---Lane's POV---

The leaves bristled against my fur as I pushed slowly through the forest, ears pinned back and tail flicking with agitation. Ahead, yelps and pitiful whimpers sounded along with canine growls and the sound of a struggle.

Well within our territory.

It had been a few weeks since the Alpha had given an offer to Jethro, an offer that was more of a barely veiled insult. As I rose my head to take in the scents of the forest, the smell of wolves and blood clung thickly to the air.

I grumbled but stifled the sound, not wanting to alert the intruders before I got a good look of them. When I made it through the bushes, I glanced at our border and curled my lip in distaste.

Pack wolves were standing near the border, some already crossed over it as they pinned down a struggling woman who was trying to defend her child. The little thing was shaking, huddled against the tree a few paces away from me, eyes focused on the wolf stalking its way.

"The Alpha already warned you Leah. " One of the wolves growled out when he was punched in the side before managing to snag the woman's hands again. "He gave you a fair warning when he found his mate and told you to get rid of it."

Leah snarled and kicked him in the groin, managing to stumble on her feet and into our territory before she was caught again as she screamed at the wolf approaching the child. "Leave him be! He's my son! My only son, you can't-"

The wolf approaching the child sneered, his accomplice shaking his head. "It's a bastard child, Leah. The Luna is already suspecting something, so we might as well get rid of it for you and claim it was a rogue attack."

"No, please-" Leah gasped, breath catching in her throat as the wolf on top of her frowned in confusion when she stopped struggling before looking up.

My tail flicked back and forth, growing damp as it gently brushed over the child's tear stained cheeks. The wolf in front of me was cowering back as I eyed it with murderous intent. It lost its menacing aura completely, now trembling and whimpering as if it was a newborn pup.

I sneered at it, a low growl rumbling through my chest as I glanced back at the sniveling child. The child, a boy barely older than three was bloodied and scraped up. No doubt the wolf had been toying with it, judging from several bite marks on the boy's arms and legs.

Trying to intimidate the mother into submission...

My ears flicked back as the wolf seemed to have found its courage once more, baring its teeth at me in a snarl. No doubt it was due to the presence of his back behind him, pack members whom were all shifting and slowly approaching with rabid barks and snarls.

I scoffed, tail flicking lowly and unintentionally tickling the child, judging from its tearful laughter. Still, his wounds needed to be checked soon and judging from the torn clothes and scraped on the mother, she too needed minor medical attention.

"Master, wolves trespassed and are attempting to kill a child. Seems like it's the bastard offspring of their Alpha, the mother is trying to defend it..."

Jethro's growl resounded through my mind along with his anger at the thought. To stoop so lowly to kill your own offspring, merely because you couldn't remain faithful to your fated...

"Deal with the wolves in any way you deem fit. Bring the mother and pup; no doubt they'll be cast out if word comes back to their Alpha."

I huffed, glancing at the wolves that were slowly surrounding me. I had no interest in prolonging the fight or taking them on one by one and neither did they. Judging from the frantic snarls and bared teeth but tucked tails, they were all hoping I'd flee the scene and leave them be.

Too bad lil' pups...

A warning growl slipped past my teeth as I bared them, threatening them away from the boy behind me. Movement caught my eye, the pup's mother circling around the other wolves to check up on her son.

I let her, positioning myself between her and her little pup at my back and the vicious pack in front of me. The pack wolves kept yipping and barking, rushing forth in a fake charge only to skid to a halt and dart away at the last second.

The dark wolf that had been toying with the child snarled, claws digging in the soil before lunging at the unaware she-wolf and her pup. The anger and malice in his eyes quickly turned to shock and fear as I caught him around the throat, slamming his body against the floor before his body sagged when his neck broke.

The rest of the pack whimpered in shock as I flung the still body in their midst, where it landed with a dull thud. As the air slowly wheezed out of the deceased wolf's lungs, I bared my teeth once more. I had no patience with murderers, abusers and other filth and this was the only warning I'd give them.

Back off towards your pack or perish like the dogs you are.

Deciding to try and frighten them off, I released a roar that send the rest of the pack scrambling and fleeing in terror, leaving their fallen behind. A snort escaped me before I turned around, chuffing reassuringly at the woman and pup.

The boy had shifted, a whimpering mess of bloody fluff and fur as it licked at his mother's insistent presses. She bared her teeth defensively, body curling over her pup though she didn't press her luck any further.

Reaching down, I grasped the pup as gently as possible between my teeth, motioning further into the forest with my head. The little pup didn't even whimper, merely curled itself with a soft puff of air. The woman growled softly but when she noticed I wasn't harming the pup, merely holding it, she followed without a fuss.

"Jethro? The pup might need some stitches..." I nearly cringed when a low growl rumbled through the link and was barely audible in the distance. The she-wolf perked her ears in concern before hesitantly following as I sped up to a trot.

The stench of her fear was nearly suffocating, especially when Jethro's cabin loomed through the forest. Even the little pup protested weakly, though it stopped after I started purring in an attempt to sooth its anxiety.

Jethro was already waiting, holding the door open while he eyed my little entourage tiredly. "Alpha Curtis' pup? Could've guessed that weasel would try and kill pups to keep power to his strongest bloodline."

My paws thudded over the floor as Jethro guided us to the living room, all the supplies he needed already present and ready for the squirmy pup. "Lane, get some clothes for our guests and prepare a room. We'll head to the council for their asylum in the morning."

I purred, bunting against his head happily before I rushed to do as told. As I shifted, I quickly jumped in some shorts and grabbed a pair of pants, some briefs and a loose shirt for the woman, frowning as I realized that we wouldn't be able to provide the boy with any kind of clothing.

As I came back to the kitchen, the little pup was out cold, either from its wounds or medication, I couldn't tell. Jethro was busy stitching the wounds that needed sutures before wiping disinfectant over the rest of the boy's swollen skin.

"Here you go Ma'am." I held out the bundle of clothes as the she-wolf jumped in fright, hackles rising in reflex before she calmed down. Her eyes flicked between the clothes and her pup before they hardened, quickly grabbing the bundle between her teeth and dashing around the corner.

"The pack?" Jethro asked calmly, eyes focused on his task. I swallowed, standing calmly as I stated. "Left... minus one wolf. My shift refused to leave him unharmed." Jethro smirked at that, eying me with a look in his eyes that made me nearly melt on the spot.

"Good boy." His praise was enough to have my tiger purr audibly, making Jethro chuckle with a shake of his head before he sighed. "No doubt Alpha Curtis will take offence and will try to claim the dog's death as a murder. We'll guide the mother and pup to the Council and put them under our protection for as long as the case runs."

I nodded before frowning when I realized that Jethro didn't mention our case against the Alpha. "And what about-"

Jethro snorted with a wicked smirk on his lips. "I'd like to see that weasel of an Alpha have us summoned before the Council. If he does, then I have given him too much credibility for his intelligence over the past few years."

A soft gasp sounded behind me, making me look at the she-wolf as she rushed to her sleeping pup. "With all due respect, Sir, he is an Alpha." Jethro snorted as he cut the last wire and handed the pup to its mom. "And with all due respect, I'll give respect when I see said Alpha. All I see and hear of is a sniveling bitch whimpering behind its pack." He frowned for a second before smirking, "Almost reminds me of those yipping chihuahuas."

I fought to keep my laughter at bay but lost horribly while the she-wolf herself choked on her own reaction, which seemed to be a combination of fear and mirth. "Sirs, please. Alpha Curtis will come for me, for my son. I have to leave now, as he will have no qualms with killing both of you-"

Jethro rested his cheek in his hand, placing his elbow on the table before yawning loudly. "I'd like to see him try. Curtis will shake in his boots like a pair of maracas and will whimper and whine until the Council gets sick and tired of him."

He stood up with ease, heading towards the kitchen as he spoke, "Now I'll start lunch, after which we'll see if we can contact the Council in regards to your asylum. Lane here will show you your room and we'll have to figure something out for the pup to wear if he decided to shift back."

The she-wolf stood quietly, eyes wide and mouth agape before tears of gratitude spilled from her eyes. "That's...I mean...thank you! Thank you so much!" She held the little pup in her arms, nuzzling the fur before Jethro nodded with his head. I nodded in understanding and went about preparing my former room for the she-wolf and her pup.

A blush graced over my cheeks when I thought of the chances of her hearing Master and I if we were to... Jethro's amusement flushed through the link, making me flush even more as I rushed to prepare everything under the gaze of the confused she-wolf, whom was holding her sleeping pup close.

"I guess tonight we'll see if you can keep quiet or not, Kitten." Jethro teased, flustering me even more while my tiger chuffed happily, eager for night to fall and see what exactly Jethro had planned for us.

I knew I was going to enjoy every second of it.