Geez. Has it really been over a month since I updated? Idiot. Me! Not you guys. You guys are awesome.
So sorry this took so long to get out! Having to work on three stories at the same time is not a good thing. Note to self: don't ever get ahead of myself again.
Anyways, I hope you guys like it!


Chapter Three

Steele groaned as he limped through the snow. In the distance, the glow of lights told him he was nearing the town. He smirked to himself. Gathering his last bit of strength, he continued walking. He would have run, but he had things to think about.

Balto had found him and his team after they had gotten off course. The blasted half-breed had tried to 'help' by taking the team back to the town thanks to the path he had marked. As if that wasn't enough, he had had Yuna's scarf around his neck. Steele growled to himself.

"What's so special about that piece of riffraff anyways?!" The scarf around his neck fluttered in the breeze. Dipping his head, Steele tried to find Yuna's scent underneath Balto's and now his. A primal growl rumbled in his chest when he did.

"Just you wait, Yuna. I'll show you what a real dog looks like. After all… not even your beloved wolf succeeded in bringing back the medicine." He looked at his side. His fur was mussed and ripped in places, with dried blood caking on his stomach. It looked like he had gotten into a battle with a bear. "At least I'll have the evidence to back up my story."

雪狼

Yuna looked up as Jenna entered the house. From her face, she immediately knew something was wrong. The white husky stood up, walking over to her older sister. She froze when a second husky walked in to stand next to Jenna. Yuna's hackles rose.

"What are you doing here, Steele? Did you do something to my sister?" Steele shook his head.

"No. Yuna, please. Will you listen to me?" Yuna's eyes widened. Steele never said please. Her eyes narrowed.

"Alright… what do you want?"

"Yuna…" She looked at Jenna. "They didn't make it." Yuna didn't move. She couldn't.

"Who? Who didn't make it?" Her voice was filled with confusion… while her heart was filling with dread.

"Balto came for us." Steele took over. "He was helping us get the medicine back… when we were attacked by a bear." Yuna's eyes widened. "It crushed the sled, and killed our musher." The white husky gasped in horror.

"What?!" she whispered.

"The bear chased us onto a frozen lake near a waterfall." Steele took a deep breath. "The ice… the ice broke, and we went under." Steele looked down, the perfect picture of despair. "When I came to, I had washed up on the bank of the river. I tried looking for everyone, but… all I found…" he grasped something in his teeth, placing it on the ground. "Was this."

Yuna stared in shock and horror at the cloth on the ground. It was her scarf… the one she had given to Balto when they parted after fighting the bear in the woods.

"No…" She swayed on her feet. Jenna leapt out, catching Yuna before she hit the ground. "Balto…" Steele looked into Yuna's eyes.

"I'm sorry." He backed out of the house. "I really am Yuna." Turning, he vanished from their sight. As he walked down the road, he heard Yuna's howls of pain and grief. As soon as he was out of range, Steele stopped walking.

A chuckle rumbled in his chest….

Another followed…

Before he knew it, Steele was laughing darkly. He was laughing so hard tears came from his eyes. He collapsed into the snow, trying to regain his breath. Sighing, his eyes opened slightly.

"It's begun." He stood, shaking the snow from his coat. "I'll comfort her in this time. I'll support her… and I'll make her mine." Another dark chuckle rumbled from his throat as he made his way home. "She won't have the strength to refuse me… and my legacy will continue with her… whether she wants it to or not."

雪狼

"What is that?" The watchman peered through his spyglass. His eyes widened at what he saw. Stepping back, he rubbed his eyes, shook his head, and looked again. "Well I'll be damned. They made it." He ran out of his station, screaming to the town.

"They're back! They made it back!" Lights turned on, windows flew open, and men in nightshirts ran out to meet him.

"Who made it?"

"The sled team! They're coming in!"

"Who's leading them!?" Jenna burst out of her home.

"Balto!" The red husky gasped.

"Balto?" she whispered.

"The half-breed?" The watchman nodded.

"They're coming in, with Balto in the lead!" the men looked at each other. The mayor came out.

"Well don't just stand there. Get a hot mug for the musher and towels for the dogs! And get the doctor out here!" Everyone nodded, running about. Jenna ran back into the house, tearing to Yuna's side.

After Steele visited, the younger husky had collapsed. Jenna was able to get her to her bed… and she hadn't moved since. She wouldn't eat or drink. Steele had come by a couple times, but Jenna drove him away with bared fang and claw.

"Yuna?" Jenna called softly. She walked in, looking at the white ball of fur curled up on the bed. Jenna softly padded over to her side, nudging her nose into her sister's neck fur. Yuna didn't move. If not for the soft rise and fall of her flank, Jenna would have feared the worst.

"Yuna wake up. Steele lied. Balto's alive, and the medicine's here. Rosie's going to get better." Still nothing. Realizing she wasn't going to be able to wake her up, Jenna tore out of the house.

Weaving her way through legs of men, women, and children, she eventually made her way to the center, where the sled team was being congratulated. Even Balto, who looked quite flustered, was getting patted and smothered with love. Upon spotting Jenna, his eyes lit up. Separating himself from the humans, he made his way to Jenna's side.

"Hey Jen." Balto looked around. "Um… where's Yuna?" Jenna sighed.

"Come with me." They slipped away, unseen. Balto immediately got the sense that something was wrong.

"Jenna… what's wrong with Yuna?"

"She's…. mh." Jenna sighed. "Steele came back about a week ago." Balto's eyes widened. Jenna wasn't looking as him as she continued to talk.

"He… he came back with all these wounds on him and Yuna's scarf. After meeting up with him, I took him to see Yuna. He said… he said you guys had drowned." Balto snarled, his lips curling.

"Where is he now?"

"I don't know. He tried to see Yuna a couple times after she collapsed, but I chased him away."

"Wait." Balto froze in his tracks. "C… collapsed?" Jenna nodded.

"When she saw the scarf…" The red husky sighed. "Her legs failed her. I was barely able to get her to her bed. She hasn't moved since.

"She hasn't eaten anything, and she hasn't even sniffed at her water bowl. Our girl's parents have tried everything, but she didn't respond to them." Jenna sniffed as a tear trickled down her face. "It's like she's lost the will to live."

"Where is she?" Balto pleaded.

"In our house. Come on." The two ran side by side till they made it to Jenna's home. Her girl's father opened the door. He looked at Jenna, then Balto.

"Come on in you two." Balto blinked in surprise. The man sighed. "If you can't help her, Balto… I don't think anyone can." The half-wolf walked in, suspicious of the man. He jumped back in surprise when he crouched down to Balto's level.

"Look… I'm sorry for how I've been treating you up until now. I should have realized before that just because you're half-wolf doesn't mean you're wild. Forgive me?" He stretched out a hand, letting it float above Balto's head. Snorting softly, Balto lifted his head to press it to the man's hand. He smiled, petting the canine. "Thank you." He stood up.

"I'm taking my wife and Jenna to the doctor's office so we can give Rosie the medicine." He smiled down at Balto. "And I want you and Yuna to join us, alright?" Balto nodded. "Good. Now, get in there and help Yuna get back to normal."

Stepping back, Balto looked toward the open door. Taking a deep breath, he slowly padded into the room. Letting his eyes adjust to the dimmer light, he looked around. Finally, his gaze rested on a ball of white fur.

"Oh Yuna…" He stopped next to her form, looking down at her with sad eyes. She was barely breathing. It was clear that she hadn't eaten in a while, proving what Jenna had said. Bowing his head, Balto pressed his forehead to her neck.

"You gotta wake up, Yuna." He lifted his head, burying his nose in her neck fur. "You said you wouldn't forgive me if I didn't come back. Well… I'm back." He started to gently press his nose into her skin. "You gotta wake up so you can see me. You gotta wake up so…" his breath failed him.

"So… I can see your beautiful eyes again. So I can see your reaction when I tell you… I love you." He felt tears prick at his eyes. "Please love. Wake up." He pleaded softly.

A moan surprised him. Gasping, he pulled back in time to see Yuna's eyes crack open. Her tongue flashed across her lips, wetting them. He held his breath as her sky blue eyes traveled to meet his golden-brown ones.

"Balto?" her voice was hoarse, like she hadn't used it in days. She slowly sat up, the look in her eyes that of someone who doesn't believe what they're seeing. "Is it really you?" He nodded.

"Yeah. It's really me." Immediately, tears started pouring down Yuna's face.

"Balto!" She leapt from her bed, tackling him. He grunted as his body made contact with the wooden floor. Laughing, he held her close as she sobbed into his fur. "I can't believe it… you're here." She scoffed.

"What?"

"I can't believe I believed Steele." Balto sighed, nuzzling his nose into her fur.

"We fought."

"What!?" Yuna pulled back, her eyes wide.

"Well, he tried to fight with me. He ended up latching onto the scarf you gave me. When I shook out of it, he tumbled down a cliff." Yuna looked away.

"That explains his injuries." She sighed, returning her head to Balto's chest. "I was so… cold. When Steele…." She didn't finish her sentence. She didn't need to.

"Hey, look at me." She did. Balto smiled gently. "I'm here. I'm alive. I brought back the medicine for your girl. She's going to be fine… and you are too."

"Balto…" Yuna took a deep breath. "There's… something I want to tell you. Something I was afraid I would never get the chance to say." Balto smirked.

"Okay. But… let me do one thing first." Yuna tilted her head.

"What?"

"This." leaning forward, Balto pressed his lips to hers. Yuna gasped sharply through her nose. Balto chuckled, licking her nose as he pulled back. "I love you too Yuna."

"I… You… How did you know?" He chuckled, nuzzling her nose with his.

"It was fairly obvious when Jenna told me about your condition." Yuna blushed, before turning her head away. Balto chuckled at her grumbled threats directed towards her sister. "You mad?"

"At her for gossiping about me." Balto outright laughed at her reaction. Yuna turned her head back towards him, scowling. "Stop laughing at me!"

"S… sorry. You were just too cute." Yuna scoffed, her glare deepening when he didn't stop laughing. She shut him up with a kiss of her own. Balto pressed into it, closing his eyes. They parted, their eyes opening halfway as their foreheads touched.

"Come on." Balto stood up. "Your girl's father took her mother and Jenna to give her the medicine. He wants us to be there as well." Yuna's eyes widened.

"You mean… my girl's father… likes you?" Balto nodded, earning a full on grin from Yuna. He helped her up, giving her his shoulder to lean on. "That's amazing Balto." They walked out together, Balto helping Yuna down the steps.

"Well… isn't this touching." Both froze at the mocking voice. Simultaneously, they turned to see a familiar figure step from the shadows. Balto's hackles rose as he stepped in front of Yuna.

"Steele." The sled dog chuckled darkly, his eyes flashing.

"You must have one heck of a death wish, half-breed… being so familiar with my mate."

"She's not your mate! She's mine!" Yuna blushed at Balto's outburst, but shook it off. She glowered at Steele. He just laughed it off.

"We'll see about that." Neither had any time to react as Steele pounced on Balto. "I'll kill you, and make Yuna my mate by force!"


Cliffhanger! Sorry, I had to. Anyways, I promise I'll get the next chapter out sooner.