those broken bottles have been used for, your mother’s idea was the darndest…and best.”

“Kaila?” Silver Arrow shuffled through the crowd to stand before her, keeping his eyes down and his tail tucked under him. “I need to talk to you.”

Kaila felt her insides freeze and then melt, sending icy shivers up her back. “Um…yeah. Sure.” As she walked away with him, she glanced over her shoulder to see everyone huddle around Lakota and Copper as they started to explain about Silver Arrow to Balto and Jenna.

Silver Arrow led her along the hill until her family was moving blurs of color in the distance. Kaila was a little uneasy about being this far away, but she wasn’t scared. She knew what he wanted to say.

Silver Arrow slowly swung around to see her face to face. His face was chalky white under his gray fur, and Kaila thought she could almost hear his pounding heart. “Kaila…I don’t really know how to say this. I…” Silver Arrow took a deep breath, and dove in. “I’ve loved you ever since I first saw you. I heard from one of the wolves that had conducted the ambush that there was a wolf-dog in the Anvil Creek pack. I was curious –you don’t see many wolf-dogs among wolves– so I snuck off by myself to see this for myself. And when I saw you…I thought you were the most amazing, most beautiful female I’d ever seen. And after you spoke to me, I thought you were the bravest canine I’d ever met. I wanted to know everything about you. That’s why I started asking all those questions. And I’ll never forget your response to them.” He turned to show her the dark slash across his cheek. She gasped softly, and had to restrain herself from reaching up and touching it. He grinned wryly. “Don’t worry about it. It will heal.”

“I’m…really sorry about that,” Kaila breathed, her pulse pumping fast and hard.

“There was one female in my pack I had thought about asking to be my mate,” he went on, “But she was nothing compared to you. At the battle I went up to you as quickly as I could so as you tried to fight me I could protect you. And when Steele was killing you, all I could think about was how you deserved life more than me. I had become a traitor to both sides.” Silver Arrow hung his head, but when he looked up again his golden eyes were shining with hope. “I would die for you, Kaila. I love you. All I need to know is if you…return my feelings.”

For a moment it was as if Kaila stepped outside her body and studied Silver Arrow with an artist’s eye. He was strong and firm in body, and his fur was lustrous and sleek, depicting him like the arrow of silver he was named for. His eyes were like two deep, yellow moons. He was honest. He was loyal to a fault. And he loved her.

Kaila came back into herself, and felt a canyon between the two halves of her heart. She knew she had thought he was handsome even in that split second before fear had kicked in when she had seen him for the first time. And that admiration had deepened.

‘Forgive me, Sirius,’ Kaila breathed silently, ‘But I love him back.’

“Silver Arrow.” Kaila gulped. “When you were living among the Anvil Creek pack, Sirius was the alpha male. You betrayed him when you revealed yourself as a spy for the Northern Hills pack. I stayed with the Anvil Creek pack for two days six months ago. Sirius was still the alpha male, and he became like a second father to me. He drowned on my second day with the pack.” Kaila swallowed again, trying to keep her mouth working. “If I tell you how I feel, I feel like I’m betraying Sirius, too. That’s why I hated you. You deceived him.”

Silver Arrow’s eyes sparkled even brighter. “So you love me?”

Kaila was silent.

“Kaila, I know what I did was wrong,” Silver Arrow told her, “Back then, I didn’t really think about what I was doing. I thought I was simply being loyal to my pack. I’m sorry I did it now, and if only I had stayed in the Anvil Creek pack I would have met you sooner. But I’ve changed, and if there is an afterlife Sirius should be able to see that. So do you love me?” His whole body was trembling. His eyes shone with wild anticipation.

Kaila looked at Silver Arrow, but she didn’t see him. She saw Sirius, smiling kindly, taking charge, frowning thoughtfully. Dying. His paw sliding beneath the ice. Forever.

Suddenly Silver Arrow’s face filled her vision, and Kaila knew he was right. Sirius had been a truly great wolf. He wouldn’t want her to throw away love because of him. Kaila stared up at Silver Arrow, her heart slowly filling up. “Yes,” she whispered, “I love you, Silver Arrow.”

A grin split Silver Arrow’s face from ear to ear, and he tipped his head back and howled with joyous abandon. The call resounded across the tundra.

Silver Arrow grabbed Kaila and clasped her to him and kissed her. Kaila jumped back, astonished.

Silver Arrow edged backwards, sweeping one paw over the wet grass in embarrassment. “S-sorry,” he stammered, “I guess I just got a little too…carried away.”

Kindling emotions rushed through Kaila’s blood. She vaguely knew that she was shaking. Her first kiss had been a little more frightening than she’d expected. And yet… “Th-that’s okay,” she stuttered back, “I kind of…kind of liked it.”

Silver Arrow looked at her. They exchanged small smiles.

Very slowly, almost reverently, Silver Arrow brought her to him and pressed his lips to hers. Kaila’s head whirled dizzily. She savored the taste he left on her mouth, and moved her head so their lips flowed into each other smoothly. They stayed so still they seemed to become a part of the landscape, afraid to break the moment, afraid to break away from each other.

Eventually Silver Arrow slid away, and brought his paw up to run it over the side of Kaila’s face. Kaila smiled at him, her eyes slits of pleasure. Without a word they turned and headed back towards the pack cave.

As they neared the cave, they saw the Anvil Creek pack and Kaila’s family had spread out from their small huddle, and Lakota stood to greet them as they padded over.

“Kaila, the Anvil Creek pack has decided something,” Lakota said, “Now that my mother, Aniu, is…dead, the pack needs a new alpha female. And we have chosen you.”

Kaila almost fell backwards with the shock. “Me? You chose me? Why me?” she babbled.

“Because you are strong enough to lead this pack,” Lakota explained, “You have recovered from being wounded by Steele, and you survived the battle with minor injuries. Sage received many injuries that have left her unable to be alpha. Sarai is too young. Cheyenne was our other candidate, but she adamantly said that she didn’t want to be alpha, and you are older and more experienced than her.”

Kaila’s mind spun. “But what about the alpha male, ‘just friend’?” she asked, subtly reminding him of their pact.

Lakota shook his head. “I won’t be alpha male anymore. I don’t know how long I’m going to have this limp…and anyway, it should be your choice as to who you want to be with as mates and parents.”

Mates and parents. The words ricocheted around Kaila’s brain. Judging by his expression, it had been hard for Lakota to get those words out. This was so unreal.

“But-but…but…” Kaila protested, but she couldn’t think of anything to say. Lakota was right on every case and point.

Kaila turned to face Silver Arrow. His eyes were wide with fear. Kaila could hardly believe it was her saying the words as she calmly said, “Then I choose Silver Arrow.”

Kaila heard a startled gasp from Cheyenne, and swung around to face her. “Will you be able to accept him as your leader?” She could only imagine Silver Arrow’s thoughts. They probably ran along the lines of: ‘They won’t accept me, they won’t accept me, Kaila, what have you done, they won’t accept me, they won’t accept me…’

“He’s a traitor to Sirius!” Cheyenne cried. Nilak nudged her. She looked at him. “What?” He gave her a cold, hard glare.

Cheyenne stared at him for a minute, and then looked away, muttering, “Fine. Fine! Have it your way…” She cleared her throat. “But it would be dishonoring our father to shun someone who obviously has changed so much.” She raised her eyebrows. “But I’m warning you, pal, this is your last chance!”

“From what I’ve heard, Silver Arrow sounds like a good mate for our daughter,” Balto said, and Jenna nodded.

“I’m…honored,” Silver Arrow said at last, nodding deeply to each pack member and then to Kaila’s parents. “I won’t take this chance for granted.”

Kaila breathed out a sigh of relief. Her future was bright, with Silver Arrow by her side.

Copper walked with Taya back to the edge of the battlefield.

“Well, your sister certainly has the good life,” Taya remarked, “Alpha female, a loyal pack, a mate who loves her…though I can’t believe she loves Silver Arrow!”

Copper shrugged. He understood his sister better than most, but even he had been caught off-guard when she had chosen the wolf she had only before referred to as the Traitor. “Well, it’s obvious he loves her. And I guess when she could stop hating him, she liked what she saw. That’s only a guess, but they seem like a good couple.”

Taya turned to face him. “So we’re a couple now, aren’t we?” she said a little shyly.

Copper looked at her. Ever since she had smashed her paw into Steele’s side, Taya had been different. The anger was gone from her. She held herself higher, prouder. It was as if a great burden she had been carrying for years had been lifted, and now she could feel proud of who she was. Copper saw the fire behind her blue eyes, but he knew it wasn’t anger; it was her sudden love for life and –could it be?– love for him.

“Yeah, I guess,” he said, grinning, “So does this mean I can tell you I love you without you knocking me flat?”

Taya laughed. “I’ll do better than that: I love you, Copper!” She leaned forward and kissed him quickly, and ducked her head as her face flushed a brilliant scarlet.

Copper stared at her open-mouthed. “Who are you, and what have you done with Taya?”

Taya smiled sheepishly. “I’m just happy.” She looked out at the spot where Steele’s