Wolfpack

The Call

The September sun was setting, and all of Emme's shades of grey were taking on a darker hue. Cole's ceremony was due to begin. The excitement that rolled off of the bodies of the pack was palpable. It was a strong taste with a sweet undercurrent that made you drunk and riled up the younger pups. Emme sat beside her mother, who remained unchanged for the sake of her daughter.

Emme watched as her father's wolf strode into the pack circle, tall and proud. The wolves howled for him as he circled around them, nuzzling each with his nose. He was russet brown agouti wolf, with bright golden eyes. His age and his illness were apparent in the faded color of his coat, but he still wore the demeanor of an alpha. He knew that some of the older males smelled his age, and would challenge him for alpha if he didn't concede his place to his capable son.

Cole arose from his position, ears relaxed and face risen in dominance. He stalked towards his father with an arrogance of a challenge. His lips pulled back, baring his sharp teeth. He gave a low grow. A challenge. His father snarled at him and snapped his jaw, barking his own dominance. Cole didn't give ground. The wolves circled each other before Cole leaped first, quickly and without hesitation. His father was not going down without a fight. He clawed at Cole's soft underbelly, drawing blood.

At her side, Emme's mother gasped softly. Emme remained focused on Cole. He seemed surprised - as if he had expected his father to allow him to win. In that moment of hesitation, his father leapt on him, sinking his teeth into Cole's shoulder. Cole whined and tried to shake the current alpha off, but his father was relentless.

In a sudden burst of rage, Cole threw himself forward, digging his claws into his father's soft flank. His father released him with a hiss of pain, but Cole had learned his lesson well. Without pause, he went straight for his father's neck, gripping it tightly in his jaw until his father gave in, throwing his body on the floor, belly up, tail tucked between his legs. He was motionless, but Cole didn't release him. His father's blood flew freely into his coat, staining the agouti wolf a dark red.

"Cole," Emme's mother breathed. She shifted as if to reach out and grab her son off of her husband but she stilled herself. After a long moment, Cole released his father, and drew up his head, his snout was wet with blood. His father lay on the floor before him, his ribs rising and falling with fatigued breath. He left his neck exposed. Cole dipped his head once more and licked his father's wounds before turning a snarl to the rest of the pack, challenging each of them. None rose to his challenge. Instead, each wolf flattened his ears and offered Cole their neck.

They accepted him as their alpha. Emme's mother sighed a sigh of relief as Cole threw his head back and howled a song to the moon, a chorus that was taken up by his pack. Emme's mother clasped Emme's hand tightly, sending a shock of pain through Emme's arm.

"I'm sorry," she said softly before she drew away. Her grey wolf returned, nuzzling Emme before joining the pack as they rubbed their scent on their leader. Emme smiled. She itched to connect with her wolf again. Instead, she sighed and drew away, leaving the pack to their celebratory run.

Vitago mea.

The voice was so soft that Emme could've mistaken it for the rustle of the branches in the night wind. But there was a bloom of pain in her chest, like a bear being prodded out of hibernation, that gave her pause. Her whole body recognized the voice, recognized the words and reacted violently towards it. Her knees trembled like they wanted to give way. She was alone in the camp, the pack had gone to run and would not be back for hours. She tried to breathe in through her nose as she approached the alpha's house. The pain that had blossomed now drummed steadily at her chest.

What have I done to you?

Emme collapsed to her knees at this second whisper. She leaned over and vomited violently into the grass. The scent of her own fear and anger assaulted her nostrils. She vomited again as her stomach flipped in her stomach. He was here, she could feel it. She could feel him. At the periphery of her consciousness, she could feel her wolf stir. Her heart was racing.