Anay woke up early and stretched her body, letting out a big yawn. She could hear the rest of her pack getting up, preparing for the hunt and so she got up on her paws, shaking so dust flew around in the air from her fur.
“Waking up I see?” a friendly voice said and she turned her head.
“Oh hi Bru. Yeah seems like the pack is getting ready for the hunt so I thought I better get up so I don’t miss the fun.”
The brown, muscular wolf chuckled and gave Anay a friendly nudge with his nose. “I’m sure you won’t miss anything. After all nothing bad has happened the last few weeks. I suppose our pack is a lucky one who got this territory to hunt on. Lots of caribou still this last of summer.”
Anay was about to say something as Nook, their leader approached them with a seemingly smug smile. “There went your words about nothing bad happening…” she muttered as the leader closed in.
“Ready to go Bruno, Anay?” He said.
“Yes sir.” They answered.
“Good. Now Bruno I think Haven wants a word with you before hunt. Mind seeing what he wants? We’ll accompany you soon.”
“Oh. Yeah umh sure sir. I’ll be right on it.” Bruno started to trot away but turned his head looking at Anay who just did a small nod so only Bruno could see and the brown wolf huffed in answer as he continued towards the hunting group.
“So I assume there’s something you want to talk with me about, Nook?” Anay sighed and there was no way you could mistake her sour voice when she spoke to him.
“Well yes. I’ve been watching you for a while. You seem to be a quite skilled hunter Anay. I like that.”
Anay raised one of her eyebrows in confusion, what was this mutt talking about? Of course she’d heard others complementing her on her hunting, but everyone knew that Nook wasn’t the type of wolf who gave compliments without a reason. Being a leader had often gotten Nook to be superior against others, even though he wasn’t really better than anyone at all. In fact he was one of their worst hunters in the pack. She really didn’t understand why he had become the Alpha of this pack. It must’ve something to do with the fact that his dad had been it before him.
“So?”
“Well look who’s being rude here. Here I am, the Alpha of this pack, giving you a compliment and you don’t even thank me for it? You’ve got some nerve.” Nook snorted.
“Oh.” Anay sighed. “Sorry sir. Forgive me. Thank you.”
Nook nodded. “That’s ok. I was wondering however if you had something planned after the hunt?”
He took a step towards her. “I’d like to talk with you again, a bit more private.”
Cold shills ran down Anay’s spine and she swallowed, slowly backing away from the dark grey, rather big Alpha. “Eh… Nook…. I uh. I don’t know if this is appropriate.”
Nook took a few more steps towards her, almost standing nose to nose with her now. “See that’s why I’d like to talk with you. Alone. Do come to my den after the hunt.” He turned and started to walk away from her.
“Nook, I don’t think I..” the wolfess began.
“It’s an ORDER.” Nook growled low, showing his teeth. Despite how much she disgusted Nook, she knew that you never disobey the Alphas order. If you did you could be badly punished. Anay whimpered and hung her head, her ears back. “Yes…sir…”

 “Sheetan take the left flank! Yori, take Shud with you and run on the right!” Anay shouted the orders as they all proceeded towards the caribou herd that were already running. She had spotted her target, a buck that was a bit limp on his left hind leg. She knew Haven had set his target and was already giving directions closing up on their group’s caribou. Anay sprinted as fast she could with Bruno on her back.
“Bruno, be ready to pierce his throat when I leap!” She shouted back to him and when he nodded in response she hurled herself and leaped towards the buck, her fangs snapping tight around its neck. Immediately Sheetan were on the left on the bucket, biting and forcing it to slow down the pace and soon Yori and Shud were there too, growling and barking and attacking it in order to make it stop. As Anay’s teeth sank deeper into its neck it started to jump, throwing its head from side to side in an effort of trying to get rid of its attacker. Bruno then came from the front, leaping and aiming for its throat. With a powerful snap, he hit the vein and blood poured out from its throat and the buck fell down to the ground. Anay didn’t let go until she noticed that the others had begun to eat already. She loosed her grip and dug into her meal hungrily.
After satisfying her hunger the rest of the pack who had joined them, got their share of food and when Nook entered Anay slinked away silently to sit in the shadows a bit further away. She still remembered his order, but she’d try to stay away from him as long as possible until she really had to meet him. She started licking her muzzle clean from blood. Then the brown wolf came up to her, his muzzle as drenched with blood as hers, and sat down at her side.
“So what did he want this time?” He asked. Anay stopped cleaning herself and her ears went back.
“He wants me to accompany him after this hunt. Alone. In his den.” She shuddered at the mere thought of it and wished she’d woken up earlier, perhaps avoiding that talk with him.
“Oh. Ana don’t worry. He won’t try anything for a while. It’s closing in on winter, he can’t possibly try to hit on you.”
Anay huffed. “Since when does that wolf follow the rules of how a pack is ruled? Yet alone the rules of mating. I swear he was far too close this morning. I’m afraid he’ll try something while you’re not around…”
Bruno nuzzled her friendly and she put her head under his chin. “Don’t worry. I’ll protect you my friend. I’ll stay close around so if it turns out that he’s dumb enough to break the rules of mating I’ll come showing him what’s right and what’s not.”
Anay just mumbled to answer, though she felt a bit more safe having Bruno around. Maybe Nook wouldn’t dare to try anything to her if he noticed Bruno guarding her. The golden-coated wolfess felt a huge relief to have Bruno as a friend. She’d grown up with him being like an older brother and he had treated her just like a little sister. She was lucky to have a friend like him.
“Seems like it’s time to head back to home.” Bruno mumbled over her head and she looked up, seeing the pack gathering again and starting to wander back. She frowned but rose up and with Bruno following at her side they went back home with the pack.

Anay felt nervous and practically nauseous of the thought that she’d have to spend time alone with Nook. Bruno noticed and worried about her but she refused to let him talk with Nook. She’d been given an order and besides she didn’t want to look weak. Especially not in front of Nook. Just as the pack had started to settle down back at the den and minding their own business, Nook approached Anay and Bruno. Anay’s heart sank and her ears lowered.
“Anay. Bruno.” Nook nodded as a greeting and Bruno did the same. Anay felt like she was frozen to the spot. “Anay, I assume you haven’t forgotten what I told you this morning?”
“N-no… sir…” Anay stammered.
Nook nodded. “Good. Follow me.” He headed for his den and Anay stumbled after him. It felt like the walk was the longest she’d ever taken even though it was just a few meters. She tried to gather courage and when he slinked into the den she felt a bit better and promised herself to not let her guard down, no matter what happened.
“Congratulations to the good hunt.” He started out as she came down.
“Thank you sir.”
Nook shook his head and smiled, though his smile seemed to be rather faked. “No need to call me sir, Anay. I think we know each other well enough to call each other by names, don’t you?”
“In fact, I don’t. Sir. Now, was there something you wanted me or what is all this fuzz about?”
“Fuzz? Hm. You sure are a hard one Anay.” The dark grey Alpha sat down, looking at her. “You and your male friend, Bruno. Are you some kind of, mates?”
The question made her jaw drop but she quickly gathered herself. ‘Don’t let your guard down!’ she thought.
“Uh no sir. We’re just very close friends. He’s been like a brother to me since I was a pup.”
“I see. And there’s no one that you consider to mate with either?”
Anay sensed where he was heading with this and felt an urge to prove that this was wrong time for such questions, even though she would never even want to be anything near mate with this mutt.
“Sir I hope you are aware that it’s soon winter. These questions are not appropriate, this situation isn’t even appropriate. So if this is all you’ve got for reason to bring me down here I have to say no and leave.” Anay turned her back to the Alpha and hoped that he’d let her go. But she was wrong.
Before she’d taken more than two steps he had leaped over her, now standing in front of her, blocking the way. He was very big compared to Anay who were more slender but muscular. But her strength could not be measured against this wolf; speed was her thing, not physical strength.
“I know what time of year it is. But our territory is wealthy with caribou and small animals. We’re a lucky pack that has this part of the area in Alaska. I do think there’d be enough food to feed some more members in this pack.” He smirked and she felt utterly disgusted and started backing away from him.
“Nook don’t. There’s a lot of other females in the pack that would go with you. But this is wrong. And times can change. You should wait until spring like every pack does. It’s safer.”
Nook growled and forced her to back further in to the cave. “Don’t tell me what to do! Besides none of those other  females are as good hunter as you.  I don’t satisfy with anything. I want the best. And you, Anay, have proved to be the best.” He smiled smugly. “Like me.”
She then growled back at him. “I’m nothing like you! You’re a pathetic excuse for a hunter and there’s nothing you can do that anyone in this pack can’t do better! You’re a lunatic if you think that a litter could survive the cold winter!”
“You said what?!” Nook’s eyes started to darken but Anay was too furious to notice.
“You heard me you fleabag! I can’t get it to my sense how you could possibly be chosen as the leader of this pack, you’ve nothing that is seen in a leader!”
That was it for Nook who without warning attacked Anay and bit her hard in her scruff, throwing her into the den’s wall. Anay whimpered as she hit the wall and felt dizzy in her head. Nook leaped on her again, biting her on various places of her body. Anay tried to defend herself, biting his paws and clawing at his face. But she had the odds against her since he was over her and much stronger. When she tried to crawl away from him his paws on her back, making her unable to move.
“I don’t care if you agree being my mate. I’m the Alpha in this pack and I decide which rules are acceptable and which ones are not!” He growled over her head. Anay struggled to get free when suddenly the grey Alpha was pushed off her and she quickly got on her paws to see who had saved her.
“Bruno!” She felt so happy to see him she almost cried. But he didn’t seem as happy, his fur standing up on his back and his fangs bared, growling loud.
“Get out of here! NOW!” He ordered and Anay made her way out from the den as fast as her wounds and bleeding paw allowed her. When she came out the rest of the pack had already gathered around the den, hearing the noise and wondering what was happening.
“Anay? What’s happening? Why are you bleeding?” a white wolf, Sheetan, asked anxiously.
“Nook is getting crazy. He tried to get me to mate with him and when I refused he attacked me!” Anay whined and winced as she looked at her paw.
“What?? That’s impossible. Nook knows better than to try to raise a litter this time of the year. You must’ve been mistaking.” A light grey wolf said. It was Haven.
“No! I swear you have to believe me! He tried to….he…I can’t even say it…” Anay fell to the ground and started shaking. Then Bruno came tumbling out with Nook at his heels, both still fighting each other.
“Bruno!” Anay shrieked. The rest of the pack took act and started to part the two males. Bruno was furious over Nook’s try to mate with his best friend and as he struggled to get free from the two wolves that held him back from punishing that fleabag he bit one at the nose. The wolf winced and Bruno had another chance of attacking Nook. But just as he was about to snap his fangs around Nook’s throat he was tackled by two other wolves. This time Bruno had no chance of escaping and was held down of the tough Omegas.
“Bruno!” Anay limped over to him and part of his rage disappeared as he saw his dear friend hurt.
“Ana… look at you…that mutt…I’m sorry I should’ve come earlier…” Bruno started licking her wounds.
“It’s ok Bru…” She winced when his tounge touched the bloody mess. ”Thank you…”
“YOU TWO!” Nook’s voice was filled with anger. “You should be banished from this pack immediately!” He turned to the rest of the pack. “This traitor tried to kill me! And then her mate here tried helping her when she didn’t succeed!”
“Traitor? Kill??? You liar! You tried mating me!” Anay shouted at him.
“She’s been after the Alpha place ever since I replaced my father.” Nook continued, staring at Anay. “We all know she thinks I’m a bad leader. Of course she wants to see me dead and take my place! I saw we kill them both!”
The pack started growling and all of the wolves stared angrily at the so called “traitors”.
“No! He’s lying!” Anay felt desperate. Nook was known to be a good manipulator and he always got his will through. If he did get this one through she’d be done, and Bruno would come along. She started regretting that she had turned Nook’s proposal down. At least it would’ve kept them alive.
“Wait a second.” Haven stepped in front of the pack. “Why would we kill them? As far as I know Anay and Bruno have done their best to protect this pack and give us food by hunting every day. We all know Anay is a skilled hunter. We who have been lucky to hunt with her have seen the joy when she has taken down a caribou. Why would she be after the Alpha place?”
The pack suddenly stopped growling, and some that had been closer to Anay and Bruno nodded in agreement to what Haven said. In confusion they now all stared at Nook who seemed a bit taken aback by this speech coming from the elder wolf.
“But the fight proves that something isn’t right. I say we should banish them. They still don’t seem to like being under the rule of Nook. Why should they stay then?” One of the wolves said. Some murmuring was heard and several seemed to agree that exile was a better option than death. Nook growled, wanting them to be dead but he figured that he would have to satisfy exiling them.
“Fine. Anay, Bruno. As a the Alpha of this pack I judge your crimes and disobeying of orders to a punishment of exile. If you ever come back here again I will personally make sure you won’t take another breathe alive. We’ll be guarding this territory so don’t think you can get in here unnoticed.” Nook growled.
“But Anay’s hurt! You can’t send us away when she is wounded.” Bruno said and got up to his feet. Nook turned, staring angrily at him, then at Anay. “She’s your problem now. Not mine. Get them out of here!” He exchanged one last glance with Bruno before he trotted away. Four omegas surrounded them and Bruno sighed and helped Anay up to her feet.
“Come on Anay, we better head off.” He mumbled. The female winced as she got up and limped away with Bruno steady by her side. The pack watched as they left, some of them in disbelief that Anay and Bruno could ever have tried to take the Alpha’s place, and others in disgust of the assumed crime that had been brought upon them. Anay felt lost. Where would they go? They were two wolves with no relatives that could help them to find a new pack. Would other packs welcome them, or would they only see them as a threat? As Anay looked back, seeing nook watching them from a hill, she pondered over the fact if it had been right choice turning him down if she’d known this was the alternative. But she knew in her heart she was right. If she’d gotten a litter this winter there’d be a very small chance for them to survive the ice cold winds and minus degrees. Besides, the pack would’ve needed her while hunting. However now they wouldn’t have her there at all. Anay winced as she realized that if they didn’t find a pack before winter arrived with snow and cold, they would be the ones who would stand small chances of surviving the winter.