Chapter 13 - Alpha

511 A.R. January 6, University of Technology, Morning

"Sorry, excuse me," I whispered as I moved along the throng of people that tried to get seated.

My focus lay on Alex but he seemed to be slipping from my view as he got seated near the center by one of the front rows. My desperation only grew as I saw others moving to sit down beside him.

I decided to take a shortcut and jumped up on the lecture hall seats as I used them like stepping stones. My tail snapped back and forth to help my balance as I descended while the others turned to look at me in surprise and fright.

A feline sat down on Alex's right side while a canine approached from the left.

Alex must have noticed the sudden change of atmosphere as he glanced back and perked his ears in surprise. The approaching canine glanced up and grew wide eyed as I lurched towards him, he jumped away in an instant while I hopped down next to Alex.

"Morning Alex," I said with a feral grin as I got seated and met his astonished look.

"Morning?" Alex asked as he blinked in surprise.

"Do you have time?" I asked.

The rest of the class started moving again while Alex made a bemused grin and glanced around.

"You sure know how to make an entrance Vilkas," Alex whispered.

"Sorry," I whispered with a grin.

Alex leaned close, "So what can I do for my favorite wolf on campus?"

"How big is that cooking club of yours?" I asked.

Alex cocked his head in surprise, "Uh, about six, me included."

"Not a very big club," I remarked.

"Well what do you expect? It's a cooking club, we get together every few weeks, try a few things, invite a few others and have fun."

"Where do you get the meat?" I asked.

"Buy it, it's rather expensive though."

"I have a deal for you, wanna hear?" I said with a smile.

Alex made a sly smile, "Sure?"

"We can hunt for you, rabbit, hare, mallard, perhaps even boar and deer if we can get the permit for it."

Alex seemed a bit stunned for a moment, "You? Alone?"

I shook my head, "Nah, Kato's pack will help out."

Alex's ears perked in surprise, "Kato? And his pack? Are you serious?"

"What?" I asked.

Alex leaned in and whispered, "Kato and his pack aren't exactly known for being warm and friendly."

I raised my brow in surprise, "Kato's a great guy."

"Must be because you belong to the same clan," Alex answered.

"We don't, anyway, let me worry about Kato, we'll hunt for you."

"... All right, and what do you want in return?" Alex asked.

"You invite me, Kato's pack, and a few others of my choosing."

"That's a lot of wolves," Alex commented.

I leaned in and nudged his shoulder, "I thought you liked wolves Alex."

Alex made a sheepish smile and glanced away, "Only friendly ones."

"How about I promise that everyone will be on their best behavior?" I whispered.

Alex glanced back and met my eyes, "Hmm, maybe?"

I leaned in by his ear and whispered, "How about a continuation of last time?"

Alex's smile grew while his muzzle opened with a flustered look, "Deal."

511 A.R. January 6, University of Technology, Midday

I raised my head and scanned the food court, it didn't take long to pinpoint Kato's pack as their lupine ears stuck out among the few giants that were present.

Reville and Monty were discussing something while Kato was staring at a plate of pasta with something of a dismayed look. It gave me an idea that soon turned into a devious plan.

I approached from behind and got seated next to Kato as he turned his head and noticed my presence.

"Oh, hey pu- Vilkas," Kato said with a smile.

I glanced at the plate of pasta and frowned a little, "Hey Kato, pasta huh?"

Kato nodded and glanced around, "Yeah, I know."

I leaned in for a brief moment and gave him a light nudge, he nudged back in a near instant and caught my scent in greeting. A smile spread on his face as we both got caught up in a short-lived but intense bloom of instinct.

"I have a proposal," I said as I leaned back.

Kato huffed, "We should hang out more often you know, not just when you need something."

I grinned and nodded, "Which is exactly why I came here, how about starting a new club?"

Kato raised his brow, "A club?"

"Yeah, a nature survival and cooking club for carnivores, we can hunt, teach survival, and then we can cook it in the park with the help of the local cooking club and invite guests."

"Why not just make a wolf club?" Kato asked with a skeptical look.

I fetched my phone and activated it as I showed an excerpt from a document.

"Here, if we combine hunting, a few other things, involve other clubs, and provide for the community, then we'll get an easier time applying for permits."

Kato's ears perked once more, "Really?"

"Yep," I answered with a nod.

"... We won't get to eat it though."

I smirked, "Sure you will Kato, a tantalizing stew with potatoes, sauce, spices, long cooked rabbit so tender it'll melt in your muzzle, all served steaming hot from a pot of goodness and combined with a cold beer and good company."

I found myself surprised at how well it worked as Kato looked mesmerized while licking his chops.

"... Fair point, you've got my interest, so why are you doing this Vilkas?"

"Because it's a fun thing? Because we could gain from showing others that wolves are more than brutes?"

Kato observed me in silence for a few moments as something seemed to settle in his mind.

"Hmm, are you going to invite your pack Vilkas?"

"That's the plan, why?" I asked.

Kato grew a sly smile, "Nothing. Sure Vilkas, you've got a deal. We'll help you hunt and partake in your little gathering."

"Could you promise to be on your best behavior?"

Kato made an evil grin, "I'm 'always' on my best behavior Vilkas."

Reville and Monty leaned over the table and spoke up, "Don't worry we'll make sure Kato behaves."

Kato glanced over at the two and raised his brow, "You guys just don't understand hierarchy, do you?"

Reville and Monty just smirked and chuckled as their tails began to wag.

511 A.R. January 10, Park, Evening

I opened the lid to the big pot and was met with a gush of steam carrying a wondrous scent.

Rabbit, onion, thyme, bay leaf, parsley, all in a bubbling dark mix of delight. It wasn't raw but this was just as good and I felt my muzzle water as I put the lid back in place.

The sound of a nearby car made me glance to the side, the car stopped in the distant parking lot and two wolves stepped out. I recognized them as John and Allen and watched as they raised their noses to the air.

I turned the other way and faced Alex, "Alex, can you manage the pots on your own?"

Alex nodded, "Sure Vilkas."

I walked away and joined the others halfway, John had a bright smile while Allen seemed to be focused on the cooking area.

"So what's the occasion?" John asked.

I joined John's side and motioned to the tables and the others that had gathered.

"It's a club event, the wolves here at campus helped hunt while the cooking club shared their expertise, you're our honored guests."

Allen sniffed the air, "Is that rabbit stew?"

I nodded, "It is, Kato and his pack helped me catch a half a dozen earlier today."

John focused on the pack of wolves standing near one of the tables, "Tell me about them?"

I pointed at the three, "Kato is the alpha, the others are Reville and Monty. They're part of the Frostwolf clan and hail from the glacier south of here."

"Friendly?" Allen asked.

I made a slight grin, "Yeah, but they're going to test your mettle. You should get over there and say hello."

Allen glanced around and spoke up, "So where's Peter?"

"He said he couldn't come," I answered.

John whispered with a sarcastic tone, "What a shame."

The harsh words took me by surprise, "... Don't be like that John."

John glanced at me and folded his ears back, "Sorry, I didn't mean for it to sound that mean."

I motioned to Kato once more, "Anyway, say hello to Kato and the others, I have to return to the food."

John nodded and glanced back as he started walking, "Sure thing boss."

I cocked my head in wonder at the comment but shrugged it off as I returned to Alex who was smiling and glancing back at the tables.

"Lots of wolves here now," Alex commented.

"Is that a problem?" I asked.

Alex made a light grin and stirred the pot, "I was skeptical at first, but who can complain about being surrounded by a lot of hot wolves?"

I smiled and gave his shoulder a light nudge with my hand, "Why a husky if you fancy wolves so much?"

Alex stood tall and proud as his ears perked, "Oh I don't regret my choice, being a husky is awesome."

"Tell me about it?" I asked.

Alex let go of the ladle and faced me as he flexed his arms while his tail curled up on itself and wagged.

"I'm strong for my size, energetic, and I feel more alive than I ever used to, we're both canines so I wont bore you with the details but I feel... great... and then there's the..."

"What?" I asked.

Alex leaned closer and whispered, "It's a bit embarrassing."

"Go on, I won't tell anyone Alex."

Alex made a big grin and chuckled, "You wolves have your pack... we have something similar."

"Oh?" I asked with interest.

Alex inched closer and whispered by my ear, "People find it pretty weird, more so than hunting."

I made an excited smile, "Well now you have to tell me."

Alex breath picked up pace, "Do you like to run Vilkas?"

"Sure, blood thumping, the rush, that tingling sensation, swallowed up by instinct, wind in your face."

Alex's eyes almost started to glimmer in excitement, "Yeah, it was just a few weeks ago, we got together a whole group of huskies and went on an expedition near the glacier."

"Okay?" I asked in wonder.

Alex gulped, "Like sled dogs, a whole team, clad only in a harnesses as we pulled a sled packed with supplies. It was the best vacation I've ever had."

My mind wandered for a moment and painted a rather lewd image of them clad only in fur and harnesses. I forced the image out of my head and made a warm smile.

"That sounds like fun," I whispered.

Alex made a frantic nod, "I know, right? I just wish people wouldn't think it was that weird."

"I think most canines can relate," I said.

Alex exhaled and leaned back as he opened the pot and stirred it, "You think so?"

"We've all inherited various instincts others might find weird. We have far too much in common to keep obsessing about the details that set us apart."

Alex made a surprised if warm smile, "Yeah, hey... um..."

"What?" I asked.

Alex met my eyes with a sly smile, "You're strong Vilkas, I don't think the guys would mind a wolf helping us pull the sled. If you want... that is..."

I chuckled and bumped shoulders with him, "I'll consider it Alex."

Alex nodded and smiled as he motioned to the pot, "I think the food's ready."

I grabbed a pair of mitts, pulled them on, grabbed the pot, and carried it over to the table. Everyone became silent and their eyes were drawn to the pot as I set it down and opened the lid.

Steam rose and made the cold air quiver as everyone raised their noses and sniffed, even Kato and his pack seemed enticed as they leaned over the table with looks of hunger. It felt good to see everyone like this, canines, wolves, felines, all gathered together in a warm and friendly environment.

"Dig in everyone!" I said in exuberance.

The frenzy was quick to start as everyone rushed to fill their plates, I soon joined in and found myself shoving spoonfuls of the warm but delicious stew into my muzzle.

Time slipped by and I soon found myself with a full and satiated sensation in my gut.

One hearty burp later I found my awareness slipping back as I glanced around the now messy table.

As expected the wolves paid homage to their origins and the result was a bunch of wolves with stew sticking to their muzzles.

The regular canines took things a bit slower and mixed it with some talk while the few felines at the table paid equal attention to each other and the food.

Kato made a wide yawn and the effect spread around the table as I found myself mimicking it.

511 A.R. January 10, Park, Night

My mind stirred from the nap and I awoke to the sensation of nature's call. I glanced around and saw that the candles on the table had been lit while the canines and felines were still talking.

Need took precedence as I got up and headed toward the forest, I had only gotten a few steps when I heard footsteps from behind.

I glanced back and saw Allen following my tail, "Hey Allen, so what did you think?"

Allen made a drunken smile, "The rabbit stew was as good as fresh meat, without being as messy. Are you planning to do this again?"

"Sure, why not?" I said as I walked up to a tree.

A lingering but human sensation of weirdness shot into my mind as I eased the shorts down and reached for my sheath. My mind eased up though as Allen was quick to join my side.

My eyes glanced over for just a brief moment, like myself his own shaft didn't even have a semblance of humanity left.

We were just about finished when Kato and his pack walked past in search of their own trees.

Allen made a surprising smirk and chuckled as he slipped into his shorts once more.

"What?" I asked as I stepped away from the tree.

Allen shook his head and smiled, "Nothing, just marveling at how familiar we are as packs."

"So what did you think of Kato and his pack?" I asked.

"I liked Reville and Monty, they seem more relaxed and they made Kato look less aggressive."

"Yeah, Kato puts on a harsh front but I'm getting the impression that they're a good and well forged pack."

Allen nodded, "Mm. Could we talk about something Vilkas?"

"Sure?" I asked.

Allen glanced around and his ears folded back, "I'm worried, John really hates Peter."

"Yeah, I'm worried as well," I whispered.

Allen met my eyes, "So what are you going to do about it?"

My ears perked in a conflicting sensation as I found myself wondering why this had turned into my responsibility, at the same time it helped solidify the notion that Peter was done for as alpha of the pack.

"... Do you hate him as well Allen?" I asked.

Allen was quick to shake his head, "No... of course not... we're pack, I just wish he'd stop trying to dominate the rest of us."

"Yeah, do you have any clue why Peter is acting like this?"

Allen cocked his head, "I had figured you would know."

"Peter won't talk to me about his personal problems, I was just thinking that you might have snapped something up?"

"Well..." Allen whispered.

"What?"

"Did it get worse after the gathering?" Allen asked.

"Yeah, I think so, what did Lilia talk to you about?" I asked.

Allen glanced away and became silent.

"Was it the defense force?" I asked.

Allen's ears made a slight twitch and his eyes shifted for a moment.

"That's it, isn't it?" I asked.

Allen frowned and met my eyes, "Did she talk to you about it as well?"

"Yeah, she did."

"And what did you say?"

"I said I was interested."

"Oh..." Allen whispered.

I moved a little closer and softened my voice a little, "It's all right to be scared Allen, I am."

Allen's frown turned into a stunned look, "Wait... you are?"

"Sure, the thought of visiting the wall, being exposed to danger, you'd be an idiot not to get scared... or rather, to have respect for the danger it poses."

Allen's ears perked in wonder, "So why do you want to go?"

"It's a good learning experience and I want to see what the world is like, and it's not like it's a suicide mission," I said.

"I see," Allen whispered.

"What about you Allen?" I asked.

"... Humans are scary, I don't think there's anything to see beyond the walls except for suffering and madness."

"But you don't know that until you see for yourself."

Allen made a slight chuckle, "I'll take my chances."

"So... that's a big no then?" I asked.

Allen shook his head, "My parents expect me to go, and if my pack leaves... then I guess I'll follow. It's strange, I feel like I've been welded to the rest of you, even Peter. Then again, maybe it'll be interesting, maybe we'll see loads of stuff... and... maybe we won't even set foot outside the walls, you know, service within the country."

"Maybe, so you could consider it?"

Allen nodded, "I guess so."

"Weren't you the one that waited years before you chose to get a symbiont?" I asked.

"Yeah, why?" Allen asked in surprise.

"I had figured you would have a more open view of humans?"

Allen shook his head, "No... if anything it made me realize just how fanatic they are."

"What do you mean?"

Allen shut his eyes as if remembering something bad, "They'd come every week and pester me, almost made me lose my job at the library, cultists, groups representing human enclaves that wanted me to abandon my parents and join them. I don't want to talk about it."

"All right, sorry Allen."

Allen didn't have time to answer as Kato's rather loud voice cut through, "Hey! Vilkas!"

"Yeah?" I asked as I glanced back and saw Kato approach.

Allen started to head back to the tables without another word as Kato spoke up once more.

"Wolf talk, you and me, right now," Kato ordered as he motioned for me to follow.

I figured I'd deal with Allen later as I turned and followed Kato until the point he turned to face me.

"Where's your alpha?" Kato asked.

"He couldn't come, it was short notice and he lives in Redgate."

"Hmm, I see," Kato whispered.

"So what's on your mind Kato?" I asked.

Kato met my eyes and made an approving smile, "You have a nice pack Vilkas."

I raised my brow, "Is that a compliment or something?"

Kato made a feral smile, "Compliment, your alpha must be one hell of a guy for you to be in the rear."

"Thanks, you seem to have a pretty solid team yourself," I said.

Kato's tail swayed, "Yeah, I do, our fourth is stuck in the capitol but he'll rejoin us as soon as he's done with his education."

"Uh huh, So what's this about?"

"What plans does your pack have after university?" Kato asked.

"We haven't talked much about it, we're all studying at different places. You?"

Kato stuck his hands in his shorts and stepped a little closer, "The defense force of course, every wolf should learn how to play with the big toys by the wall."

"I've been thinking about that myself," I said.

Kato made a sly smile, "I heard, then I guess you know what I'm hinting at?"

"Sorry, I don't?" I said in confusion.

"Oh, you don't know?"

I sighed, "Stop beating around the bush Kato."

Kato stepped up to me and bared his teeth, "I'd teach you a lesson If I wasn't a year older than you."

Anger flared inside me as my lips began to quiver with a light growl in my chest, "What do you want?"

Kato glared at me but stepped back to give me some space, "The defense force has a strict hierarchy, a squad consists of 8-10 members divided into two fireteams. The squad is led by one alpha and two beta's chosen from the fireteams."

"Makes sense," I answered.

"I want our packs to join in a squad and we're willing to wait for your pack. But we need to know that you're up for it, and I want to clear up the hierarchy beforehand."

"You're proposing that we team up at the same time you're in my face?" I asked.

"We're wolves Vilkas, or haven't those instincts awakened inside you yet?"

"Have you considered settling things by more diplomatic means?"

Kato made an evil smile, "Chicken?"

I stepped a bit closer, "Watch it Kato, you might be bigger but I'll fight until I drop."

Kato eyes lit up as if he was pleased by the answer, "I believe you... and you're right, brute force isn't the answer to everything."

"You're playing a strange game Kato."

"You haven't said no yet, so what do you think?" Kato asked.

"I'm wondering why you would wait for us?"

"Because our fourth is a slowpoke and you have given me a good impression, so have your packmates, John in particular. "

"And you want to team up with a pack you know beforehand?"

Kato nodded, "Exactly."

"I'll need to talk this over with my pack before we discuss this any further," I said.

"And your alpha?" Kato asked.

"Him too of course," I answered.

Kato seemed to relax and smiled, "Good, I guess that's settled then."

511 A.R. January 18, Forest, Midday

I leaned forward and looked up through the windshield, the sky was dark and the rain made it sound like a waterfall as the wipers worked to clear it.

A sudden flash made me lean back in surprise, mere moments later a thunderous roar shook the car.

I glanced over to the console in the center of the car and spoke up, "Command, Weather."

The console lit to life and displayed a few forms of data while a female digitized voice spoke up.

"A class 1 thunderstorm warning has been issued. Strong winds, heavy rain, intense lightning. Manual operation of the vehicle is discouraged."

"So much for a pleasant weekend," I murmured as I watched the snow turn to sludge.

I caught movement in the rear mirror and saw another car approaching from behind, it pulled in alongside the road and I saw John step out. He hurried up to my car and then pulled the passenger door open before scrambling inside.

"Hoo, shitty weather!" John exclaimed as he slammed the door shut.

I nodded and looked over at him, "Yeah."

John eased out of his jacket and stuffed it in the back, water droplets clung to his fur like pearls and made dark spots on the seats.

"So, I guess this cancels the hunting trip?" John asked.

Another white flash of light illuminated the car and was followed by another loud bang of lightning that made our ears fold back in surprise.

"Yeah, it wouldn't be very comfortable sleeping in sludge like this," I whispered.

John was silent for a few moments, "So... wanna talk about what happened last time?"

"About?" I asked.

"We all saw it you know, you and Kato at each others throats."

"Yeah. That's kind of why I called for the hunting trip, to get a chance to talk about that."

"I'm all ears," John said.

"It might be better if we wait until everyone gets here."

John perked his ears and leaned closer, "Come on Vilkas, or do you want me to guess? Are we at war with the Frostwolves? We're going on a mission? Lilia asked a favor?"

I glanced over at him with and raised my brow, "You seem eager."

John smiled and his tail slammed against the door as it began to wag, "Pack business is fun and exciting, and you're always hiding something."

I raised my brow in surprise, "What? Me?"

"Yeah, you almost get your head chopped off and act like nothing happened. Then you made some kind of deal with Selina and acted cool like a rock while Peter was shaking. Not to mention how you stood your ground against Kato."

My ears flickered a little as I made a slight smile, "I'm just going with the flow."

John leaned in and cocked his head in curiosity, "So what's this about? The defense force? The deal with Kato? Or are we finally going to kick Peter's ass?"

I made a light sigh, "Well, to cut a story short, Kato wants us to team up with him and join the defense force once we're done with university."

"Seriously?" John asked in surprise.

"Yeah, and that raises the question of what the rest of you want to do after university?"

"Well, join the defense force of course," John answered.

"Of course?" I asked in wonder.

John leaned back in the seat, "All wolves join the defense force, we're big and strong but we need to learn how to use it right."

"I see, did Lilia speak to you about this?"

John nodded, "Among other things, so why were you fighting with Kato?"

"It was just posturing, but we do need to settle the hierarchy and decide an alpha as well as a pair of betas for the team."

John nodded, "Kato's a bit... dominant. But he seems reasonable, the other two, Reville and Monty were really nice. Calm and down to earth, something of a weird combo. I don't know how eager Allen will be though."

"I think Allen will come along if the rest us decide to go."

"Maybe, so how do you feel about this?"

"I want to join the defense force," I answered.

"Good, so what's the plan?"

"That's for Peter to decide," I answered.

John raised his brow, "The loyal beta huh?"

I glanced over at John, "I'm not in a teasing mood John."

"Yeah, sorry. But I do want to hear what you think?" John said.

I leaned back in the seat and pondered it for a moment.

"I don't think we know enough about them yet. I want our two packs on a hunting trip so that we know what we're getting ourselves into. Also, I think it's important that we don't let our ego's get in the way."

"What do you mean?" John asked.

"The alpha should be the one best suited to lead the team, not the biggest or strongest one."

"Agreed," John said.

"So what do you think we should aim for John? We need at least one of the beta spots so that we won't be relegated to the back."

"Just a question regarding that, we're not splitting or joining packs are we? Just form a team right?"

"Yeah, of course. A squad is made up of two fireteams, which are packs in our case."

"Which means that we need to sort ourselves out before we even start to worry about them."

"What do you mean?" I asked.

John leaned against the door and met my eyes, "Peter's not going along with this and you know it, he'll demand to be alpha, and if things go to shit then he'll just ask Kato to fuck off."

"Peter is not evil John," I said.

"Only because you're there to tame him all the time. You should have seen him at the rite of passage before you arrived."

I cocked my head in wonder, "What do you mean?"

"It was Peter in a nutshell, he rushed up to the rest of us and declared himself supreme leader and then groaned about the slowpoke that hadn't arrived yet. Peter is the kind of guy that I used to hate but... we're pack, and he's alpha so I shut up about it... most of the time."

"Peter does a lot of good too," I said.

"Yeah, he does, but even then he goes a bit overboard with this power-trip he's on. Like when he dragged us out to get girls, it worked but he basically ordered us to show up and I just swallowed it while Allen was too scared to disagree."

"So what are you saying John?"

"Isn't it obvious, I've seen the way you gnash your teeth when Peter acts like this. You should be alpha."

I frowned to myself, "And we're talking shit behind Peter's back."

John rolled his eyes, "Well, if your balls ever decide to drop down then I'll be there to back you up."

My ears perked at the sudden insult and then folded back in anger as I leaned toward him with a glare.

John met my eyes for a brief moment and then glanced away as he shrank into his seat.

"I uh... didn't mean that... sorry. I meant the whole supporting thing though."

"Why not do it yourself John?" I asked.

John glanced back and met my eyes, "Alpha of the pack? Nah, I have strong opinions but I get frantic when put on the spot. I think I'd make a pretty sweet beta though."

"So why push this on me?" I asked.

"Are you kidding? You're famous, people respect you. You're considerate, you ask others for advice, but you're not afraid to stand up to someone who's acting like an ass. Like right now, you don't just pull rank, we're talking, debating, you're asking my opinion... you let my insult slip without getting into my face with a snarl."

"Is that a good or bad thing?" I asked.

John made a light smile, "It's a good thing, Peter would have had me by the throat demanding an apology."

"That's not the Peter I know..." I whispered.

"Only because he's already put the collar on us, and you're his precious bit-" John voice faltered as he corrected himself "... lover. So he doesn't show you that side."

"Peter promised me that he'd cool down last time we saw each other, I'm going to give a chance, not stab him in the back."

"And what if he doesn't?" John said.

I made a troubled sigh and looked out at the snow that was starting to turn brown with mud.

"Then Peter will have to step down," I answered.

"Speaking about the trolls..." John whispered as he glanced into the rear view mirror.

I glanced back and saw a third car approach along the road. It stopped behind John's and then opened as Peter and Allen rushed out of the car.

Peter rushed up to my car and stopped by the passenger seat as he glanced inside and caught sight of John. He seemed surprised but then moved to the backseat and flung the door open as he scrambled inside.

"Hey bitches! Shitty weather huh?" Peter exclaimed as Allen opened the other door and got inside.

I met Peter's eyes and made a friendly smile, "Yeah, it is."

Peter cocked his head and leaned forward as he glanced at me and John, "Something wrong?"

I ignored it and focused on Allen, "Hi Allen."

Allen glanced up and smiled as he squirmed out of his jacket, "Hi Vilkas, John."

"We've got a few things to talk about," I said as I looked over at Peter once more.

Peter leaned back in his seat and crossed his arms, "All right, awfully tense here. What's the matter?"

"You're going to university down at Redgate? Right?" I asked.

Peter frowned, "Yeah, what does that have to do with anything?"

"What are you planning to do after university?"

Peter made an annoyed shrug, "I dunno, now what the hell is this about?"

"There's a Frostwolf pack at my university. They proposed that we team up with them and join the defense force."

Peter raised his brow, "Uh huh. And we care because?"

"The defense force operates in squads consisting of two fireteams, or packs rather. We'd benefit from starting there with a full team and a good hierarchy."

Peter's ears twitched, "Back up a bit, who says anything about us joining the defense force?"

"I want to, and so does John, most wolves serve with the defense force for a few years."

Peter stared at me in silence for a while and then looked over at Allen, "What about you Allen?"

Allen licked his lips, "Well... my parents took for granted that I'd join and... Vilkas and I spoke about it, yeah, I guess I'm up for it."

Peter froze with a stunned look and stared at Allen, the air grew tense as Peter's gaze darkened.

Moments later he looked back at me and John, "You don't know what it's like near the wall. You'd be idiots to volunteer for something like that."

"I don't think Athena would put us anywhere near the red zone, in fact, I got the vibe from her that she'd let us work near the UCS."

Peter gave me a skeptical but harsh eye, "Oh, you've got a hotline to Athena now, do you?"

I shook my head, "No, but we do have rather lengthy discussions whenever I visit, and Lilia recommended the defense force."

Peter kept staring in silence.

"So, what are you thinking Peter?" I asked.

"I don't know the pack you were talking about," Peter said.

"They're from the Frostwolf clan to the south, they want to meet us and talk things over."

Peter drew a deep breath, "And you're telling me about this now?"

"I just found out a few days ago and the others got a pretty good impression of them, even if-"

Peter interrupted me and shook his head as he raised his voice, "No! What the hell is this? We're a pack, we're supposed to do things together, I'm the alpha around here."

"I know Peter, but you weren't there. That's why they want to meet you and negotiate how the hierarchy is going to look in the team," I answered.

"What!?" Peter exclaimed.

"Sorry, I know this is a lot to take in at once. There's no hurry Peter, we've got at least a year to fix this if we decide to go through with it."

Peter glared at me, "Just how much of a shitstorm did you brew up on your own Vilkas?"

"I didn't and we can always say no if we don't like it," I said.

"Then say no," Peter ordered.

"We could at least-" I was interrupted once more.

"NO! Are you deaf or something?" Peter asked with a glare of anger.

"See?" John whispered.

Peter snapped and slammed his hand into John's seat, "Shut the hell up John! I come here all the way from Redgate! Waited in the rain and thunder for Allen! Finally get here! And you dump this on me!"

Something whispered in the back of my mind, I needed to deal with this, I couldn't hide from it, nor could I let it go, it would only fester if I did and this time it would be an end to our pack.

I leaned closer and caught Peter eyes, "Peter, let's talk outside for a bit?"

Peter looked at me and I could hear a light growl from his throat, "Yeah, lets."

I opened the door and stepped onto the ditch before starting to walk. The rain was still pouring down but most of it just trickled off my fur as I glanced back and saw Peter following me.

I stopped to face him as Peter marched up to me and yelled out with a snarl in his throat, "WHAT!?"

My eyes caught on the car as I saw John and Allen staring at the two of us from within the car.

"Come on, let's talk where they can't hear us," I said as I motioned for him to follow.

I started walking once more and Peter followed, moments later I heard him rush up and felt him grab my arm as he spun me around.

"Why? So that you can give them the impression that you've talked me down again!?"

My heart started to thump as instincts and the voice in the back of my mind grew in strength.

"Peter, it's not like that," I whispered.

"Why the hell are you doing Vilkas!? Do you realize how you're making me look by ordering me around like this?"

I made a deep breath and tried to pull my arm away, to my surprise Peter kept hold and stared at me.

"Let go of me this instant Peter."

Peter growled and raised his other hand as he jabbed a clawed finger near my face.

"I agreed to listen to your advice Vilkas, not to be bossed around!" Peter yelled.

Something snapped inside me and my control faltered, something feral leaked out as I felt my face and body shiver as it distorted in anger.

SNARL!

I jerked my arm to the side and nearly made him stumble over while my other hand slammed into his chest and snatched hold of both clothes and fur. A sudden spike of adrenaline slammed into me as I pushed, lifted and hurled him off me.

Peter's face locked in fright and surprise as he fell backwards and slammed into the sludge of snow and mud covering the road. My chest heaved as I gasped for breath while my heart slammed in my chest as I tried to calm myself.

Peter looked up from the ground and seemed more stunned than angry.

"Sorry... I snapped," I whispered as Peter began to get up while I offered my hand to help him up.

Peter stopped and glared at me from a crouching pose, in the blink of an eye his expression darkened as he lunged at me without warning.

I had little to resist with as he slammed into me and sent both us falling in the other direction, my back took the brunt and I could feel the chill of the muddy water sink into my fur. Peter snarled and grabbed my jacket in one hand while his other clenched into a fist. I raised my arms and covered my head in panic as his heavy fist slammed into me and rocked my head.

"Stop!" I yelled out.

"GRAH!" Peter's face distorted into feral anger as another slam hit my arm from the side and rocked my head. It hurt like hell and my arms stung as Peter raised his fist once more.

I saw an opening, leaned to the side, and reached out with both my arms so that I could grab hold of his side. His fist slammed into my back while I used his jacket as leverage to help push him over while I slipped free.

I scrambled to get on two legs only to have him snatch hold of my backside like a feral animal. His arm tried to wrap around my throat while I gave him a harsh jab in the chest with my elbow.

Something snatched hold of Peter without warning and pulled him off me, I turned around and saw that John was dragging him back while heaving him around to keep him of balance.

Peter looked insane and started thrashing around in an attempt to get free. John faltered for a brief moment as Peter caught hold and brought his fist to bear.

The fist caught John by surprise and slammed into his muzzle with enough force that John fell to the ground in an instant, stark crimson blood dripped into the sludge as John tried to get up once more.

Peter reached down and snatched hold of John. I was about to rush into action once more when Allen leaped onto Peter from the side and snatched hold of his arm.

Peter shook his arm in panic as Allen made a harsh snarl followed by a snap as he bit down on his arm. Peter panicked and made a pained yelp as he started thrashing while the teeth dug deeper.

Allen held on as if it was a deer when Peter grabbed hold of his throat and made a harsh kick in Allen's gut. It must have elicited a horrendous amount of pain as Allen made a pained yelp and was thrown off.

Blood dripped from Peter's arm as he made a fierce growl and readied himself to lunge at Allen.

Peter seemed swallowed up in his anger and I saw an opening as he started to move. I rushed in from the side, aimed below his raised arms and swung my arm like a blunt object.

Something kicked in and to my horror I felt my whole body tense up as my arm grew numb.

It felt like swinging a solid metal rod in a wide arc as I slammed into Peter's chest, a loud oomph was heard as the air was forced from Peter lungs while a crack made it clear that something broke.

Peter's legs lifted from the air while his upper body swung back and began to fall. His back hit the ground with a loud slam as I felt the tingling sensation of warmth rushing into my arm once more.

My hand began to tremble and pain started to radiate through my arm as Peter clutched his chest and pulled together in a fetal position. He made a choking noise and wheezed in pain as he squirmed on the ground while I felt a cold shiver down my back in fear of what I had done.

I crouched next to him and reached out, "Peter?"

Peter glanced up at me and his eyes shot wide in fear as he tried to squirm out-of-the-way. I grabbed his shoulders in an instant and forced him to stay put, "Stop moving Peter."

Peter began to cough and wheeze while trying to push my arms away, whatever feral strength that had possessed him was far gone though as I held him in place with ease.

"Peter, calm down," I said.

Peter grabbed hold of my arms and held on while his eyes looked up and met mine with a desperate and pained expression.

"Can you breathe?" I asked.

Peter gulped and drew a hoarse though deep breath that made his chest expand.

"You... broke my damn ribs," Peter wheezed.

"Sorry," I whispered while Peter's eyes turned to focus at something behind me.

I turned my head and saw John and Allen behind us, John stared at Peter and held his muzzle with a pained expression while Allen glared with blood clinging to his muzzle.

"John, Allen, the fight is over. Relax," I ordered.

The two seemed to snap out of their daze and looked at me.

"What happens now?" John asked.

"Are any of you hurt?" I asked.

John's expression faltered for a moment and his ears clamped to his head while his lips began to quiver.

A moment later his expression hardened once more as he spoke up, "Split lip, nothing serious."

Allen shook his head, "No."

"I'm going to talk with Peter, we'll head to the hospital if need be... relax, calm down, it's over."

John glared at Peter for a few moments and then looked over at me, "As you command, alpha."

My gut twisted with unease while John stepped back and brought Allen with him as they walked back to the car. I looked down at Peter once more and found him glaring at me in hatred.

"Take the damn pack Vilkas! I hope the lot of you die beyond the wall!" Peter snapped and winced as he held his chest.

The rain continued to pour down and I could feel my fur becoming increasingly soaked as if I was being wrapped in a chilled blanket.

"Do you really mean that?" I asked.

Peter kept clutching his side and turned his head to look away.

"How's your arm?" I asked as reached out to take a look.

"Don't *cough* touch me," Peter snapped as he moved his arm out-of-the-way.

"I didn't want things to end up like this Peter," I said.

Peter glanced back and bared his teeth, "Bullshit... I trusted you... and this is what you did, ganged up on me, stabbed me in the back!?"

"You were out of line Peter, you were scaring John and Allen, and I chose to ignore it for far too long."

Peter glared at me in silence and blinked as water dripped from us, "The hell are you talking about?"

"Look back at how you acted in the car Peter? You demand others to do as you say, you get angry, you intimidate, and when someone tries to argue you just shut them down by pulling rank. The pack wants something and you're supposed to listen to it. It was your duty to debate and reach consensus by motivating the decisions that you make."

"I know what this is about, you think I'm weak... after that time at the bar," Peter said with a dark growl.

I raised my brow, "You're deflecting Peter, stop it."

Peter raised his hand and gripped hold of my shirt as he tried to push me off. I grabbed hold of his arm, eased it loose, and then forced his arm to the ground. Peter struggled but his strength had left him.

"We're not done Peter," I said with a glare.

Peter's black lips began to quiver but this time it wasn't in fury, instead he looked tormented.

"What the hell do you want Vilkas? You have the pack, John and Allen hates me!"

"We're a pack Peter, there's no way any of us would just let you go," I said.

Peter gulped, "What the hell do you mean?"

"We care about you Peter, you do a lot of good for the pack, none of us are perfect. Chill the fuck out, let go of the hierarchy for a while, and let's just sort things out. All right?"

Peter clutched his head and made a pained whimper, "Damn you..."

"It's over Peter, I strip you of your rank as alpha, do you understand?"

Peter relaxed and grew limp as he let his arms drop to the ground, "I tried my best Vilkas... I really did."

"I know Peter, now answer, do you understand?" I asked.

"Yes! I GET IT!" Peter snapped.

"Come on," I whispered as I reached down and started to ease him up, Peter groaned in pain but didn't resist as I pulled him up on two legs.

"Do you think you can walk?" I asked.

"You broke a rib, you didn't cripple me," Peter said with a sour voice.

"Sorry about that," I whispered.

"Damn you hit hard. What the hell did you do?" Peter asked.

"They call it the Waldo system, it's the same thing used to interact with the mindscape."

Peter made a tired chuckle, "I have no idea what you just said."

I wrapped my arm around his chest and let him lean onto me, "I can teach you Peter."

Peter sighed and looked me in the eyes, "Already playing alpha Vilkas?"

I glared at him, "Stop being so damn human Peter."

Peter looked stunned and then hurt, "Ouch."

I glanced toward the car and noticed that John and Allen were sitting in the front seat, Peter noticed as well and turned his head to whisper in my ear, "What are you doing? They want to kill me."

"No, they don't. And if we split now things will fester Peter, you're going to help set things right again, do you understand?"

"Is that an order?" Peter asked.

"A request, as your friend and as a packmate. Please do this? For my sake and that of the pack?"

"You expect me to apologize when I'm the one who's been dragged the dirt, bitten, and beaten half to death?"

"Don't dare play the victim Peter, you brought this on yourself."

Peter looked ready to protest but then falter as his voice turned to a whisper, "Do you hate me?"

"No, of course not Peter."

Peter gulped and glanced toward the car, "Your car Is going to get dirty as hell."

"I don't care about that right now," I said.

"Fine..." Peter whispered.

I hobbled along with Peter by my side as we walked over to the car. I opened the door and helped ease Peter inside, he settled far in the back near the window as I got in and shut the door.

Both John and Allen turned to look at me.

"I think we can salvage this, what do you think?" I asked as I looked at the two of them.

John raised his hand and pointed at Peter, "That depends on him."

I glanced over at Peter who seemed to shrink for every second that passed.

"What do you want from me?" Peter asked as he met John's eyes.

"Lay of the power trip and stop acting like a bad-ass when everything you do reeks of desperation."

Peter eyes widened in surprise, "I was trying to be a good alpha!"

"Well you were shit at it!" John snapped back.

I raised my voice, "John!"

John made a light shiver and met my eyes, "Yes?"

"You said earlier that Peter did a lot of good as well," I said.

"Yeah?" John asked.

"I want us to find a way through this, Peter gets the point, do you?" I asked.

John licked his split lip and looked over at Peter once more, "Yeah, you did a lot of good. You cared about the pack, I'm not saying you didn't, going here all the way from Redgate, encouraging the rest us of, preparations. But the bad things soured the good."

"I want us to stay together, as a pack," I said.

John perked his ears and looked at me, "So do I!"

Allen glanced back and spoke up, "Me too, if one goes the whole pack falls apart."

I leaned closer to Peter, "Peter... what do you want?"

"You can be the alpha Vilkas, I resign. It's obvious that I... messed up. I'm sorry about that."

Allen licked his lips and seemed to get a taste of blood, his face scrounged up in surprise as he wiped his muzzle, "Sorry about biting you Peter."

Peter made a nervous chuckle and looked down to the floor, "Uh huh."

"What about the defense force?" John asked.

I met John's eyes, "That can wait John, we need to cool off and let things settle."

John nodded, "All right."

I focused on Peter once more, "Peter, would you consider staying with me for a few days. We can patch you up and get you new clothes."

Peter nodded but didn't say a word.

I looked back at John and Allen, "Everyone good?"

The two nodded.

"We can keep in touch over the web, all right?" I asked.

"Sure... Peter?" John whispered.

Peter looked up but remained silent.

John glanced away, "I don't hate you, I still want us to be a pack, all right?"

Peter nodded and whispered, "Yeah."

John and Allen opened their doors, got out, and then headed back to their cars.

"How are you doing Peter?" I asked.

Peter threw me a sharp glare, "How do you think I'm doing?"

I sighed and looked at the main console in the car, "Command, navigation, home."

511 A.R. January 18, Volkov Household, Evening

Peter and I were almost at the door when it opened and my father looked out.

Father's eyes went wide as he saw us, "Well... you look like shit."

I made a light smile and shrugged, "We had a fight."

Peter made a light nod, "Yeah, something like that."

"Get inside," Father said as he stepped back.

I helped Peter inside and pulled the door shut.

"You're drenched, get out of your clothes and I'll fetch towels," Father said before disappearing down the corridor.

Peter glanced over at me and whispered, "Your dad seems pretty cool about this."

I eased out of my wet jacket and heard it splat as it hit the ground, "Yeah, I guess he suspected something like this was coming."

Peter frowned, "You've planned this for long?"

"Of course not, but there were signs," I whispered as I started to ease Peter out of his jacket.

"I can do it myself," Peter muttered.

"You wince every time to move Peter, let me help," I said.

Peter grumbled and looked away but stopped resisting as I pulled the jacket off him.

A shocked gasp came from the corridor as mother entered, "What happened!? Are you all right?"

I glanced back at her, "We're bruised but fine."

Mother looked at the two of us in shock, "Were you caught in the flood?"

Murky water began to pool on the floor as it dripped from our fur.

"A flood?" I asked.

Mom stepped up to Peter and looked at his arm, "You're bleeding, should I call the hospital?"

I eased mother out-of-the-way, "No mom, this is... wolf business."

Mother's whiskers perked in surprise as it dawned on her, "You had a fight!?"

Father came around the corridor with a set of big towels, "Get yourself to the bathroom before you destroy the floor."

I grabbed a towel and wrapped it around my waist to stem the flow of water while helping Peter do the same before we started heading towards the main bathroom.

Peter hobbled along while I heard mother speak up, "Why were they fighting David, whats going on?"

"It's complicated dear..." Father whispered.

"Like hell it is," Mother answered.

I opened the door to the bathroom when Peter made a surprising chuckle and whispered, "My dad is my mom's bitch as well."

I smirked and shut the door behind us, "Guess we're free from that though."

Peter's voice turned sour, "Not really now that I'll be everyone's favorite punching bag in the pack."

I let go of peter and pulled my shirt off, "You have a really twisted perception of what it means to be part of a pack Peter."

Peter tried to pull his shirt off but failed as he tried to move his wounded arm.

"I'll help you," I whispered as I reached out and grabbed the bottom of his shirt before easing it off him.

Peter kept staring at me as I felt something strange begin to happen, my mood lightened, a weight lifted off my chest. It was time to fix things, to repair and rebuild once more.

I squirmed out of my pants before reaching over to Peter as I grabbed hold of his jeans. His brown fur was drenched and the floor was growing brown with dirt. I looked up and meet his eyes as both of us drew deep breaths and just froze in place as we gazed at each other.

"What?" Peter whispered.

My heart picked up pace as some kind of strange instinct began to well up inside me.

"Can you feel this?" I asked.

Peter gulped but didn't answer as I sniffed the air and realized something weird. Peter didn't smell like an alpha, he never had and it made wonder why.

I glanced down and unbuttoned his jeans before pulling them down, to my surprise his sheath was plump and the tip of his shaft had slipped out. Musk and a strange kind of need wafted from his groin.

"So you are feeling this?" I asked.

"Feels like some fucked up form of instinctual make-up sex," Peter grumbled.

I looked up and leaned in so that our muzzled almost touched, "Do you... want to?"

Peter gulped, "Do you?"

"Yeah," I whispered.

511 A.R. January 18, Volkov Household, Night

Peter sighed as he eased himself down onto my bed, he sniffed the air and then fetched the plush wolf from the corner, "What's this?"

"That's Eri, my guardian," I whispered.

Peter smirked, "Your what?"

I picked up another towel from the stack and started rubbing it along my mane, "You know, someone to keep you from having bad dreams, it's silly but cute."

Peter leaned back against the wall and looked at the big plush and the big red tongue sticking out of its muzzle, "Does it work?"

I fetched another towel, walked over to the bed, and sat down beside Peter before handing it over.

"Well, it used to at least," I answered.

Peter took the towel and hinted at my scar, "Nightmares about that thing, or something else?"

I shrugged, "It varies."

"Uh huh, our designers must have a pretty weird sense of humor."

"How so?" I asked.

Peter raised brow his brow and smirked, "Wild uncomfortable sex after having been at each others throats?"

I chuckled to myself, "I think it ties into the idea of getting rid of the frustration and anger that remains after a fight like this."

Peter glanced over at me and raised his brow, "I have a hard time imagining packs turning gay all of a sudden and having wild orgies."

I shook my head, "No, I mean.... In our case the urges led us down this path, I'd imagine that others like John and Allen would sit down, have a beer, and share war stories or something."

"Ah, I see," Peter said with a nod.

I noticed something in Peter's mane and reached out, Peter leaned back a little but then relaxed as I plucked a small twig and pulled it out.

"There," I said with a light smile.

Peter glanced away, "I'm still pissed at you, you know."

"I know, want to talk about it?" I asked.

Peter bared his teeth for a moment, "No."

"We need to talk about it Peter, you 'need' to explain yourself."

"You wouldn't understand," Peter whispered.

I sighed and looked at him, "Try me?"

Peter frowned, "You can't help Vilkas, you just make it worse."

"Peter, please... give me something to work with here?"

Peter gulped, "It's hard to talk about this stuff."

"You're not alone Peter, I spent my life growing up with cultists as neighbors. Their son was my best friend and my paranoia combined with his influence barred me from receiving a symbiont for a while. His dad landed a fucking axe in me and not a day goes by where I don't ask myself if I could have done something different that would have prevented a lot of death and bloodshed."

"Tell me about this paranoia of yours?" Peter asked.

"I thought that the symbionts took over people, that along with all the secrets made everything worse."

"So how did you get over it?" Peter asked.

"Athena helped me, she told me the harsh truth about a lot of things. It was rather creepy, a sapient AI watching over our society, experiments, social engineering at an extreme scale, types of hybrids meant to fill certain roles in our society. We were engineered even as children."

Peter's ears perked, "Really?"

"Yeah, and I'm sure there are more skeletons hiding in the closet. But the thing is... the truth set me free and I had always wanted to be a wolf, so here we are."

Peter lay down on his side and made a slight yawn, "It hurts to say it but I think you'll be a good alpha."

"Maybe, so how about you tell me what's going on with you?" I asked.

Peter drew a deep breath to the point where he winced and touched his side in pain.

"You know how I told you that I used to play a lot of games?"

"Yeah?" I said.

"To waste time?"

"I remember."

"Our family has always moved around and I've been to pretty much every settlement along the wall."

"Uh huh?"

Peter bit his lip, "School has never been easy for me, wherever I went people picked on me for some reason. It was a vicious cycle as every experience built on the others and made me stick out. So I found solace at home... wasting time... waiting until the day I could become something else."

"I see."

"My Dad is a tough and proud wolf, he tried to help but I was small and frail even for a human and his suggestions sucked. Pound your chest boy, beat the others up, show them that there's the heart of a wolf beating in your chest, they'll respect you for it, and leave you alone,"

I listened in silence.

"Mom's a bear but she could better relate to what it was like to be a pariah among humans. The schools tried to help, I went to special classes and they struggled to keep the bullies away. But some humans are just evil to the core, they don't give up, and I was like a magnet to them."

Peter drew a deep breath and looked up at the roof, "So I waited, year after year, I was so eager. Getting a symbiont was the cure to all ills. I'd be a wolf, I'd have a pack, I could change, become something different, to be strong, to be normal."

Peter chuckled, "And then I got to the testing center, and my scores were abysmal, my compatibility quotient was in the gutter and my aptitude quotient was below normal because I'd wasted most of my years staring at games. I wanted to kill myself back then."

I reached out to Peter but received a glance that told me to back off.

Peter gulped and continued as he hugged the plush wolf, "Athena told me I was too eager, I was unstable, a symbiont at that point would make me an insane wreck. My father was disappointed, my mother was worried. But Athena helped me, I ate pills, and slowly I started to get better. Finally, and ahead of schedule, I got a score good enough that they gave me a symbiont, for my own good, it would 'stabilize' my psyche."

Peter closed his eyes and tightened his hands into fists, "I was so happy, the pain didn't matter, the discomfort, having my teeth fall out, it was like a drop in the ocean compared to the misery I used to have. Father was proud, mother was relieved, and I felt... so damn great that there's no describing it."

"But?" I asked.

"It's like John said, I was desperate, am desperate, because I don't have a fucking clue what I'm doing. I don't know how to interact with people in a normal way and the whole world has been colored by the people that have tortured me all these years."

"I had no idea Peter," I said.

Peter glanced up at me from the bed, "Of course you didn't, because I wanted this to be a secret. But Laura knew, Lilia knew, Athena knows, and they've warned me over and over again that I'm taking water over my head. But... I wanted to be an alpha, I wanted... My father gleams when I tell him stories about the things we do, that I have such good friends, that I'm a big and strong wolf with a pack to call my own."

"And now you're scared that he'll be disappointed?" I asked.

Peter made a sad smile, "That's one thing in this whole mess... I feel so pathetic... and now I'm here telling this to you. I never wanted anyone to find out about this."

"There's something I don't understand though," I said.

"What?" Peter asked.

"You were tormented in school by bullies, and somehow... somehow you drew inspiration from the same bullies when you tried to act as an alpha?"

"Is it that strange? Bullies have power, they rule through intimidation and fear, I tried to balance it by being kind as well but... it doesn't seem to have worked."

I looked over at Peter and inched closer, "Sorry if I'm crude, but how could you be that damn stupid?"

Peter met my eyes and blinked in silence for a few moments, "I... don't know... I guess... I just went with what I was used to?"

I crept closer and loomed over him, "I want to help Peter, and I won't tell anyone about this, I promise."

Peter glanced away, "I don't want your pity Vilkas, or your help."

"Then how about you help me instead?" I asked.

Peter made a curious frown as his ears perked, "I've just told you that I'm a fucking fraud, and now you want my help?"

"You're one hell of a guy Peter, you just took things a bit too far. Besides, you do have pack that you can call your own, a pack that loves you. So let us help support you and do the same for us in return, okay?"

"You put me in a though spot, the defense force, combining packs to form a team, going to the wall... can you understand why I reacted the way I did?"

"Somewhat," I answered.

Peter gulped once more, "In a way... it's actually a relief that someone else takes over, at the same time I feel like such a fucking failure."

"We've cleared up a lot of things Peter and I think we can work through this, things will be better."

Peter made a slight smile, "You really think so?"

I leaned in until our heads touched as I whispered, "Yeah, I do."

"Do you think the other will forgive me?"

I nuzzled his neck and pulled in his scent, "They'll forgive you in time Peter."

"Who have you planned to pick as beta?" Peter asked.

"Do you want the position?" I asked.

"Yeah," Peter whispered.

"Can you follow orders and stop picking on John?"

Peter nodded, "Yeah, I can."

I lay down next to Peter and wrapped my arm around his chest, "Then I'll give you a chance Peter."

"Thank you."

I stifled a yawn, "Tired?"

Peter made another nod and yawned, "I feel like I'm ready to collapse."

"Goodnight Peter."

"Goodnight," Peter whispered.