The little pup was hunkering down against my legs with every step I took. I couldn't blame her though; as soon as we approached the pack and saw more wolves in the distance, Ellie's little tail had tucked tightly between her legs in fear.

Wolves from different sizes and colors were pausing in whatever they were doing, staring in slight confusion and some with a hint of disgust at the pup between my paws.

Their eyes quickly snapped to mine when I let out a low growl, hunkering down over the pup while my hackles raised menacingly.

My stomach churned with disgust when I could clearly read their reaction to my defensive display. They were stunned that I protected the little pup from harm.

Leaning down, I gave Ellie a reassuring lick over her fuzzy head before tucking my teeth behind my lips, gingerly picking up the pup.

It would allow us to move quicker without risking her falling behind. Plus, the few teenagers that needed to prove something would feel less inclined to come charging against an adult compared to if Ellie managed to wander away from me.

She only wriggled uncomfortably for a moment, most likely due to her fear that I'd bite instead of harmlessly hold her. Ellie's wolf quickly calmed down as I trotted down the street, head held high and tail stiff behind me.

Already I could hear audible grumbles and protests of the pack around me, annoyed that I brought an outcast within their territory.

It was ironic how closeminded packs were yet they claimed to be the pinnacle of cooperation and trust. For most packs, it was a them versus us world and it was all too easy to turn a blind eye to whatever the pack did.

As long as the individuals within the pack weren't harmed, they didn't give two shits. It made me mentally compare most packs I knew and Drake's pack.

He didn't turn a blind eye to a strangers' needs, nor did he obsess about his packs' health and growth. A big pack was always considered to be a sign of a healthy pack but Drake has shown the clear evidence that that wasn't the main cause.

A healthy pack was a pack that could trust it's Alpha blindly to do what was best for everyone involved. Including people seeking refuge for whatever reason.

True Alphas didn't care about who has what pedigree. They cared about their people, all of their people. Drake didn't see any approaching rogue or nomad as a possible threat.

He saw them as someone in need of assistance and he was all too willing to reach out a helping hand.

As I looked down my nose at the little pup secure in my jaws, my ears twitched for a second. Wondering if there truly was someway to help me.

But that wasn't why I was here. No, I was here because I could help this little pup. A little pup that started squirming the second the Alpha got notified and walked outside to greet us.

Undoubtedly doesn't want her anywhere near the packhouse to begin with...

Putting Ellie down between my paws, I shifted back and accepted the shorts thrown my way whilst the Alpha started, "What's the meaning of this? Heading off with the ... pup already?"

He paused, a few of his pack members taken aback like him after eying the multitude of scars that adorned my flesh. Ellie whimpered before I hushed her, picking her up and brushing my thumb soothingly over her ears.

"Not at all. I thought it was polite to inform you I'll be staying at Ellie's house to make sure we bond properly. I couldn't leave her all on her own, especially when one of the patrols stumbled past." I smiled thinly, my wolf on the surface as it snorted.

The Alpha smiled back with a little twitching muscle in his cheek. "Ah.. I... I see. Wouldn't you prefer someplace more comfortable?"

I shifted my weight slightly, arching my chin up when Ellie instinctively lapped at my bared throat and jaw. Undoubtedly her wolf was showing signs of submission and a need for attention and food, urging her to react in such a way.

"I've had worse." I sneered thinly, smile widening when the Alpha's eyes darted to the thick scars on my throat, eyes calculating as if to see how deep the wound had been.

How strong I'd been to be able to survive such a thing, more likely.

"But I'm certain that you'd be more than courteous enough to put the power and water back on in their house. Undoubtedly it was a simple mistake that some pack-members had shut it off to begin with. And for the border patrols to stumble over their feet just as they reached Ellie's house."

The Alpha was annoyed, I could clearly tell but I had also given him a way to safe face. Both of us knew that I all to well knew what this man was capable of.

And he also knew that he couldn't retaliate to me nor the little pup in my arms, unless he wanted to piss off Drake and all his allies.

So the man simply smiled, the gesture fake and hollow, seemingly taking a great deal of effort. "But of course. We'll make arrangements as soon as possible." He assured syrupy sweet, jaw clenching as he was forcing the words out.

I smiled back warmly, being utmost polite to assure this Alpha couldn't lash out and claim I had insulted him. Obviously I did but either he would address the insult and thus affirming he was a cruel man willing to harass a pup simply because he didn't like her mother's background.

Or, he could avoid losing face with other packs and make it seem as if his ruling weren't fucked up, just.. incompetent.

"Thank you, sir. I'll make sure that Drake will be informed of your hospitality." I inclined my head towards him, having the pleasure of watching the man pale slightly before he nodded and allowed me to walk away.

I had to admit, in some cases it was nice to have a feeling of a pack having your back. My past had always reaffirmed me time and time again that packs were good for nothing but bolstering egos, huffing and parading, posturing before strangers.

Drake's pack... I smiled down lightly at Ellie as she nipped at my chin playfully, so I booped her on the nose. Drake's pack was just like his grandmother had said it was.

It wasn't a pack. It was family. And family always had each other's backs. Nobody cared if that family was family by blood or by bonds. As long as they proved themselves to be worthy, they were family.

And in a way, I could already imagine Ellie to run around on Drake's turf. Undoubtedly she'd be spoiled rotten by his parents and grandparents, as I had no doubt they'd melt at the sight of the little pup.

"Well, time for us to use some of Drake's money and get some shopping done, shall we?" I asked Ellie, who yipped and pawed at my cheek, making me smile down at her as the pack observed us with slight confusion.

It took little to no time to get some food and the basics we'd need to stay at Ellie's place. I also made a mental note to try and get myself a job for as long as I was here.

Not only to earn more money so we wouldn't run dry if this Alpha forgot to alert us of Drake's payments. To be fair, I wouldn't put it past this Alpha to misplace Drake's money even if it managed to come through.

I also wanted to observe this pack for as much as possible, to make sure nothing else was going on behind the scenes. Who knew what their Alpha was up to if he was willing to harass and neglect a pup?

There wasn't a sign of a patrol this time around. Ellie became more playful as we approached her house, a house that was in desperate need of some repairs.

For the next few hours, Ellie ran around in her little wolf form as I cleaned up the house as best as I could, making a list of everything that was damaged and would need urgent repairs.

The windows definitely needed to be sealed, not only because of the weather that could change at the drop of a hat, but the possible risk it caused.

An opened window was an invitation for anyone out there who wanted to snoop. Rogues could in theory manage their way this close to the pack, especially a pack where the Alpha didn't care what would happen to a little pup.

Which presented me with another hurdle ; if I managed to get a job, I'd have to find a way for Ellie to be safe as I earned us some money. I doubted there would be many jobs that allowed me to bring her along...

Then again, Molly would take care of the pup. I smiled to myself, as it would fix this situation in the best way possible. Ellie would be able to connect with one of the very few relatives that didn't want her dead and Molly could interact with her little niece.

And the pack would be none the wiser, seeing as it would be suspicious and potentially irk Drake if she refused to help out.

Ellie would remain in her care for as long as I needed to work and nobody would be able to sneak into her house to attack her whilst I was working.

I only wished that the pup would relax in my presence enough to leave with me. Perhaps, I'd need to send word to Drake and inform of the possibility that Molly and her mother might transfer over to his pack as well.

In that case, Ellie would have a lovely aunt and Grandmother to love and dote on her. Like every pup should have.

It reminded me of my own parents, somewhere out in the world. There hadn't been any contact between us ever since my teenage years.

Though it wasn't out of spite or neglect; they too were nomadic wolves that had roamed far and wide, too uncomfortable with settling in a pack yet needing to do so if they had pups.

During my teenage years, we had simply drifted away from one another. I had went on my own way to explore as a mature wolf and they had went off to do their thing.

I didn't blame them in the least. They had always been more in touch with their animalistic side, though at times, I wished that they were more... caring.

Probably one of the many reasons as to why my rejection was so painful. To finally feel loved and accomplished, to find that place where you belong.

Only for it to be taken from you...

A soft whimper sounded at my feet and I smiled with some difficulty, crouching down to pet Ellie's fuzz. She too had been robbed of her parents, of a happy family.

But, with a bit of luck, she still had a future ahead of her. As long as I kept an ear out for any of the pack's misdoings and potential attempts to sabotage our bonding, we'd be fine.

Because I had a feeling that, if I were to simply take Ellie with me this very instant towards Drake's pack, the so called Alpha would bark out an alarm, acting as if I were kidnapping one of their own.

Ellie needed to be willing to come along with me, so for as long as she was scared of her own shadow, she'd be hard pressed to leave her parental house.

And the Alpha was hoping it would take her longenough to slowly perish away. As if I was going to let that happen.