Chapter by dax0042
The next morning, Terra awoke to find her daughter was not in the den. Looking around, she quickly learned that she was the only wolf in the den, which greatly unnerved her. Terra quickly got up and went outside to find her family. As she walked, she began to feel like she was being followed. Looking over her shoulder, the lovely she-wolf saw some unknown wolf watching her from the cliffs. The wolf was clearly a male alpha, but he quickly hid.
Terra had no idea who he was, and she had no plans to stick around and find out.
Up near the hunting grounds, a mother raccoon was looking for something to feed her babies, but the small critter suddenly found herself being hunted. The raccoon turned to flee, but Cain jumped out from the tall grass and blocked her path. A sneer of pleasure came over Cain's face. He loved the look the raccoon gave him: fear. Taking a step toward his prey, he smiled.
"Life's not fair, is it, my little friend?" The raccoon cowered and began to look around for a place to hide. "While some are born to lead, others live their lives trying to find meaning. The way I see it, you and I want the same thing, and do you know what that is?" He asked as he lowered his chest to the ground, getting ready to pounce.
"It is control over life."
Cain laughed and lunged at the raccoon, pinning it under his big paws.
"CAIN!" shouted Able. His white fur having hidden him well in the snow covered grass. So well in fact that Cain had not noticed that his brother had been in front of him the whole time.
"Well, look who has come down to hunt," Cain smiled warmly at his brother, but Able could hear the coldness in his voice.
"You hunt for the fun of it, kill for pleasure, and lust after females who are already mated. You act like you know that there will be no consequences for your actions, but the sands of time have already began to pour against you. Soon, your time in the world will end, and a true leader will come to take over on that day." Able proclaimed firmly, but Cain only scoffed. Then, with blinding speed, Cain killed the mother raccoon.
"You think Terra will enjoy this gift?" He shrugged. "Of course she will, after all, I really love that beautiful Alpha bitch…" His voice trailed off, his omission blatant. Able frowned.
"As the first born, you have a birthright that must be respected," he said to Cain, who only smiled.
"And you are the second born, so that makes you nothing more than an Omega who forgets his place in the pack," Cain warned Able coldly. "And if you get in my way, I'll not only kill you, but your son as well!" Tired of the conversation, Cain turned to pick the dead raccoon, but King walked up from behind Able.
"Don't turn your back on us, Cain!"
At the sound of King's voice, Cain reeled back around. He had had enough.
"Oh, no, King" he snarled, "Perhaps you and my brother shouldn't turn your backs on me."
"Are you looking for a fight?!" shouted King as he ran up and blocked Cain's path. For a long tense moment, the two wolves stood there, eyes locked, until finally, Cain backed off and began to walk away.
"When I am ready, we will fight," he said before disappearing.
Now that King and Able were alone, the two of them felt it was best to patrol the outskirts to the pack. This way, King would be able to learn things about Cain, things only his brother would know. And want King learned was very unnerving to say the least. Some of the information was so disturbing, he though he was going to be sick.
"DAD!" King was quickly pulled from his thoughts as he turned his attention to the new voice. To his surprise, he saw a young wolf, perhaps just a little older than Daniel bounding towards him and Able, the letter sporting a broad smile as the young wolf reached him, bringing his head down to nuzzle him.
"King," Able said after turning back to said wolf, "this is my son, Matthew. Son this is King." King smiled at the young wolf, who he was surprised to see had white fur like his father, but a black underbelly, which seemed very odd. But, King shook the thought away as he looked at Matthew, only to once again be blown away by the fact he had heterochromic eyes, the right being a striking ice-blue, and left a deep crimson red. But, once again, King shook away his shock as he returned the young wolf's bright and cheery smile.
"Hello, Matthew," he greeted, "it's nice to me you." Upon hearing this, Matthew' smile only grew as he wagged his tail excitedly.
"It's great to meet you too, Mr. King."
Up away from the two alphas and young wolf was the school cave where the pups would learn what they would be, either an alpha or an omega. Anna sat next to three pups who were maybe a few weeks younger than her. "And what do alphas do when they hunt?" the teacher asked in a deep base.
Anna raised her paw. The teacher smiled and nodded at her, waiting to hear her answer. "First they check the area for other predators, then work together to bring down their prey," she said answering the question.
"Good," the teacher replied with a warm chuckle. "Now, what do-" the teacher began to say, only to be interrupted when Cain entered the school den. The class all turned to face the pack leader, as his red eyes dimly glowed in the shadows of the cave.
"Anna, come with me," Cain commanded the pup. "I need you for something."
Now Anna found herself walking along the snow cover floor of a deep canyon. She wasn't sure what Cain needed her help with, but Anna followed him even though the little pup hated to be alone with him.
"Do you know how to howl, Anna?" Cain asked her with a friendly smile. Anna shook her head.
"I never tried," she said.
"I think I know how to help you with that," he said as they continued to walk through the canyon. High above, birds flew through the air, small dots on the breeze. It was peaceful in the canyon. Anna looked up at Cain curiously.
What does he mean?
As if reading her thoughts, Cain continued.
"When your father learns that I taught you howl, he will accept me as his friend."
Anna cocked his head.
"You want to be friends with my father?" she asked.
"Yes, I want to be his friend," Cain replied, lying without hesitation. Anna's ears perked up as Cain's voice echoed through the canyon. "Did you hear that, Anna?" he said. "This gorge is where my alphas come to find their voice."
Anna's eyes grew wide with excitement. That sounded amazing. She began to jump up and down on her paws. Anna was going to do this!
"Here I go!" she shouted.
"Watch this Cain!" Taking a deep breath, she rushed forward and then stopped short. Raising her head, she let out a howl. The sound was small and cute, but it had some power to it.
"You'll get it, Anna," Cain said, giving giving the small pup an encouraging nudge. "It just takes time. I'll check on you in a little while."
As Cain turned to go, Anna called after him.
"Do you think my daddy will like my howl?"
Cain stopped and looked over his shoulder.
"He'll be DYING to hear your howl."
Then, with a smile turned, Cain turned his gaze back to the way he came.
You really are a stupid little omega. He thought to himself as he walked away.
Ten minutes had passed and Anna had grown tired of trying to howl, all she wanted was for Cain to come back. It was starting to scare her a little, being alone, but she knew better then to go off alone. Suddenly, her tiny paws felt something trembling under them. A faint rumbling sound could be heard as ice sickles began to fall off the side of the canyon walls. Anna turned around and saw a frightening sight. Coming down the hill was a huge wall of snow.
It was an avalanche!
Without thinking, Anna turned and ran for her life.
King and Able, accompanied by the latter's son Matthew, sat basking in the sun, enjoying its heat on their fur. It wouldn't be long until spring would come and the snow would be gone.
Suddenly, as if on cue, Cain burst through the tall grass and bushes, running straight toward them at his fastest speed. Skidding to a stop, he gulped in deep breaths, his red eyes wide with panic.
"King!" he cried. "Quick! Avalanche! In the canyon." He paused. It was only a moment, but in that moment, King and Able felt their hearts stop. For their was something in Cain's eyes that sent fear through them like a bullet. And then, Cain said something that chilled King to the bone.
"Anna is down there!"
"Anna?" King repeated, fear solidifying.
Not waiting for confirmation, King turned and took off in the direction of the canyon, followed closely by Cain. Able, however, waited for a brief moment, clearly suspicious about his brother's behavior. Turning to his wide-eyed son, he nuzzle his forehead against Matthews, speaking as he did so.
"No matter what happens to me," he began, "hide with the Omega's...DO NOT let your uncle find you...understand?"
"Yes Papa," Matthew responded nervously before watching Able sprint after King and Cain, an unshakable feeling in gut telling him that this would be the last time he might see his father.
Meanwhile, back in the canyon, Anna could feel her legs burning with pain as she ran. The avalanche was going to reach her, but then she saw a downed tree. It was big and looked like it would hold against the force of the avalanche. Anna quickly jumped and caught a low hanging branch and pulled her small body up onto the tree.
The avalanche passed right under her, but even the tree wasn't going to hold for long, as it was starting to move as more and more snow crashed into it!
"Anna!" King shouted once he saw her. The little pup looked to see her grandfather coming down the side of the canyon. "I'm coming, Anna!" he shouted, his voice loud even over the sound of the avalanche.
Able as well quickly went down to help King rescue Anna. Cain stayed behind and watched them, a sneer slowly spreading across his face.
Yes, go and help that little pup, he thought, I'll take good care of Samuel once you two are gone.
His smile grew wider. His plan was working out brilliantly. Soon, his brother, King and Anna would be dead, leaving only Samuel to deal with. Then, with them out of the way, Princess would be alone and heartbroken, just waiting for him to be her shoulder to cry on.
King was almost to Anna when a huge wave of snow smashed into him, knocking him off of the tree and into the sea of snow. Anna watched as he grandfather disappeared from sight.
"Grandpa!" the pup shouted, but her voice was silenced by the avalanche.
Just then, Able picked her up and rushed over to the wall of the canyon. Anna was safe when Able placed her on a small ledge. "You can make it! Follow the path!" he shouted, then began his climb up the rocky wall. As he neared the top, Able looked up to see his brother staring down at him from the safety of the top.
"Cain!" he shouted. "Please! Brother! You got to help me!"
But to his surprise, Cain didn't move. Instead, he just stared down at Able, with a dark smile on his face. Groaning, Able pulled himself still further up, hooking his paws over the edge.
That was when Cain moved. Only he didn't move to help his brother. Able let out a cry of surprise and pain as Cain dug his claws into his.
"Your time in this world is over," Cain growled. And then he threw Able into the raging avalanche.
"NOW GO TO HELL!"
After seeing to it that his enemies were really dead, Cain turned to return to his pack. However, King wasn't as dead as Cain had hoped. Back in the canyon, King had dug himself out of the snow. Tired and hurt, the alpha struggled to walk. That was when he came face to face with an unknown, grey-furred wolf. Unfortunately, King could not remember much after that, as he soon passed out from the exertion and pain that overtook him. The wolf looked upon King with sympathy. So, he helped King to his den that was hidden from the rest of the pack.
Back at Cain's pack, the dark wolf watched as the alphas rounded up the omegas. It was a beautiful sight. A sight that he had been waiting for… for a long, long time.
Cain quickly hid his smile and put on the best grief stricken face he could do. However, Terra and Sam stared at him, suspicion in their eyes. A few of his omegas were perceptive enough to look frightened, sensing that something wasn't right. Without saying a word to his most trusted followers, he made his way to Terra—and broke the news of Able and King's death.
It had been a wonderful moment. Just watching Sam try to comfort his mate as her eyes filled with tears of devastation, listening as the other pack members lifted their heads and howled in grief. Hidden within the Omega's ranks, Matthew found himself being comforted by his friend Daniel, whose chest was soaked with the former's tears as he wept for his father.
"Able and King's death is a terrible tragedy," Cain began to say, addressing the pack. "The wisest omega the pack had ever known. To lose a brother—such a deep personal loss. And good old King..." His voice trailed off as he pretended to be overcome with sadness. No, he was overcome—just not with sadness. Cain looked at King's daughter as he continued.
"King, who loved his family so much that he risked it all to save the smallest of his bloodline." he said.
Anna then looked up at Cain, her pain and sadness turning into anger.
"You're lying," she cried. Cain was at a loss for words. Did Anna see him throw his brother off the ledge? He hoped not. The other omegas of his pack began to look around, as they tried to make since of what Anna meant by calling Cain a liar.
Anna began shouting. "Cain must of caused the avalanche that killed my grandfather-"
"ENOUGH!" Cain roared, his voice booming over the pack. "How dare you say such a thing." he said scolding Anna. "I loved my brother and I had great respect for King. And yet you have the nerve to accuse me of being responsible for their deaths?" The alphas began to grow angry toward the pup, but Terra and Sam blocked them.
Upon seeing this, Cain smiled wickedly as he had one more card to play now.
"And Princess..." he said getting her to look at him. "I must say that your mate is rather brave...
for an OMEGA."