The moon cast a gentle light over the river and crickets chirped softly in the distance. It was late, and I knew that I should be sleeping, but something had awoken me. My eyes lazily peeled open as I heard footsteps approaching, it was odd to hear someone out and about at this time. Suddenly, a pair of hand gently scooped me up into the air. I let out a sleepy whine, wondering what was happening. Surely Lola couldn’t need something at this hour. I yawned, blinking slowly. I was level with their face, but it was so dark I couldn't make out who they were.
It wasn't Lola.
I just hung there, gazing at this stranger as they held me. I couldn't keep my eyes more than halfway open, sleep tugging at my fur and weighting down my bones. I watched as the person drew close and buried their face in the soft fur of my belly. I wiggled half-heartedly, too weak to truly protest. I'd never let anyone do this besides Chelsea, the action far too intimate for my liking. Despite this, I eventually drifted back to sleep as this person cradled me in their arms.
The empty feeling I'd grown used to was what woke me again.
I twitched back into the waking world, breathing heavily. It was extremely cold, the fur that usually warms me as I slept clung to my thin frame as I laid on my back. The room spun around me for a minute, making it hard to focus.
Rolling over, I shakily rose to my feet. I looked around, confused as to why I was in an someone's room, laying on their bed. Usually only higher ranked people in the pack had them. Little side caves with doors to have some privacy, a real bed and dresser that only the alpha, his mate and the beta had access to. The she-wolves with pups or expecting pups slept in the nesting area while the gammas all rested anywhere they could claim.
"Hello there." I jumped, turning around. Moving too quickly proved to be a mistake as I fell onto my side, dizzy and unable to gather any air into my lung. I must have been whining because a gentle hand slipped through my fur and someone was gently murmured soothing things. I looked up at who it was, their face unfamiliar.
He was tall, but everyone was tall to me, his hair was a soft brown and skin a tan color most warriors or hunters had from being outside the cave for hours on end. It was a pain to get sunburn under your fur, an even bigger one to transform with one. When you're pale like me, it happens often. Most wolves in my pack didn't burn, unlike me.
My old pack, I thought unhappily.
"Such a serious look for such a small pup." The man said with a pleasant smile, running a gentle finger over my forehead. I looked back up at him, giving a playful nip to his fingers. It was weak, and I barely aimed, but he gave a soft chuckle. The general unease and the knowledge that something was off disappeared for a moment. It was rather nice to just lay there, the normal pain dulled even if it was only for a second.
I didn't know who this was, there was no way for me to ask, but I wasn't too upset about being alone with them. I was vaguely suspicious of them and overall weary, but I didn't try to get away as they scratched under my chin. I was certain that if anyone else tried to do this, even Lola, I'd growl and scuttle away. Right then, I was just too tired and rather confused to do much more than let out a small bark of apprehension.
He laughed at me again before scooping me up. I let out a squeak of surprise and annoyance, kicking my legs gently to show my displeasure. He just gently folded my legs under my body and supported my chest, so I wouldn't feel uncomfortable or like I'd fall out of his hold. I huffed but settled down, his arms were warmer than the rest of the room.
The gentle words and the slow swaying were enough to make me doze off, but before I could truly fall asleep, the door gently swung open to see Lola quietly pad inside. Interested, my ears perked up, but I didn't lift my head out of where it was buried in the man's elbow.
There was a small thump and the bed creaked a little. I raised my head up to see Lola laying on her side and gazing at me with warm eyes. She was spread out in the same way she'd lay down to feed her pups. I was confused for a moment before the man set my down on the bed besides Lola.
I looked back and forth between the two, before realizing what they wanted me to do. I whined and sunk down onto my belly, pressing my snout into the blankets beneath me. I heard a soft sigh and I was lifted by my midsection, then set down right next to Lola. I grumbled and simply didn't move, I wasn't going to act childish even if I looked like a pup.
"C'mon." The man encouraged.
I ignored him.
There was another sigh and Lola sat up before shifting, frowning sadly down at me. I whined and turned away, not liking the pity in her eyes. She turned to the man. "I told you it wouldn't work. He never feeds."
"I thought that it could have been he didn't like to do it with all the other pups." The man said, reaching out to push a hand through my fur again. I gave his hand a small lick and curled around the warm extremity. "We'll just have to try again later."
"But-" Lola went to protest, her cocoa face drawn with worry.
"Later." The man repeated firmly. Lola sighed and stood to leave. I really liked Lola, but I didn't like the way she fussed over me. I might not be able to shift, but if they could just clue in then this whole thing could be solved.
A scary thought suddenly occurred to me. What if I was the only wolf that had ever been this small without being a pup? Back at my pack no one had said anything about it, sure I was called a runt once or twice but surely, I couldn't be the only one?
I'm going to starve to death.
"It's alright," he said, as if sensing my discomfort. "We'll figure this out." Unconvinced, I simply pressed myself under his hand in search of more belly rubs.
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