Author's Note: Well, here we go. "When a Wolf Walks Alone" was a fanfic written by me and its plot-line was formed on the fly... as a result, I left a lot of my readers in the dark about the outcome of the story and the pairings that they were to expect. As I had released my final decision on the pairings, I had seen quite a bit of disappointment from my readers... however, I believe in my work and I continue to push on. I'm still proud of what "When a Wolf Walks Alone" has become... but I hate to disappoint my readers and supporters... So I've decided to release another version of my fanfic, with a very highly requested KatexHumphrey and GarthxLilly pairing. I hope you guys enjoy, and if you haven't read the original, and you'd take a little interest in HumphreyxLilly and GarthxKate, please go check it out. I wanted to start this bad boy off with a prologue that goes into the years before the events of the actual movie, with Humphrey, Lilly, and Kate still as young pups. For those of you who have read my original, this chapter matches the prologue of the original, but you can expect the plot to change starting chapter 2. I don't own Alpha & Omega or any characters within and blah-blah-blah, you know the rules.
"Keep yourself loose… breathe steadily." Winston smiled at Humphrey. He was only a young pup… but he had a dexterity and prowess that matched or even went beyond some of his fully trained Alphas. Humphrey eyed the caribou and slowly advanced.
"Now, now, Humphrey… you're hardly ready to attack. I don't think you could take down a full grown caribou just ye-"
Humphrey sprang forward. His teeth were latched around the caribou's jugular. The caribou bucked around frantically. Winston dashed over to help Humphrey. There's no way the little pup had enough strength to hold on to the panicking caribou.
Blood spurted from the neck of the beast and it fell to the ground… twitching a handful of times before going completely still. Winston's eyes widened and froze in place. There was no way it was possible. Humphrey began tearing at the caribou.
There was a ferocity in Humphrey's eyes that Winston couldn't overlook. He hadn't seen that look in a wolf's eyes in many years. Even as a young pup… Humphrey was becoming crazed off of his instinct.
Kill… kill… kill… kill! Humphrey's mind swirled with nothing but the idea of spilling blood… His teeth ripped flesh off of the wild caribou and blood began to spurt from its carcass, pouring over him. Hunt… hunt… hunt… hunt! Humphrey's eyes shot up from the caribou, his nose sniffing madly for another creature to kill… to consume…
"Humphrey! Humphrey, stop!" Winston tackled the young wolf and pinned him to the ground. "Humphrey, it's me, Winston… Focus! Don't lose yourself." Humphrey fought him, snarling at him angrily. This was not good… Raising a paw, Winston struck Humphrey harshly on the side of his head, knocking him out cold…
Humphrey awoke dazed and confused. He saw Winston staring at him with a concerned look on his face. He tried to stand up, but a roaring ache in his skull pushed him back down. He groaned. "W-what happened to me?"
"I had to knock you unconscious. You were losing yourself because of your first kill."
Humphrey's eyes widened. "I… I what?"
"It's my fault… I only meant to teach you to stalk your prey. I never meant for you to attack. We can try again when you're older."
Images of his kill flooded into Humphrey's mind with crystal clarity. He remembered jumping onto the caribou. He remembered biting into it until blood spurted from its flesh… he remembered enjoying every second of killing that creature. And he remembered Winston tackling him… and the rage that filled him at being denied of his hunt.
Humphrey shook his head as his eyes widened with fear of himself. "What… what have I done!?" He looked at Winston, unsure and afraid. Winston looked at the ground and sighed. "This is my fault, Humphrey… you weren't ready, but I couldn't stop you. We'll put an end to your training for now… maybe when you've grown…"
Humphrey shook his head harshly, his eyes panicked. "No… never… I can't do that again! I WON'T do that again… What WAS that!? What kind of monster am I!?"
Winston looked at Humphrey with concern. "It was instinct, Humphrey. We must hunt for food. It's necessary for our survival. There's nothing wrong with what happened… you just weren't ready."
Humphrey's heart thumped madly. "No… no… no, no, no, no, no! I know hunting is natural. I know we need to hunt to survive… but that's not the problem… I liked it. I loved it. I had such an amazing rush… from killing a living creature. THAT'S NOT NORMAL!"
Winston tried desperately to calm the young wolf down. "Humphrey… please… just relax. You lost control… in the future, I'll help you. I'll teach you to keep calm."
Humphrey snarled at Winston. "NO!... I can't, Winston. Don't make me do that again… I-I don't want to…"
Winston looked at Humphrey seriously. "Your only other option is to lead the life of an Omega… While you'd play a huge part in keeping the peace, no one will ever take you seriously… You deserve more than that, Humphrey. I, as the leader of the pack, can't watch someone with your potential be looked down on."
Humphrey matched Winston's serious tone. "I will not hunt, Winston. Whatever that was that came over me… I don't want to face that ever again."
Winston sighed. "Very well, then. There will be no Alpha training for you. I hope you don't come to regret this decision, Humphrey."
Humphrey smiled. "I won't, sir! I'll become the most peace-keeping, friendliest Omega around, I promise!"
Winston smiled at the young wolf. When he found Humphrey, lost without any memory of his true parents, he took him in and he was raised by the pack. Every wolf loved the young pup… and he showed great potential. Winston had hoped he could fully adopt him and make him the leader of the pack when he was ready to move on… but it would seem that Humphrey wanted to lead the life of an Omega… and the responsibility of leading the pack would fall to his first daughter.
"Hey daddy! Can we go play with Humphrey?" Lilly asked her father as she and Kate walked up behind him. Winston smiled at Lilly and nodded. "You can… but Kate…" He looked over at his oldest daughter and sighed. "You're going to have to come with me. We have to start you off on your training."
Kate frowned. "Awww, dad… isn't it a little early? You told me I didn't have to start Alpha training until next year!" Winston frowned at the young wolf. "Sorry honey, change of plans. Now Humphrey, Lilly… run off."
Lilly giggled as she rolled around in the grass, the blades brushing her fur and tickling her. Humphrey stood staring at her… seemingly lost in thought. Lilly stopped moving as she realized that Humphrey wasn't going to play along. "Hey Humphrey… the grass is fine, you're welcome to join me."
Humphrey gave her a small smile and shook his head. "Sorry Lilly… I'm really not in the mood to play around today. I'm trying to think." She frowned up at him. She trotted up to Humphrey and looked him in the eye. "What're you thinking about?" Lilly asked, tilting her head to the side inquisitively.
Humphrey just sighed and said, "Oh, nothing big, really… just about life. What kind of part each of us is meant to play… whether I really want to be an Alpha or an Omega… or even part of a pack." Lilly's eyes widened a little bit, the young wolf shocked and a little confused that something like that would trouble another wolf her age. "Um… Humphrey… those kind of are big things. Why would those things trouble you?"
Humphrey simply shrugged back at her. "It just does… I don't know… it's just… weird." Lilly smiled a little. This was where she excelled… this is where she's needed. She jumped on top of Humphrey and began to nibble onto his ear lightly. "Stop thinking, Humphrey… play with me! Come on, it'll be fun. I'll show you how Omegas spend their time."
Humphrey laughed and tumbled into the grass with her still latched onto him. He began to shake her free and wrestled with her. Lilly laughed and began to struggle against him, trying to hold him down. Humphrey's blood started to rush and his breathing quickened as the two wolves rolled around together in the grass.
His senses sharpened and his eyes started darting around rapidly. In the blink of an eye, Humphrey went from playing in the grass with Lilly to seeking to spill blood. He grew stronger and faster in an instant and he pinned Lilly against the floor.
Lilly smiled up at him. "Okay, okay, you win, Humphrey!" She laughed and struggled a little against his grip. Humphrey panted heavily and his hot breath pushed against Lilly's fur. His mouth began to salivate and his eyes dilated as he stared at her.
Lilly's eyes widened as fear and confusion began to grip her. "Humphrey!? Hey, are you all right!?" Humphrey bared his fangs in response, his body applying more pressure against hers, making her ache where he held her, helplessly pinned to the ground.
"Humphrey? What are you doing!?" Lilly cried out in panic.
Hunt… kill… HUNT… KILL!
Humphrey prepared himself to bite into Lilly's neck, ready to pierce her skin and veins until all the life left her body. Lilly screamed and tears began to flow from her eyes. "Humphrey, please, let me go!" She cried out with absolute fear in her voice.
Humphrey's eyes regained focus. His heart slowed. He closed his mouth. He released Lilly and backed away from her several steps. Lilly, frozen with fear, took several moments to stand up, her body still sore from where Humphrey held her down. She looked at Humphrey, who seemed just as afraid as she was.
"Lilly… I… I'm so sorry… I…"
Shame, guilt, and fear swirled in Humphrey's eyes.
"I don't know what I…"
Lilly, scared as she was, took a careful step towards him. "Humphrey… what just happened?"
He took another step away from her. "I'm… I'm sorry…"
Tears formed in his eyes and began to flow freely.
"I'm sorry…"
Lilly looked at him, apologizing and crying… backing away from her.
"I'm sorry…"
She reached a paw up to him. "Humphrey… it's okay… but tell me what happened…"
"I'm sorry…"
Tears continued to flow and Humphrey continued to back up.
"I'm sorry…"
Lilly slammed her paw against the floor, catching Humphrey's attention and making him stop for a moment. "Humphrey… stop apologizing. Tell me what happened."
Humphrey looked at her… scared and ashamed. "I… I'm a monster…"
Lilly shook her head softly. "No, no… Humphrey… that was an accident…"
Humphrey shook his head rapidly. "No… I'M A MONSTER!"
Lilly looked at the poor wolf… scared, crying, and ashamed.
Humphrey looked into Lilly's eyes…
"I'm sorry…"
And he took off… running from Lilly… running from what had just happened… running from the monster that had possessed him.
You're a monster.
You're a killer.
Humphrey lay awake in his den. Empty. Humphrey had never really minded that he didn't know his parents. The pack had always taken good care of him… but now he really just wished his den wasn't empty.
You're a monster.
You're a hunter.
Tears continued to fall from his eyes. His mind swirled with the images of what he'd done in his insanity. He'd murdered a caribou and relished in tearing it to shreds… he'd nearly killed Lilly while she was crying out beneath him.
You're a monster.
You're a predator.
Footsteps echoed throughout his small den. Someone was here.
"Humphrey?" Kate's voice rang out throughout his den. Shame and guilt churned within Humphrey at hearing her voice. He almost killed her sister… almost spilled her blood all over the grass.
"Humphrey… Lilly sent me to tell you that it's okay. She forgives you."
Humphrey clenched his eyes shut tightly.
"She knows you're sorry… she knows you didn't mean to do what you did…"
Monster.
"It was an accident… it wasn't your fault…"
Humphrey got up and walked over to Kate.
"Not my fault? An accident? I almost KILLED her!"
Kate looked him in the eye. She saw the pain there… the guilt. When Lilly told her that Humphrey had attacked her, Kate was furious. She was enraged. She wanted to chase Humphrey out of Jasper. She had half a mind to tell her mother what he did and let her deal with him. But Lilly begged Kate to keep it between them. Lilly said that it was an accident and that he felt really bad for it… But Kate didn't think he felt bad enough.
"Kate… I'm sorry for what I did… I really am. And I need you…"
Humphrey swallowed. He looked at Kate seriously.
"I need you… to kill me."
Kate's heart froze. What did he mean? "Are you insane, Humphrey? Why would I do that!?"
Humphrey looked at her helplessly… seemingly afraid of himself. "I AM insane, Kate… that's EXACTLY why you'd do that. I'm not normal, Kate… I'm a beast. I'm a freak. I'm a danger to everyone and everything around me."
Kate looked at Humphrey, who was still scared, but also stern and determined. "Humphrey… even with what just happened… you'd give up your life so easily?"
Humphrey looked at Kate angrily, "Why is this even a question!? Are you not mad at me? I almost killed your sister! It's my life to give up, Kate… and it's nothing worth keeping… not if I'm like this."
Kate bit her lip in indecision. She was really angry at Humphrey for what he'd done… and honestly, she'd wanted to see him suffer severely for it… But looking at him now, she felt that he's already suffered plenty.
Kate walked up to Humphrey and placed a paw against his face. "Humphrey… what happened?" Humphrey tried to look away from her. She wouldn't understand… he was an abomination. Kate walked closer to Humphrey and rubbed her head against his. "Humphrey… tell me."
Humphrey's eyes got a distant look. "I don't know what happened, Kate. One second, I'm playing with Lilly… just a little friendly wolf-wrestling. Then, everything starts losing focus. My eyes shoot around rapidly… my pulse quickens… my nose sniffs for blood… and if I can't smell blood, my body quickly acts to spill it."
Kate began to rub her head against his chest… sensing that it soothed him. "I… I can't think straight… I'm not me anymore. This urge to kill something, to spill blood… it's so powerful. It roars in my head, and I can't control it…"
Humphrey began shaking severely… Kate could feel him trembling against her. He stopped telling her about how he lost his sanity. He was left speechless… his eyes glazed over as he was undoubtedly plagued with the memory of losing himself.
Kate shook Humphrey lightly to dissuade him from his visions. Humphrey looked at her helplessly. "Please, Kate… kill me. I can't live like this." Kate frowned. She didn't know what to do with him… even if it was what he wanted… she couldn't kill him… not in this state, when he was so scared and vulnerable.
"I'll fight you…" Kate said softly. Humphrey looked up at her in confusion. "If that ever happens to you again, Humphrey… I'll fight you. I'm going to be an Alpha… I'll definitely be strong enough to keep you occupied whenever that… thing comes over you. While I'm training in Alpha school… you learn to keep that side of you locked away. Keep it sealed. But if you ever succumb to it again… I'll fight you. I'll make sure you don't hurt anyone or anything."
Humphrey shook his head. "No… what if I hurt you? What if I kill you? I can't allow you to take that risk for me. Please Kate… killing me is the easiest way."
Kate looked at Humphrey seriously. "I'm not going to do it, Humphrey. I promise you, I'll be able to protect myself against you. I will never leave you. Whenever that monster takes you, I will battle it until you come back. I will fight it with you. It can't possibly keep you out while fighting with me. I promise, Humphrey… as long as I'm around… I will keep you sane until you can lock away that thing inside you for good. No matter what, I'll be here, fighting for you."
Humphrey's eyes watered. He wanted to beg her to see reason. He wanted to beg her to just end him and get it over with. It was safer… it was easier. Kate looked determined. "Humphrey, I won't take your life just because of something you have no control over. Please, Humphrey… give this a chance. Give me a chance… I'll be here for you… always."
Humphrey's heart thumped at that.
Always…
A life where Kate would protect him from himself.
Always…
A life where his den wouldn't forever be empty.
Always…
He hated having an empty den…
Always…
Kate looked him in the eyes. "I mean it Humphrey… I'll never leave your side until you can control your inner demon. I'll care for you. I'll fight for you."
Humphrey smiled at Kate… his chest swelling with his joy and gratitude that Kate would always be there for him. Nothing would separate them. Kate would fight for him and care for him. He nodded at her… and began to look forward to the life of an Omega.
Author's Note 2: I wanted to use this prologue to kind of give a little more backstory and depth to my main characters. I really wanted to give Humphrey and Kate a little history to set the theme for this fanfic.