Big and Bullied: The Rejected Mate

Chapter 27: The Newcomer

Max went for a run in the neighborhood a few days after Remy had returned, and while he was out there, he came across a person whose appearance was unfamiliar to him. It appeared to be a young male wolf, presumably around the same age as Max, with a smooth gray coat and bright blue eyes.

As he cautiously approached him, Max greeted him with a cordial "Hello," which put the guy at ease.

In response, the unknown person said "hi" to Max while watching him carefully.

"My name is Max, and I'm a fellow resident of the pack that lives in this region. "I'm intrigued, so please tell me your name."

The unidentified individual appeared to hesitate for a split second before giving their response.

"I'm Ash."

"It's great to meet you, Ash; I look forward to getting to know you better." "Do you not have any prior experience in this area?"

Ash acknowledged it. "Yeah, I had been wandering around aimlessly for a while before I happened upon this location by accident. "I want to join a pack of wolves as a pack member."

After hearing what was said, Max's ears pricked up, and they became more attentive. "To tell you the truth, our organization might benefit from adding new members. If you are interested, I can put you in touch with Hunter, the alpha of our pack, and can answer any questions you might have."

During that split second, it seemed as though Ash was considering something. "That sounds good to me. Take charge of this situation."

Max led Ash to the pack's den, where several of the pack's other members, including Hunter, were already waiting for him to arrive.

Max yelled at his companions and pointed in Ash's direction, saying, "Hello, I found someone you guys might be interested in meeting." Max's buddies nodded in agreement.

Following a brief intermission in his conversation, Hunter turned his attention to Ash and conducted an exhaustive examination of him.

"Good day to you, Ash. My name is Hunter, and most people look to me as the leader of this organization. What drew you into our domain of influence in the first place?"

Ash retorted, "I'm looking for a pack that I can join," in reaction to the question.

"Even though we are always happy to have new participants join in, a few requirements must be met first." "Are you willing to contribute to the organization and follow our established rules?"

Ash acknowledged it. "Certainly, I am."

"Good. First things first, let's figure out what it is that you're competent at doing and go from there. Can you, Max, show Ash around the domain and introduce him to the other canines that make up the pack?

Before responding, Max flashed a grin and looked over at Ash.

"That is without a doubt, Hunter." The host motioned to the visitor, "Come on." I'll show you around."

Because Max was unfamiliar with the area, he couldn't help but feel a little uncomfortable around Ash as he showed him around. Ash was leading Max on a tour of the area.

He knew nothing about him whatsoever, and he was under the assumption that Ash was keeping some information from him.

So, tell me, what were you doing before you got here, and why did you decide to come here? Max asked the question in an attempt to start a conversation with you.

Before giving his response, Ash displayed a momentary pause of uncertainty. "I feel like I'm just going around in circles. Attempting to determine my place in this vast universe and how I fit in."

Max was conscious that the story didn't tell the whole story, but he decided not to investigate further. To carry out this duty, he would have to keep an eye on Ash and make sure he didn't do anything to hurt the pack.

As Max and the rest of the pack were heading back to the cave, Max noticed that several other pack members had gathered around Ash and were questioning him to learn more about him and get to know him better.

Max maintained his silence for a while to listen in on the discussion that was taking place. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something off about Ash, but he couldn't put his paw on what it was, either. He couldn't shake the feeling that there was something off about Ash. He could not escape the nagging suspicion that there was something peculiar about Ash.

During the time that the other members of the group were scattering, Max approached Ash. "Well, what are your thoughts regarding our community?"

As Ash delivered his response while looking around the den, he observed, "It appears to be a respectable group."

Max observed, with a note of contentment in his voice, "It almost feels as if we're a family."

"We watch out for one another and make sure that we are never separated from one another.

"If you choose to join our group, you will be warmly accepted into that family."

Ash acknowledged it. "I'd like that."

Max was not completely convinced, but he was conscious that Hunter would be the one to decide whether Ash would be permitted to join the pack.

For the time being, all that was in his control was maintaining a careful eye on the newcomer and ensuring he did not pose a threat in any way.