I growled softly, hoping it didn't sound like a whimper. Rufias knew the risks of doing battle with Tando of all people and had chosen to stay anyway, but my heart wept to see him injured. Were more of the Pack here he would retreat without question, trusting us to finish the kill. There was no such luxury now. Still, I prayed to Luna that he would be smart and let me handle things from here. The thought terrified me. I knew he wouldn't. Neither would Soiya, though she seemed a bit more obedient to my commands so far. But she was injured too, and likely could not run on that leg any more for the time being.   The best thing I could do for them now was to not let my worry get to me. Even better if it didn't show on me at all, for I already knew it was a weakness that Tando would eagerly exploit. Somehow or another, I would protect my Pack. Even if

The sight of those eyes held me captive. I couldn't imagine what was behind them, but I did find myself desperately wanting to know. Why was that? It was as though something shone from just beneath his mangy exterior, just out of my sight, waiting to be revealed. As I gazed at his face, trying to judge his features, he moved. For perhaps the first time, he moved. He raised his head slowly, and I thought that surely he must've felt there had been a change in his circumstances. He would examine his surroundings and take note of the others like him, including myself. His eyes would squint with suspicion, and a feral growl would escape his throat; or maybe a question, raspy and delirious, about where he was, or what was happening to him. But he did none of those things. He looked right at me.

Against all my better values it still pleased me that Soiya had managed even less contact with him than I had. I felt like a terrible person, and did my best to squash that feeling deep down with the rest of them. I hoped I wouldn’t need the room for any more regrets. Soiya now looked at me curiously, probably wondering why I seemed so interested. Maybe it was only my imagination that she would care. She smiled at me, which I returned, tight-lipped. “If anyone can get him to open up, it’s you, Alpha” she stated proudly, taking me aback. “Well” I said with a huff, “we’ve got our own to look after, too. This mystery boy is just one more thing on our minds right now, but I’m counting on you to help out as best you can.” I paused, tentatively. “Do you plan to stay with him the rest of the night?”

That all-too familiar warmth rose in my cheeks again while I admired his features. He had a high cheekbones and a strong nose, though it looked a little bent - quite possibly broken. His cheeks were still shallow, but his jaw was a bit soft as opposed to rigid or jutting, and he… well, he had rather beautiful lips, I had to admit. I of course couldn’t make out his eyes, but I began wondering what shade they might be to compliment the color and texture of his mouth… overall, the man had an incredibly decent set of features, neither too masculine nor overly feminine. I realized I was fawning slightly over him - but Luna, it was difficult not to! Still, I managed to tear my eyes and hands away from him long enough to stand up and brush myself off. There was much work to do today, and I would have to head back to my own tent before starting any of it. Besides, better to let him sleep now when he clearly needed it so

"So you’re telling me he somehow managed to… transpose, I guess, a lifetime’s worth of memories onto you?” I nodded serenely, feeling proud of myself for all that I’d accomplished already that day. It was early afternoon. Surry and I sat a short distance from the entrance to the young man’s tent; we had borrowed a wooden chair from each of our tents respectively, and now sat together over the grass, discussing the events of this morning. There was a lot to discuss. Thankfully though, for once, it didn’t carry the same pressure as warding off another abusive male, or tending to an infected wound, or… I don't know, as scaling a heavily sap-coated tree trunk to reclaim the clothes that blew off Saro’s line? Because that was also a thing that had happened recently. Carta had been the one to climb it, at least, and alright, maybe that one hadn’t been such an emergency. But you’d never have