“With his mother gone, he’s going to need you more than ever, especially if you want him to grow into the Alpha that you want him to become.” Monty nodded in agreement as Niju stood up and nudged him forward with his large muzzle and chin. “Go to him . . . go to your son.” 

Taking heed of his friend’s advice, Monty moved closer towards the white-gray she-wolf that adopted his newborn son. His heart pounding faster with every paw-step, he finally noticed the details of the child his mate had left behind.

The pup had a coat of brown with a few flickers of gray carefully mixed into his wet, recently-groomed fur. A couple of tan patches surrounded his eyes and the sides of his muzzle, plus a distinct mark of tan led from his muzzle markings, down his chest and belly all the way to the tip of his tail. His paws were also dipped in his father’s gene pool, permanently tan from his tiny pads up an inch to halfway up each of his legs. 

The she-wolf that was currently feeding the pup detected the grieving Alpha’s presence, immediately lifting her head up from the ground and lowering it in a proper show of respect. “My Alpha . . .”

Monty placed one of his paws on the she-wolf’s shoulder, gently tapping it as a sign to raise her head. “No need for such formality right now, Loralei,” he commanded. “You’re always welcome to call me by my name, not by my title – especially since you were willing to save my child’s life.” 

“It is an honor to serve one’s leader, . . . My –” the she-wolf paused, nervous about the change he had just told her. “I mean, Monty.” The brown male gave a slight grin after hearing that. “I have whelped my last litter only a month ago, and I still have more than enough milk to help your son.”

“I appreciate your kindness and generosity,” Monty bowed to Loralei politely. “My mate would want only to best care for her litter if she wasn’t around to be in their lives.” His eyelids lowered once he let out a sigh. “We had promised to spend our lives together . . . and raise our children to be strong members of the Montague Clan . . .” He shed a few tears of sorrow, but was soon silence into shock at the sound of his son, crying out whimpers to him. 

“Oh?” Loralei’s attention shifted to the newborn that cried out in its loud voice. With her maternal instincts prepared, she quickly nudged the brown puppy with her ivory nose, giving him a calming lick every time she paused to start a new sentence. “Shh, shh . . . hush now, little one . . .” However much the female wolf tried to calm the pup, he continued to wail in his whimpering tone.

While observing the she-wolf’s attempts to quiet the whining newborn, Monty focused more on his son, gazing at him with the sadness of losing his mate in the process of his being born but also with the love in his heart of seeing his only child crying out. The pup’s cries grew louder and louder, almost throbbing inside the Alpha’s ears. Monty sighed as he wondered what to do about this situation, but suddenly a thought occurred to him. 

My son . . . He’s crying out for something . . . His eyes widened. Could he be . . . calling out for . . . me? Slowly, he took a couple of steps to Loralei’s belly where his child was whimpering and whining loudly. His wet nose gently caressed the newborn’s back, slowly making little circular motions to calm him down.

“M-Monty, I’ve tried that many times,” The gray-white she-wolf stammered out calmly to the Alpha. “He wouldn’t quiet down for me; what makes you think he would –” She was silenced by the sudden sound of . . . silence. 

Now the Alpha Male was laying beside Loralei’s belly, still massaging his son with his nose with his eyes closed. The newborn was now quiet, cooing calmly and wriggling on the ground towards his father’s scent as he let out a tiny cry. It wasn’t a cry of being cold, lost or sadness; it was a call of happiness that the tiny child cried. Although the newborn was unable to hear or see the wolves around him, Monty knew that his child was happy to have a father by his side.

“Oh, my son . . .” Monty cuddled the tiny puppy with his cheek, tears of joy sliding down his face. “Balto . . . my son . . .” 

“Balto?” Loralei repeated, curiously wondering about the reasoning of the Alpha’s choice of a name. “Why Balto, Monty?”

“My father-in-law’s name was Baltic,” Monty replied, still with the scent of salt tears surrounding his cheeks. “It’s only proper that I remember my mate’s family by naming my son after her father. Besides,” he paused, looking lovingly at the now-sleeping child that snuggled up against his front legs and paws. “I think my darling would be proud to know that her son is worthy of such a noble name.” 

“Hmm,” The gray-white female lowered her eyelids halfway, intrigued by her Alpha’s devotion and love for his motherless pup. “I know she would be proud of you, Monty.” She gave him a sign of affection by stroking her nose against his neck. “I can tell you that I am proud of you, and I’m sure that little Balto will make you proud within the next year or two.”

Monty felt at peace now as he returned the kind gesture to the helpful she-wolf; he no longer felt so saddened about his mate’s sudden death because now he had a child to remember her by, a child to raise in the traditions of the Montague Clan. 

Oh, my son, Monty spoke in his mind, still looking at the sleeping form of his wolf-born son. My Balto, your mother didn’t mean to leave you alone. I’m here, I’ll always be here to love you and raise you to become the Alpha you are meant to be. I’m sure that with you to lead us, those Capulet huskies won’t stand a chance against your strength!

= = = = = = = = = = 

Two years have passed since their birth,

O’er twenty-four moons they’ve been on the earth;

Yet the winds are slowly about to change course

For nothing halts the pull of true love’s force.

(Prologue – completed 7/31/07)