A/N: chapter twenty-six here we go...

Trajan's point of view by the way.

26: Promotions and Meetings

Aniu and I finally made it back to the canyon in late morning. We tore down the center, past many confused wolves, up the path on the far wall, and tumbled into the Alpha Den. Alaquis and Matra, who had been eating a small breakfast of a single rabbit each, were startled by our entrance, but soon got over it when they saw Aniu.

They bounded over and piled on an already tired Aniu and crushed her under their combined weight. But her mother quickly got over her joy as well, and began angrily, "what in the name of the great spirits were you thinking?! Going off after them like that, so irresponsible. Do you have any idea how worried we were? What if you had been killed!?" She continued but I was too exhausted to listen properly and Matra's words just blurred together in an endless torrent of words.

Aniu seemed to be in a no better state than I, and I smiled slightly to her. She smiled back while enduring the her mother's rant with her ears pressed flat against her head. The Alpha's finally seemed to notice our fatigue and silenced for a moment before Alaquis stated, "You two are dismissed, for now. Trajan, your abilities never cease to amaze me. Thank you, I would have done anything to get Aniu back but you made everything a whole lot easier for me and this pack."

I just nodded slightly and hung my head low again in exhaustion. Matra spoke then, her voice less angered but still stern, "We will have patrols and posts set in case you were followed back. Cerberus is clever and most likely won't mount a large offensive but he can be unpredictable as well when he is angry." She then turned and left the cave without another word.

It took several minutes longer for Aniu and I to recover enough to leave as well, and we made our way out side by side. We headed down the path and dragged ourselves towards the small den we shared at the base of the back wall. When we got inside we promptly retreated to the bed of leaves and pine needles and fell into a peaceful sleep instantly.

...

I woke several hours later, just after nightfall, and yawned sleepily. I looked down to my side where Aniu lay leaning against my warm coat and smiled contently. I licked the top of her head lightly and thought about what had occurred that morning. 'I was willing to do anything for her. Anything to keep her safe.' I remembered the feeling of dread and horror that had come over me when I saw the wolf holding her down or when I sat and looked over the expanse of trees and couldn't figure out how to rescue her.

I was about to rest my head back down for more sleep when Aniu opened her golden eyes and stared at me sleepily. She licked my nose slightly, tickling it, then pushed her own into the crook of my neck. I felt warmer instantly, as if her affection fueled my very being. She mumbled from my neck, "I never thanked you for rescuing me. I couldn't have escaped on my own and who knows what they would have done to me if I stayed in there any longer."

"All part of being your bodyguard, remember? I like to think that I take my job very seriously." I replied comedically. "But, uh, I do require payment." I tilted my head upwards from her, clearly sticking out my cheek. She seemed all too happy to give and began licking my entire face. I laughed at her exuberance and said, "alright, alright! That's enough! Ha ha, cover Trajan in drool, very funny." I shook my head back and forth to clean it as Aniu settled back down beside me with a mischievous grin.

When my face was spit free, I glanced can back down at Aniu's smiling form and couldn't resist smiling myself. "Seriously, There isn't anything I wouldn't do to keep you safe. You know that right? If there is anything you ever need, I promise I will always be there, no matter what." And I meant it. Some just say the words and they mean nothing, but I meant everything I said to Aniu in that moment and by the look in her eyes, I knew that she understood.

She rested her head back down on my front legs while keeping it pressed to my chest. she snuggled her body even closer into mine and I rested my head on hers and fell into a content slumber.

...

It was the next morning and I woke with a grumbling stomach. All my muscles ached from the mad dash I had put myself through yesterday and now I was paying for it. I got up to stretch them and Aniu groaned as I moved away. She seemed to be in as much pain as I was, as she nearly toppled over from her stiff legs. It took us several minutes to feel lose enough to walk, and we slowly made our way out of the den. The brightness of the sun startled us and we blinked to adjust our eyes, and were surprised to see a large group of wolves waiting patiently outside the den. They all seemed to be staring at us in shock, no, they all seemed to be staring at me in shock. But it like wasn't shock, more like awe, as if they couldn't believe I actually woke up. I was a little embarrassed because it looked like most of the pack was here and said something real intelligent like, "um... Hi." Not to my surprise, no one responded but continued to stare at me.

Then from somewhere in the back of the gathered wolves, someone shouted, "All CHEERS FOR TRAJAN! Hero of the pack!" And everyone began to bark and howl simultaneously. The noise was so overpowering it hurt my ears and I had to press them flat to reduce it to a dull roar. I was swept away in the current of wolf excitement and dragged to the alpha den along with Aniu who seemed just as confused as me.

We were dropped on our rumps in front of Alaquis and Matra, who stood outside the Alpha den entrance and had looks of pride on their faces. But small smiles also played at the corners of their mouths. I instantly realized that this was their idea and began to think of ways of how to 'thank' them for the rough treatment.

Alaquis interrupted my thoughts however when his voice boomed out across the canyon. "Trajan of Nome, you have done this pack a great deed by rescuing my daughter and heir to the title of Alpha. Would any here deny this?" Alaquis's glare swept the crowd, daring any of them to speak. Unsurprisingly, not a sound was uttered. He then turned his attention back to me and continued. "Matra and I have decided to officially make you a member of the pack. Though we have done so already, it was in private and kept a secret but now with the spies rooted out, we can make it official. Do you accept?"

I was still a little confused but I nodded my head. Alaquis smiled at me warmly and declared, "You are now a full member of my pack and are subject to my rule. You are no longer only Trajan of Nome, but now Trajan of pack Bear Mountain as well. Congratulations." As soon as he finished the wolves behind me lifted their heads and let out a long howl and Aniu joined her own sweet voice to the chorus as well.

When the howl ended, Alaquis regained everyone's attention with a sharp bark. "We still are not done however. Few of you know this but if not for Trajan we would most likely have already been overrun by Cerberus and his followers. It was his spying on Alva that allowed us to learn of the plot. His idea to sneak messengers out to other packs, asking for assistance. His plan to turn Cerberus's ambush into a trap for them instead, and his bravery and courage that rescued my daughter from the clutches of Cerberus, single-handedly."

The wolves were once again stunned into an awed silence and I felt a little embarrassed by all the attention. Alaquis was stretching it a little bit when he said it was all my idea to send the messages and switch Cerberus's trap around as I couldn't have thought of it without the others but he seemed to be pulling out all the stops.

What he said next shocked me even more. "That is why, after very little thought and conversation, Matra and I are raising you to the position of Beta. You will command wolves of your own in battle, assist the alpha pair when required, and take my place as alpha if something should happen to myself, Matra, Aniu, Maia, and Baron. Effective immediately, you are sixth in line for alpha and one of my most trusted members. Do you, Trajan of Nome and pack Bear Mountain, accept this offer?"

For several moments, silence reigned. Everyone was quiet as they waited for me to say something, anything. Finally, I was able to squeak out a reply, "I accept." All the wolves gathered cheered and barked so loudly and suddenly that I jumped up at least a whole meter. I turned to see Aniu beaming at me as she barely contained her joy. It wouldn't be proper for the heir to the alphas to charge the new beta and tackle him off the edge of the small bluff they sat on. But I could see the excitement in her eyes as they seemed to glow and sparkle with pride.

...

Even though we were still technically at war, Alaquis and Matra insisted on throwing a festival in my honour. It wasn't much, thankfully. Just a large assortment of different foods including freshly hunted elk, deer, caribou, moose, rabbits, and even geese. I wasn't sure how they caught the geese and I didn't want to know. At some point every wolf in the pack came up to me to congratulate me. Some were less friendly than others, but I tried to remain polite with all of them. Aniu stayed by my side the entire time, not saying much, but her presence alone would always be enough.

By the end, I felt so full that if I took another bite I might pop. I had eaten three rabbits, a goose, a deer leg, and a large portion of a moose. I couldn't possibly eat anything else but the wolves ate as if they had never been fed before in their lives. I watched as Aniu downed her fourth rabbit after eating most of a caribou and an entire deer by herself. And she still looked hungry.

I thought I might lose everything I just ate if I watched any longer so I slipped out of the canyon to enjoy the peaceful night air of the forest. I made a quick stop in the den I shared with Aniu to pick up my sack of bottle shards, matches, and a lantern but none of the wolves seemed to notice me. I circled around to the backside of the canyon, taking the long way, and set up the pieces. I lit a match (one of my last ones) and lit the lantern.

The canyon wall came to life with colour and I watched as they danced across the surface, diving and climbing and twirling together. I don't know exactly how long I sat there watching or when I first felt the presence next to me that I knew to be Aniu as she pressed her body to mine in the cold of the early spring night, but I was happy and that was all that mattered.

...

The next morning felt more normal for me than the last few but there was still something different in the air. The festivities of the night before seemed to desert the pack as a cold tension took its place instead. Everyone was waiting for something to happen. No one was sure what it would be, but something was going to happen. I noticed all of this as Aniu and I walked up the path to the Alpha Den. We entered and were unsurprised to see the Aniu's parents and Maia already there. Baron was still missing in action and the five us were starting to seriously worry about him. Not only for his sake, but also Maia's and the pups'. Maia seemed to be getting thinner by the day and the pups refused to leave the den. They hadn't seen sunlight in days and they couldn't have been eating much.

Alaquis started the conversation by voicing his concerns on the matter. "Baron is still absent and we haven't heard from him nor Nava in several days now. We must assume that they will not be able to reach us in time and continue with our planning. With the Eagle Peak pack we have forty-two capable wolves but Cerberus still outnumbers us and the Eagle Peak pack has yet to arrive. If Cerberus attacks today or tomorrow, we will undoubtedly be overrun if we do not receive reinforcements." His words carried weight and brought to light the dire situation at hand.

"We could try to set up an ambush of our own." Maia suggested tiredly. She didn't seem to ever have enough sleep lately. "Lure them in then attack."

"Maybe," Matra considered. "but we can't spare enough wolves from the canyon defense to setup an effective trap outside." They would most likely just be surrounded and killed."

Maia just nodded slowly and lied down with her head between her paws and her eyes closed, but her ears still swiveling, making sure she was still listening. I couldn't believe the endless reserves of strength that Maia had. Even when she was utterly exhausted she made sure to still pay attention.

I didn't see how we could hope to contest with Cerberus's pack with the odds we had now, but I couldn't let the others know that. I had done the impossible before, right. I rescued Aniu from the very heart of the enemy and made it out unscathed. What's fifty wolves to that? But no matter how I tried to pump myself up, I couldn't convince myself that a battle would swing in our favour.

We all considered our options in silence but a single sound pierced our thoughts. A howl echoed through the canyon, summoning the alphas and signaling an emergency. We al leapt to our paws, including Maia, but Matra quickly told her to lie back down and rest and she didn't protest much. The four of us dashed from the den and sprinted out of the canyon in pursuit of the howl. It had come from a position southeast of the canyon, towards Cerberus's territory.

after traveling several kilometers, we came upon a small clearing between the trees with a small creek running along the opposite side and a cluster of wolves gathered in the center. With a start I realized that it was the same clearing that I had first spied Alva and Cerberus together in. 'This is where it all started.' I thought. I scanned the group of wolves and out of the seven there, recognized three from our pack and four from the other.

Cerberus himself was there, out in front and standing proud. Alva was on his right and he snarled at me when he caught sight of us. On Cerberus's left was a big hulking mass of a wolf with several scars tracing his body and a part of his tail missing. He was absolutely rippling with muscle and he had a permanent scowl on his face. On his left was none other than the wolf I had knock out in the forest when I rescued Aniu. He growled when he saw me and I knew he was thinking of that moment.

Alaquis walked towards the small group that stood facing each other and placed himself between Cerberus and his own pack. "What do you want Cerberus?" He demanded.

"Why, is that anyway to greet an old friend like me? I just wanted to talk, that's all." Cerberus purred. He appeared a little to confident for having his latest plan foiled and I wasn't sure if he was faking or sincerely acting casually. "You obviously know about my little plan to take over your pack from the inside out and were somehow able to slow me down some. But it no longer matters because, though I wanted to avoid major violence at first, I can easily send my pack charging in to kill every single one of you." Cerberus was definitely overconfident and he most likely didn't know about our alliance with the other packs. He continued in his arrogant manner, "You can either surrender, or we will fight and I promise you that it will not end well."

His threat didn't seem to bother Alaquis and he boldly responded, "you no longer have anything to dangle over my head, Cerberus. My daughter is safe so I cannot be forced into submission, so we will stand, and we will fight." Alaquis turned and began making his way back across the clearing when Cerberus's frustrated voice spoke out, "I'm still unsure as to how you rescued your daughter, but I assure that, if this battle ensues, I will personally have every one of your pack torn apart in front of you as you watch on in horror, begging to die." Cerberus turned with his own pack and disappeared through the trees.

Suddenly Alaquis's shoulders slumped and his face seemed to age a few years in that moment. "The worst part," he began, "is that he will keep his word. He will not hesitate to torture anyone if he believes it will help him win." The rest of the wolves and I began to make our way back to the den site in silence. There was nothing to say, war had come, in its full force and horror and there was no going back now. We were in this fight for better, or for worse...

A/N: it's coming down to the final battle now. Will Alaquis and the pack be able to hold Cerberus at bay, or will it all go south. And where are those reinforcements Alaquis was promised? Also, what happened to Baron? Did he really ditch the pack to strike out on his own, or is he lost in a snow storm? Tune in next time to find out...

P.S. Two chapters within twelve ours of each other, I think that's pretty impressive, what about you? Huh? Huh? Pretty good right? Over 5,500 words in all too. That's pretty cool.