Banner by: Mist
Beta'd by: tayjayfan
This was a donation for the Fandoms4Animals compilation
Summary: Jacob Black finds a homeless pup, a wolfdog, but he already has his hands full. He is Alpha protector of La Push and has a pregnant wife, as well as a new job. Can he handle a new pup in addition to all that?
Jacob was driving on Highway 101 to Forks to pick up a part for a customer. His mind was busy with pack business. Since he'd taken over as Alpha, the elders of the tribe had insisted on weekly meetings to make sure he was ready for the challenge. He thought it was ridiculous. His lineage spoke for itself. As a direct descendant of the mighty warrior Taha Aki, it was in his blood to become Alpha. Recently, they'd proclaimed he was ready. He'd proven himself, but felt frustrated by the process.
As his mind wandered he glanced over and saw a flash of fur moving through the trees. He and his pack took their responsibility protecting the tribe seriously, so he was always on guard for any possible threat.
Intrigued, he pulled over to the side of the road. He could see something moving around in a thicket. Whatever it was… it was small.
He stood quietly nearby and waited. He was beginning to think it had run away until he heard a faint whimper. Jacob lifted his head, scenting the air to ascertain what it was. Smelled like a wolf, but at the same time didn't. Smells like a wolfdog.
He knelt down and called out in a non-threatening voice, "Here, boy." There was no sound at first, but pretty soon he heard the whimper again. Jacob tried to make himself appear smaller, which he hadn't been able to do since he was 10. He crouched low when he saw the small pup edging toward him. His tail was tucked and his ears were pulled back in submission. It was obvious he wasn't afraid, but he kept his eyes down in a submissive pose as he inched closer to Jacob. It appeared that he recognized the wolf scent coming from Jacob.
He was too young to be far away from the den and Jacob had to wonder why he was wandering this close to the highway. Had something happened to his mother? Like any wild animal, he knew they usually kept away from humans. Jacob encouraged him to come close enough to touch him. At the first touch, his whimpers became more pronounced; clearly he was tired, cold, and hungry. With a little encouragement, Jacob was able to pick him up. He held the tiny body close to his chest. The trembling and exhausted pup snuggled against his warmth and sighed. Grinning, Jacob pulled out his cell phone to call Seth. "Seth, can you do me a favor? When you go on patrol, I need you to look for a mama wolf."
Seth laughed at the strange request until Jacob explained he needed help looking for the mother of a lost pup. She was probably injured or dead in the forest nearby. Seth immediately asked for their location, phased, and headed their way. When he got close, he phased back to make sure no one saw him.
The pup lifted his head and sniffed in Seth's direction. When Seth moved closer, the stray leaned toward him, submitting easily to the inspection. He seemed very comfortable with Jacob and Seth.
When Seth was ready to start tracking, Jacob instructed, "Come to the house when you find something. I'm taking him to let the vet check him over, then I'll be at home."
Seth nodded to his Alpha and trotted off into the forest.
Jacob took him to the reservation's veterinarian, who confirmed his suspicion. It was a wolfdog. He told Jacob the pup appeared to be a blend between a Gray Wolf and a dog, possibly a German Shepherd mix. He explained wolfdogs were the result of matings between roaming or feral dogs and wolves living apart from the pack. While his assistants bathed and fed the cub, the Veterinarian cautioned Jacob against keeping him.
"Mr. Black, I have to tell you, keeping a wolfdog can be difficult. They'recute and cuddly when they're small, but when they grow up, they can be quite a challenge."
Jacob grinned. If the vet only knew how hard the pack was to control sometimes. He felt like he had it covered.
The vet continued with his lecture. "They love to escape and run off and can be very destructive. It's hard to make them obey if the wolf to dog ratio is high inside them. From the looks of this one, he has a lot. They usually require outdoor containment similar to a zoo but being this close to the forest will help. He's also going to have to have raw meat or high quality grain-free kibble."
He looked sternly at Jacob. "You can't just set him free in the forest after you decide you can't handle him."
The insinuation made Jacob angry. He had no doubt of his ability to take care of one little wolfdog. The anger he felt simmering below the surface made him realize he already felt a connection to the young pup. He looked down at the Veterinarian and replied in a low voice that commanded respect. "I understand. I would never abandon a defenseless animal in the woods." He narrowed his eyes. "You can count on it."
Even after only a brief conversation, the vet felt assured Jacob took this seriously. He didn't want to offend the Chief's son. He cleared his throat. "No problem, Mr. Black. I just want to make sure you have a clear understanding." He put a hand on Jacob's shoulder. "A wolfdog with a high percentage of wolf DNA can be more like a wolf than a dog."
Dr. Peterson explained the pup appeared healthy and was about 8 or 10 weeks old and starting to eat meat. They gave him the appropriate vaccinations and gave Jacob a list of things he would need along with what to expect in the coming months.
When Bella saw her husband coming through the door, furry bundle in his arms, her mouth dropped open. Jacob was tenderly holding the little wolfdog and the sexy little smile he sent her way made her knees weak and she knew she was in trouble. Seeing a big muscular man tenderly holding a baby or young animal always melted Bella's heart.
Her face feeling flushed, she moved toward him and reached out to touch the pup. She asked, "Jake... what have you got there?"
He smiled. "Well, I'm hoping we have a new addition to the family," his eyes twinkled, "If things go well." Still holding the pup in one arm, he reached around to kiss her. While they kissed, the puppy was busy sniffing Bella, acquainting himself with her scent.
Bella giggled when she felt his little wet nose sniffing around her pregnant belly. She touched him on the head and spoke in a baby like voice. "Hello there, precious."
Jacob could tell Bella liked him. He explained how he'd found the little guy in the woods and Seth was looking for his mother. If Seth couldn't find her or if she were dead, Jacob wanted to try and keep him.
Bella was in favor of the idea. On the nights when Jacob worked late, it would be nice to have the companionship, especially after the baby arrived. They decided to name him Koda.
Just before dinner, Seth came over to give them some bad news. Bella cried when she found out the pup's mother was dead in the woods. She didn't have any apparent injuries so he wasn't sure what happened to her.
Bella's heart ached for the cub and she immediately sat down on the floor and cuddled him close, encouraging him to play with a stuffed animal she'd purchased for the baby. Koda held her gaze and Bella swore she could see him deciding whether he could trust her or not. His eyes were deep and dark and showed an unusual intelligence.
She and Jacob spent some time getting acquainted with Koda, letting him get used to the new environment. It didn't take long before he was running around exploring everything. He was adorable and smart and as long as Jacob was nearby, he seemed comfortable. For an animal born in the wild, he adapted quickly. The bond they shared was evident and Bella could only assume it had to do with both of them being part wolf.
Once he was used to his surroundings, he turned into a little fireball. The wolfdog's paws were huge, even for one so young, and he livened up the house as he pounded the floor with his boundless energy.
That night when they went to bed, Jacob and Bella made a place at the foot of their bed for Koda to sleep. They'd planned to keep him in the garage at night, but Koda was not happy with their plan and was quick to let them know it. The incessant whimpers coming from the garage sounded so pitiful, they gave in and brought him back in. Bella couldn't stand the idea of him being lonely and scared, pining for his mother. She grinned when she saw the way Jake cuddled him as he brought him back into the house.
Bella reached for him; her maternal instincts were in overdrive. Talking baby talk, she took him into their bedroom while she got ready for bed. Jacob's scent surrounded her and the baby growing inside her made her smell even more like him, so the puppy quickly warmed up to her. In no time at all, he was snuggled into the covers, sound asleep next to his adoptive family.
In the following days, Jacob did some research on wolfdogs. He learned that historically, the German Shepherd was documented as the first wolfdog to be bred intentionally by humans. Fascinated, he wanted to learn as much as he could to help care for the pup.
The first time Koda saw Jacob phased, he wasted no time rushing up to play affectionately at the wolf's feet. He loved being with Jacob as well as the rest of the pack so he took him on patrol quite a bit in the next few months. Essentially, they became his adopted pack. Since he required raw meat but was too young to hunt for himself, some of them brought fresh kill for him to eat.
Seeing his pack accept Koda meant a lot to Jacob. Koda thrived when around them and they had more than a few laughs watching him try to catch up with them. He would run as fast as his little legs would go. Jacob decided to add a third wolf on patrol for a while so they could run with Koda and teach him the ways of a wolf. He was like their little mascot. Over time, the wolfdog developed some speed of his own.
His favorite trick was to hide and pick just the right moment to catch the unsuspecting wolves and nip at their heels. He especially loved to sneak up on Paul.
One day he was lucky enough to get a good bite in as Paul ran by. His teeth were sharp and it hurt like hell. Paul yelled out, "You little shit!"
Koda couldn't hear him communicating with the pack, but the guys on patrol with him roared with laughter and circled around the little pup. Jacob put Koda on his back and they jumped high in the air to celebrate. Paul couldn't help but laugh along with them. He loved Koda just as much as the rest of the pack did. Koda thrived being with them and loved his life with Jacob. He lived life to the fullest.
Jacob found Koda easy to train. The dog was fiercely intelligent and learned to follow many tricks and commands and when everyone brought their dogs to the beach, Koda excelled in the games they played.
They all speculated on what Koda would do if he came across the scent of vampire. It wasn't long before they found out; he'd been patrolling with Jacob and Sam when Jacob suddenly picked up the stench of leech. Jacob and Sam left him in a blur as they chased the nomadic vampire. They were fast and deadly in their pursuit, breaking tree limbs and tearing up the soil. In the back of his mind Jacob worried a little about leaving the young wolf behind, but he had a job to do. It couldn't be helped.
After they killed the vampire and tore him to pieces, they could hear howls in the distance. The howls steadily got louder as Koda tracked them. He knew something serious had happened.
Suddenly, Paul phased in. He sounded alarmed. What's going on? Why is Koda flipping out?
The Alpha replied. Fucking leech, Paul. We got him though.
Paul sprung into action. Oh fuck! I'm on my way.
Sam nodded his head to Jacob. Could be more headed this way. We might need some backup.
Jacob snorted. Yeah, as good as Koda thinks he is, it won't be enough.
While they made sure all the pieces of dismembered vampire burned, they heard the sound of paws beating against the ground and knew Koda was getting closer.
Sam remarked, Damn Jake… Koda's getting pretty good at tracking. He was impressed with the little wolf.
Jacob's chest puffed out with pride. Yep. He's getting faster too. Jacob was pleased that Koda had learned some skills from the pack.
When Koda arrived in the clearing, he was all business. He growled low in his chest when he inspected the lavender flames of the fire. Sensing it was an enemy, his fur stood on end while he growled and snarled until Jacob praised him and settled him down.
Jacob couldn't have been more proud of his little wolfdog. He'd earned his own spot in their pack.
Several months after the baby was born, Jacob saw the first sign of true aggression from the pup. He'd been leaving to go on patrol when Koda pushed his way around Bella trying to get out the door. He was being too rough and Jacob didn't like it. If he made Bella fall, it could hurt her or their baby she was holding in her arms. Bella told him no and tried to make him come back. He didn't obey and actually growled a little on the way out the door. Jacob was stunned seeing this side of their good natured pet. The most trouble they'd had with him was his desire to swipe the baby's blanket. They had to watch him constantly to make sure he didn't take baby blankets.
Taking the young one firmly by the collar, Jacob marched him to the edge of the woods while he phased so he could scold him as a wolf. It hurt Bella's feelings to see him being disciplined, but she didn't interfere. She knew Jacob was a man who knew what needed to be done. When it came to discipline, she deferred to his judgment.
As soon as Jacob Alpha commanded him, Koda's ears went flat and he tucked his tail between his legs, submitting to his master.
When he came back in the house, the cub's head hung low and he looked sorry for what he'd done. He eased up beside Bella and licked her on arm. The heartfelt look in his eyes was her undoing. She reached down to stroke his thick fur. From that day forward, he never showed aggression toward Bella again. He saved the aggression for his time with his pack. As he grew to maturity he became more cunning when it came to their games and he didn't lose nearly as often as he did when he was young.
In the years to come when more children were born, he fiercely protected them. Once when the children strayed too far from the house, Bella became frantic. She called for them but they were too far away to hear her. Normally, Koda accompanied them wherever they went, but he'd been over at Sam's house when they slipped out. Bella felt panicked for a minute. The kids could have taken off in any direction. Not wanting to waste any time, she said, "Koda! Go get the kids!" Instinctively, he seemed to understand. He ran quickly in their direction and located them just as Jacob arrived home. Jacob phased and found them playing in a stream. Koda was nudging young William in the direction of home.
William was a typical 6 year old. He seemed oblivious to any dangers lurking in the forest and refused to acknowledge the danger until Jacob reminded him about another boy in La Push who'd been lost in the woods. Seth went to the parents house to become familiar with his scent before tracking him. The elders of the tribe called on the pack when their special abilities could help the community.
Time and time again, Koda proved himself worthy to be a part of their family. Bella didn't know what she would ever do without him and Jacob felt the same way. He couldn't have known that seeing the little flash of fur in the thicket that day would bring so much love into their lives.
Some would say the little wolfdog was lucky, but Jacob knew better. He was the lucky one.
A/N: Thank you for reading!