The journey to Lover’s Pass is a vast area of beautiful lands that is close to human territories to the west, but it’s a place where many wolves gather to make alliances and create bonds between their wolves that are in search for a mate. My pack has gone there every mating season to acquire healthy females and capable males. I went there when I was still a year-old pup but I was not part of the mate-finding-mate tradition yet. It was to be this season where I would be expected to join in the search. I never would have thought that I would be heading there now with my mate.

After my dream with my father, I feel more confident and prouder about the choice I made and I’m a bit giddy about when Nightfang and I would become intimate. He is not experienced in mating, but neither am I so it’ll be a new experience for both of us. I hope he will not be disappointed when we do mate.

“Actually, I never did ask why you all are there at Lover’s Pass so early in the mating season.” I ask simply.

“It’s so Mysticmoon can find a mate and take on the alpha position in your place,” Fierceclaw answers before he pauses and then continues, “temporarily, of course.”

“Mysticmoon is taking my place in my stead?” I ask curiously. “He was against becoming alpha when I had asked him after Father passed away.” I remember.

“Your mother has ways to persuading others.”

“Ah, yes,” I say as I remember that awfully too well. “but…if he’s finding a mate…what about you?” I whisper my question.

“What about me?” He asks sternly as he walks ahead of me. “There’s nothing to worry about in terms of that…”

“I beg to differ.” I say with stern eyes.

Suddenly I notice Nightfang is on edge as he turns around. I don’t smell anything in the air, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t someone following us.

“What is it, outsider?” Sweetsong asks him bitterly. I glower at her and she glares back.

“They’re here.” He says as he lowers himself into a fighting stance and growls.

“Where?” Fierceclaw asks as he looks around and doesn’t see anything, neither do I.

“They walk in the shades of the trees. They are mostly black and dark gray wolves. They sometimes can’t be seen, but I hear them, I smell them, I sense them following us like shadows.”

“Then, approach them and fight them, oh Son of the Infamous Blackfang.” Sweetsong says out of spite.

“That is enough, Sweetsong!” I yell as I growl at her.

Suddenly, wolves come from out of the brush of the forests near us and circle us before standing menacingly at us. Most of them are as Nightfang described, as dark as the night with only a few that are lighter in color. The biggest one, I remember. Wildclaw.

“If it isn’t the runt of the litter, Nightf**.” The term was harsh and my pack never used it, preferring to use the term “flawed.” Although, as I became more and more aware of my own gracefulness, I hated that term too, as I realized it was no better than any other terms others used to describe us. I was suddenly taken aback by the term when I remembered that Nightfang had told me his pack had not been aware of his gracefulness, at least that’s what he had relayed to me. “How cute, you have a mate now, huh?”

“Shut up, don’t get these wolves involved. I’m the one you should focus on.” Nightfang says angrily.

“Who we do and don’t rough up isn’t your call.” He says with a toothy grin. “So, have you fucked him yet, you miserable excuse for a wolf?”

“You have no right to say that, you uncultured prick!” I say loudly with as much confidence as I can muster. Wildclaw looks at me with an expression that speaks just how much desire he has to kill me. Nightfang looks over to me with a worried expression. He did not wish for me to get involved, but we’re friends, we are mates, we are a pack. “You are not even the alpha of the Fang pack; you have no right to be calling any orders.”

“You little—” Wildclaw says before Nightfang makes a brash move to attack me with his jaws, biting down on a piece of his muzzle. The two fight amongst themselves as the other wolves’ cheer on their own. I attempt to head into the fray, but Sweetsong and Fierceclaw reason me against it. When Nightfang is sent to the ground and about to be ripped apart by the brutish Wildclaw, a voice calls out from the forest.

“What is going on here!?” A voice booms. A mighty black wolf with a white patch of fur under his chin and a smaller wolf with a meek personality approach the scene. The smaller one doesn’t seem to like confrontations as he hides behind the larger wolf.

“Nightfang!” The smaller one says as he runs up to Nightfang happily. He licks and nuzzles him and I realize quickly that it is his brother, Roguefang.

“What were you trying to do, Wildclaw?” The black wolf asks.

“Nothing, just some harmless fun, Crescentpaw.” Wildclaw feigns innocence, the bastard.

“That didn’t look like it to me.” Crescentpaw says before biting and tossing Wildclaw aside and roughing him about like Wildclaw had done to Nightfang. Before Wildclaw could even address the matter again with a much more honest response, Crescentpaw puts his paw on his throat and looms over his victim menacingly.

“Crescentpaw,” Roguefang approaches the larger wolf without any fear or caution. “let him go. I think he understands now.”

“No, he does not.” Crescentpaw pushes his paw harder on Wildclaw’s throat, the other wolves watching in horror as their comrade begs for his life. He looks as if the life he is clutching onto is slipping away slowly. Roguefang takes action and pushes Crescentpaw off of his beta wolf. Wildclaw finally takes another breath of life. He gets up slowly and limps a bit as he backs away from Crescentpaw.

“This is no longer a warning,” Roguefang says with a glare, “leave this pack with your life or don’t and face the edge of death again.” Wildclaw does not hesitate before heading off, but not without glaring at Nightfang, Roguefang, and Crescentpaw. The beta wolves that had surrounded us, leave with Wildclaw, their loyalty obviously not with the Fang pack. It was probably the reason why Roguefang did not banish Wildclaw in the first place. The rest of their pack stays, about thirteen wolves in total.

“Brother,” Roguefang says as he approaches Nightfang, “you’ve been gone for four seasons. Where have you been?”

“Where else would I be?” Nightfang asks bitterly. “The thought of staying within the Fang pack after what had happened? It was stifling and awful. I had to leave.”

“You never told us.” Roguefang says softly. “We would have done something long ago, had you told us.” Crescentpaw approaches us, his presence more like a dominating force rather than a comforting one.

“I would have killed them long before.”

“Crescentpaw.” Roguefang says with a glare.

“I would have done it where you wouldn’t have had to witness it, of course.” Crescentpaw says simply.

“That’s not what I meant.” Roguefang says as he rolls his eyes.

“I know.” Crescentpaw says as he turns his gaze towards the mountains.

“Look, I’m not coming back.” Nightfang says aggressively. “Just leave already.”

“Nightfang, this is your brother whom you haven’t seen for quite some time. At least talk with him.” I say. “You have this opportunity to see your family, a chance I have been waiting for. Talk to him, please.” Nightfang’s expression suddenly becomes milder before it softens.

“So, this is your new love interest?” Crescentpaw notices.

“It’s within his tastes.” Roguefang comments. Crescentpaw nods.

“This is why I don’t want to talk to them.” Nightfang explains as he marches off in the opposite direction. I trail behind him, trying to keep up with his pace as Sweetsong and Fierceclaw stay with the Fang pack.

Perhaps I shouldn’t have made him speak with them…

“Nightfang! Wait!” I say before he stops in his tracks.

“I don’t want them to tell you about how I was in the pack or what happened. I want to tell you.” He says softly. “They’re a pain…”

“I understand. I’m sorry I was pushing you to talk with them.” I say sadly.

“No, it’s okay. I understand why you want me to. Family is important, it is. I just…” I nuzzle under his chin, preventing him from talking and whimper a bit for his attention. “Snowheart…?”

“Call me by my other name…” I say softly as I whine.

“Love…” He says softly. We sit there together for a moment just breathing each other’s scent, feeling the warmth of our bodies, hearing our beating hearts. I nuzzle my face against his and feel him nuzzling against mine.

“Brother,” We hear Roguefang say softly, “I hate to interrupt but…”

“If you hate to interrupt, why are you doing so?” I ask a bit bitterly as I feel disappointed that we cannot continue what we had started. Nightfang leaves me and turns his attention to his brother who looks a bit anxious.

“What is it Roguefang?” Nightfang asks.

“Well, it’s just…maybe you can explain to me what happened between you and that—”

“Asshole.” Crescentpaw says dully.

“Crescentpaw!” Roguefang paws his friend and grumbles.

“It’s not like I’m lying. That guy was a complete asshole.”

“Yes, but we’re in the presence of Nightfang’s mate.” Roguefang says with a growl.

“I suppose I don’t mind. That brute certainly was an asshole.” I say simply. Crescentpaw smiles at me before he gets pawed again by his smaller counterpart. Nightfang turns to me and looks completely flabbergasted by my comment before he slowly begins to smile at my comfortable state of being amongst them and by the looseness of my mouth.

“So, what happened?” Roguefang asks. Nightfang turns to me and sighs.

“Wildclaw noticed my attraction towards…” Nightfang turns to me and looks a bit nervous. “Another male wolf…”

“Why didn’t you tell me beforehand?” His brother asks.

“I didn’t want anyone to know,” Nightfang says softly, “I could barely admit it to myself. Look, it’s in the past now. Now you both know.”

“We care about you, Nightfang. This doesn’t change anything.” Crescentpaw says happily.

“Of course,” Roguefang says with a smile, “you are my brother, I will always be there for you.”

Nightfang nuzzles his brother and thanks Crescentpaw for his support as well. The two Fang members then look at me with bright eyes and smile.

“You’ve got good taste in males.” Crescentpaw comments. I become a bit self-conscious and embarrassed as I hear the compliment. Instead of Nightfang becoming overprotective or flustered, he looks over to me and smirks.

“I do, don’t I?” He says haughtily. I roll my eyes and head off in the opposite direction. He quickly follows after me after saying goodbye to his brother and Crescentpaw. I notice when he brushes against me before he runs ahead of me and lowers his upper body and raises his rump in the air to signal me to play. At first, I hesitate but his charm seems to appease my frustrations with his previous comment. I smile and lower my body in the same position before he runs off to commence our game of chase. He laughs as he and I try to pin each other down. Several times he evades my attempts to do so before I capture his ear softly in between my teeth. I pin him to the ground as I had before when I had awakened from the dream with my father and I lie down on him as I lick his face over and over again.

He looks at me happily before he nuzzles me. I get off him and lie on my back beside him. The shade is nice on a hot day such as this. We breathe softly beside one another and I think that this peace is the most glorious thing we have experienced together since we met.

“He was a timber wolf.” Nightfang suddenly says.

“Huh?” I ask curiously.

“There was a timber wolf named Lone Hunter. I was a year old when I realized I was attracted to him. He was a couple months older than me. Before I left the pack, I confessed to him but he didn’t return my feelings and he was repulsed by the fact that I was graced…”

“Nightfang…I’m sorry…”

“No, it’s okay. I have you beside me. I’m happier than I have ever been.” Nightfang admits proudly as he looks at me with the fondest look that he has possibly ever given me. “Wildclaw had an owl eavesdrop on our conversation and practically blackmailed me into leaving the pack least he and his buddies kill me. I never told my brother and just left. I never turned back. It’s been a year since I’ve seen him and he’s still the same, no backbone, which is why Crescentpaw is the ‘background’ alpha. He’s my brother’s backbone. He is the strongest and largest of our pack. I’m thankful he is watching over my brother.” Nightfang says happily.

“He seems a bit brutish though.”

“He protects those he cares for and will not take kindly to assholes. In fact, he won’t bat an eye after killing another fellow wolf. I’ve seen him do it, too. But, I suppose, I rather have him the way he is than like my brother, otherwise, what would happen to the Fang pack?” Nightfang shakes his head and looks at the passing clouds.

I suddenly become a bit antsy and get back up to lay on top of Nightfang. I look at him with fond eyes and place my head onto his chest with a whine.

“Is everything okay?” He asks nervously.

“We have continually gotten interrupted.” I say softly.

“Oh.” Nightfang says as he nervously averts my gaze.

“Can we talk about it, now?” I ask with a whine.

“Wow…you’ve really changed…” Nightfang comments with a nervous laugh. “I would have never thought you’d actually be asking me this, to be honest.”

“And now, it seems my flirting is making you flustered.” I smirk.

“So, you are doing it on purpose.”

“Oh, of course.” I say as I wag my tail and place my back paw on a very sensitive spot between his legs. He lets out a whimper and moves to his side, forcing me to get off of him. He turns his head away from me as I am sure he is hiding his nervousness.

“You’re really making me crazy, Love.” He says nervously as he tries to calm down.

“Isn’t that what I’m supposed to do?” I ask seductively.

“I’m just not used to being the one teased…” Nightfang admits shyly.

“I’m not teasing, I’m flirting.” I explain as I nuzzle him softly.

“I can’t tell the difference.” He says with a nervous laugh.

“Are you having second thoughts? Do you not want to mate with me?”

“No! No, I’m not having second thoughts, it’s just…” Nightfang says quickly. “I want to do this right. I want to make sure this is really what you want.” Although the first time I had met Nightfang, I had assumed he was just eager to mate with anyone without a second thought and he’d attempt to mount me by force, I begin to realize just how much he respects and cherishes me. I whimper as I nuzzle against him softly.

“Thank you for being so considerate, Nightfang.” I say happily.

“Well I—” He begins but I lick his mouth and smile at him.

“But I know what I want now,” I say, “and I want you to give it to me.”

I wasn’t entirely sure of it before, but as Nightfang looks at me with an astonished expression, I am most definitely sure of it now. Nightfang is completely paralyzed by my flirting and seductive actions and words. Although he was once fairly confident in doing the same to me, when I do it to him, he seems dazed and captured by me.

“Okay.” He says nervously.