V a p o r ▶ J. HALE (COMPLETED.)

4.

Fog.

Friday, 9:37 pm.

Forest.

'What's the matter with you?' Leah spat, jumping from a rock and landing by Jacob's side. Jacob snarled at the light-gray almost white-furred she-wolf baring her fangs at him in response.

'None of your business, Leah.' He growled.

'Enough, Jacob!' Sam exclaimed as he walked past them. Quil, Dema, Seth, Leah, and Embry crouched, assuming a submissive position to their Alpha. 'You could've started something deadly.'

Dema straightened up slightly, as she approached Sam. 'They wouldn't have engaged in any sort of fight. They're our allies-'

Sam growled, interrupting Dema. He straightened his spine, assuming his position as the Alpha male. He stared down at her, making everyone around her crouch down and whimper quietly.

'Allies? We might have fought alongside them once, but we mustn't let our guard down, Dema. They're still blood-thirsty beasts.' Sam exclaimed, taking a few steps towards her.

Dema crouched ever so slightly, hopelessly trying not to give in, not to submit. Sam huffed loudly at her defiance, raising his muzzle to intimidate her even more. Jacob growled slightly, prepared to charge at Sam at any given moment. Dema gave him a quick look as if saying, 'it's okay'.

'They haven't killed a soul in centuries, Sam.' She replied calmly.

'That doesn't make them human.' He replied.

'None of us are humans.' Dema straightened her spine, defying his dominance even further. 'Does that makes us monsters?'

Sam lost his stance ever so slightly, as he was taken aback by her response.

'We don't kill the innocent.' Sam uttered, before turning away from her.

She straightened up, ready to answer back, but Seth pressed his muzzle against her hind leg, stopping her from doing so. Seth and Dema were pretty much the only omegas in the pack, and lately, Sam noticed Dema was starting to defy him every chance she got. So, Seth was always on edge, afraid of what Sam would do to the omegas if she ever formally challenged him.

'What you did was wrong, Jacob.' Sam turned to face Jacob.

'They're going to kill her, Sam.'

'It's her choice.' Paul said. 'She's no longer part of us, Jake.'

'We bowed to protect every human, that includes her.' Jake spat back.

'She doesn't want to be saved, Jacob.' Embry said.

'We can't let her die.' Jacob growled.

'We don't have a choice, anymore.' Sam answered, and snarled as if to put an end to the conversation. 'The only thing we can do is to remember. Remember who and what they are. We can't let our guard down.' Sam said, turning towards Dema and Seth. Seth crouched, but Dema stood straight, not giving in. 'They're not our friends. And they're not a threat to the town. At least not yet. We must all beware, and keep our distance.'

'But-' Dema started quietly, but Sam bared his fangs at her in response. Dema stepped back cautiously, crouching with fear.

Being the granddaughter of a Tribal Chief and born Alpha had granted her more free will. She could defy her Alpha to some extent, and even ignore Sam whenever he used his Alpha tone and forced everyone to follow his every command. But, at the end of the day, Sam was still their alpha and she couldn't defy him for long.