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Pawprints in the Snow - Part 04

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IV. FINDING EDMUND

Racing back to the cave hadn’t been such a good idea, after all. By the time they reached the cliffside, Stephen tumbled over his forepaws and collapsed on the snow. Lilly couldn’t hold back the urge to giggle, but nevertheless came to his aid. The pale tan wolf blushed again as she propped him up, but kept such thoughts to himself. He was grateful that she chose to spare him after what he had done to Garth. It would be best to not push his luck and act like an immature pup.

Stephen managed to walk the rest of the way into the cave, and was quite surprised when Lilly pushed herself against a large rock at the back. Lilly managed to make it tilt farther this time, making a larger crack for her and Stephen to slide through. The pale tan wolf stared in disbelief. “That was there this whole time?”

The white she-wolf nodded. “Yes, Garth showed it to me. Honestly, I’m kind of surprised neither of you thought to look back here.”

“Well…I did, but I felt Edmund would probably just give me crap for wasting my strength on rocks,” Stephen admitted, his tail curling around his hindlegs. “At least now I know I wasn’t crazy when it felt like I was being watched.”

Lilly chuckled, but soon frowned. “Listen, Stephen, I just wanted to apologize again. I never meant to hurt you. I just wanted to scare you and Edmund off. I didn’t mean to…I mean…”

Stephen smiled as he approached her and placed his forepaw atop hers. “Don’t worry about it. I had it coming anyway.” The pale tan wolf moved through the crack, taking care not to scratch the wounds on the back of his neck against the rock. Lilly sighed with relief and slipped through. With another grunt, Lilly pushed the rock back into place, leaving a thumb-sized crack between the rock and the wall like before. She paused for a moment, expecting to see Edmund running back to the cave and catching them as they disappeared behind the back wall. But the cinnabar wolf did not appear. Lilly smirked, feeling proud of herself for scaring him away, until she recalled his wounds. Shaking her head, Lilly turned to face Stephen.

The pale tan wolf stared in absolute awe of the magnificent amethyst glow bathing the walls of the secret chamber. Lilly stepped ahead and led Stephen down the collapsed stones after giving him a few seconds to remember where he was. Stephen reached the bottom floor and went directly to the pool. Lilly watched as Stephen drank. Although he had stopped bleeding, his neck wounds were still noticeable. The she-wolf felt that pang in her chest at the sight of them. Nevertheless, she walked next to the torn bag with the remaining pieces of caribou meat. She bit off another chunk of the flap and carried it with her. At the pool, Stephen tensed when he felt something warm and wet rub against the back of his neck.

“It’s all right, Stephen. I’m just cleaning you up a bit. I’m sorry.”

Stephen relaxed and stretched his neck, allowing Lilly to clean away some of the excess crisps of dried blood. She winced, but was again relieved to see that the wounds were not as deep as she feared. Placing the red-tinted flap piece aside, Lilly waited as Stephen finished drinking from the pool. He licked his mouth appreciatively.

Much to her relief, Garth was still asleep, with his curl dangling carelessly over his left eye, undisturbed by the sounds of their pawsteps. The white she-wolf smiled and gently brushed Garth’s forehead. The red-orange Alpha smiled in his sleep and leaned his head forward instinctively. Lilly giggled and continued brushing, becoming all the more amused and charmed when Garth’s tail started wagging. Her smile died as soon as she noticed the scratches and crispy bits of dried blood on her forepaw. She retracted it instantly. Garth frowned in his sleep, but soon resumed his former position.

Lilly yawned and stretched her legs as she settled next to Garth. She turned to check on Stephen. The pale tan wolf huddled in a far corner of the chamber, with his right side facing Lilly and Garth. Their eyes met briefly before Stephen immediately directed his attention to his forepaws, his ears folding against his head. Lilly considered inviting him to sleep closer to them, at least so he could stay warm. But Stephen seemed to root himself over there, and, with a yawn of his own, the pale tan wolf fell asleep.

The she-wolf sighed and rested her head against Garth’s. As she closed her eyes, her mind replayed her attacks on Edmund and Stephen. She shuddered and tried to think of something else. That copper taste returned to her mouth, nearly making her gag. She shuddered again, opening her eyes.

Right on cue, Garth’s left foreleg reached for and wrapped around Lilly. She closed her eyes again as she felt his warmth. After a few seconds, she finally felt peaceful enough to drift into sleep.

***

That dull weight feeling manifested in Edmund’s gut as the cinnabar Alpha forced his eyes open. The sky was still overcast, but it had mercifully stopped snowing. He felt melted slush dripping from his undersides and limbs from where he had huddled so close in a tight cluster of trees. His body stung all over, particularly his sides and his tail. Edmund looked back and made a mournful whimper at the sight of his tail. Bitten and missing chunks of his fine cinnabar hair. With another groan, Edmund got to his paws and tried to ignore the pain still raging at his side.

That damned White Wolf…

Edmund shook his head, ashamed of himself for letting a mighty Alpha like himself be defeated by an Omega, supernatural or not. The cinnabar wolf tensed and stretched his hindlegs, forcing out the last of the pangs echoing through them. The cool air brushed against the numerous cuts and jabs on his body. He looked ahead to gauge how far he had run. The hill where he and Stephen attempted to kill Garth was barely visible above the horizon.

Stephen… Edmund froze as the image of the pale tan wolf screaming for help came back to mind. No, it was his own damn fault for getting caught. A true Alpha wouldn’t get caught by an Omega like that. Never.

The cinnabar wolf took a few steps in the direction away from the White Wolf’s hill. He inhaled and exhaled as the battle replayed in his mind. He shook them away as he started to run. Leaving the White Wolf’s hill behind him, Edmund mentally attempted various explanations about the disappearances of the three wolves, settling on blaming those Rogues. But every few seconds, Stephen reappeared, extending his paw and screaming for Edmund to help. Edmund groaned, feeling that dull weight drag in his stomach. He closed his eyes.

Alphas look out for each other. It’s what Alphas do.

That dull weight feeling shifted to his chest, eventually settling in his heart. Edmund shuddered as it sank into his chest. Bile threatened to rise in his throat as the mental image once again forced itself into focus, showing him a repeated image of Stephen begging for help. The cinnabar wolf considered. Stephen had been a valuable ally for all these years. And after all, Stephen had too risked everything for the greater good. Garth had to die to keep the problem from spreading, but Stephen didn’t. No, he didn’t at all. He hung his head as his heart sank further.

Edmund grunted and forced his eyes open once more. Beginning with another step, the cinnabar wolf turned around and started a sprint in the direction of the White Wolf’s hill. He increased speed as Stephen’s screams echoed through his mind.

Maybe I’m not too late. Stephen’s an Alpha. An Alpha would never lose to an Omega. And Stephen’s tough. Still…maybe I can find him and make things right. He did this for me, and I left him like a coward. I’ll need as many Alphas on my side as I can get once I take command. I hope it’s not too late…

He paused at the bottom of the hill, noticing the jaw-like arrangement of rocks this time. The memory of tripping over and falling atop them returned, making the scratches and cuts on his side ache. Edmund fought the urge to examine his own blood, stained and dried, atop a few of the rocks at the edge. With precision, he leapt over the rocky teeth and continued up the path.

The shape of a wolf manifested at the corner of his right eye, watching him intently. Pangs of fear shivered under his fur. Could it be the same wolf that dug out Garth’s corpse? The cinnabar wolf halted in place and checked his surroundings. The wolf shape was gone. Edmund shook his head and continued onwards, until the shape reappeared on his left. The cinnabar wolf growled and threw his head in that direction. Once again, the wolf shape was gone.

Edmund walked slower and scanned the area around him as he neared the space where Stephen had been attacked by the White Wolf. The cinnabar wolf’s legs seized up at the sight of the imprint, adorned with flecks of blood here and there. He noticed the series of pawprints heading around it and back in the direction of the cave. The hairs on his back stood up and a growl built in his throat.

The cinnabar wolf forced his legs to move as he spun around. The wolf shape did not disappear this time, watching him intently from several feet away. Edmund forgot about Stephen as he instinctively ran towards the mystery wolf with his teeth bared. The mystery wolf turned and ran, flicking its tail as it vanished down the trail. The Alpha narrowed his eyes and followed. The mystery wolf stopped once, a few more feet away. Edmund crouched and lunged at the mystery wolf. He struck and slid across the snow as the mystery wolf jumped out of reach.

With another growl, Edmund lifted himself from the snow. The mystery wolf stretched its face into a toothy grin. The cinnabar wolf readied himself for another attack when the mystery wolf jumped back again. Edmund glared as the mystery wolf turned and ran once more, flicking its tail in his direction. His teeth gritted and his chest heaved with fury. Stephen, Garth’s corpse, and the White Wolf vanished from his mind completely as he started to pursue the mystery wolf once again.

Soon, though, Edmund noticed that the mystery wolf wasn’t leaving pawprints in the snow. He skidded to a stop at the bottom of the hill as the mystery wolf disappeared from sight. The cinnabar wolf paused and looked again. There was only one set of pawprints trailing behind him, not in front where the mystery wolf ran. The Alpha stared in confusion, trying to put two and two together. No pawprints in the snow. Always running ahead of him. Fur that was white, now that he thought about it…

His blood trickled to ice when he felt warm breath on the back of his neck.

Edmund screamed and ran around the side of the hill, kicking up snow behind him. The White Wolf followed close behind, grinning at the prospect of her new prey. The cinnabar wolf did not dare to look back or stop, even as his heart threatened to drill a hole through his chest.

***

Stephen stared at the floor. He awoke before Garth or Lilly, but decided to remain in place as they slept. Once or twice, he stole a glance in their direction and smiled at the sight of the sleeping couple. Garth really is lucky. She risked her life in the snow to save him, and helped me, even though I didn’t deserve it. He really is lucky.

When Garth awoke, he saw Lilly sleeping by his side, and sighed with relief. Something told him she had been out there somewhere, with the chance that she  might have been lost forever. But her warmth and gentle breathing assured him, otherwise. The red-orange Alpha smiled. Lilly looked so adorable when she slept, how her bangs drooped over her eyes, and how she rested so close to him. Garth leaned in closer and kissed her forehead. Lilly did not stir. With a little grin, Garth gave her forehead a nice, slow, sensual lick. Lilly moaned. Feeling proud of himself, Garth licked her again. The she-wolf tilted her head to the left just slightly. Seeing a perfect opportunity, Garth pressed his mouth and tongue against her neck. Lilly’s cheeks slightly reddened and she began to pant. Garth continued, mercilessly licking and kissing. A faint whimper left Lilly’s mouth.

His eyes drifted from her white fur to something pale tan in the corner. His licks slowed as the pale tan shape moved to the side. Garth cautiously pulled away from Lilly and got to his paws. The pale tan shape assumed the form of another wolf, keeping his eyes directed at the floor. The red-orange Alpha paused, wondering why he looked so familiar-

Stephen barely registered that Garth was awake when the red-orange wolf lunged at him. Garth growled and pressed his left forepaw’s claws against Stephen’s throat. The pale tan wolf gagged, and briefly tried to push Garth off when the red-orange wolf pressed harder. Stephen was on the verge of tears.

“You son of a bitch…” Garth snapped his teeth just an inch short of Stephen’s nose. “You backstabbing, lying piece of caribou crap…I know what you and Edmund did to me, and what you did to Lilly. I should rip open your chest and leave you for the birds. I should break your legs and throw you off the damn cliff! See how you like it!”

Stephen whimpered as his forepaws slackened.

Lilly slowly awoke to the sound of Garth’s growls. She brushed the bangs from her eyes and looked up. She saw Garth at the wall standing over Stephen. Her eyes widened, and the she-wolf immediately got to her paws.

“Garth! Get off of him!”

Her mate didn’t hear her, instead pressing his claws a little harder, so they now drew a few beads of blood. “Give me one good reason I shouldn’t just kill you, right here, right now-”

“Because I said so!” Lilly shoved Garth off.

Stephen gasped as Garth’s claws released. Her mate whirled around on her, eyes locked to kill. But his death glare faded into a confused grimace when he saw Lilly standing defensively over Stephen.

“Lilly, what…what are you doing?”

“Garth, leave him alone. You’re not going to hurt him,” Lilly told him firmly.

“He tried to kill me! Did you forget that?”

“No, I didn’t. But…we can’t, Garth.”

Garth stifled the next growl building in his throat. “Lilly…you’re not making any sense. He tried to kill us, and he’ll just try it again when our guard’s down. You can’t trust-”

Lilly shook her head. “He won’t try to kill either of us again.”

“How can you be so sure?”

His mate took a step back and gestured to the wounds on the back of Stephen’s neck. Garth stepped forward to take a closer look. He winced at the sight of the bite marks and looked back at Lilly. She hung her head like an ashamed pup, one bang covering her right eye. Garth leaned back.

“You…?”

Lilly nodded.

Garth smirked after mentally picturing the confrontation. “Damn. Too bad I didn’t get to see it.”

Lilly stopped just short of Garth’s face and uttered a low, Eve-worthy growl. Garth backed against the wall as Lilly glared him down. He was about to speak when she snapped her teeth at him. Garth tried to move to her left, getting back towards Stephen. Lilly tackled him and snapped her teeth close to his throat.

“Lilly, what’s wrong with you?”

The she-wolf paused as the growl died down. She quickly realized she was atop Garth with her teeth bared. Her eyes widened, and she ran up the collapsed stones. Garth extended his right forepaw, but failed to catch her as she ran. He watched her struggle against the rock and push it aside. The red-orange wolf got to his paws and ran after her as she slipped through the crack. Stephen considered following them, but decided to remain where he was. The pale tan wolf briefly held his left forepaw to his throat. He retracted it and saw a few beads of blood against his pads. Stephen whimpered. Miss Lilly saved his life again. Maybe she shouldn’t have.

Lilly huddled near the cliffside wall, a few feet from the mouth of the cave. She cradled her head in her forepaws and shivered. Her tail curled around her left foreleg. Her mind forced her to replay that image of snapping at Garth over and over. She shook her head and tried to sink into the snow. Before long, she began to cry.

Garth found Lilly a few seconds later and carefully walked over to her. She felt his foreleg wrap around her and pull her close. Lilly briefly thought of breaking and running away before she might hurt him. But instead, she buried her face in his chest and cried some more. Garth brushed her back and rested his head atop hers. After a minute, Lilly stopped crying and shivering. She brushed the bangs from her eyes and looked up at him. Her mate smiled and licked her gently between her eyes. Lilly moaned.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to…I’m sorry…it’s just…”

“No, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you,” Garth apologized, ears folded against his head. “But I’d like to know why you acted so hostile.”

Lilly took a deep breath. “I went after Edmund and Stephen after you went to sleep. I only wanted to scare them off, so we could sneak out of here the next day without them finding out we weren’t dead. But I remembered what they did to you. And…and…I lost control…Garth…” The white she-wolf shuddered as the mental images returned. “I hurt both of them, and almost killed Stephen. I wasn’t myself. I wasn’t…”

“You’re still you,” Garth reassured. “At least, you definitely still look like you. Same lovely white fur, same beautiful purple eyes…”

His mate chuckled a little before taking another deep breath. “It’s just…I mean, I know they tried to kill us. But when I saw Stephen lying there, looking like you did…I just couldn’t do it. Then I could taste the blood and…and…and…” Lilly let out a frustrated growl.

Garth wrapped both forelegs around her and held her closer. “It’s all right, Lilly. I’m sorry. I didn’t realize you were that bothered by it.”

Lilly rested her face against his chest fur for a few more seconds before she continued. “Stephen wanted me to kill him. I just couldn’t do it, Garth. So, I brought him back here. He won’t hurt us again.” Her voice was much calmer now.

Garth paused to consider this. “Well, if you say he won’t, then I believe you. But where’s Edmund?”

“Edmund ran away. He left Stephen behind, even as he was screaming for help.”

Garth’s eyes widened and then he shook his head. “All right then. If you say Stephen won’t try anything, I believe you. But, I want to know why he did this. We better get back in the cave, and figure out what we’re gonna do next. But if you need some more time-”

Lilly briefly nuzzled Garth’s neck. “Let’s go.”

As the two reentered the cave, Stephen remained in place, wondering what they could have been talking about. In his head, Garth angrily spoke of vengeance and snapped his teeth, prepping them for tearing out Stephen’s throat. The pale tan wolf shuddered and sank against the floor. He would deserve such a fate after what he did. His stomach growled, but Stephen ignored it. Lost in that horrid mesh of guilt and fear, Stephen didn’t notice as the rock covering the chamber entrance was pushed back into place or hear the approaching pawsteps.

However, he did hear Garth say his name. The pale tan Alpha immediately covered his eyes with his forepaws. “All right! I deserve whatever nasty thing you’re gonna do to me. But please, just make it quick!”

Garth pried Stephen’s forepaws apart, and forced his fellow Alpha to look at him. “Listen. I had a little talk with Lilly, and she’s convinced me. If she says you’re not gonna try anything again, I believe her. But, I want to know something. Why did you and Edmund do this?”

The pale tan wolf’s eyes lowered to the chamber floor and he let out a low sigh. “Because we’re scared, Garth.”

Garth and Lilly looked at each other in confusion. “Scared?” The red-orange Alpha asked with a raised eyebrow.

Stephen nodded. “Ever since you and Tony started doing negotiations and all that with the Western Pack, Edmund was going on and on about how important us Alphas are. And then, after you and Miss Lilly got married, and after Miss Kate and that other Omega got married, well, Edmund got scared. He said that by getting rid of that old pack law and letting Alphas and Omegas get married, our packs were just going to let the Omegas take everything from the Alphas.”

The pale tan wolf stood up and stretched his legs, keeping his eyes to the floor. “He told me that your marriage to Miss Lilly would ruin Alphas forever. That we’d lose everything we ever worked for, all that training in Alpha school, all that time spent hunting and proving ourselves as the best, all of it.”

Lilly winced a little as the sensation of Edmund digging his claws into her forepaws came back to her. “Yes…I remember. Edmund told me that before he threw me off the cliff. That Omegas like me would “overtake everything, and leave Alphas with nothing”…”

Garth growled and tensed, subconsciously preparing to lunge at something. Stephen backed away, closed his eyes, and raised his forepaws in front of his face. Lilly brushed the back of Garth’s head until his body relaxed. When he could not hear Garth growling anymore, Stephen slowly reopened his eyes and lowered his forepaws. The she-wolf turned to Stephen and gestured for him to continue. The pale tan wolf let out a sigh of relief before the guilty expression returned to his face.

“I didn’t believe it at first, but…well...Edmund got more and more scared, so I did too. He continued on and on, saying that we’d lose everything. That the only way he could make things better would be to take over as Top Alpha himself, and reinstate those traditions, even if meant breaking off all ties with the Western Pack. Of course, that meant trying to kill you…” Stephen was on the verge of tears. “I’m sorry I hurt you, Garth. I’ve only ever been an Alpha. I couldn’t be an Omega or a Beta or anything else. I’d be useless…worthless...nothing more than caribou crap…I’d-I’d-I’d…” The pale tan wolf barely supported himself as his forelegs shivered.

Lilly approached Stephen and, much to both Alphas’ surprise, embraced the pale tan wolf with her right foreleg. Stephen shook his head in disbelief when she pulled away. After a few seconds, he sheepishly looked up at her. Lilly returned a warm smile.

“Stephen, we’ll need Alphas just as much as we need Omegas. Everyone has a place in our pack. After all, we’ll need big strong Alphas to lead us and hunt and fight. They’ll always be necessary in our pack,” Lilly looked towards Garth, who gave her a playful grin before she turned back to Stephen. “But of course, you learned that in Alpha school, right?”

The pale tan wolf weakly nodded. “Yeah…but, how do you know for sure? I mean, if Alphas and Omegas can marry now, wouldn’t that mean more things would change? What if we Alphas really lose everything and-and-and I can’t…” Stephen sank back to the floor and cradled his head in his forepaws.

Garth and Lilly watched as the pale tan wolf began to convulse. The red-orange Alpha glanced at his mate with a concerned look. Lilly shook her head and held her left forepaw against her muzzle. Her eyes widened a little as a thought came to her. Before Garth could ask, Lilly approached the shaking wolf. “Stephen, did you or Edmund ever consider that we gained something when our packs came together?”

Stephen paused. After a few seconds, the pale tan wolf raised his head to face her.

“Think about it, Stephen. Our packs joined together so we could help each other. So that way, none of us would ever starve, and none of us would ever have to fight one another ever again. If Kate and Garth had married, they’d be miserable, unable to focus with all the heartache and pains of living a lie. And that wouldn’t be any good for the future leaders of our pack. Things would have gotten much worse, and they wouldn’t be the only ones who’d be suffering in time. But since we’re allowed to love and be together…” Lilly walked over by Garth and brushed against him. “Our future is brighter.”

The pale tan wolf tilted his head.

“We’re happy, Stephen. As the future leaders, we will ensure better things for our packs because we’re not miserable and living a lie. And we’ll always need Alphas. You Alphas won’t lose anything. Honestly, you Alphas gained more because of Kate and Humphrey and Garth and me. Because we’re allowed to be happy, because any Alpha and Omega are allowed to be happy together, we can ensure our pack becomes better and stronger. We’ll work together, and we’ll make our future brighter. We’ll bring wonderful pups into the world to make stronger Alphas and funnier Omegas. We’ll…”

Lilly blushed a little as her mind painted a familiar image. In it, she rested on the floor of their den as a litter of three, maybe four young wolves gathered near her. One of them, looking just like his father, whimpered and rubbed his tiny forepaws against her side. She smiled and gave the top of his head a reassuring lick. Another pup, looking like her, yawned and rested atop Lilly’s right forepaw. The white she-wolf looked up and saw Garth smiling back at her. They nuzzled as their pups fell asleep next to her.

Realizing Garth and Stephen were staring at her, Lilly shook her head and brought herself back to reality. “But you and Edmund never had any reason to be afraid. The Alphas aren’t going away or losing anything. None of us are.”

Stephen considered this and eventually nodded. “I’m sorry, Miss Lilly. I never thought of it like that…I just…I got so scared because of what Edmund said…”

“It’s all right, Stephen. And I’m sorry about what I did to you. It wasn’t right.”

The pale tan wolf raised his left forepaw. “No, Miss Lilly, I deserved it. I don’t deserve a second chance.”

“Are you really sorry about hurting Garth?” Lilly questioned.

Stephen nodded weakly. “I’m really, really sorry about hurting Garth.”

Lilly smiled. “Then you deserve a second chance.”

The red-orange Alpha’s eyes met briefly with the pale tan Alpha’s. The wounds on the back of his neck burned for a few seconds. Garth glared, prompting Stephen to step back. “I’m not gonna lie, Stephen. I’m still really pissed off about what you did.” With a heavy sigh, Garth’s frown relaxed into a reassuring smile. “But…Lilly is willing to give you a second chance, and I trust her. So if she’s willing to give you a second chance, then so am I.”

Stephen couldn’t believe what he was hearing, or hold back the grateful smile spreading on his face. “You mean it?”

Garth nodded.

“Thank you! Thank you! I’m so sorry, Garth! I promise I’ll make it up to you even if it kills me!” Stephen flung his forelegs around Garth.

The red-orange Alpha winced a bit as Stephen’s forepaws grazed his neck wounds. The pale tan wolf immediately retracted his forelegs and braced for the worst. Garth shrugged it off and wrapped right foreleg around Stephen while rubbing his curled forepaw atop the pale tan wolf’s head. Stephen laughed and pushed Garth off. Lilly smiled.

But the smile on Stephen’s face died as a thought occurred. “Oh no…but Edmund’s still out there somewhere. I gotta find him!” The pale tan wolf readied to run towards the collapsed stones when he tripped over them.

Garth placed his right forepaw atop Stephen’s tail and dragged him back. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold on a second. Why do you want to do that?”

“Well, he’s my fellow Alpha and Alphas look out for each other, remember?” Stephen’s ears folded back against his head. “I mean, I know I sound like a hypocrite right now, but I just can’t leave him out there.”

“He wasn’t exactly there for you when he left you for dead.”

“I know…but I just can’t leave him out there. I know that doesn’t make any sense, but I just can’t.”

Lilly nodded. “He’s right, Garth. We should find Edmund. I mean, whether we like it or not, he is a member of our pack. And we need to make sure he won’t try something like this again.”

Garth turned to her and was about to speak when her worried expression killed the words in his throat. With another sigh, the red-orange Alpha too nodded. “I guess you’re right. All right, we’ll find him. But when we do, he’s got a lot to answer for.”

***

The three wolves spent several minutes eating in silence as Lilly passed around the last few chunks of caribou meat still left in the bag. Stephen initially refused, shaking his head and pushing the meat away. After a few minutes of this little act, Lilly shoved a piece of caribou hide into his mouth. Feeling the texture of flesh over his teeth and seeing Lilly’s reassuring smile, Stephen finally ate. The pale tan wolf watched as Garth and Lilly shared the final large piece between themselves. A strand of slightly bloodied skin broke off from the bigger chunk and formed between Lilly and Garth’s mouths. Garth playfully tugged on the meat, prompting Lilly to playfully tug back in return. Suddenly, the strand tensed up, bringing their mouths together. They pulled away, dropping the strand. After a few seconds, husband and wife laughed. Stephen couldn’t help but smile.

After they finished, the three wolves made their way up the collapsed stones. Garth stretched his legs, working out the lingering kinks from spending so long out of action. Lilly motioned to push the rock out of the way when Garth politely held up his forepaw instead. She nodded and stepped back as Garth moved the rock aside. With a gentlemanly smirk, Garth gestured for her to exit first. Lilly slipped through the crack and into the cave. Garth turned to Stephen. The pale tan wolf nodded and followed suit. The red-orange Alpha stepped through and pushed the rock back into place behind them. Dusting himself off, Garth joined Lilly and Stephen at the entrance. The sky overhead was still overcast, but mercifully without snow.

Lilly led on, retracing her steps from last night along the path. While she saw Edmund run into the distance, she considered following the path just in case. She wondered if Edmund shared that “Alphas look out for each other” belief as well. While he did run away, he did come running when Stephen first screamed. Maybe he came back again once the fear died down. Lilly frowned as the memory of Edmund’s fur and blood on her mouth returned. She shook her head and continued onward, not wanting to worry Garth or Stephen any more than she probably already had.

Garth closely followed her. While he wasn’t sure how exactly they’d find Edmund if he ran like hell out of here, he trusted her judgment. The red-orange Alpha observed the white Omega as she walked and searched attentively. He briefly flashed a proud smile. Nevertheless, Garth defensively leapt in front of Lilly once as the sound of something moving echoed around them. The two turned to their left and saw a pile of snow at the base of a tree, having collapsed from a branch that could no longer hold its weight.

Stephen took up the rear, trying to think of where Edmund would run after being attacked by Miss Lilly. For sure, he wouldn’t run back to Tony. Too many questions, too many chances of being found out. The pale tan wolf considered the nearby caves, but admittedly, he was drawing a blank. He thought back to the previous night when Edmund ran away despite his cries for help. That dull weight feeling manifested in his stomach. Stephen stopped for a moment and waited for it to subside. After a minute or so, it faded away. The pale tan wolf saw that Garth and Lilly were several feet down the path. Stephen immediately picked up the pace.

Lilly slowed down as she neared the spot where she had attacked and left Stephen. The imprint was still there, marked by a few flecks of blood. She winced and shook her head, trying to force the memories of the attack out of her head. The white she-wolf closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths. Garth stopped near her and placed his left forepaw on her back. Lilly reopened her eyes as he gently rubbed. She gave him a brief smile before turning her attention back to the spot. Her eyes narrowed in.

A fresh trail of pawprints trailed to and from the spot. They were erratic and bunched together before retreating down the path. Lilly leaned in for a closer look. Sure enough, a few hairs were scattered atop the snow, arched and curled where they fell. The white she-wolf carefully scooped one stray hair up in her left forepaw and examined it. It was a deep red-just like cinnabar.

Lilly moved her left forepaw under Garth’s nose. Her mate took a look and nodded. They glanced at each other for a moment before Lilly gestured to Stephen. The pale tan wolf ran up to them and inspected the cinnabar hair on her forepaw for himself. His eyes widened. Stephen inspected the ground and followed the trail of scattered hairs for a few feet down the path, taking care not to step into the fresh set of pawprints heading down. Garth and Lilly soon followed, picking up the pace.

The pawprints led all the way to the bottom, eventually reaching the jaw-like set of rocks. Lilly winced at the sight of the incisors that still had traces of Edmund’s blood atop them. She shook the thought from her mind as Stephen went ahead. The pale tan wolf groaned when his forelegs fell right into a small hole not far from the teeth-like rocks, smacking his chin atop the snow. Garth rushed over and lifted Stephen to his paws. Lilly uttered her own groan, and briefly hid her face in her left forepaw. She quickly retracted her forepaw when Garth and Stephen turned to check on her. With a little nod, Lilly moved on with them. As they stepped ahead, Lilly’s hindlegs kicked snow into the hole, hoping to bury the memory along with it.

Much to their surprise, the trail of pawprints and cinnabar hairs curled around the base of the hill. Lilly wandered ahead as the landscape seemed…familiar. As they made their way around the back, Lilly noticed a series of collapsed stones lining the back of the hill like a broken set of stairs. The she-wolf froze in place as the memory of the mystery wolf came back to her. Maybe…

Kicking her hindlegs, Lilly broke into a sprint ahead as she followed the pawprints and cinnabar hairs that continued onwards. Garth and Stephen stared in surprise, but soon followed. Over the snow, the white she-wolf leapt over the scattered stones left their by the storm, with the red-orange and pale tan Alphas close behind. Garth kept his eyes focused on his mate, wondering what she could possibly be doing. But his gut told her that she knew what she was doing. A small proud smile formed on Garth’s face as he and Stephen reached Lilly atop the next small hill.

Lilly stopped for a moment, panting heavily as her heart beat erratically in her chest. She looked down the path. She was right. Ahead was that same cave she found herself in before, dug out of the snow and given food. The white she-wolf readied to start again when she tripped. With an angry grunt, she rolled down the small hill until she collided with a snow bank at the bottom. Lilly spat out chunks of snow lodged into her mouth and got back to her paws. A larger chunk of white clung to her back, formed in the shape of a shell by the roll.

Garth and Stephen ran down to her, taking care not to trip and roll themselves. The red-orange Alpha couldn’t hold back his amusement at the sight of Lilly with her snow-turtle’s shell. He stepped back a bit when Lilly looked at him, fearing she might respond with some more Eve-worthy anger. Instead, Lilly chuckled and shook the snow off her back. But her smile soon died when she redirected her attention back to the cave.

Lilly was the first to reach the entrance, lined with the last of the trailing cinnabar hairs. She shivered, recalling how she had woken up in her after being buried under the snow. Taking a look further down, she noticed that the cave went far deeper than she thought. Then again, she had been more concerned about finding Garth at the time. Now, it was a matter of finding another red Alpha. Perhaps, she could apologize, and make peace with him, as well.

“Do you know this place?” Garth eventually asked as he and Stephen stopped next to her.

Lilly nodded. “Yes. I was here yesterday, after that wolf dug me out of the snow…”

Garth immediately turned to face her. “What? You didn’t mention another wolf.”

Stephen’s face blanched. “You mean there was someone else who saw everything? Oh no, oh no…” The pale tan wolf shrunk back.

“I’m sorry, I guess I just got caught up in everything. But, yes, there was another wolf. I didn’t get a good look at her, but she seemed a lot like me. She dug me out of the snow and brought me into this cave where I found that bag of caribou meat,” Lilly turned to face Garth. “She also led me to where you were buried in the snow. If she hadn’t rescued me and got me there in time, I might have…” Lilly hung her head.

Garth nuzzled her cheek. “It’s all right, Lilly.” He pulled away and briefly flashed her a reassuring smile. “So, you think Edmund’s in here?”

“Most likely. The hairs and pawprints led to right here. I think he might have seen her and tried to chase her. Probably thought she was a witness.”

“Oh great, oh great, I’m in so much trouble now…” Stephen shook.

Lilly placed her left forepaw on the pale tan wolf’s back. “Relax, Stephen. You’re not in trouble anymore. But, we’d better find Edmund.”

Stephen calmed after a few more seconds and nodded. Lilly turned to Garth who nodded in return. With that resolved, the three wolves took a deep breath and ventured into the cave. Garth took the lead, putting himself in front of Lilly as it got darker, and the entrance was further and further away. The pale tan wolf took up the rear, looking back every now and then as the entrance vanished around the first corner, as the cave arched to the left and down. But the thought of Edmund panicking and beaten up made him steel his nerves to keep going. Alphas looked out for each other, after all.

Garth kept his nose in the air, trying to pick up on Edmund’s scent. The trail was faint, but grew a little stronger as they continued on. The red-orange Alpha’s nose reeled a little from the smell of blood that penetrated the scent trail. He shook his head and snapped back to attention. Garth checked over his shoulder to see Lilly and Stephen following close behind. Returning to the path, Garth’s forepaws dropped when he failed to notice the dip that formed as the tunnel slanted down a little more. Lilly gasped and pulled on Garth’s backside, dragging her mighty Alpha back up. Her mate let out a nervous chuckle as he recomposed himself. Taking care not to make the same mistake, Lilly carefully stepped down and led Stephen to do the same.

The three wolves managed in the dimming light as their current path led towards a heavy and rough wall of jagged rocks. Garth tilted his head and picked up the scent trail again, heading towards a tunnel veering off to the right. He stopped for a moment as he checked to ensure it was the right scent. Nodding, the red-orange Alpha began again, with Lilly and Stephen following close behind. Stephen yipped a bit as he walked into the jagged rock wall. The pale tan wolf quickly recovered, and ran to rejoin them.

The tunnel was narrower compared to the first part of the cave. However, as Lilly noted, the walls were much smoother. She stopped for a moment to brush her right forepaw against a section of the tunnel’s wall. It felt smooth and cold to her pads, almost like a pristine layer of ice. Lilly continued walking after Garth as the red-orange Alpha continued on the scent trail. Stephen shivered a bit in the tunnel’s cool air, and felt a small rock slip beneath his right forepaw. With a growl, he kicked it to the side and continued on.

Garth stopped abruptly at the tunnel’s end. Lilly moved up beside him and stared in awe. Stephen followed suit.

Before them, a massive cluster of purple crystals hung from the cavern ceiling, just like those in the hidden chamber of Garth’s cave. A deeper amethyst light bathed the area, flowing along the smooth walls. Garth stepped in first and scanned the area around the tunnel’s end. There were no rocks readying to fall or cracked sections of the floor threatening to give out. Garth waved Lilly and Stephen to follow as he moved to the left. The white she-wolf and pale tan wolf continued to look around.

Also like in the hidden chamber, a series of collapsed stones connected with the path near the tunnel’s end to the floor below. Garth stepped cautiously, checking each collapsed stone, just in case. He reached the bottom, and almost fell forward when his left forepaw dropped into a pothole near the wall. Lilly walked alongside him and propped him back up, ensuring his right forepaw touched ground again. The couple and Stephen inspected the area.

A large hole cracked in the center of the chamber, curling down into who knew where. Three other tunnels formed along the walls, extending like the claws of a pawprint and showing paths leading to equally unknown places. Garth walked to the closest of the three and took a whiff. No sign of Edmund. He tried the other tunnels as Lilly and Stephen looked around some more. Still no sign of Edmund.

Lilly moved along the right as Stephen covered the left. At the far corner of the wall Lilly followed, an alcove curved inwards, looking like chunky clay shaped into a broken bowl. The scent hit Lilly’s nose right away. She turned and gestured to Garth who had finished inspecting the third tunnel. They briefly nodded to each other, and Garth walked in front of her, readying himself to block any potential blows sent her way. With careful steps, they approached the alcove. And their eyes widened at the sight of what lied within it.

Edmund was curled into a ball, burying his face in his forelegs, with his back to them. The cinnabar Alpha shuddered uncontrollably, the claws of his hindpaws scraping against the wall and leaving small etchings. His tail, missing patches of fur, swished back and forth, scattering dust and several small rocks across the cavern floor. Lilly stepped back a bit as one the size of a claw tip struck her right between the digits of her left forepaw. She frowned at the visible bite marks and scratches from her attack, but also noticed plenty of new ones that cut further into Edmund’s cinnabar fur. Among them, a sizeable bite was present on the back of his neck, leaving a strand of ruby red drops of blood. Garth and Lilly stared in disbelief.

Stephen walked behind them and gasped. “Edmund? What happened to you?”

The cinnabar wolf tensed and immediately rose to his paws, snapping his teeth. Garth and Lilly jumped back, knocking Stephen onto his side. Edmund whirled to his and whirled to his right, growling and biting at the air. The red-orange Alpha stepped in front of his mate and bared his teeth. Edmund turned to face his would-be attacker…and his eyes widened at the sight.

“You…you’re supposed to be dead!” Edmund snarled.

“I’m Top Alpha for a reason, Eddie,” Garth glared. “And right now, I’m sorely tempted to break all of your legs and leave you for the Rogues after what you did to me and my wife.”

Edmund laughed. “Spoken like a true Alpha. It’s a pity you lost your way when you set your eyes on that piece of Western Pack trash.”

Garth lunged at Edmund and snapped his teeth in the direction of the cinnabar wolf’s throat. Despite his injuries, Edmund leapt to the side, sending Garth directly into the alcove wall. The red-orange Alpha got to his paws and readied himself to attack Edmund again. The cinnabar wolf stepped back as Garth ran at him. Lilly and Stephen watched as the two Alphas circled one another, Garth’s eyes locked in a furious glare and Edmund still smirking.

“I must say, I’m impressed. We beat you up and leave you buried deep in the snow, and, yet, here are you rearing for a fight. But I guess I shouldn’t expect anything less.”

Garth eased his glare into a worried frown as he noticed Lilly and Stephen in the corner of his eye. Despite every instinct telling him to rip open Edmund’s throat, the red-orange Alpha relented for a more diplomatic approach. “Listen, Edmund-”

“No! You listen!” Edmund stomped his forepaws. “I’ve had it up to here with what you and your mate have pulled. It’s thanks to you that all of us Alphas will be doomed to lose everything we had.”

“Edmund, we’re not losing anything. We’re-”

“Oh, of course you won’t lose a thing. You’ll be the pack leader. You’ll sit pretty as Tony rots away, and then you tell us all what to do. But what’ll happen to the rest of us Alphas, Garth? We’ll lose everything as more of our traditions break and crumble. You and that…thing doomed us all. What I did was for the good of the Eastern Pack.”

“Listen to me, Edmund. We Alphas aren’t losing anything. Our pack will always need Alphas and-”

Edmund broke the circular pacing and dove at Garth’s face. The red-orange Alpha jumped back and bit at the air where the cinnabar wolf’s head once was. Garth buckled as Edmund rammed him against one of the smooth walls. The cinnabar wolf charged again, knocking Garth against the wall twice in succession. He laughed at the Top Alpha struggled to keep himself from collapsing. Edmund kicked Garth in the side and brought his left forepaw down atop his head. He raised it to deliver another blow.

“Edmund! Stop! He’s telling the truth! We’re not gonna lose everything!”

The cinnabar wolf slowly turned to face Stephen as the pale tan wolf approached him. Edmund’s eyes widened. “Stephen? You’re still alive? I knew it. You survived, just like a true Alpha.”

“Edmund, please don’t do this. We can’t kill Garth. And we never had to. Us Alphas aren’t gonna lose everything.”

“What are you babbling about?” Edmund glared suspiciously.

“Well, it makes sense, Edmund. We’re not gonna lose anything. Miss Lilly said-”

Edmund growled and charged Stephen, knocking him to the floor and onto his back. The pale tan wolf barely registered this when the cinnabar wolf forced the claws of his right forepaw against Stephen’s throat. “Traitor…I thought you understood. I risked my life to come back for you, and you’re siding with them? You miserable piece of caribou crap. You’re not a true Alpha. You’re-”

The cinnabar wolf failed to notice as Lilly ran up and threw both forelegs directly at his face. Edmund hit the cavern floor and rolled until he collided with the nearest wall. When he managed to get to his paws, Edmund saw Lilly standing defensively over Stephen. The hairs on her back stood on end, her ears folded against her head, and she growled with a fire burning in her purple eyes. He stood there for a few seconds before he began to laugh.

“Oh, this is rich,” Edmund grinned maliciously as he approached Lilly. “The Omega thinks she can tangle with Alpha affairs. Now, why don’t you be a good Omega and step down? I have business to settle with-”

Lilly growled deeper than before and snapped her teeth.

Edmund paused before laughing again. “You’re defending him? You do realize he tried to kill your “mighty Alpha” over there, right? He’s the one who ambushed Garth, bit him in the back of the neck, and buried him in that pit. Surely your Omega brain is capable of realizing that?”

Lilly eased up, but retained her defensive position. “I’m not going to let you hurt him.” Not taking her eyes off Edmund, she leaned down and helped Stephen to his paws. The pale tan wolf stood beside her and nodded. “You’re not going to hurt anyone else. You never were in danger of losing anything, Edmund. And you’re going to stop. Now.”

Edmund shook his head as Garth rose to his paws. The red-orange Alpha moved towards Edmund, making the cinnabar wolf jump. Garth paced around Edmund, backing the cinnabar wolf closer and closer against the wall. Lilly and Stephen joined in the circular pacing too, keeping their eyes concentrated on Edmund. The cinnabar wolf attempted to break into a sprint between them when Lilly cut him off with an Eve-worthy growl. He backed into Stephen who shoved him back into the center of the circle.

“You’re outnumbered, Edmund,” Garth smirked. “Now, if I were you, I would just listen to what my Lilly has to say and then drop all of this. It’ll make things a lot easier.”

Edmund shook his head in disbelief. “You’ve all lost your minds. I’m the only one thinking of our future. What I do is for the good of the Eastern Pack.”

The cinnabar wolf got onto his hindlegs and leapt directly at Garth as the red-orange Alpha moved to catch him. Edmund brought his forepaws down onto Garth’s head, knocking Lilly’s mate to the cavern floor. He turned and grinned at Stephen before he charged. The pale tan wolf froze in place, a look of horror in his eyes as the raving mad Alpha came at him with extended forelegs.

Lilly crashed right into Edmund, throwing them both away from Stephen. They rolled directly towards the center of the chamber. Edmund slipped over the side, and flung his forepaws at the floor as he started sinking. The she-wolf readied to turn when the cinnabar wolf grabbed her tail, dragging her with him. Lilly screamed as she slid backwards into the hole.

Garth wasted no time in diving for her, skidding across the cavern floor with his forelegs extended to grab Lilly’s, while Stephen reached for his hindlegs. His mate clung to the edge of the hole, trying to keep herself supported as she grabbed for Garth’s right forepaw. Their eyes met for a moment as Lilly suddenly jerked back, and vanished into the hole. Garth’s scream echoed around Lilly as she and Edmund plummeted into the darkness below.
As we reach Part 04, Stephen has undergone a legitimate Heel Face Turn and is now seeking to redeem himself in Lilly and Garth’s eyes. Recovering from their wounds, they decide that despite everything he’s done, they must find Edmund to, at the very least, ensure he never tries to hurt them again. But doing so leads them to new discoveries about the other cave where Lilly’s mysterious helper provided her with shelter and food, as well as how far Edmund is willing to go for the “good of the Eastern Pack”…

Part 01: The White Wolf
Part 02: A Little Help from His Friends
Part 03: Scare Tactics
Part 05: Descent
Part 06: Lilly, Underground
Part 07: Alone and Together Again
Part 08.1: To Fight a Legend
Part 08.2: To Fight a Legend
Part 09.1: Wolves Against the Storm
Part 09.2: Wolves Against the Storm
Part 10: A Time to Heal


Lilly and Garth © Lionsgate and Crest Animation

Comments4
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tbolt's avatar
I'd say this was a cliffhanger, but we've gone beyond that, no? =^^=

In the beginning, there's one typo, I think you say tank instead of tan...

This is probably splitting hairs, wolves don't sweat, they pant...  But they can smell fear.  I don't exactly understand how that works, but for storytelling purposes sweat is probably just as well...