Pup and Pack

Chapter Seven

Mario couldn't believe his eyes. Bryan...

He took his hand off his throat and allowed him to stand. The pup looked the same way he always had: messy brown hair, red jacket, fluffy brown ears and tail, shiny brown eyes...but was he always that handsome?

"I'm hallucinating..."

"How are you hallucinating? I'm hallucinating!"

"You've been dead for two years. We thought you were dead!"

"I thought pack was dead! How in the world are you alive?"

"Nobody in pack died. The Wild Hunt retreated after they kidnapped you. You were their back-up plan. That's why they kidnapped you in the first place. But how in the name of the moon goddess are you alive?"

"The party that attacked me was broken up on the way back to their camp. I slipped away in the confusion. They're still after me. I've been on the run for the past two years."

Mario's muscles tensed. "I don't know whether I want to punch you or whether I want to hug you."

Bryan chuckled. "You were just punching me a couple minutes ago."

"And that gives me my answer."

The two embraced. Mario felt tears in his eyes but he held them back. Then, he realized something.

"When the heck did you get so strong?"

Bryan laughed. "Alpha, you really think I would be as weak as I was? It's been two years and I've been living on my own in the woods with only a spirit wolf for company. Of course I'm a lot stronger!"

"Geez, you could probably overtake DX and Brick at the same time and not even break a sweat! No wonder I couldn't beat you!"

"Not exactly a pup anymore, Alpha."

"Not, you are not."

Bryan chuckled. "So, I hate to interrupt the reunion, but what now?"

"Now, you come back to pack haven."

"You sure?"

"Oh come on, you're telling me you don't want to come back after all these years?"

"No, I do, but the Wild-"

"We haven't been attacked since that day. We'll be fine."

Bryan looked a little hesitant, but agreed.

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The two arrived at pack haven to find it deserted. No one was in the training fields, at the totem poles, nowhere.

"Where is everybody?" Mario wondered aloud.

"I can answer that question," Bryan replied.

He jutted his thumb at Xylo's tavern. It looked packed. Mario sighed.

"I can't believe them."

"You see worse things, trust me."

Mario sighed again and tramped off to the tavern, Bryan on his heels. 

There was a party in full swing. Xylo was serving up all the drinks he could, Relena and Hannah were acting as waitresses, there were a couple werewolves playing music, and everyone had a mug in hand.

"Everyone!" Mario yelled over the music.

It stopped abruptly. Everyone seemed terrified over what their alpha would think. Mario grinned.

"You're not in trouble. I want to announce something."

He was interrupted by Xylo tackle-hugging Bryan.