horrible . . . I nearly killed the poor kid, thinking that I should follow that voice lingering in my head and seek revenge for what Drake took from me . . . Because of my actions, I was put on trial and exiled forever, never to see my beloved again . . .

With Balto no longer by my side, who else could I turn to for help? I wasn’t about to risk losing my life in order to return to him . . . and the law was final, after all . . . I know it hurt Drake to order such a sentence, but what was done was done . . . there was nothing any of us could do to deny the evidence of my actions . . .  

But . . . but if it wasn’t for him, I would have been a goner, Jenna spoke to herself, nearly smiling at the memory of the dark gray and brown lupine with black markings that she had befriended while trying to catch a meal for herself. His kindness and skills as a wolf helped her improve on how to survive in the wild, and sooner or later, nature began to take its course . . .

I knew it was wrong – my heart still belonged and longed for Balto, but with my banishment from Nome, I knew that there was no way that our love could survive. Not even you could defy the highest laws of the town to bring me back, so I had to start life . . . and love anew . . . Her eyes gazed sadly at her bulging belly, gently feeling the fetal movements of her soon-to-be born pups inside her.

Oh, Dolo . . . I’m bearing your pups and I doubt you’ll ever be able to see them . . . You are a part of the wild forever – you’d never be accepted here in Nome . . . Tears dripped down from her nearly-closed eyes as she remembered that moment of passion, that night that she had let go of her past with Balto and grown to accept a new life. It was wonderful to think that she had fallen for another wolf despite her breeding, but the heartbreak of learning that Drake had been killed and thanks to her son Blaize, now the new Keeper of the Law, she was pardoned by Gemini, Drake’s widow, and able to return back to Nome. They fought worse than she could have ever remembered, and Jenna had defended her new mate. I love you both . . . both you and Balto . . . I didn’t know what to do, but it was you who saved my bandanna and told me that I belonged back with him . . . She closed her eyes again, smiling at the moment. You loved me so much that you were willing to let me go . . .

But I just hope that Balto can accept them and be a father-figure to our pups in your absence . . . 

She had stayed hidden within the house for weeks, trying to wait until after the pups were born before telling him of the truth, but oh, how Jenna yearned for Balto! I can’t keep this secret from him anymore, the husky decided that morning. I have to tell him today . . . and pray that things will work out . . .  

If he loves me enough, things will work out . . . I’m sure Aniu will make sure that everything will work out for us . . .

Suddenly, Jenna’s ears pricked up at the sound of her hybrid mate’s barking, signaling that he was there to check on her. She managed to smile slightly as she made her way to the doggie door that led to the backyard of the house. Ever since I’ve gotten back, he’s always been trying to check on me . . . making sure that I don’t ever leave him again . . . A soft chuckle slipped from her lips as she managed to stick her head out her door, seeing the wolf-dog in her amber sights. It’s not like I can leave freely right now . . . with pups in me that aren’t even Balto’s – oh, I couldn’t bear to show that to everyone! That would only lead to a complete scandal! She knew how her former friends in town would just spread the news like an uncontrollable wildfire, and Jenna feared that that would be the worst way for him to learn about her secret.

He was there, standing happily with a wagging tail and a look of love. “Oh, good morning, Jen,” Balto ran closer to where she remained. “I haven’t seen you out for many days.” He paused for a slight chuckle as his cheeks grew red. “I’ve . . . I’ve really missed seeing you.”

“I know, Balto. I . . . well, I haven’t been feeling well, that’s all,” Jenna tried to explain herself, remaining inside sans her head. “I . . . I didn’t want you to catch it either, so . . .”

“Oh, it’ll take more than a little sickness to stop me, my love,” he leaned over to nuzzle her, but Jenna’s face began to fall, her eyes squinting in pain as a gasp came out of her mouth.

“Oh!” Jenna shied back into the interior of the house, knowing what this feeling was. “Aaaagh!” Her breathing sped up rapidly as she fell onto the floor with her belly heaving.

“Jenna? Jen?” Balto, worried for his mate’s sake, leapt through the doggie door without hesitation or thought at what he was about to witness. “Are you al—” All of his words and thoughts vanished as he stopped and saw the unthinkable.

Jenna was laid out on the floor with her belly swollen to the brim. She was breathing rather steady now, but it was still heavy as her tail gently swished from side to side, but not too close to where new life was to begin. She gasped when she realized that Balto was there, but there was nothing left to explain now. Tears fell from her eyes, but she knew not even that, nor apologetic words or a fair explanation, could settle what was about to happen.

“Jen . . .” Balto slightly shook his head with disbelief. “Jenna, what the . . . what is this?”

About a three or four hour run away from Nome, a wolf’s cry could be heard. It was a signal, a howl of praise to start a new day. A brown-gray wolf emerged from a cavern near a flowing river, preparing to fetch some breakfast within the forest for his pack-mates. His expression was sad when his black-streaked muzzle lifted up towards the brightening morning sky, as if he were longing for something.

Jenna . . . A soft whine slipped from his mouth as he murmured the word in his mind.

“Are you still thinking about that she-dog, Dolo?” Another male voice caught him off-guard, making his back-fur bristle with surprise. He turned to see a tannish-gold lupine standing by the entrance.

“Oh, it’s just you, Connal,” Dolo’s ears lowered with relief. “Shouldn’t you be with Jade? She’s near expecting now, right?”

The proud soon-to-be father beamed embarrassingly, but was able to nod his head.  “Yeah, she is . . . but isn’t she close to birthing herself?” Connal had been trusted by the brown-gray with keeping his secret – he knew how close the husky and the wolf had grown once Dolo asked to care for her away from the main cave of the Lorelei Clan, his home. While Dolo had been tending to teaching and training Jenna, Connal had accepted the position of Alpha of the Lorelei Clan and instinctively prepared to keep his position by consummating with Jade, his white mate with fine peppered markings on her coat.

Dolo’s ears drooped along with his muzzle. “Yes, she is. I wish I could be with her now, especially with our pups on the way, but . . .”

“But she has him, you know,” Connal reminded his friend. “Balto’s her mate, not you, and there’s nothing you can do to change that, Dolo.”

“I know, I know,” the brown-gray began to pace about, almost agitated by the thought. “It was I who thought she should return to him, but deep down, I really wanted her to stay with me.” A soft whine sounded through his lips, one of sadness and regret. “Perhaps this is just Aniu’s will.”

“Yes, she does work in mysterious ways, my friend,” the tan-gold male rubbed against the other in a sign of friendship. “but that’s not the only thing. The world that she’s from . . . well, you know how they don’t take kindly to wolves, especially pure-born ones. It is dangerous – like an instant suicide to go to her now, Dolo.”

Of course, Dolo knew that – every wolf knew that human hunters could easily kill a wolf with their guns, or worse . . . they could possibly wipe out an entire Clan or their race altogether. That’s why it was considered natural to avoid any trace of human, whether it was a place or even a tamed human pet. Of course, some rules were meant to be broken eventually.

“Yes, but they are still of my blood,” the wolf grew defensive towards his friend and Alpha. “Any father would do whatever it takes to be with their offspring and protect them – you should know that better than I.” Dolo, as well as the rest of the Lorelei Clan, knew the tale of Connal and Jade’s last litter quite well, in which their sole pup, Crystal, was found on another Clan’s territory and killed. In retaliation, the Lorelei Clan avenged their daughter’s death by spilling the blood of all from that had been of that Clan’s name.

Connal’s head fell at the memory, but he understood Dolo’s message. “Well, if you feel meant to do this . . .” He raised his head, peering into his friend’s almond eyes of gold with obvious worry. “Be careful, my friend.  As one who has been in Balto’s presence before, I sense a strength of undying devotion towards his mate, and I know that he will not let up with a fight.” The two licked each other on the neck, again another sign of friendship. “May Aniu protect and guide you, Dolo.”

“And you as well,” Dolo nodded his black-marked muzzle, parting with his Alpha’s. “If I am not meant to return, wish Jade well for me.” With a final gaze at the near-golden male and the lush surroundings of his home, Dolo turned away with his eyes on the life of his birth and began his long journey towards Nome, where he knew someone needed him more.

I’m coming for you, Jenna . . . you and our pups . . . We’ll be a big family, like we were supposed to be . . .

It was hours later before Jenna and Balto saw each other again. Thankfully, Rosy and her family had