At the line, listen to "You are my Life" by Michael Jackson if you'd like.


Meanwhile…

"AH!" Addison yelped when her hair attracted the unwanted attention of a dried tree branch. She pulled out the snagged twigs and leaves. "So much for getting there unscathed. I'm going to end up looking like some kind of wood nymph instead of a werewolf" she muttered. Despite the inconspicuous stains caused by snags and a spill onto some slick grass, she was actually making great time. She already passed claw rock so she knew she was half way there. "Hopefully I'll have enough juice to get back" she thought as the flashlight app on her phone continued to illuminate the trail.

She kept walking along the dirt path until something caught her eye. "Hey…those look like footprints. My footprints!" she excitedly thought when she recognized the sole pattern of the shoes she wore earlier today. With new found vigor she sprinted along the clay route until the familiar stony area came into view.

"Guess I'll be fine for the return trip after all" she smirked to herself when she saw she had seventy percent left on her phone and that it was only 9:00pm. She turned it off to conserve it. After readjusting her satchel of goodies, she carefully walked into the multi-colored lit sanctuary, being mindful of the damp surface. She definitely didn't want to slip and injure herself. "This feels like a reverse version of Little Red Riding Hood" she realized the closer she got to the center of the den.

Howls, cheers, and abundant laughter echoed off the decorated walls, bringing a smile to her face; she was eager to see what kind of rambunctious revelry they were getting into. Soon she finally made it to the entrance of the main area, but hid behind some of the stones that formed the arch. She peered around and saw all of the wolves dancing with those long bamboo poles she saw the first time she came here. The moonstone created the perfect back light – pulsing with its life giving glow. It felt like it was joining the celebration too.

Even though she had seen this jollity before, it felt different this time. For her there was sense of longing yet barely contained excitement. It was almost like waiting for Christmas. Counting all the wrapped presents underneath the tree, wondering what each one could be until the day finally arrived to find out. What she was seeing now was the wrapping paper, ribbon and bows. Once she passed these trials, she would be more than grateful to receive the precious gift.

She was so caught up in the display and her thoughts that she didn't hear someone sneak up behind her until a voice spoke, "You can join in too y'know."

Addison gasped and quickly turned around with a fist formed. But she hit nothing but air.

"Missed me!" Wynter grinned while sticking out her tongue.

"H-Huh? Wynter?!" Addison exclaimed.

"Yep, that's my name!"

"But…how did you know I was here? And how'd you get behind me?" she whispered.

"We're werewolves remember? We smelled ya as soon as you entered our den, though it's kinda different now" she commented before getting closer and sniffing around her. Addison backed up a bit, still not used to someone being in her personal bubble. She clutched the handle of her bag a little tighter. Wynter's eyes widened just a bit when she caught a whiff of something familiar. "Hmmm…well, you still smell good. Anyway Willa sent me out to welcome you, so I snuck around using one of our other tunnels. Though I made sure not to get hit like she did" she explained.

"Oh…sorry about that. Bad habit" she apologized while sheepishly scratching the back of her head, inadvertently getting another small twig out.

"No, good habit. You'll need to scrap at any moment" Wynter refuted.

"But not with my friends" she corrected.

"Yeah, that's true" she agreed.

"But at least now I understand why you guys sneak around; it's how you hunt. It's your nature" she realized.

"Yep! That's how we roll! But we also like to do it for fun too. Speaking of, what're you waiting for? Get in there!" she grinned before adding an enthusiastic "Welcome!"

"W-Wait don't I have to" but Addison's stuttering questions were cut off when Wynter grabbed her shoulders, spun her around and roughly pushed her inside. Thankfully she managed to stay upright. Everyone stopped their activities and looked at her. The older wolves had welcoming fanged smiles on their faces. However, the younger ones were curious enough to sniff the air, but cautious to the point of grabbing and hiding behind a leg of whoever was nearby.

"Um…h-hi" she meekly waved.

"About time you walked in here white hair" Willa smirked before walking up to her. "Why were you just standing there anyway?"

"Well…I-I mean I wasn't sure what to do. I didn't want to just barge in and interrupt, this is your den after all. Though I kinda did…didn't I? Sorry about that."

"You don't have to apologize Addison" Wyatt assured.

"My brother's right. Besides, this is your den now too" Willa confirmed

"I-It is?" Addison asked.

"Well, yeah. You're still an honorary werewolf remember? Our home is your home" she replied.

"Yea! Mi casa es su casa!" Wynter chimed in, making her laugh. She looked around and saw everyone else giving approving nods and barks. "My home" she happily thought.

"By the way, I'm really proud of you" Wyatt suddenly said as he wrapped an arm around her.

"You are? Why?" she asked.

"You got here all by yourself, and in the middle of the night no less! Way to go!" he beamed and she smiled back.

"Not to sound rude, but why are you here in the middle of the night anyway? And why is your scent so…different? Did something happen at your house?" Willa asked and Addison could feel Wyatt's grip on her shoulder tighten just a bit.

"Nothing bad happened, I promise. I just wanted to bring all of you something" she smiled.

"You wanted to what?" Willa repeated, a little skeptical of what she just heard because that'd be completely insane. Coming out here during peak predator hours just to bring them something?! Who does that?! Apparently she did.

Curiosity took over the pack and they all gathered around her as she unzipped her bag. When she took the lid off one of the tins, all of them got a big whiff of the delicious treats she made. Sheer delight filled Addison's heart when she noticed the sparkle of giddy anticipation in their eyes.

"What are those?" one wolf panted, drool dripping from his tongue.

"Cookies! I made them myself. And check it out, they're wolf shaped!" she proudly stated.

"Um" and her attention was directed to a pup girl who had to be at least eight years old. Her skin tone was just a touch darker than Addison's – sun-kissed by the forest lifestyle. A streak of snow white hair was a stark contrast to her long dark-brown locks, but it worked beautifully. She stepped from behind one of the teen's legs and asked, "Wh-What are cookies?"

Some of the wolves looked at one another; most of them had never seen let alone eaten a cookie before.

Addison smiled and held the tin out to her, though she backed away momentarily. "It's a little hard to explain, but I'd be really grateful if you tried one. I-I hope you like it."

The girl looked at her younger pack mates, and they looked at one another. "Pff! If you're too scared I'll try one" a little boy declared. He had the same skin shade as Willa, and her bravado as well. Whether or not he was serious or just egging her on was a little hard to tell. His hair was braided into cool zig-zag pattern, with a white braid behind his right ear.

The girl huffed and replied, "I'm not scared!" and grabbed one of the cookies. She looked it over, admiring the shape of the howling wolf. She smelled it again before taking a little bite off the muzzle.

Addison grinned when she heard an "MMMMM!" come out of her throat before she voraciously devoured her treat.

"Did you like it?" she chuckled.

"Mm hm!" she replied while licking her lips. "Can I have another one please?"

"Hey! What about us?" "Yeah, I want one too!" the other pups clamored; the littlest one hopping up and down with her hand in the air.

"Here, there's plenty for all of you" Addison assured and handed the tin over to the girl.

"Thank you Addy" she smiled and graciously accepted it. "Yeah, you're awesome!" "Thanks so much!" the other pups expressed before going over to the other side of the main area. Each of them took turns grabbing a cookie and shoving it in their mouths - chewing and savoring each bite.

Addison smiled at that before getting bumped by Wynter. "Hey now, don't leave us hanging! I want to try one of those wolf cookies" and the rest of the teens looked at her expectantly, even letting out a few whines.

She couldn't help but chuckle; they looked like dogs awaiting a treat for following a command. "You got it" she giggled. She opened up another tin and held it out to them. They reached in with their surprisingly clean hands and took one. It filled her heart with absolute joy when saw their eyes light up after that initial bite before being fully consumed in a matter of seconds.

"These ARE good" Wynter happily admitted while licking her fingers.

"Yeah! I think they're better than Elder's sweet bones" a wolf complimented. "These certainly are on par with'em" one wolf agreed. "Are there any more?" another asked.

"Sure are" and she opened another tin. An unexpected shiver went down her spine as the sweet aroma filled the area once again. She instinctively looked over at the pups and all of them had this look in their eyes. A small gulp went down her throat – she knew that look. It was the same gaze Wyatt had when he hunted that rabbit. "…Oh no" she thought. In the blink of an eye all of them ran over to her on all fours, pouncing and piling on top of her. Thankfully, depending on your perspective, Wynter grabbed the tin before the treats could be crushed.

"Ugggh" she groaned while she was being smothered. She managed to make eye contact with Wyatt, who merely grinned and shrugged. She frowned at him while blowing a couple of strands of hair out of her face. But she raised an eyebrow in confusion when she noticed that someone in particular wasn't next to him anymore. "Hmph, at least I know where I rank when it comes to food. Better brace myself for whatever she has in mind to do to me later" she thought and rolled her eyes at the predicament she was in. But it soon gave way to a resigned smile. She couldn't stay mad at these crazy, lovable wolves if she tried. This is what she wanted after all, to have her adoration for them shine through. But they were starting to get heavy.

"Uh…a little help here?" she asked.

"Nope, sorry. They caught you mate" one wolf grinned as he grabbed a cookie from the tin being passed around.

"And you're gonna have to deal with it" another one chimed in.

"Deal with what?" Her question was unfortunately answered when a boy with a mini faux hawk yelled, "NOW!" Immediately their little claws dug into her body, tickling her mercilessly. Surprisingly it didn't hurt. Her laughter along with the pups' made everyone grin and yip merrily.

However Wyatt wasn't vocal with his happiness. Instead he gazed upon Addison with sheer fondness in his eyes. "She fits right in" he lovingly thought. He was about to whisper his opinion to his sister, but she wasn't there. He looked around and saw that she wasn't even in the main area. "Where'd she go?" he thought and started sniffing the air. It took a minute of sifting through everyone's scent, but he finally located hers deeper in the den. "…This isn't like her. She be doubled-over laughing at the sight right now. I wonder what's wrong." His concerning thoughts were interrupted when Addison yelled in the midst of her giggles, "O-Okay, okay I give! I give!"

"Alright pups that's enough" he commanded through his own chuckles.

They whined and reluctantly got off, finally allowing her to sit up and catch her breath. But the littlest one, a four year-old girl with cinnamon-colored skin and braided pig-tails, glomps onto her and nuzzles her face into her chest. She looks up at Addison and says, "Thank ku. You nice hooman."

Addison smiled at her and ruffled her hair. "You're welcome, and thank you for the compliment." Soon the rest of the pups give her glomping hugs too and she's back on the floor again. "Y'know, I think I can get used to this" she remarked as she was being lovingly smothered.

"You'd better, because it's going to be happening to you a lot" Wynter grinned.

"Then bring it on! Just…not all at once okay?" she added when she noticed a slight glow in some of the werewolves' eyes.

"Aww…but that's the best way" she whines and the other wolves nod in agreement.

"Don't worry, I'll get there" she assures. The pups get off of her and Wyatt helps her up. He brings her in close for what appeared to everyone else as a hug, but he whispers something into her ear. Her eyes widen and she whispers something back and gives the barest of nods. He nods back and ruffles her hair. "Sooo, I know I saw some of your dance moves at Prawn and all, but I also know that you were holding back. Show us some of those hidden wild moves you got" he challenged.

She smirked back and replied, "I don't know…my moves are too hot to handle. They'll blow your mind!"

"Is that so? Well color me intrigued" Wynter grinned before starting a clapping beat. The rest of the wolves add to it too. Soon it was an awesome rhythm that could rival any studio production. She grabbed her bag and set it off the side before busting out a couple of spinning backflips and other moves, garnering a lot of hollering and howling. Soon other werewolves joined in and they picked up right where they left off. Wyatt internally thanked her for the distraction and snuck away while they had their fun.

He walked down the large cavernous corridor of the den until he came to an enormous burrow-like room. It had bunched up fur pelts all over the floor. Near the opposite wall was the person he was searching for, despite her best attempts to hide and be inconspicuous by wrapping herself up in fur blankets.

"Willa" he whispered.

"Go away Wyatt" she growled back.

Although he couldn't smell any tears, her voice was thick with agitated emotions. It wouldn't take much for the dam to break so he knew he had to tread cautiously. Ignoring her demand he slowly approached her on all fours. When he was halfway there and didn't get a warning growl not to come any closer, he took it as an invitation to keep on going. Soon he was sitting right next to her. He glanced at her exposed hands, gingerly holding one of Addison's treats. There wasn't a single bite taken out of it.

"…Not hungry?" he asked.

After a few minutes she replied, "It's not that. It's…its stupid."

"If it's bothering you then it's not stupid. Please tell me what's wrong. I hate seeing you like this and I want to help."

"Hmph…at least you do" she muttered.

"Huh?"

"Other than you, no one even noticed that I left!"

"That's not true" he refuted.

"Really? Because I can hear all of them right now having another dance party" she scoffed.

"That's because I asked Addison to cover for me" he explained.

"…What?"

"I didn't want to make a big deal of you being gone because I knew something was wrong. So I asked…well…egged her on to show everyone her "wild" moves" he elaborated.

"Pfft! She has wild moves?" she chuckled.

"She does actually, but that's beside the point. She noticed you were gone too. At first she thought you were hiding somewhere, trying to pounce on her again" he grinned.

Willa opened her mouth to refute that notion, but no words came out. Under normal circumstances she would've relished the opportunity, but now…it seemed wrong. "**sigh**She would've been right…had I felt like it."

"What're you feeling now?" Wyatt asked.

She looked away and uttered, "I don't even know. I see Addison getting pounced on by the pups and it just makes me feel…inadequate. I don't know why I feel like this!" she growled in frustration as she yanked the pelt off of her head and threw it to the other side of the room.

Wyatt was quiet for a few seconds, watching her breathe rapidly through her fangs. "Willa. Are…are you jealous?"

"Of Addison!? Are you out of your mind!? Why would I be jealous of her!?" she barked.

"Let me finish!" he barked back, leveling his glare against hers.

"Fine, but this better make sense" she warned.

"It will. I didn't say you were jealous of Addison. If that were the case you wouldn't have even let her attempt the trials, let alone come into our territory. I was going to ask if you were jealous of the way the pack treats her, especially the pups" Wyatt clarified.

She stared at him for a couple minutes, the party still echoing along the den walls. She sighed and stared at the cookie that she surprisingly didn't crush. "I guess I am" she finally admitted.

"Why?" he asked.

"You saw the way the pups gravitated towards her. And just like that no less!" she emphasized with a snap of her fingers. "And it's not just them, the rest of the wolves are like that too. Being completely at ease with her. They…they've never like that with me. And I'm the alpha, a werewolf, someone that they know and trust."

"Exactly." Wyatt confirmed.

"Huh?" Willa asked.

"Like you said, we trust you. You protect us, provide for us, and help us when we're hurting. Just like an excellent leader and a treasured friend. But…I also know that you don't like to be seen as weak, that's why you hide when you're feeling down."

She huffed at the last part of his statement. She started to open her mouth to refute it, but he held up his hand. "You can call it meditation or whatever you want, but I'm not blind Willa. Why would you be here then huh? All wrapped up and alone when not all that long ago you out there dancing and having fun with us?"

"…Reasons" she quietly replied. Silence reigned between them again for a moment.

"…Would one of those reasons be that you're not seen as approachable?" he ventured.

"…Maybe" she partially admitted. "Addison makes everyone around her feel comfortable."

"But so far that's with playing. You make everyone feel secure no matter what we do. Do you think our pack would take you seriously if you just played all the time?" he questioned.

"…No" she answered.

Wyatt grabbed her free hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, making her look at him. He showed her a small smile and commented, "See? Approachable."

She scoffed and replied, "That doesn't count. You're my brother."

"True. But I still felt at ease enough to come near you, even though you told me to go away."

"Or you're just that stubborn" she countered.

"So are you. If Elder Usawa was here right now, you know what she'd say?"

Willa sighed and replied, "Scratch off those stinkin' thinkin' fleas."

"Yep" he simply replied, making her go quiet again. "Willa. Addison isn't doing anything to take us away from you."

"I know that! It's just…and what I saw-"

"Addison is still feeling things out with us, just like what we're doing with her. We're figuring out what her boundaries are so we don't cross any lines, and vice versa. Though I think it'll take a while. She's so excited right now that she doesn't mind the…the…"

"Chaos?" Willa finished.

"I was gonna say affectionate gestures, but yeah" he amended, getting a tiny grin out of her.

"**sigh** I hate it when you're right" she muttered. Wyatt smiled at that because he knew it was her way of saying "Thank you". "Still…I want the pack to be comfortable with me like that."

"You want to know how?" he offered.

"How?" she asked.

"Do what Addison did" he suggested.

"What, make cookies?" she disbelievingly asked.

"No. Just say "I love you" in however way you want" he corrected.

"What? She never said that!" she refuted.

"Yeah she did, through her cookies. She poured her heart into making these treats and you can taste it" he explained.

Willa skeptically eyes her un-eaten cookie. "You've got to be kidding. That's just sappy" she replied.

"If you don't believe me, then take a bite. Of course if you really don't want it, I'll take it" but she pushes him away when he tries to reach for it. He chuckled when he landed on his back. Willa just rolled her eyes at him before bringing the cookie to her lips. She takes a tiny bite off the tip of the tail and chews the piece of sugary goodness.

Wyatt smiled when he saw her eyes light up and she hastily devoured the rest. "I'm guessing you liked it" he cheekily grinned as he watched her lick her fingers.

"…It was alright" she partially admitted. "Too bad they're probably all gone now" she whispered to herself, but Wyatt still heard her. Taking that as a victory in and of itself he stood up and offered her his hand. "Ready to go back out?"

"…No" she answered.

"No?"

"I don't want the pack asking me a bunch of questions as to why I wasn't in there. I'll just stay here and fluff out the pelts before I go on patrol. That'll…that'll be my way of saying "I love you" she explained.

He did a double take before smiling at her. "Then I'll help too" he offered, still holding his hand out. She graciously grabbed it and he pulled her up. However he was taken aback for a moment when she pulled him in, giving him the biggest hug she could muster. He quickly got out of his stunned state of mind and returned the embrace wholeheartedly.

"Thank you Wyatt" she expressed.

He smiled and replied, "See? Like I said, approachable" before giving her a lick on the forehead, making her chuckle. "C'mon, let's get these fluffed out."

They shook out the pelts, getting rid of any debris caught in the fur. Then they raked them with their nails, making them comfortable to lay on. However they noticed that the sound from the main area was getting quieter and quieter.

"Sounds like the party's coming to an end" he commented.

"Good thing we're almost done" she replied as she combed through another pelt. Just as they finished shaking out the last one, they heard a loud howl coming from the main area.

"Goodbye? Who're they saying…no. No way!" Willa rushed out of the room with Wyatt hot on her tail. They almost crashed into the pack in the corridor.

"There you two are!" Wynter exclaimed. "At first I thought you guys were just getting a drink to wash down those delicious cookies, but you were gone waaay too long."

"Why didn't you tell us you needed a break from the party?" one wolf asked.

"Yeah, we could've kept it down. We know you have to do your patrol tonight alpha" another wolf added.

Willa couldn't help but do a double take at the concern they expressed. "…They did notice. They really did. God I'm such an idiot!" she mentally chastised herself.

Wyatt gave his sister a little shoulder nudge, breaking her out of her self-depreciating thoughts. She looked at him and he gave her a little smile, albeit a cheeky one. In this instance she didn't mind – she deserved it for letting those stinkin' thinkin' fleas latch onto her in the first place. "Don't worry about it, we didn't want to interrupt your fun. Willa took it upon herself to fluff out the pelts" Wyatt explained.

"You did?" Wynter asked.

"I did, and Wyatt helped out too. They're nice and soft for all of you" she smiled.

"Aww! Thanks you guys!" Wynter grinned as she grabbed them and gave them a bone-crushing hug.

"Y-You're welcome" Willa gasped out and they were promptly let go.

"I'm so sorry! Bad wolf! Bad wolf!" she chastised herself.

"It's alright Wynter, you're not a bad wolf. Strong, but not bad" she assured.

"Really?" she asked.

"Really" Willa smiled. Wynter happily shuffled a bit in place at the compliment.

The alpha looked at the rest of the pack. Even though it was plain to see the exhaustion in their eyes, they also displayed the gratitude they had for her and her brother. She got another nudge from him, hearing "See? Approachable" echo in her mind. But the sentiment disappeared when she remembered why they were running out of that room in the first place. "By the way, where's Addison?"

"She just left" a wolf answered.

"What?!" both siblings exclaimed.

"Yeah, we offered to walk her home–" the wolf explained.

"Insisted actually" Wynter added.

"–But she was really adamant about doing it on her own, especially when she saw how tired the pups were."

Willa and Wyatt looked down at the pups; they looked like they were about to collapse and fall asleep right then and there. If they weren't holding the hands of some of the older wolves they probably would've. "We didn't want to make her feel incompetent, so we reluctantly let her go" the wolf finished.

"…I see" Willa understood.

"Y-You're not mad are you?" Wynter asked.

"Of course not. If Addison's going to do these trials she needs to build her confidence. And getting to and from our den is one way to do it" she explained.

"But Willa…y'know how dangerous it is at night" Wyatt reminded her.

"We tried to tell her that too" one wolf added.

"I know, that's why I'll be tailing her" she replied.

"Huh?" everyone asked.

"I'm guessing you guys promised not to follow her?" and they nodded. "Well, I didn't. Besides, how dare she leave without saying goodbye to me!" she growled.

Wyatt grinned at the loop hole she exploited and that she'd taken the bait. "Hopefully Addison didn't wander off too far" he thought.

"Alright, you guys get some sleep. I'll be back soon" she assured.

"Okay**yawwwnnn**good night alpha." "Yeah, goodnight." "Be safe out there." were some of the verbal endearments spoken to her.

"I will. Sweet dreams everyone" she smiled. All of them gave her and Wyatt some form of physical gesture, from hugs to head ruffles before heading towards the sleeping area. "Get some rest brother, you earned it" she urged. He nodded and gave her one last lick on her forehead before leaving to catch up with the others.

"Alright, time to find white hair before something else does." Taking a deep breath, she channels the moonstone energy into her body. Her irises turn yellow and all of her senses are heightened to the extreme. She gets on all fours and sprints out of the den. Once outside she leans her head down to smell the ground. **sniff sniiiff sniff** "Found you" and ran in the direction Addison's scent was coming from.

Thankfully she didn't have to run very far. A little ways off the main trail she found her laying comfortably against a tree – almost about to fall asleep herself.

"Seriously?!" Willa thought. Her irritation bled into her vocal chords when she shouted, "Addison!"

"H-Huh? Oh, hey Willa" she greeted before a yawn escaped her lips. She didn't even get a chance to fully stand up before Willa tore into her. "What the-what're you doing out here!? Why are you hiding? Did something see you? Look, I know you want to prove how capable you are but going off by yourself was extremely dangerous! Only an alpha can go out at night by themselves-"

"I know" Addison managed to say in the middle of her concerned rant.

"And why didn't…wait…you knew what?" the alpha asked.

"I knew that you'd be out here. Wyatt told me that the alpha does a quick patrol of the area, scaring away any potential threats while the pack slept. Somehow I actually heard you come out of the den. I was going to howl to let you know where I was, but I decided to let you find me with your keen sense of smell instead" she explained while brushing the debris off of her.

"Why?" Willa asked.

"First, I didn't want to say something stupid again. Second, I didn't want to let the rest of the pack know I was still here after telling them I left."

"…Why?" she asked again.

"I…I wanted to talk to you. Alone" she confessed.

Willa flinched a bit when Addison carefully grabbed her hands. She watched with nervous fascination as she rubbed her thumbs over the backs of them. "Willa." When the alpha met her gaze, she was startled at the apprehension in her eyes. "I-I'm sorry for upsetting you. I swear I meant no disrespect, you have to believe me!" Addison profusely apologized.

"W-Wait what? I don't understand" Willa replied trying to comprehend this sudden outburst.

"After the pups got off of me, Wyatt pulled me up and whispered that you were gone. At first I thought you were going to pounce on me, but he said that you weren't playing. You really disappeared. He told me you only act like that if something was wrong. So I figured I did something wrong by bringing cookies to the pack" she explained with such a sad look in her eyes.

"…He planned this" she realized, but her annoyance was instantly replaced with gratitude. Now she could set the record straight. "Well…you were definitely wrong" and the white haired girl shuddered a bit. "Wrong about the reason I was upset."

"H-Huh?"

"**sigh**In the end it was a stupid reason – it's not even worth mentioning. But it had nothing to do with you" said Willa.

"R-Really?" Addison dared to hope.

"Really" she assured with a fanged smile. Addison's forlorn look disappeared in an instant as a relieved smile graced her face. "Can I ask you something though?"

"Sure" Addison prompted.

"Why did you make us cookies? Don't get me wrong, we appreciate it and all but…why?" the alpha asked.

Addison took a deep breath to steady her nerves and replied, "Y'know…Wynter asked the same thing, and I get it. I know you guys still don't trust people and I hope I wasn't out of line when I asked to take your pack's trial. I don't take this lightly and please don't think of the cookies as a bribe – I truly didn't mean to have it come across like that. It's just…I really do care about you guys. I wanted to show that I really appreciate the opportunity to become a part of your pack. And…and I thought I wouldn't be able to convey that with just words. That's why I made the cookies. I remembered my mom telling me that anything that comes from the heart will shine through and be appreciated, no matter what it was. Though…I guess I should've asked if wolves like sugar cookies instead of taking a gamble like that. But that's what I want to do! I want to learn how to be a wolf…even though I'm not one. I want to know what you guys like and dislike, what's true and untrue so I don't offend anyone, and learn your beautiful language. I want to know about you."

Before Willa could even begin to formulate an acceptable response to her heartfelt answer, Addison let go of her hands. She whined a little when her warmth was taken away. She kneeled down next to her bag and pulled out one of the tins. Facing her again she said, "I noticed that you only had one before you disappeared. I managed to save you a few…if you want'em that is."

Willa looked inside the tin when she opened it, seeing five in there. How she was able to save them was beyond her, given how the pack devoured them on the spot.

But…it was still a lot to take in.

For all intent and purposes here was still a complete stranger wanting to befriend herself and the pack. Out of her free will and not pressured into it. As a werewolf and especially as an alpha, it was hard to let her guard down after hearing the stories of what their kind went through. But…was she willing to hold that against Addison? That'd make her no better than the humans – judging based on preconceived notions. After a minute of debating with herself she spoke, "Yeah…you should've asked if we liked cookies. But I'll admit that they turned out…alright. Thank you."

"You're welcome!" she smiled, especially since she didn't waste any time scarfing down the rest of them. Seeing her enjoy them, even down to the last crumb on her claws, was the real testament in her eyes.

"I smell you have more" she sniffed the air and eyed her cheer bag.

Addison held her arm out and replied, "Hold on a sec! It's only three, and they're for Wyatt since he didn't get as many as the rest of the pack either."

"He doesn't need them" she refuted.

"Now you're just being greedy" she countered, pointing a finger at her.

"It's not my fault you made them so good!" Willa defended, crossing her arms.

"Ooooh! So they're more than alright now huh?" she teased as she grabbed the bag and zipped it up.

"As your alpha I command you give them to me!" she growled.

Seeing where this was going she started to back up. "Nope, that won't work. I'm not part of the pack yet" she reminded.

"Then forget the trials!" now she was walking towards her.

She stuck her tongue out and shouted, "Nuh uh, it has to be fair!" before sprinting off in a random direction.

Willa grinned at her futile attempt to escape and her eyes turned yellow. She easily caught up to her and yelled, "How's this for fair?!" before pouncing on her.

"GUH!" she grunted as she was pinned to the floor for the umpteenth time tonight. But like all the other times it didn't hurt; thank God the pack was gentler than they appeared to be. Though that didn't make them any less ferocious. And Willa displayed that by giving her an unrelenting tickle attack.

"H-Hey! Cut it out! I-I can't take it!" she laughed.

In a flash Willa grabbed the bag off of her body and howled in victory.

"C-Cheater!" Addison wheezed out as Willa got off of her.

"I call it being opportunistic" she corrected as she helped her up and dusted the dirt and grass off her clothes.

"Riiight. Jeez, you're just like the pups" she pointed out.

"Who do you think taught'em?" she grinned.

"Fair point. At least I'm not the one who's going to deal with an annoyed brother. I am not responsible if he does that to you" she warned.

"What he doesn't know won't hurt him. And I was just messing with you; I'm not going to eat them" she assured.

"…Uh huh" she skeptically replied as she watched her take the cookie containing tin out of the bag.

"You doubt the words of an alpha?" Willa asked, quirking an eyebrow up.

"No! Of course not! Of a cookie loving sister…ehhhh" and she playfully punches Addison's arm and gives her back her bag.

"You really are something white hair" she smirked.

"Why thank you alpha" she smiled back before another yawn came out. "Well, I'll be heading back now."

"No you're not" Willa declared.

"Huh?"

"You're staying at the den tonight. And I'm not taking no for an answer" the alpha firmly asserted while crossing her arms.

"What?! Willa, are you sure? It's not that late" Addison took out her phone, turned it back on and looked at the home screen. "See? It's only 9:45pm. It only took me hour to get here so I'll-"

"Didn't you hear me?" she barked, startling her into silence. "I said I'm not taking no for an answer. I wasn't kidding when I said it's dangerous out here. There are plenty of animals that would love to have you as a late night snack. As alpha it's my job to keep everyone in the pack safe, including you. Regardless if you're a werewolf or not. You're still an honorary member and our den is still your home" she finished.

Addison was stunned. Her passion and sense of responsibility deeply impressed her. Still…she knew her parents wouldn't approve of this, but at the same time they definitely wouldn't like it if she were eaten either. And she didn't want to take Willa away from the den to be her escort, that'd be downright selfish. "Alright, I'll stay" she relented.

"Good" Willa nodded approvingly before wrapping her arm over her shoulders. "Also, consider it punishment for not saying goodbye to me or my brother earlier" and she poked her face with her finger.

"What? I was going to see you" she argued.

"Well I didn't know that! I thought you just ditched us" she countered.

"…True. I'm sorry Willa."

"I forgive you, just don't do it again." Addison did a double take before she started chuckling. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing, I'm just really happy that you care about me" she smiled.

Willa quickly adverted her gaze and said, "Don't get it twisted white hair, I just needed to have a body count. That's it."

"Uh huh, whatever you say alpha" Addison grinned, her façade not fooling her in the slightest.

"C'mon let's go" Willa ordered and she grabbed her hand to lead her back.

Their walk back passed by a little too quick for Willa's liking. Once again a little indiscreet whine escaped her lips when she had to let go of her hand. They entered the main area and she pointed to the corridor. "Just head down there and go into the first room on your left. Or follow the snoring sounds, trust me you can't miss it" she explained.

"Got it. I'm just going to head up there to see if I can get a signal for my phone" Addison replied, pointing to the stairs leading to the lookout deck. "I need to let my parents know where I'll be for the night. …Hopefully it'll end well" she quietly muttered.

"Alright then, good night white hair."

Before she left Addison questioned, "Heeey…wait a second. Where do you think you're going with that?" and she pointed to the tin in her hand.

"Right here" Willa huffed and put the tin in a little nook in the wall that had an illuminated rune above it. "Happy?" she asked a little irritated.

"Very" Addison smiled. "Be safe out there, okay?"

Willa was momentarily caught off guard by her concern for her, but confidently grinned and replied, "You know it. Sweet dreams" before taking off in a flash.

"Whoa…she's fast. Hopefully I won't have to fight her for my combat trial" Addison thought. She went up the stairs to the lookout point. A chill breeze blew past her as she gazed upon the illuminated townscape as well as the shimmering lake in the distance. "Well…here goes nothing" she gulped as she took out here phone. Again, depending on your perspective, it was either a good or bad thing that she actually had service. She pulled up her parent's numbers and created a group chat.

Hey mom. Hey dad. I'll be spending the night at the werewolf den. They're the friends I went to go see. After taking another deep breath, she hit send. The breeze got a little stronger, whipping her hair up a bit. She almost dropped her phone when it vibrated with an immediate reply. Without looking at the screen she already knew they weren't pleased. "I wonder if that breeze was them shouting at me" she wondered.

She looked at the message from Missy. What do you mean you're at the den?! Why are you out in the Forbidden Forest anyway!? And at this hour?! That's who you made the cookies for?!

Deciding to focus on the positive of her mother's reply she texted back, Yes. I left some out for you and dad because I knew you'd be home late. I thought you could use a pick me up. Did…did you like them?

A couple seconds go by before her phone vibrates again. They were absolutely delicious but that's beside the point! We're coming to get you right now! Dale replied.

Dad no! You don't know where the den is unless you know the landmarks. she wrote back.

Then we'll meet you by the broken fence. Missy texted back.

Mom, I can't go out into the forest this late. Willa said other animals hunt at night.

What?! This is insane!

I assume your wolf friends have experience in dealing with these other animals right? Why can't she or someone else take you to the fence then?

Because she's the alpha! She has to stay and protect the pack, and that includes me. I'm an honorary member. Not to mention they're asleep right now and there are children here. I can't ask her to leave them. Being in the den is the safest place for me. she reasoned.

This time there wasn't an immediate response, which meant that they were hopefully considering it. Addison started pacing back and forth on the deck, trying to work out this nervous energy.

Suddenly her phone vibrates. She quickly unlocks the green bubble and looks at the message…only to see it was a PostBook ad. "Oh c'mon! Really?!" she groaned but another message comes right after. …Alright. You can stay. But you text us the second you wake up and the second you come home, understand?

Addison couldn't help but grin and giddily bounce in place. I promise! Good night mom, good night dad.

Good night Addison. Sleep well.

She let out the biggest sigh of relief in her entire life. She turned off the phone to conserve power and walked down the stairs. Soon she was right in front of the wide corridor entrance. "Willa and Wyatt weren't kidding" she thought when she heard growling snores coming from down there, but she was strangely excited. Never in her wildest dreams did she think that she'd be sleeping in a cave, let alone a werewolf den. Well, as the old saying goes, "Live long enough and you'll see just about anything". And she had the greatest opportunity to see and learn a different side to them, slowly immersing herself into their ways. "Or at the very least get a few hours of sleep" she thought as another yawn came out.

She walked down the dimly lit stone-built pathway, marveling at the painted hieroglyphic-like images. It felt like she was walking into an ancient temple. Soon she reached her destination. She crept into the room, eyes up and scanning the rather large area. There were a few holes in the walls to let in natural light as well as fresh air. "…I wonder if bugs get in through there" she gulped. The last thing she needed was a giant cockroach on her face, or accidentally eat some other insect.

However those fears were put on the back-burner when she noticed the massive mural of howling wolves on the ceiling – almost as if they were offering prayers of protection while the pack slept. "Whoooa" she whispered, a wide smile adorning her lips.

But…when her gaze shifted downward to look at the actual wolves, her mouth hung open in absolute shock. All of them were sleeping in what appeared to be a giant communal bed made of pelts. Having sleeping bodies cuddling or laying on top of each other is one thing, having nude bodies cuddling and laying on top of each other is something completely different. Every werewolf was naked, save for wearing their vests – which didn't amount to much in her opinion. Thankfully the little pups wore some semblance of pajamas short bottoms, though their chests were bare. She looked over and saw all their clothes and shoes folded up and neatly put away in what she equated to cubby holes in the opposite end of the room.

"What in the world did I get myself into?!" she thought as she quickly looked down at the floor. Forget gradual immersion, this was like jumping off the highest diving board into the ocean. There was no way she could ever tell her parents about this. Shoot, there was no way she could even be here. But Willa commanded her to be here…so she'd make the best of it. She used her hands to create a visor over her eyes so she could scan the ground for a free pelt. In the midst of her frantic search she thought heard… whimpering?

"Huh? What was that?" Now she had a new target to find, and it didn't take long to locate the source of the sounds. A pup bolted upright with a yelp, followed by erratic breathing. She recognized the long-haired girl, even in reduced lighting. The pup quickly looked around before her eyes met Addison's. There was no mistaking the moist sheen covering them. She quickly looked away and brought her knees to her chest, trying to calm herself down.

Addison slowly walked over to her, making sure not to startle her again before sitting near her. "Hey…are you okay?" she gently asked.

The pup didn't respond nor make any eye contact. Instead she curled up tighter on herself.

"…Bad dream?" she follows up. With that she notices her shudder a bit, giving her the answer. "Yea…those aren't fun" she agreed. Soft snores fill the air as she pauses her dialogue. She doesn't even look at the pup, instead focusing on the mural above. "I'm glad your guardian wolves got rid of it" she said.

That comment causes the pup to loosen her grip on her knees. She looks over at Addison before following her gaze to the ceiling. Then she looks back at the white-haired teen again and starts walking on all fours towards her. She bumps her head against Addison's arm and lets out a little whine. Their eyes meet again. The older girl smiles at her before wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She snuggles into her side and closes her eyes.

"…Do you want to talk about it?" Addison asks and she could feel her vehemently shake her head "no".

"I-I'm a t-tough wolf, n-not scared of nothing" but the tears falling on Addison's shirt contradict her shaky proclamation.

"…Y'know, I'm kinda scared right now" Addison admitted.

Sniffing back some snot the pup looks up at her with wet eyes and asks, "Y-You are?"

She looks down at her and hums. "Not of you guys. But being in a new place…away from my home…from my mom and dad" and she paused at that. Even though they were completely overbearing a few minutes ago, she was surprised to find her missing the familiarity of at least having their presence around. "…It's overwhelming" she expressed.

The pup nodded in understanding. She used her hand to wipe her eyes and whispered, "I-I miss my mom and dad too. I know they said they'll always be with me" and Addison noticed the way she tightly gripped her moonstone. "And I have my brother and we look out for each other…b-but…"

Impulsively Addison pulls her into her lap, rocking her as the tears continue to pour. The earlier discomfort of seeing the pack in their nude state vanishes in an instant. The only thing on her mind now was comforting the child nestled in her arms.

All of a sudden it dawned on her – why she felt such a strong sense of community within the pack. Everyone here were most likely orphans – all they had were each other. Sure they had the elder werewolves returning, but how many of them were left? And how many of them were actually directly related to someone in the pack? The old saying "it takes a village to raise a child" came to her mind. They may be strays, but they're still family. Addison was absolutely honored that this little pup trusted her with such a personal piece of herself, even though they just met. And she aimed to prove that trust was well placed.

"Little one, can I ask what your name is?" she inquired.

"W-Wiley. Wiley Howlfitz" she whispered.

"That's a cute name" Addison complimented and she felt her nod against her chest. "Can I ask you for a favor Wylie?" and she felt her nod again. "Can…can you be strong and brave for me? Like I said it's a little overwhelming for me, but being next to you makes me feel better. Is it alright if I sleep next to you? Please?"

Wylie quickly got out of Addison's lap, causing an **oof** to come out of her when she pawed her stomach a little too hard. She went over and grabbed the pelts she was laying on earlier. Addison put her jacket, shoes and socks into her bag and set it down where the packs' clothes were. She marveled at how smooth and cool the floor was underneath her feet. At least she wouldn't have to worry about feeling small stone shards through the pelts.

Soon both of them were snuggled together underneath the surprisingly soft fur blankets. "If it's alright…can I sing a little? It helps me feel better." Wylie nods and snuggled closer to her, letting a yawn escape her lips. Addison started to hum a bit as lyrics formed in her mind. In the quietest voice she could muster the words flowed out of her mouth, smoother and sweeter than any honey.


Once all alone
I was lost in a world of strangers
A few to trust
On my own, I was lonely

Addison could feel Wylie grip her core a little tighter when those personal statements came out of her mouth. She smiled at that and lightly ruffled her hair before resuming her song.

You suddenly appeared
It was cloudy before but now it's all clear
You took away the fear
And you brought me back to the light

You are the sun
You make me shine
Or more like the stars
That twinkle at night
You are the moon
That glows in my heart
You're my daytime, my nighttime, my world
You are my life

Unbeknownst to the snuggled duo, the rest of the packs' ears perked up to Addison's singing. They kept their eyes closed and stayed in their sleeping positions – save for one. Wyatt gradually opened his eyes and slightly lifted his head up to witness the interaction between them.

Now I'll wake up every day
With this smile upon my face
No more tears, no more pain
'Cause you love me
You help me understand
That love is the answer to all that I am
And I'll, I'll be your wolf friend
Since you taught me by sharing your life

As she sang the chorus again, more pack members joined Wyatt in wanting their eyes to experience this amazing and intimate concert. They heard Addison sing when she first came here, but this was completely different. Vulnerable yet powerful at the same time, almost like them. Not to mention this strange, tingling sensation they all felt. It wasn't anything bad – quite the opposite. It felt like a warm, comforting embrace – just like what she was doing to Wylie right now. They couldn't help but smile at the fluttering butterflies in their system, but Wyatt spotted something that looked completely unnatural.

"Is…is her hair glowing? No…it must be eyes playing tricks on me" he reasoned for as soon as he saw it, it disappeared as she sang the next verse.

You gave me strength
When I wasn't strong
You gave me hope when all hope was lost
You opened my eyes when I couldn't see
Love was always here waiting for me


Addison caught herself when her voice got a bit louder than she intended and glanced around to see if she disturbed the others. They managed to get back to their resting positions before she noticed. Sighing in relief she continued to sing the chorus a few times, punctuating the ending note with little howl.

The pack had to resist the urge to join her – they didn't want to blow their cover. For once she didn't say anything weird or obscene. In fact there was no literal translation – just an all-encompassing feeling of compassion and security. They watched as she lifted the pelts to check on Wylie.

"Fast asleep without at care in the world" Addison smiled with satisfaction and covered them back up. She glanced up one more time at the mural before closing her eyes – letting her mind arrive at the peaceful slumber station.

A few minutes go by as the pack watched the duo, ensuring that they were indeed asleep. All of the sudden the rest of the pups quietly crept over to them with blankets in hand. The older wolves couldn't help but internally gush as the pups laid down around Addison, with Wyatt sporting the biggest grin. Eventually exhaustion crept back into their bodies making them close their eyes, giving them an even better sleep experience.

An hour or so goes by when Addison starts to stir. Beads of sweat slide down her back with more saturating the collar of her shirt. **Yawwnnn** "When did it get so hot?" she grumbled as she opened her eyes, the blurry area coming into focus. She looked down at her pup – still fast asleep and nestled against her – before sitting up and looking around. "Oh…that's why" she realized when she saw the new arrangement.

She couldn't help but smile at how the rest of the pups were circled around them, almost protectively in a way. They may be small, but their bodies were like mini furnaces. She was actually surprised that Wylie didn't have a drop of sweat on her considering how close she was to her. Now she understood why they slept naked. She may not go that far, but she definitely needed to do something or else she'd never get any sleep.

"…At least no one will see me. I'll put'em back on in the morning before they wake up" she decided. Moving her hands underneath the back of her shirt, she unhooked her bra and pulled both of the damp garments off in one swift motion. She sighed in relief as the cool air passed over her moist skin. Then she folded up her clothes and flung them like a Frisbee towards the wall closest to her feet.

She tried to scoot over to give Wylie some room, in addition to being a tad uncomfortable being top-less near a child. However the pup wasn't having it. She whined and sleepily latched back onto Addison, rubbing her head against her stomach. She fought back the giggles as the action tickled her. Once the urge subsided, she let out a relenting yet content sigh and pulled the pelt back over them. After a few deep breaths she fell back asleep.

**click…clack…click…clack**

Wyatt's ear twitched when he heard the soft sound of clacking boots walking down the corridor. He opened his mouth wide to let out a growling yawn. It took a minute for his night vision to re-adjust his eyes to the inky environment, but once they did he wasn't surprised at what he saw. Everyone, including him, subconsciously got closer to Addison while they slept – forming the same protective circle as the pups did. He couldn't help but chuckle, especially when he saw that he and Wynter were closest to her.

His mirth was interrupted when he heard a huffing bark from the entrance. He looked over and saw his sister standing there, scanning the arrangement. Wyatt internally sighed in relief; she didn't appear to be injured. There was always that chance whenever she went out on patrol. That's why he made sure to train himself to listen out for her footsteps, even when she was tiptoeing. He signaled with his finger to head into the main area; she got the silent message and walked away. He quietly stood up and carefully stepped over his pack mates to exit the sleeping area. He caught up with his sister and quickly enveloped her in hug. "I'm glad you're okay" he whispered before releasing her. "You are okay right?" he asked with his hands on her shoulders.

She smiled and replied, "Yes Wyatt, I'm okay. But why is Addison surrounded by everyone? Did something happen?" It wasn't uncommon for wolves to huddle close together – they loved to snuggle, especially when it was cold. But given that it was the middle of spring and the specific shielding arrangement Willa saw, she deduced that someone needed to be comforted.

"You could say that" and he proceeded to tell her what he witnessed. She smirked a bit when she noticed the adoring look in his eyes as he described her voice. "I have no idea what prompted her to start singing though. But I do think it had something to do with Wylie."

"Wylie? Why do you say that?"

"She was cuddled up next to her and it seemed she was singing specifically to her."

"…I see. Well, we'll get the details later. For now I'm glad everything's alright."

"What about between you and Addison?" he asked.

"Huh?"

"You guys talked right? Is everything good?"

"Pfft, wouldn't you like to know" she bit back.

"I would actually, since I set everything up" he cheekily grinned.

"Uh huh. Well thanks to your meddling, we did have a positive conversation" she replied.

"Want to elaborate?"

"Nope" she stated, popping the "P".

"Figured as much. Well, so long as you're good then that's all that matters" and let it be.

"I'm more than good" she smiled to herself.

"What're you smiling about?" he grinned.

"Nothing. Actually…hold on a sec." She went over to the little nook in the wall and grabbed the tin. "Addison saved these for you. She said she noticed you didn't get as many as the rest of the pack" and she took off the lid revealing the last three cookies.

Wyatt's grin got wider. "She truly is amazing" he thought. "Thanks sis. I'm actually surprised you didn't eat them."

"I had my fill" and she subconsciously licks her lips, remembering the tantalizing taste. "But don't tempt me."

"Too late" and he holds out one of the cookies for her.

"…Huh?"

"I want you to have one. Fill your mind and your belly with lovey goodness before bed" he smiled.

Willa just shook her head at the gushy message but graciously accepted the treat. "Thanks little bro."

"You welcome big sis" they clinked the cookies together before devouring them in an instant, Willa even going so far as to lick the tin.

"Guess they're more than alright huh?" he chuckled.

"I just don't like to waste food" she refuted.

"Surrre, whatever you say" he drawled out, earning himself a punch on the arm.

"C'mon you knucklehead" and both of them walked into the sleeping area.

"Goodnight sis" he whispered, giving her one last hug.

"Goodnight bro" and she returns the embrace. They let go and she watches him return to spot he was laying on before. Soon her gaze shifts over to Addison comfortably sleeping away. She hums contemplatively before taking her clothes off and storing them in her cubby hole.

She tip-toed across the polished floor, giving a gentle head ruffle to her pack mates. The effect was immediate; they stretch out a tiny bit and blissful rumbling growls filter through their chests. Satisfied with the results she settles down next to her brother and he instinctively drapes an arm over her abdomen. An exhausted yawn escapes her lips and her eyelids start to droop. Before they close she reaches her hand out to Addison and lightly ruffles her hair. She wasn't too surprised to hear her hum in content.

"I'm just really happy that you care about me" her words ring in head.

"I could say the same thing about you white hair. Wonder what I'll get to learn about you?" she smiled before she fell into a delightful cookie coma.