Born to be Wild

The Loyalty Test

Wyatt's POV

Wyatt paced the den. It was nearly sun high but the teen werewolves hadn't gone back to bed. They were waiting for Willa.

Wynter ran into the den. "Wyatt!"

"Wynter?" Wyatt asked jogging up to her. "Where's Willa?"

"Addison told her that it would look like we were the monsters if we all ran and no one owned up to the consequences so Willa stayed. She told me to tell you that of she doesn't come back in two nights, you're alpha." Wynter said.

Wyatt stepped back. He knew knew that one of the duties of a beta was to become the alpha if the alpha died or went missing but he had never wanted to be alpha. Willa was alpha. If Wyatt was the alpha then Willa couldn't be living.

"Wyatt?" Wynter asked in a small voice.
"Willa's coming back right?"

Wyatt looked at Wynter. He let out a forced laugh. "Of course Wynter." Wynter saw the fear in his eyes but she just nodded.

Wyatt looked around at the pack. What would Willa do? What would Willa do? 

"Uh, we need to preserve our strength. So..." He coughed. "Off to bed."The werewolves shared uneasy looks. "Willa will come back. Until she does, I'm acting alpha. Go to bed, that's an order."

The werewolves mumbled to one another and trickled off to the lower Wolf Tunnels. Winona came up to Wyatt.

"Wyatt?" Winona asked.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry. My anger got out of control." Winona said. She looked down.

"It was Mr. Hunt's fault. No one blames you."

"I do. Now we're going to have to go back to that horrible place. Or Willa will get killed. Or she will banish me. Or the humans will come for me. Or the whole pack will get killed. Or..."

"Winona." Wyatt said. He led her over to a bench. "We're a pack. We stick together. Remember? We're in the pack for life."

Winona smiled. "Thanks."

"Of course. Willa will come back. There's a reason she's the alpha. She could always beat me up." Winona gave a small laugh.

"I'm sure any of us could have snapped and attacked Mr Hunt. You didn't even do anything to him. Scared him, sure, killed him? No. Maybe he'll think twice about provoking werewolves."

Winona nodded. "Thank you Wyatt. That meant a lot to me." She put her foreward on his with their mouths far enough apart that it didn't get weird.  It was the werewolf way of saying thank you.

Wyatt smelt Addison walking into the den. She looked mad. Wyatt broke apart from Winona.

"Hi Addison!" Wyatt smiled. Winona smiled at her.

"I'm glad you're okay." Winona said. "I'm so sorry about attacking Mr Hunt."

Addison glared at the two of them. "Really?" She growled, looking angrier then before. Then she stomped down to the Wolf Tunnels.

Winona and Wyatt exchanged a look. "What was that about?" Winona asked.

"I have no idea." Wyatt shook his head.

"Well, I'm going to bed." Winona said a bit later. She stood up and stretched. "Thanks again."

Wyatt nodded. Winona walked down the tunnels. Wyatt knew he should probably get some sleep but he couldn't sleep knowing Willa wasn't in the den.

A couple hours later, he smelt Willa's scent approaching. He jumped up, smiling. Willa walked inside with a scowl on her face.

"Willa! I'm so glad you're back!" Wyatt grinned at his sister. Willa breezed past him and started pacing.