A Time to Heal
Lilly takes a few more steps out into the ground, still covered in the snow from last night, and watches as her breath escapes her muzzle in a small, white cloud. She bats at the vapor. and laughs a little when it scatters around her right forepaw. A gentle breeze picks up, sending a pleasant little chill through her fur. For a moment, she self-consciously stares at her paws and takes a couple more steps. She smiles when she can clearly see she leaves pawprints in the snow.
"What's up, Lilly?"
The white she-wolf looks up through her bangs at the approaching Alpha. They have grown since that winter when Lilly had gotten lost. Lilly figures Kate probably doesn't remember that time, but the memories stick with her. On the other hand, Kate's knowing smile says otherwise.
"I think we'd be able to find you a lot easier now, sis-pawprints or not."
Lilly laughs and brushes her right forepaw in a circle. "I wouldn't think you'd have the time, what with all of your Alpha School classes." The white she-wolf raises her snout in a mock snooty manner at "Alpha School classes".
Kate chuckles. "I'd find the time. Besides, I know about all of your hiding places by now. With all my Alpha expertise, I'd find you in no time flat."
"Aww, I guess you do remember me after all," Lilly walks over and gently nuzzles her sister. "I guess it is silly, isn't it?"
Kate shakes her head and embraces her sister with her forelegs. "No, it isn't. But in all seriousness, I would do everything I could to find you."
"Just like that one time when we were pups?"
The golden Alpha nods.
Lilly breaks from the embrace and looks at the overcast sky as the first few flakes of white drift down. The Omega closes her eyes and tilts her head back, taking a deep breath as a few errant snowflakes land atop her muzzle. One flies directly into her nostril, making her muzzle twitch. Lilly begins to sneeze, her bangs flying out of her face and her purple eyes flaring with confusion. She takes a step forward, and then slips over a rock unearthed by her right forepaw.
Lilly pushes her left forepaw to steady herself when she tumbles forward. She lets out a couple of comical shrieks as she rolls a few times before crashing onto her left side several feet away. Flecks of white drop from her body, as if to reveal the world's hairiest snowball. The Omega gets to her paws and coughs up snow lodged into her mouth.
"That was just adorable, sis," Kate smirks. Nevertheless, she runs to her sister's side, but the laugh she tried to hold back comes out. She extends her left forepaw to the collapsed white she-wolf.
"I'm fine, Kate," Lilly brushes her away.
The Omega notices her sister's amused expression and turns around, bowing her head in shame. Kate frowns and wraps her left foreleg around the white she-wolf. "I'm sorry, Lilly. I didn't mean to laugh. But you do have to admit, that was pretty funny, the way you just rolled down like that."
Her sister's ashamed look doesn't change.
Kate embraces Lilly again. "I'm sorry. But then again, you are an Omega. Being funny is what Omegas do. And this is definitely a step up from your dead turtle impressions."
Lilly looks back at her, a tiny smirk growing on her face. "And just what is wrong with my dead turtle impressions?" She tries her best to sound offended.
The golden Alpha smiles at her. "Oh, nothing. But you can only break up so many fights by falling on your back and kicking your legs up in the air."
"It takes real expertise to do that. You have to fall just right, and you can't just kick your legs up in the air. There's a method to it, but we Omegas can't expect you Alphas to understand," Lilly returns her sister's smile.
Kate shakes her head. "Yeah, I guess you Omegas can't."
Lilly laughs triumphantly and hugs her sister back. The two maintain the embrace for a few seconds longer until Lilly pulls away. She looks into the horizon of the Western Territory where several wolves run about to their duties. The white she-wolf thinks back to that day when she ran away, when she thought her pawprints were gone, when Kate found her around that tree. It was reassuring. At least, there were no more cracks and chases where she was unwillingly made into the designated White Wolf.
Although, perhaps, it's someone else's turn.
Lilly scoops some snow into her right forepaw and playfully flings it at Kate's leg. Her sister looks at her in surprise and steps back when Lilly readies another scoop. Lilly laughs and shakes her head, her bangs shifting over her flaring purple eyes. Kate watches with a level of fascination as her sister runs around her. Suddenly, a few more chunks of snow fly from Lilly's hindpaws and splatter against Kate's back and the left side of her head. The Alpha shudders and spits the snow that struck her muzzle.
"White Wolf! White Wolf!" Lilly chants behind her, unable to hold back her giggle. "Remember that?"
Kate brushes the remaining snow from her face and turns to face Lilly. The white Omega instinctively steps back, expecting that she probably has to run like hell to escape Kate's wrath. But her sister doesn't glare, instead laughing and soon smiling. Her golden eyes flare, too, sparking like those of a playful pup. Lilly laughs, and readies to fling another patch of snow at Kate when her sister jumps to her right. The Alpha scoops with her right forepaw and fires a snowball directly at Lilly's head. It shatters between her ears, coating her bangs with glittering fragments. Lilly laughs and shakes her head.
"White Wolf! White Wolf!" the Omega runs for Kate.
The golden Alpha laughs and steps just outside of Lilly's grasp. "Gonna have to try better than that!" She turns around and kicks her hindlegs into an Alpha's sprint.
Lilly snarls and gives chase, tilting her head forward and taking big steps. She moves to the left, avoiding the snow flying back. Kate's golden brown fur stands out from the white like a splotch of mud, but she maneuvers quick enough. Lilly glances ahead at the trees dawning on the horizon, atop the approaching incline. Her muzzle curls into a devious smirk.
The white wolf sneaks behind a pair of trees hiding close enough together. Along the way, she lowers her tail and brushes her pawprints away. Not the best job, but good enough. Lilly stifles the giggle building in her throat as Kate approaches. The golden-furred Alpha looks around and chuckles. She stops just short of where Lilly hides, pauses for a moment to investigate something ahead of her, and turns back. Her smile droops. "All right, Lilly, you can come on out. I know you're there, and we should move away from here."
Lilly readies herself to leap out at Kate, and smirks at the opportunity when the golden-furred Alpha turns her back. At this angle, she doesn't have enough room to make the proper leap. Lilly takes a few steps back, mentally preparing herself to jump at Kate's back, screaming "White Wolf! White Wolf! Scare her away!" Just like before. Just like-
The white she-wolf lets out a shriek as her right hindpaw sinks into the snow. She tries to pull up when her right hindleg gives in. Lilly slams her forelegs against the snow as she sinks backwards, screaming again as her hindlegs are dragged in the falling snow.
Kate wastes no time in leaping for her sister's forepaws, anchoring herself in the sturdier snow behind her. The golden Alpha pulls back and manages to drag her sister a couple inches before the snow gives out further. Lilly digs her hindclaws into whatever ground she can manage. She closes her eyes, her bangs drifting over them, almost defensively. Lilly feels her sister's heated breath against the back of her neck as she takes a careful bite to drag Lilly further away.
After a few seconds, Lilly reopens her eyes and looks behind her. She sees the edge of the incline, broken up where she had sunk and started to fall backwards. So close to where she had assumed the best ambush spot was. The Omega takes this in and grabs the sides of her head with her forepaws. "Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! How could I not see that? Stupid, stupid, stupid…"
"Hey, hey, easy," Kate wraps her right foreleg around her sister. "You're not stupid. You just got a bit carried away. We all do."
Lilly doesn't look at her sister. "I'm sorry, Kate. I shouldn't have done that. That stupid White Wolf stuff…"
"It's fine, Lilly, really. It was my idea in the first place, remember? You just wanted to get back at me for it. I can understand," she smiles mischievously at her sister.
Lilly gradually lifts her head to face her sister. Kate softens her smile and brushes the bangs out of Lilly's eyes. The white she-wolf shows signs of tearing up a little, but a smile forms on her muzzle as well. Lilly closes her eyes and starts to laugh. Kate soon joins her. Just two sisters laughing together in the snow.
The white she-wolf settles down, raising her right forepaw to her chest. "So…do you think there ever was a White Wolf?"
"What?" Kate raises an eyebrow.
"I dunno…" Lilly bows her head, like a cub who feels she said something stupid. "I just thought…"
Kate shakes her head and chuckles. "Lilly, that was just a story. It never was true."
Lilly nods. "Probably not. Still, what do you think it'd be like if I actually met her?"
Her golden-furred sister stares at her for a few seconds before she looks to the horizon. "Well, maybe she'd think you were her long-lost sister, or something."
"But I'm your sister," Lilly says.
Kate laughs. "I know you are, we all do. But I guess she'd trust you over me. I mean, you're a white Omega, she's a white Omega, so the story goes. Maybe you two would get along."
Lilly nods. "Maybe."
"It's just a story, though, Lilly."
"I know, but you know me. Silly Omega going on about silly things," Lilly sticks her tongue out.
Kate ruffles Lilly's hair, messing up her bangs a little. "You just keep up the funny routines, sis. You'll knock 'em all dead."
Lilly giggles and closes her eyes. She
took a deep breath and reopened her eyes. The world came back to her in a series of blurred shapes of varied colors. The images became clearer as the recognizable shapes of wolves manifested before her. They sat in a row, watching her curiously. She shook her head, as if waking from a dream.
"Are you all right, Miss Lilly?" one of the other Alphas asked. "Miss Lilly?"
Lilly turned to face the Alpha that had spoken and nodded. "Yes, I just…it's been a rough time for me. For all of us."
The Alpha was a golden brown she-wolf, somewhat like Kate but darker, and sat a couple spaces from Tony's left. She remembered that he had introduced himself as Gabriel, third in line after Garth and Edmund, both of whom would have likely sat at Tony's sides in any other meeting. Lilly looked around the cave as the memories came back to her. Stephen stood to her left, and Garth stood to her right. Her mate placed his left forepaw on her back. Lilly sighed and turned to face Garth with tired eyes. Nevertheless, she smiled at him, and he smiled back. Their gaze broke as she heard a low cough.
"My apologies, Lilly. I know you and Garth are still celebrating your marriage and all that romantic bliss," Tony brushed his left forepaw over his face as he let out another fake cough. He tried to hide the warm smile on his face at the sight of his son and daughter-in-law. He was happy for them, no doubts about that, but these were serious matters.
The old Alpha had nearly been foaming at the mouth when Garth and Lilly returned scraped, scratched, and showing obvious signs of a confrontation or two out in the snow. Stephen and Edmund had fared no better-especially Edmund, with his bitten ear and nearly hairless tail-and Tony was getting worried. Gabriel provided the initial report, and commended the efforts of the gray Omega who had spotted Lilly (really, the White Wolf) as she led the crew to them. Lilly felt happy for the Omega, but Tony only became more and more worried.
But of course, the old Alpha had to hide this worry behind his authoritative tone. "But right now, we need to hear the whole story. Especially since Edmund has still not yet awakened."
"Is he all right?" Lilly asked.
Tony nodded. "Rosemary says he'll be just fine. She's been our Pack Healer for a good many years now. I trust her judgment. Still, he looked pretty roughed up. He's missing a chunk of his left ear, for crying out loud."
Lilly sighed with relief. The last thing she really remembered before coming to this meeting was Garth carrying her while one of the other Alphas, probably Gabriel, carried the unconscious Edmund. She glanced at Garth, who gave her an uneasy frown. What do I tell them? Her purple eyes seemed to ask. What do we tell them?
Stephen spoke up first. "I'm sorry, Tony. I tried to keep them from getting hurt, but-"
Tony stared at the pale tan wolf suspiciously. "Now that you mention it, there is something I want to ask you, Stephen. Why exactly were you and Edmund out there with Garth and Lilly in the first place? I don't remember giving either of you permission to tag along in my son and daughter-in-law's affairs."
The pale tan wolf's face faltered a little. "Well, you see, Edmund and I were…well…we…" He closed his eyes. I should tell them what really happened. Garth and Miss Lilly might have forgiven me, but it's not right. What I did wasn't right. I should tell them. I should- He shivered.
"Are you all right, Stephen?" Gabriel asked.
Lilly raised her left forepaw as Stephen opened his eyes, but spoke before he had a chance to answer. "Edmund and Stephen were patrolling the area, and were just passing by when they saw us coming around. They didn't know who we were at the time. Eastern Pack Alphas must always be alert. Could be dealing with Rogues, you know."
Garth, Stephen, Tony, Gabriel, and the other Alphas all concentrated their attention on her. Stephen's face was etched with worry, while Garth's projected an understanding smile. He nodded and turned back to face Tony.
"That is what they told us, Dad. You know how Edmund gets with the job. He's always been a bit…zealous," Garth added, waving his left forepaw a little as he tried to figure out the right word for it.
"Obsessed is more like it," the dark brown Alpha next to Gabriel added.
Garth chuckled and nodded. "Yeah, Eddie does get a bit carried away. But it was a good thing they showed up, anyway. We did have some trouble with them after all."
Tony growled. "What?"
Garth nodded again. "They probably saw Edmund, Stephen, and I, and assumed we were gonna wander into "their" territory again. Like that one time when the three of us went hunting, and they went after us, even though they were the ones trespassing. You know how they get, Dad."
The old Alpha nodded. "Yes, I do. So what you're trying to say is that the four of you were ambushed by Rogues? Is that correct?"
"Yes, we were," Lilly started again. "We invited Stephen and Edmund to stay with us because I didn't want either of them to get hurt. I know you're all tough Alphas, but we didn't want any trouble. Even if trouble came anyway." She held her right forepaw to her throat.
No more pain. No more.
Tony's forepaws curled and dug their claws into the stone floor of the cave. Gabriel and the Alpha to Tony's right motioned to calm him down. The old Alpha brushed them both away. "I see. Well, I can believe it. King and his…wolves would resort to savagery like biting off another wolf's ear. However, I wasn't sure there was any Rogue activity in the area-"
"But there was," Garth cut in. "Stephen and Edmund told us about how some of you dealt with a couple of them a week ago. A "couple of angry Alpha-wannabes tried to ambush you during a hunting session", I think was how Eddie put it."
"Yeah, remember that, Gabriel? Alexis? They were trying to cut into our caribou hunt," Stephen chimed in.
Gabriel and the Alpha next to him, Alexis, nodded in agreement. The Alpha with the golden fur like Kate turned to face Tony. "Edmund, Stephen, Rodney, and I did deal with some Rogue activity around the border between the Eastern and Western territories. A couple of scouts were apparently trying to take away our kills. I did mention that during last week's report."
Tony growled a little, perhaps annoyed that his old age was showing through memory loss, but nodded. "Those bastards…you're right. Forgive me. I should have figured they'd try something like that again. But what happened after the ambush?"
"We…we tried to lose them in the nearby caves," Stephen chimed in, looking a little more confident now. "But they followed us in, so we had to fight them anyway. And, well, some of these injuries were just from getting around the caves themselves. But we did manage to lose them." He flashed a brief look of gratitude at Lilly and Garth.
"All right, then why didn't you come back sooner?"
"We didn't want to risk getting lost out in a snowstorm while we were still recovering from our wounds," Garth answered. "Besides, you know they wouldn't let us get away if they had us cornered. We had to wait things out for a while. Once the coast was clear, we made our way out. But…as you could all tell, we had our difficulties…"
No more pain. No more.
Lilly lowered her right forepaw from her throat as Tony and the other Alphas considered. She let out a low sigh and stared at the ground. Garth rubbed her back with his left forepaw once more. The white she-wolf's mind flashed with multiple images from the days past, especially wondering about the White Wolf. And her under the water. And Garth buried beneath the snow. And her nearly killing Stephen and Edmund. And-
"Are you sure you're all right, Miss Lilly?" Gabriel asked again.
Lilly lifted her head and met the concerned Alpha's gaze. Her mouth had just started to open before Tony responded.
"She's been through a rough couple of days, Gabriel. Lilly'll be fine. She's tough for an Omega. I'm sure you heard it from…what's her name? That Omega who scouted with your group?"
"You mean Daisy, sir?"
"Yes, Daisy. I'm sure she told you," Tony looked around to his fellow Alphas that stood before the three. "I motion that we put these matters on hold for the time being until my son, his wife, Stephen, and Edmund have fully recovered. We shall reach a decision as to whether or not we should send out a team to investigate. After all, if there are indeed Rogues in the area, they could be planning something big. And I'm sure that if we come to that, Garth and Stephen will lead it?"
The red-orange and pale tan Alphas nodded.
Tony smiled. "Good. Meeting adjourned. Give the happy couple and their two accomplices a little time to rest." The old Alpha chuckled.
Gabriel, Alexis, and the other Alphas made their departure as Lilly closed her eyes and took another deep breath. Garth rubbed her back with his left forepaw. She rested her head against his shoulder. Her purple eyes opened and glanced over at Stephen who let out his own sigh of relief. Lilly offered a sympathetic right forepaw to brush his side. The pale tan wolf managed a smile.
"Thank you," Stephen said quietly.
Lilly nodded and turned to Garth. She stretched her legs and let out another low sigh. "We should go check on Edmund, Garth. We need to-"
The white she-wolf paused as Tony approached them. He moved past Lilly and stopped in front of Garth. The red-orange Alpha paused as his father cast a suspicious glance between him and Stephen. The pale tan wolf's grateful smile faltered.
"Is there something wrong, Dad?"
"I may be old, Garth, but I'm not stupid," Tony responded, jabbing an accusing left forepaw in Stephen's direction. "The others might not have noticed it, but I saw Stephen shivering and looking like an ashamed pup. What are you hiding?" Tony turned to face Stephen and snapped his teeth. "What?!"
Garth stepped between his father and the pale tan wolf, the latter nearly falling on his backside. "Dad, we told you what happened-"
"What are you hiding?" Tony pushed Garth aside as he approached Stephen. "You're acting pretty nervous. What are you hiding, Stephen? You didn't do anything to hurt my son or his wife, did you?"
The pale tan wolf's face drooped into a guilty frown. He knows. He knows that I tried to hurt Garth and Miss Lilly. He knows. They tried to help me. But-
"He feels guilty because he thinks he didn't do enough to help us."
Tony slowly turned to face Lilly. Stephen shot a surprised and grateful look in her direction.
"Stephen tried to help us, and he did. But I know he feels guilty because he thinks he didn't do enough. He spent a lot of time with Edmund, so I'm sure he feels he has to do a lot just be a "true Alpha". But he doesn't need to. He's helped us. He really has."
Tony looked over to Garth, his suspicious glare softening just a little. "Is this true?"
Garth nodded. "Yes, it's true. Stephen beats himself up too much. He really did help us. He was the one who carried Edmund out most of the way, after all." The red-orange Alpha looked over to the pale tan wolf with a supportive smile. "He doesn't need to feel ashamed."
Stephen managed to return the smile, although he rescinded it once Tony turned to face his way. "I'm sorry, Tony. I just…Alphas look out for each other, right? And I just…well…if I had been smarter and more able, Garth and Miss Lilly wouldn't have…" The pale tan wolf shuddered.
The old Alpha's expression melded into a sympathetic stare. "If Garth says you did a good job, you did a good job. I trust his judgment. I'm sorry, Stephen. I know you've always been a little…hard on yourself. I'm sorry. It's just when you see your son and daughter-in-law come back all beaten up, you start to get angry. I'm sure you can understand."
Stephen nodded. "Yes, sir. I understand. I'm sorry."
Tony laughed and slapped his left forepaw against Stephen's back. "It's all right. Now, you three better get rested. If these Rogues dare to show their faces again, we'll make sure they don't ambush you again." The old Alpha smiled and looked back at Garth and Lilly. "You have my word."
Lilly bowed her head respectfully. "Thank you, Tony."
She watched as Tony gestured for Garth to speak with him, probably about more of these matters. Stephen stood attentively, seeming far more relieved now. Lilly smiled and walked to the entrance of the cave, figuring Garth would soon follow. Right now, she just needed to get some fresh air, something to clear her head. Lilly stopped at the threshold and brushed her temple with her right forepaw. A small, Eve-worthy growl (or perhaps one befitting the White Wolf) left her muzzle.
Lilly started to walk again when she collided into something. She stumbled backwards and uttered a low growl (now sounding a lot like the White Wolf). The white Omega snapped her jaws and shifted around. She stopped as her ears picked up a whimper.
"I'm sorry, Miss Lilly! I didn't mean to!"
Lilly calmed herself and saw the gray Omega who had scouted for the Alphas and Betas sent to find them. She raised her forepaws in self-defense, and cautiously peeked over them once Lilly's growling subsided. The gray Omega let out a sigh of relief and lowered her forepaws. Although once Lilly took a cautiously step towards her, the gray Omega raised them again.
"I'm sorry, Miss Lilly. I didn't mean to run into you. I was just…" the gray Omega looked down at the ground like an ashamed pup. "I mean, I wasn't eavesdropping, or anything. I just…I just wanted to make sure you were all right."
Lilly smiled and carefully approached the gray Omega. She pushed her raised forepaws down with her own and nodded. "We're fine…um…sorry, I didn't get your name."
"Daisy," the grey Omega answered, thankfully showing a bit of a relieved smile this time.
Daisy, right, like Gabriel and Tony said, Lilly thought. "We're just fine, Daisy. I'm sorry. After everything that's happened, the Rogues attacking and the snow and all that, I'm just a bit jumpy."
"I get you," Daisy nodded. "But still, sorry about that. I should have paid more attention. Still, I think it was awesome how you managed to get ahead and lead us right to the others. I bet that must have been kinda difficult with the snow and stuff, right?"
Lilly remembered the White Wolf towards the end and smiled. "Right," she eyed Daisy curiously as the gray Omega tried peeking over to her left into the cave. "Is something wrong?"
"Err, no. Nothing's wrong. I was just wondering if Stephen…" Daisy clapped her right forepaw over her mouth. Lilly could make out the hints of pink forming beneath her gray face fur. "I mean, I just wonder if he's all right. That's all." The gray Omega averted her gaze.
The white she-wolf blinked a couple times before she started to laugh. Daisy stared at her with a mixed look of confusion and annoyance. But the blush only became more noticeable. Lilly remembered how Daisy had seemed especially concerned about the pale tan Alpha out in the snow. Now, it all made sense.
"You like Stephen, don't you?"
Daisy's cheeks reddened. "No, it's not like that! I mean…well…" The gray Omega looked at the ground again. She traced small circles with her right forepaw. "I mean…"
Lilly laughed again, shaking her head. And to think, Stephen was crushing on me when another cute Omega liked him the whole time. She stopped when she noticed Daisy's annoyed glare. Lilly waved her right forepaw. "Easy, I'm not making fun of you. I was in the same position once, after all."
Daisy nodded, softening her glare into a reassured smile. "Oh, yeah, you and Garth. I mean, it worked out for you two, right? And I thought, maybe, since Alphas and Omegas can date and all…" The gray Omega stared at the ground again, this time tracing circles with her left forepaw. "But I shouldn't talk about that. Sorry. I shouldn't have been snooping. I'm sorry."
Lilly cautiously approached and placed her right forepaw on Daisy's shoulder. "Relax, Daisy. You didn't do anything wrong. And, hey, you were pretty awesome too. I mean, I don't often hear about Omegas going out on potentially dangerous missions like that."
"Thanks," Daisy chuckled. "I just wanted to make sure you and the others were all right."
Lilly joined in with a chuckle of her own as Garth and Stephen approached. The white she-wolf moved to face Garth, and was met with a raised eyebrow on her mate's face. Lilly gently waved him aside and turned her attention towards the pale tan wolf next to him. "Stephen?"
The pale tan wolf looked up. "Yes, Miss Lilly?"
"Stephen, there's someone who wants to talk to you," Lilly tilted her head in Daisy's direction.
The gray Omega shook her head. "Oh, no, Miss Lilly, I couldn't. I-"
Daisy barely took one step forward when her eyes met with Stephen's. The gray Omega shyly looked to the left, but was unable to keep herself from blushing. Stephen watched her with a confused expression. She seemed familiar, yet he couldn't place her. There was definitely something cute about her, though, like that delicate face. To the pale tan wolf, she looked like she wanted to run, yet still managed to stand her ground anyway. An admirable quality, if he had to say so himself.
Lilly smiled and stepped right next to Stephen. "You know, she was worried about you, Stephen. Very worried."
Stephen nodded and cautiously approached the gray Omega. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to worry you."
"Oh, no, it's not your fault. Not that it would be your fault, but…" Daisy managed, still not looking at him.
The pale tan wolf smiled and gently cupped her chin with his right forepaw. When their eyes met again, he noticed Daisy's were a cute azure shade. A blush spread across his cheeks, showing far more obviously through his lighter fur. The Alpha retracted his right forepaw, and it was his turn to shyly look away. Daisy giggled, but quickly raised her left forepaw over her muzzle. To think that Alphas could get so nervous, too.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to laugh. I'm sorry, that was rude."
"No, no," Stephen waved his right forepaw when he finally was able to look back at her. "It's fine. I just…I just…" The pale tan wolf looked behind him at Lilly. The white she-wolf nodded and offered a supportive smile. Stephen nodded back and met Daisy's gaze again. "You have very pretty eyes."
Daisy's cheeks flared, but she did not break their gaze. "Do I?"
"Yeah," Stephen smiled. "Very pretty. Um, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you like that."
"No, it's fine. I just…"
It took Daisy a few seconds to realize that she had placed her right forepaw atop Stephen's left one. The Alpha and Omega looked down together, and then looked up again at each other. Cute little smiles crept on their faces.
"Well, it was nice to meet you, Daisy. Sorry, I should get some rest. It's been a rough time for me," Stephen apologized, ears folding back against his head.
"I could walk with you!" Daisy chirped, and then clasped her right forepaw over her temple. "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell. But I could walk with you. I mean, if you'd like."
The pale tan wolf chuckled and, remembering what Edmund might have said about true Alphas, smiled suggestively. "Of course I'd like that. It's not every day I have such…lovely company."
Daisy laughed and tilted her head in the other direction. "Well then, let's go. You probably should get some rest. I don't wanna keep you too long."
"I don't mind. Let us be away, my pretty-eyed Omega," Stephen scooped her left forepaw in an attempt to kiss it. His lips awkwardly brushed against the edge of her claws. The pale tan wolf nervously set her forepaw down and chuckled. "Sorry about that."
"It's all right. Anyway, we should go. Sorry, I don't mean to rush you or anything."
"I'm fine, Daisy. But thanks for your concern."
Lilly watched as the pale tan Alpha and the gray Omega exchanged one more pair of smiles and began to walk towards the horizon. A content smile of her own formed on her muzzle. Stephen and Daisy spoke again, although she couldn't make out many of the words. But just before they vanished out of sight, Stephen cast one more look of gratitude in her direction. She nodded and gently waved her right forepaw, motioning him to go on. He nodded back at her and did so, leaving with Daisy, their laughter echoing behind them.
Because we're allowed to be happy, because any Alpha and Omega are allowed to be happy together, we can ensure our pack becomes better and stronger. We'll work together, and we'll make our future brighter, Lilly remembered.
Garth shook his head and laughed. "My wife, the matchmaker."
Lilly chuckled and playfully thrust her left forepaw against his right foreleg in a mock punch. "Hey, I think I'd know a thing or two about Alpha/Omega relationships."
"That you would," Garth licked her left cheek.
Lilly chuckled. "We should put the lovey-dovey stuff on hold for now, Garth." Her face slackened into a concerned frown. "We need to check on Edmund first."
Rosemary uncannily reminded Lilly of Eve, right down the curled manestyle they both shared. Of course, Rosemary was her mother's polar opposite once one got past her similar appearance. Not one death threat, subtle or otherwise, left her muzzle. Not even offers of trips to the moon. She was all about the pleasantries. To be a Healer of the Eastern Pack with all their conflicts, Lilly thought.
"He's right in here," the Pack Healer said as she led Lilly and Garth into her cave. She approached a long branch crudely wedged between the walls, with a makeshift curtain of melded and sap-stuck leaves hanging from it. Rosemary carefully pulled the makeshift curtain aside, revealing a leaf-bed ahead of them. A familiar cinnabar wolf was asleep atop it, his bitten left ear twitching slightly. "You might want to be careful though. He's really been roughed up, as I'm sure you would know. I thought his right front leg was broken when they brought him in here. But at least the herbs help him rest."
Garth nodded. "Thank you, Rosemary. Lilly and I have some personal business to discuss with Edmund when he wakes up. If you wouldn't mind."
"Oh, not at all, Garth," Rosemary answered, patting Garth on the shoulder with her right forepaw. "If you need anything, just let me know."
"We'll be fine. Thanks again."
Lilly approached Edmund as Rosemary disappeared to the other side of the makeshift curtain. The cinnabar wolf stirred as Garth sat to her left. Edmund stretched his jaws in a strained yawn and slowly opened his eyes. He looked around the cave, and then back to Lilly and Garth before him. "So…I guess I didn't die in the snow, after all that. But I suppose I'm gonna die soon, anyway."
Garth shook his head. "No, Eddie. We spoke on your behalf, as well as Stephen's. They don't know about the crap you pulled. And honestly, I don't want them to. Things have been tense enough as it is. We don't need any more problems. No more conflicts. No more…" No more pain, Garth thought.
Edmund managed a weak smile that dropped into a frown. "So you lied to save my sorry ass. After all that. Heh, I guess you really are the Top Alpha, Garth."
Garth shrugged. "It was mostly at Lilly's insistence. I'm still mad about what you did to us, but Lilly was right. I mean, you did help us out there in the end. Especially in that little display with the White Wolf. I didn't know you still had it in ya, Eddie."
Edmund waved his left forepaw dismissively. "It was nothing. Just what a true Alpha would do, right? Alphas look out for each other, after all. Besides, I can fight."
"Oh yeah, you can fight, all right," Garth smirked.
The cinnabar wolf grinned. "Hey, I did act to save your wife there. I mean, you said it was a start."
"Yeah, a start. But Eddie…Edmund, what you did, what you tried to pull…" Garth closed his eyes and shook his head. A growl built up in his throat and escaped steadily.
Lilly placed her right forepaw at Garth's left side and gently rubbed. Her mate calmed almost immediately. "We're willing to give you a second chance, but you're not off the hook." The white she-wolf cast a disapproving look at the cinnabar wolf. "Not after…" She forced her left forepaw back down as it instinctively rose for her throat.
Edmund nodded. "You don't need to say it. I understand completely. So, what do I have to do?"
Garth took a deep breath and reopened his eyes. "Well, Eddie, when you've healed and are able to walk again, you're gonna working overtime with your Alpha duties. And mine. If Lilly and I ever ask for a favor, you're gonna grant it, no questions asked. And we're gonna make sure you do so. If you ever, ever try something like that again, they'll know what happened. And if they don't execute you for treason, they'll throw your ass out to the Rogues."
The cinnabar wolf shrugged, but Lilly saw the flicker of fear in his eyes. "Seems fair."
"It's more than fair, and quite honestly, more than you deserve," Lilly added, quickly shifting into a more sympathetic voice. "But I've seen that you can change, so we're willing to give you a second chance. Just don't push it," she finished with a quick flash of her teeth.
Edmund chuckled bitterly and waved his right forepaw. "I won't."
Lilly nodded and offered a sad smile. "I'm glad. But still, Edmund, you didn't have to do any of that. I know you were scared, but like I told Stephen, and tried to tell you, you Alphas didn't lose anything. We have a brighter future ahead of us. And, well, whether you like it or not, you're a part of it. You never had anything to be scared about."
The cinnabar wolf shrugged again. "Maybe I didn't, but I can't change the past."
Lilly shook her head. "No, but you can change, and we've seen it. So we're willing to give you a second chance. You won't be alone, Edmund. But you will be working overtime, whatever we see fit. And then maybe, you'll prove to us that you're a true Alpha after all," Lilly smirked.
Edmund smirked back at her. "Maybe I will." The cinnabar wolf stretched and let out another strained yawn. "I bet you two want to get back to your cuddling and all that. I'll do as you say, whatever it takes. Thank you again."
Garth and Lilly nodded and walked towards the makeshift curtain. They slipped onto the other side when Lilly paused. She glanced over at Garth. "I'm just gonna check on him one more time. He is pretty badly beaten up. Wait for me, all right?"
Her mate gave her a confused look, but nodded. "All right, Lilly. I'll wait at the entrance for you."
Lilly slipped back on the other side of the makeshift curtain. Edmund had barely started to close his eyes when she approached. He raised his head slightly and bore a cautious smile on his face. "You didn't tell him, did you?"
The white she-wolf shook her head. Again, she resisted the instinct to hold her right forepaw to her throat as the memory of that time underwater came back. "No, I didn't. There's been enough pain, Edmund. Besides, if I had, Garth probably would have mauled you already."
"Yeah, he probably would," the cinnabar wolf brushed his right foreleg with his left forepaw. "So I guess you really do believe I deserve a second chance. Even after that?"
Lilly managed a nod and let out a low sigh. The memory of the cold, the water, the forepaws against her throat began to subside, like a wave in the underground current. Nevertheless, her forepaws curled their claws against the stone of the cavern floor. A growl built up in her throat. She forced it back down and took a deep breath.
"Yes, I do. Despite everything you've done, you've shown that you can change. But…I don't know if I can forgive you for that. I want to, but I don't know if I can. That…that…" Lilly choked back another growl.
Edmund chuckled. "You don't have to-"
Lilly's purple eyes flared and she snapped her teeth just inches short of Edmund's muzzle. The cinnabar wolf nearly jumped out of his leaf-bed, but instead collapsed when his right foreleg gave out. That growl finally left her muzzle as her claws dug into the stone floor. Edmund's eyes flickered with fear again. He was seeing the White Wolf, only with a snarling grimace instead of an impossibly wide grin. Images from that night when she attacked Edmund and Stephen among the trees flashed before her eyes, juxtaposing Edmund's terrified face then with his terrified face now. Her heart began to beat erratically, threatening to drill a hole in her chest.
No more pain. No more.
Lilly raised her right forepaw to her chest and took another deep breath. She closed her eyes, shutting out the purple fires raging within them. When she reopened them, Edmund was staring at her with a cautious, almost awestruck expression. The white she-wolf stepped back and brushed her temple with her forepaws. Despite that, an apologetic smile formed on her face.
"I'm sorry, Edmund. I didn't mean to…I just…"
Edmund shook his head. "If I can be honest, Lilly, if you killed me, you'd be completely justified in doing so."
Lilly frowned. "No, there's been enough pain, Edmund. I'm sorry. I'm not going to kill you. But, if I can be honest, I'm not sure if I can forgive you. At least, not now. I want to forget it. I want to forget the whole thing happened. We…" The white she-wolf hung her head. It all should be forgotten, but seemed to come back (like a memory of her lost among the trees, thinking her pawprints had vanished in the snow). She started to cry.
The white Omega paused as the cinnabar Alpha placed his right forepaw atop hers. "I understand, Lilly. You don't have to say it. I'm sorry about what I did, I really am. I'll do whatever it takes to make things better. Like you said, there's been enough pain, right?"
Lilly brushed her tears away with her right forepaw and nodded. "Right." But her face slackened into a menacing frown. "You damn well better. Because if you ever try to hurt me or my Garth like that again, I will tell everyone what happened. And there will be pain, lots of it. So you damn well better." She punctuated this with a White Wolf-worthy growl.
She expected Edmund to back away, his eyes to flicker in fear again. But instead, he smiled. "Spoken just like a true Alpha, even if you are an Omega." He laughed bitterly.
Despite everything, Lilly managed to return his smile. "Indeed. And maybe if you really work at it, you'll be a true Alpha someday."
"Here's to hoping," Edmund nodded before letting out another strained yawn. "Well, thanks again, Lilly. I'll do better this time."
Lilly smiled warmly. "Hopefully." She turned to leave, but stopped a moment to look back. "We'll be making sure you do. But remember, you Alphas actually gained something. We all did. You won't be alone in this. I promise."
Edmund watched her disappear behind the makeshift curtain, leaving him to think. The cinnabar wolf shuddered as the memory of attempting to strangle and drown Miss Lilly came back to him. His forepaws shivered and curled in disgust. That dull weight feeling manifested once again. They knew the truth, and they had lied on his behalf. But if he didn't behave like a true Alpha, they would tell. Then he really would be alone, if not dead. Edmund's head sank between his forelegs. In his mind, Tony sicced his fellow Alphas, sans Garth and Stephen, onto him, ordering every bit of fur to ripped out and every exposed section of flesh to be torn open. Edmund whimpered quietly.
Nevertheless, he managed to calm himself down, at least a little. After all, Lilly and Garth gave him a second chance despite everything. They actually had. That was more than he deserved.
I'll do what I can, Edmund thought as Rosemary reappeared to check on his injuries. I'll be a true Alpha. There's been enough pain. Maybe the future will be brighter. Maybe. At least they're giving me a second chance. And I won't be alone. Maybe.
Lilly rested in the clear patch of grass just outside the cave not far from Tony's den, and she watched as the clouds finally parted, revealing the night sky. Despite Garth's assurance that they would be fine with the tall grass, Tony insisted that they take the small but cozy cave reserved for such occasions, much like the night when Garth had nearly rolled right off the ledge. She giggled a little when Garth rolled his eyes and argued with his father over the matter of settling down in a cave of their own. There will be time for that someday, Lilly thought, just not now.
Garth eventually stretched his legs and settled down next to her. He placed his right forepaw on her back and lightly ran it down her spine. Lilly smiled and scooted next to him. Her mate grinned and wrapped his right foreleg around her. The white Omega laughed and wrapped her left foreleg around him in turn.
"From now on, I choose where we go for our romantic getaways."
"Fair enough. But you can't say that it wasn't also nice here and there," Garth replied. "After all, you did tell me that us Alphas know how to show a girl a good time. Like down there in the cave." He wiggled his eyebrows.
Lilly giggled and rolled her eyes. "You male wolves…" She nuzzled against the underside of his chin. His warmth was soothing over her tired face. In turn, Garth pulled her as close as he could and soon licked the top of her head. She giggled again.
Eventually, though, she pulled away. "So, I guess things will go back to normal, sort of?"
Garth shrugged. "I hope so. I mean, knowing Dad, Stephen and I will probably have to lead a patrol out there, just to be sure the "Rogues" aren't trying anything. If we do, we're not going to show them that special place behind the rock. That's just for you and me to know. Well, also Stephen and Edmund, but that's another story."
Lilly smiled for a bit before a concerned frown took her face. "Do you think they'd run into her?"
Her mate paused for a moment, his curl cutely drooping between his eyes. He shook his head, shifting it back into place. "No, I don't think so. I think she's gone, Lilly. I don't know where or how, but I think she's gone. You saw her."
Lilly nodded. "I did. Still, I feel bad for her."
"I know."
The white she-wolf glanced at the stars again. Among them, she made out the shape of a crudely etched wolf with mismatched and unaligned teeth. "So, I wonder if we'll tell our own White Wolf story when we have pups-" She paused, a light blush crossing her cheeks.
This did not go unnoticed by Garth, with a mischievous glint in his emerald eyes. He rose to his paws and paced around Lilly. "Oh, we will. And it'll be great. We'll tell them about how their awesome mother managed to not only battle the deadly and dangerous White Wolf…" he crouched low in a pouncing position before jumping and kicking at the air with his hindlegs. Garth paused impressively as he paced around Lilly some more. "…but also how she managed to save her, and then get the legendary beast to help her in return. With some assistance from their awesome father, of course." Garth winked at her.
Lilly barely could stifle her giggle with her right forepaw.
Garth leaned in close and licked between her eyes. Her giggling got louder and eventually escaped her muzzle as he licked her some more. She tried to pull away, but her forelegs wrapped around his neck. Her mate was dragged with her as she fell back, laughing much louder now, and not caring if anyone else heard. Garth grinned and nuzzled her neck, offered to him so. Lilly's heart beat erratically in her chest.
No more pain. No more. Just happiness, she thought.
Eventually, Garth pulled away and fell onto his back, slipping free of Lilly's embrace. Her mind repainted that familiar image of their three, maybe four pups gathering around her. They were in Garth's special cave, bathed in the amethyst light of the crystals that hung from the top. The one who looked just like his father pointed to the cave etchings. Lilly smiled and began to tell him the story, soon joined by Garth. The three, maybe four pups gazed at their parents with full attention, sometimes backing away when Garth jumped for dramatic effect. Ah, but there would be time for that. Someday.
A brighter future, indeed, Lilly thought as she brushed up against her mate on the grass under the starry night sky.
Garth looked at her and smiled. He considered what he had thought before, that worry about losing her in some deep, dark abyss. About never telling her he loved her enough. He shuddered. It seemed like that nightmare would never go away, that memory being etched into his mind. Garth wondered if Lilly knew what that was like, but really hoped she didn't. But that didn't matter now. What mattered was that they both survived, they both were here, and they both will still be around. Maybe he didn't tell her loved her enough. But he'd have a chance to do it. He had a chance to do it now.
However, the red-orange Alpha settled for gently caressing her face. Lilly smiled back at him. Despite everything, they were still here, and a brighter future awaited them.
The White Wolf yawns and stretches her legs. The snow has finally stopped, but she was accustomed to it by this point. She thinks back to when she watched that white-furred Omega like herself and her red-orange Alpha mate disappear over the horizon. They were certainly an enigma unto themselves. An Omega and an Alpha not only working together, but actually being in love? That was something she didn't expect. Then again, with her history, how could she?
The walk back to the cave is uneventful, and the White Wolf feels a bit of sadness about it. She knows they won't come back. They had to go back to their lives and get better. But she did her part. Caribou aren't difficult to find when one's navigated the area enough, and the snow never bothers her anyway. It was a good thing that gray Omega noticed her. That was another amazing sight to behold. An Alpha party that actually allowed an Omega to help them, and maybe even lead them? What a miracle!
Still, the White Wolf considers what the purple-eyed white Omega had told her, about how there had been enough pain, and that they'd help her. And despite her attempts on their lives, she lived up to that promise. Of course, the White Wolf doubts she would have died by going over the edge-how could one die if they're already dead?-but she was still terrified. And yet, again, they saved her. But even then, the red-orange Alpha attempted to comfort her back in the cave. Alphas treating Omegas with kindness and care. What a-
The White Wolf cradles her head with her forepaws, feeling a slight chill emanate from her pads. She checks her forepaws and sees the scratches and scars are still there, but are significantly softer now. No more bleeding, no more peeling. Hell, they even look somewhat healed. A soft, but reassuring smile forms on her muzzle. The White Wolf sets her forepaws back down and continues her walk.
She lets out another yawn as she's reached the path heading down the warm, amethyst-lit chamber far below. The White Wolf shakes her head and tries to think of other things besides sleep. That will come soon enough. She thinks of that other Alpha, the one with the darker red fur. He had been exactly what she expected of Alphas, yet, somehow, he acted to save the white-furred Omega from her in the end. Alphas could change, she supposes. Maybe they could now. They always say that time heals all wounds. Maybe it was true. She could look at her forepaws for possible proof of that.
The White Wolf navigates around the stalagmites and stalactites, avoiding them with ease. Despite feeling sleepy, she begins to run faster, feeling like a pup again. She lets out a long and joyous howl that echoes through the tunnel behind her. The howl becomes laughter as she reaches the amethyst-lit chamber. The White Wolf throws herself atop the human bed and rolls around, kicking her legs into the air. She pauses as a familiar scent hits her nose. Faint, but present. It smells like…
She laughs, and remembers that the Omega and her Alpha were around here once. To think, an Alpha not only treating an Omega well, but loving her, too. The White Wolf smiles and settles into place. Another yawn escapes her muzzle.
Perhaps it is time to sleep. The White Wolf has seen enough for now. She yawns once more, and rests her muzzle against the whitegray surface. Before her eyelids droop, she inspects her forepaws again. The scratches and scars are indeed healing. They're still there, but soon, they wouldn't be. That's good enough for her. Time to sleep.
The White Wolf closes her eyes and thinks of the Omega and her Alpha pulling her back up and embracing her. Wonders never ceased, but it's something pleasant to think about. Maybe the world's really different now, but that's for another time. Now, it's time for sleep. The White Wolf considers that memory of the Omega and Alpha embracing her once more. It's a nice final image to leave on.
A few minutes later, she begins to fade away slowly but painlessly. No more pain. The White Wolf still thinks of that image, that glimpse into the world that managed to grow. She does not feel herselg going. She simply fades away, like a memory, like a story from puphood.
Like a legend.