Inessa stared at the plain walls of the cabin. Back again. But this time, she did not care. Being away from the red wolves, the bloodshed, and Arek, was all she wanted. She dug her fingers into her hair and pulled. Why, why did I turn back?

Last night after waking up, she managed to squeeze through the mansion window in human form. She shifted on the sill - something she never thought would be possible - and leapt into the tree. The sound was so loud that she had stayed as still as a statue for the next hour, begging the spirits of the wind that no one heard her. Then, she leapt to the ground and dashed into the forest as the sun rose. It was a straight road to freedom.

Until she heard the younglings crying and smelt their fear. It made no sense. She couldn't smell anything else, but when she arrived at the scene and saw the woman and the red wolves, she knew she had been wrong.

Inessa stared at the wall. Why didn't I sense them? Her guard had been up. She hadn't been careless. Yet is was the second time her senses failed her. The first was when she failed to sense the fourth wolf that attacked her and Kusal while he had taken her back to the East clan.

The door to the cabin opened with a long squeak. Arek walked in. "You know there aren't any guards at the door, right?"

Inessa shot to her feet, her heart pounding. "What do you want?" Didn't he say something about a punishment?

Arek ignored the look of fear on her face. "I've officially made up my mind that I don't care what you do or where you go. So, do you want to leave?"

Was he jesting? Inessa searched his face for any sign that this was some kind of sick joke. There was none. Of course I want to go! But then, those wolves from the North...they were coming after me. Was the North worse than the East? "I'll take my chances," she gritted through her teeth. "I swear you'll never see me after today."

Arek stepped away from the door. Inessa walked through. The picture of him as a human with wolf blood in his mouth flashed in her mind. The paralyzing chill came over her as she tried to erase it from her memory. "I could never side with a monster like you."

Arek yanked her back into the cabin and slammed the door. "Are you such a spoiled runt that you think everyone was able to run free like you? Huh? And last I heard, you were the one choosing to become an alpha's mate."

"I never made that choice! You gave me two choices: marry you or die. I play it smart and choose none, and what do I get?"

"Who told you that?"

"Someone. Dhruv, from the Conclave."

Arek nearly choked. Is she serious? She isn't the one who approached them about this proposition? But then again, that was what Carion told him. Of course. I should've known never to trust a word that comes out of the Conclave's mouths. They probably wanted me to get attached to someone and somehow use that against me in the future. I wonder if she realizes that. He looked at Inessa's trembling form and fiery eyes. Yeah, best she not know. Plus, someone realizing that he had nearly been outwitted by the Conclave would only make him appear less capable as a ruler. If he appeared to be easily manipulated, none of his strength would mean anything. I'd be no less than a brute. And a monster, just as she said.

Arek hated that her words struck his weak points. But I can't deny that's what they are: weaknesses. The thing was, he doubted that she even knew what she was doing. In an odd way, he almost liked it. It was like having a personal trainer for his image as alpha without her even knowing it. I doubt she'd be able to point out anything more than what she's already done, so I don't really have a use for her. Still, having her torn to death by Northern wolves, or manipulated or captured or whatever, was not a pretty picture in his mind. She really ought to stay. But then again, to keep her from causing trouble, it'd have to be her choice.

He cleared his throat. "The Conclave...was misinformed. I have no intention of having you as my mate, and quite frankly, no desire to." He saw the disbelief in her eyes. "Tell you what. You have three days to decide whether you want to stay or leave. But believe it or not, your decision does affect others in the clan and their duties, as well as your responsibilities. There's no jumping back and forth between this."

"Wait, but-"

"You have your options." Arek opened the door and stepped out. "I suggest you spend your time wisely." He walked away, leaving the door open. He couldn't blame her for being stupid and selfish. She knew nothing about the East Clan, about how the Conclave had ruled, or about the rise in attacks from the North Clan. If she knew anything more, she might have realized that those really are her two options, even without me saying anything.

Arek passed between a few cabins and over the main walkway through the village, though the path was currently covered in snow. Because it had been used so much, several patches of brown peeked through. Arek ignored the stares and double takes of the werewolves - almost all of them in human form - and headed towards the northwest edge of the village.

Now, for the Conclave.

It was time for a hunting trip. Ever since the attack from the North, the Arm had been reduced to hunters, though some of the men of the village insisted on going with them. But this hunt would be different. The Conclave wanted to send Carion and two others: Machar and Flacon. Three of the Conclave wanted to join the Alpha and the Arm for a hunt.

Arek arrived at the gathering of the Arm and men of the village early. Good, the three demon dogs haven't arrived yet. He shook his head at himself. At this rate, I'll end up killing them before they speak. "Today's hunt will be a little different. I only need three of the Arm. The rest of you stay."

Kusal nodded at two of the Arm. Vin, with his slight limp, and Mirsha, a gangly-looking man in his thirties with red hair and pale skin.

Arek squinted. The sun was almost directly above them. "Ahlu!"

A man of medium build with black hair and dark skin turned back around. He was shirtless, along with the rest of the Arm. His skin was rough and thick. A scar stretched from inside his shoulder, over his bicep, to his elbow. He was older than both Arek and Kusal by a few years, but by the submissiveness in his eyes, age didn't seem to matter to him.

"I'll need you for this trip." Arek turned to Vin and Mirsha. "Sorry, one of you will need to stay."

Mirsha frowned, but lifted his hand lazily. "Yeah, I'll stay. Doesn't matter much to me. I get so much time out anyway that I've forgotten I still have a cabin to keep up with."

"Sure." Kusal said, though he was looking at Arek.

"Objections?" Arek raised his brow.

"No," Kusal said guardedly.

"We'll see about that."

The three from the Conclave arrived in human form. Carion, who had been present at the banquet along with Dhruv, stepped forward with a crossbow in this hand. "Now I know that some of us prefer to hunt as wolves, but being that this is supposed to be a civilized gathering of the highest ranks in the clan, we ought to do this as men." He smile was smug as lifted his crossbow towards the sky.

Dhruv held a massive spear. "It's definitely the wisest choice."

Arek crossed his arms. "Being that you are guests of this hunt, we'll go along with it."

Machar, the third member of the Conclave, also held a spear, though the tip wasn't nearly as large as Dhruv's. "The other five offers their apologies. They had some business to attend to."

"Oh?" Kusal couldn't help it. Liars. I doubt even Arek believes that. Obviously their pride won't allow them to come to terms with having an alpha. He felt a tinge of hypocrisy, especially since he felt he was the one more ready and capable of killing the alpha than any of them. He doesn't suspect me. He thinks I'm arrogant, just like the Conclave, only not as powerful. He smirked at himself. Maybe he was a little arrogant.

Machar nonchalantly tested the weight of his spear. "It's been a while since I've played with this. Dhruv, I do recall you taking some part in raising your son. Talk some respect into him, hmm?"

"Sorry, old man. My one downfall. He's as dense as a mongrel. Treat him as one and you'll be fine." Dhruv glared at Kusal, who didn't return the stare.

"Save the chatter for the hunt." Arek watched the crows bursting from the trees in the distance. About a mile away. "A herd of deer is passing through. Let's get moving."

There was an excitement, an energy in the air, that intoxicated each of them. It could have been because of the cold wind against their faces as they ran, forcing their blood to pump harder than usual. It could have been the fact that they were amongst potential enemies and friends. It could have been that they were born ready for a kill.

Vin had nothing but a knife with him, but noticed Arek didn't carry anything. He whistled. "Man, if he's planning to go through this bare-handed, I'm stumped he even pretended to need anyone's help in this."

"Of course, Vin. He was just being nice," Kusal responded without a smile.

The herd of deer brushed through the forest and were gone in a minute, but five fell prey to the seasoned hunters. The Conclave themselves took down three of them.

"Not too bad," Dhruv said, gesturing to the deer Arek had tackled from the side and taken down himself.

"Of course, that better not have been the only way you thought you could've taken it down," Carion mumbled.

"How else would he have done it?" Vin asked, irritated.

"Watch your mouth, boy," Machar said, his concentration on cleaning the blood from the arrow he used to take down the buck.

They all sat cleaning their weapons and skinning the deer except for Kusal, who leaned against the tree, watching Vin and Ahlu.

Why Ahlu? Kusal still didn't get why Arek wanted him and not Mirsha with them. If anything, I thought he'd realize that Mirsha is more in-tuned with his senses than Ahlu. Ahlu was good, but not one of the best like Mirsha. Of course, that was only in comparison with Mirsha since each member of the Arm was an exceptional fighter and hunter.

"Now that the pleasantries are over," Arek's deep voice rumbled over the silence. "I've realized that someone from the Conclave has crossed lines they never should have looked at."

Dhruv and Carion stopped what they were doing, but Machar only glanced in Arek's direction.

Dhruv squinted. "Care to explain-"

"Let me make it clear. That tracker will not be my mate, my bride, my anything. She herself told me she had nothing to do with that decision." Arek settled his back against a rock, his arm hanging loosely over his knee and his eyes locked on the Conclave like targets. "And frankly, I don't want her. Forgoing the fact that someone messed up their information of her wanting to unite with our clan-"

"Alpha." Dhruv interjected. "Haven't you considered that the fault is on her end?"

"Hers, yours, I don't care. My point is that you have no say whatsoever on forging ties for me. Tie someone to the clan, fine. But me? Come now, you don't want me too distracted by personal matters and ignore the duties of an alpha, correct?"

The air was so tense that Machar lowered his normally monotone, passive attitude to speak. "Perhaps it wasn't as direct of a matter as you think. You spent quite some time with the younglings when you first became alpha. Some of the Conclave may have mistuned you for someone who...well, was a little too soft."

"No man spends his time carelessly." Carion said. "So tell us, what did you have in mind if not a personal litter of your own?"

For a while, Arek was quiet, watching Kusal, who was staring off into the woods, appearing disinterested. Arek knew without a doubt he was listening as intently as everyone else. I think it's time. This might need some cleaning up later, but... "The Northern clan continues to attack us. We have no idea how long something like this will last, or when the time comes that we find ourselves short on hand. The younglings are growing. Some are old enough to take orders and understand reward and punishment. Perhaps they are also old enough to set aside and train."

"That's what you were really thinking?" Carion said.

Dhruv leaned forward. "Segregating them from the others then? Training them to hunt and fight already would determine the way they will think for the rest of their lives. It would provide the grounds for a perfect warrior: heartless, fierce, and obedient."

Machar waved his hand. "Now, now, Dhruv. You're acting like this has never been done before. It's been years since we've collected younglings for the Arm, but we've done it nevertheless. The village will not offer too much surprise or resistance to such a command. We can start-"

"If I say so." Arek stood up. "I haven't made up my mind yet, so I expect you will keep this information confidential." He knew of course, that the Conclave never revealed their full plans to the villagers, so it was not likely they would change all of a sudden. It was all part of the plan.

Kusal was nowhere in sight, so the Conclave members, Vin, and Ahlu, carried the meat in bags and headed towards the village. Arek didn't lift a finger. He trailed to the end of the group, just as planned.

After a few minutes of casual walking, Arek was far enough from the group that he could not see them. The skin behind his neck tingled. He counted to one and twisted counter-clockwise, swinging his weight with his right arm. He smashed an arm with a dagger against a tree.

Kusal gasped, eyes wide with shock. No way. There was no way Arek could have heard him in time.

Arek was smiling.

__________

Why is Arek smiling?

Who would win in a fight: Arek or Kusal?