frown on her face.

''He's got a lot of nerve coming round here'' she said.

''Should I tell him to go?'' Carver asked. Jenna noticed that he looked nervous at the prospect.

''No, I'll do it''

Jenna padded up to the door and pushed it open. Balto smiled at her from the other side.

''Hi sweetie. Miss me?''

Balto was taken completely by surprise as Jenna smacked him, hard, on the side of the head. He stepped back, totally confused.

''She just hit me!'' he thought, completely stunned. The side of his head throbbed, and he could only look at Jenna at a total loss for words.

''Jen...why...?'' he managed to say.

''You've got some nerve coming here! Don't you remember what Doc said?'' Jenna said, her eyes boring holes in Balto's head.

Balto shook his head, unable to come to terms with what had just happened ''Jen, I don't...''

''My name is Jenna Balto!'' she snapped, causing him to flinch.

''Jenna never snaps at me. What could I have done?''

''Oh don't stand there playing the fool Balto! Have you just come over to waste my time?''

''Jen...what have I done?'' he stammered.

Jenna snarled ''Don't you dare play dumb! You know exactly what you did!''

''I...I don't. Please Jen, let me in and...''

''Your not setting foot in this house Balto! Now get out of here before Dingo gets back!'' as she said this, she started to tear up.

''Jenna, your not being serious?'' he tried to think what he could possibly have done to upset Jenna so much, but his mind was just a blur.

''I've never been more serious in my life! Just go Balto!'' Jenna collapsed into tears then. Balto took a step closer.

Jenna growled at him, and he flinched back in alarm.

''Jenna? Is everything okay back there?''

Balto looked up at the source of the voice. A black dog with a white chest and paws padded up to Jenna. Balto gasped, as memories flashed before his eyes.

The factory. Drake. The excruciating pain.

Something inside him snapped. A low growl began down within his stomach, making its way up into his chest and throat. The growl came out of his mouth. Without realizing it, he was standing in a crouched position. His front paws dug into the snow ready to pounce. His ears flattened back against his head, and his upper lip curled up over his front teeth.

''You!'' he snarled.

Before Carver had time to react, Balto was on top of him snapping at his throat. Carver crossed his front legs up against him to keep Balto off him, but despite the viciousness of Balto's attack he was smiling.

''Balto! Balto get off him!'' Jenna yelled, trying to pull him off Carver. Balto retaliated, and without even thinking threw Jenna off him. She fell in a heap on the floor.

Carver grinned up at Balto ''That's my boy!'' he whispered.

Balto growled, and swiped at Carver's face. Carver was sent sprawling across the floor, blood trickling from a fresh cut above his eye.

Jenna could see the anger in Balto's eyes, and it scared her. Despite this, she threw herself between Carver and Balto, and tensed herself up.

Balto was taken aback ''Jenna, what are you doing? He attacked me, see?'' he gestured at the bite mark on his back leg.

Carver coughed up blood ''Self defense'' he muttered, struggling to his feet.

Jenna stared at Balto ''Balto, just go. Please''

Balto looked at her confused ''Jen...''

Jenna responded with a growl ''Go Balto!'' the fear in her eyes betrayed the harshness of her voice.

Balto looked at her stunned. A sudden sharp pain caused him to wince, and he grasped his head. When it had cleared, he looked back at Jenna.

''Jenna...I love you''

Balto turned away and bolted out of the door. Jenna realized she had been holding her breath, and she let it out with a gasp. Carver stood up and staggered over to the door.

''Are you all right?'' Jenna asked, noticing the blood trickling out of the cut over his eye as well as his mouth.

Carver nodded ''I'm fine. Thanks Jenna'' he forced a smile.

Jenna shivered ''I...I don't know what came over him. He's never been like that before''

Carver winced ''I guess I showed up at the wrong time then''

Jenna padded over to him ''Your hurt. Here, let me help you'' she helped escort him to the fire, where he lay down.

''Thanks Jenna. I appreciate it''

Jenna smiled, and padded over to the window. She looked down the street, just in time to see a familiar silhouette disappear into the darkness.

''Balto...'' she said quietly.

Behind her, Carver smirked.

''Your on your way Balto my boy. Your on your way''

*************

In a nearby shed, two dogs looked on with amusement at the dead dog at their feet.

''Why didn't he tell us when we first asked him, hmm?'' The Dalmatian, Theo, asked.

The other dog, a black and gray wolf, leered down with piercing brown eyes ''Stubbornness I suppose'' he sniggered.

They had cornered the dog in the shed and asked him where the mill was. When the dog hesitated, Theo had had no hesitation in tearing out his throat. Now, both of them were on the verge of a laughing fit.

''You two are so immature it's unbelievable'' a third dog spoke out.

''Hey lighten up Jack! Don't tell me you've lost your sense of humor!'' Theo smirked.

''Nah, I aint lost my sense of humor'' Jack replied, padding up to Theo.

Jack grabbed at the dead dogs throat, coating his paw in blood. Before Theo could react, Jack lobbed the bloody mess directly at his face. The Dalmatians fur went from white to crimson in a second.

Jack smirked ''See? I found that funny!'' he sniggered.

Theo glared at Jack, drops of blood trickling down his neck ''And you call us immature?''

All three dogs collapsed into fits of laughter. The black and gray wolf padded over to the shed door and peered out.

''Hey you guys! Guess who?''

''What is it Nick?'' Theo asked, as he and Jack padded up to the door.

Outside, they spotted a wolf dog hybrid sprinting through the snow. All three broke into vicious smirks.

''Mr. Carver's protégé?'' Nick asked.

Theo nodded ''Mm Hmm! Right on cue!''

************

Balto came to a stop, panting for breath. His head was wracked with pain, and his throat was burning.

''Jenna''

Tears began rolling down his face, and despite the snow underfoot he lay down and covered his eyes with his paws.

He didn't know what was happening to him. His whole body ached, especially his head, and the taste in his mouth was knocking him sick. What was worse was the image in his head. The terrified expression on Jenna's face when he attacked 'Drake'. He didn't know what had caused him to snap, or why he had wanted nothing more than to rip 'Drakes' throat out.

But what scared Balto the most was the realisation. He had enjoyed attacking 'Drake'. The feeling it had given him had been amazing, which was what he couldn't understand.

''What is happening to me?'' he thought. But as usual, no answer came to him. Just pain.

A movement at the corner of his eye caught his attention. Lifting his head up, he could just make out something moving in the shadows.

Getting to his feet, Balto was unawares of what was approaching him from behind.

Before Balto had time to react, several figures pounced on him. Balto felt his legs give way, and felt a pair of paws grip his muzzle shut. He frantically looked around. He could make out four figures, each of them looking down at him with maddened smirks.

As Balto tried to struggle lose, one of the figures lowered his face in front of his. Balto could make out a smaller dog with white fur wearing a red bandanna.

''Hey, chill out pal! You’re in 'The Pack' now!''

*************

Balto stared wide-eyed at the grinning face in front of him. He realized it was this dog that was clamping his muzzle shut, preventing him from shouting out for help. He tried to struggle lose, but to no avail.

''Don't bother squirming pal, it ain't gonna work'' the white dog smirked.

Balto stopped struggling. The white dog nodded.

''Good boy. Now, lets get you out of this snow aye?''

Balto felt himself being lifted up by the three other dogs, and he found himself being half carried, half dragged into a nearby alley.

''All right guys, let him go'' the white dog announced to the others, and Balto went slack. The white dog however kept a firm grip on Balto's muzzle.

''Now I'm gonna let go, and your gonna be quiet. Okay?''

Balto nodded. The white dog released his grip on his muzzle. Balto staggered to his feet.

''Who...who are you?'' Balto asked, glaring at the dog.

''I'm Grant. And I don't need telling to know who you are Balto!'' Grant smirked.

Balto snarled. Grant raised an eyebrow.

''Hey, don't get any ideas now!'' Grant gestured to the other dogs, who encircled Balto.

''Balto, allow me to introduce Fitz, Krest and Renard'' Grant gestured to each dog in turn.

Balto leered at The Brothers Grim ''So, your the Brothers Grim''

Krest nodded his head, a sickly grin on his face ''Sorry we couldn't meet you Balto, but our boss wanted to meet you himself''

''Looks like he did a good number on you didn't he?'' Renard smirked, gesturing to the bite mark on Balto's leg.

Balto growled, but stopped as a stab of pain coursed through his head. Wincing, he shook his head to clear it.

Grant smirked ''Oh yeah, he's on his way''

''What...what do you mean? What's happening to me?'' Balto stuttered, waves of pain shooting through his body. He was finding it difficult staying on his feet.

''Ah, well, do you want the short answer or the long one?'' Grant asked.

Fitz prodded him ''Grant, don't tease him'' the pup smirked.

Grant nodded ''Ok, Balto...you've been initiated''

Balto stared at Grant ''Initiated? I don't understand''

''Mm hmm, they all say that. To put it bluntly Balto, you are now in the early stages of...'' he paused.

Balto looked up ''Early stages of what? Tell me!'' he gasped as another stab of pain wracked through his head.

Krest tutted '''He's not very bright is he?''

Renard sniggered ''Someone please fill him in''

Grant nodded ''Balto, you are...rabid''

Balto stared in disbelief at Grant ''What?'' he stammered.

''You-are-rabid'' Fitz said