My fingers tapped on the wood of the worn floor, barely mindful not to get myself a literal handful of splinters. Still, I couldn't stop the nervous gesture, hell, even my leg was twitching nervously.

It had been several days since my call with Drake and still no sign of him. At least it had given me plenty of time to inform Ellie of his possible arrival.

The poor pup's reaction was understandable. The second I had told her that a, for her strange, Alpha was coming to pick us up, I could see the growing fear in her eyes.

Before I could've said anything more, her body morphed to her little wolf, who instantly clawed her way under her bed. I hadn't even tried to reach under to pull her out, that would've only made her more fearful and would break the trust between us.

So I had plopped myself down beside the bed and simply...talked. I told Ellie about my life, how I had once been a nomad, born to two nomadic wolves. That I had parents roaming around... somewhere.

Probably.

Ellie huffed, placing her little head on her paws as her golden eyes gleamed in the darkness. Her ears twitched as I slowly recounted most of my life.

What was the use of trying to lie to this little pup? It would only hurt in the long run.

"And then..." I swallowed convulsively, blinking at the ceiling to stop the sudden onslaught of tears that threatened to overflow. "I... I got... got rejected."

A little whine mirrored the one that escaped from my chest before a soft lick was felt over my hand. Without looking at Ellie, I scratched at her head fur, keeping my eyes averted.

"It... It wasn't pretty. I won't go into details but... it was hard." I rubbed over my wrist on instinct, yanking my hand back when I realized what I was doing.

"Well... I avoided packs after that... like the plague." I shook my head, rubbing over my arms as a shiver ran over my back. Not from the incoming night but more so from the dark memories that announced themselves.

Nights of shivering in the cold, being unable to dig myself a burrow to hide from the frost. Where I was grateful for being a wolf, as my double coat kept me from developing frostbite.

But the wounds didn't allow me to curl up completely, to tuck my nose under my tail, allowing the warm air to get stuck in my fur.

"What changed?"

I jolted upright, startled as I glanced to the side. Ellie had changed back, dressed herself and tucked the blanket around her. Eyes teary as they flitted from scar to scar.

A smile slid on my face, fingers reaching down to my hip. "Got kicked by a deer. It got me real good, breaking old fractures to the point where I needed surgery or I would've died."

I moved in a better position so I could look at Ellie and sighed. "I had to go to a pack in order to survive. And though they helped, they didn't understand me. All they saw was a potential threat, someone they needed to subjugate or kick out."

A look of understanding came over Ellie, eyes flitting to the window. "Like my pack... No. Their pack." She realized, swallowing as her wolf whimpered.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for your inner wolf, to realize that, even though you wanted a pack, longed for a pack... they didn't want you.

She inhaled shakily before pausing, nostrils flaring as she took in my scent. "But, you don't smell like a rogue, or nomadic. You smell like a pack, kinda... Not really but, almost?"

A slight smile slipped on my lips as I slowly nodded. "Drake's pack is... different. They're not just a pack. They don't care if someone is a rogue, nomad or pack wolf. They care because you're family."

Ellie's eyes gleamed at that, undoubtedly remembering her parents. They too were just like Drake and his pack: Ellie's father hadn't cared that his mate wasn't a pack wolf. Neither had she cared that he was pack.

They had accepted one another, wholly and unconditionally. And if that unconditional love meant that they had to become the scourge of the pack, to be banished and exiled to the edge of the territory?

They would do it with a smile on their faces, because they were happy.

And Curtis' pack had envied that. How dare a pack wolf turn his back on the upper hierarchy? How dare he be happy with a rogue wolf that had no ties or connections to amplify the pack's social standing?

"Drake...you'll understand better when he arrives, but he's unlike any alpha I've ever seen." I showed Ellie the scars on my hands as I continued, "He helped me get surgery on old fractures...and some new ones."

As I told her everything that had happened to me on Drake's territory, her facial expression softened. Became less tense, as her cheeks pulled up in the slightest smile, with a glitter of something fragile in her eyes.

Hope.

"Ah pup... I know what it's like to not want to believe in hope." I thought to myself but didn't push the matter. But, when she looked up, she did raise an interesting point.

"You said he was coming over as soon as you ended the call. But that has been several days."

I nodded, glancing at the clock on the wall before pushing off of the floor with a groan. It would soon be time to go to work.

"True but pack dynamics are making things complicated here. As an Alpha, Drake can't just randomly wander into another's territory without invitation."

Ellie's eyes widened at the implication. She didn't need to be an adult to know what it would mean to have an Alpha barge into another territory unannounced and uninvited.

War.

The second that Drake set one toe on Curtis' land without invitation or proof that my life was in danger, Curtis could invoke a war against Drake and his pack.

And if that wasn't enough to worry about, Drake would also get the wrath of the Council. The Council governed over the supernatural world with unshakable will; their word was Law.

And you didn't break their law unless you had a very good reason to do so... or if you wanted to die.

A crack of a branch followed by the rushing of paws made me jolt up, a low growl in my chest as Ellie paled. She instantly shifted back, clambering up into my lap before I grabbed hold of her and stood up.

"Nomad! Both you and the pup are being summoned to the packhouse, now!" A voice barked outside before paws rushed away.

I frowned, glaring at the wolf that was rushing back to the pack. Was this a trap? Were they truly getting so annoyed by our presence that the pack was going to deal with us by themselves?

Or perhaps, did Curtis return and caught wind of Drake's intention to retrieve us?

Ellie whined, tail curling between her legs before I ruffled through her fur. "Don't worry, everything will be alright." I reassured, placing her down so I could shift.

As I ran through the forest with Ellie held securely between my jaws, my ears flickered back and forth. Even though the pack was still bustling around as usual, there was an eerie feeling in the air.

Something has changed.

And as I turned the corner and saw the pack house, I could instantly see what. Most of the pack's upper hierarchy was gathered at the steps, listening to a red eyed woman.

My paws picked up speed as I spotted Drake beside her, his stern expression instantly diminishing when he saw Ellie and I approach.

I let her on the floor, slowing my pace so she could keep up. Now with Drake around, only a suicidal wolf would dare to reach a paw out towards either of us.

The red-eyed woman turned in my direction, the cool smile warming as they flitted between the pup and I.

"Greetings, I am Asami, representative of the Council and sent here to clean up Curtis' mess." She spoke, smiling in understanding when I raised my hackles and stood protectively over Ellie.

Even Drake let out a small chuckle as he approached, crouching down to reach a hand out for Ellie to sniff at. "You misunderstood, Kyle. She's not here to get rid of Ellie, but to punish Curtis for his transgressions, and guide the pack to a proper leadership."

The poor pup was quivering on the spot, flopping on her side while licking her lips demurely. Showing that she was no threat to Drake's rank, nor a threat to anyone here.

"I know pup, I know." Drake smiled reassuringly, scratching behind her ear before shooting me a grin, "Did Kyle behave a bit or did you have to scold him?"

I snorted, huffing as I tilted my nose in the air. As if I was a pup with lack of sense or self-control. But it helped making Ellie relax, letting out a tiny yip as she rolled on her belly and slowly pawed closer to Drake.

"Oh really? A big old bully, huh?" He teased, tutting as he shook his head at me. A grumble slipped from my throat as I averted my gaze completely before stilling when warm fingers brushed through my fur.

They easily parted the thick fur, digging deeper to satisfyingly scratch over skin, before they scratched at my throat. A low, pleased growl rumbled through my body without consent, hind paw moving as if wanting to scratch along until Drake chuckled.

"I missed you too Kyle. It's been lonely in the packhouse without you near." Drake said with a smile before grinning, "Plus, Shadow has been a handful, throwing tantrums left and right."

And for whatever reason, I had a slight suspicion that Shadow wasn't the only one who had been close to losing their cool.