Too Close To Tell You

AN: Ah I want it I really do, but some things you can't have… nope I don't own so stop reminding me and get over it. I wish I owned it too, but I don't… (end rant)

I have to apologise at first before I continue this story, Lord Kain you have mistaken my intentions for this story and I'm sorry if it sounded like I was being rude. I wasn't. Like I said I was just trying to make a story of it, thanks for reading and reviewing.

Again I'm sorry….

Chapter 8 – Alpha Male

She sat in the corner, the chain looped loosely around her neck. Halley was asleep beside her, snoring loudly. It was cold this morning and the sky threatened to drop more snow on the path. She hated the cold so much and just the thought of more snow coming was a disgusting thought. Halley coughed and sat up quickly realizing that he had let go of her chain. She sat there looking at him, but not making a move to escape.

'Why didn't you escape?' He asked searching her mind, finding nothing.

'I don't want to.' She answered plainly.

He rubbed his eyes. 'Well good morning.'

She smiled half heartedly. 'Why did you save me? You could have let me drown.'

He laughed. 'Nah couldn't do that. It's not my right to decide whether you live or die. Life is precious and you should use it to the best of you capabilities.'

She frowned at that comment and stared into the dark coals burning out just before dawn. She contemplated his words over and over again. 'Life is precious..?'

'Yep that's right.' Halley yawned and stretched. 'What's your name?'

'My name?' She asked wondering weather or not to tell him. She saw no harm in it, 'Arushka,' she finally added. 'My name is Arushka Erené Minuette, you may call me Erené.'

'Well it's nice to meet you Arushka Erené Minuette…Can I ask you just one more question?'

She nodded. 'Yes.'

He reached up and removed the chain. 'I still haven't forgiven you for the train, but why were you after them?'

Her big brown eyes fixed on the last burning coals. 'My master told me to, or she would kill my little sister Cassandra.' She answered hoarsely. 'I know now that she would do it any way.'

Halley sighed. 'Do you wanna know if she's still alive?'

Erené nodded turning her head away.

He closed his eyes and concentrated very hard. 'Cassandra Marie Minuette wasn't it?'

She nodded again standing up quickly. 'Cassie?'

'She's alive, their keeping her safe for now. She's very special to them something she can do, that they need her for that.'

'Thank you.' She answered standing up and stretching. There was a small red marking around her throat, but otherwise she was unharmed.

'So Erené what do you intend to do now?'

'I don't know. If I go back then they would know that I failed and kill Cassie, but I have nowhere to go…'

'Come with us then… but um don't try and kill them.' Halley answered standing up and stretching. 'Okay people its dawn! If we want to get to Zurich before sunset I suggest we move it!'

The passengers from the train were up in an instant and everything was being packed up. Kurando and Anastasia stood up, though the samurai looked quite tired. He looked around confused.

'What's the matter?' Anastasia asked looking at him worriedly.

The young cub strutted her way through the woods, back towards her home. She pushed her way through the low lying branches and finally she reached home. Her father waited for her in the clearing. 'What do you think?' He asked as she trotted over to him.

'I like him father, though he seems very troubled.' Arubna answered. 'I wish there was some way to help him.'

'Maybe you can.' Lupin said giving her a playful nick on the ear, 'How would you like to travel?'

'Father! You are actually going to let me leave the woods?' She cried out surprised, her eyes brightening.

He nudged her towards the small stony cave. 'We will speak of it in the morning, Arubna.'

She curled up in her favorite spot and yawned. She wondered what had made him change his mind all of a sudden. Most of the time she was never allowed past the packs territory. Maybe her mother's ghost had something to do with it. The other wolves had said they had seen her roaming around the woods. 'May the moon bless your dreams!' She called out to her father.

'May the moon bless your dreams, dearest daughter.' He called back.

The little cub jolted awake as she heard something moving in the tiny cave. It was just almost dawn, but something was wrong. She stood up quietly and crept towards where her father slept.

'Daddy, wake up!' she whispered into his ear. The large black wolf stood up quickly and stared at her.

'What is it Arubna?'

'Hunters are here! In the cave!' She whimpered quietly.

He sniffed the air and growled. 'Go to the human daughter and don't look back…'

'Daddy, I wanna stay here with you…'

'No. Kurando will take care of you and I want you to see the world. Go and see it daughter. Your mother would have wished it and right now I must protect the pack. Run.'

She stood her ground for a moment and a loud noise sounded in the cave waking the other wolves up. In fright she bolted with her tails between her legs. She ran as fast as she could between the legs of the hunter and in surprise he missed her. Her little cub legs ran as fast as they could, dodging tree roots. The sounds of the battle ensuing followed her.

'Was that a gun shot?' He asked looking around. Another one went off and another. A few howls could be heard from the woods. 'The wolves!' He said hurriedly running towards them. Suddenly the little black and white one crashed into his legs almost knocking him off balance. 'Arubna? What's going on?'

She whimpered. 'The hunters found the pack. Daddy, he wants… wants…to fight.'

He put Arubna in Anastasia's arms and ran off into the woods.

'Kurando!' Anastasia yelled following him. Her pace was slower, but she could just make out where he was going. She followed him holding the little cub to her chest tightly as not to drop it. Suddenly she stopped and stared. Kurando was standing in front of hunters, protecting a pack of wolves. Three very shady looking men stared at him.

'Move boy, or your corpse will join them.' The leader said laughing and pointing his gun in his direction. Kurando stared at him drawing his sword slowly.

'Kurando!' Anastasia yelled to him. 'What are you doing?'

The men turned to her and grinned. 'What do we have here? Hmmm? A pretty little lady lost in the woods alone with three very handsome men.'

'Handsome? I don't think so; butt ugly is more like it.' She answered pulling the pup in closer.

'What did you call us?' One of them yelled at her. 'We'll show you!'

'You lay a hand on her and I will kill you.' Kurando answered coldly, he could feel a dark rage burning up inside of him. His sanity seemed to be leaving him and he didn't want it to come back just yet. His eyes glowed like hot embers, and his face went blank.

'Brat.' One man said grabbing him on the shoulder and yelping in pain.

The boy was on fire! Literally! 'Ouch, goddamn, what in the hell…?' They cried out surprised. Flames leapt off his body and small plates of armor like skin sprouted from his skin. His hair suddenly turned upright in a spiky fashion.

'Shoot him!' The leader cried out.

They all shot at him several times, but the bullets melted before they could hit and hit the ground in bubbling pools of lead. 'He's a demon!'

'Get the girl and let's get outta here!' They ran towards her quickly, but he was suddenly there standing protectively in front of her.

'How? How did he get here so quickly!' One cried out running away.

'Forget the wolves!' The other one yelled running after the first goon. 'I ain't fightin a demon.'

The leader yelled after them, 'You Cowards!' He grabbed Anastasia by the hair and held a long dagger up to her throat. She still held the little wolf close to her chest. Kurando rushed forward before the man could pull the dagger back and for a moment nothing happened. The man stood there staring at the demon that stood in front of him, and slowly the creature pulled the sword out from the mans gut. He collapsed on the ground in a sputtering heap dying quickly. He stood over the body making sure that this man could ever harm his Anastasia ever again.

'K-Kurando?' She asked hesitantly. The creature turned and faced her so quickly that she jumped. He nodded to her, a gentle smile touching his lips again. The little cub suddenly jumped out of her arms and ran into the cave. The princess reached up to touch his cheek noticing that the flames were dissipating from him and he was changing back to normal.

'Awwwwwwwwwwwroooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!' The mournful howl cried out through out the woods. To Kurando it sounded like some one yelling out 'daddy no.'

'Arubna?' He realized running into the cave after her. Several wounded wolves surrounded her and the big black lump in the back of the cave.

'DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAADDDDDDDDDDDDDDDYYYYYYYY!' She howled again. 'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!'

Lupin lay in a twisted mess; he had taken several bullets to the chest protecting his pack.

'Awwwwwwwwwwwwrooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!' This time all the wolves joined in to the howl, helping Arubna tell the world of his fate. He felt tear touching his own eyes as the little wolf cub lay beside him howling. He blinked them away and touched the eyes of the large wolf, closing them so he would have a dignified death. 'Awwwwwwwwwrooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!' The wolves repeated over and over again. Kurando touched little Arubna on the head and sat with them. Anastasia crept in and sat beside him, her eyes already full of tears just watching that little cub crying out.

'Please join us in our mourning.' A pure white wolf whispered to him, though he wasn't entirely sure if it was there. He nodded. 'Awwww- Awroooooooooo-Awwwwwroooooooooooooooooooooooooo!' He howled with them. Arubna looked at him strangely realizing that he was paying respects to her father, even if it did sound like he was howling out 'I'm a stupid cat.'

'Arubna, enough.' The white wolf said touching the body of Lupin. The body suddenly disappeared. 'You're father has returned to the land that bore him, now you must carry the fate of our race.'

'Mummy? I'm all alone now…' She whimpered.

'No you're not Arubna.' Kurando said causing the little wolf to look at him and cock her head to the side. 'I'll be here for you and I'm certain your pack isn't going to abandon you.'

'Thank you Kurando.' She answered crawling into his lap and yawning. 'Can I call you daddy now?'

He was a little caught off guard, 'Well I don't see the harm in it.'

The other wolves lay in front of him and all seemed to bow their heads. 'Our Alpha.' They chanted over and over again. He looked around at them confused, 'What?'

'They want you to be our Alpha. It means they realize your strength and you have bested our enemies. That makes you our Alpha, daddy.' Arubna whispered.

'Alpha? Me?' He answered staring at the pack 'bowing' to him. 'Okay…'