Foreword

The year is almost over, but I still have time to get one more story out into the world. This one is interesting because it came about due to a thought I had while editing "Like His Father". For those new to my stories, "Like His Father" featured Aniu and told the story of how she fell in love with the husky who would become Balto's father. She had to be careful because a wolf from her pack, Mayak, not only wanted her to be his mate as well, but he also had a pathological hatred of dogs. I could go on, but I think it'd be best to read "Like His Father" yourself if you already haven't.

Back to the main point, this story came about because of a thought I had about a certain scene, in which part of Mayak's hatred for dogs is explained by other members of her pack. The aim was to give some background on Mayak, but it seemed to be lacking the sinister side of him I was presenting in the story. I got to thinking how someone would get that way when a thought popped into my head. What if the story Aniu's friends knew wasn't the entire story? What if there was something more, something darker, something that would be seen as a precursor to how Mayak acts towards Aniu? And thus this story was born.

Before we get too into it, I'd like to thank Silwer-Paw for looking this story over and giving me some early feedback on it. If you want to know where the inspiration for this story came from, then take a look at "Like His Father" in my gallery (I think the specific scene is in Chapter 5). With nothing else to say, it's time to get this story underway.

---

Chapter 1: Two Brothers

Two wolves faced off in a clearing while many others surrounded them, watching aptly. One of the two in the center was the leader of the pack - the other was an outsider. The pack waited for the next move to be made; the decision on what to do with this newcomer rested with their alpha. If he wanted him chased away, they would have to oblige. The chilling winter air was still, the only sound coming from the trees that creaked from the cold.

"I was surprised when you came to me like this. I never thought I'd see you again," the alpha wolf said.

"I thought so too... and yet here I am," the newcomer replied.

"You know, you coming here like this is quite odd for a wolf your age," the alpha continued. "Most wolves would be off leading their own pack by now."

"True... then again I've never really been like most wolves," the other replied.

The alpha couldn't help but grin a little. "No, no you haven't."

"All I'm asking is for a place with your pack," the newcomer explained. "I may have been a lone wolf for the past few years, but I'm ready to start a new chapter in my life. I have experience from my travels and can contribute with much to your pack."

"I know you can, but you pulling your weight is not my only concern," the alpha replied. "I need to know that I can trust you. I need to know that you'll remain loyal to me and my pack." On hearing this, the newcomer smirked a little, as if he thought the request was silly. "Do you find something amusing about that?" the alpha asked sharply. The pack became apprehensive on seeing their alpha's annoyance. If an alpha ever felt insulted, he could seek any kind of retribution he wished on whoever had wronged him.

"I just find it funny you have to ask that question at all," the newcomer replied. "I thought my little brother knew that he could always count on my honesty."

The alpha wolf started to grin; that was the answer he was looking for. "You're right, you always were the one I could count on," he mused. "It's been so long that I almost forgot how you looked out for me."

"Well here's a chance to repay that favour," the newcomer continued. "I could have tried my luck with other packs, but none of the other alphas know me as well as you do. We have been through so much together, and I can-"

"You don't need to give me the whole speech," the alpha cut in. "I'd already made my decision the second you first entered my territory." He paused and the rest of the pack watched in anticipation for their alpha to reveal his intention. Most were wondering how this stranger seemed to know their leader so well, but they would get their answer soon enough. "Welcome… you're one of us now Mias."

The newcomer grinned in triumph. "I should have known - you always had to be so official with everything Mayak."

The wolves howled in honour of their new comrade, and on that night, two brothers were reunited after taking separate paths. Mias found his home thanks to his brother Mayak.

---

The winter days went on and Mias settled in quite easily with the pack, thanks in part to his direct relation to their alpha. Mias was a full year older than Mayak, but he usually wasn't one to try to take charge. Mayak on the other hand had a much more demanding personality. That, combined with his slightly bulkier build, meant that he could topple his older brother in a fight by the time he was eight months old. Mias didn't mind - he was always willing to concede to the better opponent in anything.

That was part of what led them to different lives after they left their parents. Mayak quickly attracted the power and influence of another pack, and after rising in their ranks, he ousted their previous alpha a few months beforehand. Mias on the other hand simply wandered on his own, traveling until he came full circle to his brother. Something in his mind urged him to try out pack life, and he thought there would be no one better to ask than his own brother. If worst came to worst, he wouldn't have much trouble continuing his travels abroad either.

Despite his less domineering personality, Mias was no pushover. His time alone had forced him to develop very keen - and some unorthodox - methods of survival. This only strengthened his body, molding him into a powerful wolf. This, along with the respect he earned from the pack due to his relation to Mayak, meant that he soon found himself settling in as the beta male of the pack, second only to his brother. Some idly talked about what could happen if Mias challenged his brother, but he hated the idea. He respected his brother too much to pick a fight, nor was he the most ambitious wolf out there. He was content with what he already had.

Mayak was one who valued rules and authority, which allowed him to lead decisively, if a little coldly. Mias, on the other hand, valued opinions and feelings more, which made him a little warmer to deal with. It was this approachability that enabled Mias to quickly make friends with most of the pack and listen to their thoughts. That was the mark of a good beta; they could act as a bridge between the alpha and the rest below. The final word was with the alpha, but the beta was free to give their input.

This day would be like many days, in that Mias would find a group of wolves chatting and easily slide himself in. "So, how are things going today?" he asked.

"They're pretty good," one of the wolves replied. Mias knew him as Atka, and he was talking with two other wolves he was close to: Faro, one of the scouts, and Salin, a younger pup. "Faro says that he's been seeing some humans walking in the woods just outside our borders," Atka continued. The humans were something that Mias was familiar with from his travels. They were bipedal creatures that seemed to be in a class of their own. At a glance they didn't look like much, but he still kept his distance; many creatures were capable of a few surprises and the humans were probably no different. In addition to his glimpses of them, he'd heard stories about what they were capable of. Some were wondrous… and some were terrifying.

"Humans eh? Hm, maybe they have a town nearby," Mias mused.

"A town? What's that?" Salin asked with wonder.

"A town is what the humans live in. They are able to construct their own dens using trees or other things, and they seem to like grouping them together so that many humans are in together," Mias explained. "I once passed by one of these towns, and they are certainly something to see."

"What are they like? How do they make them?" Faro asked.

"I really don't know; I didn't go in for a closer look," Mias replied. "However, it was probably a good thing because I'd passed by a couple of wolves that claimed that the humans hated wolves and would kill us on sight with their weapons. They said that any wolf that tried to enter their town would never come out alive."

"Why? Why would they do that?" Salin asked.

"Once again, I don't know. They seemed pretty spooked when I mentioned them, so I made a note of avoiding them afterwards," Mias replied. "They also said that the humans were capable of laying painful traps in the ground that would catch animals by their legs. I would later see what one of those traps did to a wolverine. It was awful; the thing had snapped and bit into his leg, holding him there painfully… which I guess is to keep them there until the human comes back. If there is a town nearby, then we should avoid going near it."

"Maybe that's what happened to old Treg," Atka mused and Mias gave him a quizzical look. "One day, Treg decided to go out for a short walk, but after a few minutes, we heard him howl out in panic. His howl was cut short and when we followed his trail, we found no sign of him, except his blood staining the snow. There were these strange tracks all around him too, leading away from the scene."

"Oh, I'm sorry for what happened to your friend," Mias replied solemnly. "If it was the humans, then they probably got him quickly. At least he didn't suffer much."

"Do you think the humans would do that to all of us?" Salin asked with concern.

"Don't be ridiculous, there's no way anything could overpower all of us at once," Atka shot back. "We're wolves, the masters of our own design!"

"But… Old Treg…"

"Don't worry, the humans have only been seen a few times and they were far from the core of our territory," Faro assured.

"Although, Mayak's never mentioned them… then again, he never was much of a talker. I'd like to know if he has something in mind to help us," Atka suggested.

"I guess this is where I come in," Mias continued. "Alright, I can tell him your concerns and see what he thinks about it." This seemed to please all present, so Mias set off to find his brother.

---

While Mias' thoughts were concerned with the humans, Mayak had something much different on his mind. He was behind some bushes, trying to think of the right thing to say to the snow-white female a short distance away. She was taking a drink from a stream, and after collecting himself, he walked out into the open to approach her.

"Ah, Sami, there you are. I was hoping to find you here."

Sami looked up at his call. "Mayak… what did you want to find me for?"

"I was wondering if you'd like to take a walk with me tonight. After all, we're both alphas, so we should spend some time to get to know each other. We can't lead properly if we don't know anything about each other."

"I… I'm not sure," she replied. She didn't want to say it to his face, but she was never comfortable around Mayak. She always preferred the previous alpha male in the pack; he always told the best jokes, while Mayak had as much personality as a bull moose. The fact that he chased off the previous alpha didn't help her opinion of him much either.

"Why not? Don't you think it would be best for our pack if we were…together?" he suggested.

That was another thing she didn't like about him - he had no concept of subtlety. He was always business, and it was obvious what business he was trying to get at. "Look, I'm feeling very tired from our hunts over the past few days and I have a bit of a headache. I'm sorry, but I'm going to be turning in early tonight," she replied. She was fibbing, but she really wanted to get away from him.

"… Alright, never mind then," he finished and let her go, despite his disappointment. Sami trotted away to go somewhere Mayak-free, and as she did, she crossed paths with Mias.

"Sami, I haven't seen you for the past couple of days, how are you?" he asked cheerfully.

"I'm doing great, thanks for asking," she replied, while thinking, 'At least one of the brothers has a sense of the social graces.' Just having Mias around always had a cheering effect on her, thanks to his warm, outgoing personality.

"If it's not too much trouble, I was wondering if you'd seen Mayak anywhere. I need to talk to him for a moment."

"Oh, he just back there near the stream," she replied. "What's it about?"

"Some of the pack are getting a little antsy about the humans they've seen. I wanted to let him know about it," he explained.

"Yes, I've heard a few things about them too," she said. "Some are worried that they may come and attack us."

"I've heard some of that too. I tried to reassure them, but my thoughts got a mixed reception," he replied.

"Well, at least we have someone like you who can sit and listen to everyone... I don't know if Mayak would do the same."

"Hey, Mayak may not be the most social wolf, but that's where I come in. He listens to me and I listen to everyone. No matter what, everything will reach him eventually."

"I'm glad you have that worked out. Well… it was nice seeing you again," she said, a bit reluctant to let him go so soon. She wanted to be able to talk with Mias some more, but following him would require being near Mayak again. As they parted ways, she thought, 'He's such a good soul, willing to listen or talk when the time is right… and he's handsome too… such a nice smile…'

As Sami entertained herself with her fantasies, Mias found his brother pondering by the stream. "Mias, what brings you here?" he asked when he heard his brother approach.

"Something I've heard from the rest of the pack," Mias replied. "A few of them have started to see humans around and it's making them nervous."

"Nervous? What for? These humans have done nothing to us, so I don't see why there should be anything to worry about," he replied.

"You might not, but I've heard and seen what they are capable of. They shouldn't be taken lightly," Mias urged. "I think you should do something."

"Something? Like what?" the alpha asked.

"I don't know… at the very least you have to reassure them. Tell them to avoid the humans, or make up a plan for if they come closer," Mias suggested, earning a quizzical look from his brother. "Long story short, they're nervous because they don't know if their alpha is prepared for this."

"Are they starting to question me?" Mayak asked sharply.

"No, but you could tell them what to do just so they know their leader is thinking about this," he replied. "It'd mean a lot to them if it came from you because you're their alpha. They look up to you… just like you used to look up to me."

"Yeah, that's true… at least until I started knocking you over," Mayak replied, causing both to laugh heartily.

"Yeah, I didn't know what hit me that time," Mias said. He noticed his brother had gone back to staring at the stream, deep in thought. "Hey, are you okay?"

"Hm? Oh, it's just… I wanted to have a walk with Sami, but she turned me down," he replied. "She claimed she had a headache.-" he heard a sharp smirk from Mias. "What? What's so funny?"

"Oh, the old 'headache' excuse. That's female code for 'not interested'," Mias replied, trying not to smile too much.

"Not interested? How can she not be interested? I'm the alpha male!" Mayak exclaimed.

"There's more to that than just having status," Mias replied. "Trust me, I've traveled enough to know that if you want to impress someone, you have to take the time to let them warm up to you."

Mayak sighed. "Once again, your travels have given you knowledge that I don't have. Everyone likes you, everyone talks with you, while I don't know where to start with any of them."

"Aw, is somebody jealous of their big brother?" Mias asked coyly.

"No… I'm still one rank above you, so I have something else that you don't," Mayak replied. "However, the pack seems more willing to talk with you and… maybe Sami would let you talk to her as well?" he thought.

"I think I know what you're getting on to," Mias continued. "You want me to talk with her and tell her more about you, right?" Mayak nodded. "I'd be happy to. You've done much for me, and now it's time that I helped you out."

"Thank you, you don't know how much this means to me," Mayak said.

"Hey, that's what brothers do for each other," Mias replied.

---

Mayak took Mias' advice and told the pack what he thought about the human presence. It started well, with him reassuring them that they would be okay as long as they stayed vigilant and kept a watch out for them. Like any alpha, Mayak could project and impose his power physically, but there was something Mias thought he was lacking in some points. His address was very stiff and he didn't bother to address any specific cases, such as the fate of one of their previous packmates. That would have made the address much more personal, but as Mias thought back, he remembered that Mayak always had troubles relating with others.

Everything was always for some official business with his brother, such as hunting or keeping the hierarchy intact. Mias knew it would be a bit of a challenge to get Sami to warm up to him, but he still forged ahead. He figured he could bridge the gap Mayak had left by telling her about their puppyhood. He hoped to make Mayak seem more relatable, and less of a faceless authority. These stories attracted not only her interest, but the interest of the pack as well, as they all wanted to know what their alpha was like when he was only knee-high. Mias loved spicing up his stories with extra description or inflection, which only made them more entertaining to his listeners.

Sami seemed captivated the most by his storytelling and would often come to him after their gathering to talk with him one on one. It was in these chats that the topic of conversation would always shift from Mayak to Mias' own travels abroad.

"You have so many stories of the land, meeting so many wonderful creatures, but for so long you remained on the move. Why?" she asked one night.

"I wanted to see as much as I could," he replied. "Every day gave me a new possibility, a new beginning. I wanted to climb the highest hill, cross the largest woods, run as fast as the wind itself. I was driven to fill my day with new experiences and that meant that I could never stop. If I stopped, who knows what I could have missed."

"And somehow, through all that, you found your way back to your brother."

"Yeah, though it's the strangest thing because I didn't expect to find him," he replied. "The chance of me finding him after wandering for years is… really, really small," he said, chuckling a little.

"Unless… there was some other force at work?" Sami suggested.

"What, you mean like fate? I don't know... I was never one to believe much in spooky stuff like that. I always thought that I could choose my own destiny, my own path. Everyday, I would choose a new direction to go, not always knowing what was ahead of me, but always wanting to see something new."

"And then you chose to join your brother's pack and settle down," she continued. "That seems like an interesting turnaround for someone who wants to keep things new."

"It is, but in a way, it also makes sense. After a while of wandering alone, settling in a pack and staying in one place would have been something new as well. I could have just kept on going… but I chose to stay with my brother. I chose my own fate, and I will continue to choose it as long as I live," he finished.

"Wow... that's amazing," she said. His strong sense of personal freedom caused her mind to start thinking of new possibilities and new lands. She loved the way Mias looked at the world, and briefly tapped her nose to his in thanks before dashing off.

'I always thought that fate controlled everything - and I still think it did when it brought Mias here, despite what he says - but maybe a part of our lives can be chosen and controlled ourselves,' she thought. Until now, she thought that her position as alpha female meant she was destined to be with the alpha male, but she was hesitant to be with Mayak. Despite the great things Mias told about him in his stories, she still wasn't sold on the idea of being with him. She wanted someone better for a mate. 'So what if I chose my own fate with this? Where would that take me?'

---

Chapter 2: The Secret's Out

For the next couple of weeks, the idea of forging her own path grew in Sami's mind, emboldened by Mias' example. Mayak tried again and again to impress her, but she grew progressively distant from him. Mias tried to help his brother's mood, but he also seemed to be getting more uncomfortable whenever Mayak brought Sami up. Mias suggested he come to the evening gatherings too, but Mayak declined - he never enjoyed social gatherings very much. What he didn't know is that if he did attend, he would have noticed that Mias' and Sami's talks afterwards were growing longer, sometimes becoming long walks around the woods…

Sami continued to dodge Mayak's advances, but even she couldn't take his pestering forever and finally gave her final answer. Mias wasn't present to hear the exchange, but he would see the after-effects. He found Mayak sitting alone with a forlorn look on his muzzle. "What happened?" he asked.

"She said no," he mumbled. "No reason, no excuse, just… no. No, and nothing else."

"I… I'm so sorry about that."

"It's not fair… she didn't even give me a reason."

"Well, sometimes life isn't fair to you," Mias offered in response. "You may not like it, but you have to let it be."

"Heh, easy for you to say. You're not the one who has to lead the pack effectively… you can just tell your stories and wow the crowd while I stay behind. You don't have to worry about getting others to like you; it just happens with or without me."

Mias paused on hearing this; never before had his brother ever spoken to him like that. He didn't know whether to take it as his brother envying him… or resenting him. "I know I may be more outgoing, but it doesn't mean I don't care about you too," he said. "I could have gone off and traveled more, but I chose to settle here because I care about you. You're my brother and nothing will ever change that."

"… Thanks," Mayak mumbled before Mias turned to leave. He didn't want what he said to be taken as antagonistic, but part of him still felt as though his brother was stealing his thunder. Before, he had been the center of power and attention in the pack as the alpha, which made up for the lack of a personal connection with them. He thought that bringing Mias along would help as he would have a familiar face on his side. However, Mias was a very outgoing person and that led the pack to prefer the older brother over the younger. He was the one who listened, he was the one who joked. Mias was their new favorite, while Mayak just gave out orders.

'Could I be jealous of his popularity?' he thought. 'Everyone seems to love and respect him more than me. Maybe it would be been better if he just kept on traveling. It's almost like the pack wants him to be alpha instead… wait, what am I thinking? He'd never try to usurp me. He's my own brother and he swore he isn't the type to do so… but why am I so worried?' Mayak pondered this thought, trying to find a reason for his doubts towards his brother.

'Maybe I'm just trying to make sense of this whole thing with Sami. Mias did try his best to help me out with her, but in the end her call was the final one... but to have an alpha female turn down an alpha male is still highly irregular, and would need a very good reason. She may not have been willing to give me a reason today, but I will find out why... some day.'

---

Mayak was determined to find out a reason for Sami's rejection, but she refused to say more than a few sentences to him. When asked, she would either avoid the question, or repeat, "I'm just not interested." That never seemed to satisfy Mayak, so he persisted, with both of them becoming increasingly irritable with each other. Finally, Sami had enough of him, and started to turn her back to him, refusing to answer him. Had it been any other wolf, he would have been within his rights to strike out for such disrespect, but Sami was an alpha as well - she had as much authority as him.

"Mayak, I seriously think you should drop this," Mias urged him. By now Mayak was borderline frantic. "She's already upset with you and dragging it around won't help you at all."

"How could you say that?" Mayak shot back. "I thought you were on my side here!"

"I am on your side!"

"Oh really, because I don't know anymore. I thought you'd be eager to help Sami and I, and yet here you are telling me to give her up," he said venomously. "I thought you'd be with me all the way to the end, but all you do is tell your stories to the dazzled masses."

At this, Mias gave him a stare cold enough to chill a glowing ember. "So that's what it is. You're going to blame me for this?" he growled. His expression was flat and neutral, but Mayak could sense the anger building in his brother. "You're going to pin this on me just because I don't agree with you on everything… no wonder she rejected you." Mias turned right around and started to walk away, but he paused after walking a few feet. "I'm just the storyteller; I can't control whether or not my audience likes it. I may not agree with it, but it's ultimately the choice of the listener to decide whether or not they like it." With that, he dashed away without another word.

Mayak was soon alone in the clearing, but the image of his brother's expression remained. He had never seen him look so angry with him, but there was something in his voice that told another emotion. It was sadness… sadness about how Mayak had accused him blindly. 'Why did I say that? Of course Mias would never betray me,' he thought, regretting what he had said. 'He tried his best to help me with Sami, which is more than I could have asked from him. He's right, he can't control who likes his stories… he just tells them. And through all that, he's stuck with me, trying to help.'

No matter what, Mias had always stayed with him. When they did have their disagreements, it was only because of what Mias thought was right. He had never tried to lead Mayak astray with his advice, and yet he still put his bother's loyalties into question. 'I never should have said that; the worst thing you can do to an honest wolf is to call them a liar, and I did just that. I just hope that Mias can forgive me for this.' After finding his brother's trail, he followed it through the woods, hoping to catch up with him and apologize. He didn't want to push his brother away over something like this - over a female. The stress from Sami's rejection had gotten to him, building up until he released it on Mias, the last wolf to deserve it. Losing Sami was one thing, but losing his brother would be far worse. He was the only family that he had with him.

After following his trail, he soon heard Mias behind some bushes. There was someone else with him - a female. It wasn't until he was right up behind the bushes that he recognize the other voice as Sami. "Wait, he actually said that to you?" she asked.

"Yep," Mias replied, his voice much calmer now, but still with a hint of anger. "I don't know what's gotten into him, but the Mayak I know would never act like this. What kind of nut accuses their brother like that?" he asked.

"Yes; only a tyrant would be so unforgiving," she agreed with contempt.

"Nut… tyrant…" these words stung at Mayak and only intensified his guilt. 'I know I rule with a strong paw, but I can't be that bad... can I? Having Sami think that is one thing, but Mias...'

He heard Mias sigh. "My brother is a lot of things, but he's never been like this. He's probably just venting after you turned him down… but that doesn't make what he said any less hurtful. I did my best and in the end, that's all any wolf can do. I don't deserve to have my integrity attacked because of it… maybe it would be best if I just left and go back to being a lone wolf."

'No, don't leave because of this. I'm sorry Mias - I'm so sorry my brother. I'm the one who should be questioned,' Mayak thought, ready to burst out and admit he was wrong.

"I don't want you to leave; what about me?" she said. "I'll always think highly of you."

"… Thanks. If I stay, I stay for you… my one and only love," Mias replied.

Mias' words struck him as very odd. 'What is he going on about-' his thought was cut short as he finally peeked over the bushes. Mias and Sami weren't just talking - they were lying on the ground, with her resting very closely to his side. They were nuzzling each other, and Mias briefly broke away to give her a lick on the cheek before returning to their nuzzle. Sami rolled her head around his and as she did, her eyes came directly in line with the bushes, locking with Mayak's shocked expression.

"Mayak," she said, catching Mias' attention instantly. The three wolves looked at each other, all equally shocked to see each other. Mayak walked through the bushes and approached, feeling as though everything had gone numb as he stared at the two wolves, still cuddled up with each other.

"This… you… what is this?" he asked them, his voice barely a whisper out of shock.

There was a pause as Sami and Mias looked at each other, both wearing a grave look. They knew they had been caught, and while Mias still tried to avoid looking at his brother, Sami was much bolder. "What does it look like Mayak?"

"I... don't..."

"Alright, I admit it. I was never interested in you… because I felt more for Mias," she said.

"You felt… how could this be?" Mayak asked, still trying to reclaim most of his senses.

"Easy - I love him," she replied flatly.

"Love him... but he's a beta," Mayak said, trying to comprehend this. "I don't understand-"

"That's the problem," she shot back. "All you think about is status and business. You barely pay any attention to how your own pack is feeling… which is probably why you never figured out how I felt towards him," she replied. "Mias actually bothers to care and listen to others, no matter who they are. He's led a wonderful life full of learning and adventure. You meanwhile just sulk around to keep yourself at the top."

"... How long?" Mayak asked. He wanted to know if this was just the start of their relationship, or if they had been going behind his back for much longer.

"Not long. I guess it started shortly after Mias first arrived, but it didn't really develop until he started telling us more about you two... and his travels around the land."

Mayak felt like he'd been kicked in the gut. All this time, those stories that were supposed to make him more relatable were having the opposite effect. Instead, they led to Mias looking like some sort of dashing adventurer.

"But... why? Didn't you feel anything for me at all?" Mayak asked.

"You want to know why? Alright, I thought I didn't have to tell you this, but I guess it's the only way you'll learn," she replied sharply. "I love Mias because he's actually seen the world. He's been out there and lived twice the life you have, which makes him twice the wolf you'll ever be."

Mayak was taken aback at her cutting response. Mias was one step below him in the pack, yet she saw him as greater. To him, this was a grave insult, and as he looked to his brother for his side of it, he got nothing. Mias still avoided his gaze, his ears flat in shame. "So, she loves how you've seen the world, eh? Well maybe you should go back to seeing it," he spat venomously, but Mias still said nothing. Those words hurt him, but he had no way to rebuke them. Seeing that he wouldn't get anything more from them, Mayak left.

All this time, she had been going behind his back to be with his brother. Having her do this was one thing, but Mias also kept it from him. No hints, no warning; he had been as silent over the past few days as he was a few minutes ago. Normally Mias was upfront about him with everything, including trying to urge him to let Sami go... but that was probably because he was already with Sami. 'How could this have gone under my nose for so long?' he thought. The idea of letting something get by seemed like a failure of his own leadership... and there was nothing that made him angrier than being made a fool of. 'I can't believe that they went behind my back like this! Out of all the wolves, it had to be my brother. I thought that he was the most honest one of the pack, but now I don't know what to think anymore. I don't know who I can trust anymore.'

While Mayak fumed, Mias remained behind, regretting what had happened. 'If Mayak didn't think I was a traitor before, he probably does by now,' he thought. Sami felt no regret because she had never liked Mayak much, but Mias always felt it was his duty to be honest with his brother. He meant to tell Mayak at some point, but he also didn't want to hurt his brother. He hoped to tell him when the disappointment from Sami's rejection had worn off, but Mayak had found out too soon, and his deception would forever tarnish what his brother thought of him.

---

After he found out about Mias' and Sami's relationship, Mayak became even more withdrawn, refusing to speak with anyone as he brooded. Mias and Sami knew that their secret wouldn't last much longer, so they came clean to the pack. While it was unconventional, it was not unheard of for an alpha and a beta to be involved with each other. The fact that they already knew and trusted Mias helped them adjust, but there was some talk about what it would mean for them. Usually when an alpha and a beta were together, it meant that the beta would soon challenge the alpha for his position in the pack, to keep the tradition of an alpha pair.

This was what really bothered Mayak. He could have lived with Sami's rejection along with his brother's greater popularity, because in the end, he was still the alpha. The thought of losing that, his one and last facet of control, was unbearable to him. It enraged him and he vowed to never let his brother take his place. While Mias had sworn not to do that to him, Mayak didn't know what to believe anymore. Mias had kept this from him, and if that was the case, then who knew what else he was keeping from him. It seemed like his brother had turned his back on him for his own gain. Soon, twisted, dark thoughts formed in his head, demanding he take action. He held back and didn't give in to his jealousy, which was fortunate for Mias; some of the thoughts were very, very dark.

Mias felt terrible for what had happened and thought long and hard about what to do next. He talked with Sami, and they agreed on what would be best for everyone. This time, he wouldn't hold back on his brother. He hoped his honesty would help to mend fences, but if not… then their plan would allow them to leave Mayak in peace.

"Um, Mayak…" he said timidly. The alpha wolf glanced over at him, and saw that Mias was doing his best to show some submission towards him. His ears were flat and he held his head low while looking up at him. "Please, can I talk with you for a moment?"

"Why? What is there left to talk about?" Mayak said in a low voice. "You've already shown that you don't feel the need to tell me anything."

"I know I wasn't completely honest with you brother, and I feel terrible about it," Mias replied. "All I ask is that you hear what I have to say now."

Mayak thought, before deciding to let him have his say. "Come, let's take a walk. You'd better have a good reason for doing this to me," he said, and Mias obeyed. "Start at the beginning."

"Well, it's kind of hard to say where it began. I suppose it started sometime when I was telling those stories of our youth to try to impress Sami for you," Mias started. "They worked, but not in the way we hoped. We started spending more time together, swapping stories and telling each other about ourselves, and she started to open up to me. When I tried to steer the conversation back towards you, she always refused. When she told me what she really thought of you… I couldn't help but feel for her."

"What did she really think of me?" Mayak growled.

Mias hesitated, but he knew he would have to answer him. "It would take forever to tell you everything, so I'll give you the abridged version: she didn't like you at all. She thought you were a little too... possessive."

"Is that what you think too?"

Another pause; Mias didn't like talking about his brother's faults, but he couldn't ignore how he had seen Mayak act. "I'm not going to lie to you. You sometimes act like something should be handed out when it should be earned… love is one of those things."

Once again, the anger started to build in Mayak. He hated being talked down to and never allowed it when he was alpha. "Let me guess, you earned her love while I did not?"

"Yes, I did," Mias replied, this time with much more confidence. "I told her I always thought life should be filled with choices and she made one herself. She chose to follow her heart and when she did… there was no stopping it."

"Are you sure?" Mayak queried. "You could have chosen to turn her down."

"I know, but… " Mias stopped and sat in the snow as he thought about the right way to say it. "I couldn't deny what was in my heart too," he replied as Mayak sat in front of him. "Sami is so wonderful. She's always looking for a greater adventure, a new horizon to explore. She wanted to see the world like I had and I couldn't turn that down. I couldn't crush her dreams like that - I'd never forgive myself."

"So you fell for each other because you wanted to go on a little adventure?" Mayak asked, and Mias nodded. "Well tough luck, because you still have to do your duty for my pack. I won't have you taking my authority from me."

"I never wanted to take your authority!" Mias barked back. "I don't care what the others say; you're the alpha and I don't want to take what you worked so hard for away from you… which is why I'm leaving." This caught Mayak by surprise; Mias would actually leave and turn down the chance to challenge him? He never thought that his brother would be so humble…

'But if he leaves, then that means Sami could be mine.' Earlier, Mayak would have despaired at the idea of his brother leaving, but after this... it might actually be to his own advantage.

"I talked with Sami, and we agreed that's it's best for you and everyone else if we weren't around," Mias explained.

"Well, I'd hate to have you leave like this… wait, what do you mean 'we'?"

"I mean Sami and I," Mias replied, "It's obvious that seeing us together all the time is causing you a lot of grief, so we're gong to leave and find our own way. You can lead your pack and find a new mate, and we won't bother you." It may have seemed like a good deal in Mias' eyes, but for Mayak, it was almost as bad as finding out Mias and Sami were together. He saw Sami as his and his alone and didn't want Mias to take her far away, where he'd never see her again.

As Mayak tried to take in this new defeat, he spied something poking out of the snow. It was a large, dark ring with a trip in the middle. He remembered that Mias had told them about a similar device. It was a trap, and if stepped on, it would snap shut and painfully hold the trapped animal until the human who laid the trap came by to kill it. Mias didn't seem to notice it, and while Mayk would have usually told his brother about such danger, something held him back. 'Why bother telling him; he didn't bother to tell me about him and Sami. A dishonest soul doesn't deserve honesty.'

"I know it's a lot to take in, but it's probably for the best" Mias continued, unaware of the real reason for Mayak's silence. "I do care about you brother, and I hate seeing you in such pain." Mias stood up, and despite the sympathy for him in Mayak, the alpha wolf remained silent, even as Mias stepped back towards the trap.

'Warn him… but he's taking Sami away… he's your brother… but he lied to me,' He watched, in slow motion, as Mias' final step fell towards the trap. He was torn between his love and his jealousy, and he lost focus of what was about to happen in front of him...

It was only when it snapped shut and Mias let out a sickening cry of agony that Mayak returned to reality. His brother collapsed and howled in pain, looking back at the trap he was in. "No, not this, anything but this," he cried as he tried to pull free, but the trap dug painfully into his flesh. "Brother, please help me," he pleaded with desperate eyes.

Mayak looked at him, but then he said something that would forever define who he would be from then on. With this, it was obvious which side had won the struggle in his mind. "No... I won't let you take her away from me!"

"What… Mayak?" he gasped in shock, but the alpha only turned away from him, leaving his own brother behind. "NO! Don't do this Mayak! Help me! I'm your brother!" he cried out, but Mayak just continued walking. "Help me! Somebody please help me!" Mias bellowed, but Mayak kept on walking. A few humans had heard the cries, and knew they had something good. The trapped wolf's cries reached a fever pitch when he saw the human approaching, knife in hand, but Mayak kept on walking. Mias' cries for help persisted, right up until the moment the human slit his throat, silencing him for good. Mayak paused briefly when he heard his brother's cries end, but after a moment he kept on walking.

---

Chapter 3: Defeat From Victory

It was a move beyond belief, beyond what anyone thought would be possible, but there was no turning back now. In the space of less than a minute, Mayak had let his brother die. It wasn't a planned move, even though Mayak had been thinking of ways to punish his brother for this humiliation. It was a crime of opportunity, provoked by the news that he would be taking Sami away from him. Even though she had made it obvious that she was more interested in Mias, Mayak had entertained the thought of taking her back for himself... and now that Mias was out of the way...

'But you can't just waltz in and get away with murder,' he thought. 'You're going to have to cover your tracks.'

He broke into a run, putting a panicked expression on his face. As far as anyone else knew, he didn't have anything to do with Mias' death, and he wanted it to stay that way. He found a group sitting together and darted in front of them, his eyes wild with shock. The group noticed his fearful look, and knew that anything that could scare their alpha must be bad.

"Mayak, what's wrong?" one of the wolves asked.

"They - they got him!" he cried out. "The humans got my brother!"

Everyone gasped. "What do you mean they got him? What happened?"

"We were out in the woods talking when he stepped on this… this thing, some sort of trap. I tried to help him, but we heard the humans coming," he gasped. "I tried my best, but Mias wanted me to run. I couldn't leave him, but there was nothing else I could do for him," he lied, making sure his voice cracked at the right moment. "I ran, and I heard him growling at them before… before… they-" he stuttered before collapsing on the ground, wailing in anguish. "They killed my brother!"

As he pulled off his stunning reproduction of real sobbing, some of the wolves went to find the rest of the pack to give them the grave news. Outwardly, Mayak seemed consumed by grief, but that was one of the abilities of his cunning mind. He was not above lying to get what he wanted; indeed, that was part of how he was able to depose the previous alpha of the pack. He was a skillful manipulator, and right now, he wanted the pack's sympathy for his brother's death.

Finally, the one he was waiting for arrived. "Tell me it isn't true. Tell me Mias is alive!" Sami cried at him.

"I'm sorry, but I can't," Mayak replied. "There was nothing I could do for him."

"No, he could be alive," she said, before dashing away from the pack. Mayak quickly got up to follow her, except this time his concern was genuine. He didn't want Sami to get caught by the humans as well.

"Sami, no! It's too dangerous!"

"I can't leave him behind, not after all we did together," she cried.

Mayak dashed in front of her, blocking all her attempts to go around him. "I know you want to be with him, but the humans are still out there. I don't want anyone else to get hurt!"

"Get out of my way!" she said as tears streamed down her muzzle.

"Look, I know we may not be on the best of terms, but right now I don't want anyone else getting hurt," he said. "I don't think Mias would want you to get hurt either."

"Why would you care? I thought you'd disowned him because we were together," she said. "You don't know what he means to me."

"No, but he was my brother and that still means a lot to me," Mayak said, making sure to have his voice sound like it was going to crack again. Sami looked down in defeat as she believed him. "Look, this is a tragic day for us all… and I know you don't like me much… but I can still be there for you. His last wish... was that I'd take care of you." he finished, putting his paw on hers. She let it hold there for a moment, but something inside her didn't like it. She didn't like how he was suddenly so willing to try to get on her good side after this tragedy.

"I… I can't," she replied, pulling her paw away. "I just can't."

At this, Mayak's act faltered a little, causing some of his ambitious self to leak through. "Don't be so quick to say that. Without him, you don't have anyone else to turn to," he said. She stepped back in shock, noticing his menacing demeanour.

"How could you say something like that? You… you're lying," she said. "All this time, you still wouldn't let it go. You still want me and… you did something to him."

The earlier sympathy may have been fake, but his surprise here was real; she was way too good. "Don't be ridiculous Sami; even if you were to tell them, who would believe you?"

"Oh my… you did do something! You killed your own brother!" she cried. "You killed him!"

"NO!" Mayak replied, but before Sami could run off to tell everyone her suspicions, they heard a thundering crack ring through the woods, followed by the fearful cries from several wolves.

Immediately, she turned to him. "What did you do?" she accused, before rushing off towards the source of the noise. Mayak followed, and the frequency of the bangs increased, along with the pitch of the pack's cries.

When he left his brother behind, Mayak had no idea that the humans would decide to follow his trail back to the source. He didn't know that the hate for wolves in these humans was so great that they would actively seek out and hunt the rest of the pack. Some would see it as simply bad luck, but it could be argued that this was some sort of retribution for the crime Mayak had committed. He and Sami rushed back, hoping to help the fight, but this fight would be like nothing they had ever expected. When wolves fight other wolves, the chances are always dependent on numbers, but when wolves go against humans, the wolves have lost before the fight even begins.

Mayak soon saw a human point a long, stick-like object at one of the wolves. He heard another of the loud bangs from before, and from the end erupted a brief flash of smoke. Several yards away, a wolf collapsed with a wound made it its side. He stopped in shock when he saw that his pack was being killed without anyone touching them. These humans were more than just ordinary predators; they had power that rivaled the spirits of old. For the first time, he felt true fear, and it kept him rooted to the ground while Sami rushed ahead to try to help. She saw that fighting was no use, so she tried to help the wounded. She tried to drag an older female with a wound in its leg away, but she would encounter another one of the human's tricks, one that even Mias hadn't seen before.

In a flash, a grey and white creature was on her, biting into her neck. It was very wolf-like, but it was not one from the pack. It was a dog; a descendant of the wolves, but an ally of the humans. Sami screamed in terror as the dog tried to finish her off, and that broke Mayak out of his fearful daze. He rushed towards her, ready to destroy the dog when a sudden impact slammed into the side of his head and stopped his charge. Through the stars in his vision, he could see a human wielding a club, whacking away with it. He rolled and turned his attention back to Sami, but the attack from the club cost him the time he needed. She was trying to pull herself free from the dog's grasp, so the dog used a trick that had made him famous among his friends. He rapidly twisted his entire body, yanking her so violently that her neck snapped.

That was it; just a small crack and she collapsed, eyes still open. She was dead before she even hit the ground. Everything Mayak had hoped and worked for with her was gone in an instant – all because of this dog. It looked up at him with a devilish grin and started to approach, while the human with the club saw that the wolf he had hit earlier wasn't finished yet. Mayak was torn between fighting and running. However, someone would soon make that decision for him.

To the left of him was the man, and to the right of him was the dog, but straight ahead, he saw something charging at him. It was strange, as most of the wolves were dead or dying, but this one was perfectly fine, seeming to materialize out of nowhere. The wolf caught up to him before either adversary did and with surprising strength, grabbed Mayak and gave him a hard shove, pushing him over the embankment behind him. The two rolled down the hill, with Mayak hitting the ground hard. He could see his vision darken at the edges, but it remained long enough for him to see his savior.

"You... it… can't be... impossible," he gasped weakly.

The wolf above him smiled. "That's what I thought too little brother, but I guess I still had some things to discover," he replied and leaned down to whisper in his ear. "You're lucky I'm willing to give you one last chance, but if you don't change… then this will catch up with you," he warned before vanishing just as Mayak blacked out.

---

Fortunately, the humans thought that Mayak had already been killed, so he was spared the fate of most of his pack. Those that could run fled, but very few escaped the bullets. Out of a pack almost two dozen strong, only four survived. They survived by running or hiding, and they were all that was left. After the humans retreated with their prizes, they surveyed the scene. They couldn't find any survivors until they caught their leader's scent, finding him alone and crumpled in a heap at the bottom of a steep hill.

"Mayak, can you hear me? Are you okay?" The alpha wolf could hear the voice, but in his daze, he misinterpreted who it was.

"Mias…"

"Mayak, wake up. We have to get out of here," the voice above him urged. He opened his eyes and saw three of the wolves from his pack.

"Atka? What happened?" he asked as he got up.

"I'm sorry, but they're all gone," he replied. "Faro, Salin and I were the only ones to get away from them. It's a miracle that you survived too."

"But… Mias-"

"Mias is gone, remember? You said yourself he had fallen into a trap," Faro cut in. "You were right, they did get him. I found him with his throat slashed clean open."

"But I…" Mayak wanted to explain who had pushed him the ledge, probably saving his life, but even he was having a hard time believing it. "Never mind, I must have been seeing things after that human hit me," he finished. Knowing that this territory would be dangerous with humans around, the four decided to set off for a new range, one free from the humans and their devices. As they departed, they failed to notice that there was a fifth set of prints in the area, leading away before stopping suddenly. It was as though the owner had simply vanished into thin air…

---

For a whole year afterward, they lived a meager existence, hunting what they could for themselves before settling into a smaller range. Once the shock of the attack wore off, it was replaced in them with intense anger. The humans had come and destroyed all of their friends and families, and the dogs had been their co-conspirators. Mayak in particular developed a pathological hatred of those canines. They took Sami, the one thing that mattered most to him, away. He vowed that if he ever met another dog, he would kill it on sight as retribution for what they did to him.

In that time, he never saw his brother again. He wasn't sure if what'd he seen was real, but whatever it was did save his life… and allowed him to have a new beginning. It had warned him to change or else this would catch up with him, but Mayak was hesitant to follow the advice of what could have been nothing more than a hallucination. 'Besides, I don't see any way how my actions could return to haunt me. I got away with murder, and no one can refute that now!'

After almost a year as a quartet, his pack would come across another wolf. This one was a very young female, obviously fresh from leaving her parents. Her name was Aniu, and her pure-white fur reminded him so much of Sami that it made his hardened heart soften a little. He may not have succeeded with her, but he could have another chance with this newcomer. He graciously let her join their pack, and while she seemed a little reluctant to his advances at first, he remained confident about her. His subordinates knew their place, and became no more than friends with her. 'After all, there's no one like Mias around, so what could possibly go wrong?' he thought. 'There's no one or nothing that will ever stop Aniu from becoming my mate…'

---

Mayak, Mias, Atka, Faro, Salin and Sami all belong to iWolf231 and may not be used in any way without my direct permission.

Aniu belongs to Universal Studios and Amblimation.