Chapter 3: 2

Chapter 2

The River Severn Pack was one of the hailed group of werewolves, occupying the southwestern Akkad for nearly a century.

Their rich culture and aggressive approach to any situation eventually led to the establishment of the pack. Although, they were not as huge as the other recognized packs in the country, their innate ambitious outlook in life, coupled with their terrific skills and talents, allowed them to stand out among the rest of their neighboring packs.

Hence, the process of legalizing and becoming official did not take much time.

The same benefits should have been experienced by West Crescent if they were talking about pure abilities. That pack had Alpha Severus' respect, considering they were relatively small compared to what a normal pack looked like.

It was understandable though, given that West Crescent had a history of beginning as a blood-related family of werewolves since time immemorial.

They used to be super strict when it came to taking in prospective members of the pack until that tradition was abolished at some period of time.

Cain Santiago was out all night, hunting for a prey to feast upon during a night of full moon, when he stumbled across an injured she-wolf deep into the woods.

He was starving for fresh blood that time, but it was not like his conscience would allow him to simply abandon the wounded she-wolf alone either.

Werewolves could get very sensitive in full moons, and there were some who could lose all reason somewhere along the way, especially if they were unable to rein in the beast inside them properly yet.

Cain's prey was getting farther and farther, and he had been eyeing and tailing a bison for half an hour already. His efforts would have just gone wasted if he would not go after it anytime soon.

He stalked toward the passed out werewolf carefully to check on her injuries, and nothing more. The West Crescent Pack would never make picking up random werewolves a habit due to the family's strict selection process.

As much as possible, they would like to keep their genetic lineage solid, and only their mates who came from other packs could automatically join West Crescent.

Werewolves who did not share the same bloodline were not casted out like what most people imagined. Rather, the pack would make sure to flourish their extraordinary aptitudes to become a person any pack member could look up to.

The first Alpha of the Santiagos wished to pass on the custom to the following generations, and now, it became something that Cain's cohort treated seriously.

Even if those people were not Santiagos by blood, the fact that they belonged to their pack meant that they were family—and family should look after one another.

Cain sniffed the surroundings, and came to see drops of blood heading toward another direction, opposite to where the unconscious she-wolf was sprawled across the wet soil. He was currently inhaling mixed scents that he could not make it out whose was which.

At the very least, he could tell that there were probably around three to four werewolves here not too long ago. Cain lowered his head to check on her pulse, and found out that she was still breathing—albeit barely.

Then, he came to discover that her neck was bleeding profusely until now.

'She's left to bleed out.'

'That's a cruel way of killing a wolf.'

'Is she a rogue?'

He continued to sniff the perimeters for further clues, the bison he was preying on already out of his mind. Full moons were a chance for them, werewolves, to let loose, and give into their wolf's deepest desire.

It was that time where they would act purely based on their instincts as a beast that they were.

However, those who were not in full control of their wolves would be put in chains at the underground prison for they had the tendency to kill their own once they became uncontrollable.

Thankfully, it was Cain who had discovered her situation, or else, the werewolf could have died by the hands of other wildlings.

He shifted back into his human form, and examined the deep gash on her neck.

The regenerative abilities of a werewolf were exceptional that certain types of wounds could disappear within the day, and it was an entire different thing for Alphas and Betas alike. Those werewolves were basically monsters, so bringing them down would prove challenging, even for the most violent and strongest mammalian creatures.

Cain quickly gathered some huge leaves while buck naked.

He would not be able to find any garments in this forest as he was no longer in West Crescent.

He was exploring an unclaimed territory where most large bison could be found, and leaving a pair of new pants outside your own pack to switch into was dangerous. It would help enemies and rogues to track you down, so even if he tried his best to find a piece of clothing for the injured she-wolf, he already knew what the outcome of that useless struggle would be.

On the night of every full moon, he used to hunt wild animals to bring home.

That routine, however, might be halted tonight.

As much as he wanted to make his mate, Kamila, happy, his sense of righteousness was prevailing this time. And even if he were to inform his wife of these events, he was certain that Kamila would scold her for leaving a helpless she-wolf to death by herself.

He just had to explain the situation thoroughly, so his mate would not misunderstand.

Cain crouched down, and observed the woman's facial features carefully.

For some reason, she somehow looked familiar to him.

'Have I met her before?'

Ignoring his own thoughts in the meantime, he immediately pressed the thick leaves against her neck to stop the bleeding. Tending to an unconscious person with serious injuries was no joke. There was no way for him to assess the severity of her condition because he was not a pack doctor nor a healer; he was a fighter—and a wild one at that.

He could only perform basic first-aid procedures, so he could not guarantee that she would live.

The most important thing right now was to ease the bleeding for she could die of blood loss.

Sooner or later, the she-wolf would start burning up due to the infection. As much as he wanted to prevent that from happening, licking her wounds did not seem the appropriate step either—out of respect for his beloved mate, Kamila, as the gesture was considered an act of intimacy.

Besides, he would not also like idea of some other man, licking his mate's skin in his stead either.

His wolf whined bitterly.

He would never do it to this woman, he could never.

Moreover, it was essential to obtain she-wolf's consent first before acting rashly on his own.

For all he knew, she could already have a mate out there.

Cain spent hours looking after a stranger, despite the enticing scent of blood coming out from her that was making his wolf feel unsettled. Most werewolves were out for fresh blood during full moons, and the beast inside him was now relentless.

His wolf never liked the idea of ceasing their own mission to suddenly become a caretaker of an unknown woman, and until now, it was pissed because of it.

After successfully wrapping a new set of herbal leaves around her neck, he carried her to a safer location.

Their previous spot earlier was exposed to all types of threats.

He looked down at her pitifully before leaping into the air, and shifting midway into his large, golden brown wolf afterward. He went to the nearest riverbank to alleviate his thirst, and patrol the area as well. His sense of smell could not detect any foreign scent unlike last night, so he figured that nobody dared stepping into this side of woods after sensing his presence or identifying his scent.

Going by the forest's vibes, the sun should be coming up soon, too.

The peaceful ambiance of the surroundings was back; it was not as intense and eerie as before.

He should be back before Kamila woke up.

He could not afford to upset his beautiful mate after all.

Although, he knew that what he did was the right thing, others might have concluded it that he had gone away to spend one whole night with someone else beside his mate. Even if he did not commit a mistake, that did not mean his mate's feelings were invalid about the situation.

He was fully aware that Kamila could feel jealous and proud of his levelheaded decisions at the same time, but he did not want to make her feel bad.

Cain started to run back to the location where he left the she-wolf at.

He would try waking her up this time as he badly needed to leave.

Alpha Leviticus had already returned to the pack about an hour ago.

He was informed through an ear-piercing howl, and that was a sign that they should go back as well.

Cain came to a stop when suddenly heard voices coming from a distance. His ears perked up as he focused on locating which direction those were springing from.

His head turned facing the east harshly.

It was the location where he transferred the she-wolf to.

Are they being watched without him knowing?

'How is that possible?'

He could not have gone rusty in just a short span of time.

Now, he was starting to regret getting involved.

She became his responsibility the moment he decided to interfere.

'What in the fresh hell is this?'

Cain followed the track of scent, his hunch slowly coming to fruition. Those men were undoubtedly after her, and they had probably seen her by now already. Their scents were certainly different from last night's, and he had no idea if these werewolves were all coming from the same party or not.

Right now, he was torn.

Intruding into the scene might get him in trouble, but leaving that unconscious she-wolf behind, knowing she was being surrounded by potential assailants would definitely weigh down on his guilt forever.

He should have never cared in the first place.

After all, she was not a pack member.

He did not have to go out of his way to protect someone whom he did not know.

For sure, he would never end the end of it from the Alpha. He could not even set his priorities straight at this point. Clearly, the best next step was for him to retreat, and go back to their territory. The possibility that the woman was a rogue had slipped his mind, too.

He was so going to hear it from his older brother.

Cain entered an internal monologue until he finally reached a decision. It was impossible for him to ignore the plight of defenseless females because if the same thing were to happen to Kamila, and everybody else turned a blind eye to her, he might lose it.

His paw accidentally stepped onto a twig, creating a 'crack' sound that alerted everyone.

A few seconds later, he stepped out of the bush to reveal himself to the three men.

They moved swiftly and effectively after noticing his presence, ready to pounce on him the second he let up. There was only one person who did not bother shifting into his wolf, and he was holding the injured she-wolf in his arms possessively.

A warning growl left his lips, fangs bared threateningly, and eyes darkened.

This stance was not something an attacker would do.

Cain took one step back before transitioning into his human form.

Mindlinks only worked for pack members, and he could not communicate with them in his wolf form.

"You're his mate, I presume?" he asked cautiously.

The man would not engulf her body in an embrace like that if there was nothing going on between them two.

"Identify yourself," the man growled lowly, his hostile gaze never leaving his.

The two wolves in front were not letting up either.

That was when Cain finally sensed 'that' formidable aura.

He stilled in his spot, and observed the formation before him. The wolves were average-looking, and if it were only them two, he was sure he could handle them without breaking a sweat.

However, the man behind them, who remained in his human form despite encountering a stranger like him, was exuding a murderous intent unlike any other. The threat behind his stare was too strong that Cain had no other choice, but to acknowledge the beast in him.

"You're an Alpha," he stated in a matter-of-fact tone. Then, his compassionate gaze darted on the female in the man's arms. "I found your mate last night—"

He could not help but flinch when the man snarled at him angrily.

Oh, right.

He almost forgot that the she-wolf was stark naked.

Seeing naked bodies was hardly a new thing for werewolves. If anything, it was part of their everyday life that men, who liked going out of their borders like Cain, were already used to. By now, he could say that he had practically seen all body types of a human in the entirety of Akkad.

The only sad thing about it was—most of those bodies were unmoving.

When werewolves got into a fight, shifting back into their human forms was a big no-no as that would leave them vulnerable to all attacks.

Therefore, it was actually rare to see a battle between two werewolves where one was in his human form, and the other in beast form.

Most often than not, that kind of battle was going to be one-sided. The strength of a man was different than that of its wolf. The same applies to their instincts and reflexes. Werewolves are off better leaning toward their animalistic side when it comes to fights.

So, seeing a naked body lying on the field could only mean one thing—they lost the battle.

When a werewolf was badly injured, maintaining a wolf form would strain the body.

The body would prioritize healing the damaged cells to recuperate more quickly.

Hence, the brain would force the wolf's body to turn back into his human form.

Even if the person did not want to shift back, it was no longer his choice to make. The transformation would happen involuntarily once the brain perceived the body had reached its limit. It was a normal physiological process of their bodies, and that man should know it.

It was not Cain's fault that he found her with literally nothing on, the she-wolf had most likely shifted back into her human form unconsciously due to the extreme condition she was in.

And whoever did that to her was planning to make her death slow and painful.

Cain raised his hands up in surrender.

Angering an Alpha was the last thing he would do right now.

"I have a mate," he stated cautiously for the man was still on high alert. "I'm from West Crescent, and I went to hunt last night. I remember detecting mixed scents as well. That's all the information I've got with me."

The Alpha threw him a calculating look.

Of course, it was natural for the man to doubt the word of a stranger. Alphas were very unforgiving, and even if he perceived that Cain was telling the truth, he still would not let him go that easily.

Since packs exist abiding by a set of rules and procedures, there's a chance that Cain will be brought to their pack for further questioning. He may not be able to take the man down as an Alpha, that doesn't mean he can be jerked around as he pleases.

Examining the size of the two wolves, he knew to himself that he could outrun them.

As for the Alpha, the answer was already obvious.

He was with a mate.

If Cain were to run off right now, he would never get caught.

Why?

Because the man would never bother chasing after him.

His top priority would be his mate.

"West Crescent?" the man repeated the word carefully, his voice guttural. "I have no time. I'll pay Leviticus a visit in the next coming days. If I don't find you there—"

"I won't be there," Cain cut him off swiftly.

The Alpha's eyes darkened with rage.

"I'll be on a mission," he quickly added. "If you wish to extend your thanks by that time, you may opt telling Alpha Leviticus instead. That way, I'll receive lighter punishments."

'He's probably looking for me as we speak,' he spoke inwardly.

"Also, I'm afraid you can't hold me captive or something," he uttered casually—as if he could not care less even if he was talking to an Alpha. "I have to go now."

The wolves curled their lips at him for his declaration.

'They're planning to come at me, huh?'

"You haven't identified yourself yet."

He looked the man in the eye.

Unlike the others, he was not scared to meet an Alpha's gaze.

He was already used to it.

And as long as he had a clean conscience, he would not yield.

"Cain," he replied tersely.

"You hesitated. Is that a name you just came up with?"

Cain let out a hearty laugh.

What the hell?

Why would he even fake that?

His mate adores his name.

Why would he settle for something else?

"You can blame my parents for not being so creative," he replied with a small grin. Now that he thought about it, his statement had some truth in it. His brother's name was long, and pronounced with four syllables, while his was a four-letter name, and most people could not even get it right.

Some would call him 'Kuhyn', and some were content with 'Kah-in'. The experience was horrible and stupid—he had no words. His parents might have been either playing favoritism, or they could not just think of anything cool that day.

The Alpha gave him a weird look, and the next thing he knew, he disappeared from his sight.

His mate included.

That man…

He even left these stubborn wolves in his care.

Cain shook his head in slight amusement. The Alpha took off just like that without saying thank you. The pride of an Alpha was really off the charts. He would even guess that it was the man's mate who would convince him to express his gratitude the next time they saw each other.

The Alpha also mentioned that he would come to meet Leviticus, so he thought that maybe the two of them were doing business with each other?

Cain shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.

He would not bother knowing what it was about. He already learned the hard way that poking his nose into someone else's business was not always fulfilling.

"You two should go back as well."

The wolves did not listen.

Instead, his words even became the trigger for them to start encircling him.

'What's wrong with that Alpha? I wasn't even releasing malevolent intent earlier.'

The most plausible explanation here was that—the man had mindlinked these wolves to seize him.

Cain scratched the back of his head. "I'm sorry that you'll have to apologize to your Alpha for coming back empty-handed."

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He took two steps backward before completely turning around to shift. The wolves were right on his tail. Cain picked up his pace, and chose a route that was familiar with him. Although, it was not the shortcut to the West Crescent Pack, it was the trail where he implanted many traps, intended for his prey in his full moon hunts.

It was a bummer that he had to use them now to take care of these persistent wolves chasing after him. Cain knew that duking it out with them could spark a conflict between West Crescent and their pack—whatever it was.

He could knock them out cold, too, but that was no different from laying a hand on them.

Damn it.

Why does he have to be the bigger person here?

He swiftly turned to his left to make them think that he was trying to lose them. He drove himself further without looking back, but then when he did, he realized that the two wolves were lagging behind—greatly.

His wolf was enjoying the chase; one of its favorite hobbies was making fun of werewolves who could not keep up. And with the rate they were going, it seemed to him that those wolves were not even part of their pack's official warriors.

Cain could not believe that his wolf was poking fun at those trainees, but it was really that Alpha who was making a fool out of him.

He was guessing that the man told these wolves that he would not dare touch them.

'How cunning,' he thought. 'To think that I even chose his route. Sorry, Leviticus. I'd be running late.'

'Lure them into the traps,' his wolf snapped.

'I thought you were having fun?'

'Have. No. Mercy.'

'You're too hot. They're pups.'

'Get them.'

'No, I'd rather lose them. They can't keep up anyway.'

Cain ignored the sentiments of his wolf, and pushed his legs harder as he ran with the wind. He could consider this his morning run since he was not able to go home last night.

After the meeting with Alpha Leviticus later, he should be able to go straight to his mate.

He missed her already.

If he did not want to be kicked out of their bedroom, he should take a shower in the pack house first. After all, going home while reeking of another female's scent would only invite trouble and Kamila's anger. He was dying to hold her in his arms, and feel the small bump on her lower stomach.

Due to his inspirations spiking up, Cain was basically zooming past the forest effortlessly.

He could no longer hear the grunts of the wolves within his two-hundred meter radius, too.

Ha.

'Train harder, kids.'

"I will introduce you to the pack. Are you ready?"

Alpha Severus stared at her expectantly.

Little Amber had an unsure look in her doe eyes.

He was going to show him something.

But she did not know that he meant he was going to show her his pack.

She doesn't want to join another pack.

West Crescent is her home—her family's home.

"I want to go home." Her lips quivered with melancholy.

"You'll go home soon," he said with a hint of promise in his tone. "We have to wait for your father first. You've agreed to this, right?" The Alpha's joyful expression turned into worry. "Did you change your mind?"

"I'll stay here…?"

"Only if that's okay with you," Alpha Severus responded patiently. He tucked a few strands of her hair behind her ear. "Your home, West Crescent, is being… reconstructed. That will take some time."

Little Amber stared back into his intense eyes. "Reconstructed?" she asked curiously. "What does that mean?"

"It needs a little fixing?" he answered, unsure.

"But you said it would take some time. How is it 'little' fixing?"

The little girl's too smart for her own good.

As an adult, he's ashamed that he's making lying a habit whenever he addresses her questions and uncertainties.

Cain, that man.

When it comes to situations like this, he's always missing in action.

Nothing much has changed from the past.

He's always on a mission.

"The pack members will like you. Amber is thoughtful, and a bright child. They will come to adore you. Once you've been introduced, you'll gain more friends. Would you love that?"

Friends…?

Like Salt and Pepper…?

Little Amber nodded eagerly.

Of course, she would want that.

"So, let's go?"

"Okay," she chirped happily.

Finally.

Alpha Severus carried her with one arm as he finally came up on stage, his expression resolute and serious. Behind him was a boy about half his height, and Little Amber was curious about him. He had an annoyed expression over his face which made her think that someone fought with him, and made him upset.

The boy followed the Alpha from behind quietly, and they were holding hands, too.

She giggled, and hugged the Alpha's neck tightly. Maybe the boy could become one of her friends in the pack, so she continued watching him, starry-eyed.

And when they reached the center of the platform, the Alpha began his speech.

"It's within everyone's knowledge that a good ally of ours, the neighboring pack, West Crescent, is struck by a disaster, resulting into the tragic losses of many family members, as well as the complete obliteration of the Santiago clan. As we all know, the Santiagos were a group of legendary warriors who knew no qualms and fear when faced with great challenges. They were on the process of legitimizing the existence of their pack and leadership when a very unfortunate incident suddenly hit the West Crescent's vital point, causing a major uproar and devastation among its people."

Little Amber felt hypnotized as she watched the Alpha's expression turn from imposing into something somber, and that happened within a matter of seconds only. Although, she did not quite understand half of what he said due to some unfamiliar words he had used, his words still cut deep.

She felt it right in her chest, so she unconsciously reached out her little hand to caress his bearded face.

The Alpha stilled for a moment as he did not see that gesture coming. His gaze on his own people faltered when he turned away from them just to sneak a quick glance at the kid in his arm.

"I don't understand, but your message sounds sad," she pointed out in a soft whisper.

Everyone was paying attention to them since they were on a stage, so Little Amber made sure to lower her voice this time, so nobody would hear what she was going to say.

Little did she know, it was useless.

Next to smell, the sense of hearing was the most acute of the werewolf's senses. They could hear sounds from around six, and extending to ten miles away, and she had yet to realize that fact soon.

Therefore, whispering things among themselves was futile.

What she just said was actually heard by all pack members that were present in the assembly.

Little Amber's attention was focused on the Alpha that she did not notice the reaction of River Severn people. It was true that they were vigilant of her until now. They witnessed the special treatment their Alpha had been giving the child since day one, so they grew more and more conscious of her each day.

Aside from that, it was rumored to a few that the little girl might have been actually a love child with another female, that was why he favored her greatly.

Some gossips were mild conspiracies, while others were too harsh to even mention.

Nonetheless, they all shared one similar function—and that was to criticize the pup's existence.

The River Severn Pack currently boasts three hundred highly-competent werewolves, and to be able to become a full-fledged pack member, they have to undergo rigorous training first. There's also a test that they need to pass before they get to be accepted as one of them.

It's a practice that's completely opposite to that of the West Crescent Pack, where it was up to the Alpha whether or not they would take in a certain wolf. After all, three-fourths of their population were the Santiagos.

There was no such thing as 'trainings' and 'recruitments' where werewolves had to fight to get in there.

As long as they saw a potential in you that you would do good in the future, the Alpha would take you in.

All packs in Akkad have different customs and traditions. Special pack laws differ from pack to pack, and the establishment of those is the prerogative of the high-ranking members of the pack. These laws can exist as long as they don't infringe the universal pack laws.

Universal pack laws, on the other hand, are legal codes that must be enforced all throughout the existing packs in the country—which, in this case, is Akkad. And the most widely-known universal pack law is—thou shall not kill a fellow pack member no matter what the situation dictates.

Packs are formed through genuine camaraderie, and werewolves shall not be quick to flip on their other side if things go awry. It will ruin the purpose of the pack, and can create chaos when left out of hand. Werewolves never abandon their own members, and that's in their nature; something deep-rooted.

Hence, killing a fellow pack member must be punished to the highest degree, and these degrees are always dependent on the judgment of the current Alpha.

Alphas have the absolute power as the person who's in charge of handing down disciplinary measures to lawbreakers.

Universal pack laws are all decided by the Werewolf King.

Training assessments and combat examinations are being carried out regularly in River Severn; it's included in their special pack laws. Once your skills have touched the benchmark, you'll automatically become a pack warrior—and that's also part of their special pack laws.

Therefore, it goes without saying that everyone's a pack warrior first, and everything else after that.

Those who wish to pursue a different path may do so, provided that they can multitask for they aren't allowed to abandon their duties as a pack warrior.

Yes.

The rule is as simple as that.

Either you be a pack warrior all your life, or a pack warrior and at the same time, a teacher—or anything.

The level of dedication depends mainly on the person's level of passion.

And that's what it means to be a highly-competent pack member in the River Severn Pack.

And that's also the reason that, despite being a small pack, they're undefeated.

The rogues who have attempted to overthrow them are now buried six-feet under.

That's why Little Amber's immediate admittance is something they can never understand as a whole. Alpha Severus has always been a man of his words, but today, it seems to them that he's playing favorite.

He's breaking a longstanding pack tradition for a mere child—for someone he just happened to pick up from the neighboring pack.

Why is that she can have it easy while the others are putting their backs into it?

The Alpha's decision is quite unfair, and it's something they can never comprehend in this lifetime.

They've been very welcoming to the refugees, but it doesn't mean they can absorb them as pack members due to pity alone. It's only right that they put in work, too, because that's how it is for them all.

It's a relief that the Alpha decides to not relieve the pack members of West Crescent of that obligation. It's a relief that he has his eyes set only on one person. Otherwise, a pandemonium will break out to express their disapproval.

There's a limit to how far they can extend their help.

And it isn't being selfish—the pack members just want to exercise fairness in all things.

"Are you sad?"

It seems that Little Amber doesn't realize yet how capable a werewolf can be.

"Just a little," he confessed with a soft smile across his face.

He knew that his pack members were listening to their conversation, but that was not the most important thing right now. The only method he could see for him to be able to worm his way into the soft white root of the child's heart was by being honest.

He already noticed that Cain's daughter liked to communicate, but was just being shy about it. She was still trying to get used to the new environment, and that was okay.

It was a normal process for everyone, and since she was still a young pup, he could only hope that the wounds that could not be seen by the naked eye, would heal at a gallop.

Hopefully, her trauma and sadness as a child, would not manifest in her character in the future.

She was a Santiago after all.

Alpha Severus could only wish the best for her.

"Why?" Little Amber questioned innocently. "You shouldn't cry when you're making a speech. Papa said that Alphas should always appear strong to become an example to his pack."

"He said that?"

She nodded with a small pout on her lips. "Yes, he's got many stories to tell."

"I bet." He pinched her nose lightly. That man was always out and about. Cain could not seem to pin his feet permanently to any ground. "And by the way, I'm not crying."

She tilted her head to the side, eyes slightly widening. "You were just about to?"

"No," Alpha Severus told her firmly. "How could you even reach that conclusion? Hmm?"

"I think it's okay to cry when you're feeling sad. Papa once said that it's hard to hide your true feelings."

"Your father has always had a lot to say, huh?"

That just sounds like the Cain that he knows.

Little Amber did not respond, and just buried her face in the crook of his neck. He chuckled while stroking her hair fondly. Actually, he still could not believe that their paths had to cross in such a cruel way.

Cain had always been a busywart that Severus had no chance of meeting his precious daughter in the past.

As an Alpha, pack duties were not something he could just put off whenever he felt like it.

And visiting the West Crescent could only be made possible due to pack business.

Sad to say, Leviticus was not the easy go lucky type either.

The man was merciless—even toward his own younger brother.

Sending Cain away here and there to task out all difficult missions.

But…

That just showed how confident Leviticus was with Cain's abilities.

Alpha Severus turned to face the audience once again. He could still see the concealed doubt and hostility in their pensive gazes. However, that was something he would never tolerate as long as he lived. "I'll just keep it short and concise. This pack wouldn't have its Luna if it weren't for this pup's father. Make sure to include that in your reflection. You're to treat her with the same dignity and respect as you would anyone else," he announced, loud and clear.

He was sure that many of his pack members would be displeased by the special protection he was granting the child, but they would come around—come hell or high water.

"Let's introduce yourself," he urged the young girl.

Little Amber pushed him lightly to look up at his face.

She was giving her a puppy look.

'She wants to refuse, and she's showing this expression? Aren't you being manipulative, pup?'

Alpha Severus did not budge.

He won't be swayed. He can't get swayed.

Self-introduction was necessary in this kind of situation, and it could help improve her image even by a little. The pack members would gauge her sincerity by her choice of words, and introductory speech. As a functional member of their society, he can do nothing about it anymore.

He already did his part, and it was up to Little Amber how she would win their hearts over quicker.

Indeed, there was a special treatment—and that was putting her in a tight spot.

Still, he must also set a limit to how far he would go about it.

"This is the first step to gaining a friend, you know?" Alpha Severus lifted his eyebrow. "Are you sure you don't want to do it?"

The Alpha had already identified one of her weak spots.

And he would not hesitate to use it to his advantage, even if he would come out as the bad wolf in the end.

"I-I'll do it," Little Amber stammered, despite the feeling of excitement welling in her chest. "I say my name and age?"

He put her down gently, and made her face the huge crowd. "You can say whatever you want."

"I hope they'll like it…" She was still hesitating.

"Don't worry. They will."

Little Amber puffed her chest out to look bigger and unintimidated.

They were all watching her each and every move now.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Amber, and I'm six years old. I… I'm good at hide and seek, and the one who will defeat me has yet to be born."

No reaction.

'Is that all?'

'Is being good at that childish game something to brag about?'

'What a waste.'

They all just looked at her, bored.

"I-It's nice meet to you, everyone. I hope," Little Amber took a deep breath before she looked back at them with her head held high, "that my training here isn't vapid. Papa has set the bar high." Then, she smiled softly. "I'll be in your care until then."

And that dropped everyone's jaw.

Including Alpha Severus.

And the bummed out boy standing beside him.

Why has she suddenly become too confident…?

And… vapid?

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