He Wouldn’t Marry a ‘Widow’ So I Left Him and His Brother Both Chapter 09

He Wouldn’t Marry a ‘Widow’ So I Left Him and His Brother Both Chapter 09

Soren’s clan was enormous.

Both the males and the females were considerably taller than those in the southern clan I had left behind.

The females here were so warm and enthusiastic that I hardly knew how to respond. They had broad shoulders and strong arms, and they moved with powerful, confident strides.

I heard they had all grown up in the bitter cold and snow. Every one of them was skilled at hunting and

splitting firewood.

They circled me twice, squeezed my arm, and sighed in concern.

“You’re so tiny you look like a cub yourself, yet you’ve already had one.”

Having them squeeze my arm made me a little self–conscious.

I could not help remembering the old shifter’s warning that northerners were hostile to outsiders.

It seemed that had only been a rumor after all.

At first, I had only planned to stay for a few days while I learned how things worked. Before long, however, I began thinking about settling there permanently.

Once I had found us a home and taken care of the practical details, I realized I had not seen Soren in quite

some time.

When I asked about him, I learned that he had slipped away from home without permission. Only a few days after his return, his parents had hauled him back and given him a thorough scolding.

The next time I saw him, his parents brought him along when they came to visit.

That evening, his mother simmered a huge pot of hearty meat stew and baked fresh flatbreads.

Rory sat beside her, happily being fed until her little mouth shone with grease.

Soren sat close beside me, quietly drinking his stew with his eyes lowered. In the firelight, a faint blush

showed at the base of his ears.

“I was surprised to hear Soren had brought a female back with him,” his mother said, looking me over with a warm smile. “Thank you for taking care of him on the journey.”

She nudged the much larger male beside her with her elbow.

Soren’s father paused, then cleared his throat.

“You’re Winter, right? Since you’re planning to stay here, have you given any thought to what you’ll do next?”

Before I could answer, Soren looked up and cast his father a nervous glance.

“I haven’t thought that far ahead yet,” I said with a smile. “I want to get settled first.”

Soren’s mother wiped the corner of Rory’s mouth.

“The Far North isn’t like the south. Females are few and far between here. A female raising a cub on her own

is rarer still.”

Soren swallowed.

“Mama, don’t.”

“What did I say?” His mother sounded mildly offended.

“I’m only thinking of Winter. Raising a cub alone without a bonded mate to help is no easy thing, especially somewhere like the Far North.”

As she spoke, she glanced meaningfully at Soren and smiled.

“But females are precious here. Any family in the clan would be thrilled to welcome you.”

“If you’d like, I can take you around tomorrow to meet some of them. Several families have already been asking about you.”

Soren’s hand tightened around his bowl.

I smiled softly. “I appreciate the thought, but I’ve only just arrived. I haven’t considered anything like that yet.”

His mother did not take offense. She smiled and filled my bowl with more stew.

“There’s no rush. Take your time. You have plenty of it.”

By the time the meal ended, night had fully fallen.

Rory yawned, her little head bobbing as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

Soren walked his parents to the door, then suddenly turned back.

The fire flickered behind him, making his usually distant, deep–blue feline eyes seem to brighten and dim.

“Winter.”

I looked up at him.