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Finbar resisted the urge to snap back. He knew he had no leverage here. These wolves were members of a structured pack, loyal to their authority figure, and they would not hesitate to carry out whatever punishment they deemed necessary. He had to think of Willow and the pups—if he fought back now, he would lose everything.
The gray wolf stepped forward, his eyes hard. "You’ll be brought to the Alpha," he said, his voice dripping with authority. "Your fate will be decided by him."
Finbar felt a shiver run through him. The Alpha—he knew that his presence here, as an outsider who had mated with one of their own, would not be taken lightly. He was an interloper in their land, someone who had not earned the trust of the pack; and now, he was going to face the consequences.
The third wolf, a slender golden male with eyes like a tiger’s eye gemstone, stepped up to flank Finbar. He nudged him roughly with his shoulder. "Get up," he commanded.
The wolf-dog struggled to his feet, the female still keeping a firm hold on his scruff. He was forced to walk with his head low, his legs trembling slightly from the adrenaline coursing through his body. The wolves surrounded him, their postures aggressive and unyielding. He was their prisoner now, and there was no escape.
The gray wolf led the way, cutting a path through the thick forest. The mist clung to the ground, making the world around them feel surreal, heavy and ominous.
As they walked, Finbar's thoughts raced. What would happen to him now? Would they even give him a chance to explain? Or would they judge him based solely on the fact that he was an outsider who had, in their eyes, stolen Willow away for his own carnal desires?
The silence between the wolves was heavy, broken only by the occasional growl or low mutter; this was how they communicated with each other. Finbar could feel their mistrust and animosity, and they were not interested in his story.
He prayed that his family would remain safe, fearing more for the fates of his pups than for himself.
All around him, wildlife seemed to go silent in the presence of the huge wolves.
After what felt like an eternity, they arrived at a large clearing deep in the heart of the forest. The space was wide and open, surrounded by thick coniferous trees that formed a natural barrier.
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In the center stood several dozen wolves, their eyes fixed on Finbar and his captors as they entered. The atmosphere was charged with anticipation and contempt, as well as confusion. Judgmental murmurings rippled and danced through the amassed crowd.
At the head of the group stood a massive male wolf atop a boulder, his coat brown similar to Willow’s but a tad darker, with piercing golden eyes that seemed to glow in the dim light, penetrating Finbar's very soul. This was the Alpha, the wolf-dog need not even confirm it by asking. His presence radiated power, and it was clear why he was the leader above all others. The wolves deferred to him, their postures subordinate in his presence.
The scarred gray wolf shoved Finbar forward, forcing him into the center of the clearing. All eyes were on him now, and the weight of their chastisement was suffocating.
The Alpha stepped forward, his gaze never leaving Finbar, inspecting him with a cold, calculating look. Finally, he spoke, his voice deep and commanding.
"Prisoner," the Alpha said, his tone flat and emotionless. "You have trespassed on our lands, mated with my daughter, and brought danger to our pack."
Finbar opened his mouth to speak, but Alpha Balto silenced him with a single salient look.
"You will be judged for your actions," the Alpha continued, his gaze hardening. "But first, you will tell me why you think you deserve to live."
A heavy stone crashed down in Finbar’s belly at the bone chilling question, one that was all but impossible to answer. “We should not have kept our relationship secret from you, sir,” he said, ears down and chest against the ground in submission. The Alpha listened intently. “I never meant to disrespect you or your pack, nor did I intend to bring harm.”
The Alpha snarled. “That is all well and good, boy, but you have not answered my question. Why should I let you live?”
Finbar gulped, his pas sweating buckets due to his nervousness, his horror. These wolves could kill him at any moment if they so wished, and he would be powerless to stop it. Snaps and growls surrounded him, mentally blocking him from coming up with the ‘right’ answer all the more. “I-I… sir, I guess I don’t deserve to live!” he cried. “Please, let me live so that I may remain in the lives of my children, that I may take care of your daughter, in light of what I’ve done. Let me make up for my mistakes.”
The white wolf-dog expected physical punishment of some kind, or an angry reaction, but to his pleasant surprise the Alpha’s countenance softened, though only a small fraction. The Alpha’s golden eyes glinted with an unreadable expression as he listened to Finbar’s plea. The tension in the clearing was so tangible it felt like it could be swiped with one’s paw, every wolf waiting for their leader’s next words.
"You speak of regret," the Alpha said, "and a desire to care for your children, but intentions are not enough. You have disrupted the order of my pack. You have overstepped your bounds. You have endangered our pack with your very presence, for you are a pet, nothing but human fodder. They will surely look for you and find you, then subsequently us. That cannot go unanswered."
The wolf-dog opened his mouth. “If nothing else, I can promise you that there are no humans after me; I was dumped in the river during the winter, my human no longer wanted me. No one else knows I am here, sir. Your pack can feel safe in that regard.”
He paused, ignoring Finbar’s words, looking down at him with a shrewd stare. "You will face judgment. But for now, you will be held until the pack decides what is to be done with you."
Alpha Balto’s sharp glare shifted to the scarred gray wolf, who nodded immediately. "Take him to the cave. Guard him until tomorrow when we will announce his sentence."