gwyn nodded and looked down. She folded her arms and for a moment he thought she was going to say goodbye and leave, and he would feel relieved.

Then, she blinked and seemed to… stiffen. When she turned back to him there was no wariness in her gaze. She held his eyes very directly. "She doesn't deserve all the ways you're good to her, you know," she said in what had to be the darkest tone he'd ever heard her use, though it was really little more than irritated.

"I'm… what?" His jaw dropped.

"You are good to her in ways she's not good to you," Gwyn said firmly. "I know, because I watch. You're always looking out for her. And she's just… doing what she does."

"Elreth looks out for me, plenty," Aaryn said.

"And she overlooks you even more," Gwyn shot back.

It hit him like a punch to the chest. "I… where is this coming from, Gwyn? Elreth and I have been friends since we were cubs. We fight all the time. It'll blow over. It doesn't mean I'm going to abandon her to the wolves," no pun intended, "on the most important morning of her rule."

Gwyn took a deep breath, like she was steeling herself. "All I know is, you were in there checking on her, and she was in there pawing another male."

Aaryn tried to dismiss it, but his stomach felt sick. "We're just friends, Gwyn, she can paw whoever she wants."

"And you can too."

"Yes, I can."

"So, why don't you want to paw anyone but her?"

Aaryn blinked. And blinked. No one had ever said it to his face. Not like that. Oh, they joked, or make sly comments. But no one had ever just… said it.

He looked at Gwyn with new eyes. He was speechless.

She held his gaze and sighed again. "I thought because she was so strong, you needed someone around who would just… be there. And not push you. But obviously I was wrong. So here you go, Aaryn: She doesn't deserve you. She cares about you, but she doesn't love you. And you're going to waste your entire life waiting for her when… when someone else might give you what you deserve. So just… think about it, okay? She isn't the only female in the Tree City."

Aaryn gaped as she nodded once, then turned on her heel and stalked back into the market.

What the hell just happened?