The dust had eventually settled with the takeover of their old leader to their new, current one. Tye had no expectations of Teren. He snorted at the thought that he would be a benevolent saint. Perhaps the other male would smile and laugh, embracing him with open paws and grant him a happy future with Cliché. And perhaps wolves would start growing wings and breathe fire. Tye snorted that time, an audible noise coming from his maw. This was at its core, the craziest thing he had ever done in his entire life. He had never cared for love, just survival. Just surviving and living each day. He had thought his heart was made of stone with an impenetrable iron shield wrapped and bolted to its essence. But the shield had been melted, cast into smouldering ores to leave him open and free. What had his father said? Love was unpredictable, wild and all-consuming. And dangerous. Of course, Tye had never asked further than that but he could put the pieces together. Love had been dangerous in a pack that prized malice, cunning and raw, ferocious strength over emotions. It left the soul vulnerable to manipulation and moments of weakness. But it was unescapable. And then there were different types of love. Destructive, twisted love. Love that was fleeting and based on nothing but physicality but still sincere in that regard. Love that was blind and stupid, unrequited. He had seen it and seen wolves that had suffered from it and even some who had broken into hollow shells of what they once were because of it. But even in those darkest of times when murder, betrayal and horrific acts run rampant he had seen some of the purest, most beautiful love of all. Love that had been forged from hardship and pain and emerged whole and intact. Love that was mutual, not self-consuming and irrational. Love that shone amidst all the ugliness in the small acts of kindness. A wolf who snuck his mate a morsel of food when the punishment was death when the dictator was not looking for example. Breaking a leg instead of breaking a neck when ordered to deal punishment. Keeping prisoners company where they were kept in a pit for a week to keep them from going insane from their loneliness. To give them someone to talk to instead of themselves. Tye had never bothered to question his father’s mateship of his mother in that case. At the precious age of one year old the littlest one in the litter knew everything about procreation. No need for speaking of birds and bees when he saw the deed done frequently. And in graphic detail. So here he was now, padding into the snow-covered area calmly and steadily. He hoped he would be strong enough to endure whatever was thrown his way. He had endured all manner of physical trials and challenges but he had never experienced what it was to love, to truly and honestly love. But it had happened and this was the next step. He wanted to feel her underneath him, to feel her move in tune with him and feel and hear her writhe and whine in pleasure. Love had brought him here in the end. And his spawn, just like the rest, would gain strength with the only way possible. Suffering. If there was one thing he had learnt in his life it was that suffering only made a wolf stronger and strength and resilience was a sign of character.

Unfortunately, that was life. That was reality. Growing stronger meant one had to fall, many times and stand up again. And again and again and again. Tye had survived any things in his life. And faced many challenges. And he would continue to do so. So he stood tall and strong, his towering frame an unmoveable, unshakeable force of pure raw brute strength. His coarse winter pelt, deathly black, made him blend well into the night. Like a silent, ghastly omen. An omen with the lightest, iciest, bluest eyes. They stood out against his fur, a stark contrast. Was he supposed to feel fear? Perhaps. But he couldn’t, not anymore. Not after what he had been through. So he stood in front of the den and lifted his long, handsome muzzle to the sky and howled without restraint for the company of their new Alpha. Letting it fade he sat and stilled, his form becoming a powerful, muscle-bound obsidian statue, watchful and alert in his movements. His expression remained as it was, neutral and emotionless waiting for the other to answer. Teren had said he would lead the pack into what it should be. Tye was not the type to follow blindly. But his duties were absolute. To defend and protect the rest of the pack and train if anyone sought out his help. To train warriors to fight without fear and hesitation, with courage. Teren had his respect by default but time would tell if Teren would prove to be the leader he proclaimed himself to be. Or the worst monster in this pack.

[Understandable and thank you]