~ ZEV ~

His heart thumped against his ribs painfully as the males moved as a group to stand between him and Sasha, demanding her attention.

She gazed at him over the crowd, but soon their view of each other was marred by too many bodies, too many tall males, and Zev's stomach went sick.

She didn't realize it, but Sasha was about to be confronted with the worst of him. He'd tried to tell her, but it had been easy to see that she'd underestimated the challenge these males would present—not because she didn't love him enough, but because he knew he'd broken her heart, and the wound hadn't closed yet.

These males knew it too, and they were about to hit her while she was down.

Well, hit Zev, actually. But the result would be the same.

He knew every male that stood at the front of the crowd—all unmated, all strong, and high on the hierarchy, handsome and capable in their own ways.

And all of them knew him well enough to fight dirty.

He wondered which of them would be either brave enough—or perhaps stupid enough—to start.

He wasn't surprised when it was Volk. The hares always were quick to run into conflict.

The male looked back and forth along the line, then strutted forward.

Shorter than most of the other Chimera, the hares were powerfully built and attractive to their females for their fierce integrity. Their Alpha, Oksa could be a pain in the ass. But there was not a more honorable male in Thana, in Zev's opinion. When a hare said they would do something, it would get done.

It was a character trait that would appeal to Sasha—and play into his own weaknesses.

He couldn't move without showing weakness, but he leaned slightly, catching sight of her, eyes widening, as the male planted his feet a few feet in front of her and swept a gallant bow.

Zev would have snorted—the Hares could also be depended upon to be dramatic. About everything—but he waited for the male's words, to measure the impact.

"Your beauty rises like the sun, Sasha!

" the male called so the entire clearing could hear him.

"My name is Volk and I invite you to join the Hare Clan. You stand here, ready to be mated, yet the male you choose has fallen to deception and disappeared both from your life and ours.

"

The male slowly removed his furs as he spoke, stripping down to nothing as he stood in front of Sasha—her eyes widening with every item of clothing he removed, until he stood before her. Proud and naked, hands on his hips, and inviting her to examine his body.

Sasha's eyes had gone so wide he wondered if she'd forgotten his warning about the nakedness.

He would have laughed if her eyes hadn't continued to scan the male from head to toe.

Zev growled and Dunken nudged him, hissing,

"You can't interfere!

"

"I wasn't going to,

" he muttered.

Dunken shot him a glare, but Zev continued to watch as Sasha's throat bobbed and she shook her head.

"I'm not… I mean, I don't—

"

"You have been hurt by the absence of your chosen male. I understand this,

" Volk struck his own chest with a fist so hard the sound of thunked across the clearing.

"I understand the ache of uncertainty. I value the devotion and loyalty of a female who would wait for her male's return. I am a male of integrity and strength—single-minded. Mate me and you will never spend another day alone, Sasha.

"

Sasha's shoulders rose and fell with a deep breath, but she blinked and her eyes weren't so wide as she fixed them on him and shook her head.

The males guffawed, slapping each other on the arms and shoulders, teasing Volk for his lack of success. But the male wasn't so quick to give up. In the true heart of a hare, he ignored the ribbing from his brothers and began to dance, flexing his abdominals and leaping like a gazelle.

He was graceful and beautiful, and Sasha's mouth fell open during one leap that took him level with the heads of the other males.

For a split second after he landed and danced back to stand before her, Zev wondered if her head had been turned, the way she gaped at the male. But she shook her head silently, then shot a pleading look at Kyelle.

Slumped with disappointment, but keeping his shoulders back, Volk nodded his acceptance of her decision and melted back into the crowd, accepting jabs and reassurance alike.

His eyes met Zev's once and the male offered a dry salute. Zev smiled. He was a good male.

But he was being replaced by another in the space in front of Sasha—another hare, who took a similar approach, to even less attention from Sasha.

One after another, three hares and an owl each stepped forward, only to be rejected.

To Zev's relief, after the first, Sasha seemed to be handling the nudity and body displays with a lot more indifference.

But then Rowsan, the tallest and strongest of the owls, stepped forward and everyone went silent. The male had always had a presence, and though he didn't have ambition to climb the hierarchy, he was well respected by all the clans.

Slightly taller than Zev, his build was finer, but no less strong. He moved with the grace of the owls who seemed to bring the elegance of flight with them to the ground. A stunning male with a shock of white hair and brown eyes so light they were almost yellow, he saluted Sasha, dropping to one knee with his arm clasped to his chest, and bowed his head over it.

"I seek the female who seeks a clan,

" he said quietly, though Zev's wolf ears heard every word.

"I seek the female who has been left without a nest and who would take a male to her breast.

"

Sasha's eyes bulged at the word

"breast,

" and Zev almost laughed. Typical bird.

"You stand alone, Sasha, because your wellbeing was not valued over the male's—he abandoned you to your fate, instead watching over his people. I am not Alpha of my Clan, though I carry power. Should you choose me, I would embrace you in my nest. You would never compete for my attention or affection. I would groom your feathers even before my own. Stand and watch, Sasha, the dance of a male who would place you even over his own needs.

"

The male's voice was hypnotic, and Zev snarled when he realized Rowsan had stepped forward, looming over Sasha until they almost touched. He stripped, his arms and hands brushing hers as he moved.

The asshole was leaving his scent on her.

Strong hands appeared on his chest and Dunken hissed,

"Get it together, Zev!

"

"I'm fine!

" he snapped, then blinked when he realized he'd taken hold of Dunken's wrists and was wrestling his friend away.

"You can't move, Zev. You can't interfere or the Alphas will take over. Stop!

"

"I haven't moved.

"

"But you're trying to!

"

Zev didn't see Rowsan's dance as he stared Dunken down and his friend didn't give an inch.

"You knew this was coming. You know she'll pick you. Stop creating trouble for yourself.

"

Zev shuddered, grinding his teeth, but he nodded.

Until his friend added,

"You know this is going to get worse before it gets better, Zev. Stop giving in to your emotions.

"

Zev growled, but Dunken shoved him back until he rocked almost off his feet.