Rejection

Chapter 11 - Home?

---Kyle's POV---

Snow creaked ever so softly under paws as I trudged through the snow. Ahead, the massive grey wolf would occasionally flicker his ears and look back, as if making sure I was still following. I huffed slightly, letting Drake know I was doing just fine and he continued ahead without a pause.

After my wolf had connected with Drake for a split second to show him our past, the Alpha had needed some time to process all the rapid images and sensations that had been thrown at him. They had left me alone in the room to calm down, as I had snarled when they dared to come too close.

Alpha Tristan had reluctantly seen me off, even though he was the one to contact Drake in the first place. He too realized that his pack was getting antsy about having a rogue among them. I guess it was instinct, as they all saw I was no threat yet they didn't trust me enough.

At least they're kind enough to say it to my face.

I huffed to myself, the long trek through the snow calming and quiet. Squinting my eyes against the wind as it howled past, whipping snow around as it yanked on our fur, I couldn't help but feel more comfortable out here than in Tristan's pack.

But now I was following another Alpha, who hoped I would eventually join his pack. Drake hadn't commanded me to join, he simply suggested that I'd come along to his pack and see for myself before making a choice.

"I can't believe I'm actually considering this..." I thought to myself, stumbling through the snow before stepping into the tracks that Drake had cut out. "Then again, what other choice do I have?"

A soft whimper escaped my wolf as it too felt trapped. I was too weak and unprepared for this winter and leaving now would surely wind up with me starving to death. I jumped at the touch of a cold nose against my side before Drake huffed and motioned ahead.

I blinked, seeing light scatter through the darkness, barely visible as the wind picked up speed and sent more snow barraging our senses. Both of us squared our shoulders, moving as quickly as possible.

Unlike Tristan's pack, which resembled more a metropolis, Drake's pack was more spaced out in the shape of a quaint village. A few wolves rushed over to greet us, doors closing as soon as we got inside and shook the snow out of our furs.

"Damn, I know they predicted a little snow but this sudden blizzard is ridiculous." The woman muttered as she ruffled her hair, casting out bits of melting snow. "Welcome back Alpha."

Drake snorted, graciously accepting the shorts she held out to him before he tapped off towards another door. My ears swiveled back as she held out another pair before she nodded to herself and simply placed them back on the table.

I was rather glad that she didn't seem to want to strike up a conversation and even more so that she wasn't openly gazing at me. Her eyes would wander through the room as she waited for Drake to return, sometimes flitting towards me before she averted her gaze once more.

My nostrils flared as I sniffed, pausing as her scent denounced any claim on pack or territory. Rogue. Yet the scent that was intertwined with hers and declared her mated, was clearly pack.

What kind of pack allows rogues to mate with pack members but doesn't force them to join said pack?

Footsteps made both of us look up as Drake was in the process of dragging a shirt over his head. He smiled warmly at the woman before she motioned us further in. "We had a few small accidents but nothing to worry over. Jake and Alric managed to get into another fight this morning... Speaking off..."