breeding. While some shied away from such wild eyes, she looked into them and saw only a dog that wanted someone to care for him.

His mother had vanished at a very early age and he'd never known his father, leaving him an orphan when he was a pup. This was what she knew about him since they first met almost three years ago, and from that moment, she'd resolved to be a friend for him. From that time, she'd known that he was truly a kind dog – despite some of his actions under pressure. He was never malicious or apathetic towards her or anyone else, and that was what urged him to go and find the medicine after everyone else had failed.

For the longest time, she'd been the only dog that would say anything to him that wasn't a put-down. That was what made him truly appreciate her friendship when he was young, and as he got older, the feelings towards her developed further. He loved who she was and how she was never one to get caught up in the frenzy against him. While he didn't like to think of himself as superficial, there was no denying that he thought she was the most beautiful dog he'd ever seen. There were actually a few times where he'd caught himself admiring her, but if she noticed it, she never seemed to have anything against it.

"Morning handsome," she greeted.

"Morning Jen," he returned, his one ear drooping as it did when he was at ease. "Sleep well?"

"Yes, the little ones didn't make too much fuss during the night," she replied, looking down towards her abdomen. He followed her glance, his eyes traveling along her spotless cream underside before reaching her swollen belly. Every time he saw that it filled him with great pride. Soon they would have their own litter of puppies, born to parents who loved each other and would love them with all their hearts. "How about you?"

"Not bad," he replied, able to hide any indication that his sleep was disrupted by strange dreams. Despite Boris' urgings, he still didn't want to cause Jenna any worry. The pups were the priority now and he didn't want anything to distract him from his family. "It's good the pups stayed stayed settled last night, or I would have to give them a good talk about keeping their mother awake at night."

She chuckled. "Yeah, but that talk would have to wait until they were born - I don't think they'd hear much of you in there," she said. "Though, I'm ready to get them out of me now - they're heavy and they make me look like I ate a whole seal."

"Oh, but it's not that bad. It's barely noticeable on you. You're still the same beautiful Jenna I fell in love with," he replied, smiling. In the past weeks, Balto had learned the hard way that females could get very touchy about their weight, and Jenna was no exception.

"You know, there is such a thing as too much flattery," she replied, seeing right through him.

"Hey, you can't blame me for trying. If it makes you feel better, you'll be back to your normal self once the pups are born," he assured, earning a grin from her.

"Thanks… I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Aw… I'm just doing what any good father out there would do," he said sheepishly, looking down at the ground and shuffling his one paw back and forth. She smiled at how even after providing so much for her, his humility still shone through.

He leaned in for a nuzzle, and she returned it, grateful for everything he'd done for her. The past few weeks had held its share of ups and downs for both of them. Much of this was very new for Jenna, and there some times where she didn't know what was happening to her own body. Early on she'd wake up in the morning feeling nauseous or dizzy. That passed as the pups grew, but new symptoms were soon to follow. Of course, the pups grew and made her abdomen swell and sag beneath her, and while the added weight wasn't much compared to her own, it was enough to affect her.

Her normally swift stride was reduced to a loping gait, and she found herself tiring faster than usual. The normal walk for the day would often leave her legs and back sore. Fortunately her owners, along with her friends and even passing strangers were sympathetic, offering any type of help when needed. Front and centre with his support was Balto, who wanted to ensure that anything she needed was provided, especially when the cravings started to hit her. There were many times where kibble would not be enough to satisfy her tastes. She was eating for more than one now, and that's where he came in. It turned out having a part wolf mate came in handy if something needed to be hunted or tracked down. He could go out at the drop of a hat, and while most trips were for real cases, there was one time where she decided to prank him by suddenly developing a taste for moose. At first, she thought he wouldn't buy it, but she ended up having to dart down the street after him to stop him from actually taking on something ten times his size.

"Now, how about we get some breakfast into you? You've got to start the day off fresh," he suggested and her tail wagged at the thought.

"Yes… now that I think about it, I'd really like to try some of the toast my humans have… maybe with some peanut butter too," she said, causing him to chuckle.

"I don't know - that one might be a little trickier to get. Humans don't seem to like sharing their food from the tables… but I have heard that peanut butter is pretty good," he mused as they left the shed and made their way to the back door. "Oh great, I think I'm getting your cravings too."

It was her turn to chuckle at him as the climbed up the steps towards the doggie door in the back. "Well, maybe this time they'll give you a chance. Come on," she invited before stepping inside. While he had her invitation, he wasn't sure if he'd have the same from her owners. They would have the final word on whether or not he would be welcome, and so far they didn't seem too keen on the idea.

'Would I be welcome? I know Rosy would love it, but her parents might be another story,' he thought. 'Well, I suppose there's only one way for me to find out.' Deciding to take the plunge, he poked his head through the doggie door to see what kind of welcome would greet him inside.

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Chapter 2: Another Obstacle to Overcome

The kitchen was warm and the smell of freshly cooked eggs and bacon greeted Balto's nose when he poked his head inside. Still unsure of the reception he would receive, he held back on entering any further. A little to his left was the table the inviting smells were coming from, while the doorway to kitchen was to the right. The far end had the entrance to the lounge, while the walls had small pictures and other knickknacks hung up for decoration. Seated around the table were two adults enjoying their meal while the younger girl with them was more interested in her favorite dog's ears. The young girl was Rosy, and she was quick to get a bowl of food out for her favorite dog. "Alright Jenna, eat up girl," she said, before looking over towards him. A grin formed on her face when she saw her other favorite dog with his head sticking in the door.

In the three months since Balto retrieved the medicine during the serum run, the love and affection from Rosy only increased. She already considered him a friend from his days as an outcast, refusing to give in to the fear of him that the rest of the residents held. She'd been one of the kids who fell ill during the diphtheria outbreak, and the fact that he was the one who brought the medicine home made him her hero. Right after, she'd tried many times to take him in and let him live with them, but her parents weren't completely sold on the idea. They allowed him to accompany them when they took Jenna out for her daily walk, but he had yet to receive permission to enter their household. This was why he held back - he wanted to make sure he would be welcome in their territory first.

"Balto, come here, boy!" she called, and at that, her parents both looked up from their breakfasts and towards the half-wolf peeking through the back door. Both regarded him with caution, but didn't immediately move to shoo him away, something he took as a good sign. "I'm sure you just want some breakfast too, don't you?" Rosy asked, before turning to her parents for approval. Her father looked at her mother, and he could hear them mumbling about it.

"I don't know, he might muck up the house," her father stated.

"Then we won't let him go too far. We can get him something and then send him right on his way," her mother replied and he nodded. "Alright, he can come in but he doesn't go out of our sight, okay?"

Rosy nodded and with that, Balto gingerly stepped in while a second bowl of food was set out for him beside Jenna. While the dry, crunchy kibble was different from the meat or fish he usually scavenged for himself, he gratefully accepted it.

"See, he's behaving," Rosy pointed out. "Maybe he could eat with us everyday?"

"Don't push it," her father urged. "A walk is one thing, but he's still a wild hybrid. A home like ours might not be the best for him."

"But we can't leave him alone forever! Besides, look at how nice he is when he's around Jenna," she continued. "I think he'd be nice around her puppies too."

"Are you sure?" her father retorted. "He may