Gideon’s POV
The woods smelled warm and redolent in the late afternoon sun. Motes of dust drifted in the beams of golden light that spilled through the green-yellow leaves of the new growth trees. This time of year the forest floor had new plant growth, and everything was lush and overgrown.
My wolf padded through the trees sniffing at animal trails and sniffing the wind for any sign of a challenging Alpha. The Annual Mating Ceremony was a cornerstone of pack tradition, and while it usually passed without incident, it was also a time of vulnerability.
The wolves that gathered in the woods in hopes of catching, or being caught by, their chosen mate were in a heightened state. Their heat would set in as their mates claimed them, and outsiders would be in danger if they dared to trespass
