Love is a game (Love in the air collection)

Crying With the Wolves

For centuries Thailand has been carved up into pack territories, there isn't an inch of the country that isn't claimed by one pack or another. In most areas the werewolves and humans live peacefully side by side. The wolves are even considered to be protectors of the humans in these packs. However, even today there still exist a few packs who consider humans to be beneath them, nothing more than playthings for the wolves. Rain had the misfortune to be born into one of these latter types of packs. For as long as Rain can remember he has been bullied by the other pack members because of his views on humans. He doesn't believe humans are less important than wolves and has never been very good at keeping his opinions to himself.

Only his parents understand him. His mother originated from a protective pack in Bangkok and his father has a gentle soul. They are low ranking pack members and can't protect Rain from the rest of the pack. They can only be there to dry his tears when the other pups are mean to him and secretly hope that their sunshine boy doesn't have his light dimmed before he can escape. They know from a young age that Rain will have to leave the pack someday, he doesn't belong here. They are only waiting until Rain is old enough to safely make the cross country journey on his own. Since lesser pack members aren't allowed to leave the compound or contact people from outside, the best they can hope for is to get Rain out, and even that takes several years of planning. When the new pack leader takes over they feel they have run out of time.

Although Rain is bullied, the old pack leader, Niram, mostly leaves Rain alone, ignoring his existence. He is an old wolf and although he has always ruled with an iron fist, he can no longer bring himself to worry about one pup with odd ways and a rebellious mouth. He lets his younger pack members deal with Rain. That all changes with the new pack leader. It doesn't help that Rain has grown up with the pack leader's son, Stop, and they have hated each other from a young age. Of course Leader Kiat takes his son's side in everything and also sees Rain as a disruption to the pack. Rumors have already begun to circulate that the pack leader will make an example of Rain, he will give in to his true nature or he will suffer the consequences.

Rain loves his family and his friends in the pack but he feels that he has no choice but to leave this place. He is certain now that his life depends on it. That is why his parents and him are here in this field in the middle of the night. The pack doesn't have the numbers to keep constant patrols in this area because of its size and the fact that it is close to the property line of a stronger enemy pack. The forest next to the field is contested property and any patrols sent to this area are in danger of being attacked. Their pack is too small to lose members to the enemy clan.

Rain's mother cries softly while her husband puts a comforting arm around her shoulder. Rain gives them both a quick hug. He isn't sure if he will be able to see his parents again. It has been hard enough for the three of them to plan Rain's escape.

"Be careful, and as soon as you get to Bangkok, call Pakin, he will help you for my sake," his mother reminds him again. "He will probably want to take you in as a pack member, if he does accept his offer. The Bangkok pack enjoys freedoms that we don't here and you will be well protected as a member of his pack."

Pakin is the leader of the Bangkok pack, the largest wolf pack in Thailand. He is also Rain's cousin. He and Rain's mother are first cousins and had grown up together. That was before she had married and moved here to her husband's pack.

Rain travels cross country, skirting the territory of the other packs as much as possible. He also remains in human form although he could travel faster as a wolf. He doesn't want to do anything to alert the other packs because he isn't sure which ones are friendly and which ones will see him as an enemy. It takes him three weeks to get to Bangkok and by the time he reaches the city he is completely exhausted and feeling very much the worse for wear. He stops at a convenience store on the outskirts of the city and talks the clerk into letting him use the phone. He calls the number his mother gave him. When he tells P'Pakin who he is, the man immediately tells him to wait there and he will send a car for him.