A chilli reception

John's eyes were down, deep in contemplation as he walked towards the group. The sensation of eyes on him compelled him to look up. Once again, he was met with an unfriendly, hard stare. Icy blue eyes were locked onto him, conveying a message that seemed to say, "Don't you dare come any closer," sending a chill down his spine.

John's steps faltered, and he swore he saw the corner of her mouth quirk up in an evil smirk. He stood there, dazed until a movement caught the corner of John’s eye, and he noticed Prius calling him over. In stark contrast to the woman, Prius' eyes on him were warm and welcoming. John's gaze shifted to the burly man standing next to the Beta; he had long straight hair that, in the sunlight, resembled the color of honey. His dark brown skin was a stark contrast to his hair. The inquisitive stare he was giving John held a penetrating intensity, as if he were on the verge of unraveling some profound mystery.

John's lynx perked up, and it was as if he was staring at the man through his eyes. Sensing it, the man arched an eyebrow in question. Feeling uncomfortable, John's eyes shifted to the last man standing there. However, Darius's eyes showed little or no emotion as he looked at him, leaving John questioning if he had changed his mind and if he was not really welcome here.

Stopping in his tracks, he tried to make a retreat, but Prius ever so attentively noticed the shift in John and started walking towards him. A friendly smile on his face. The blonde man wasn't far behind him and asked, "So, what do we have here?" His tone was warm and friendly. Before Prius had a chance to respond, Mia, the redhead, made a snorting noise, redirecting attention to her. Closing the distance to Darius even more, she pressed a perfectly manicured hand onto his shoulder, the gesture bordering on possessive. At the sight, the jealousy feeling spiked up again, and his lynx hissed in his mind, "Mine," leaving the young man dumbfounded.

She spoke loudly enough for him to hear, and if her look had not been convincing enough, it was evident that she had no intentions of sugar-coating her thoughts either. "Clearly Darius was feeling charitable, bringing a pathetic, weirdly smelling shifter to the village. When is he leaving, Darius?" Mia spoke up, her voice carrying a note of disdain as she questioned him.

John recoiled at the hurtful words. It seemed like wherever he went, he wasn't welcome. Hearing the lynx whimpering in distress within his mind, he concluded that returning to the cabin would be a better choice. He hadn't anticipated such a chilly reception, and the words "weirdly smelling" and "pathetic charity case" stung deeply.

Fighting back the humiliation and insecurity, John mumbled an excuse and hastily retreated from the gathering. He needed a moment to process the unexpected hostility he had encountered.

Darius, inner bear, however, was not willing to let him slip away without clarification. Concern etched across his face, he attempted to follow John, but Mia intervened. She placed herself between them and interrogated the Alpha.

"Why the sudden attachment to this outsider?" Mia demanded, her voice laced with suspicion. "What is he to you, Darius?"

The intensity of Mia's inquiry took Darius by surprise. The Alpha bear within him came to the surface, his eyes almost shiny gold as he released a low growl; he would not accept such a disrespectful tone from anyone. Mia recoiled, offering apologies for her tone, although the lack of sincerity was evident on her face. Darius struggled to find the right words to explain the connection he felt with John. The only thing he knew is that his inner bear had this weird attachment to the young man and would not let the man turn his back on him.

As John retreated towards the cabin, he struggled not to cry, his thoughts swirling with confusion and unease. What had he gotten himself into? He thought he had found a safe haven, but yet again, this place was laced with hostility and unwelcoming individuals. He came to a sudden halt when he heard his name being called and a hand on his shoulder. Looking back, he saw Prius and the other man standing there, looking at him with pity in their eyes. He didn’t need or want it. With a strength he didn’t think he had, he looked at the two - "It's okay! I'm not offended," John reassured them. "I just need some more rest."

Inside the cabin, John made his way back to the office. The warmth of the room provided a welcome respite from the chilly reception outside. Settling into one of the wooden chairs facing the desk, he couldn't shake the questioning thoughts about his reception here. Had he allowed his hope to cloud his judgement once more? Why was it so hard for him to be accepted?

His inner lynx whimpered, echoing his uncertainty. John whispered to the elusive creature within him, seeking reassurance and guidance. "What should we do, my friend?"

Outside, Darius looked at the retreating figure of John disappearing behind the cabins that lined the village square. He turned his attention back to Mia, noticing a few more curious people gathered there. Darius realized that he had to somehow address the now-growing interest in John. He cleared his throat, commanding the attention of the various shifters around him.

"Everyone, I know you have questions about John," Darius began, his voice projecting authority. "I know he's not a bear, but his presence here is not unusual. He's still a shifter, just like us, and he's in need of our support,” Darius declared. He paused for a moment, assessing the mixed reactions in the crowd. Some appeared accepting, while Mia remained skeptical.

Darius continued, "We're all part of this den because we've needed a place to belong, to be ourselves without judgment. John is no different. He's experienced a difficult past, and he deserves a chance at a fresh start."

"Alpha, do you know what he is?" inquired a curious voice. "He smells different..." another added. Darius sighed before carefully considering his response, "Not yet. All we know is that he has not been brought up in the shifter world, so he is still a bit shocked. We need to be patient with him," he concluded, his tone leaving no room for additional questions.

Inside the cabin, John had been lost in thought, still haunted by the unease from his encounter with Mia. Doubts gnawed at him, questioning his place within the village and whether his presence would continue to fuel discord within the community.

In that moment, the door slowly opened, letting out a subtle creak, and Darius strolled in, his face radiating empathy and understanding. The Alpha squatted in front of John, and the guy's musky scent, mixed with a hint of something sweet, kind of wrapped around the young shifter like a comforting blanket.

"John," Darius began, his voice comforting, "I want you to understand that you're truly welcome here. You're a part of the pack if you want it, and we'll stand by you, protect you,

 and provide our support."

John heaved a sigh of relief, grateful for Darius' reassuring words, but still not convinced if they were true. He decided he would not question it. "Thanks," he quietly whispered.

Darius nods, his concern still clearly readable on his face. "However, soon you'll have to tell me what shifter you are. We normally can tell by someone's scent, but you're an enigma. Probably it's your late arrival," he adds. "But nevertheless, you can understand this is leaving the rest of the pack wary of you. In order for them to welcome you and be at ease, they'll need to get familiar with you and your inner animal... We'll give you a couple of days to settle in, and then we'll host a welcome party and introduce you to everyone."

John, though hesitant, subtly assented. He understands the necessity of revealing his true nature to the pack, but is he ready to do so? He comprehends that he can't allow further discord within the community, so what is there for him to do?

Outside, tensions escalate as Mia finds herself in a confrontation with Prius and the third-in-command, Michael. Michael's voice resonates with stern determination as he addresses Mia, urging her to abandon her possessive behavior towards the Alpha and to remember her position within the pack. "Mia, we have been here before, how many times shall we remind you that you're not the Luna here, and you're not in a relationship with Darius. You can't continue to act as if you're the leader.”

Prius chimes in, reinforcing the message. "Darius has made the decision to bring John in, and we should respect that. He is the Alpha here! Regardless of your feelings or aspirations, that means extending a warm welcome to new members." The two men exchange glances, silently expressing their shared exasperation with Mia's attitude.

Reluctant and defiant, Mia begrudgingly agrees. Keeping the boiling rage inside her at bay, she maintains a neutral facade, not letting her real feelings show through. She understands she has to pretend to fall in line and play along to be left alone. At least for now, she decides to let this be.