breathe for me? Smile at me! Let me hear your heart beating next to mine! I’d easily give my own life just to bring you back to us . . . He began to murmur aloud, easily catching Balto’s attention with his furiously sorrowed tone. “I just don’t know if I’ll ever be able to live another day without feeling your warm, glowing face beside me . . . I’d rather join you in death than see a world with you no longer in it . . .”

 

Balto could understand his friend’s sorrow quite well. A couple of times before, he felt that Jenna was out of his life forever. She had been hurt many times, injured to the point of being serious, and stubbornly traveled great distances that made Balto nervous and worried about her safety, but the first major time that they were ever separated when she thought that he had been unfaithful to their life-long vow of being mates. Blaize and Jadze were only pups then – just born actually. . . My God, has it been that long? The hybrid sighed at the memory of his third litter, most mainly about the daughter that was lost far too soon. I knew that one day she would realize that I would never cheat on her . . . I loved her far too much to ever do such a horrible thing . . .

 

Then there was the time when Jenna was used as a sacrifice to summon Shade back into the material plane after the events involving Dash’s son Talkeet and the war between the Talbourne and Uniea Clans. Gareth used her . . . it was horrible to even watch him do such a thing . . . I thought . . . I thought she was gone for good . . . but she came back to me . . . But the Jenna that he had loved was dead – this new Jenna’s memory was nothing more than a clean slate and the real Jenna was nothing more than a body-less soul in a strange island-like Purgatory, captured by his dead arch-enemy Steele who had somehow fled from Shade’s reign in Hell. That was the hardest journey I had ever done . . . I had to watch Jenna die, live with a Jenna that didn’t even know me, . . . I was about to kill her with my own jaws once . . . and even after telling myself that I couldn’t do it, I still had to see her die again, . . . but by Aniu’s grace and blessing, my Jenna returned to me . . .

 

And then there was the recent events of only weeks ago – Jenna was accused of attempted murder and sentenced to banishment from Nome . . . forever. I . . . I hoped that there would be another way . . . I can’t even believe that Jen would try to kill anyone, even if it was Drake’s son Jason . . . but I guess that was her anger over losing Everest again. Of course, Everest was alive and well – she wouldn’t learn this until it was far too late – but only the Keeper of the Law could reverse the sentence. Somehow, Drake’s untimely death led to Blaize becoming Nome’s new Keeper, and with Drake’s widow, Gemini’s, permission, Jenna was able to be pardoned for her crimes and allowed to return home. I was so glad to know that things were able to work out eventually, but I never expected she would accept the wild like she did . . .

 

After almost two months in the wild, she had learned to be as rugged as a wolf when he found her once more, but an unfamiliar male wolf was close in her company . . . and her signature bandanna was missing from her neck. It was like . . . like she had accepted her new fate . . . I thought she had forgotten all about me . . . and yet again, just like always, Jenna returned to me . . . He couldn’t help but cry at that; it had only happened a few weeks ago, and the pain and joy of those weeks away from the red and white husky remained fresh in his mind.

 

I never want to lose her again, he said to himself. So I know how Shadow feels . . . I’ve seen his love for Aleu for years, and I know he would have protected her from death itself if he could . . . but it was out of his paws . . . Balto let out a sigh, moving slowly towards the grieving red wolf. You know, Fate really does suck sometimes . . . I hate losing the ones I love, but sometimes that’s just the way life goes, I guess . . .

 

“Shadow . . .” the hybrid began to say something, but a couple of wolves let out a loud gasp of shock as they stood in front of the former Alpha’s body.

 

“Saba! Shadow! Someone!” A gray and white she-wolf shrieked in panic and disbelief. “Come quick!”

 

Without knowing exactly what was going on, the forms of the red wolf, the hybrid, and the white Alpha leapt to where the two wolves were standing. Balto, Jenna and Melody also stepped up while Timbre stood near Aleu’s three children as if they were still under a year old – one may think that he wanted them to let the older ones to handle this business, thinking that Lima, Sheik and Thunder would only be in the way.

 

“What is it?” Saba asked. “What’s going on here?”

 

“I saw it! I saw a twitch!” The other wolf, a brown and black-marked male, was the one to respond. “I know this sounds completely strange, but I know what we saw!”

 

This time, the female concluded. “I saw her breathing! She’s alive . . . see for yourself!”

 

The Alpha was about to scold and punish the wolves with a growl for even having the nerve to say such things about her dead sister during this period of mourning, but she looked at her body and saw it as clear as day – Aleu’s chest was slightly moving up and down, up and down . . . She was breathing!

 

Saba had tears streaming down her face. “ . . . good choice, Sis . . .” She murmured amidst her joyful weeping.

 

“Aleu?” Shadow sniffled, pricking his ears up at what the she-wolf had said to them. “Aleu? Could it be . . .?” He moved past Saba, excusing himself on the way, and leaned over the light gray-brown quarter-wolf. Indeed, she was breathing and he lowered an ear down to her chest and gasped – he could hear her heartbeat! It was strong and steady, just the way it should be. Suddenly a smile and tears of joy were on the red wolf’s face. “She’s alive! Aleu’s alive!” He let out a loud howl, much to the happiness of his children.

 

“Mommy! Mommy!” the trio of wolf children ran to their father’s side, passing by Timbre’s brown form without hesitation.

 

Slowly, Aleu’s eyes began to flutter open, revealing those blue and gold eyes that Shadow loved so dearly towards him. “Shadow . . .?” she moaned lightly, still trying to recover from her status of rigor mortis. “Aniu . . . She . . . I’m back again . . .” A smile covered her face as she let out a light chuckle, much to the elation of her parents, family and friends.

 

 

 

“Are you sure you can do this, Aniu?” Alai asked. His expression was only a bit worried, but he knew that his idea, if it worked, would make his beloved Aleu happy for the rest of her life. “Is it even possible?”

 

The white wolf did not hesitate for a second, speaking in her usual calming warmth of a maternal tone. “I can do such a thing, my child . . . and I know that this is usually frowned upon, but I feel necessary to fulfill your wish.”

 

“Nothing will backfire, right? You won’t exhaust your powers?” The red wolf was indeed confident in Aniu’s powers, but his idea made him a bit nervous at the last minute. He didn’t want anything bad to happen to the great Wolf Spirit, and she knew that he was only worried about her safety.

 

“Oh, you shan’t worry about a thing, Alai,” Aniu reassured her most trusted servant. “If you care so much for Aleu, you shouldn’t need to worry about my abilities – I do possess the power to give life, as well as to take it away after all. Besides, your love and devotion for her will only strengthen what I am about to do.”

 

Alai’s anxiety quickly switched to a smile of relief. “Well, I do love her . . . and I only want her to enjoy what awaits the rest of her life.”

 

“I cannot reveal what awaits her, Alai, but rest assured, she will still face many challenges and battles. Remember, all things happen for a reason and an ultimate purpose, my child,” the white lupine murmured as a bright aura of sky-blue shone around her. Her thin eyes were golden once more as she summoned her energy to fulfill Alai’s request. This is meant to happen, after all, she added without Alai’s knowledge.

 

“Yes, Aniu,” Alai replied respectfully, despite the fact that she was more focused on her energizing power. “I have never forgotten that.”

 

At the same time, the red wolf peered into the image on the cavern wall. Aleu was alive and well, much to the surprise of her friends, family and pack-mates. He smiled at the sight – he was glad to know that Aleu was happy to return, but he also knew that what he wished for would only make things better.

 

Oh, Aleu, Alai thought to himself as he watched Aniu’s mystical force do his will. I know that this will make your remaining days a joy . . . He closed his eyes, squeezing tears of joy from his eyes. With Aniu’s help, all of my love for you will only allow my wish to come true . . .

 

 

 

In the presence of her family and friends, Aleu was glad to be back. She could feel the warm furs of her family, her mother and father, her closest and dearest friends . . . everyone. It took her a while to recover the strength to lift herself up to a more comfortable position, but everyone else was just grateful that the Great Aniu allowed her to return, even when she was no longer Alpha of the Talbourne.

 

“It’s a miracle . . .” Balto murmured beside the red form of Shadow.

 

“I’m just relieved that I’ll be able to see her beside me again,” the red wolf responded in smiles and tears as he nuzzled his beloved happily.

 

“Aleu, are you all right?” Jenna got the first question. Naturally she was worried about her daughter as she gave birth earlier, so

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