as soon as I can. Russell says this is the last trip for a while.”

“That’s what you said last time,” Jenna sighed and turned away, “Go ahead. Go find Russell. I know you love being up there.” Balto walked up beside her.

“Not as much as I love you, Jen.” Jenna looked at him. “As soon as I get back, you and I are going on a little vacation.” Jenna gave him a questioning look.

“Please Balto, a vacation?”

“I’m serious. We haven’t had much time together. We’ll go spend some time alone somewhere private. Like my place.”

“Balto, what about Boris?

“Good point.” He thought for a moment. “Why don’t we go back to that one clearing in woods…?” Jenna blushed.

“Don’t tell me…”

“Hey, I just heard you talking to Krystal. She’s having her second litter…” He paused, and said hesitantly, “…and I guess you want another, too?” Jenna smiled and her cheeks matched her brick red fur. She nodded.

“Well, yeah, I mean, I just loved the old days; when we woke to the sound of little paws on the wood floor, teaching them how to walk, and then introducing them to their father’s big wolf friends.”

“Your wish is my command, my lady.” Balto kissed her on the cheek. “Bye, Jenna. I’ll be back in two days, three tops. Then, you and I can spend the whole day together if you want.”

“That would be great.” Jenna flashed him a smile and kissed him once on the cheek. “Alright, lover boy, I’ll see you when you get home.” Balto nodded and turned to leave. “And Balto…” He turned around. “Be careful, dear. I’ll be waiting.” He nuzzled her and then trotted down the street towards Russell’s house. Jenna watched him go and smiled. With that, she padded back to her home and crawled through the doggy door into the kitchen. Finding a fire in the living room fireplace, she curled up on the bed she shared with Balto and fell asleep.

The next day, Jenna was walking down main street toward the boiler room; a special meeting had been called. As she walked, she thought of Balto, and how she would spend her day with him when he got home. When she entered the boiler room, though, she stopped abruptly, her eyes resting on a black husky with a sled dog collar around his neck.

“Kale?” she said in disbelief. The black husky’s head snapped in her direction and he gasped.

“Jenna? Is that you?” He walked over to her.

“I don’t believe this, when did you get in?” Jenna replied.

“Just a little while ago. My gosh, you’ve grown.”

“So have you. And I see you’re a sled dog now.”

“For almost a year,” Kale replied proudly, “My musher says I’d make a great lead dog.”

“I believe it.”

“Hey Jen, would you like to go some place and talk?”

“Sure. It’s been so long. You’ve got to tell me about Applegate. Has anything changed?” Jenna and Kale padded out of the boiler room and down main street.

“Not much has changed…except that you’re not there anymore. I really missed you.”

“I-I did too, Kale, but there’s something I really need to-”

“Hey Jenna, why don’t you show me around Nome?” Kale interrupted, cutting Jenna off.
 
“Well, you’ve already met Doc, right?”

“The St. Bernard? Yep.”

“Well then, I’ll show you my house.” She led Kale up to her small wooden home on the edge of town and stepped through the doggy door in the kitchen. Kale followed her.

“Wow,” he said, “Nice place you got here.”

“Thanks. Rosie and her family are at a friend’s house, I guess, so we can just talk here.” Jenna lay down by the fireplace and Kale did the same. As they lay facing each other, Kale smiled and they began to chat about Fairbanks and the good old times…

* * *

Jenna sighed and thought, that night we went back to the boiler room… He just wanted to talk; at least that’s what he said… She suddenly felt queasy and bowed her head, expecting to throw up again, but then she realized that it was more pain in her stomach than queasiness. She felt movement within herself and shuddered. A tear came to her eye as she thought, Even if Balto does forgive me, I’ll still be having Kale’s pups!! Oh, what will Balto say? What will he DO? She shook her head and took a deep breath. No, he wouldn’t hurt me…would he?

Just then, Jenna heard rustling in the bushes, and a tan wolf stepped into view, his eyes trained on her.

“Who are you?” he growled. Jenna felt her heart pounding in her chest as she stared fearfully back at this new aggressor. His muscular shoulders and legs proved that he was very fast. He could catch her easily if she tried to run. And his teeth, bared and quite visible, glinted in the sun. He could tear her to pieces if he wanted to. Trying her best to hide the fear in her quivering voice, she said,

“J-Jenna. Please don’t hurt me. If I’m on your land, I’m very sorry. I don’t mean any harm.”

“Hurt you?” the wolf replied, “Hurt you?” He threw back his head and laughed. “Why would I harm a pretty girl like you?” He stepped closer, and though every nerve in her body screamed at her to run, Jenna’s paws seemed stuck in their spots. The tan wolf put a paw on her shoulder.

“I-If you’ll let me, I’ll gladly leave,” Jenna said. Suddenly, a howl from not too far off sounded through the forest. The tan wolf listened intently and shook his head.

“Sorry, I got orders to bring you back to the den. Come on.” Jenna hesitated, but another tan wolf appeared beside her and the two marched her away into the underbrush. As she walked timidly between the two strong wolves, Jenna did her best to calm her panicking mind. Calm down, they’re not threatening you, you’re alright for now. She glanced at the wolf who had first confronted her. And even if things go bad, I might have one friend…     

Chapter Four

“You stay in here until we say otherwise,” the second tan wolf pointed into a small den dug into the side of a hill. Jenna padded in and laid down facing the entrance. To her surprise, the tan wolf walked away!

A few minutes later, still no one had come to even see if she was still there. Deciding that this might be here only chance at escape, Jenna stood and started to walk out. Before she took ten steps, however, she was seized by a sudden pain in her stomach. At first, Jenna tried to ignore it, but the pain intensified, forcing her to lie down again. Just then, the first tan wolf, the one who had confronted her first, padded up with what looked like part of an animal’s side. Jenna looked up at him questioningly. He smiled.

“Even though you are a stranger, you are still a guest on our land and are to be treated as one.” Jenna looked at the steaming meat. Despite its questionable appearance, the scent made Jenna’s mouth water. She took a bite and found it delicious.

“Thank you,” she said.

“I knew you’d be hungry at this point in your preg…” He trailed off, but Jenna, too occupied with eating, didn’t notice. “I’m glad you like the caribou, Jenna,” said the tan wolf. At this, Jenna’s ears shot forward and she quickly looked up, but he was already gone. Jenna shook her head, wondering if she’d been dreaming. No, she thought, he did say my name! But how did he know it in the first place?

After a short while, Jenna was brought before a group nine of wolves. Judging by the scars on some of their faces, Jenna guessed that they were the pack elders. The two tan wolves sat down on either side of her, and eight of the ‘elders’ sat down as well, four on either side of a old gray male, who remained standing. He walked forward and sent Jenna’s two guards away. As soon as they had left, the gray elder circled her, eyeing her posture, how she spread her legs in standing and how she held her tail. He stopped and addressed her.

“Odd, I would have thought the naghu used the same dominance order as we do.”

“If you mean the sled dogs, your grace, we have little need of a dominance order among ourselves.” The gray elder laughed softly.

“Call me Garth. I suppose the humans are your alphas?”

“Yes. Our humans are the alphas of teams as well as individuals. We do investigate crimes and punish our criminals in our own way, but other than that I suppose we depend on our humans.”

“Your humans?”

“Well, yes, most of us were adopted and cared for by humans our whole lives… Except…”

“Except your mate,” the gray elder finished. Jenna looked up in surprise.

“How did you…?”

“I see you bear children,” he said, nodding at Jenna’s growing belly, “Please, lie down, you must be tired.” Jenna gratefully sank to the ground. “Why are you so far from home? You should be with your humans, resting.” Jenna’s eyes hit the ground.

“I, er, have to find my mate.”

“Find him? Why would a father leave his mate so close to birth?” He noticed that Jenna was beginning to tear up. He thought for a moment and said quietly, “These are not his pups, are they?” Jenna slowly shook her head. Garth’s eyes narrowed and he sighed. He turned and walked over to the eight other elders and said something quietly to them. They nodded and formed a large circle around Jenna, who looked around at them warily. Just then, Garth spoke up again.

“Normally, the punishment for adultery is the gauntlet…”

Jenna gasped. She had witnessed the gauntlet once before, when Cloud Runner’s first mate had forsaken her love and ran off with an outsider. He had returned in the middle of the night in hopes that every one would be asleep. Instead, he was confronted by Cloud Runner and the rest of the pack, all wide awake and ready. Teary-eyed, Cloud Runner had asked him why he’d done it. Her mate had boldly and rudely snapped back at her that she was nothing compared to his new love. A bad mistake. Cloud Runner had then told the pack to prepare the gauntlet. They obeyed, standing on either side of him and forming a long, thin passage between their two lines. Though her mate had hesitated, Cloud Runner’s mind had been resolved and she pushed him between the first two wolves. Immediately, they had begun biting and clawing at him until he pressed forward. He had