Humphrey's POV
"We're back!" I called with my mouth full of Caribou calf as me and Kate dragged it through the vine curtain back into mine and Loki's den. Loki looked up to us with a relieved smile whilst Poppy suckled on her. "Ohh yum." She replied with big smile. Kate dropped the calf in shock and stared at Loki before turning to me.
"Why and how are you doing that?" She asked sitting down on the opposite side of the den to Loki with a curious expression whilst I dragged the calf to the centre. "Well she's still very young so is just passing from milk to solid foods, I've got a rear genetic disorder that means I always produce milk." Loki explained, her voice lacking a lot more spite that before.
"Oh, Isn't that cute Humphrey?" Kate asked, looking back to me with a bright smile that melted my heart a little. I nodded back and watched as Kate turned back to Loki. "So... Does it hurt? I've always wondered if it did." Kate asked anxiously as I sat and waited for the two to join me for Lunch."No, it just feels like it's being tugged on." She replied. "Oh..." Kate hummed back before turning and heading over to the calf, sitting opposite me.
"Come on dear." Loki cooed down at Poppy. She instantly stopped and got up, turning to face me and Kate as Loki got off of the floor and headed over to us with her. "Do you want some of this?" She asked as Poppy trotted after her and sat right up close to her chest. "No thank you." She replied with before opening her mouth wide and yawning loudly. I let Kate and Loki take the first bites before joining them and eating in silence.
"That was amazing, the caribou here are so much better than in Jasper." Kate smiled, licking the blood from her lips. "I know right?" I replied with a chuckle as Loki and strolled over to me. "That was really good Humphrey, thank you." She grinned, kissing my cheek before heading to the back of the den with our pup. I felt a blush developing on my cheeks and quickly took to removing the Caracas from our den, Kate staring after me looking dumbfounded and a little frustrated.
*Ugghh... What I wouldn't do to be log sliding with the guys...* I sighed to myself, dropping the body beside a tree before walking away with, staring at the floor. I was about to head into the den before stopping and turning back around. I need a break, just some time alone, properly this time because this is all a little too much, especially after Kate appeared out of no where.
I strolled up the hill and towards the train tracks and the small wooden shed. It didn't take long for the glint of the tracks and the peeling wooden shed to peek through the trees. I closed my eyes as I walked and took a deep breath of fresh air letting the ambiance of the river and the hushing wind through the trees relax me. If there's anything I don't miss about Jasper, it's the fact that there was never a quiet place to go and think where as here? Everywhere is an option.
I stopped a few feet from the tracks and sat down holding my head in the air, the cool breeze brushing gently through my fur. *Why did she have to find me...* I sighed to myself. I missed her sure, but If she'd just left me be I wouldn't be in this mess. I don't want to have to choose. I don't want to make Kate feel what I felt and I'm a parent with Loki now. If anything she should be my priority, not Kate.
"Sir, are you sure this is the place?" A deep male voice asked. "I'm sure, I can smell her." A booming, gruff and wispy male voice replied. I sunk to the floor and hid behind a nearby rock as a black wolf appeared in the clearing, covered in scars followed by a smaller, less muscular ginger furred wolf with a blue furred male following close beside. The scared male was about the same build as Humphrey with cold blue eyes that looked as piercing as diamond spears.
"She's a pup, how far could she have gone, if she's anything like her mother she'll let herself be killed." He replied with an evil smile before the two ran off back into the trees. I could feel my stomach churning. That was the wolf that Poppy was running from, he's trying to kill my daughter... I jumped up from the floor and sprinted off towards the den with my mind being overcome with panic.
"Loki! Loki we have to go!" I yelled, bursting through the curtain of vines making Poppy yelp in panic and Kate almost fall over. "What? Humphrey what happened?" She asked seriously, pulling herself up as Kate looked between me and Loki with a confused expression, Poppy walking over to her for comfort. "It's poppy's father, he's hunting her I just saw him." I whispered so Kate and Poppy couldn't hear.
"Are you sure?" She asked with a deathly concern. I nodded and we turned to Poppy who was hiding under Kate. "Don't be scared honey, daddy just got scared by something because he's a big baby." Loki cooed, crouching down with a warm motherly smile. Kate sat up to encourage Poppy to go and she did, trotting over to Loki with her tail between her legs. "We're going to go on a little adventure okay?" She asked softly.
Poppy's face lit up and she nodded enthusiastically. "Let's go, we need to keep our daughter safe." She whispered, turning to me with a concerned look which I could tell I had too. "I know, come on. You coming Kate?" I smiled before turning to a still bewildered Kate. "Yeah, I'm sure as hell not leaving you again." She replied sternly, running after Loki, Poppy and I.
Kate's POV
"Psssst! Humphrey!" I hissed, trying to grab the Omegas attention. His ears perked up and he slowed his walk a little for me to catch up. "What?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "Why did we leave, I thought we we're going tomorrow." I said feeling confused. I was hoping he would've told me what happened back at the den but no, he told Loki instead.
"I saw Poppy's real dad, creepy looking dude and he's hunting her. We're leaving now to protect my little girl." He replied with a cold sternness in his voice that even made me feel a little nervous. "Really? Wow okay... Well she will be safe in Jasper. Are you sure your ready to come home though?" I asked trying to show him that he didn't have to come back if he didn't want to.
"No, but this is for our daughter... Not for me." He replied, nodding to Loki before falling silent and walking without even glancing at me. I wanted to reply but I couldn't, something about what he'd just said had pulled the words from my mind and I couldn't utter a reply. I sighed quietly and looked away from him feeling disheartened that he didn't want to talk much more and we walked in silence.
An hour passed since we had left the den behind and we had only made a little ground because of Poppy and her little legs, as adorable as she is she does make things a little more complicated than I originally planned, for getting home and for winning Humphrey back. "Daddy... My feet hurt." She groaned. I helplessly grinned at her before we all turned to Humphrey who was staring at the ground in thought.
"Daddy." Loki cooed in his ear. He shook himself and turned to the two looking confused which gave me a chuckle. "What up?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. "Can you carry me please? My feet hurt." Poppy asked more polity that any pup I've seen back in Jasper. "Come on the hun." He smiled with a loving tone, leaning down and grabbing his scruff between his sharp teeth with almost angelic delicacy.
The sight of his sharp, refined dagger teeth gave me a buzz deep in my stomach and I sighed as a chill rode up my spine. He really is much hotter than before and that's saying something. His muscles are so toned and whole demeanour has a more serious, conscious attitude which is something I never though I'd see in him. I growled to myself and suppressed my excitement, picking up my pace to keep up with him.
"How far is it to walk Kate?" He asked with his mouth full of Poppy. "Hmm? Oh well, without stopping it's about a day and a half." I replied quickly. He shot the floor a twisted expression before turning to Loki who shook her head. "What about with stops?" She asked, looking past him and too me. "I don't know, three days? Maybe less." I replied with a shrug. She slowly nodded back and turned away. Hard to tell if we're on good terms or not now.
*Three hour skip.*
"I... I can't carry on Humphrey... Can we rest a little..." loki groaned, falling to the floor with a sigh, her tongue falling from her mouth as she panted. Humphrey almost instantly stopped and turned back to her with a caring expression placing Poppy beside her mother. "Of course we can. Is that okay Kate?" He asked, turning to me for approval.
I felt a happiness awake inside me and smiled. "Yeah of course!" I replied happily. He's asking me for permission about something, maybe he really does still care. I headed over to the two and sat down beside Humphrey who was protectively sitting beside Loki as Poppy suckled on her. I always knew Humphrey would be a good dad but never like this, and maybe Loki isn't as bad as I first thought but that still doesn't mean she's taking him from me. He is mine and she isn't getting in the way of that.
After a few minutes of this Loki had dozed off with Poppy at her side. I watched the little pup before turning to Humphrey who was smiling down at the two. "Humphrey..." I started nervously. He turned to me with a curious expression which only added to my nerves. "Could I... Errmm... Could I?" I asked looking down to Poppy. Humphrey chuckled and nodded, grabbing the sleeping pup gently fro her mothers side.
I can't believe he's letting me do this, I thought he would've been super protective of her. I laid down on the floor beside him and he put Loki beside me and she almost instantly cuddled right into my side for warmth. It's strange having such a small body look to you for protection, so small and fragile and it's your responsibility. I really did miss judge Humphrey back in sawtooth.
"She's beautiful Humphrey." I cooed, nuzzling her small head before smiling up at him. He softly chuckled and watched the little pup dozing beside me before laying down beside his sleeping friend. "Hey Humphrey..." I muttered, turning to look at him. Our eyes met and I knew there was a connection, anything I say now will really mean something.
"I'm sorry... Everything I did to you was cruel and ignorant and I'm sorry." I said, bowing my head in submission. He rested his head on his paws and sighed. "It's okay." He replied softly before turning away and closing his eyes, cuddling close to Loki. I felt a smile spreading across my face and laid on my side cuddling Poppy close. "Night dear." I whispered before closing my eyes and letting myself doze into a peaceful sleep.