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Tavor is ambitious to his core, and he’s crafty, too. When he spots weakness, he seizes it, and right now, Kian is my weakness. It was one thing to be a human raised by the pack. But to start bringing in other humanoids, to spend time with them and even to be affectionate for them…
For a wolf like Tavor, who’s suspicious of everyone, it suggests a split loyalty. And any attempt I make to explain that it isn’t will only convince him of it more.
Kian drops his hand. “What’s their deal?”
Once again, I think about explaining the tensions at play to Kian. But no. Better to let him play and heal and have fun. He doesn’t need to know about that kind of thing.
“Don’t worry about them.” I face Tavor and speak to him. “You have friends. Mates even. Do I stare at you when you’re with them?”
Tavor stands there and stares. The other wolves behind seem nervous. Is he about to defy me?
“Go on, then!” I bark at him. “Unless you have something to say.”
There’s another pause. He takes a step forward, and I realize that he might very well be about to challenge me, or maybe worse.
But at that very moment, the tension is interrupted. Alfa bursts into the clearing, surrounded by several of the younger cubs. She leads them on a chase before sitting down expectantly in front of Kian.
“Oh, no,” Kian says. “You’ve got friends with you now? Well, now I’m really gonna have a hard time. A fearsome warrior like you, and I’m outnumbered, too!”
Alfa bounds happily around him. Kian laughs.
Tavor steps back. The tension is clearly gone. It isn’t just that no one wants to fight in front of children. It’s that right now, Kian is doing a wonderful job with the pups. Treating him as an enemy and a threat to the pack while he’s laughing and letting several pups lick him would be ridiculous.
But there’s no question that this isn’t over. The other adults might let Kian’s kindness sway them. Tavor hasn’t. And he will find another opportunity to strike.
When he does, I’ll be ready for him. I’ll have to be, one way or the other.
“Well, if all of you are going to attack me at once, there’s only one thing for me to do,” Kian says. “Time to run!”
With that, he spins on his heel and sprints off into the woods. He manages to go faster than I expected, crashing through obstacles that I would have avoided. Immediately, the pack of kids is after him. One or two of the friendlier adults follow Kian and the pack of kids, ready to join in the play with them. Some others follow with a little more distance, obviously to keep an eye on things.
That leaves me alone with Tavor and a few of the wolves who are closer to him. He continues to look at me, then turns away and stalks off.
“This doesn’t have to go any further,” I bark after him. “I won’t do anything if you don’t.”
But he doesn’t say anything. I don’t really expect him to. I just want that to be said.
I stand there alone in the clearing for a few seconds, making up my mind about what to do next. Really, there’s only one good answer.
I take off after Kian and the kids. Let’s find out which one of us is really the best at running. I think I can keep ahead of those kids longer than he could hope to.
20
KIAN
You’d never be able to tell that winter is coming,I think to myself as sunlight glitters down onto the mountains.
The wolves are playful and are clearly enjoying the run as we make our way up and between the craggy mountainside.
Amara is up ahead of me, and she is practically sprinting up the side of the mountain to the delight of the younger wolves who consider it a competition and are racing her.
I move more slowly, content with examining the world around me and becoming accustomed to the place that has very quickly become my home.
This is home now,I think to myself. The thought is almost comforting, and I stop to pet Safira, who has elected to walk slowly with me and Alfa.
Safira was slower to warm up to me, but after observing my interactions with Alfa, she seems to have made up her mind that I am not a usurper in the pack.
She seems to view me as a friend. And the thought that she does has never made me happier.
