just move on.” She paused and swallowed hard as she recalled that night in the boiler room. “He wanted to start right where we left off, but I was so tired, I…I don’t even know what I said.”

Balto frowned and laid down beside her.

“The more I hear about this,” he said, “the more it sounds like he played you for a fool. You say you don't remember anything?"

"I was exhausted, we'd been running all day; racing, just like old times," she replied. "We just stopped at the boiler room to warm up before I went home. I don't remember what I said, but.." She gave a start. "I fell asleep," she whispered. "I fell asleep watching the fire."

"You fell asleep?" Balto asked, astonished.

Jenna nodded, and suddenly Balto could see her expression changing as she realized what he could already see. He moved closer.

"Jenna, even based on what you just told me, I don't think you cheated on me." He lowered his voice. "I think your friend Kale just...well..."

Jenna recoiled a bit from the shock, but suddenly she began to cry again. The toil of her journey and all the stress and anguish she'd bottled up were finally taking their toll on her. Unable to see her like this, Balto put one paw over her and held her close.

 Wanting desperately to calm her, he looked at the pups.

“Well, I did think of a few names. Which ones are male?”

Jenna stopped sobbing and looked at him in disbelief, but one look back from Balto told her that he was serious. He smiled reassuringly, and she couldn't help but smile back.

“The red one on the left and the black one.”

“How do Jake and Lyle sound?”

“They’re perfect names, Balto.” The two sat in uneasy silence for a moment, and then Balto spoke.

“As soon as you’re ready, we’ll take them home, Jen.” Jenna looked at him in disbelief again. Balto smiled. “I still love you, Jenna.”

“I love you too, Balto. I love you so much!” Balto leaned closer and nuzzled her, and Jenna nuzzled him back as joyful tears filled her eyes.

“What should we call her?” Jenna looked at the red female.

Chapter Five

Meanwhile in Nome, Kodi padded down main street and watched as the humans shoveled the snow away. Just yesterday, the string of storms that had kept everyone indoors for weeks had finally passed them by. Maybe now, he thought, Dusty and I can teach the pups to walk. Kodi smiled as he walked toward the boiler room, but one look at it brought memories. A few days after both of his parents had disappeared into the forest, he and Doc had run into Kale and interrogated him, but because Jenna was not there they had to let him leave with his sled team. We never should have let him go, he thought, **** you, Kale!  

Suddenly, he imagined he heard a wolf howl. He turned, half expecting to see his father on the hill outside of town. He did, and his mother was right beside him. At first, he wasn’t sure whether to be angry or glad. Balto could have made up with Jenna, but he could also be bringing her back to Nome for a trial. Kodi dashed out to meet them and saw that each carried a pup in their mouths and his father also carried one on his back.

“You…you forgave her?” he asked Balto in disbelief.

“A wise pup once told me that there is power in forgiveness,” Balto replied, smiling at Kodi, “Besides, she’s still your mother.” Kodi nodded and followed his parents into Jenna’s home. She lay down, exhausted, on her pillow in the kitchen and let the pups suckle while she drifted off to sleep. Balto motioned to Kodi that he wanted to talk outside and both stepped back out into the cool Artic air.

“I still don’t believe you forgave her!” Kodi said as soon as they were outside.

Balto's face became deadly serious.

“It took some convincing, but I think that Kale might have just..taken what he wanted."

Kodi's expression changed as what his father had said set in. 

"You see? I'll let your mother explain later," he said. "Now where is Kale? I’ve got a couple questions for him.”

“He left for Fairbanks almost four weeks ago. He won’t be coming back.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure. Jenna has his pups. He’s bound to stop by and check on them at least. That’s when I plan to have a little chat with him.”

“Well, as long as you’re here we should clear this whole thing up with Doc,” Kodi said. "I mean, mom's innocent, isn't she?"

Balto nodded and the two padded back toward the boiler room.

A few minutes later, Jenna woke to paws clicking on the floor. She opened her eyes slightly and gasped.

“Kale?” She stood up and looked at him as he walked closer.

“Hey, Jen.”

“Kale, call me Jenna.”

“Right…Jenna.”

“What are you doing here?”

“My musher had a change of plans.” Jenna noticed part of the sled traces had been chewed off, but were still connected to his collar. She frowned.

“You’re lying, Kale.”

“I just came to see our pups.”

“Your pups!" Jenna cried. "Kale, you lied to me! I remember it now; I told you that I had a mate, and I said no!”  She took a few steps toward him, her eyes burning, and he staggered back hastily. "And when I fell asleep, you...you just took what you wanted, didn't you?" Kale said nothing. "And when I woke up, you made me believe that I'd done it of my own free will!"

Kale began circling her.

“So you found out? Who cares?" He leaned closer. "Do you think that mate of yours really believes you?” Jenna pushed him away. "You can still come with me..." he taunted.

“You're sick to think I'll leave Balto. As much as I loved you back in Applegate, things are different now. You're different now. ” She gave him an angry look. “I still have a mate, and we've already had a litter of pups. And we were going to have a second, but now we’re raising your pups. You’re lucky Balto didn’t kill them. That’s not uncommon in wolf culture if the mother committed adultery to have them.”

“Jen-”

“Stop calling me that! Kale, you nearly ruined my life, and I ought to turn you over to Doc, but this is your one chance to leave me and never come back. Think what you want, but after what you did, I'll never love you again.” Jenna looked away, and behind her Kale growled,

“You’re going to wish you hadn’t said that.” Before Jenna could do anything, he leapt on her and brought her crashing to the floor. Pressing her muzzle into the wood, he lay on top of her and whispered menacingly, “So, you’re just going to forget about me and stay with your wolf-dog mate, huh? Well, maybe a second litter with me will change your mind!” He rolled her over and stood over her. As soon as he released her muzzle, Jenna screamed at the top of her lungs.

“Someone, help!”

Kale slapped her hard across the face, leaving a deep, four claw cut. Jenna put a paw over the wound and looked back at Kale in shock.

“How do you like that?” he snarled. Jenna tried to crawl away, but Kale put his paws on her shoulders, and his claws dug into her flesh.

“Kale, stop! You’re hurting me!”

“Oh,” he replied sarcastically, “did that hurt? How about this?” He sank his teeth into one of her front paws. Jenna really screamed then. “We can still make this work, Jenna. I know a place we can go where no one will ever find us.” A stream of tears and blood streamed down her face, but Jenna managed to growl,

“I’m not yours, Kale, and I never will be.”

That was it. Kale hit her so hard that she was sent flying into the kitchen table. One of the legs snapped and the table came down on top of her. Jenna tried to get up, but her body seemed to be giving up. She could barely feel her legs, and her vision was beginning to swirl, but she could still see Kale walking towards her, laughing.

“If I can’t have you, then no one will!” Jenna tried once more to stand, but the weight of the oak table was too much. She collapsed on her side and looked up again. Kale stood above her, his teeth bared. Jenna closed her eyes as he leaned down to end her life.

Suddenly, she heard what might have been a growl, but what sounded more like a roar. Kale cried out in surprise and Jenna opened her eyes again. It was Balto. Kale was on the ground and already bleeding from several wounds. Balto stood over the black husky and continued to maul him until Kodi arrived with Kaltag and Nikki. Kodi tried to pull Balto off of Kale with little success.

“Dad, its over, let him up!”

“Mercy! Mercy!” Kale cried. Balto didn’t listen.

“So you wanted to kill her, huh?” he screamed, “Because she wouldn’t leave me for you, right?” Kaltag and Kodi finally dragged him away from Kale, but even so they had to hold him back while Nikki escorted him to the boiler room for trial. As soon as Kale and Nikki had left, though, Balto ran back into the kitchen and skidded to a halt in front of what remained of the oak table. “Oh God... Kaltag!” The tan husky was beside him in an instant. Balto pushed the table off Jenna’s back and nuzzled her. After a moment, her eyes opened and she smiled weakly.

“Balto…”

“Oh, thank God! I thought you were dead.”

“I would be if you hadn’t shown up when you did,” Jenna replied faintly as she struggled to stand. She nearly collapsed again, but Balto helped her up and said,

“Come on, we better get you to the doc. That leg doesn’t look so good.”

* * *

Two weeks later, Jenna got up from her bed and let the pups sleep. When she put her