Alpha Without a Pack...

Chapter 35

                                               Sidney

I could feel the tension in the air as I rejoined the boys downstairs, Sassy perched on my shoulder, Tyson and Ollie stationed at my sides. "Alright idiots don't be going awkward on me now. What happened happened, it's over and done with, now let's all move on shall we? What are we having for dinner?" I quipped as I plopped onto the couch beside Emmett. I could see he had my towel draped over his shoulder but I chose not to go into conversation about the creepiness factor of that little bit of information. "Pizza." Simon said as he walked towards me. 

Tyson growled at his approach but when Simon ignored him and sat on my other side I smiled my approval and Tyson laid down quietly at my feet. "See not so scary." I hummed happily as the others stared at Simon in shock. "Not when you've got my back." Simon murmured softly as he met my gaze. "Ah, you really do learn quick." I teased with a grin and he smiled back, only to seem surprised when Sassy jumped from my shoulders and onto his lap. "Well hi there little kitten." Simon smiled as she curled up in his lap, he tentatively pet her as she started to purr.

 "Well look at that, Sassy sure seems to like you at least. It took me two months for her to get like that with me, and that was after a lot of treat bribery." I huffed out as I playfully glared at my traitorous feline. "I've always been more of a cat person, maybe she can tell." Simon shrugged. "Why did you name her Sassy?" Daniel asked as he pulled up a chair to sit across from where I was. "Well she showed up on my property really skinny and looking for handouts. She wouldn't let me near her at first and slowly she got used to eating in my presence, coming when I called her. Anytime I tried to pet her though she would turn from a friendly stray to a full on feral cat." I shake my head at the memories of the old Sassy.

 "One day she came to eat and she was limping on a swollen paw, I decided to help her out even if it wasn't my best idea. She clawed me up like crazy before I could wrap her in one of my old shirts and put her in a box to get her to the vet, they treated her foot and I brought her home. She would occasionally come to me but her moods changed from friend to foe fast, I kept calling her a sassy little thing and the name just stuck. It took a while for her to get used to me and the dogs but now she's as loveable as can be, she can still be uncertain around most strangers though." I raised as I shook my head at where she was happily sleeping in Simon's lap. 

"You really love animals, don't you?" Jason muttered softly and I tilted my head towards him. "Yes I do. To quote Alfred A. Montapert 'Animals are reliable, many full of love, true in their affections, predictable in their actions, grateful and loyal. Difficult standards for people to live up to'.  I'm happiest when I'm around or caring for animals, they've always been an important part of my life when the human part was sh*t." I shrug back honestly. "Yeah it's like your a different person at the sanctuary." Beck stated slowly and I shrugged.

 "I'm myself at the sanctuary, I don't have to protect myself from the evils outside, I just have to love and protect the goodness of the animals." I murmur back. "You still hunt them in wolf form though." Tucker remarked. "Yes. There can be multiple parts of a person, true I love and care for them, but as a wolf I'm also a natural born predator. I do not kill an animal unless it is my goal to eat said animal, and I do so as respectfully as possible. In a way I'm protecting the animals even when I hunt them, culling the sick and weak from the herd helps the herd stay healthy and strong." I state calmly. "I've never thought of it like that." Gavin frowned slightly.