Chapter 3
After having introduced herself to the pack members of River Severn, Little Amber now felt like a heavy load was lifted off her chest. Her short speech didn't rouse much of a reaction from the people, but she saw that some of them were no longer glaring at her.
It seems like what the Alpha said is true—a little introduction of herself, including her hobbies and expectations, will help people get to know more of her as an individual.
Little Amber toyed nervously with her fingers behind her back while waiting for the Alpha to conclude his announcement.
Hopefully, she's able to change the minds of others of her. She didn't mean any harm toward anyone.
What can a small girl like her do?
Most pack members she's seen on their way here are already adults. They're way bigger and taller than her, and it goes without saying that their strength has already reached a mature form. So, what can she possibly do them?
Her Papa once told her that werewolves, in nature, are protective and nurturing.
And each pack has their own beliefs and customs, so she must try to understand where they're coming from. After all, she doesn't belong to their pack.
Of course, the pack members are wary of her.
A faint motion caught Little Amber's attention through her peripheral vision, making her look at her left side. There, she saw the boy who held hands with the Alpha as well earlier.
He's taller than her by three inches, and he's got a short, crop haircut that sublimely complements his honey blonde, wavy locks. She couldn't help but wonder how old he was. The boy certainly looks mature for his age, and he's unlike her boy classmates at school who get easily distracted by pretty much anything.
Little Amber's mouth formed an 'O' when he suddenly looked her way.
He must have noticed that she's staring at him in awe.
However, his next words were what threw her off-guard.
"What?" he snapped. "Don't you know that staring is rude?" The boy huffed, rolling his eyes. "Especially if it's done by strangers like you."
She quickly apologized, her cheeks reddening in embarrassment. "I-I'm sorry if I've made you uncomfortable," she said quietly. Little Amber wanted to meet his gaze to show him how sincere she was, but she felt too shy to do it.
Besides, he already lectured her about her 'staring'—he might begin thinking that she was being imposing if she still strongly insisted on meeting his eyes.
She also thought that the boy sounded irritated when he talked to her, so maybe he wasn't exactly in the good mood to act friendly with her? He said it himself; that in his eyes, she was a 'stranger'.
"I wonder what Dad has seen in you," he said, clearly displeased.
Little Amber could feel him glaring daggers into her skull even though she wasn't looking.
His tone was filled with hostility and aggression.
But the boy had said something which piqued her curiosity. "Your dad?" she asked back, but this time, she looked at his t-shirt instead.
"You didn't know?" He made it sound like it should be common sense to know. "You've already made him carry you here and there. Aren't you being ungrateful?"
"The Alpha is your father…?" she stated without thinking. The Alpha never mentioned anything like that to her, and she'd admit that, until now, she was clueless about his background.
Little Amber only knew that Alphas were called Alphas because he or she was the strongest being in the pack. And now that she thinks about it, Alpha Severus is, indeed, bigger than most people here. His built is almost similar to that of her father's, but she can say that the big man in front of her right now looks buffer.
A small pout graced her lips. She'd still choose her Papa over and over though.
"Yes, and he has more important duties than carrying you around. So, quit acting like a baby." After that, he suddenly leaned closer to whisper something into her ear. "You sure talked big when you brought up trainings. That should make you a big girl now, right?"
The boy immediately backed away before she could even utter a response.
Little Amber didn't know what to do.
But the way she looked at it, she was being hated on.
She had never met a person who could do that fearlessly. Is it because he's the Alpha's son? Their age doesn't seem like too far apart, but his choice of words is something she'll usually hear straight out of the television.
And when she tried to sneak a glance at him, the boy was already back, scowling.
Little Amber pursed her lips, and looked away timidly.
She understood it now.
Perhaps, it was his way of saying that he wasn't interested in being friends with her?
Otherwise, he wouldn't have called her out so bluntly.
Then, all of a sudden, a feeling of warmth and reassurance enveloped her small hand. When she looked down at it, she saw a huge hand, gripping hers tenderly. Little Amber knew right there and then, whom it belonged to.
Alpha Severus wore a proud look on his face while giving her a gentle smile—as if he was a stage parent.
Right now, she could also feel the boy's intense eyes boring holes into the side of her head. Little Amber reluctantly pulled her hand away with a shy smile. Good thing is—the Alpha didn't pry nor read into it too much.
He let go without any complaints.
"You did well." His voice was sharp, yet adoring. "Would you like a tour?" The Alpha's gaze on her was calculating. "I haven't seen you play outside. You'll meet a lot of pups your age, and you can start building a friendship with whomever you like."
His son came to interrupt their one-sided conversation. "Dad? I thought you were going to watch me spar today?"
So, the Alpha had made prior plans with his son…
Little Amber didn't want the boy thinking that she was trying to steal his father's time and attention.
She beamed at Alpha Severus. "I can take a walk by myself nearby, Alpha."
He stared down at her with a worried expression. "Are you sure? I can assign a pack warrior to accompany you."
Little Amber shivered at the mere mention of the word 'pack warrior'.
She thinks it isn't time yet for her to meet such a person whose role in a pack is vital. Besides, only astounding werewolves usually get to have a pack warrior as their watchman. She's relatively new to River Severn as they speak, and has yet to prove her worth.
Although, she's to stay here temporarily, she can't abuse the Alpha's graces.
Her Papa used to remind her that even if they were a race of night beasts, they were still part-human, so she shouldn't always get lost in the moment, and forget her manners.
Being constantly on the receiving end of someone else's generosity has its own consequences.
"I'm fine going by myself, Alpha. Thank you for your concern."
"Don't wander too far off, alright?"
"I think she's smart enough to know that at least, Dad."
Alpha Severus would've taken his son's discernment into consideration if it weren't for the fact that he was dealing with Cain's one and only daughter here. He can't let his guard down just because Amber's now living in the same pack as him.
She's still a child, and a lot of things can happen right under his nose—not to mention that the little girl was still unstable mentally. She'll probably try looking for her parents while dawdling through the woods.
Severus studied her meek features carefully.
And she looks like an easy target for the crooks.
He's going to assign her a watchman after all.
"If you see your fellow playmates going home, then you must do the same," said the Alpha in a firm tone. "Hmm?"
Little Amber gave him an 'okay' nod.
Her objective for today was simple. She would try to observe what kind of pack a friend of her Papa had—if the system was the same, and which one had nicer places.
In terms of territorial range, West Crescent and River Severn had almost similar geographical size. The glaring differences just happened to be: River Severn was particularly surrounded by bodies of water, making it more challenging to penetrate for the rogues. Water could tamper with one's sense of smell, and that was a huge threat for all werewolves living out in the wild.
Another thing, the West Crescent Pack had a fewer pack members due to its traditions and practices. It was easier for lone wolves who craved a sense of belongingness to eye River Severn because they could join the pack as long as they worked their asses off.
The trainings and examinations that they offered were not some sort of a 'culling' method in order to determine who the best of the best was. These were just being conducted mainly to assess the capabilities and limits of each person, and see if they got skills tailored for pack warriors.
"By the way, I haven't formally introduced you to each other yet, have I?"
Little Amber tilted her head to the side.
Is the Alpha talking about… him?
The boy who kept frowning since they got here?
"Amber, this is Lukas." He ruffled his son's hair playfully. "He's my son. He's eight years old now, I believe."
The scowl on Lukas' face deepened. "You can't even say that with certainty, Dad?"
Alpha Severus stifled a laugh, and just shook his head at her. "He's one grumpy kid, you see."
"And you're forgetful," Lukas retorted back.
The small child watched the interaction between the two, amazed.
How could he talk back to his father in such a manner?
She couldn't imagine herself to be that way toward her Papa. He's too loveable, she admires every little thing about him. Training sessions with him were never boring, and those experiences allowed her to view the world more realistically—even at a young age.
That's why, every time that she spent with her father was special. They usually didn't have much since he always had to go, and do their Alpha's bidding.
'When is Papa coming to get me?'
"And Lukas, you've heard her speech already," the Alpha stated, his expression suddenly turning serious. "Her name is Amber. I'm expecting you to treat her good, okay? You may see her like a little sister."
Lukas turned to her, disinterested. "It's nice to meet you, Amber," he greeted, though flatly.
Little Amber peeked at the boy from under her thick eyelashes sheepishly. "Hello…"
She was afraid that he might say something unpleasant again. She didn't want to give Alpha Severus the impression that they were fighting. Lukas was his son after all. Naturally, the Alpha would take his side without a second thought.
Besides, some other kids might actually want to play with her. Little Amber would rather have them as friends. As long as the other party was okay with it, she would feel happy.
Lukas scrunched his nose discreetly to express his distaste, and she happened to see that.
It seemed intentional, but Little Amber couldn't possibly know that.
She was still young, and at the age where she couldn't distinguish yet all types of mockery being thrown her way. In her eyes, the boy was simply making faces because he felt like doing it. Whether he was trying to be funny and silly or teasing her—that was already beyond the small girl's comprehension.
The Alpha looked pleased when she and Lukas exchanged a few words with each other.
So, somehow, it made her feel good, too.
Then, the pack members began to disperse which prompted the Alpha to check his wristwatch.
"We'll get going now." Alpha Severus clasped his son's hand just as how he usually would hers. "I'll see you at dinner. Try to show up early, okay?"
"Hmkay," Little Amber replied, a reserved smile on her lips.
The boy didn't look too happy witnessing that, so he tugged at his father's hand. "Dad," he called out, impatient.
"I'm here," he said to him. "The three of us can walk together since we're heading to the same direction." He looked down at her, anticipative. "You want to hold hands as well?"
"Tch." It was Lukas.
Little Amber blushed profusely.
The boy wasn't even trying to hide his displeasure.
"It's just straight this way, right?" she asked, pointing to her right side. "I think I can just run…?"
The child didn't wait for the Alpha's reply.
She sprinted to the direction with all her might, leaving a bewildered Alpha, his mouth agape with incredulity.
'She seems bubbly today,' he commented to himself.
It doesn't look like she's too emotional either—unlike the past few days.
Where anyone could tell that she was listless, and wasn't being herself.
Perhaps, he'd retract his plan to send out a pack warrior to watch over that pup. Severus thought he should try to talk it out with her again to see if there was a chance that she'd change her mind about it.
After all, it would much better if she gave her consent.
That way, Cain wouldn't have to curse the shit out of him—wherever he was.
'He'd better come back alive.'
Lukas couldn't help, but feel upset with his father's demeanor. "Do you like her that much, Dad?"
"Like?" Severus repeated—as if the word was foreign to his tongue. "It's not like that."
His son's face contorted into one of confusion. "Then, do you love her?"
The Alpha threw him a weird look. "What's with the questions?" He, then, shook his head lightly. "And no, it's not like that."
"You seem very fond of her for someone who's denying his fondness for that rogue," Lukas muttered sarcastically.
His face darkened menacingly. He felt like his own boy said something foul purposely, and he wanted to confirm it. "What did you say?" he asked lowly.
A lump suddenly formed in Lukas' throat, preventing him from uttering even a single word. His windpipe had gone dry, especially when he saw the sinister look in his Dad' eyes.
It was then Lukas felt the urge to liberate his hand from his father's grip. "She's receiving quite the special treatment for a refugee, Dad. I don't understand. You even said you neither like nor love her, but you're doing the opposite? You're contradicting yourself. Is she really just a friend's daughter?" He looked hurt. Tears of frustration pooled in the corner of his eyes. "Some people say she's your daughter from another mother. Did you betray, Mom?"
Severus almost couldn't believe his ears.
Is he really hearing this?
And from his own son—no less!
"You, poor, deluded creature…" How do he even start with this? Meeting Cain's daughter wasn't planned. He'd say it was the work of fate, but going with that route—his son would never buy it. "I wouldn't call it 'like' nor 'love', Lukas," he stared directly into his eyes, "because it's more than that."
"Am I getting replaced now?" his son asked angrily, his voice cracking at the word 'replaced'. "If it's more than love, then what chances do I have left? I'm your son, Dad! And you never carried me in your arms like that!"
"Well, did you want me to?"
"No!" he screamed, almost automatically. "You've been onto her business lately, Dad. You didn't attend my spars last time, too. If I didn't butt in on your conversation with her earlier, I'm sure you would've given that Amber a tour yourself—and my spar schedule this week? All forgotten!"
"Is that the reason you've been treating her harshly, despite my reminders?"
Lukas' eyes widened, the tears threatening to spill from his eyes subsiding. "Y-you knew? How?"
Severus shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. "Can't fool this Alpha."
"Dad," Lukas whined, though his mood was lighter this time. At least, his father wasn't this playful when he was talking with that girl—and he was fine with that. He was still ahead of her in several aspects. And in addition to that, public sentiment seemed to be leaning favorably more toward his side.
He's the future Alpha of River Severn, and the pack members would back him up no matter what.
It was just that, people were disconcerted by how the current Alpha was treating 'that' child like his own. His father felt immediately drawn toward her since she came here.
And he's bending the rules a little just to accommodate her.
Who would be so happy about that?
Not Lukas, of course.
Severus had finally realized that his son was being unnecessarily jealous of Amber. Still, he was Lukas' father, and it was his job to make his family feel secure and cared for. His grip on his boy's hand tightened when he started walking, pulling Lukas along with him in the process.
Thankfully, Lukas was done being stubborn, and now going with the flow. They should arrive at the field if they walked faster. His son's sparring matches would take place there. And as much as possible, he wanted to avoid watching Lukas' spars because he didn't want his pack members thinking that he was being biased.
However…
He wasn't just an Alpha.
He was a father, too.
There shouldn't be wrong in giving your own child the moral support he needed.
"First of all, Amber has a name—and it's not 'rogue'. You were being discriminatory when you called her that earlier. Was that on purpose?" Severus questioned, without sparing his son a look.
"I just heard it from my friends and their parents," Lukas said begrudgingly. "Besides, she's currently without a pack. She's basically a—"
The boy abruptly left his sentence hanging when he realized that he was about to speak the same word his Dad just told him to avoid. "So, when you call the pack land trespassers as rogues, you're discriminating them, too?" he couldn't help, but ask.
"No," Severus replied tersely. "That's their description."
"I'm confused. How is it any different? Is it okay to utter that word as long as you're an adult?"
"It only becomes discriminatory if it's intended to harm the person in any way." The Alpha threw him a side glance. "Do you get my point?"
Lukas fell quiet after that.
His son was probably thinking over the mistakes he had done.
And that's a good thing.
"Amber is a good friend's daughter. We're not blood-related. Don't forget that."
"Is your friend that 'good' for you to grant his daughter a special attention?"
Ha.
'I thought he was done being bitter.'
Severus shook his head, chuckling. "You have no idea, son. I've been told he's the best among his lot."
"Their pack wasn't that big though?" Lukas lifted his brow. "Maybe he didn't have much competition."
"They might have a few members, but I can tell for certain that each pack warrior was refined down to their last bone." Severus had once witnessed how rigorous training sessions could be in West Crescent. It was that time when he came to visit their territory to handle pack business with Leviticus.
And one of his objectives was to give his thanks to that 'Cain' who claimed he was a member of that pack. He wasn't able to in the beginning because his wolf was growling and whining inside his head to save their mate.
He also remembered giving the man trouble as well by ordering his men to try capturing him. It wasn't a serious mission, but more of a test for those trainees.
"As for that guy…" he trailed off. "Maybe it's true that he didn't have much competition. He's the competition himself after all."
Lukas stared up at his Dad in awe.
For an Alpha to praise a normal wolf like that…?
'Is her father that exceptional?'
'Dad seems to admire him, too.'
"I shall ease each and every worry that you have on our way to the field. To address the issue of my so-called betrayal, have you seen your mother cry, thrash me, and curse the entire universe recently?"
"Huh? No…"
"That's just a short list of basic things she's entitled to do if I've come to betray her. I can even consider myself lucky if she won't castrate me. That's one in a million, son."
"C-castrate?"
"Yes," he replied, keeping a poker face on. "It's nothing in comparison to what she'll experience later on." Just by thinking about it, Severus' heart swam in different emotions. If 'that' event came to life, he knew that he would've gone mad, and lost his title as an Alpha.
He shouldn't be saying this to his son who hasn't even had his first shift, but it's good to educate him this early, and instill into his young mind the kind of mindset that doesn't tolerate negligence of a mate's well-being in all forms.
That way, Lukas won't look too gullible when it comes to such topics.
"What will Mom experience after your betrayal?" Now, the boy got too curious.
"Slow, painful death…" Alpha Severus' wolf suddenly felt a strong urge to see their mate, and shower her beautiful face with soft, reassuring kisses.
They didn't cheat on her per se, but the fact that Severus used her an example for their son to picture out the idea—it made his wolf restless. Even though he wasn't guilty of the disgusting sin, and such a thought would never cross his mind, his wolf got all worked up by this kind of discussion.
Severus noticed how Lukas had gone pale upon hearing an unfiltered answer, but he was far from being done. "Your mom will die of heartbreak."
At last, the boy burst into tears loudly as he clutched his Dad's t-shirt to wipe his snot with. He may be too young for this, and his words may have been too harsh for him to take—but that's the kind of world they live in, and Severus has to give it to his son straight.
Otherwise, his pup will keep going around, clueless and foolish.
His chest tightened at Lukas' pitiful state. As much as he wanted to comfort him, doing so would only make him cry harder. Besides, he kept acting like a big shot when he was still nowhere near from being one.
"Tone down your cries, and wipe your snot with your own t-shirt, Lukas," Severus ordered, his voice low, yet strict. A huge, wet patch has already formed on his clothing, and still, his son won't let go.
Some people are starting to look their way, though not so blatantly. He's still their Alpha, and they respect his personal affairs with his family.
It was just that—his son was creating quite a racket, and attracting a crowd of fascinated onlookers was inevitable.
The Alpha looked around, and when he found an unoccupied bench, he brought Lukas with him.
He made him sit down, and compose himself.
Severus didn't console him.
What his son just learned was the naked truth, and he should be able to discern one from now on.
"Did you get my point now? Your mother's going to be my first and last. Betrayal, infidelity, affairs, cheating—you, name it. Those words are unthinkable for us, werewolves, son. Xyla didn't accuse me of any sort. So, what made you think rumors were reliable?" The Alpha clicked his tongue, placing a hand over his hip. "You're in dire need of a new set of friends."
"No," Lukas whined stubbornly as he wiped his tears away with the back of his hand.
"By the way, no one can ever replace my son. You're getting all the wrong ideas in that thick skull of yours."
The boy was restraining his sniffles, but failing miserably.
And this time, he hasn't got a smart retort.
"Try to be gentle with Amber," Severus told him after a while. "She's quite lovely. You'll come to adore her."
"I'll try to be gentle, but I certainly won't come to the point of adoring her," his son grumbled.
"Are you done now?"
"I haven't been crying," Lukas told him with a desperate look on his face.
The Alpha almost burst into laughter, but played it cool instead—trying to follow the boy's lead. "Alright. I didn't see anything," he shrugged, feigning innocence. "Isn't it about time to head to the field? I heard that the match is about to begin soon."
"You're good at this, Dad," Lukas pointed out while looking up at him, both eyes red and puffy.
'Hasn't been crying, huh? Yeah, yeah,' Severus thought to himself.
Surprisingly, his wolf decided to ruin the fun. 'That's my pup you're goofing on,' it snapped.
'Why can't you just admit that you've been entertained just as the same?'
'I'm not like you. You're arrogant and wicked. How you've become my human counterpart is still beyond me…'
'Now, you're just being shy. You wanted me. You got me. That's all there is to it. The moon goddess knows that.'
'Bringing Selene into this…? You're shameless.'
'And you're in denial.'
His wolf barked at him angrily before leaving the conversation.
Alpha Severus shook his head.
What a handful.
This feels like he and Xyla have two pups—one is Lukas… then there's his wolf.
"Let's go, Dad."
He looked his son, up and down, then nodded his head in approval. "The top priority is for you be snot-free."
"Dad!" Lukas screamed in frustration.
"Quit the wailing. Chin up. Drop that ego. Be more aware of your position."
Lukas obeyed him wordlessly as they made their way over to the field, hand in hand.
The River Severn Pack is famous for its competitive sports culture, being the only pack in the great nation of Akkad whose all members are pack warriors. Right now, they're on the lookout for new pack members who can showcase the significance of both pain and hard work to contributing to the overall welfare of the pack.
They conduct this event at least four times a year, so aspiring members often try their luck each season.
After all, there's no rule that prevents a person from joining the admission once he or she has already failed the previous attempts.
The governing body strongly believes that there's no such thing as repetitive failures—that there's an improvement one way or the other. Hence, they're willing to give unlimited chances to everyone.
This specific activity has roused the interest of werewolves all around the world, raising River Severn's reputation at an unbelievable rate. And nowadays, other packs also begin incorporating the news and ideas, and adapt that practice as well, to produce outstanding pack warriors who can get recognized by the Werewolf King himself.
However, nothing can top the original when it comes to that.
The West Crescent Pack had been steadily gaining the recognition of the packs in their region, but before they could even bloom like a flower in the dawn—the sun never rose up for them once again.
The massacre brought people unimaginable pain, and it was very unfortunate that Alpha Severus' plan with Leviticus could no longer be made possible at any rate.
Many people were left devastated, and the chances of them being able to completely move forward were too low. After all, they were to live the rest of their lives in another pack, and they couldn't be picky for that matter, as not all packs would provide temporary shelter for refugees nor offer them a second chance at life by becoming an official pack member.
In other words, they were forced to make a decision with only one option, and that was to abandon their previous identities in the name of survival.
The pack members of West Crescent have yet to give their answer to Alpha Severus.
Whether or not they're going to stay in his pack, the choice is theirs to make.
Severus won't do anything to influence their decision, though they're very much welcome to join River Severn due to his personal ties to West Crescent. Also, he wrote to the Central Palace in behalf of the late Leviticus Santiago, informing them of the tragic incident that occurred recently.
The higher-ups may have begun wondering why they are no longer receiving correspondence from West Crescent, especially now that they're supposed to be facing the crucial process of legitimizing their own pack.
The committee had sent their condolences, but it was the Werewolf King whom had strongly expressed his disappointment in the kind of fate they went through. The Palace also asked how Severus was planning to deal with the sudden upsurge in the number of werewolves he was taking in.
After all, several factors needed to be considered first to avoid chaotic outcomes.
So, he was required to submit an action plan regarding the supply and demand issue the pack is facing right now as well. Being an official pack, yes—there's a lot of paperwork involved.
"Yikes, you're late?"
Lukas has quickly identified the owner of that high-pitched voice. "Pepper…" he grumbled in acknowledgement. "I'm not just late. I'm fashionably late. Learn the difference."
"Huh?" The girl crossed her arms. "That's way too easy. It's obvious that the difference is the word 'fashionably'."
The boy snorted.
The girl, who goes by the name 'Pepper', scowled at him. "You're so rude."
"What? I didn't do anything."
"You snorted. That's what you did."
"Is it bad to snort now?"
Pepper huffed in annoyance. "It's bad if it has a hidden meaning. Besides, it's written all over your face. You're a bad wolf."
"Why do you always pick fights with me?"
"Dunno," she responded nonchalantly. "Please don't ask for a scientific explanation. You're not my teacher."
Suddenly, another familiar face approached them two.
Her twin.
Lukas nodded at him. "Salt…"
He was older than him by two years, but he was acting like his senior. But instead of getting offended, Lukas found himself admiring the boy's character. In a way, he wanted to be even half as cool as Salt. Although, Salt and Pepper were twins, their personalities were polar opposite—it was almost befuddling.
Salt rarely speaks, so he's kind of enigmatic. On the other hand, Pepper's too boisterous, it's almost exhausting to just hear her talk.
The twins also actively attend sparring matches, even though they're younger than him.
Their father is the Gamma Chief of River Severn Pack, so it's requisite to get them started, young. Their specialty is fencing, whereas Lukas does muay thai. Therefore, they can't spar with each other since fencing involves a weapon, and his doesn't.
Armed and unarmed opponents cannot confront each other in combat to maintain fairness between matches.
That's one of the basic rules.
So, no matter how Lukas had been wanting to test Salt's strength, it was up to his imagination how he'd weigh their skills against each other.
Watching him spar doesn't help much, too.
Salt looked at him briefly before greeting his father.
Why can't he be properly greeted as a friend!?
"I'll be looking forward to your performances," Alpha Severus gave them a thumbs up.
Pepper giggled excitedly. "Thank you, Alpha."
"We won't disappoint," was Salt's frigid reply.
Lukas grinned at his Dad before they walked to their own groups together. Even though he's got an Alpha blood in him, his attention span is still that of a normal child. He has almost forgotten about his disliking toward Amber, now that he's seeing a lot of familiar faces, and good friends.
Lukas held his head high, proudly.
'This is what you call culture.'
No one would feel out of place if everyone shared the same upbringing and interests. If 'she' can't handle the way things are here, then 'she' should voluntarily relieve herself from the preferential treatment his Dad was giving her.
The trainer blew his whistle. "Assemble, young warriors."
The kids didn't have to be told twice after hearing the instruction. The average age for the kids to start their training was five. For some packs, that would still be considered too young. The normal qualifying age was based on when the pup had his first transformation—and that would be usually around eleven to fourteen years old.
So, the qualifying age remains a case-to-case basis for most packs out there. It's the optimal form one pup can ever take on to handle the drills. The drills may differ from pack to pack, but these drills are still similar in one aspect.
These are training exercises that can only be accomplished by someone who's already connected to his wolf.
Such sessions require indomitable stamina and incredible strength.
And an inner wolf's participation is vital to executing the drills to not sustain muscle injuries or bone fractures.
Hence, to date, River Severn is still being criticized for their certain traditions. People are claiming that what they're doing is outright abuse that can affect a child's thinking as he grows older. Another accusation says that River Severn can't exactly throw away 'that' practice because they're already allowing it deliberately, knowing the repercussions, just for the pack's sake. Some people also claim that they're robbing the pups off the childhood they deserve by putting mental strain and political burden on their shoulders at a young age.
This subject had been raised to the Central Palace.
However…
The complaints were dismissed after the preliminary investigation.
The reason?
The Werewolf King prefers the best versions of all wolves.
And it if it was through drastic measures that River Severn was able to produce excellent pack warriors, then it was case closed.
Meanwhile…
Little Amber felt content with herself as she explored the nearby areas, surrounding the pack house. She was able to discover two playgrounds along the way, where the other kids screamed and played with each other joyfully.
Though she was envious, and hoping she could join them—she could only bite her lower lip to try and suppress the growing desire inside her to interact with them.
And when she came to notice that some kids had their parents with them, she fell further into a gloomy state.
So, to divert herself from drowning in despair, she just decided to traverse the neighborhood, and entertain herself with plants or flowers, and buildings or architectures.
Actually, Little Amber could say that theirs looked a little modernized than River Severn, though her pack was a little lacking in terms of environmental representation.
Here, she was able to see things that she hadn't seen before, such as green plantations, flowerbeds, and tree houses even.
Everything that she'd seen so far was pleasing to the eye.
"Hey, isn't she the adopted daughter of the Alpha?"
"Why is she here…"
"She's walking alone, too. Did the Alpha abandon her already?"
"Come on. Let's talk to her."
"Mommy will be mad…"
"We don't have to play with her. Let's just see how she looks like closer?"
"Don't you think she might attack us?"
"Huh? She's the same age as us. Can she do that alone?"
"I think it's okay. We can overwhelm her in numbers…"
"Who wants to go approach her first? We'll follow you afterward."
"I'll go second."
"Can't we just go together?"
"No. If the first person gets attacked, then we can still make run for it…?"
"Oi, that's selfish. Our trainer was going to scold you hard if she heard you."
"Isn't it common sense to get yourself to safety first?"
"Come on. We're a pack. At the end of the day, we can't think of just ourselves."
"I bet you stole that quote from one of the strongest pack warriors…"
"You're wrong. I came up with it by myself—and just now."
"I don't believe you…"
"Hey, let's decide now while our parents aren't coming to fetch us yet."
"I want to go last."
"Eh? I was about to say that, too!"
"Your fault for being slow then…"
The pups from River Severn who came from the playground were too absorbed in passing on the quest to each other that another group of kids appeared, and beat them to it.
Little Amber was standing below an ash berry tree, and staring up at the fruits with a passion.
She felt herself drooling at the sight of them.
She looked around, wondering if the plant was owned by a certain house. It was a free tree, then she wouldn't hesitate to climb up the tree, and help herself to some.
Little Amber was in deep thought that she was startled when a familiar voice called out her name.
"Amber? Amber!"
"You're here!? Wow!"
She turned to see who it was, and her heart raced upon recognizing two faces that she'd only met at school once. "Pepper…?" she mumbled in shock. She was with her twin brother, too.
…and Lukas?
Why are they together?
Do they know each other?
Pepper ran toward her, squealing, then crushed her into a warm hug. "Did you miss me? Resume of classes has yet to be announced, so I'm focusing on my training in the meantime…" She searched her face curiously. "You don't look too good."
Her friend bombarded her with so much information that she was only able to process a piece of it.
"You live here?" Little Amber asked, still amazed. "Is this your pack?"
"Yes, I'm a proud River Severner…"
Salt grunted from the background. "Such a word doesn't exist," he muttered, not intending to be heard by his sister—but still got heard.
"Mind your own business!" Pepper said in a huff before she held her hand sincerely. "Can we go play?"
Play…?
Warmth slowly engulfed Little Amber's heart.
She can now forget the ash berry's existence in peace.
Of course, she wants to play.
"Hmm…" She nodded eagerly, though she was a bit hesitant because of Lukas' presence.
Pepper beamed at the two boys. "We've got four now. I'll invite those kids over there, too…"
"Whatever," Salt mumbled under his breath.
All the while, the son of Alpha Severus was silent.
"Come on." Pepper pulled her along. "Let's recruit more joiners at the playground because the more—the merrier! They're actually our neighbors. Let me introduce you to them…"
"Okay," she replied shakily.
And it wasn't because she felt nervous that she was shaking, but because she'd never felt so ecstatic about the idea of playing before.
And Pepper said they were her friends.
Little Amber began thinking that her friends might have kind hearts, too…
As the two of them went to recruit more players, the other two that were left behind started a conversation.
"How did you know her? Was it from the pack announcement?" Lukas asked Salt seriously.
"A classmate."
"At Woodridge?"
"Yes."
"And you guys have known each other only for a day…" Lukas drawled.
Salt raised a brow at him. "What's wrong about that?"
"Aren't you too trusting?"
"We're kids. She's a kid. You don't make sense."
"I'm saying she's from another pack."
"Is that enough credit to discriminate against her?"
"I'm not—!" Lukas stopped himself right there.
Somehow, there was a similarity between Salt and his father's words, and he was beginning to contemplate if it was them who were being too relaxed, or he was being the bad guy here.
"We're back! We have ten players now! We're playing hide and seek—what do you say?"
Salt shrugged as if the nature of the game didn't matter to him at all.
Lukas suddenly remembered that Amber had mentioned in her speech that she was good at playing that game. So, a cunning plan was formed inside his head.
"How about this? Amber will be the it since it's her first time playing with us?"
Little Amber looked at him curiously.
It was the first time that she heard her name straight out of his lips.
"Eh?" Pepper was so against the idea. "I want to hide together with her on the first round."
Little Amber gave her friend's hand a light squeeze. "That's fine. I want to do this, too."
To be honest, playing the it gives her a sense of superiority.
After all, she gets to hunt.
"Does your pack have any specific rules for the game?" she inquired, becoming more pumped up.
Lukas was watching her intently, but Little Amber was oblivious to it.
"We can look for a hiding spot as far as a mile, but don't worry! Nobody goes off that far…"
'I might though...?' Little Amber thought inwardly.
"The first person that you catch will be the next it. If you fail to locate everyone within thirty minutes, however, you'll remain the it for the next round," Pauline explained with a small smile. Her family owns the ash berry trees around these parts. She said that she'd give her a basket of fruits after the game since she caught her eyeing the ash berries for quite some time.
"Can you do that? Win it for me, please?" Pepper showed her a puppy look.
"Okay…" she smiled softly.
"Tch, you gotta be more confident than that." The side comment was from Lukas.
Little Amber reminded herself that it would be better to ignore him.
Then, maybe one day, the boy would do the same.
"Let's start?"
She nodded meekly. "I'll count one to ten then."
"Don't peek!" Pauline giggled while slowly backing away.
"No problem."
Little Amber hadn't even started counting when all the other kids started to run for their lives. She let out a small chuckle as she covered her eyes with her two small hands, and began counting.
Her heart felt calm and light right now.
She didn't think that she'd meet Salt and Pepper in River Severn.
Accepting Alpha Severus' terms was starting to look more attractive to her now.
Little Amber was so lost in her thoughts she was already at fifteen, so she quickly uncovered her eyes, and turned around.
No one's in sight now.
Where should she start?
Oh…
Of course, the basics… that her Papa had taught her.
Little Amber sighed out loud, and then when she was focused enough—she inhaled sharply.
Their scents… gave away their locations so easily.
The nearest person to her was a little over two hundred meters away from her spot.
And it was toward the western part of the woods.
She gave herself more time to memorize their scents before she sprinted to the west like a raging mammal. Her pupils dilated when she heard an extremely faint movement just behind the oak tree.
She smiled to herself as she stalked toward the tree, silently wishing that her hunch was correct.
Her finger gun was ready.
Then, she abruptly jumped into the person's line of sight, and yelled, "Bang!"
Ah…?
Little Amber and Lukas blinked at each other stupidly.
"Anyone else who got caught first?"
"You're the first person…" she muttered.
She was in disbelief, too.
"What?" Lukas looked irritated. "Whatever. I'll bounce back anyway." Then, when he saw that she wasn't moving, he glared at her. "What are you waiting for? Go find the rest!"
She wasn't able to give him a proper response because her legs moved on their own automatically when she saw how pissed Lukas was.
Two people were found hiding at the western part as well, while the other six were scattered in the east.
Little Amber arrived back at the meeting place within eighteen minutes with tiny beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
She's successfully beaten the first round.
"I knew you could do it!" Of course, Pepper was the first to celebrate her win.
"Who's the it now?" Pauline asked, interested.
"Me."
Everyone, except for Amber, turned to Lukas in shock.
Salt didn't care one bit as he was busy picking his nose.
"Are you serious?"
Lukas' face reddened. "I'll count now—one, two…"
"Hey, wait!"
Everyone fled the area in haste.
Little Amber and Pepper didn't get to be together because his brother pulled her along with him as soon as Lukas began counting.
And since she gets to be alone for this round, that means she can decide all by herself where she wants to hide. She could hear the flow of water from the northeastern direction, so she quickly headed there.
And while choosing the best bush to hide in… Little Amber slipped and fell into a deep pitfall.
"Huh?" she mumbled to herself.
When she looked up above, the light coming from there wasn't that prominent.
That only means that the pitfall she fell into was too deep.
Her chest palpitated wildly.
Lukas is the son of the Alpha. He should be able to find her location, right?
Little Amber tried to feel the soil surrounding her, and found that it was slimy. She tried to climb back up, only to fall back down again.
And it was because of the slimy substance that someone had placed in there.
However, that didn't stop her from trying to scramble upward.
Why is there a pitfall here anyway…?
Until five minutes had passed.
Then, ten minutes…
Fifteen…
'He's going to lose if he fails to find me,' she stated to reassure herself.
Little Amber felt like she had been struggling for almost an hour already, but still, nothing came.
She was about to scream for help when, suddenly, a shadow hovered over the hole above her.
And it was Lukas'.
But…
There was something different in him.
His gaze was rather cold—and ruthless.
She called out to him. "Lukas…?"
"I'll pretend I didn't see you here."
And with that, he walked away, leaving her completely dumbfounded.