“Scarlet! Lorna! Let me come with you!” She barked at her slow-moving friends. She wanted to be with Dahlia at such a special time in her life, especially since this litter was Nava’s last. 

Scarlet’s voice was all that could be heard. “Stay there! Worry about taking care of your battle, and don’t worry about us! We’ll return soon! I promise!”

Aleu let out a sigh, but she understood that this was where she had to be. She sniffled as she began to feel aware of the rebel she-wolf’s presence. 

“You disappoint me, Aleu,” Riza began to walk towards her, encircling the weakened Alpha with a smirk of satisfaction. “I was hoping you would be a much stronger opponent for me, but instead, you just proved what I always knew.”

“And what is that?” Aleu groaned, although she was afraid to hear the she-wolf’s response. 

“That you’re weak,” Riza replied. The Alpha’s sepia ears lowered as Riza continued to speak, degrading the quarter-wolf with her words of hatred. “You’re weak and not strong enough to fulfill this destiny that Aniu speaks of . . . and you know that, don’t you?”

Deep down inside, she knew Riza’s words were truth. She was weak – the only reason she had accepted this fate was because of her wolf blood and the heritage that her father had hidden from her since childhood. She always had her father, someone who was physically much stronger than she was, to protect her from harm’s way; whenever she had attempted to fight, she felt that she really wasn’t strong at all. Although she was independent, smart, and full of leadership as she grew up, Aleu felt that she was always protected from who she really was all her life.  

As much as she wished to give into the dark she-wolf’s tempting terminology, Aleu realized the real reason that Aniu had warned her.

“You’re wrong, Riza,” Aleu murmured softly, spitting out a bit of blood from her mouth afterwards. 

A few of the remaining wolves took a notice of this and began to gasp in awe; Riza also turned to Aleu, twitching an ear towards the fallen Alpha. “I’m sorry,” Riza began to ask sarcastically. “Did I hear you say something?”

“You bet I said something, Riza!” Aleu spoke louder; she was now on her feet, although they were smudged with dried blood and dirt. Her injured hind foot was gently touching the ground, so to not cause any more damage to it. “Your strongly harsh words will not tempt me anymore. Sure, I may look weak to you and my blood may not be pure wolf as yours, but I have been given a purpose here to this Clan. I am the Alpha of the Kawa Clan, as prophesized by both Nava and Aniu; if you believe I am not worthy enough to serve as such, you may leave the Clan if you so desire.” She turned to the remaining wolves that began to listen carefully to her words, now that she was allowing them freedom from a tame-born’s reign. “Yes, that means all of you, my friends. I am not forcing you to decide – for you each have the ability of free will – but I do wish that you make your decision carefully.” Aleu paused for a moment to catch her breath and to find her balance once more, for she almost collapsed onto the ground due to her now-tripod state.  

“Now, if you choose to leave, I bid you farewell for now. Perhaps you may want to live the remainder of your lives away from the companionship of your fellow brethren, free of the rules that the Alphas have once made. Maybe you wish to run away for a while, only to return in a few weeks or months time. Whatever you decide, it is fine with me and with the Great Spirits above. May they all lead you and guide you to a place of happiness, wherever it may lie.” She paused again, allowing those that disagreed with her leadership to leave their Clan’s territory. Only a couple of wolves left at that moment – Tydra, a young she-wolf, and her brother Viking, both followers of Riza. Aleu nodded her head at the two, who had halted in front of her, awaiting their Alpha’s approval to leave. Quickly, the two bluish-gray siblings bolted for the forest, not daring to look back.

At least they know they can return whenever they’re ready to, Aleu thought as she sighed, watching them leave the Clan of their birth. Deep down, she believed that they did not believe in her ability to lead, but she didn’t decide to ask the real reason why the two sibling wolves decided to live away from the safety of the Clan – it was, as she had said previously, each wolf’s own choice if they wanted to leave, whether it was opposition of her leadership or other personal reasons. She then turned to the rebel she-wolf, who once again, growled in rage. 

“Do not let anger rule you, Riza,” She spoke calmly; even after all of those terrible things Riza had said before about herself, Aleu felt that she had to remain calm for the moment, revealing her true leadership qualities. “I know that you want to leave this Clan, especially since a ‘tame-born’ like myself is your Alpha, and you may go if you must. We will not stop you, and we will welcome you if you choose to return to us one day.”

Riza only grinned, chuckling under her breath. “Ha! You will regret this night! The day I return will be the day I overthrow you, Aleu!” The Alpha, still filled with the serenity of understanding tonight’s mission, nodded. “I shall have my revenge on what you have done to my sister . . . so prepare to feel my true power when I come back!” The dark gray and black female reared up onto her hind legs like a horse and took off into the woods, cackling with the evil intentions deep within her soul. 

Hopefully by then, I’ll be ready and waiting for you, Riza . . . Aleu lowered her eyebrows slightly as she flicked her ears back, hearing a rustling of bushes. Turning her head, she saw the relieved faces of the familiar mud-red male and his light-gray half sister.

“Aleu!” Scarlet ran to his Alpha’s side, with the female close behind. “Your leg . . . Are you okay?” He helped lower Aleu to a sitting position so that she wouldn’t put too much pressure on her wounded leg. “What happened?” 

“Riza attacked me and injured my leg,” She replied. Aleu began to lick it, trying to clean the dirt and blood off of the major wound. “It doesn’t look that bad, does it?”

Scarlet shook his head. “I’m surprised she didn’t cause more damage on you, Aleu. She probably could have done something serious.” They nuzzled for a moment as the rest of the wolves returned to their dinner, relieved that the threat of harm was gone and their true Alpha was okay. 

“How’s Dahlia, by the way?” Aleu asked, wondering about the condition of her friend. “I’d like to check up on her when I get a chance.”

“Lorna was with her in the den, so I’d ask her about that,” Scarlet said. “Apparently, males aren’t allowed to witness a female giving birth. I was with the Trio guarding the outside of the den.” 

“I see,” Aleu nodded slightly. “So, is she doing okay, Lorna?” She turned to her best friend.

“I don’t know for sure, Aleu. I helped calm her down and get comfortable once we arrived, but she was only having contractions – preparing to birth a pup. About some time later, she had finished having another contraction. She suddenly barked at me to give her some privacy a few moments ago. That was when Scarlet and I ran back to check on the fight between you and Riza.” Lorna’s eyes flew open as she let out a gasp. “Riza! Oh dear, where is my sister? You didn’t . . .” 

“You wouldn’t . . .!” Scarlet gave her a shocked look.

Aleu shook her head. “Of course not. I would never kill a fellow Clan member, even if they were as vicious and evil-hearted as Riza.” She gave her friend a warm smile. “I gave her and the rest of the Clan an opportunity to leave. She’s gone, Lorna.” She comforted her friend, who was crying against her shoulder. “I thought it would be for the best, especially since your mother’s about bring new pups into the Clan. I didn’t want them or any of you to be placed at risk. I think the winter’s been bad enough already.”  

That comment made a chuckle slip from Lorna’s mouth. “Thank you, Aleu. It’s probably what she wanted right now anyway: a chance to get away from the three of us,” She grinned back at her. “The Trio chose to remain guard by the birthing den, especially since they made it after all. That’s why they’re not back yet, if you were wondering.”

Aleu giggled. “That sounded like something they’d do anyway. I remember when Papa and I first arrived to the Clan, and the three of them fought against me. Who would have thought that those three raggedy-looking misfits that once was on the side of evil would end up being such loyal companions to their Clan?” 

“Who would have thought a part-wolf yearling who once hated having wolf blood in her would succeed at being the Alpha of a Wolf Clan?” Lorna reminded her.

“Good point,” Aleu smiled back. Scarlet also grinned; he was beside Aleu, cleaning her hurt leg while she spoke with Lorna. 

“I think you must have proved your worthiness to Aniu by how you acted tonight, Aleu,” Scarlet commented. “You stood your ground, acted with bravery, and even reminded the Clan of their own rights and free will.” He suddenly changed the subject, following the last part of his statement. “Speaking of which, did anyone other than Riza leave the Clan?”

Aleu nodded. “Tydra and Viking left before Riza did. No one else did afterwards.” 

“Do you know why?” Lorna asked.

“I don’t know,” Aleu shook her head. “If they left for personal reasons, I felt that I had no right to delve into their business. It was their decision and I respect them for making it, no matter what.” 

Scarlet agreed. “I doubt it was about personal reasons. Those two were faithful to Riza and disagreed with you, even though you were Alpha. It’s obvious that they would both leave first, assuring to Riza that it wasn’t a