12 years old
Noah giggled as he hid behind a cave wall. His ears perked, he listened to the white and black wolf on the other side taking careful steps as if to not alert him but Noah knew the wolf was near. Noah crouched low, his tail wagging excitedly in the air as he waited patiently for the white and black wolf to round the corner where he'd pounce and surprise the older wolf.
The wolf was near. He knew that; he could feel the wolf's presence almost as if it were near him. Suddenly, two furry black arms came to wrap around his tiny body lifting him off the ground causing him to squeak in surprise and leaving him to hover in mid-air.
"Gotcha!" Fang cheered as he lifted his baby brother high in the air. "Did you really think you could hide from me, you little rascal?" the white and black werewolf teased turning his baby brother his arms and holding him up high. Noah just blew a raspberry at his brother causing the bigger werewolf to laugh.
"Hey, if you be good I'll take you outside by the stream." Fang bribed. Truth is, a lot has changed with him personally yet his father refuses to see it. In the last two years, he's really shown that he's no ordinary sub; ever defiant when it comes to authority and so it worries Felix. Fang actually really wanted to leave the cave but his father absolutely forbid it even though it was broad daylight, the borders were protected thick twenty-four seven and the stream was literally twenty feet away from the cave mouth. He'd figured if he used his brother as an excuse, he'd get to go...and he'd drag Felix's lazy butt with him.
Noah kicked his legs in excitement at the thought of finally being out of the cave in the whole week. Fang brought his brother down to his eye level and held him close. "How about we go beg mom and dad?" Noah giggled waving his paws like a mad wolf in approval causing Fang to laugh. "That's my boy."
Noah ran ahead back to their room to get Felix as his brother's twin had suggested. The dominant boy lay on his back his feet propped up on the wall. Noah ran and jumped onto his eldest sibling momentarily knocking the air out of his lungs. Noah just laughed at his brother's reaction.
"Hey, we're gonna bribe mom and dad to let us go by the stream. What do you say?" Felix thought of it for a second. It didn't seem like a bad idea. He knew more about the rogue problem than his twin enough to know that the borders were well protected and exactly how protected it was now. That was the major issue that transpired over the past number of weeks. Rogues had been trespassing into their territory like mad and some even had the audacity to come within a mile of the cave. About three weeks back, some of them attacked killing a few of the omegas even one that was supposed to be the future mate of a dominant from another pack. About three middle ranks were killed. The dominants and Jack had managed to get most of them but one managed to escape.
Ever since then, the remaining omega had been moved to the back of the cave were they'd be protected. The foyer was off limits unless it was the hunting party getting ready to go find food or the pack was welcoming another visiting pack. Felix, Fang and Noah were thrown into their room and instructed never to go within ten yards of the main foyer. So they were dead bored. But now that there were regular patrols, it shouldn't be that bad.
Ever since the attack happened, Jack had rallied surrounding packs to hunt down any rogues they find. The alpha seemed sure that the rogues were planning something; like they were gathering every rogue they could find to take down the most powerful packs within the area and Mount Peak was on their list.
"Okay." The dominant boy simply said shrugging his shoulders. "Anything's better than being cooped up in here like prisoners." Felix grumbled getting to his feet. Noah whooped in excitement and ran out the room heading in the direction of the main hall. The twins followed. When they finally arrived, Felix leaned closer to his twin as he watched their brother literally dive into their father's lap.
"You know they'll never say yes right." The sub turned to his brother with a smirk had honestly scared the poop out of Felix.
"I know." Just as expected, when Noah asked the question, both Ellie and Jack looked to them with expressions that said they disagreed. With a voice filled with power and authority, Jack stood and spoke his final answer.
"No. I will not risk the lives of any more pack members let alone my own children."
The sub rolled his eyes in annoyance. "So those wolves guarding the borders aren't part of our pack then?" Fang retorted sarcastically. Felix stared dumbstruck as that remark slapped the authority off the alpha's face and a few other pack heads gasped. No one had the guts to speak to the alpha like that but apparently his sub son did.
Jack walked closer to stand in front of his son making the sub bend his head all the way back to meet his eyes. "Do not get smart with me Fang Peak. I said you are not to leave this cave without my permission and you will not! You know the penalty for disobeying a direct order from me." Fang's jaw clenched as he stared back at his father his gaze unflinching.
Noah was now hiding behind Fang's leg from the raw power and authority that reverberated from the alpha's voice.
"Fine." The sub said in a voice that was quiet and calm; filled with confidence. "Keep us all locked in here while you do nothing to stop those rogues. They're every fucking where day and fucking night! Guarding the border doesn't do jack shit to them!" The alpha was breaking. He was losing his strength to control himself with Fang and his insolence and at that moment he felt it slip.
The sub remained unflinching not even close to jumping or looking panicked when Jack punched the wall directly behind his son. The impact that chipped rock caused Felix to jump back and Noah to whimper in fear. "You mock my authority?"
"No; I would never." Fang said calmly. "I respect you too much. I'm just implying you get rid of those parasites." With that final statement, the sub whipped around and walked out of the main chamber pulling Noah with him. Felix followed after his brother his discomfort skyrocketing with what just happened.
"Fang?" Felix called after some time of them walking through the cave through different tunnels and past the hot pools walking deeper and deeper into the cave.
"Where are you taking us? China?"
"There's an exit through the back. It's really small but I think one by one each of us could fit. It's a little bigger than you."
"What?! Are you insane? Do you not remember what just happened?" Fang stopped as he found the 'exit' and turned to give his twin a highly annoyed but blank expression.
"I made a promise to Noah and I'm not about to break it. Besides, wouldn't you rather be somewhere that doesn't have walls around you. It's all we've seen because of those damn rogues...like tics."
"What if we get caught?" Felix asked the panic evident in his voice.
"What are you? A sub or dominant? Besides, we're just going out for a bit before they miss us." Fang motioned his hand for Felix to go first. "I'll keep watch." The dominant boy shook his head, looked around as if making sure no one was watching or listening. Then, he bent down and twisted his body this way and that for a brief moment before he was attacked with fresh forest air. Next, Fang motioned for Noah to go. The pup seemed unsure but when Fang offered him a soft reassuring smile that seemed to do it as the pup returned a happy smile and wriggled through the hole with ease. Now, it was Fang's turn. Just like Noah, he wriggled through with ease never mind he bumped his head on the way out.
"I can't believe we just did that." Felix said softly as he stared out at the trees that surrounded them and the quiet stream that flowed nearby.
"You know they're gonna kill us." Felix added as the twins watched Noah run around in carefree abandon whooping with glee and rolling around in the dirt.
"Life's too short to be scared."
**********
"Oopsy!" Noah said giggling as he stopped rolling around in the dirt and taking in the condition of his pelt. "Mommy's going to be mad." He sang as he hopped over to his sub brother who brushed his fingers through his mud matted head fur.
"Nothing we can't fix bud." The pup made a sound close to a purr as his brother ran his hand through his mud matted head fur and along his back. He loved both his brothers no doubt but between the two, he loved Fang the best.
"It's dangerous out here for pups such as yourselves." The three boys gasped as they heard the unfamiliar sinister voice. They looked up to find a gray wolf walking toward them slowly, almost as if studying and assessing. Both Felix and Fang shifted into their wolves. The rogue's eyes widened with a lustful look when he saw Fang's wolf.
"A sub." The gray wolf replied ginning as his eyes roamed over Fang. The sub let out a low predatory growl as he took a protective chance of Noah; Felix coming to stand in front of his twin almost as if shielding them both.
"How cute." The rogue cooed seconds before his demeanour changed to ultimate predator. He pounced but Felix charged catching him in mid-air slamming the rogue down onto his back. The rogue was older and stronger than Felix since he was still in the developing stage. The gray wolf pulled up his front left paw and slammed it into the side of Felix's face causing the dominant boy to stumble which was enough for the rogue to attack. He pounced shoving Felix so hard it sent him flying into a nearby tree.
The rogue turned to Fang who was momentarily stunned but once the rogue focused on him, he snapped back to reality bending his head low a predatory growl emanating from his muzzle as he kept Noah beneath him. The gray wolf then did something that made Fang's anger flare. He started circling them both but his eyes weren't on Fang; it was on the tiny black and red wolf with the tiniest amount of white hiding under him for protection. The rogue pounced but Fang was quick and jumped up barking and snapping ferociously baring his fangs at the rogue who jumped back.
The gray wolf tried again but Fang did the same thing. Then, he circled again and upon jumping, the rogue dug his claws into the earth beneath his paws as if it would benefit him. Fang was on the verge of jumping but stopped and stared wide eyed as the rogue disappeared from in front of him. His head snapped to the right where he saw a gigantic black wolf with red markings on top of the rogue; his jaws clamped tightly around the rogue's throat as the wolf beneath him whimpered and squirmed.
Jack dug his claws into the gray wolf's chest that was bare to him even though the rogue tried desperately to get away. Fang heard and saw flesh tearing as his father dragged his claws all the way from the rogue's chest down to its stomach before lifting it mid-air with one arm and applying all pressure where he had his jaw locked. Fang heard a snap and loud crush as the rogue let out a hurt a cry and fell limp in the alpha's arms. A few moments later, blood poured trickling down from Jack's mouth. The alpha flung the dead rogue into a nearby tree without much effort almost as if it were a stuffed animal. The sub watched the limp blood covered rogue until he felt a powerful presence towering over him and a shadow was cast over him.
He looked up to find his alpha looking at him with a very angry expression etched onto his face. The alpha had his unconscious son slung over his right shoulder. Reaching down, Jack yanked Noah up into his arms causing the tiny wolf to whimper and threw him over his other shoulder. With an authoritative glare, he turned to his middle son. Fang's head drooped and his ears went flat against his ears. He'd really done it now.
"Inside." The alpha commanded his voice filled with authority and anger. Without so much as a sound, Fang walked back into the cave with his head hung low and his pride torn.
**********
He'd really done it now. There was no way he could ever apologize to his alpha without sounding like a complete ass. But he had to apologize...to everyone, starting with Felix. His twin wasn't mad at him but it was his fault that Felix lay in their version of an infirmary being treated for any wounds or internal injuries. Noah was asleep cradled in the safety of their mother's arms while he was sent to the isolation room and to make matters worse, his alpha was treating him like some domestic dog that displeased his master. Fang was chained.
The isolation room was designed specifically for him and his brother about when they turned seven. They'd become so rebellious that one way their parents thought would be a good idea to punish them was to isolate them from everyone and each other where they'd be chained and fed once a day...real prisoner of war style and yes, they had their own separate torture rooms.
A collar was attached to his neck and a chain linked to it from the wall and he was in shackles. He was to kneel and every time he got out, his knees were bruised. It was their parents' way of making sure they couldn't get away and hoped they'd learn but they never did.
The sub had his head hung in shame as a million ways of apologizing ran through his head. He'd almost been killed. His brother was knocked out and could possibly be in worse condition; not to mention Felix could have died. He put his life, his brothers' lives at risk.
If his father hadn't gotten there in time...
Footsteps sounded in the corridor and they got louder as they approached the room. He knew exactly who it was; he didn't need to look up when the person entered. He could sense the anger and power radiating off him from all the way down the corridor.
The shackles and collar was removed but still he couldn't find it in himself to look up and face his alpha. He'd betrayed his alpha. "Felix is fine. It was only just a few scratches and bruises. He seems fine otherwise." Minutes of silence passed by between them.
"What were you thinking?" Jack asked the panic and fear finally breaking through. Fang didn't answer let alone look up. How could he?
"Look at me." Tears fell as the sub slowly raised his head. All the apologies he came up with in the last three hours all came down to nothing more than a shaky voice as the sheer fear, anger and worry on his father's face slammed into him like a sledge hammer.
"I'm so sorry dad." Fang managed to croak out. "I was just...I was tired of being cooped up in here and I knew you would say no."
"Do you have any idea how terrified I was when I realized you three were missing?" Jack yelled startling his son. Fang stared wide eyed.
In all his life, he'd never seen this vulnerable side of his father. He was the alpha; he always carried himself with such pride, authority and power that showed no sign of kindness and tenderness; power that made other alpha's shake in his presence. That was not the alpha that stood before him.
"Dad, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." The alpha laughed then causing Fang to do a double take on his words just to make sure he didn't say something ridiculous.
"You did more than scare me. I was ready to tear apart this entire forest looking for you...please, don't ever scare me like that again."
"I won't...and that's a promise."
"Don't make promises you can't keep Fang." The alpha instructed.
"You know me and promises and you know I never break them; it's why we went out there in the first place. I made a promise to Noah that I'd take him to the stream. I'm just sorry it turned out the way it did." Jack rubbed his forehead and looked over at his son.
"You truly are special Fang." Special? He didn't think he was any different from the other subs and omegas. What? Just because he had the balls to fight for what he wanted and was never afraid to oppose authority that made him special? Bullshit.
**********
"You two are bad influences." Ellie stated as she paced back and forth in front of her boys, her hand on her hip. She stopped and looked at them. The twins sat side by side being scolded by their mother. Their father had his chance now it was Ellie's turn to scold them. Noah sat on the ground surrounded by toys some of which used to be the twins' playing with them and their father sat close by watching over him.
"One of you is teaching Noah to disrespect authority and the other is teaching him everything he can do to get what he wants without hurting himself." She said frustrated.
"Actually, that's only just still me." Fang said holding a finger up but quickly put it down when his mother cut him the look.
"I don't care which one but you two are being bad influences. You're supposed to teach him things only big brothers can that parents can't." Ellie argued.
"Mom, that's exactly what we've been doing. We're teaching him the good and the bad just right now the bad outshines the good." Felix argued. Ellie cut him the look as well. Fang rolled his eyes and stood up.
"Look, no one died. But we have a real issue here. If today taught us anything it's that we can never be well prepared. We thought the borders were protected; if so then how'd that rogue get through? We need to step up our game."