encounter with that mysterious ivory wolf, for she still did not know what it had meant.

“What about you, Sango?” Soren asked him.

“I have no memories of my parents, or of my life before Aniu,” he responded, hoping that Soren could not detect the lies that he had delicately woven into his answer. “I was separated from my parents when I was young, and ever since I’ve been struggling to get by on my own. Then I found Aniu, and you can see where that went.”

Soren raised an eyebrow at this, but he showed no other sign of suspicion. Then he addressed Aniu. “I am sorry for your loss, Aniu. But as your parents were members of the Shiok, the Alphas, even, you and Sango are welcome to stay as official members yourselves. Now, let me take you to what will be your den. I must call a council tonight and inform the pack of this news.”

X

Soren turned away from Sango and Aniu and began to lead them through what seemed to be a maze of paths through the rocks. But they only walked for a moment before they stopped in front of a large overhang that was easily spacious enough to accommodate four grown wolves.

“This was used as the Alphas’ den,” Soren explained. “My mate, Kanil, perished about six months ago, so now I give you full use of it for as long as you need.”

Sango raised his head almost imperceptibly. “Thanks, but I have one question. How will we get back?” he asked, a hint of worry in his voice. “I know we didn’t go far, but I’m lost.”

Aniu tried in vain to suppress a chuckle, but Soren answered him. “Do not worry; I live very close to this den. Rest, and I will return tonight.” He disappeared back the way they had come, leaving Aniu and Sango to ponder the day’s events.

Soren returned a few hours later, when the sun was on the horizon. “Come,” he said to Aniu and Sango, “the council is about to begin.”

Sango stood quickly, but Aniu hesitated. Sango glanced at his mate, puzzled. “Why aren’t you coming?” he asked.

Aniu was silent for a second. “I don’t know,” she finally answered. “I guess I still don’t trust most of these wolves. It’s only a few weeks until the pups come, and I don’t want to risk hurting them.”

“Soren’s giving us food, a place to sleep, a den—just because of who your parents are, he’s practically made us the next Alpha pair, and we just got here this morning!” Sango countered. “With the way he’s been treating us, how come you don’t trust him?”

“He’s been treating us almost too nicely,” Aniu retorted. Then she sighed. “Alright, I’ll go, but only because we’re mates.” She stood and trotted over to stand beside Sango, staring impatiently at Soren. S

oren had been watching the pair all this time, and now he was beginning to feel a hint of worry and regret. I really should tell them, he thought. But no, I wouldn’t want to disappoint them. Their family has such a future…. But he ignored the nagging premonitions and headed away from the den, making sure Sango and Aniu were following.

The Alpha led the pair over a small number of trails until they came out upon a large clearing. Several yards from the edge of the clearing, the ground dropped off into a kind of stepped bowl about a hundred feet in diameter. A quick glance showed about a dozen wolves scattered across the small ledges, muttering amongst themselves.

Sango and Aniu watched with curiosity as Soren stood at the center of the bowl’s rim, only twelve feet above the highest ledge, and gave a short, high-pitched bark. Immediately, the wolves all fell silent and lowered their heads to the ground in a submissive posture.

“Rise, Shiok,” Soren addressed the pack, his raspy voice seeming weaker than usual. “My time is short,” the Alpha continued, “and this may be the last council I ever lead. Today, however, I had brought to me two young wolves, one of them about to birth a litter of pups. I have decided now, that they will be my successors as your leaders.” He ignored the gasps of surprise that emanated from the wolves gathered below and continued his speech. “This is Sango”—he motioned, and Sango stepped forward—“and this is his mate, Aniu, daughter of none other than my predecessors, Aki and Soroai.”

A chorus of growls erupted from the wolves below. “That’ll work well,” one dark brown wolf called out. “I thought I was going to lead this pack. There’s a reason we kicked those lowlifes out in the first place, and now you want to bring their kids back to torture us some more?”

“Silence, Anok,” Soren ordered abruptly. “Aki and Soroai died shortly after their daughter was born, and I’m sure she has no idea of how her parents led us!”

“That’s right,” Anok countered. “Aniu has no freaking idea how to lead a wolf pack, so why the hell are you making her Alpha?”

“Anok,” Soren said, now sounding aggravated, “I will say this no more. Silence! I am sure Sango and Aniu will learn how to lead us in time, and the pack will prosper."

“What makes you think that?” a lighter female called from her place right beside Anok—presumably his mate. “How do you know Aniu isn’t—how do you know she can even lead a wolf pack?”

“It’s in her blood,” Soren answered. “She was born to an Alpha, and so she will be an Alpha.”

“If she has the same blood as her parents,” the female continued, unfazed, “I’d rather jump off a cliff than stay in this hellhole of a pack!”

“You know the law about leaving the pack, Shiraea,” Soren said. “That’s treason, and you know that means you’ll be killed on sight.”

But Shiraea was not discouraged. “And I’ll die of hunger in half the time if you let those idiots lead us, you f—”

“For the last time, silence!” Soren shouted. “The council is over. Return to your dens!” Then he turned to Sango and Aniu. “Follow me,” he said, and then, ears back, shoulders hunched, he turned and stormed off into the woods.

XI

Aniu was shocked. “What’s the deal?” she asked Sango. “What could my parents heave done to make the wolves hate us so much?”

Sango sighed. “I don’t know. At least Soren seems to like us. Can’t say the same for Anok and Shiraea, though.” He and Aniu quickened their pace, and soon they were standing outside Soren’s den.

It was now dark, and the light of the full moon cast deep shadows over the tree-covered landscape.

Aniu approached the Alpha cautiously, noting that he seemed hyperventilating. “Soren, what’s wrong? Why did Anok and Shiraea hate me? What was it about my parents that made them so angry?”

For several seconds, the only sounds were those of the wind and of Soren’s measured panting. But soon the wolf answered. “I should have told you this earlier. Your parents, Aniu—Aki and Soroai—they nearly destroyed the pack. The decisions they made led to the loss of most of our food supply in only a few months. The balance of life in this territory was upset and our land nearly became a barren tundra. This is the largest in this territory, the greatest in all of Alaska, and your parents nearly starved us. Without our pack, the deer and caribou would run rampant, and much of this great forest would be lost.”

“What about Anok and Shiraea?” Sango asked, his voice like that of a frightened pup. “What should we do about them?”

Soren raised his head and chuckled. “The Betas? Hmph. They’re just big pups. Don’t worry about them; they won’t hurt you.”

“I just want safety for our pups,” Sango replied. “I’m sorry, but I really don’t trust them or any of the wolves yet.”

“I don’t fully trust everyone all the time, either,” Soren answered. “But we all have to stick together for the benefit of the pack. There’s a saying in the Shiok that’s been passed down since we started: ‘Reach for the light—you might touch the sky.’ We have taken this phrase to heart over the years.”

A minute of silence passed, and then Sango and Aniu returned to their den under the midnight sky.

The next day, Sango left the cave to explore some of the pack’s territory. He noticed a few other dens—that he carefully shied from, so as not disturb any wolves that might inside—and he caught a glimpse of the council area from the night before. He spoke with five or six other wolves and took solace in the fact that many of them seemed not to mind having him and Aniu as future Alphas. But he was only minutes from returning to his den when he heard a voice behind him.

“Ah, Sango,” the wolf said, walking up beside him with a sneer on his face. “I thought I recognized you.”

“What do you want, Anok?” Sango asked, whirling around to face him.

“I have to say, Sango,” Anok said, his voice laced with sarcasm, “that I feel bad for you. Or at least I feel bad that your mate doesn’t love you, and that her parents didn’t love her.”

Sango’s jaw dropped. “What—what are you talking about? Aniu loves me, and I love her! Do you think our pups would exist if we didn’t love each