shallow pond and sent a spray of water flying everywhere. Smile still on my face, I pranced after him, ignoring the numbing affects of the water. We chased each other around until we were so tired and cold, we were ready to drop. But even when we headed back home, shivering, wet and happy, we didn’t drift far apart. We walked so close, our shoulders bumped the whole way back. As soon as the cave came into sight, I stopped. Mackenzie stopped too, quizzically looking over his shoulder.

“You know Jax and Aspenare mates now right?”

Mackenzie nodded and filled in the empty spaces.

            “So do you want to be mine?” he smiled.

I smiled widely and licked the end of Mackenzie’s nose again.

“I wouldn’t be happy unless I was” I replied sweetly. “Now let’s go into the cave before I lose whatever feeling I have left in my paws!”

With one last nuzzle, I led the way back into the cave and we went our separate ways. Jax was still awake when I lay down next to him again.

                        “That was a long time to just talk” Jax whispered playfully.

I shoved him playfully with a smile.

“We just went for a swim, that’s all!”

                        “No kidding, you’re getting me all wet!”

I set my head down on my paws and tried to fall asleep but my heart wouldn’t let me. Mackenzie must have had the same problem. His brown eyes met my brown ones and we exchanged smiles. He wagged his tail. I wagged mine. He rolled on his back. I wagged my tail harder and forced myself to stay where I was. He made a face. I had to smother a laugh. This was definitely going to change my life in this pack…

            After we had defeated the bear, the pack had grown more confident in themselves. Our bond was like a family bond now, and our fighting skills had reached their peak. Even Diego, the smallest of our pack, could put up a good fight. That’s why I decided it was time to find allies and build them up. That growing idea in the back of my head had exploded. Boss’s reign of terror needed to end. And since it was my father who should have been avenged, it was my duty to bring Boss down. So about a month and a half after the bear attack, I decided to send the pack on a hunt for packs that had a common goal… but what we ended up getting instead was far better then what I could have hoped for.

            Traveling with Skyler wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be. The first few days, I looked for every excuse to fight. After I had gotten over that, I revolted back to my old, shy, timid self again. Yet again, I flipped into a whole new personality I had never settled into before. Of course Skyler and I had our spats… a lot of spats, but we never got into a physical fight, and that was a huge accomplishment for me. We didn’t talk much and even when we did, it was because we were arguing. It was one hundred percent a hate- love, do or die relationship… but I found out I liked it better that way.

            Then one day, Skyler was trying to prove to me how he was faster and broke into a run. I gave him a few seconds head start, and then whipped after him. But we never finished our race… Skyler disappeared into a stand of trees and the vicious sounds of jaws snapping and snarls erupted. Heart racing and lungs pumping, I flew around the corner to aid my friend. Skyler was fighting a black wolf… but it wasn’t an ordinary wolf!

“Dakota!”

My brother stopped fighting immediately only to be plowed down by an angry Skyler. My brother took the hit and got to his feet, shaking himself off.

            “Would you knock it off?” Dakota said annoyed at Skyler, making Skyler furious that he wasn’t taken seriously.

                        “Sitka?”

My other old pack mates where all sitting around as if they were just watching the fight.

            “I don’t believe it!” Dakota exclaimed, wagging tail a blur. “We thought you were never coming back!”

All five came over and started to nuzzle me. I really had missed them. Then they all gave me space except for Dakota, who looked like he would never let me go again. Meanwhile, Skyler’s expression grew darker and darker. He didn’t like Dakota at all.

“Skyler, this is my pack!” I chirped. “This Dakota, Sasha, Tanner, Melora and Diego”

Skyler nodded as a greeting but didn’t utter a word. Dakota tensed up next to me. I bet he didn’t like Skyler either.

            “And who is this?” Dakota said, narrowing his eyes.

The rest of the pack, who seemed to be fiercely loyal to Dakota, trusted his judgment and threw Skyler glares.

“This is Skyler” I said quickly. “I wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for him”

Skyler’s grim expression softened and he managed a small smile. Dakota looked at me quizzically.

“A human took me!” I exclaimed. “I’ll tell you everything that happened!”

After explaining my adventure to Dakota and the pack, they started to understand everything that I had been through.

            I couldn’t think of a time that I had been happier! The sun warmed my fur and I watched a squirrel scramble across the ice. The worst part of winter was only almost over, but I felt all warm inside. Someone else inside me must have felt happy too because something in my stomach kicked. I let a smile spread across my face. Mackenzie saw me smile and sat up.

“They moved again!” I giggled.

Jax, who was playing with Aspena few feet away, stopped and came over. Aspen’s belly was as big as mine was… we were supposed to have pups around the same time! Jade, who was also close by, blinked. We were really close now, and even Ace had dropped all the stupid rules since he believed Jax and I were expecting. Even though spring was just around the corner, it seemed so far away. I couldn’t wait!

            Even though Sitka and Skyler had only been with us for a few weeks, they were acting strange. Sitka especially. In everything she did, she had to be the best. She intentionally stressed it over Sasha and made it a point to the poor wolf that she was in charge. Then one day, she went too far.

            I led the way down a trail, just on a regular check on the territory. Behind me, Sasha, Diego and Melora, Sitkaand Skyler walked silently and Diego was walking behind them. As he did before Sitka had run away, Diego started to play with Sitka’s tail. Diego nipped at Sitka’s tail but this time, before his teeth had even clamped down on her tail, Sitkawas snarling. I had never seen her like this before. In an instant she was attacking poor Diego! Not a second later, Skyler had joined in. Tanner and Sasha desperately tried to drag Sitkaoff while I tried to get a hold on Skyler. After everyone had been separated, we all sat still, panting and shaking. Most of us were shaking for different reasons. Mine was anger.

“What did you think you were doing?” I growled coldly, glaring at Sitka.

Sitka’s eyes widened, realizing what she had just done. She started to stutter but I cut her off and walked closer to her.

“What were you trying to prove, huh?”

Sitka lowered herself to the ground but I wasn’t going to let her off that easily.

“I can’t believe you’re related to me. Dad would have been disappointed”

Sitka’s eyes brimmed with tears, but she kept her eyes glued to the ground.

“That’s something Boss would do”

Sitka’s eyes flashed up at me in surprise, a tear trickling down her cheek. It was then that Skyler caught on.

            “You can’t talk to her that way!” he barked.

“You better watch it!” I snarled. “You’re worse then Boss. You’re lucky you’re still alive. You attacked a member of my pack. YOUR pack! That’s reason enough!”

Skyler kept his mouth shut, but his smoldering eyes stayed on me. I nodded and my pack got up to follow me. Sitkaand Skyler followed me too. I darted back and separated them from my pack.

“Get out of here. Now” I said quietly.

            “Dakota…I’m…”

“Go. Don’t come back. Ever”

Sitka muffled a sob and tears streamed down her cheeks. The tawny wolf next to her looked remorseful for a second, but his brown eyes flashed to me again.

                        “Let’s go then Sitka. We don’t need them”

Sitka, tail dragging on the ground, followed Skyler away, stopping