Bared

XV

Another dream came to me as I slept. Why, though? Why always when I need to be awake do the most horrible dreams come?

I stood in a clearing, much like my own, the one with the rock spire. Only instead of a spire, it was a cave, dug deep into the earth. Two wolves, both a dark brown, stood on either side of the cave entrance, guarding it. Then, a huge wolf came out, carrying a small pup.

The big wolf was as dark as midnight, with scars crisscrossing his hide and face. His amber eyes glowed with ferocity, and the small black pup in his mouth didn't even try to shake loose, afraid of the larger male.

The huge wolf set the smaller on the ground, then sat down. His amber eyes were merciless as he stared into his son's electric blue ones. "You, Ben, are despicable. You cause fights without reason, and lose because of false skills. I must train you, or you'll die before the next moon." The little pup wagged his tail excitedly, then sat down to watch his father.

Fast forward in time. The blue-eyed wolf is dueling with the large amber-eyed wolf. The blue-eyed is bigger, stronger, older. He nails a bite on the amber's foreleg, then dances back as the amber swirls around to nip his hind leg. They duel, both drawing blood, as a crowd gathers. Wolves of all shapes, colors, and sizes, with so many different eyes, circle around the dueling father and son.

Once Ben was pinned to the earth, with a savage bite to his throat, his father raised his head proudly. The large Alpha's black head arched, then drove down into a killing bite. A red blur plowed into the large wolf's side, knocking the black wolf off his son.

The Alpha turned towards the red blur, his teeth bared. The red wolf stood proudly, his tail up and head held high. His blue eyes glowed with inner fire, and his red and white pelt shifted with waves of copper and gold. "That's enough fighting for today, Alpha. The pup needs rest. You have worked him too hard." The red wolf looked the Alpha in the eye as he spoke, a brave move.

"Are you challenging my authority, John? I am your Alpha, and I outrank you." The black wolf's voice was low, menacing. His legs were crouched, ready to spring. The red, John, cocked his head to the side. "No, Alpha. I am simply challenging your right to battle our young to death. Ben is tired, and his wounds need time to heal. Besides, your mate is full with young. It would be better for her if you were there to give her confidence instead of wounding her son."

"Do not speak to me of mates, or young. You are still unmated, and unfathered. As far as I know, you shouldn't even be Beta with titles such as those." John just looked at the black Alpha, confusion on his face. Then, a white wolf with black feet came into view at the edge of the crowd, nudging Ben back to his feet, and letting the slightly larger wolf lean on her shoulder. I noticed with a shudder that the white wolf's belly was bulging slightly.

The black wolf growled,"Whitney. So nice of you to join us." The white wolf looked at her Alpha, fear and anger in her green eyes. She kept moving, though, away from the standoff, taking Ben with her. "I know what you have done, Whitney. I should kill you both for it," the amber-eyed wolf murmured. Whitney and John both went ridged, turning to stare at the large wolf.

The black Alpha laughed, a harsh sound like dying cats. "I know your secret, my friends. You think you could hide from me forever? Well, as punishment, I shall take the one who caused it!" The black wolf leaped, pouncing on the red. Then, the red disappeared. The black Alpha landed on nothing, frustratingly turning around, looking for his prey.

Then, the red, suddenly appearing, leaped onto the black's back, knocking the large wolf down. "Run, Whitney! Now!" John yelled, getting shaken off by the Alpha. Whitney, staring in fright, was shocked back into senses, and she bolted, her fur shimmering as she entered the forest. I watched the black wolf pin John, then the devastating bite to his closest friend's throat, the bite that ended his life.