The Wolf of the Wilds

The Beta

Inside the pack den all kinds of wolves wandered around working. Most didn't bat an eye as the group passed through the foyer. The other wolves walked along with singular focus, but Helena hung around the back of the party.

Her mind was abuzz with conflicting thoughts, unable to listen to any of them, her heart pounding in her ears like a deep booming drum. Not only was the den ridiculously lavish, but the artificial lighting stung her sensitive eyes like pins. Now the sweet smell had grown almost unbearable. It bombarded her senses, making it difficult to think straight, to even begin to work out what it was. All she could do was put one foot in front of the next.

The she-wolf that had 'greeted' them pushed open a pair of large double doors at the head of the stairs.

"Alphas Cora, Jason and visiting Alphas Hermine and Edgard, I present several members of the Montis pack and the rogue wolf, Helena." Her voice was pure acid as she spoke Helena's name, pulling the door open to allow them entrance.

Had Helena not been two seconds from falling over, she would have noticed the presence of the four alphas gathered around the table, their betas flanking their sides as they poured over a map. Instead she stumbled over the threshold, only to be propped up by Felix.

"Thanks," she murmured to him, taking back her balance from him.

"What's wrong?" he whispered to her as they all stood side by side in front of the elder wolves.

"Can't you smell that?" she murmured in reply.

He frowned and shook his head. "Smell what?"

They were interrupted by a low growling coming from Cora. The women's face was twisted into a furious glower, her dark eyes fixed on the rogue. Helena stared back at her in defiance.

"Why are you here, Helena? You aren't welcome here," she said, her voice stiff and growling. There was a subtle shift in the room's atmosphere as the visiting wolves tensed.

Helena stepped forward and ignored the enraged woman.

"Your wolves trespassed on my land during a storm and became lost. I agreed to lead them to Fengari territory safely in return for food and materials. I will leave as soon as I receive my payment," she explained, oddly unnerved.

Before anyone else could reply there was a quiet gasp and a screech as a chair flew back.
Everyone looked at the source of the noise. It was the Montis' beta. He looked dreadfully pale, despite already possessing a sickly pallor and his blue eyes were wide with shock.

"Adrian, what's wrong?" the visiting alpha male asked quietly.

He raised his hand and pointed at the rogue with a shaking hand. "You're my mate," he said. His voice was low, but uncertain. Helena instantly felt the jolt of acknowledgement, her muscles tightening and her breaths growing deeper.

"Yes. It appears so," she replied. She had never considered the possibility of finding her mate in the past 8 years of her exile. It had been something beyond her abilities, something that was only true for others, only a possibility for people other than herself. It seems that fate had other ideas.

"Perhaps we should continue this meeting later. I think a lunch break might be in order," Hermine murmured to the other alphas. Cora and Jason eyed Lena with annoyance but relented. Everyone left the room, leaving the rogue and the beta alone.

"My name is Helena, but I prefer Lena. Yourself?"

"Adrian," he replied, walking closer with caution. Again, silence reigned and they regarded each other.

Adrian appeared older than her by several years and was approaching his mid to early thirties. He was the standard beta, standing larger than most wolves, but with a quieter presence than his superiors. Blue eyes, short cropped mousy hair and a crooked nose.

He wasn't exactly what she'd thought her mate would look like, but then again, she never thought she'd have a mate at all. He wasn't drop dead gorgeous, but she was hardly beautiful herself.

"This was...unexpected," she said.

He nodded, glancing at his feet. "I had given up on finding my mate. I had thought that perhaps I didn't have one," he murmured.

"I didn't think I'd ever meet mine, but I suppose destiny decided otherwise. Now, perhaps we should go for a walk. It's rather claustrophobic in here," she suggested. He agreed, waving a hand towards the exit. Helena pulled the heavy door open and held it while Adrian stepped outside.

They headed out of the pack den and around the side of the building towards the fields.  Just like before Helena was met with hatred and suspicion, with an added hint of confusion when they noticed the wolf beside her. For once someone actually kept up with her strides with ease, thanks to his long legs.

"Why don't they like you?" he asked as a mother did a full 180 degree turn in the middle of the street to avoid them.

"I'm a rogue. I have my own territory, but several years ago I fought with the pack alphas for my right to the land. It was violent and bloody so none of the local wolves will come near me," she replied, leading him down a tight side alley that ended in the farm land.

"Oh, I see," he scratched his cheek, "so why do you live alone?"

She glanced up at him. "I hate pack culture. The blatant inequality, the taboos, the unneeded cruelty to those that don't possess size or strength. I'm happier alone," she explained, kicking a pebble down the trail.

"Not all packs are so bad," he said.

"Perhaps not, but there's enough bad ones to make it almost institutional. Anyway, now probably isn't the time for wolf politics. Tell me about yourself."

"Well, I'm 32, fast approaching 33. I'm beta of the Montis pack up north. I haven't much family to speak of and I do most of the defence and welfare work in our pack."

"Hobbies?" she questioned.

"Well, I enjoy running in the mountains around our village. Snow is fun as well. Sometimes I help out in the kitchens, so cooking is a hobby I suppose."

Helena frowned, raising an eyebrow.
"I've heard of snow, but I dislike the cold so I haven't yet experienced it. What is it exactly?"

He paused mid step and looked down at her as if he wasn't quite sure he'd heard correctly.

"You don't know what snow is?"

"No, I don't."

He began grinning at her with hilarity written across his features, a spring in his step. "Well, you know rain don't you?"

She nodded curtly, wondering why he even needed to ask.

"Snow is like rain, but it's frozen water and it sits on the ground like a white blanket. It covers everything and pups absolutely love playing in it."

Helena tried to imagine snow, but still found it difficult. Ice falling from the sky? That sounded insane.

"That's sounds truly horrifying," she said.

Adrian took it in his stride as he continued smiling. "It's not so bad. Perhaps it's the hot climate here. Far cooler where we live. High altitude and being further north means it's cold for most of the year, well, bar the summer months of course."

A/N

Thank you for reading! Please vote, comment or leave constructive criticism if you have the time or inclination.

Have a pleasant summer.

-H