Wolf

Chapter 11

We fought for hours. Every time I would win against a pack member, Kris would send someone else to fight me. I realized that I was slowly moving up the pack ranks. Whenever I would lose to someone, Kris would say, “Again.” I would fight till I won.

We stopped once I was about to fight Chanyeol. “That’s enough for today,” Kris said. “If you keep at it now, you will be sore tomorrow.”

“I’m already sore,” I said, rubbing my arms. I glanced at Chanyeol. “I don’t think I could fight you, anyway.”

“Why? Am I too tough?” He made a tough face and flexed his muscles.

I laughed. “No. What sister could beat up her brother?”

“The wolfy kind.”

Kris tugged on my hand, holding it in his own, as we all started back for the den. “You did very well,” Kris said in my ear, giving me goosebumps. “They all submitted to you. And I didn’t even have to death-glare them.”

“Why wouldn’t they submit even if they lost to me?” I asked.

“Some of them, although they won’t admit it, still see you as only a human girl. Prey. Unless they fight and submit to you when you force them, they will not see you any differently.”

“Prey,” I echoed softly. I hadn’t told Kris that I still had frequent nightmares about the pack. Every night, I would watch my ex-boyfriend be killed and eaten in my sleep. Most of the time, that dream was followed by my own death by wolves.

My stomach flipped. “Great.”

“I was surprised, though,” Kris said. “I didn’t know that you could fight that well.”

I grinned. “Your face was hilarious.”

“My face was not hilarious,” he said, frowning. “My facial expression was hilarious.”

“Whatever it was, it was damn funny.”

Chanyeol bounced next to me, looking like a contented angel. “Hey, Amber,” he said.

“What?”

“Throw this.” He pressed a stick into my palm. “Please. Pleasepleasepleasepleaseplease.”

I rolled my eyes and turned to him. “Are you suuuure you want me to throw it?” I purred, waving it in front of his face. He focused entirely on the branch. My grin broadened. “Well…go get it!”

I faked throwing it. He took off into the trees, thundering after absolutely nothing. I heard him stop and stomp back towards me. I was laughing so hard that tears were leaking down my face. I had to lean against Kris for support.

Chanyeol pouted. “You didn’t throw it.”

“You—you thought I did,” I gasped for air, still laughing.

“Please throw it this time. For real.” He looked like an adorable puppy.

I threw it this time, and it disappeared into the trees. This time, a few others—Lay and Chen—raced off after Chanyeol. I heard Chanyeol growling and a few thumps. Chanyeol emerged from the trees, looking triumphant with the stick in his mouth. Chen and Lay were running behind him.

They dashed over to me. Chanyeol handed me the stick again. “Throw it again!” He said urgently. “Please!”

I threw it again. This time, Lay got a head start. I heard the three wolves scuffling over the stick. I giggled. Chanyeol finally has some playmates—other than me.

“Alpha.”

We both turned—me mostly because of Kris. Luhan was behind us. He dropped his eyes.