Here is chapter 3, it gets a little sad though depending on how easy it is to make you cry, so be warned. There's no violence or anyting

just an eplanation of Wolf's childhood and the beginning of his family.

Enjoy

The channels flipped constantly on the television as Wolf laid back in his lazy boy. His aching knees were really starting to bother him today and

he just turned sixty-five so he was just sittting down today. His whole muzzle now completely covered in grey fur. Shifting his glasses, he looked and

smiled at his napping wife laying down quietly on the sofa covered in the dark red afghan. The door to the cabin opened and his daghter, Emily walked in

carrying a birthday cake.

"Hey Emily, he said pleasantly as she came and kissed her father on the cheek. "Happy Birthday Dad." she said before walking into the kitchen to set the

cake down. She returned and quietly sat next to him.

For a while, they were both quietly watching the news, the warm and yet cool spring breeze ruffling the curtains next to the open window. Causing the

whole cabint to smell like the newly bloomed cherry blosoms right outside. "So are the kids coming?" he asked, "Yeah, Jerry just needs to pick them up

from school" Emily said as she looked at the picture sitting on tip of the tv. It showed a much younger Wolf, dressed in a pristine black suit, his face full

of youth and rigor dancing with her much younger mother in her wispy wedding gown. Underneath the picture showed the words, "grow old with me, the

best is yet to be".

Noticing his Emily looking at his wedding photograph, he spoke "Twitchy made that for me as a wedding gift" he said stretching back on the chair, "I

remember what I had to do to get your mother to marry me, I had to visit your grandfather for the first time," he said leaning back and folding his hands

on his not big but plump from age belly.

"How was that like anyway? I've always heard you and mom joking about you and grandpa. But I never really get what you guys are always talking

about." Emily said leaning in to listen to her father. "As you know, as is wolf custom, the man that wants a relationship with a female must first get

approval from her father. Really to make sure that he is able to take care of his daughter if they should take it to the next step. Me and your mother had

been going out for about a year when we decided that we were probably going to advance in out relationship. So I had ot visit her family, just like Jerry

had to talk to me when you two were about to be engaged. Except your grandfather was much more intimidating."

Wolf was walking up to the steps of the small cave nestled near the river in the forest. He and Anna both stopped in front of the dark wooden

door. "I still don't see why we have to come to your parents house, I mean we're like in our late twenties for crying out loud" sighed Wolf as they walked

up the sotne stpes. "How do I look?" a slightly nervous and irritated Wolf asked as he looked at his dark blue jeans, black HEA t-shirt and casual suit

jacket, he was even wearing cologne, a very rare thing for Wolf to do.

"You look fine," Anna reassured her boyfriend as she lightly patted her paws on his chest. She gave him a kiss on the top of his muzzle,"Don't worry, I

told Dad not to be too harsh on you, he knows this is the first real relationship you've been in. But I have to warn you, he is a little rough on the edges,

but that's just from his time in the Army, he really is a nice guy. I'm sure you two will be fine." She said with a smile before knocking on the door.

After a little while, they heard shuffling of feet and the door opened to reveal an older femal wolf with grass-green eyes wearing a thick pair of

glasses and covered in dark brown fur. "Anna," she said smiling as she hugged her daughter, "So nice to have you over."

"Hey Mom" said Anna as they finally seperated. "Mom," Anna said gesturing towards Wolf, "this is Wolf, Wolf, this is my mother Francine"
"We've been anxious to meet you" she said happily as they shook hands, "my husband Frederik would love to talk to you before we eat, I hope you like

steak Mr. Wolf" she said beconing them in.

"Sounds good Mrs. Canis." he said as they crossed the threshold into the cave.

The walls were covered in a type of pine wood. Native to their area, a dark red carpet led down a hallway where there were several doors, the

kitchen was at the very end of the hallway, the living room in the middle of the hall and the bedrooms and office were in other doorways, all branching

from the same hallway. As they walked down the hallway, Wolf broke the silence "so how long has your family lived here?" he asked politely. "For

nearly one hundred years our family has lived in this cave" she said, "it's the only cave-home remaining in the area. Most of them being converted into

military bases during World War II" They finally reached another door near the kitchen and stopped. "Okay here we are," she said before knocking on

the door, "Yes?" came a deep male voice. "It's Anna's suitor Frederick." she said with a hint of seriousness all of a sudden. "Suitor?" thought Wolf

indignantly.

"Tell him to come on in" said the voice behind the door. She smiled at Wolf and opened the door to let hime in, but not before sweetly whispering "Don't

let him scare you too much dear,".

Wolf walked in and as they closed the door behind him, he realised why she said that. He wasn't in a living room, but a study. Books lined the

walls adorned with paintings and family pictures. A picture of an army platoon sat on the desk in the far corner next to a burning fire in the fireplace

where two armchairs stood. What got Wolf's attention the most was the collecting of firearms (some military grade) hanging on top of the fireplace. Wolf

looked at the older wolf looking at him from one of the armchairs, he was muscular and tall, with jet black fur. A pair of dark brown eyes scanned him as

he puffed on a wooden pipe. Wolf could see now why so many males were intimidated by him. He had an air of just pure masculinity that with his black

fur made him almost downright terrifying.

"Please, sit" he said between puffs of smoke indicating the opposite armchair.

Wolf sat down awkwardly and faced Mr. Canis. According to wolf ediquette he did not look Mr. Canis directly in the eye. A sign of challenge and

disrespect in their own home.

"My daughter Anna seems very interested in you." his deep voice boomed. "Ever since she met you in the hospital with a bullet in you she has always had

an interest in you and obviously you have an interest in her." This was more of a statement, not a question. "Mind, my Annie no longer lives with us, being

a full grown woman. But I still look out for my daughter. All of us in the Canis family look out for each other."

Wolf shifted uncomfortably in his chair, the pipe smoke was starting to irritate his sensitive sense of smell.

After looking at him for a little bit, he spoke again, "how close are you to your family...Mr...?"

"Wolf," answered Wolf, "just Wolf."

"And your first name, son?"

"Wolf as well." he said scratching the back of his head.

"That's an odd name combination." Mr. Canis said cocking an eyebrow.

"My middle name's William, but everyone calls me Wolf."

"Interesting," he said taking another puff at his pipe. "But back to my previous question, how close are you to your family? I mean how close do all

members of your family stick together is what I really mean."

"Well," said Wolf a little shamedly, "I never really knew my parents, or anyone else really. I don't even know if they're even alive honestly."

Mr. Canis scowled but remained silent. After making sure Mr. Canis wasn't going to speak, he continued. "You see, I was actually raised in an

orphanage for as long as I can remember."

Mr. Canis looked as if he were about to swallow his pipe. His eyes grew wide with disbelief. Within wolves, abandoning a cub is the most

horrible act that can be committed, no matter the circumstances. "Your mother abandoned you on the steps of an orphanage? What was your father

doing at the time?" he growled. Wolf shrank a bit under the intense glare and low growls coming from Mr. Canis. "What kind of mother would do

such a thing to her cub?"

"She didn't ditch me and pretend nothing ever happened." said Wolf defensively, making Mr. Canis squint his eyes, 'maybe he might be the right choice

for her' . "My father was in on it too. He went with her to the orphanage. They left me a photograph with me, my parents and what I think is my

grandmother on it, on the back it said 'when you are old enough you will understand...we couldn't take care of you, we had no choice...we will come

back for you someday... know that we will always love you'. They probably weren't able to financially take care of me and had no choice but to give me

to the orphanage. Sister Whitetail, the nun, told me that my mother couldn't stop bawling and my father was barely even able to speak, let alone look her

in the eye and tell her he wasn't able to provide for his family. They gave me one last hug and explained everything to her. Told her to keep me safe, and

that they will come back for me when my dad was able to get a good-paying job and not put me up for adoption for that very reason. I was eight months

old." Wolf said, his ears drooped down after he retold this tale and sighed the type of sigh whenever one tries to hide true pain, but still avoided the now

softened eyes of Mr. Canis. Whose pipe smoke still trailed from his still muzzle.

"Do you ever feel angry about this?" He asked breaking the silece. His voice softer and kinder now.

"I did as a teenager, but as I got older I just got used to the fact that I was never going to see them in person, only in that black and white photo." Wolf

said. He now carried that picture around with him, having it almost being destroyed when the three little pigs blew up the trailer that he was living in.

Surprisingly that picture was the only thing that survived.

"What if you were in your parent's shoes?" Mr. Canis asked, now getting a clearer and clearer idea of who his daughter's potential husband was, "would

you have done the same-"

"No." said Wolf quickly and sternly. "I would never do that. I doubt anyone knows what it's like."

"What what's like?"

"Watching all the other orphans being adopted over those long eighteen years. always hoping that a family will come to take you away and take

care of you. We were taken good care of though. Sister Whitetail made damn sure of that. But it was still heartwrenching watching all of your friends

disappear in those cars. Being told every year around open house day that you are supposed to stay in your room. Sister Whitetail would always stay

with me in my room though. She would never talk to the families, that was the job for the other nuns. She was like a mother to me. Weird for her species

because she was a deer and deer and wolves aren't exactly known for having peaceful relationships. But she would always bring me a thing of treats or

cookies and comfort me as I watched all of my friends disappear in those cars. Hoping one day that one of those cars would be my parents."

Mr. Canis remained silent and stared at Wolf for what felt like forever. Finally he asked the one question that Wolf knew he was going to ask last.

"If you are going to propose to my daughter. Why should I trust you to take good care of her and my grandchildren?" he asked with a softer but stern

tone.

"Because I have held down the same job that I have had for almost eight years. I know the good quailites of a husband and what it truly means

to be a father. I do live in an apartment and one day if she wants I hope to end up buying a house. And I will never, ever leave either one of them." At

this Wolf finally looked Mr. Canis directly in the eye, showing his sincerity in that saying.

Mr. Canis rose up from his seat. Looking not angry but satisfied. Wolf got up as well.

"Wolf William Wolf" he said setting down his pipe. "You have proven to me exactly the type of Wolf you are...you are loyal, respecting and caring

about the health, wealth and comfort of my extended family." He held out his paw and he and Wolf both shook. Wolf breathed a sigh of relief. He has his

future fiance's fathers approval. He was able to propose, even though Anna did not realise he was going to propose just yet.

"Now" he said placing a kind paw on Wolf's shoulders. "Let's eat"

And they both walked out of the office.

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Back in the present, Wolf's eyes were fixed on the ceiling. His muzzle now splattered with grey fur and glasses around his aged eyes. Emily put her paw

on top of his.

"Dad" she said patting his paw.

"Huh?" he said refocusing, he was daydreaming again. Before Emily could say anything, the retelling of his orphaned childhood brought one question that

sounded so dumb but he just needed to know now in this stage of his life.

"Was I a good father?" he asked. He sounded worried, almost scared.

"Yes" Emily said and kissed her father on the side of his muzzle, "You've always done whatever you can for us, even if you couldn't stop what was going

to happen." she said with a soft smile.

Then Jerry, Emily's husband, came into the cabin with his graandchildren, they both came up to him and hugged him wising him a happy birthday and as

he got up to wake up Anna, Emily gently hugged him, "You okay Dad?" She whispered.

"Yeah I'm fine, I just wish my family could have been a little bigger though"Wolf instinctively touched the tattoo on his forearm under his t-shirt. It was

diferent than a human's tatoo in that it also permanantly dyed the fur along with putting the image on the skin. It had a picture of a cross With the words

"R.I.P Timothy W. Wolf 2013-2018".

Comments and reviews are welcome. I have to warn you though, the next chapter is going to be a little sad, so bring tissues. :)