with Kolle, his twin brother.  We got real close, but then he met Emerella, and fell in love (you’ll meet her). Then my parents died unexpectedly and Kolen blamed it on me. The alpha believed his most trusted beta and had me be put in the lowest rank. So that’s pretty much it.”

       I didn’t know what to say, he just looked away and lied down. Then he shivered. I then did the right thing and offered him to have the bed. He refused at first but then he agreed, and I lied with Jack. Chinook looked at me before we went to sleep. His eyes were light blue, and were perfect. Mine were blue and brown but with a scar. I fell asleep after a while

***

          I woke up first out of the three. I got up and stretched and yawned. I looked at Jack who was still sleeping. He was snoring quietly and stirred in his sleep. I licked his face then faced Chinook who was also asleep. He had all fours raised in the air and was probably dreaming of running by the way he was twitching his feet. I giggled to myself and left the cave.

           The snow was going glittering all around me. The ice sickles above me were dripping water on my head. Then something shined in my eye that blinded me for a moment. When my eyes adjusted, I saw a frozen lake was giving off light. I walked toward it and saw the ice was crystal clear. I saw myself and twitched at the sight of my scar. It went across my blue eye and was light pink.

         Then I began to wonder what my life would be if I would have let Jack’s dad set the bull dog on me and give me pups. I had no scar, Jack and I weren’t criminals. I would have had a mate, though unloving, and had pups of my own. But then I saw Jack. I flinched at the sight of him. Instead of having a scar going down my eye, he had one going down his. I shook my head. “This is not the life I want!” I yelled in my head. Then I looked and I was back at the lake where I left off.

        I looked back at the den and saw Jack stretching and yawning, but the best part was that he was scar less. I smiled then started back to the cave. Chinook woke up when I got there and got up. “Morning.” He yawned

“Morning.”  I said back. I walked up to Jack and licked his face. He laughed and then got up.

        Later on that day, Chinook and I left the cave and met up with the pack. Chinook crouched down in his normal position, and went where all the other gnaw wolves were. There was a pile of bones and they were actually gnawing them. I didn’t know the reason. People stared at me as I came up, which made feel uncomfortable. Then I heard muttering and the sound of my name being used. Then I heard something about Chinook. Was this how it always was, people making rumors about each other? I didn’t like it at all. I walked up to Kolle and a blue wolf. She was beautiful and her fur was perfect. “Hi, Kolle.” I said awkwardly.

“Oh, hi Riley.” He said, “This is my mate, Emerella.”

       Emerella looked at me; she had pretty grey eyes, “HI.” She said sweetly. Her voice was so sweet and kind.

“Hello.” I said, she smiled at my response and then asked, “Did you really den with Chinook?”

        I didn’t know what that was supposed to mean, “Yeah, I am.”

        She smiled then said, “How is he, probably the most miserable thing in the world.”

“Well he was a little bit upset.” I said, “After he told me about his past.”

They all gasped, “Chinook talked to you?” Kolle asked

“Yeah,” I said, “Why?” I didn’t get it. He seemed just fine when I was there.

“Well.” Kolle said, “It’s been months since I’ve talked to him. He hasn’t spoken since he was ranked down. And the fact that he talked to you, well, that’s downright amazing. But, don’t go telling anybody about him telling you about his unfortunate life.”

I looked at him, “Why?”

Kolle looked around to make sure he wasn’t being watched, “It is forbidden. That’s all I can tell you.”

I stared at the comment and looked at Emerella. She shook her head then said, “We can only tell you that if you go telling everybody,” she paused, “Chinook, you’re human and you will be in danger by Kolen.”

I looked down. Kolen was starting to become a crueler person to be around. I looked at Kolle and Emerella with a worried look.

Later on in the day, I started to learn the ways of the pack. When we went hunting, the alpha ate first, followed by beta and then hunters, secondary hunters and then gnaw wolves ate what was left (I gave half of mine to Chinook) I ate with the hunter with Emerella and Kolle.

That night, there was a meeting with the alpha, a big black wolf named Junt. He had battle scars going down his back and face and had half an ear. He looked rather frightening if you ask me. He stood on a rock that was higher than the wolves. He started talking once everything was settled.

“I called this meeting for the sake of the pack and to welcome our new comer,” his voice was deep and powerful, “Riley, who will be a hunter as of right now. As for other things I would like to point out that my mate, Lucia has died.”

There were cries from all around and from where I stood it looked like one of them fainted.

He looked at Kolen and continued, “Her memorial will be this Sunday. As for other things, my most trusted and humble beta will speak now.” Kolen walked up and continued the alpha’s speech

“Fellow wolves, I would like to inform you that Lucia’s death was no accident. She had bite marks in her neck.” There were more annoying cries from the crowd, “and the night she died, she had just talked to our fellow gnaw wolf, Chinook.”

 I stared furiously at Kolen. He was thinking Chinook had something to do with this, “I am not saying he is the culprit, I’m just saying is that we need to watch our backs… from the little pest.” He snickered. There were growls louder than a gunshot coming from everywhere around me. I looked at Chinook and his face was blank except for a tad of confusion. Chinook was in his crouching stance and was shaking. This is where I made my first mistake. I walked up to the front and yelled, “It wasn’t Chinook!”

          Everyone turned their heads at me and the alpha walked up to me and asked, “and your evidence.” His voice was now angrier than leader like.

“Chinook was with me the entire night. There’s no way he could have done it.” I assured the pack.

“Junt,” Kolen asked, “Why would we trust a newcomer? She barely knows the ways of the pack. I think she would need to leave.” He smirked at me.

“No, I won’t kick her out. We are losing hunters by the day.” Junt said

 “And now we have one more stomach to feed, and plus, she is nothing more than pampered dog who the only thing they fight is a cat.” He growled at me.

I growled back, “I’ll fight you now if you the guts for it!” Kolen and I got into a stare down.

“Stop!.” Junt growled, “Both of you. Kolen you don’t have the right to accuse anyone, and you” he looked at me, “shouldn’t talk to your beta like that.”

Kolen stormed off to the beta’s den and I also stormed off headed my way to Chinook. He looked up at me and said in a quiet tone, “Thank you.”

I smiled and hugged him in return. I felt his legs go weaker and then I said, “No problem.”

We pulled away after a minute and then I went to talk to Emerella. She looked at me with a disturbed look. That’s pretty much how everyone looked at me in this pack, except for Chinook. It was like I was doing something wrong just by breathing in air. The blue wolf’s face was filled with sorrow and pain.

“So,” I said sarcastically, “do you think I made a great first impression?”

She looked at me, “What were you thinking; you can’t just go up there without authority! If it wasn’t you, they’d literally have their head off!”

I looked at her, “What does that supposed to mean?”

“It means, if Kolen didn’t have a thing for you, you would be crow food.” She said looking more stern than usual.

“Well,” I protested, “I couldn’t have let them blame him for what happened. He’s been really nice to me and I thought I could help him out.”

Emerella changed the subject and talked about the pack. She informed me about training to be a real hunter and offered to help train me. I accepted and agreed to meet her at the crack of dawn.

I walked by myself back to Chinook’s den and thought about Jack. This wasn’t a place for him and he knew it, all he did was sit in the den all day and play with twigs and it made me think if I had to choose between him or my life here as a pack member. I couldn’t leave Jack nor leave Chinook to be eaten alive, literally. I lied on the bed of twigs and looked at the ceiling. Jack came up to me and stroked my chest. I smiled and licked his red