William heard a growl come from the back of his throat. He stifled it quickly but not before a wide grin split Nicolas’s face. William knew that Nicolas was just playing with him now, intentionally trying to anger him. Does this kid want to die? Aceso caught William’s eye and he heaved a sigh and let it pass, as she wanted. William knew that violence was only going to make this worse. It did nothing to ease the desire in his heart to tear him apart on the spot. Instead, he choose to redirect his attention back to Katherine. “You were saying about seeing the pile of rocks?”
“Achelois and I moved some of the rock and I saw the crevasse behind them. We cleared away the rest of the rubble and took a look inside and knew that it was perfect. That’s when Achelois called you all back here.”
Charles nodded toward the crevasse. “It will make a good den. We can even rearrange the pile of rubble to further camouflage the entrance.”
Nicolas strolled toward the crevasse opening and poked his head inside. “Yeah, this would be great if you don’t mind living like a Neanderthal.” He shook his head and laughed to himself. He looked up at Aceso and William, Charles, Katherine, and Achelois. “Who the hell do you think I am?” He pointed his finger at Aceso. “I will never follow you and I’m never going to live like an animal.” He dropped his head and scratched at his long ears. Nicolas’s tail was sticking straight out behind him and he held an arch to his back. “I’m sure as hell never going to live in a hole with the rest of you. I never agreed to any of this and I am done playing along with you guys. All of you’s can just go to hell and leave me the fuck alone!”
William felt motion off to his side. He glanced over to see Aceso gone. Before he could look anywhere else, he heard a loud grunt. He brought his attention back to the source of the noise and saw that Aceso was clamping down on Nicolas’s neck, much as she had done to him. With her claw she was holding his snout closed. Nicolas was struggling against his alpha. His arms were flailing to the side just as he had done with William. He was trying to break Aceso’s hold on his neck to no avail. The struggle continued for long minutes. Nicolas’s protests were becoming more feeble. Aceso ignored the protests and was forcing him lower to the ground. Nicolas eventually was on the dirt wrapped around himself in a fetal position as Aceso held him there without respite.
It was a little difficult to watch. Aceso showed no mercy in her grip on Nicolas’s neck. He knew that Aceso knew what she was doing but seeing just how pitiful Nicolas was he did feel a strange sort of pity for him. He shook that thought away immediately. Nicolas is an ass, and he is getting exactly what he deserves. He wouldn’t be surprised if this is not the first time that he would have to witness this show of force from his alpha toward Nicolas.
The struggling stopped and Nicolas lay on the ground breathing heavily. He looked like a beaten dog. His paws were outstretched in front of himself in a warding gesture. His tail lay limp and useless on the ground behind him. His ears were sticking straight up, like giant thorns on his head. His eyes were wide but motionless, staring straight ahead at nothing.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author's consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.
Charles hadn’t moved or made even the slightest sound since all this started. He was watching the scene with a silent repose. William knew that the man was only half seeing what was going on in front of him. His mind was somewhere very far away from here. The other two females stood next to each other. Katherine had crossed her arms and Achelois stood very still next to her. Her tail was very low and tucked up between her legs. Neither one enjoyed what was going on, but they were not going to say anything about it either. They understood that Aceso was their alpha. Out here in nature there was no other law but hers.
Aceso let go of Nicolas and stood back up. Nicolas stayed on the ground. William could see a small trickle of blood from his nose. That must have come from Aceso’s grip on the man’s snout. Aceso stood there and turned away from Nicolas. The other members of the pack didn’t move to help him. They all left him there on the ground where Aceso stood over him.
She turned back toward the rest of the group. “Let’s move into our new home.” She motioned for the rest of the pack to move inside the crevasse.
William was the first to start walking. He knew that Nicolas had gotten what he deserved and that he wasn’t seriously injured. The sight of Nicolas’s weakness exposed was disconcerting and he knew that Nicolas was more than just an asshole. He was a liability to the pack. He walked into the darkness of the crevasse remembering what his pack in his forest would have done with such a weak pack mate as that. It was never pretty or easy, but the survival of the pack was paramount in nature.
He found a nice little depression in the rock and deep gloom of the den. He turned and squatted down on his haunches. He watched as Charles and Achelois and Katherine joined him in the darkness. They all spread themselves out and took various places along the rock wall in the natural depressions. Katherine and Achelois stayed next to each other, while Charles picked a spot next to William.
William looked out toward the entrance of the den and waited for Aceso or Nicolas to enter. After several moments he knew that neither Aceso, not Nicolas was going to come in anytime soon. He tried to take his mind off what was going on outside. He didn’t dare leave the den. Aceso had told them to go inside he didn’t think she would appreciate being interrupted.
He turned instead to Katherine and Achelois who were almost directly opposite of him and Charles. “This is really great. You guys did a good job of finding this place for us. Thanks.”
Katherine didn’t seem to hear what he said at all. “What is she doing out there?” she said in almost a whisper.
Achelois leaned back against the cold stone of the den. Even in the deep gloom of the place his wolf eyes could see everything now that they had adjusted to the lack of outside light. “She’s doing what she has to, nothing more.”
“What is it she has to do?” Charles asked, not unkindly but there was steel in his voice and words.
Achelois heaved herself off the wall and sat in a very wolf like posture. She looked at Charles. “Out there,” she said as she gestured with her head toward the wall of the den “when my kind encounters a weak…element in our pack, that element is removed.” She was directing her attention to all of them and looking at each of them as she spoke. “It is never an easy thing to do. But the survival of the pack is everything out in the wild.” She focused on Charles. “Here, we don’t have that choice. And our survival here is no more guaranteed than it is out there.” Achelois leaned back against the rock and remained silent.