Chapter 5: 4

Chapter 4

Little Amber waited.

She waited for Lukas to come back, but…

Nothing came.

He did not come back to say that it was just a prank to scare her.

It was nothing like that.

It seemed like he was being serious when he said those words earlier from up there; that he would pretend that he did not see her plight down below.

Nothing made sense to the young mind of Little Amber.

Was he being mean to her?

Was that it?

Of course, she felt confused by his actions. He already made it very clear to her that he was not interested in becoming friends, and she was not raised by her parents to be an inconsiderate person—so, when she sensed that being on friendlier terms with Alpha's son was impossible, she already let go of the idea.

Sadness engulfed her heart after making that difficult decision, but as a person, she should be able to come, and respect another person's decision.

Little Amber just comforted herself with the idea that she could still make a lot of friends in time.

She just had to be patient.

Although, there were days where she would feel lonely, the little girl just needed to be more forbearing. She should not rush herself for that matter because most things that were rushed usually ensued terrible outcomes.

Besides, how could anyone expect from a child like her to pull herself together when she was still in the process of adjusting to her new environment?

Little Amber would never disobey the Alpha's instruction—she genuinely enjoyed sightseeing, even though she was to do it by herself.

The Alpha was a good man for taking her in; the other West Crescent members in.

She did not wish to be scolded by losing her way, so she made sure to not wander off too far from the huge landmarks like the playground or the flowerbeds.

Little Amber wanted to express her gratitude to Alpha Severus by not giving him any trouble.

So, for now, she must endure the sudden changes in her everyday life—and when it came to the point that she felt like crying, then maybe, it was the start for her to embrace all those things.

One day, her Papa would be back from his duty to pick her up, so that they could go back together to their own pack.

It did not require too much, right?

She just had to wait—patiently.

And while she was at it, she might want to avoid throwing tantrums, too.

Otherwise, Lukas might call her out for it. After all, he specifically told her to quit acting like a child because she was a big girl now. It was as if he was telling her to back off, and stop monopolizing his father.

Her chest constricted at the boy's accusation because she actually felt like she did something wrong—and it was done unconsciously, that was why she had no idea what it could be about.

Little Amber found solace in nature, and she felt content by simply exploring her surroundings.

She should let the day end with her, climbing up that ash berry tree.

Perhaps, she had gotten too greedy—and now, the moon goddess was cursing her for it.

The child's heart jumped in joy upon seeing Salt and Pepper, here in River Severn—and exactly just right when she was already happy, and getting herself entertained by the pack's landscape and scenery.

It was also an entire different thing when the Alpha's son, Lukas, went to talk to her.

Although, what they shared was just a short and simple conversation, it was still the first time that he had actually acknowledged her. He was not anything like that when the Alpha was with them.

So, who would not be happy?

But…

That happiness was short-lived.

Lukas did not show any drive to help her earlier, and now that he was gone—it was all coming back to her. The happy memories that she made with her new friends did not even last an hour. She probably overdid it this time.

There was a lot of potential areas where she could hide herself in, but her legs really had to go somewhere far away.

Now that she thought about it, she would not have gone here if were not for the soothing sound of water. The location seemed awfully quiet, apart from the buzzing sound of crickets.

It would make a perfect place for a hideout.

However, her plan seemed to have backfired on her. She was enjoying herself to the fullest, and without a care in the world.

Little Amber was starting to feel anxious for she might be spending the rest of her life in the pitfall. She had not felt the minor grazes on her arms and legs until now due to the adrenaline rushing through her veins.

Her nerves could not relax at all after seeing the height of the fall.

Her shoulders felt particularly sore, but other than that, she was all good.

She could still think straight, and knew how to count from 1 to 1000.

Thankfully, Little Amber did not sustain serious injuries, concussion, and bone fractures.

If one of those happened, her chances of getting out of the pitfall would be zero.

"Is he really not coming back?" she whispered to herself, nervous.

If only she was a bit taller—maybe she could have used that as an advantage.

The ground was muddy, too.

She probably stinks right now, and that is not a good sign.

People would find it difficult to follow her scent, and they might fail to discover where she was. It was obvious that the Alpha would be disappointed in her. He might even think that she did not how to obey an Alpha's word—and that would certainly reflect poorly on the West Crescent Pack.

Little Amber shook the dirt off her dress, and wiped the side of her arms using the same clothes.

There was probably a smudge on her face, but she did not act on it rashly. It might spread even further that could hinder her own sense of smell.

It was too risky.

Little Amber turned six recently, but no one celebrated her birthday with her. Of course, the only persons who knew that piece of information were her parents and relatives.

For the first time in her life, her birthday had passed without anyone knowing—no candles to blow at, no spaghetti and meatballs, no greetings.

It was the loneliest birthday that she had.

Little Amber just cried herself to sleep. She did not want to be heard by the adults because having them comfort her would only make her feel more miserable.

Besides…

Nothing they say can make the pain go away.

The skies were getting dark.

This made her stand up in panic, and looked around her in haste. There should be anything lying around here that could somehow help her, right? Little Amber started to sniff out her surroundings, and everything smelled organic.

Then, she brought her hand to feel the soil again.

Perhaps, the fact that she was near a riverbank was affecting the consistency of the soil here. It was not firm enough that if she tried grasping on it, a ball of mud would form in her hand.

Little Amber checked her mini claws, a small pout gracing her lips.

Aside from the fact that she was still young, she also had not had her first shift, yet.

That means that every little feature that a werewolf has—it is not yet fully developed as long as he or she has yet to transform.

Little Amber would only get her claws torn if she were to use them right now.

Would it be too painful?

The thought of doing it was scary, but the situation she was in at the moment was requiring her to be a good judge—something that was normally not asked of a mere child.

Wolves do not have retractable claws.

Therefore, they cannot get a good grip while climbing, compared to any other animals.

It was true that pushing herself too hard might get her injured, and she could only imagine inside her head the kind of pain she would be experiencing if she decided to proceed with her little idea.

However, she thinks it is much scarier to spend the night out in the wild.

Although, Little Amber knows that her current location is far from the borders, she still feels unsafe.

So, she needs to get out of the hole—as soon as she can if possible.

Without further ado, Little Amber dug her nails deep into the soil, and she immediately felt it—something cold and wet, penetrating the curves of her claws. The soil was still soft, but it was not easily breaking down unlike before.

Still, she needs to do this quicker because the more she applies pressure to it, the soil softens, too.

She wondered if she could do it in one go?

She has not taken pitfall trainings under her father yet, so she is practically a beginner when it comes to this.

Little Amber is not sure how far her judgment can take her.

If she does it swiftly, then it will reduce the pressure she is putting on the soil. And by the time it becomes cakey, she will then be gripping onto another soil up above.

She could still see the light coming from outside, so that meant that the sun was still about to set.

She must get to the pack house before Alpha Severus comes looking for her.

"What is taking them so long?" Pepper was growing impatient.

They were now back at the meeting place, and all of them had been found—except for Amber.

Lukas, sure, was taking his sweet time, and instead of getting to play another round, they were more likely to be called on home.

She still wanted to play with Amber though.

"Why did you pull me along with you?" Pepper crossed her arms at his brother. Frustration could be seen on her face.

Salt showed her the attitude, too. "Why not?"

"We always play with each other. I wanted to go with her in the 2nd round," she whined, stomping her foot.

What time is it now?

"Lukas has found his match…" somebody commented.

Pauline clapped her hands while laughing. "We better bring Amber over to the girls' team next time."

For a moment, Pepper forgot her worries, and agreed with her other friend. Since Lukas had an Alpha blood running through his veins, his team had always got the upper hand in the games.

For the kids playing with him, of course, it was both a gift and a curse—a gift when he was on their team; a curse when he was playing for the other.

Hide and seek is a game that is certainly to Lukas' advantage since his senses are stronger than that of a normal werewolf.

But, did he get somehow outsmarted by Amber in this occasion?

"Oh, wait. Is that him?"

"He is heading toward us, too."

"Why is he alone though?"

"Amber is not with her."

"He did not find her?"

"Let us hear it from him."

Lukas had his one hand inside his pocket as he walked back to them, looking bored and grumpy.

Pepper ran up to him. "Where is Amber?"

He shrugged—as if he could not care less. "She wants to go home now."

"Eh? She did not even bother to inform us in person?" Pauline did not look too happy about it. "I am getting fond of her…"

The other pups whispered among each other.

"After playing with us…"

"Yeah."

"She looked nice at first though."

"I hope she had the decency to bid us goodbye at least…"

"We even waited for them."

Pepper felt her lips quiver as she listened to her other friends badmouth Amber. "Hey, we do not know her reason yet. Do not go jumping—"

Lukas cut her off. "Her reason? There is no such thing. When I found her, she just said, 'Oh, is it over now? I will go home then'."

Salt nodded his head quietly before he asked, "So, where did you find her?"

The Alpha's son was stunned as he was not expecting the specific question coming from his friend. He thought that as long as he provided them with an adequate-sounding explanation, they would buy it without a question.

It was effective for the other kids though.

It just so happened that it slipped Lukas' mind—Salt being quick-witted, that was.

Salt might have been younger than him, but there was still a huge chance that he took after the Gamma Chief. It was a wonder sometimes; how he was so sharp while his twin sister, Pepper, was not anything like that.

Lukas wore an expression of feigned thinking just to avoid his friend's questioning gaze.

Although, Salt was not looking at him suspiciously, the guilt he was feeling was making him paranoid, and a little fidgety. "I found her hiding somewhere near the bridge," he answered, lying through his teeth.

For some reason, he was starting to feel bad—and Lukas liked to think that it did not have anything to do with 'that' wimpy kid; rather, it was the guilt he felt for lying to a good friend.

There was no reason for him to feel bad for a refugee who was blatantly stealing his father's affection anyway.

"The bridge?" Pepper asked, bewildered. "Is that not a bit too far? As expected of my competitive friend," she grinned excitedly. "Amber is performing really well, despite with some unfamiliar rules."

"Is she a good friend to you?"

"Yes, she is very approachable, and always smiling."

"It does seem like it."

"Right?"

"I know we are not supposed to be calling her a rogue since the Alpha has welcomed their pack members to ours with open arms, but my mother said it was better to take precaution. After all, they were from the West Crescent Pack."

Salt and Pepper gave each other a knowing look before they asked something back to the other kid in unison. "Is it that bad?"

"My parents share the same opinion, too. They said that West Crescent had a bad reputation in the first place, so the downfall of their pack was just karma, collecting its dues."

The twins were rendered speechless.

For a fellow werewolf to come to such a hasty and heartless conclusion…

It was Pepper who was extremely affected by the statements she had heard. Unlike her brother, she was very expressive when it came to her feelings; she was a good empath. "Should we not imitate our Alpha's actions, and treat them nicely? We should not be saying bad things about them after what they went through."

Pepper looked down at her feet, and started biting her fingernails.

She forgot to ask Amber if she and her parents had settled in well here.

Next time, she would try to exchange addresses with her, so they could visit each other's houses, and play.

"They are not original pack members of River Severn. I think their parents are just looking out for them, Pepper." There was no point in trying to change Lukas' mind. Once he was onto something, he was the type to see it through to the end.

To him, his parents were being too generous, and the other people were taking advantage of that. He could still clearly remember the words of the Alpha—his own father, that no matter what happens, do not let other people suck you dry.

There might be a few numbers of good werewolves, but there also existed who were dangerous and cunning.

And one should not get fooled by their outside appearances.

The West Crescent have been staying here for a week already, but Lukas has never seen anyone from them acknowledge him as the son of the Alpha. It is a first time for him to be shown such disrespect, and there is no telling yet if that kind of reaction is intentional or not.

However, it does not make sense for those werewolves to never know who he is.

Can they not see some semblance at all?

If that is the case, then they probably have quite a defective sight, right?

That is why, Lukas also arrives at the conclusion that those people do not deserve his father's mercy in the slightest. They are ungrateful creatures who cannot seem to recognize the hands that are feeding them—not to mention, they are also given the opportunity to turn over a new leaf in one of the prominent packs in this region.

The fact that they cannot make a choice right away only shows that they are egotistical.

What is stopping them from joining River Severn?

Do they really think so highly of themselves even at this point in time?

Ah…

He really hates the West Crescent Pack.

And that girl in particular, he will make sure to put her in her place—to the point that his father will no longer have to look her way.

For that to happen, he has to ace the examinations, training sessions, as well as sparring matches.

He will have to train twice as hard from now on, so the Alpha does not have to look anywhere else—but him.

He will work hard to bring his father's full attention back to him, and if that means he should act more merciless, he would do it, even toward his own friends.

"I still think it is bad to speak ill of them behind the Alpha's back…" Pepper muttered incoherently. She still does not like the fact that Amber and her pack are being seen as a nuisance when they have not done anything bad to their pack wolves. "They did not harm us."

"Yet," Lukas added, starting to get pissed.

Why was she defending another pack in front of him?

Was it the influence of that girl?

That… Amber?

"The Alpha is not stupid." Pepper furrowed her brows at him. "He would know if they harbored bad intentions, okay? I think you are underestimating the Alpha's judgment right now, Lukas."

"Oh, there they are. I am glad the pups did not stray too far from the playground."

"It looks like they have just finished playing their favorite game."

"Hide and seek, is it?"

"Classic."

One by one, the kids were picked up by their parents as dusk was falling rapidly over the land.

Everyone bade their farewell to each other with a promise to meet and play again by tomorrow.

By that time, Amber's name was not mentioned once more. Children had short attention span that though they were bummed out by their new friend's sudden disappearance, it was the kind of dismay that could be easily forgotten.

In addition to that, Pepper seemed to have forgotten all about Amber as well—to which Lukas was thankful for.

He needs to be careful when it comes to Pepper.

She is the only one who keeps bringing up Amber's name over and over during a conversation, that is why, their friends are being guiled to talk about her as well.

The three of them decided to walk back to the pack house shortly afterward.

Pepper began pestering her twin brother with nonsensical stuff again, and the latter had been trying to put up with her nicely. On the other hand, the Alpha's son was feeling a new sense of fulfillment unlike any other before.

He could still recall the girl's full of hope face when she saw him up the hole.

She looked utterly helpless, and no one was by her side to drag her out of any trouble.

His father, Alpha Severus, was not around, so calling his name out for help would hardly do anything.

'She is a big girl now.'

'She needs to be able to handle something small like this by herself.'

The child was receiving preferential treatment, and it looked unfair to the others who had already worked hard since the beginning, but still were fighting for a place they could call 'home'.

Lukas was one prideful child, given that he would become the Alpha in the future, and would lead not just any ordinary pack—but River Severn.

He always thought of his background so highly—all the more reason for him to detest that wimpy girl who came out of nowhere, and change his father's vision.

'Dad said I should try treating her well.'

'He did not say I had to.'

Lukas whistled to himself in content. He felt so airy today—as if he could do pretty much anything as long as he put his mind to it. Just a bit more, and they would arrive at the pack house, safe and sound.

The family of the Alpha, Beta, Gamma, and other prominent werewolves could live in the same place, though, it was not exactly required.

Sometimes, communication between two important beings could get crucial, and for fast implementation and relay of orders, the pack's key members should be able to get in contact with each other without any hassle.

Since Salt and Pepper are the Gamma Chief's pups, it goes without saying that they can spend most of their time lounging about in the pack house.

It also served as the way for them to meet Lukas, and become friends with him, since they had been seeing each other since they were toddlers, and they practically grew up together.

Playing and roughhousing made their bond stronger that it did not matter if the three got into a fight among themselves—though, it was a case that was a bit common to happen between Lukas and Pepper due to their conflicting personalities.

Most often than not, Salt would stand as a referee between the two, and for that matter, the kid felt like he was the eldest, trying to get them reconciled with each other.

The three of them shared quite a special friendship, and it certainly did not please Lukas to find out that the twins happened to be friends with 'that' girl, too.

It has not been long since they have gotten to know each other, yet he can already tell that Amber is growing on his close friends—especially Pepper. She looks like she is really fond of her.

"I wonder why Amber went home early," Pepper mumbled sadly. "She is my first friend at school."

Lukas scoffed in distaste furtively.

There she goes again, Amber this, Amber that…

"She probably went to approach you because you were a Gamma's daughter," the boy commented bitterly.

Otherwise, who would want to befriend this rackety girl in the first place?

Besides, Pepper can only act herself whenever she is around her friends. At school, she becomes all anxious and shy. There is no way for her to initiate—

"Huh? No," she said in defense. "It was I who held her hand first."

Lukas turned to her in disbelief. "You held her hand? Why would you do that?"

"Amber looked like a doll, and I wanted to touch a living doll like her." Then, she giggled to herself.

Her brother does not look interested in the topic, and has picked up his pace on the way to the pack house, leaving them behind with a few meters of a distance. Salt does not need convincing at any rate because he is a loner, and it does not matter if he gains another friend or not.

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He is also too focused on his path to become someone like the Gamma Chief, so there is no need to throw in a few reminders for his friend to ponder over.

The only problem right now is Pepper since she is the gullible one among them three.

A doll?

That is funny.

To Lukas, Amber does not look like a doll.

If Pepper is referring to a voodoo doll… then maybe, yes.

"Do you find her pretty, too?" she asked all of a sudden, her eyes twinkling in excitement—like that of a fangirl who was thrilled to know someone was sharing the same opinion as her.

'Do I find her pretty? The answer to that is painfully obvious.'

Lukas shook his head firmly. "Yes."

"Yes!?" Pepper squealed like a hyena, and jumped repeatedly glee. "Since you like her, too, does that mean we can invite her over to the pack house as we please!? I am so happy, Lukas!"

The boy looked at her weirdly.

'What is she talking about?'

Invite Amber over…?

There is no need for that. That wimpy girl is already living in the pack house, courtesy of the Alpha, of course. It just so happened that Salt and Pepper spent the previous week at their own home, so they did not find out about Amber until today.

Wait…

Did he say 'yes' to her question?

Is that the reason why Pepper looks ecstatic?

"She… is not pretty," he said with an annoyed expression.

"Huh? You changed your mind already?" Pepper crossed her arms at him, pretending to look strict. "Could it be that you felt embarrassed by your confession?"

"Confession!?" Lukas yelled at her angrily. That was like the most insulting thing ever. "Who confessed, and why would I? I have yet to meet my own mate in the future! I will tell the Gamma to educate you about mates. Your ignorance might rub off on me!"

"Hey, you are being mean! I know what mates are!? My parents are mates. Your parents are mates. Husbands and wives are mates. I have known that concept because families exist, you know?" Pepper scrunched her nose. Whenever she and Lukas talked, it always ended with a debate. "I wonder if Amber's parents would let her play with us tomorrow, too."

"Parents?" Lukas went past her as he wanted out of this conversation already. He does not like Amber, but for some reason, they keep talking about her. He is just getting himself irritated. "She does not have parents."

Pepper quickly caught up with him, her eyes as large as a grape. "How can someone be born without their parents? You are joking with me again…"

He stopped to turn to her, his face serious. "Their pack got attacked, and her parents died there."

She recoiled, and the color drained from her face. "D-died?"

"You did not know? Well, you should. After all, you consider yourself her friend, right?"

"I-I did not know…" she mumbled, petrified.

Then, how was Amber supposed to live by herself?

Perhaps, Pepper could convince her own parents to take her into their family?

"I have always wanted a sister to play with…"

"In your dreams," Lukas mocked smugly. "Your parents will not adopt her."

Besides, his father would probably not allow it.

Alpha Severus had already expressed his will to take that wimpy kid under his wing.

Though Lukas was not exactly happy about his father's decision, it was still better than letting Amber steal his friends, too. As long as she stayed within sight, he could watch her closely, and prevent the people around her from completely adoring her.

For her to effortlessly enchant the Alpha—maybe she was not a werewolf, but a witch…!

Ha!

He really hates her guts.

"You always antagonize what I say."

"It is better than getting your hopes up, blockhead."

"Do not call me that! You, stinky head…"

"Hey, I always wash my hair!"

"If you do, then why does it always stink!?"

"You are lying!"

"No, I am not! Lying is for bad people!"

"You are a bad person then…"

"That is you! You always go all out on your spars, am I right!?"

"What is wrong with that? Do you expect an enemy to go easy on you? I will tell the Gamma to educate you on that as well!"

Pepper inhaled sharply. "You are involving my father's name again…!"

"Of course, I will tell on you. I can tell your vision is slowly becoming crooked."

"Another lie…!"

"It was not a lie."

"Yes, it was—"

All of a sudden, Salt peeked by the door to call them out. "Bickering again? It is dinner time."

She huffed loudly. "Lukas started it!" she exclaimed as she ran toward the door.

"You are not any different, Pepper," Salt pointed out in a matter-of-fact tone, and before his sister could even get to say anything, he gave her a disclaimer, "I am not taking sides."

"But… I am your sister, you are supposed to stand by my side."

Salt ignored her sentiment. "I am not your soldier."

"I…I did not say anything about you being my soldier, okay? Your position is more significant than that. You are my brother, and not just any brother… but my twin at that! Our minds should be in-sync."

"Nope," he answered, popping the 'p'. "We are two different persons."

Pepper threw him a weird look. "Huh? You sound like an old man, Salt…"

This time, her brother offered no response.

Pepper did not like being ignored by her own twin, but she would admit that sometimes, it was tiring to hold a conversation with him.

Most of the time, it felt like he was giving her a sermon—and he was not even a priest…

Pepper pushed him to the side to make a run for the dining room. A lovely smile lifted the left corner of her mouth upon seeing her father. "Dad!" Then, she climbed into his lap swiftly, and stuck her tongue out. "I came here first," she told Salt.

"Okay. Enjoy."

"Hmph…"

The table was almost complete now.

They were just waiting for Xyla, the Alpha's wife, to return from the kitchen. The Luna said she was going to prepare melon milkshake for tonight's dessert. There were fifteen werewolves in the table, including the Beta and Delta's families.

The adults were all busy discussing pack business, so they let the pups grab their food themselves, while waiting for their Luna.

Soon, Xyla arrived with two pitchers of melon shake, then she put them on the table. "Have you been waiting? You all could have begun without me."

Alpha Severus made her lean her face down, so he could give her cheek a peck. "I am not starting without you, and they will not start eating unless I initiate, so learn to deal with it…" he whispered tenderly.

His wife blushed profusely, and slapped his shoulder. "They can hear you."

"They are supposed to."

The couple shared a good laugh with each other that warmed the hearts of the spectators. The pups were still oblivious to the kind of affection the adults were showing, though there was no reason for the latter to hide such intimacy because it was a common thing for werewolves—and time would come for their sons and daughters to reach adulthood, and understand the meaning behind their gestures.

When that happened, it would become an instinct to them to never give anyone else a second look, and just devote themselves to their soulmates.

Finally, Xyla pulled a chair to sit down beside Alpha Severus.

The discussion among men would have resumed if it was not for a certain voice who came to interrupt them with a question.

There was a small seat from the Alpha's left side, and it was currently vacant.

It was not his son's either.

"Where is 'his' pup?" was the question that left the Gamma Chief's lips.

Severus glanced at the small chair beside him before he returned his gaze back to Brandon. "Amber is upstairs."

"So, her name is Amber, huh?"

"Yes."

"I suppose the pup still feels awkward to join our table."

"Brandon…" Severus warned lowly. "I believe I have told you the child's name already."

The Gamma Chief raised his hands playfully in surrender. "I know, Alpha. It is just that… I do not think I am qualified enough to utter such a very important name in the World of Darkness."

The Alpha put down his cutlery, and stood from his seat, making everyone look up at him expectantly.

Concurrently, the pups might have also noticed the tense atmosphere growing over the room—the reason why they had gotten so behaved in a blink of an eye. The kids tried to not make any sounds while chewing their food, and instinctively avoided looking in the Alpha's direction, although, they had no idea what the adults were talking about.

When kids are presented their favorite food, you cannot expect them to pay attention to other matters outside the very thing that causes the major distraction.

And the same thing applies to Salt and Pepper.

Pepper perked upon hearing Amber's name, but soon forgot all about it after gobbling down a heap of lamb slices. Salt's expression remained unreadable for the most part, and it was only Lukas who stayed attentive all this time, especially when he knew deep down to himself that he might or might have not wronged Amber in this instance.

No one would find out anyway, right?

His father even thought that she already went upstairs as usual, refusing to dine with them.

After all, that was how she had been acting since she came here.

The reason could not be due to their food alone since the dishes here in River Severn had always been delectable.

So, it was hard to say that girl was being picky.

It made more sense to conclude that she did not feel comfortable eating with strangers.

'Ha! How conceited. Can't she think she's a stranger herself, too?' Lukas sneered inwardly.

It was not like she was the only person here who felt uneasy.

The Beta and Delta had yet to show their approval and support to his father's decision about what they should do with that child.

However, going by the Gamma Chief's playful tone, it would seem like he was not against the Alpha's idea.

This made Lukas clench his fist under the table.

It would have been a lot easier to throw her out if everybody in this table had expressed their disapproval.

His Mom does not look bothered in the slightest either.

Why are they so complacent…?

They are so welcoming—he cannot stand it.

"I will bring Amber with me. You may continue eating."

Lukas almost jumped in his seat to protest.

"Must you really go?" Xyla asked Severus softly. "I can go up, and try to convince her we are good people. We have not shared a conversation, yet, so I will try to get to know her more."

Huh?

Even his mother…!?

Why are they so obsessed with that girl?

"You look constipated," Salt snickered before drinking his glass of water. "I bet you are planning to stir up trouble again."

Lukas glowered at his friend, unhappy. "I do not know what you are talking about, but you are better off with your mouth shut, Salt."

"What? Did I guess it right? Did I hit a nerve?" Salt asked while munching his share of lamb. "What fine meat…"

Lukas was starting to lose his appetite.

For some reason, he could not see the meat on his plate.

Instead, all he could think about was what the Alpha's reaction would be once he found out that Amber was not in her room upstairs when it was already dark outside.

Lukas would prefer for them to find out that she had gone missing after a few more days, so he would already be clear of any suspicion.

Today was too disadvantageous for him because technically, he was the last person who saw her, and he lied by saying that she already went home.

"Alright, love. Please collect Amber for me." Alpha Severus thought about it carefully. There was a possibility that Amber would get nervous if she saw a new face by her door, but he was confident that his mate could make that little girl calm down.

The Luna was the mother of the pack, and Xyla was once saved by Cain in the forest a long time ago.

Severus just knew that Xyla would be gentle toward the child.

Amber was adorable, and he was certain that his wife would love her.

Severus sat back down, and glanced at his son.

He was unusually quiet tonight.

"You did well on your spars today, son."

Lukas jolted from his seat after hearing his voice. "Thanks, Dad."

"You do not look happy…" His eyes narrowed curiously. "And why is that?"

"Dad, of course, I am happy that I have won all my matches today." Lukas played it well with a shrug. "My muscles are sore."

"I guess you are just tired."

"Hmm…" His son just hummed.

Not the reaction and response the Alpha was expecting.

Then, all of a sudden, the Luna came running downstairs, her face pale as if she had seen a ghost or something. The male werewolves immediately left their seats without needing to hear the Alpha's order.

The Gamma Chief gave his pups a head pat, and kissed his wife on the forehead before stepping out of the pack house.

Everyone was on high alert after seeing the panic-stricken expression of their Luna.

The Delta, on the other hand, showed no hesitation as he raced toward the pup's room upstairs.

Alpha Severus pulled his wife to him to try console her, yet for some reason, she still looked distracted. His wolf has awoken, and is now raring to go against the person whoever made their mate like this.

"Come on, love. Speak. What happened?"

Before Xyla could even explain things to him…

The Delta hurried downstairs, panting. "Alpha, the child is not upstairs."

His mate looked up at him tearfully. "Do you think she ran away?"

Dread filled Severus' stomach. "No…"

The way Amber smiled at him earlier, that was not a smile that was planning to deceive a person. The child would never do it. Besides, they were already in an agreement that she would stay here in River Severn for the time being—while waiting for Cain to come back.

Yes, she is still a child, and perhaps, she still does not know how to honor the promises that she makes, but still—Amber Santiago had that 'look' in her eyes when they parted ways earlier.

One that was saying she would not betray his trust.

Was he mistaken…?

Shit.

This is Cain's daughter they are talking about…

Alpha Severus nodded to his second-in-command. "Mobilize—"

"Alpha…!"

His words were cut off when Brandon suddenly burst through the doors with two border patrols in tow.

And one of the pack warriors had Little Amber in his arms, looking filthy—her body and face both covered in dried mud.

It only took the Alpha several huge strides until he reached the door.

Brandon quickly explained what happened. "She was found by the border patrols during their run. It would seem that this pup fell into one of the pitfalls near the riverbank, Alpha."

'Riverbank?' he thought.

Did she happen to lose her way?

That was a bit far from here.

"Amber…?" Pepper exclaimed, wide-eyed. "Didn't you say you wished to go home?"

Brandon stared at his daughter, confused. "Do you know her?"

"She is my friend, and a classmate at Woodridge."

The Gamma Chief gave Severus a small nod, then instructed his family to go to the backyard first. "I will fill you in on the details later, Alpha."

Severus' gaze on Little Amber did not falter.

"Has she fallen asleep?" he asked, approaching his pack warriors.

She was hiding her face in the crook of his neck.

"No, Alpha, but we are certain that this child is tired."

Severus nodded his head solemnly. "Good work. You have my gratitude for saving her."

The pack warriors looked at each other before one of them spoke their mind. "Technically, we did not save her, Alpha."

His forehead knotted. "What do you mean?"

"We found this child drinking by the riverbank… already covered in wounds and bruises. We are guessing that she climbed back up by herself as most of her claws were torn and bleeding."

"What?" he growled loudly, making them cower in fear. "Is she able to stand?"

"Hey, pup? Can you stand?" the pack warrior urged.

Little Amber scratched the corner of her eye, and nodded at the guy absentmindedly.

The pack warrior put her down gently, and that was when the females in the room gasped in shock. The guy's shirt was covered in blood, and the stains came from the small girl's hands…

They also observed that Little Amber could not move her hands at will.

She was unconsciously straining herself, too.

Otherwise, it would be too painful for her…

The Alpha crouched down to her level, unfazed by the child's current appearance. "What happened? Did anyone push you into the pitfall? Tell me."

Little Amber shook her head faintly.

In all honesty, she felt relieved.

She really thought that the Alpha would get mad at her, considering that she was supposed to be back by dinner. And by the looks of it, dinner had already started. Little Amber would understand if the Alpha would scold her. After all, the words of an Alpha should not be taken lightly.

'Ah, there he is…' she said to herself after seeing a familiar face. 'I hope he is eating well.'

Little Amber was pulled out of her reverie when she felt a warm hand caressing her face, and when she looked up—it was from a lady…?

"She is the Luna, my wife," Severus told her calmly.

Oh…

"Hi," she squeaked out. Isn't it disrespectful to show herself before the pack's main leaders looking… like this?

Little Amber could not help but feel pathetic.

"Come on. I'll run you a bubble bath," urged the Luna.

The lady was… quite friendly.

Little Amber looked at the Alpha as if she was asking for his permission, and the latter only nodded in response. The Alpha could not seem to take his eyes off her injured fingers.

And the way his orbs glowed bloody red…

He looked scary.

The Luna took her arm gently, careful not to accidentally touch her injuries. "Could you please call the pack doctor over for me?" she asked her husband.

"I will do that."

"Thank you…"

Little Amber let the lady pull her along, but before they could turn to the left corner… she looked behind her, and suddenly chirped, "I won the hide and seek, Alpha. No one found me."

But as her joyful gaze swept through everyone in the dining room…

Something flickered.

There was a hint of something dangerous gleaming in her silver eyes, and there was only one person who noticed it.

No.

It was more like… something she desired for the person to see exclusively.

Little Amber's brown eyes swirling into something similar to treacherous silver daggers…

The small girl allowed only one person in the room to see that.

And that was the Alpha's son, Lukas.

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