-Ma, you like Lailai,- Priscilla blurted out one day to Nebraska as she combed her hair that reached halfway down her back.
The she-wolf blinked at the question and, putting the brush aside, hugged her daughter from behind and pulled her to her chest. The girl raised her head to meet her mother's gaze.
-Yes, I want it,- she raised the edges of her lips, -Why do you ask me that question? - she kissed the crown of his head.
-Do you love him like you love Pa?- her eyes were wide with innocence. She loved her wolf, she wouldn't deny it to anyone, but if her mother liked him she would just get out of the way, she loved Nebraska too much to do something like that to him.
This time the she-wolf couldn't help but let out a weak laugh. Having a conversation like that with her pup when she wouldn't even talk about it with her older children. It was a bit of a contradictory thing. There were even nights when Hades would lay down next to her and cuddle her and ask her if any pups were interested in anyone. It wasn't a subject they were concerned about at the moment. They were young but you never knew. Nicolas and Rodrigo were the older ones and it was no secret to anyone that there were some she-wolves who had given him the go-ahead. But from their side, there was no progress. They had even said that the she-wolf they chose had to be more beautiful than her mother. Nebraska had had to hide behind her husband when she heard that. She almost lost her queenly composure, laughing until her lungs ached. Her children were unique and stubborn just like her.
-It was strange to say something like that out loud, she usually had a hard time saying those words and when she did it was only in his ear, Hades didn't bother with her, he knew her well enough not to question her, -Layan, I love him but as I love you, your brothers, Sara and Siran, it's a different taste.
Priscilla made a grimace with her lips.
-What's bothering you?- she pinched her daughter's cheek, she already looked like a much older wolf but for her she was her puppy.
-Ma, the last time Lai Lai came, he hugged you,- her eyes darkened, -And he looked at you in a strange way,- she played with her fingers in her lap nervously.
Nebraska let out a sigh.
-Layan and I have a bit of a complicated history to say the least, we both kind of owe each other some things- she recalled the events between the two of them- but now we just have a strong friendship, even though he keeps arguing with your father every time they spend more than 10 minutes together- she said.
Piscila nodded her head. Maybe she was too young to understand some things, but she was already sure of one thing. Her ma didn't like her wolf, he was part of her life and she couldn't deny it. But she didn't know Layan well enough to know what was really going through his head. She wished she would grow up soon so she could be by his side.
---
Alan walked beside Noa in the direction of the backyard where they used to hide whenever they escaped from Leoxi's lessons. The wolf had doubled his exercises in the last year and every night it was more difficult for them to sleep. Priscilla followed them holding hands with the older wolf who laughed at something Noa had said to him.
-Seriously, if he tells Nico now, Nico will punish us for real, Leoxi didn't seem very happy,- Noa scratched the back of his neck, Alan always convinced him to do things he shouldn't. -You, don't worry, don't worry,- he said.
-You, don't worry, anything- he turned and carried a bigger Priscila- we tell her that our sister wanted to go for a walk- he smiled kissing her cheek.
-I'm not going to be your excuse, if uncle Leoxi comes I'll just tell him it was your idea.
-This sister of mine- he began to tickle her, making Priscilla laugh- Will you betray your dearest brothers like that, I won't let you sleep with me today- she pouted.
She pouted. She had become accustomed to sleeping in a different room every day, except for her own. Her siblings had arranged for the rotation to be equal even though she always ended up sleeping longer with Nicolas than with someone else, she said he was the one who moved the least in bed and looked like a teddy bear. Alan and Noa had teased him for a whole day when they heard the comparison. And the older one had been annoyed.
Hades as every time had had to intercede. It already seemed natural that the alpha would be the one to handle their sibling problems as if he were a father. On the outside he might look very serious but he was someone who was easy to get along with and liked to talk to them. Maybe that's why they used to take advantage of his generosity and do some inappropriate things like that.
The three of them sat down near a tree and Alan leaned back and closed his eyes. The breeze was soft and warm and soon he felt Noa lay her head on his abdomen and Prid on his chest. They had grown accustomed to being held as a pillow and it was strange. When they lived in their old house they were close but never had the peace and quiet or the freedom to show each other as much affection as they did now. It wasn't long before the misty sleep enveloped them and the three of them fell asleep.
A loud commotion woke them up a few hours later. Something was happening. It wasn't around them but close to them, their ears developed detected it was within the pack. Alan grabbed Priscilla and carried him as he looked at his brother. The three of them got to their feet and started running towards the mansion. Their instincts told them that they would be safer inside, but something blocked their path with a few yards to go.
A black shadow moved in front of them. In it materialized two red orbs fixed on the three wolves. The siblings backed away. Alan lowered Priscilla and put her behind him pulling also Noa who put up a resistance but in the end gave in.
One, two more steps back and it wouldn't move. Alan felt both the smell of Hades, Leoxi, Siran and Nebraska approaching them but at least they would take two minutes to arrive. He hoped it would be enough time. The question that was inside his mind was that what the hell was that, it didn't even have a smell, he could barely detect it, he imagined that was why it was difficult for them to know where it was and it was precisely in front of them. But he didn't have much time to think about it, not even to warn them, the shadow was gathering until it took a canine form, a dark wolf that was foaming at the mouth and growling, precisely at them.
Alan tensed his muscles and only had time to push his brothers aside when the wolf threw him aside, burying its teeth in his arm, almost tearing it apart. Alan fell to the ground with a scream clutching his throbbing, wounded skin. He gasped from the immense pain but the adrenaline was overpowering especially when the huge wolf turned to Priscilla.
-Pris-- he gasped loudly despite the haze of pain. Worry washing over him all at once.
Noa stepped in front of her sister but that didn't stop the wolf from running in her direction with its mouth open. Everything indicated that its target was Priscilla but the animal stopped in its tracks. His muscles tensed marking themselves on the fur, his eyes wide and then he let out a high pitched whimper.
Both Alan and Noa were unaware of what was happening. The animal began to tremble and put its tail between its legs, its ears stuck to its head and it was this one that began to back away. Pris walked past Noa, dodging the hand he reached out to grab her. Around her was something strange that even caused her fingertips to have a strong electric shock and paralyzed her body.
The girl's hair began to wave behind her back even though there was almost no wind. Her pupils blurred leaving only the molten silver of her eyes and a chilling smile creased her face. Alan could only swallow dryly at that image and more so when she approached the wolf who had retreated to the ground like a frightened puppy.
The girl bowed her head, her hair hiding half of her cold and terrified expression.
-You hurt my brother,- she said, slurring her words.
Noa watched as Hades materialized next to him and behind him could be heard the hurried footsteps of the others in the pack. The alpha growled and ran to where his daughter was, he thought she was in danger but he stopped in the middle of the road when he saw her raise her hand and with a single movement of her fingers the wolf's neck made a strange sound and her body fell inert to the ground.
Total silence. Leoxi and Siran at Nebraska's side had arrived in time to witness what had happened. Nebraska ran as soon as she could react and with her wolfish body interposed herself in front of her daughter protecting her with her body, worried that the beast on the ground might wake up and do something to her. Her gaze was torn between her puppy and her wounded child, she was internally grateful that Leoxi approached her.
But as Siran approached and checked on the wolf she turned with a worried expression to Hades approaching.
The assailant was dead