Onyx! You always have a choice,” her inner thoughts battled. “Do you want to surprise him or not?”She took a step forward without another thought. It was followed by several other steps, and her confidence returned to her. She held her head up high with pride that she conquered the forbidden alley that none other had the guts to cross. About half way through it, a voice stopped her.

“What are you doing here?” the voice snapped.

Onyx halted and looked behind her. Steele had seemed to come out of nowhere. He blocked her way out of the alley, almost as if he had no intentions to let her out.

“What do you want?” she said in a flat tone.

“Only a moment of your time.”

“What for?”

“Is that a question you want me to answer?”

“Maybe not.” She glanced behind her, the way out. It was sealed by a high pile of trash dumpsters, impossible to escape. “Why are you here in this alley. Don't you know that it's practically forbidden?”

“Well, no one would bite me for coming in here.”

“I'm afraid I don't understand what you mean,” she replied.

“Did Balto never tell you about this alley?”

“He said that it was forbidden. And that is that.”

“But there's a reason that nobody comes in here.” He could tell by the puzzled expression on Onyx's face that she did not get his grasp. “It's very simple. A wolf hybrid came to Nome one night in search of a home. She came to me searching for a way to fit in, and I told her how. By working for me, I assured her a place in society.”

“How is this relevant to...”

“I'm getting there! Anyway, we fell in love. Well, I thought she was in love with me, but she went after Balto. She was already expecting pups, but she went with him anyway.”

Onyx began connecting the dots. He wasn't talking about her mother, was he?

“So, you had a lot of girlfriends?”

“Well, yes, that's true, but she had become my mate.”

Onyx's face began to sweat. She quickly glanced at the the pile of junk blocking her path. A huge leap might get her onto a trash can leading to almost a “stairway” of junk over the pile.

“Jenna found out about the thing going on between her and Balto. It wasn't becoming, of course. I might as well let on. It's your mother I am talking about.”

“That much I figured,” Onyx answered harshly.

“After she had you pups, Jenna became so angry...she thought that you and your brothers were Balto's pups. She killed your mother right then and there, right in this alley, actually. To avenge my mate, I attempted to go after Jenna, but Balto spread a rumor and got all the dogs of Nome on his side. After all, I wasn't so popular after the incident with the diphtheria epidemic. They exiled me from Nome for two years, telling me if I came back, they would kill me.”

Onyx felt her face burn up. She came close to tears. “Why hadn't I heard it that way before?! Balto said that my mother died in childbirth!” She spoke through her clenched teeth.

“Well, he had to say something to get you to believe him. That was close enough to the truth.”

“Close to the truth?!”

“Onyx, I...” Steele began and he started to close in on her.

“Get away from me!” she screamed as she broke for the trash can. With a powerful leap, she landed on the silver can and climbed over the pile of junk. Steele followed after her with no problem.

Landing hard on the snow in front of Balto and Jenna, Onyx went ballistic.

“You!” she cried, real tears streaming down her face. “How could you! Both of you! I thought we were a family!” Bursting into sobs, Onyx ran to the edge of town, leaving Balto and Jenna clueless.

“What's wrong with her?” wondered Balto aloud.

“I don't know, but we've got to stop her,” answered Jenna.

“Why?”

“There's a warning about thick snowbanks over on the west side of town!”

“We've got to follow her!”

They took off after Onyx just as Steele fell from the pile of junk behind them that closed off the alley. He stared in shock.

“Oh no, if they catch Onyx, she'll explain the entire thing to them!” he exclaimed, following them.

Onyx was crying so hard, she could barely see where she was going. The world around her was a blinding blur of white. She lessened her pace, unaware that she was being followed by fast perusers. She looked back at the lonely town of Nome, getting smaller and smaller as each step took her farther away. Then, the ground under the extended fore paw that held all her weight gave way from underneath her. Slipping into a deep hole with freezing melting snow made her panic.

“Maverick!” she cried out, but there was not a sound after that.

“She's over here! I saw her!” called Balto to Jenna. They ran to the snowdrifts, yet were unaware of where she was. There was no cry for help or any other obvious signs that she was alive. Jenna burst into tears.

“My baby! I've lost two daughters in the same week! What do I do now?”

Balto's head dropped between his front paws as he mourned for the pup he loved most. As his ears came closer to the snow, he detected a very faint sound. It sounded like Onyx crying.

“Jenna! Do you hear that?!” he shouted.

“Hear what?” she wailed.

“I think I hear Onyx!” He placed his ear on the snow, unaware of the bitter cold that bit into it. “She's somewhere over here!” His feet almost displaced more snow as he found the hole that she had sunk into. In a dark hole about five feet deep, collecting with ice water, Onyx sat whimpering like a lost puppy.

“Hey, what are you doing down here?” asked Balto with a triumphant laugh.

“Balto!” shouted Onyx. “I don't want your help! Get out of here!”

“You'll freeze to death, baby.”

“Then so be it! Why should you care?! You're the reason I've been isolated so long!”

Balto looked puzzled, then returned to Jenna.

“I can't get her out alone. I have to leave to get Maverick. You stay by her and keep her company. I'll be back as soon as I can!”

“I'll try my best.”

Jenna gracefully made her way to the pit where Onyx sat. More water filled in around Onyx's feet from underground. At this point, she was too cold to think about crying.

“Onyx,” began Jenna. “It's all right, sweety. Balto just went to get Maverick. They'll be along shortly. Don't worry about a thing. Just hold on.”

“Leave me alone, you traitor!” Onyx growled.

“Onyx, I don't know what you mean. I'm trying to help you.”

“Why? If you wanted to help me, why did you kill my mother?!”

Jenna sat up, flustered just as Steele joined the party. He was panting so hard, he could see his breath in the air.

“Onyx? Where is she?” he asked through pants.

“In the...pit,” said Jenna softly, still in a daze.

Steele carefully crawled to the place where Jenna sat in front of Onyx. The water was up to her ankles, but she made no hint that she was the least bit concerned.

“Onyx, I'm going to get you out. Just hold on!” explained Steele.

“Leave me alone! You're good at that!” she snapped.

“Onyx, try to climb out so I can grab you,” he ordered.

She made it to her frozen feet and attempted to climb out of the pit, but her numb limbs wouldn't allow her. She fell back in the deep puddle with a splash. Steele fought for another plan.

“Onyx, if you can make it half-way up, I can grab you.”

“I can't! Just leave me alone!”

Jenna looked over her shoulder. Maverick and Balto were nowhere in sight. Steele thought quickly.

“Jenna, give me your scarf!”She threw it off and gave it to Steele. He grabbed it and threw half down to Onyx, while keeping a paw on his end. “Onyx grab on!” She bit her end, but lost grip and slip back down, almost too cold to try again.

“I can't do it.”

“Onyx come on! I promise, I'll stay right here.”She looked up at him. His eyes pleaded with her. “Onyx, I won't leave.”

These were the words of gold. Onyx grabbed the scarf in her teeth and made a death lock. Nothing could pry open her jaws. Pulling with all his sled dog might, Steele lifted Onyx out of the pit just as Balto and Maverick arrived.

“Onyx! You're all right! I was so worried about you!” said Maverick, licking her face.

“I'm fine,” she said dryly.

“Thanks to Steele,” included Jenna.

“Thank you,” Onyx muttered.

“No trouble at all,” Steele gleamed.

Balto made his way over to Onyx. “I'm so glad you're okay.”

“You liar! Did you also care about me so when you ordered my dad to leave Nome? And, Jenna, were you really concerned about my growing up when you killed my mother? Thanks guys! Yeah, you're really pals! Next time I need a job done, I'll call you!”

“What on earth are you talking about?” asked Balto.

“As if you didn't know! Well, I had a little chat with my real father today. He explained everything!”

Steele's face turned red. He stepped back a little as Balto looked his way.

“Oh, so that's what's going on around here,” he said with a nod. “Is there something you'd like the say, Steele?”

“Okay, I admit. I lied about you guys. I wanted...Onyx to care for me in the way that she cares for you. She treats you guys like her real parents, and as far and I go, you are. I'm sorry.”

“You led me to believe that Balto and Jenna where behind me being an orphan?!” stormed Onyx. “How dare you?!”

“Look, I know you're upset. All I can say is I'm sorry. I've been a rotten father.”

Onyx turned to Balto and Jenna. “I'm so sorry, guys. Forgive me?”

“Of course we do,” replied Jenna.

Onyx felt relieved. She sighed in satisfaction and turned back to face Steele. To her surprise, he was no longer there and there was not a trace that he ever was.

“Where did he go?”

Maverick walked beside her and nuzzled her. “Oh my gosh! You're freezing cold. We've got to get you inside!”

“No really, Maverick. I'm no special case. I just...”

But before she could finish, Maverick had her walking to the shack that served as her cozy home. Jenna wrapped her bandanna around her and Balto walked on the opposite side of her to keep her warm. They reached the shack in no time, but to Onyx, it was the second longest trip there. Balto, Maverick, and Jenna insisted that she should be wrapped up in blankets, which