Wolves of the Falling Stars Book 4: The Return

Chapter 24

Strong Boulder hung his head out of the den's opening. It was the closest he could get to escaping the drama occurring in the nursing den. For once, his family was not the source, but rather, Small Fox and her "pups." The news had broke fast once the secret finally slipped out that Quiet Ocean and Snow Fall were Lily Petal, not Small Fox's pups. With no reason to hide it anymore, the wolves carried on no longer keeping the secret, and pups like Strong Boulder, who had never known this to begin with, was reveling in the fact that he had even more reasons to tease Quiet Ocean and her brother, including being the pups of an omega.

Unfortunately, Small Fox and her adopted son and daughter were often bickering these days or sitting in complete silence. It made for an awkward environment, and mostly Strong Boulder was longing for the day that he could train. Though the alphas had announced that training schedules would be moved up, Strong Boulder still had some time to spend in the nursing den.

Today what bothered Strong Boulder was not the fighting between Small Fox and her adopted pups or even the fact he was stuck inside instead of training, but that he was witnessing his father talking quite normally with Copper Rock. A low growl arose from the pup's throat. Didn't his father know that it wouldn't do well to be seen with a dog? 

He had seen the two together often lately. Strong Boulder couldn't imagine why. Shining River said that he was one of the best wolves in the pack, but clearly he couldn't be if he liked to spend time with one of the few dogs in the pack. While a thought lingered in the back of Strong Boulder's mind that it could be jealousy, he convinced himself that it was just seeing the two interacting that angered him. Shining River would never stand for it.

"Hey, I see Dad. Can I go talk to him?" Strong Boulder asked his mother.

Shining River frowned. "I don't know. He doesn't like you pups bothering him..."

"Just for a minute?" Strong Boulder begged. His sister, Tall Willow, was fast asleep beside her mother, so it was not if when he went Tall Willow would be desperate to join him.

"Fine," Shining River murmured. "But he might not want to talk--"

Strong Boulder ignored the rest of her speech. He was already setting off toward his father, who had just ended his conversation with Copper Rock. As soon as Feather Wings' eyes settled on his son, he frowned. Already, Strong Boulder was angered by this.

"What are you doing out of the den? You know it isn't safe," Feather Wings murmured.

"Visiting Silver Snowflake," Strong Boulder lied. "But I saw you so I wanted to say hi!"

"And now you have, but you should head on to the den, then. I know your grandmother is beta but that doesn't give you the excuse to wander around as you like. There is a serious threat and--"

"Why are you talking to Copper Rock?" Strong Boulder asked.

Feather Wings blinked. 

"Why are you talking to him?" Strong Boulder repeated. "I get bored in the den so I like to stick my head out and watch all the other wolves. You talk to him a lot."

"Our parents are close, so naturally we were all friends when we were younger," Feather Wings explained. "He's known me since the day I was born."

"Well, he's a dog," Strong Boulder murmured. "Why would you spend so much time with a dog?"

"Our alphas are dogs. You say it like it's an insult," Feather Wings said.

"Well, Shining River says that the dogs are ruining this pack, and that they--" He was silenced by Feather Wing's tail covering his mouth. Horror reflected back in the eyes of Feather Wings, though Strong Boulder wasn't entirely sure why. He was only repeating the truth from his mother's lips.

"Come with me," Feather Wings said, leading his son to the edge of the dens, away from a listening ear.

Strong Boulder was excited at first. Finally, some one-on-one time between him and his father. Yet, when they came to a halt, he could see disappointment and anger reflected in his father's eyes.

"I don't know what your mother is telling you--wait, actually, I know exactly what she's been telling you, and I will tell you now that what she is telling you is a lie. How dare you look at your packmates like that? We may have our differences, but they have protected this clan just the same as the rest of the wolves. Raven's Wing and Maple Leaf have done much for this pack, and you will treat them with respect because they are your leaders," Feather Wings growled. "You'll be training soon, and this is not the attitude you should have."

"But it's wrong! Why are they treated the same when we're better?!" Strong Boulder exclaimed. "Mom says we were strong before they took over."

"Your mother wasn't even alive at that time. She's only repeating what Silver Snowflake has told her," Feather Wings explained. 

"So you doubt the beta?!" Strong Boulder questioned.

"That's enough out of you," Feather Wings growled. "I kept my distance for the best, but maybe that was the wrong decision. Don't bother heading to Silver Snowflake's den. I'll take you back myself, and I hope you keep in mind what I told you today. I don't want to hear you saying anything like that again."

Strong Boulder sulked. "Fine. I don't want to talk to you anymore anyway."

"Fine," Feather Wings growled.

The two quietly walked back alongside each other. Strong Boulder's shoulders were hunched as he angrily returned back to the den. The disgust he felt for his father was unlike anything before. The fact that he was actually defending those dogs was not what he ever expected to hear. But it was not like he had ever really known his father that well in the first place.

Feather Wings paused by the nursing den. "Go on."

"Aren't you going to come in and say hi?" he asked.

"No. I'm upset with your mother too. I know she won't care what about what I had to say to you today, but I still hope you think about what she's taught you. I'm off," he said.

Strong Boulder sat in the entrance of the den, angrily watching as his father went off. A part of him wanted to yell, "Good riddance!" but as his ears and tail drooped, all he could think of as his father went away was come back. And that was what frustrated him the most.