Chapter 8: The Festival
1096 Words
Coral’s POV
The festival was alive with energy, laughter, and the smell of grilled food wafting through the air. Everywhere I turned, there were shifters of every kind—werewolves, trolls, fae, witches, even a few fox and bear shifters. The magical carnival games lit up the twilight, their enchanted colors shimmering under the soft glow of the lanterns strung around the pack's estate. It was perfect—almost too perfect.
Eli hadn’t left my side all day. His hand was casually resting on the small of my back as we strolled toward the ring toss game. His voice was soft and warm, yet teasing as always.
“You know, you look beautiful today,” he said, leaning in close to my ear. His words sent a tingle down my spine, though I quickly brushed it off.
I giggled, trying to keep my cheeks from heating up. “You already told me that, Eli.”
“And I’ll say it again. You’re hot. This bikini—damn.” He smirked, his brown eyes sparkling with mischief.
My giggle turned into a laugh, and I playfully pushed at his chest. “You’re ridiculous.”
Across from us, Maddie groaned dramatically. She had her arms crossed, watching us with mock disgust.
“You two make me so sick,” she declared, rolling her eyes. “I wish I could just ball you up and smash you.”
Flower, one of Maddie’s friends, laughed and nudged her. “Honestly, Maddie, you probably could.”
Everyone burst out laughing, even Maddie, and the playful mood carried us through the next few games. Sahara and Flower kept teasing me about how Eli couldn’t seem to take his eyes—or hands—off me.
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We wandered through the games, stopping at one where trolls were juggling fire. The crowd cheered as they tossed flaming torches higher and higher. Eli’s hand slipped from my back to wrap around my waist. His touch was casual but firm, and it made my heart beat faster.
Except my heart wasn’t just pounding because of Eli.
The entire time we walked, I could feel eyes on me. It was like a weight pressing against my back, constant and unyielding. I refused to look around, though. Instead, I focused on Eli as he whispered something provocative in my ear, making me giggle even more.
We hadn’t done more than kiss in the three and a half months we’d been together, but the way he talked sometimes made me wonder if we ever would. His words had a way of heating my cheeks, and I was sure my face was bright pink now.
When he leaned in for a kiss, I didn’t hesitate. I gave him two quick ones, laughing softly as I pulled back. But the feeling of being watched didn’t fade—it only grew stronger.
“Eli, my heart is pounding,” I admitted, placing a hand over my chest.
His grin widened. “Mine is too, baby. That’s how I know we’re mates. It’s going to be us, Coral. Just us. Forever.”
The intensity in his voice made my heart squeeze, but I quickly lightened the mood. “Well, with all of our siblings combined, we’d probably have the biggest family on the planet.”
Eli laughed, his deep chuckle making me smile. We walked to another booth where magical darts popped balloons, and he won me a small stuffed fox. I clutched it to my chest as we wandered around, soaking in the festival.
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It wasn’t long before I spotted Jason. He was standing with my brother Reid and Collin, deep in conversation near one of the food tables. Jason looked as he always did—confident, tall, and brooding. His dark eyes flicked to mine for a brief second, and I felt my stomach twist.
Before I could dwell on it, Zaina walked up to me. Her caramel skin glowed under the lights, and her curls bounced as she smiled. “Hey, Coral.”
I returned her smile. “Zaina! You look amazing.”
She laughed softly. “Thanks. This is all still so new to me.” She gestured around at the crowd. “I’ve never been to the werewolf realm before. I didn’t even know it existed until Reid brought me here.”
“Well, since you’re here, I’m going to introduce you around,” I said, looping my arm through hers. “You’ll love it. I know L.A. was your spot, but this place has its own kind of magic.”
She nodded, her eyes scanning the crowd. “It’s amazing to see so many different shifters getting along. In the human realm, everyone’s always fighting. It’s just bad, bad, bad. But here? It’s peaceful.”
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As we walked together, I couldn’t help but glance back toward Jason. His eyes were locked on me, staring so intensely it was as if he could see straight through me. My stomach twisted again, and I quickly looked away.
Eli leaned down, his breath warm against my ear. “What is up with that guy?” he whispered, his tone laced with annoyance.
“What do you mean?” I asked, though I had a sinking feeling I knew exactly what he meant.
“Every time you’re not looking, I see him. He’s watching you. Everywhere you go, he watches you.”
I frowned. “Jason’s like an older brother to me. We grew up across the street from each other.”
Eli shook his head. “Nah, Coral. He doesn’t look at you like a brother would. Reid doesn’t interrupt us. Jason doesn’t just look at you—he stares, like he wants you.”
His words made my chest tighten. “Nothing ever happened with Jason,” I said firmly. “He’s Reid’s best friend. That’s it.”
Eli’s jaw clenched. “Are you sure? Because it doesn’t seem like it. And I’m not jealous. You’re mine, and I’m yours.”
I placed a hand on his cheek, trying to soothe him. “Exactly. So who cares what he thinks?”
Eli’s expression softened, and he suddenly scooped me up, spinning me around. I shrieked, laughing as he planted a kiss on my lips.
“Hey!” My dad’s booming voice rang out from across the yard. “No fooling around over there! You’ve got little brothers and sisters running around!”
I burst into giggles as Eli set me down, both of us grinning. Whatever tension there had been was gone, at least for now.
- Writer
