The Alpha's Mutt
The Bristlecone Pack

We left Elwood Pack territory in the late afternoon knowing that we would have to travel overnight to reach the Bristlecone Pack. It was still the week of the Full Moon, so I was unable to shift. To travel with the others, properly, I needed to ride on the back of one of the wolves.

Originally, I had intended on riding on the back of one of my warriors. However, not surprisingly, Farris was furious at this suggestion. He insisted that if I was going to ride on anyone, that it would have to be him. In order to finally get us moving, I relented to his demand.

So, over the next fifteen hours, give or take, I had the most uncomfortable ride of my life. It was not that Farris was not easy to ride on. No, it was the exact opposite of that. I found it far too comforting to be on his back, leaning into his fur, feeling the strength of his wolf underneath me. I found myself being soothed by his scent and his aura as it surrounded me, wrapping me in a cocoon of warmth and safety.

I tried so hard to ignore the pull, to deny the urges that were coursing through me. I did not want to relax; I did not want to give in to the electric sensation of our touch. I did not want to feel so strongly comforted by his presence. I wanted to remain wary of him and his intentions. But I found myself leaning into him and sighing with contentment despite my better resolve.

As soon as we arrived at the Bristlecone Pack, I jumped off Farris and righted myself. All I could do was hope that he did not realize how greatly he had been affecting me during our travel. Though by the wolfy grin on his face as he looked at me, I knew that he was very aware of just what was happening during my ride with him.

I turned away from him with a scoff. I was not going to admit anything to anyone yet. Least of all, him.

He and the warriors transformed and slipped on some clothes just as the Bristlecone Pack leaders began to emerge from the pack house. I could not help the gasp that fell from my lips as my eyes landed upon these poor wolves. I had never seen a wolf in this kind of shape before.

They shuffled towards us, slowly, with blankets wrapped tightly around their persons. They were deathly pale, and their skin was eerily sunken. If I had not known that these were wolves, then I would have never guessed that they were anything more than humans. And not very healthy humans at that.

“What in the hell happened to them?” My Gamma, Emlyn, whispered in my ear as she came to my side.

“I have no idea.” I gaped, saddened by the scene before me.

“Hello…” A hoarse voice called out as the slightly larger of the two males attempted a weak wave. “I am Alpha Lowell, and this is my Beta, Chann.”

The Beta did his best to nod his head in a bow, but he was obviously very tired, as his head continued to hang low.

“We are so grateful that you have come to offer your assistance.” The Alpha continued, his voice straining.

“We are more than happy to offer help, my friend.” Farris stepped forward, reaching out to offer a hand to shake in greeting.

“No, my friend, I must deny any contact. I hope that none of you contract this awful disease while you are here.”

Farris withdrew his hand, nodding in understanding.

“I have brought along Alpha Mystique and her warriors from the Pariah Pack as well. They are offering their assistance to your plight as my pack’s newest allies.” Farris explained, gesturing towards myself and my pack members.

“We thank you, Alpha Mystique. We cannot begin to explain how grateful we are to all the packs that are here to offer their help.” The Alpha rasped before clearing his throat, painfully.

“We are happy to be here, Alpha.” I assured him.

“Well, please, come inside. I know that you have all traveled far to be here. We will show you to guest rooms that have been sanitized, as best as we could manage, for your safety.”

“Thank you for going to so much trouble. But would it not be better for us to make camp outside? My wolves and I are used to such. This would also offer you more room to house warriors from other packs.”

Not to mention, keep her pack away from whatever illness was plaguing this pack.

“Nonsense.” The Alpha insisted, before turning and beginning the slow shuffle back towards the pack house.

I did not argue this any further. The Alpha may have weak in his sickly state, but he was still an Alpha. He would not back down so easily. I also felt that if I pushed the issue, he and his pack would begin to feel slighted by my insistence. They had gone to a lot of trouble to attempt to house us safely and I was not one to seem unappreciative of their efforts.

Our group began to follow behind them. Doing our best to be patient with their pace. They were obviously very sickly, and it would not have been fair to expect any more from them than they were already offering.

I quickly grabbed onto Farris’s wrist and pulled him towards that back of the herd. I had a question that had been nagging at my mind since the moment I laid eyes on the Alpha of the Bristlecone Pack. I knew that he did not have his wolf abilities currently, but I did not want to risk he or his Beta overhearing me. I did not want them to take offense.

“What is it? Are you alright?” Farris questioned, softly, concern present in his eyes.

“I am fine.” I promised, unable to help the soft smile that spread across my face, at knowing how much he worried for me. “I just had a question that I wanted to ask.”

“Okay. Go ahead.”

“How well do you know Alpha Lowell?”

“Fairly well.” He mused. “I consider him a friend. Why?”

“How old is he?”

“Thirty.”

“So, then it is not normal for him to look so…haggard?”

I really tried to come up with a better word. I did not want it to sound so judgmental. But when I failed to arrive at a better term in time, I was forced to go with it.

“No. It is not.” Farris confirmed, shaking his head. “He is a young, healthy wolf. I have never seen him like this before. His Beta is only a few years older than he is. This is all really shocking, actually.”

“What in the hell is happening here?” I wondered to myself.

I knew that we were coming to face something unusual. But these poor wolves looked battered down. As we entered the pack house, we saw more wolves wandering through the place. Everyone looked the same, eerily pale with sunken eyes. They all shuffled along as if it was taking every ounce of strength that they possessed to make each movement they took. It seemed more like a hospital ward in there than a pack house.

“All of the warriors can, please, follow Ulva, here, to where you will be staying.” Alpha Lowell stated as he gestured towards a young, she-wolf who was coughing in the corner.

Ulva looked up and offered a weak smile before waving to the warriors to follow behind her. She then began making her way, slowly, down the hall, coughing as she went. She held tight onto her body as it shuddered with the force. It was a pitiful sight and my heart felt for her. I had never been more resolved in my mission to stop whatever this was.

“Now, Alphas, please follow Chann. He will show you to your room.” Alpha Lowell choked out before he, himself, began to cough.

I had not missed the fact that he had said “room,” as in one space. However, I decided to let this slide, noting that he is a very sick man and probably misspoke. We bid farewell to Alpha Lowell as he made his way back to his office to attempt to continue his work.

We walked behind Beta Chann as he made his way up the stairs. It was painful to watch, I wanted to reach out and scoop him into my arms, then carry him up the stairs. However, I knew that would greatly wound his pride and I would never do such a thing. He was a wolf, regardless of whether he was currently weakened or not. It would be shameful for him if I was to do such a thing.

So, I remained patient. Taking each step one at a time and waiting as the Beta stopped to catch his breath. Luckily, after finally reaching the top of the stairs, he turned to the door immediately on the left and opened it.

“Here is your room.” He explained.

Farris walked in and tossed his bag to the ground without hesitation. I rolled my eyes as I watched him, before turning back to face the Beta.

“And where will I be staying?” I asked.

The Beta looked at me, confused.

“Here as well.” He stated, almost questioningly. “I am sorry, but we were told that you two are mates.”

I groaned in annoyance. I should have known that Farris would pull something like this. He had obviously called ahead and set up this little stunt.

“I am sorry, but you have been misinformed.” I explained, doing my best to contain my irritation.

This was not Beta Chann’s fault, and I knew that. He was not the one that I needed to direct my fury at.

“I will require my own room, if that is alright.”

Beta Chann hesitated, looking back and forth between Farris and myself for several moments. I wondered if he was trying to decide who he was more afraid of. If he was smart, he would choose me. But he was a male and they tended to, arrogantly, assume that the she-wolves were inferior in strength. But what they failed to remember is, strength is not everything.

“I am sorry, Alpha Mystique. But we have a lot of guests that have arrived to offer their assistance. I am afraid that we are lacking in available rooms.”

I wanted to punch a hole through the wall. I clenched my fist so tightly, that I was certain that I would have sliced, deep, into my palms had I possessed the ability to shift. But I would not take it out on this Beta. I knew that he was merely doing as he was told. I could not fault him. If he had not been so ill, I would have considered tearing him a new one, but I would refrain for now. So, I swallowed my pride and nodded to Beta Chann in gratitude.

“That is alright, Beta. We will make it work. Thank you. Please, go get some rest.” I offered, forcing a smile.

I walked into the room and slammed the door shut behind me. I was going to kill Farris for this.