Time jump: 4 months

Bobby yelped at his back hitting against a tree trunk. Falling to the ground he refused to move. His entire body ached.

'Get up.' Emilian grumbled.

'Give me a moment.' Bobby huffed. 'I need a break.'

'If this were a real fight, you wouldn't get a break.' Emilian bit down on the scruff of his neck and tossed him further away. 'Get up!'

Bobby tried pushing himself up. He managed to stand hallway. His front legs trembled under the weight, before giving out under him. 'Damit.' He looked over to see Emilian stalking towards him. In a desperate attempt to dodge him, he forced his body to move and pounced on the incoming wolf. Latching onto the scruff of the wolf's neck, Bobby pushed him down to the ground. 'Enough!'

Emilian winced at the pain shooting up his side. 'Alright.' Waiting for the alpha to let him go, he slowly sat up. 'Listen I know we are being hard on you, but you need to understand that your title has its responsibility.'

'I know, you and the others haven't allowed me to forget that.' Bobby grumbled. 'I understand my role. Care and protect the pack.'

'Yes, but this training isn't just about protecting the pack.' Emilian sighed. 'It's to keep you alive Bobby. Your hand-to-hand combat is top-notch when in human form, but as a wolf? It's barely passable, a beta could beat you right now.'

'It's not easy moving in this body.' Bobby pushed himself up, pausing at feeling his legs tremble.

Emilian chuckled. 'You need a run.'

Bobby frowned. 'Run?'

'Yeah, you've only ever shifted for training or when provoked. Never for the hell of it.' Standing up he nudged the alpha. 'Come on.'

'What?' Scrambling to catch up with Emilian, he was getting even more confused. 'What are we doing now?'

'Just follow my lead.' Emilian snapped at him playfully.

Bobby dashed through the woods, leaping over thin winding creaks and the slippery rocks. He dodged and zipped past rotting oak trees and under lowered and snapped branches. Everything blurred into a dizzying blend of earthly colors. The earth was wet and moist under his paws. He jumped into a muddy brook, swollen by the recent rains, soaking up his paws and legs. The woods began to widen and thin layers of fallen pine needles and sentinels disguised the perilous and rocky terrain. He ran beside the twisted creek which mirrored the deep green of the trees. Bobby leaped over a fallen pine tree, which had damned the flow. He raised his gaze to the top of the treetops and listened to the trees, as they came to life.

Reaching a rather large section of the river, he stopped at the edge. Tossing his head back, he released a low howl.

Emilian gave out a loud howl before bolting after his alpha. It took no effort to catch up to him, Bobby's scent was forever embedded in the minds of him and the pack. Their colors became one as they ran together, a lot like a dance.

Bobby wasn't sure when it happened, but at some point, the pack appeared running just behind them. No one dared pass them. The critters made way as the rulers of the forest dashed through. Their pounding paws, sounded like thunder hitting the ground below. Their howls echo past the trees and over the mountains. As Bobby howled, the pack howled back.

Emilian slowed his pace, allowing him to take the lead in the run. Running alongside another beta, they both shared a look. Bobby may have been born a human, but he was destined to lead a pack. As the pack continued to run, Emilian stopped. At that moment the pack had accepted their new alpha. Showing proof they would follow him where ever he went.

Bobby felt an overwhelming feeling inside her at realizing what was going on. He was leading the pack. Like a burst of excitement spread through his body, he tossed his head back and released a deep howl. The pack followed his lead, letting every other wolf in the area know the pack had a new alpha.

Emilian appeared beside him once more with little Verena hanging in his mouth. 'She wanted to say hi.' He placed her down between them.

Not sure what to do, he allowed his wolf to take over. Slowing his pace down to a trot, he stayed by her side. 'Where is her mother?'

Emilian cast a sad look at the pup. 'She was killed a few days ago. Hunters.'

'Her father?'

'Before she was born.' Emilian replied. 'Same as her mother, he was on his way back when hunters got ahold of him.'

'You keep mentioning hunters, but you've never really explained them to me.' Bobby slowed to walk. Making sure the pup was still by his side, he gave the beta his attention. 'Who are they?'

'When our kind was born we sat at the top of the throne. Everything was below us. People feared and respected the wolves, which angered many. Like every batch, you have your good apples and your bad ones. Our bad ones found entertainment in ra...' He glanced down at Verena. 'Breeding females. So the folks had enough and created bands of hunters. Trained for only one task and that was to kill wolves.'

The sound of approaching wolves caused them all to come to stop. Emilian pulled the pup to stand between him and Bobby. Seeing the pup shiver from not knowing what was happening, Bobby moved to stand over her. Using his body to cover her from any potential danger. Every wolf behind the two growling in anticipation, preparing themselves for whatever may come.

'I don't recognize the scent.' Emilian grumbled.

Bobby raised his nose taking a whiff. 'Athena?'

'Your wife?' Emilian frowned. 'What is she doing out here?'

'I don't know.' He was wondering the same.

'It's more than one.' A light golden wolf spoke from behind them. 'I caught six other scents.'

"Check up ahead!" Athena's voice carried out. "He can't be far!"

'They're after someone.' Bobby stepped back at hearing footsteps closing in on them. 'Emilian take the pack away from here.' Grabbing Verena by the scruff of her neck, he placed her at the paws of the wolf.

Before he could take off, Emilian pulled him back by his tail. 'Where the hell do you think you're going?'

'That's my wife chasing who knows who or what.' Bobby growled. 'If I can keep her from getting hurt I will.' Ignoring the protests of his beta he trotted towards the officers.

Bobby made sure to keep a distance between him and Athena. Giving him enough room to hide should she turn towards him. His nose picked up on her adrenaline pumping through her body. It was hyping him up.

Hearing a twig snap Athena froze and crouched down. Scanning the woods around her, she searched for the source of the noise. As she stood up a blood-chilling growl vibrated down her back. Ever so slowly she turned to the left. At first, she saw only a pair of bright yellow eyes. Then a large brown figure emerged from the shadows itself. The wolf stopped a few feet away from her, head down and growling. Her gun was held firmly in her hand, but she wasn't sure if she'd be faster than the wolf.

"I know I'm in your territory, so how about I just leave?" She jumped at the false lunge it gave. "Where the hell is back up when I need it?"

'Sergeant Grant?'

She fumbled lowering the volume at hearing the animal growl louder. "Hold traffic. I have a very angry wolf in front of me."

'I told you, you would regret coming after me.' The wolf grumbled. 'But you wouldn't give up.' Taking a step forward he chuckled at the startled jump back she gave. 'Not so brave now huh?' He eyed the gun in her hand. 'You might get lucky and hit me, but it won't do a thing.'

Athena was starting to panic. By the impatience look in the wolf's eyes, he was planning something. Finding a thick branch close to her, she made a quick move to grab it. The instant she moved the wolf was lunging for her. Turning to face the incoming animal, she braced for the impact that never came.

The smell of fear and adrenaline drove him into a run. In a blink of an eye, everything changed. Athena's scent was mixed with fear and an unknown wolf. A wolf that reeked of blood and rage, the smell of a lost wolf. The fear in him began to rise as he got closer. He wasn't about to lose her. What good is being what he was if he couldn't protect his family? Bobby didn't think as he came into the clear where Athena was. He didn't hesitate in tackling the wolf aiming to end his wife's life. Nor was he thinking of what she must be thinking at the moment. His only thought was to end the wolf's life.

'Bobby?!' Emilian came to a fast halt at reaching the scene. It was a disaster. 'Emmet, surround the officer.'

Regaining his whits after the tumble he took, Bobby was suddenly tackled to the ground. Teeth biting down on the side of his neck, Bobby yelped. He could feel the blood dripping down his side.

'Dammit, Bobby!' Emilian paced in front of the group. He was itching to jump in and help the alpha, but at last, he could not intervene. Instead, he kept a watch over the alpha female.

'Get Athena out of here!' Using his hind legs he placed them underneath the wolf's stomach and kicked him off. Not letting his opponent recover from the hit, Bobby jumped and bit down into the back of its neck. Pushing him down to the ground, he held him in place. 'Give me one good reason why I shouldn't end your life.' Adrenaline was pumping through his body. Rage wanted an out against the one that threaten what was his.

The wolf whined, clawing at the ground in a desperate attempt to escape. 'This has nothing to do with you! She's just a human.' He yelped at the alpha bitting down harder. 'She was going to arrest me! I only wanted to get away. She wouldn't back off!'

'That human is mine.' He snarled. 'An attempt against her is one against me.'

'I didn't know!' His eyes darted in a panic to the other wolves. 'I swear I didn't know! Please.'

Bobby's eyes jumped to Athena who at the moment was surrounded by wolves. Her eyes glued on both of them, a look of confusion and curiosity in them. 'I will not take any chances when it comes to my family.' The wolf begged as Bobby bit down snapping its neck. Letting the limp body fall to the ground, he stepped back.

Athena wasn't sure what just happened. As she took a step back, she froze at hearing a growl. Glancing over her shoulder, she suddenly noticed the pack surrounding her. Holding her gun in one hand, she placed the other over her taser gun.

'Back off.' Bobby stood close to Athena, ordering them to let her through.

Seeing the animals step aside, she was stunned once more. Taking a step forward she waited for any reaction from them, getting none she continued walking. The whole trail to her cruiser she kept praying they weren't trying to hunt her down. Once in the truck managed to calm herself. "Whoo, that was something." As her adrenaline came crashing down, she felt a heaviness in her chest. Not moments earlier she was nearly attacked by a rogue wolf. "Too close of a call." But it was the Black wolf that caught her attention. It seemed to have come to her aid. "I'm overthinking it."

Watching the car take off, Bobby turned back into the woods. 'I have to get home. Need to make sure she's alright.'

Emilian knew better than to stop him. 'Come back when you're done. We have some things we need to go over.'

Starting with that mate of yours.