Chapter Two

~Kate~

The dim morning sun drifted in through the small opening of our den, warming my fur. The gentle coo of a dove just outside woke me up to find Humphrey cuddled around me, still fast asleep. I wanted to stay here like this, but all good things must come to an end.

"Humphrey" I whispered softly in his ear, which gave a little twich but still ignored me. So, as carefully as I could, I turned my head around as far as it would go and licked his nose.

His reaction was priceless as his eyes jerked open, then closed halfway when he saw it was me, "Good morning my love. What a pleasant way to begin a new day" He said sarcasticaly and returned the favor. I laughed and got up, with Humphrey following.

We stretched and left the den, walking about to see that we were among the first that were awake. The Alpha Training Party left at the crack of dawn, which meant Humphrey and my dad, because Lilly had decided earlier not to go.

Already I was starting to worry, it's a bit off season, so that means that parts of the training will be different from what I had to do when I was young. My dad also promised that it will be a bit harder for him, considering he is marrying me and is a full grown wolf rather than a pup.

"Kate, Humphrey, nice to see you up so early. Did everything go well last night?" My father, Winston greeted us as he came down from his den.

I spoke first as I knew what he wanted to hear, "Very well, our den is a good one. Quiet at night and the sunlight hits it just right in the morning."

Eve came out and gave Humphrey an aprehensive stare but was silent. Winston continued as she joined next to his side, "Are you ready for your training, I guess Kate told you a little about it?"

Humphrey smiled and nodded, "Yes sir, ready as soon as you are."

"Excellent, I am going to get things set up for when I am gone. Go ahead and say your farewells, it will be a long time before we return. Tony will be here because of his aching back and all, but he won't let anything too terribly bad happen."

"Thank you sir, I will meet you shortly for our departure" Humpherey turned to me as Winston left with a cautious Eve following him while murmuring something about Lilly and Garth.

"I still think your mother is worried about me still, I sure hope she gets over it."

I giggled, "Yeah, you have seen how protective she has been of me. It has been useful, but dangerous for everyone around me."

"Yeah, like that time she almost strangled me to death" Humphrey joked, "Some good times right there." We both started laughing together.

"I am going to miss you" He said with a frown, "But, it's for the better right?"

"Yes, always for the better" I said as calmly as I could, willing myself not to cry.

"Humphrey, it's time to go" Winston called.

"Okay, I'm coming" Humphrey replied.

I so very much wanted to go too, I suddenly felt so bad for him. Thinking back to the day that I too left for Alpha School, how I left him and never looked back, how dissapointed he was, how much he loved me. Tears started to well up in my eyes and drip from my nose, even though I tried to wipe them away.

"I love you so much" I barely managed to say.

"I love you too Kate, it won't be to long. And" Humphrey lifted his paw to catch a tear, "don't cry, I am always with you."

He placed the tear on the end of his own nose, then swiftly rushed off to Winston. He stopped midway and turned to look back at me, and I swear I saw a tear, his own, fall to the ground before he ran the rest of the way and dissapeared along with my father.

I was frozen in time, almost as if living my life again through different eyes. I saw myself walking away, and Winston stopped me as I tried to follow. His words were hard to understand, he said something about Alphas and Omegas before he too turned and left me alone. The pain was unbearable, the darkness impenetrable.