Wolves of the Falling Stars Book 3: The Fall of the Pack

Prologue

Hazel Branch lazily opened her eyes to morning sunlight. Morning dew coated the forest. A drop of water fell onto Hazel Branch's nose, causing her to quickly open her eyes and sit up.

Where was she again?

Oh, that was right. She had fled the night before after realizing she was pregnant with Crow's Laugh's pups. Hazel Branch had left everything behind--her comfortable home, her family, and even her mate to escape the shame that was to come if she had remained in the pack. An exile would have been imminent. She was already one step ahead.

Hazel Branch let out a loud yawn. She had spent all night traveling with barely any rest. She was on the outskirts of pack territory, about a quarter of a day's walk from it. Hazel Branch wondered if it was too close for comfort, but even she knew her pack members never went far past their territory, not when there were humans and rogues lurking around.

Hazel Branch managed to capture herself a rabbit and get a drink of water from a nearby stream. Should she camp out here? Go a bit farther and really separate herself from the rest of the pack?

The sun was hanging over the sky in midday when she heard a call from far away.

"Hazel Branch!"

She froze. At first she believed the pack had found her, but she could recognize that voice better than anyone's. It was Crow's Laugh. Hazel Branch crouched down behind a boulder, not wanting him to find her. It would be better if he believed she was gone for good.

Tears began to flood her eyes. His voice sounded pained as he called for her. She was sure the rest of the pack was already in chaos as they realized she had gone missing. Her parents were probably worried sick, and Copper Rock must be even more worried. It was better this way though. She felt no need to ever return.

Suddenly, Hazel Branch's nose became ticklish, and a sneeze erupted from her snout.

The footsteps were growing closer. She crept down farther, as if thinking making her body smaller would hide her completely. The footsteps continued approaching. It was too late to run. Hazel Branch shut her eyes tight, listening to the footsteps halt and feeling a shadow cast over her.

"Hazel Branch?" came his all-too-familiar voice.

"Please go away," she whispered.

"Hazel Branch, what's wrong? Please turn around," Crow's Laugh said, pain echoing in his voice as well. "You're worrying the pack sick, running off like this."

"Are they behind you?" Hazel Branch wondered, slowly turning her body.

"No. Their patrol went in the other way. Please come back. It's not safe for you to be out here all alone," Crow's Laugh stated.

"I can't go back," Hazel Branch mumbled.

"Hazel Branch, I--"

"I'm pregnant, Crow's Laugh," she cried out, staring down at her paws as tears began to stream down from her eyes.

"I know," Crow's Laugh said.

She slowly glanced up at him. He looked as if he'd barely slept the night before as well, and his eyes were shining with worry.

"How do you--"

"Copper Rock had his suspicions. I know that he knows about us."

"Then what's the point?! Everyone knows," Hazel Branch lamented.

"Copper Rock promised not to tell."

Hazel Branch sighed in relief. "Then there's no need for you to all follow me. I already know the punishment that's in store. I exiled myself. Good-bye, then," she said, turning her body away.

Crow's Laugh quickly rushed up to her. "Why won't you look at me?! I'm worried sick about you, you know."

"I don't want to get you involved," Hazel Branch confessed. "This is my mistake. I disobeyed my parents by getting a mate in the first place. I can't go back."

"Then I'll come with you," Crow's Laugh offered.

"No. You have your family back there. I can't make you give them up for me. That's why I didn't want you to get involved," Hazel Branch choked.

She felt Crow's Laugh's tongue lick against her cheek.

"I love you. I thought you knew that already," he said.

"I did know that, but..."

"You thought it would be selfish of you to ask me to come with you?" Crow's Laugh wondered.

"I just didn't want you getting in trouble as well because of me," Hazel Branch said. "It's okay, Crow's Laugh. You can go back, find a new mate, and live your life. But I won't come back."

"No. I'm coming with you. These are my pups too, you know. The last thing I want is for you to be out here alone, especially with those few rogue attacks we had awhile back. It won't be safe for the pups either if you have to leave them unaccompanied to hunt."

"You don't have to," Hazel Branch said, feeling her throat grow chalky again.

"I'm going to because I want to, because I love you. Despite Copper Rock telling me the news, I was really happy. I was really happy to hear we were going to be parents," Crow's Laugh said, a smile on his face.

How was he taking the situation so well? Hazel Branch still didn't know.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," Crow's Laugh said, his eyes shining with determination.

"H-How did you find me?" Hazel Branch asked.

"You weren't very good at hiding your scent. I can take care of that. But if you want to remain hidden, we need to take off a little further," Crow's Laugh warned.

"But I like--"

"We can return awhile from now, maybe before the pups are about to be born. But they'll keep sending patrols for a while to look for you, and me as well. So we need to remain hidden for a while," Crow's Laugh told her.

"Are we really doing this?" Hazel Branch breathed. "Are we really going to run away?"

"I think so," Crow's Laugh said, rubbing his muzzle against hers.

Hazel Branch was sobbing now. "I love you, Crow's Laugh," she cried, shoving her head into his furry chest. She felt his tongue rasp along her neck as he comforted her.

"First we work on throwing off the scent, and then, we escape," he said, smiling at her.

...

The first bit of snow was beginning to fall from the sky. Hazel Branch was curled up in a den she and Crow's Laugh had claimed after they had left. They were still about half a day's walk from the pack's territory, but the patrols had diminished, and everything began to feel at peace.

Three pups suckled at Hazel Branch's belly. They looked more like wolves than she ever would. Two boys and one girl. Hazel Branch felt blessed to have them in her life nowadays. The birth had been strenuous, but it had all been worth it.

"What should we name them?" Crow's Laugh asked as he laid down next to her. True to his word, he had stayed by her side through it all and promised to remain doing so as the pups grew.

Hazel Branch stared at the black male. "We can call him Black Berry."

"You're okay using our normal pack names?" Crow's Laugh asked.

"Well, it feels fitting, doesn't it? Since we have those names already. I know they won't ever join a pack, but..."

"How about we name that black and gray male Rock Path?" Crow's Laugh suggested.

Hazel Branch nodded. "I like that."

She looked down at her daughter with her light brown, almost golden fur.

"How about Golden Flower?" she suggested.

"Perfect," Crow's Laugh said.

Hazel Branch smiled warmly at him. Perhaps she had left her entire past behind, her home, her family, her life as a member of the Pack of the Falling Stars, but she was thankful for Crow's Laugh company and his commitment to their own little family. It made her fall even more in love with him.