Noa walked through the corridors of the mansion with her sister in her arms. The little girl laughed playing with the older wolf's hair, pulling it carefully. Her brother had managed to escape with the princess after stealing her from Alan and Nicolas who insisted on spending time with her, because that day their parents were extremely busy.
-Today, sis, we are going to learn new things,- the wolf smiled at her, pinching her pink cheek.
-What are we going to learn? -The girl smiled as they entered the pack's huge general library.
-Siran told me to teach you about the big packs,- she left Priscilla sitting in the middle of the carpet and walked over to one of the shelves and picked up a large leather-covered book.
She returned and set it down on the man taking her sister's place. Priscilla curiously touched the material in the book and became excited. She crawled over to her brother's lap and sat there comfortably. Noa kissed her sister's head, Catalina had never been so affectionate with either of them, yes, she stayed by her side but avoided their touch most of the time. For her part Priscila liked to be held, to hold their hands and give them kisses, especially to her mother, she didn't exactly count, Pris was fingernail and flesh with the she-wolf, to her father and to her older brother Rodrigo who from time to time hesitated whether to give it back to her, but who could refuse those beautiful silvers of the girl.
Noa opened the book looking for a specific chapter.
-This is the central map where the big herds of this area are located. Here we are- he circled the area of the Silver pack that extended even where the gray pack was before- This is the iron pack, for the moment it has no alpha or queen and it is being checked by the Council- then he moved his finger even further. At both ends of the map there were two areas with a different coloration, one so white contrasting with the area so red that there were even black parts.
-Pris looked up with her finger extended towards the book.
-Ah, those areas, I've never been to them, they're the farthest packs. They are the ice and fire pack, belonging to the twin alphas. They may be identical in appearance but their character is precisely like the name of each of their packs,- smiled Nao remembering the only time she had ever been close to them.
The alphas were just as big as Hades, with imposing and strange silver hair, a characteristic that was totally strange in any wolf. It was already strange in itself that they were twins and with hair of that coloration, they were simply freaks, but once they demonstrated their abilities they silenced everyone's snouts and a few years later they were already the main head of their future packs.
-Pa is also a twin with uncle,- said Priscilla innocently, -And they look very much alike.
-Yes, Hades and Leoxi look a lot alike, although, she remembered, no, maybe they don't look so much alike,- she mocked.
-How are we not alike?- the Commander's voice resounded in the room, approaching them.
-Uncle Leo,- Priscilla smiled at him and raised her little arms for him to carry her.
The wolf approached with a half-sideways smile and plopped down on the carpet tired, the day had been really tiring and he needed a few minutes for himself until he heard his name. Noa looked up at him with a bead of sweat on her temple and a mischievous grin. Despite the wolf's tough nature, she already knew he wouldn't do anything to her. He and Alan had established a relationship with the wolf after he put them through some training he didn't want to remember, the fault of his foster father who wanted them to be prepared in case something happened in the future.
Leoxi grabbed his niece and let her climb on top of him until she was clinging to his neck and leaving several little kisses on his cheek.
-Uncle, you're dirty.
-What is my niece doing saying such things to me,- Leoxi reprimanded her with a smile and tousling her tangle of dark curls, -Your uncle was working until just now outside the mansion, that he's totally clean is a miracle,- he said.
-Pris is very fussy,- Noa teased again, closing the book.
-Don't stop,- said Leoxi, -I know you were teaching her about us.
-Yes uncle, I learned that there are several packs, there is a fire pack, an ice pack and a brother pack,- he turned to the younger wolf, -You didn't mention Lailai's pack, did you?
-Lailai?- both wolves looked at each other in confusion. They didn't know anyone named Lailai, no, no one close, unless?
-Priceless- Leoxi turned her head upwards -Who are you talking about?
Priscilla pouted, puffing out her chubby cheeks.
-Of my wolf, the one with the red hair, the one I'm going to marry,- she showed a large row of white teeth.
A vein throbbed in Leoxi's temple.
-Priscilla, are you talking about Layan, the leader of the Council?- he saw her nod energetically, shaking her hair.
Leoxi feigned a smile. She had heard about it long before the cub was born from her queen's lips but she had thought it was a joke. Besides Layan hardly had time to be visiting them so he and the she-wolf's paths hadn't crossed in all that time.
- My beautiful niece, I'm sorry but you will not marry that wolf, first over my dead body-
The smile faded from Priscilla's face and was replaced by thick tears that escaped from her eyes. Then a loud sobbing sound invaded the entire library, leaving the two wolves petrified. Priscilla put her hands to her eyes and covered them, awkwardly getting up from her uncle's lap where she had been sitting and walked as best she could to the door. Her little legs were short even though she looked a little too big for her time.
Noa and Leoxi just looked at each other dumbfounded as the little girl's sobbing cries drifted down the halls.
Hades heard his daughter crying and dropped everything in his arms running towards her with the speed worthy of his skill. He found her walking, leaning against the wall.
-She raised her little hands when she smelled him. Her eyes were closed from so many tears.
The alpha knelt down and carried her worriedly. She sobbed against his shoulder without comfort. Hades heard Noa and Leoxi running towards him and looked at them doubtfully.
-What happened to her that she is crying like this?- he moved his daughter in his arms rubbing her back to soothe her.
-Leoxi denied it,- answered Noa scratching her cheek.
-What did he deny?- Hades was getting desperate, he was getting very upset when he saw someone shedding tears like that, not from his family or his pack.
-Uncle doesn't want me to marry Lailai- the girl's sobbing answer seemed comical to him even though she was in a sea of tears.
-Pris, who is Lailai?- he wiped uselessly one of her cheeks with his thumb.
-Layan,- Leoxi concluded, only causing the wolf's face to freeze.
-Of course not,- growled Hades, -Of course you won't marry him,- he stressed.
Priscilla's sobs stopped for a second and she separated a little from her father looking at him with wide eyes. This time, the sobbing that followed was even louder and could be heard far away. Someone would not be happy about that, someone with dark hair and violet eyes.
-What are you doing to my sister,- Nicolas appeared behind the alpha and grabbed Pris and pulled her against his chest, -Calm down Pris, breathe,- but the girl was crying her eyes out.
-We just...- Leoxi justified.
-Yes, I know, I heard the whole conversation, but- he turned to Hades- Alpha excuse me if I am disrespectful, but she is too young to understand certain things, even if she is smarter than average, she can't understand the reason for her denial- -Nicolas gave a bow and turned to Hades- -I'm sorry if I'm disrespectful, but she is too young to understand certain things.
Nicolas bowed and turned around.
-I'll take her with me until everyone calms down and can talk like civilized wolves,- and he walked away from them, calming the girl who was soaking her shirt.
-I think ma won't be too happy when she hears what just happened- Noa smiled sheepishly, that night Nebraska was going to yell at everyone, including those who weren't there. It was rare to see her do it but when she got upset it was to be feared.
-Noa, don't rub any more salt in the wound,- Hades sighed and pushed his hair back. He imagined his queen's face, they had already had that conversation that had been left with an unfinished solution, a wolf without understanding, a she-wolf upset and both of them without speaking to each other for a whole day. The worst day of his life. Luckily he had given in because Nebraska was relentless when it came to her children. She always put them before everyone else, even him. Not that it bothered him much but in certain matters it was a real problem because....
How the hell do you explain to a 3 year old cub that she can't be with the person she wants to be with? Well, no, you can't.