56. Differences

“Well,” Cerise sighed, “almost.”
Before Sona could even curl up to shield her privates, Taos snarled furiously and put himself over her, scooping his arm around her back and yanking her chest to his, covering and protecting her. “Get the *hell* out of here, Cerise!”
“But you were just getting to the good part!”
“The part that doesn’t involve your nosy fucking ass!” Taos roared.
Sona was caged by his body dripping water and radiating heat. She was inches away from his pectorals muscles…and she felt the sudden urge to start her own trail of licks and kisses. His scent was masked by the water and heat, but if she inhaled a little deeper, there was the honey—by the moon goddess, does he smother himself in it when they weren’t together? It ever seemed to fade! And just beyond that was his natural male musk. Just beside that…
Sona’s heart did a little skip. Oh hell…there it was.
Taos was in a rut.
*Well of fucking course he was*.
Of course he fucking had to be.
*How could you have been so stupid, Sona?!*
“It’s alright,” she said.
Taos began, “Sona, what—” but she efficiently wriggled out from his grasp and, despite his hurried effort, straightened onto her feet and faced Cerise.
The Dog Rose Princess’ eyebrows shot up and her lips parted in surprise. “If you never want him,” she said appreciatively, gaze scanning Sona head to toe, “you’re welcome to visit me, Goldwater.”
“Can we help you with something, Princess?” Sona asked politely, picking up her damp or drenched clothes and putting them on—albeit embarrassingly clumsily, but she didn’t really give a shit when she was boiling with anger and betrayal. 
Taos’ arms circled around her midriff, trying to hinder her from covering all the bits he was desperate to keep in view. “Sona dear,” he said gruffly but unable to hide the note of panic that didn’t suit the monstrous male. “What are you doing?”
Her warning growl was so genuine that it worked: he let go and backed off. “Get away from me, you sick bastard.”
“Sona—”
She whirled around and snapped, “Don’t use that tone.”
“What tone? I’m confused.”
She made a noise of frustration and turned toward Cerise to storm toward the door. When she met the princess’ eyes bright with intrigue at the drama, something clicked. 
Cerise gasped and she bounced on her toes. “Ha!” she howled. “You fucked up so bad, brother!”
“What did I do?” Taos boomed; Sona heard him start to follow.
As she spun around to snap at him again, she found that Cerise had put herself between them, stopping Taos in his tracks. “Don’t make yourself sound like more of a fur-brained idiot. You know *exactly* why she’s mad.”
“Yes but I didn’t think she’d believe it’s true!” he raged. He looked away from the fierce female to Sona, face twisted with warring emotions. “*You*. I didn’t you’d actually think that—”
“That you’ve been in a rut for *days* and I’m supposed to believe all your fucking flattery was all just to satisfy yourself?!”
“No! *Move*, Cerise—”
“Also no!” snapped Cerise, stiff-arming his chest when he tried to get past her. “Back the fuck up and shut your mouth. There’s a fantastic dining room down the hall on the left, Goldwater,” she said over her shoulder, voice instantly pleasant. “Let’s talk over some cow thigh.”
Sona fixed Taos with a flat glare. “Goodnight, Alpha.”
He growled in frustration at her retreating back. “Fuck’s sake, Sona! Let me explain—”
Sona heard Cerise snort, “Go play with yourself, brother.” A moment later, the Redbone slammed the door behind her and caught up to Sona, matching her stride. “If you’re still determined to marry his unbearable ass, you’ll have to get used to that self-righteous temper. I’ve learned that just walking away is effective. Puts him in place and then he feels guilty so he brings you an expensive gift. Rarely an apology, but you know how unpredictable he can be. In here.”
The princess took Sona’s wrist and tugged her through an open archway into a large room with a decently-sized table. Three chairs were set with plates, one of them being the head. Cerise gestured for Sona to sit at one while she took the one opposite. 
She caught Sona glance at the other set and scoffed. “Males are overrated.”
A hearty meal of beef and vegetables sat before her; a glass of rich red liquid accompanying it. She sipped it; wine, sour and dry. Even though she was shaky and exhausted from surviving three different males ravaging—or trying to—her, she wasn’t hungry.
“Plural?” she asked.
Cerise waved a hand. “That was made for my complacent toy, but the second he saw you being eaten like a savage he turned tail like he’d been shocked.”
Her heart lurched even if it jarred in irritation that she called him a toy. “Arden? Fuck.” She dropped her face in her hands, fighting the sudden burn of tears. “He read my letter?”
The princess, utterly unbothered, said over a mouthful of meat, “Yes and he wants to have a serious talk without harsh feelings. But you Moonvalley and Goldwater wolves are quite sensitive. I wouldn’t be too upset if I caught my former lover romping with a new one.”
Sona choked a laugh into her palms.
“What’s so funny?” Cerise hissed.
“Nothing,” sighed Sona, lifting her head to look at the foul-mouthed heir. Her brows were angry and her lips were puckered. She was still just an adolescent—“Cerise, how old are you?”
“Twenty,” she said indignantly.
That was a six-year difference between her and Arden. It wasn’t an issue technically. But her immaturity didn’t match her best friend’s calm personality. 
But what did Sona know anymore? That charge in the air between them felt so real. If her hunch was correct and they were soulmates, then an age difference wouldn’t matter. Soulmates were meant for each other; they were created to be together.
Sona stared at her beef. Or at least that’s what she used to believe.
*No. Don’t sound so overly dramatic*, she told herself. *Just because your soulmate was fake doesn’t mean others are*. 
She said as much in her letter to Arden. 
“I didn’t read it, just so you know.” Cerise’s mouth was stuffed with bits of carrot. “So whatever you two are freaking out about, just leave me out of it.”
*Is Raff going to be this defiant when he grows up?*
The thought depressed her. *Will I get to be there when he’s this old?*
Sona snatched her fork and stabbed it into the beef so hard the plate cracked. *Yes! Yes, I will. Damn anyone who gets in my way.*