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Three Peaks

Written By: Spudz

How could I let this happen? What came over me?

The disturbing thoughts swirled endlessly about, consuming Araki. She could think of nothing else but the shame, standing on all fours atop her bed, tied tail to tail with this strange and potent wolf. His knotted length spread her wide to the very limits, periodically giving a faint spurt of his seed. He was still cumming, even now minutes after their impassioned coupling!

She didn't look back to him, couldn't look back. What could she say? That this had been a huge mistake? The sensual exhilaration of their mating still swelled within like a comforting glow, only adding to her indignity. Not only had she let Doko rut her like an animal, she had enjoyed the experience immeasurably.

Even now, with his cock damming the husky so completely, a deeper part of her wanted more. She hated herself for it, but there was no denying that insistent smoldering flame, that seemed to never be quenched even after two magnificent releases.

Araki closed her eyes and rested the side of her pointed muzzle against the soft sheets of the bed, relegating herself to the moment. All she could do was stand there with the wolf's haunches pressed up against her own. As much as she wanted to remove herself from this brutally awkward situation, she wasn't going anywhere anytime soon.

The mindlink... ever since that moment where her consciousness had been bridged with the wolf's, something in her had changed. Yes, he had given her his language, and aspects of his culture. That much she could now begin to discern as the pieces continued to gradually come together. But had he also given her something more? Something, perhaps, untamed; savage even?

A heavy sigh from behind drew Araki away from her mortified thoughts.

<I'm... I don't know what to say.> Doko's voice in her head was muted, almost a whisper. He was troubled.

The husky had two false starts before she found words. "This shouldn't have happened." She looked over her shoulder, and met his sidelong gaze. "I'm sorry; I shouldn't have encouraged you, like that."

His ears splayed back. <No, I made an error in judgment. It's not your fault. The link...>

Doko's words trailed off as they both lapsed into silence.

The wolf's sudden display of shame woke Araki up. This awkward situation was not hers alone to face. She wasn't the only one who had just violated the moral principles of their respective culture. Doko had said lupine society took great pains to isolate itself from the so called modern world. And yet, here he was tied to an anthro, no doubt committing one of the most serious of carnal sins a wolf could. They were both in this together she realized, for better or for worse. No one, absolutely no one, could know about this clandestine meeting.

"You don't need to be sorry," the husky managed, allowing him to catch her wan smile. "What's done is done. This wasn't your mistake to make alone." She paused, taking a moment to draw up the courage to say what she had felt all along. "To be honest, I really enjoyed that. Thank you."

That last bit made a small part of Araki cringe. But it was the truth, honest to the gods. She couldn't deny that. Besides, there was more to this encounter than just a chance mating.

This was the beginning of something immense, something that promised to change the very fabric of the second world in ways she couldn't begin to imagine. But, she had no way of knowing when and how, or even why she felt it so. Maybe nothing would come of this. Was it possible for her to keep the wolves' existence a secret?

At least for now, she had to deal with more immediate problems. No matter what happened, the Rajo Order could never find out about this little affair. She didn't even want to entertain the notion if her misdeeds were made public.

<But now what do we do?> Doko voiced meekly. <You're part of my pack. How do I introduce you to the others?>

"I don't know. We can cross that bridge when we come to it. " A whiff of something briefly touched the husky's nose, making her blink. Was that smoke I just smelled? Probably just a fireplace somewhere else in the tavern.

<The alphas, they'll condemn me for my blunder. They'll exile me, sentence me to the rest of my life alone!>

Araki could feel the wolf's mounting panic both physically in the way his body grew tense, and emotionally as his anguish seeped into her mind. She didn't know what to say. There was no telling what trials and condemnation he would be subjected to. The thought of exile alone was enough to rile her fur. "Maybe if I renounced my place in your pack? Only you know of this."

<No, you can't! Once the bond has been sealed, only the alphas can break the link.>

"Bond? What bond?" This sudden revelation gave Araki a bad feeling in her stomach.

Doko was panting now. <The bond of the pack. Can't you feel them? They're there. They will sense your presence just as I can.>

_What did he mean by that?_Araki forced herself to relax. A link... yes, she could feel it now. It was faint, almost indistinguishable. A series of dull glows resided just outside her perception, vague and intangible. It was hard for her to focus on their presence. However one particular radiance stood out to her mind's gaze, that of the lupine before her. "Doko... what is... is this the bond?"

<Yes, the bond of the pack.> His aura reached out to her, his soft glow intensifying noticeably. For a brief instant his consciousness touched her own, almost like a tap on the shoulder. It was a surreal sensation, sending a chill down her spine. <The others are there too. At this distance they can only sense your presence, but they are there. They will know what happened.>

There was that whiff of smoke again; Araki ignored it. "That we mated?"

<Physical union is what seals the bond.> His knotted length gave another spurt of the wolf's seed to punctuate his blunt statement.

"Gods, they know? What will they do? What can we do?"

His ears folded flat. <I don't know. I really don't know.>

The smoke was becoming more pronounced, its acrid odor making her nose furrow. Only now did its presence jolt her from her anxiety. "Something's wrong."

Doko snapped out of his fretting and looked over toward the door, drawing Araki's gaze to the faint plume of blackened air that was seeping through the cracks. <Smoke? What's going on?>

A sudden feeling of panic seized Araki. Something was very wrong.

A flicker disturbed the barrier weave around the room. She had almost forgotten about the protective spell that she had thrown up earlier.

Another flicker, this time more pronounced. The ripple in the weave's pattern rolled across the wall as someone ran down the hallway outside the room.

Araki pulled against the wolf's haunches; she had to get free right now. Her instincts were screaming at her. But his swollen knot held firm, keeping them locked together.

Her efforts provoked a startled whine of discomfort from Doko. <Araki! What's going on? What's... oh... wrong?>

A new wave punched through the barrier. She had only seconds to register that someone was fast approaching her room.

The brutal pounding on the door threatened to break it clear off its hinges. "Araki! Get out now! The tavern has caught fire!"

She immediately recognized the shrill voice of Shishu. Gods' rot!

Araki looked back to Doko; his eyes were as wide as saucers.

The pounding on the door grew louder. "Araki! Are you in there?"

This was bad, very bad.

She tried to pull again, gritting her teeth at the twinge of pain as the wolf's knot refused to budge. Her efforts provoked another yelp from him.

"Araki, is that you? I'm coming in!"

The husky's heart stopped. To her outright horror, a thin slip of wood suddenly appeared between the door and frame, right below the metal lock that prevented entry, the only protection she had.

A quick, deliberate flick of the wood shim with a practiced knowledge of the lock's construction removed the obstruction effortlessly.

Araki opened her muzzle to cry out, as if her voice could somehow prevent the cheetah from coming through the door, but she couldn't find words. That was when she felt it, a distinct palpable pressure that grew rapidly. This is...

The threads of Doko's teleportation weave snapped into place roughly. The pattern was coarse, uneven... dangerous.

As the door swung open, the familiar blinding light enveloped the room. Doko suddenly lunged out for her aura, seizing Araki's consciousness in his hastily crafted spell.

The cheetah exploded into the room, only to be overwhelmed by the dazzling light. Araki only caught the vaguest glimpse of the cat, before everything went so horribly, horribly wrong.

Her world sucked itself inward in a twisted, skewed mess. Everything spun and distorted as Doko drug her along in a gut-wrenching ride that stretched on indefinitely for an instantaneous moment.

And then... like the snap of a bowstring, his hold on her broke; everything came to a violent juddering halt.

Suddenly Araki was falling. She opened her muzzle to shriek.

The sickening sensation came to a crashing halt, as the husky collided headlong into something... soft?

Am I still alive? The question floated vaguely in her muddled perception as she tried to collect herself. What kind of question was that? Of course I'm alive. She chastised herself and tried to focus on her surroundings, or rather, the lack thereof.

Her body felt like it had been torn apart and then brutally put back together again, with some of the pieces not where they had originally been. She had to fight to steady her stomach.

Araki realized she was upside-down, buried down to the waist in a confining blanket of snow. She had been teleported by Doko's weave, that much was obvious, but to where?

It took some effort for the husky to pull herself free. She had to use her free legs to try and gain some purchase in the surprisingly deep bank of snow. When she finally did manage to remove herself from her confinement, and stand awkwardly in the waist deep fluff, the night's blizzard was quick to rush in and remind of its vicious ferocity.

The stinging wind and cold stole the breath from her lungs. Even with thick insulating fur to protect against the elements, she could feel the chilling air penetrate down to her skin. Where is Doko?

The wolf was nowhere to be seen.

There was some good news at least; she was no longer tied. But then again, she was also completely nude. All of her belongings were back at the tavern... Gods, the tavern!

She couldn't begin to imagine the chaos that was overtaking Northpoint right at that very moment. Had everyone made it out alive? What had started the fire in the first place? It had been so quick.

With a grimace, Araki brought her hands together in a focus seal, and called up a fundamental weatherweave. Immediately, the howling blizzard gave way to a faintly visible sphere that formed around her, isolating the husky from its harshness.

She tied off the woven threads just as quickly, locking the spell into place. The wind tried its best to penetrate the newly erected barrier, resulting in a faint bluish hue on the one side of the sphere as the driving snow skirted around its circumference. However, her work held, allowing the husky to take time and gather her thoughts.

How could this happen? Why did the gods see fit to cause such needless destruction? She felt terrible for Shishu. The cheetah didn't deserve to have her livelihood ruined like that.

And here Araki sat, in the middle of nowhere, unable to assist with a crisis that she was perfectly capable of handling. It hurt, it really did, knowing that she had the power to stop the tragedy that was unfolding, but finding herself unable to help even in the smallest way.

The husky stared off into the enshrouding darkness. There was nothing she could do, not without knowing where she currently was.

A nearby precipice loomed vaguely in the snowy void. After a moment's hesitation, she moved to it, slogging along in the deep snow as best as she could, doing her best to ignore the cold that permeated through her naked fur and skin in all the wrong places.

The barrier followed her progress, keeping itself centered on the husky. When she reached the protective overhang, another quick weave raised the temperature within the sphere, slowly melting all of the standing snow around her to expose bare rock and the few meager shoots of vegetation that dared to hold on through winter's grip.

Araki realized she was on a mountain, perhaps one that even bordered the Northpoint valley. But she had no way of knowing. _No... actually I do._This blizzard was fierce, but it was beatable. She had the capability to overpower its might. It would take great concentration and a show of power that would push her weatherworking prowess to the limits. But, could she risk unraveling the weather patterns as a result?

She toyed with the idea for several long minutes, curled up beneath the rocky outcrop, until a shadowy figure suddenly made itself known at the edge of her barrier weave.

<Is it... is it safe to enter?>

Araki had known it was Doko even before he had appeared through the blinding sheet of snow. How, she wasn't exactly sure. "Yes, it's a simple weather barrier. Completely safe."

The wolf lifted a paw and gingerly slipped it into the faint blue hue of the barrier. When he was satisfied the spell wouldn't harm him, he awkwardly passed through, plopping down onto the newly exposed rock looking a little worse for wear.

<What happened?>

"The tavern... it... it caught fire."

Doko cocked his head slightly. <Caught fire? Like a forest catching fire in times of drought?>

Araki bit back a curse at feeling so helpless. "Yes... except this sort of fire is far more deadly."

She could see the understanding play across his features. He didn't say anything more.

They sat there in collective stillness, both staring off into the swirling void of snow beyond the barrier.

Finally, Araki couldn't take the quiet any longer. Her voice was low. "Do you think she saw us?" She knew the question was selfish, and she hated herself for it.

<I don't know. I'm sorry, I couldn't think of any other way to escape. I tried to hold on, but your aura slipped away before the weave finished. I'm sorry; I hope you weren't hurt.>

The husky raised a hand to calm the wolf's sudden onrush of words. "No, you did the right thing," she breathed, realizing just how close they had come to disaster. "Thank you for saving us. We'd be far worse off right now if you hadn't thought quickly."

But really, they were in a bad way as it was now. Araki had nothing. Her supplies, clothing, armor, and weapon, all of it was back at the tavern. There was no way she could return for her belongings, what belongings she had left. The fire would be quick and merciless, destroying everything in its path. She had seen enough buildings go up in flame to know that hardly anything would be left once the fire was put out.

Could she risk going back to the village completely nude? With the blizzard acting as a veil, it was possible. As much as she hated the idea, she could use the tavern blaze as an explanation for her bare fur. But what of Shishu? What exactly had the cat managed to glimpse before Doko had panic-teleported? Was it worth risking a confrontation if she returned?

"Do you know where we are?" the husky asked as she looked back to Doko.

He pursed his lips uneasily. <We're just below my typical lookout post on the slope of the mountain.> He brought a paw up and motioned away from her into the snowy abyss. <Your village is in the valley directly south of here, about an hour's walk. It was the only place I could port us safely to.>

That settled it. "I need to..."

Araki's words cut off.

She sensed something, something new, vaguely recognizable, and yet not.

Doko, too, seemed to pick up on the new sensation. His pointed ears perked, head rising up to look out into the snow.

It was the auras that floated about Araki's perception, she realized with a start. There was Doko's, which burned brightest with its unique glow, warm and familiar to her mind's gaze. But now another radiance grew into prominence, almost mirroring the black wolf's in intensity. She tried to focus more closely on its presence.

Doko's ears suddenly splayed back as his posture shrank. He looked like he wanted to bolt.

"What's wrong?" She followed his anxious gaze out, but couldn't see anything. But no, wait, she knew something... or rather, someone was out there. The bond to the pack was asserting its influence in her mind.

His reply was tense. <We've been found.>

Araki's fur stood on end. There was another wolf out there somewhere, and he was getting closer. This was taking an ominous turn for the worst.

She resisted the urge to reach out and grasp the nearby mana threads that floated just outside her perception. If what Doko had said was true, all wolves were capable of weaving, thus whoever was out there would no doubt sense anything she attempted to craft. She did not want to instigate hostilities.

<Nukenvu...> Doko's posture shrank further; he was practically cowering.

Just beyond her barrier, a shadowy form morphed into existence.

The newcomer's aura pulsed with almost the same feel as Doko's. But it was slightly different, in a way she couldn't quite explain. Through its subtle presence she could sense confusion, concern... anger.

<Brother, what crazy foolishness is this?>

The voice in her head was different, but it still had a vague familiarity to it. Wait, brother?

Doko remained where he stood, with his stomach almost touching the bare rock in his submissive posture, tail tucked between his hind legs. <Brother, please, hear me out.>

The lurking figure remained just outside her barrier, looming ominously in the obscuring blizzard. <What are you doing with this anthro?>

His question was accusatory, only making Doko shrink further. <It's... it's not. I have, I can explain.>

On impulse, Araki quickly wove an illumination spell, ruining her night vision. She was immediately met by the unmistakable site of glowering eyes fixated on her. She wanted to shrink away from the wolf's unwavering scrutiny, which seemed to look right into her soul, sizing her up coldly. She didn't dare make another move.

The husky's act had caught the unseen lupine off guard. <A spellweave?>

He reached out with his consciousness to test the barrier she had worked, not knowing that he wouldn't be able to distinguish her patterns from their surroundings. Only weatherweavers could work and sense such threads. But what if he was a weatherworker himself?

Araki nearly jumped out of her fur as the wolf suddenly burst through her barrier, apparently deciding it was safe to enter. He stopped just outside her reach, regarding her with his piercing golden eyes. She froze, unable to do anything but stare wide-eyed in a mixture of fear and awe.

He was just as big as Doko, with a strong build wrapped in a thick layer of insulating black fur that flowed down to a snowy white across his muzzle and chest. But it was his stoic posture that defined his presence, how he stood with staunch poise, head held high, ears perked and alert, tail raised. He held Araki in his intimidating gaze for a moment, before turning to Doko.

The black wolf wilted under his unwanted attention. <Nukenvu...>

<What were you thinking? Do you realize what laws you've broken, brother?>

<I don't know, I made a mistake.>

The other wolf suddenly advanced on Doko, teeth bared in a snarl.

Araki stopped just a hair short of seizing the nearby mana threads in a panic as Doko rolled onto his back, exposing his soft belly fur. Something held her back. This wasn't what it appeared.

The wolf stopped with his teeth inches away from Doko's throat. They both remained frozen there, Doko whimpering pitifully, his lupine counterpart still growling. <Why do you always go against better judgment?>

It was a show of dominance, Araki realized with a start. This other wolf was asserting his dominance over Doko. There was no intent to harm; this was lupine cultural norm. The knowledge she had gleaned from the mindlink had saved her from committing a serious faux pas.

The display was over in a few seconds. The wolf's posture soon softened and his snarl relented. He removed himself from over Doko, allowing his pack mate to roll over into a sitting posture. They both seemed relatively unfazed as if the newcomer hadn't just had Doko's throat in his formidable jaw; it was the strangest thing for her to witness.

Doko stood and gave his brother, Araki was quick to remember they were kin, a submissive lick to the side of his muzzle. <I'm sorry. I really fouled up this time.>

<Yes, what will the alphas think of this? Do you realize what trouble you're in?> The black and white wolf paused. He gave a deliberate sniff of his nose, and then another. Slowly he edged closer to his brother, whose ears splayed. When he finally gave Doko's fur a good smell, he recoiled back. <I didn't believe it when the bond first changed. But I see I was wrong. I still can't believe it.>

When Doko's brother looked over to Araki, she shrank away from his accusing glare. There was no hiding it; the scent of their mating permeated the air.

Doko's reply was meek. <I have no words to explain.>

"It's my fault."

Both wolves turned to look at Araki. Doko's ears couldn't have been any further pinned. His brother, on the other hand, tilted his head in confusion.

It took the husky a moment to realize he didn't understand her. Only Doko had any grasp of Malan, the language she spoke, and that was only because of the mindlink they had shared the day before. But Araki could speak the lupine tongue.

She collected herself, and focused her thoughts carefully. <I'm the one who motivated the act. Please, do not blame Doko for my misdeeds.>

The wolf started. His eyes darted about in confusion, before refocusing back to her. To say that she had taken him by surprise was an understatement. <You can understand?> He seemed at a loss for words. Obviously he had not counted on her eavesdropping.

<Yes, I can understand,> Araki replied carefully. She was walking a perilously thin line between boldness and stupidity. <I'm sorry, I didn't mean to interject. This whole mess was my fault. Please, don't punish Doko for my mistakes.>

Araki noticed, in the ensuing silence, that her perception of their two auras had grown stronger, more defined. The lupines' emotions manifested more clearly. She could sense the anxiety in Doko. But it was his brother, Nukenvu, his name was Nukenvu, who she focused on most.

At first there was anger at the thought of an anthro learning the lupine tongue, a sense of condemnation toward Doko for his blatant violation of their most serious of laws, and then... resignation.

Nukenvu's posture deflated as he uttered a sigh. <I can't begin to understand your reasoning for doing this, Doko. There's no undoing this mess.> He looked to the husky. <The alphas are going to tear you apart for binding this anthro to the pack. You know that is not the place of an omega.>

An omega? The meaning behind what the wolf had said immediately hit home. She understood that it was a rank within the pack hierarchy structure, the lowest rank who submitted to the dominance of all members. But that was all she could recollect from the implanted thoughts and memories.

If Doko was an omega, then that meant... Araki was of the same lowly rank.She had accepted her role in the pack as an equal to the black wolf, and the bond had upheld that oath in finality. Something about that didn't sit right with her. It didn't seem right to be restrained to a submissive position. But she had no right to argue otherwise.

Why do I care about rank anyway? She didn't even know exactly what it meant to be an omega in a pack, let alone be in a pack to begin with.

Nukenvu snorted with amusement. <Your emotions betray you, anthro. Your confusion is palpable through the bond.>

"This is all a bit much," Araki managed, trying to ignore his derisive tone. When she remembered he couldn't understand her language she fought to steady her thoughts. <I'm still trying to understand your customs. And call me Araki.>

Nukenvu's lips curled back, his formidable teeth glistening in the soft light of her illumination spell. But he did not growl; she took his expression for a menacing scowl. <Araki, huh? You should learn your place quickly. Using such tone to a higher rank is not acceptable for an omega.>

The way he glared at her, it made the husky shrink away. <I'm... I'm sorry.> She had been a little sharp with her words.

<Watch yourself. The pack will not be so forgiving.> He turned to Doko. <The alphas have instructed me to find you. They know of your misdeeds, but not to this extent. You've been ordered to return to the den. We must go now, while her bond is still fragile and can be easily broken.>

Doko's ears remained pinned back against his head. <I suppose we don't have a choice.>

<No, and you'll be damned lucky if the alphas don't exile you from the pack for this.>

Araki, for her part, decided silence was golden. She didn't want to make things any worse than they already were. She watched as the black wolf lowered his head in defeat, silently consenting to his brother's authority. What happened next took her by surprise.

Nukenvu's body suddenly went rigid, tail jutting out straight behind his form. His golden eyes became enveloped in intense white light.

The husky braced herself, not sure what to expect. She could feel the mana threads being worked by the wolf, but the patterns were unfamiliar.

He remained frozen in the strange trance for several long seconds, completely motionless. Araki didn't dare make any move whatsoever, for fear of interfering with the lupine's work.

Almost a minute later, the light faded from his eyes and Nukenvu visibly relaxed, his tautness escaping in a slow practiced exhale.

His gaze settled back on Araki. <I've briefed the pack. They're expecting our immediate return. Doko, you know what to do.>

Panic seized the husky. <Wait, you're taking me to the pack as well?>

<Yes, and you will humble yourself in the presence of the alphas and explain how this happened,> Nukenvu retorted snappishly.

She cringed, and held her tongue in check. What the wolf said was final, and she had no discourse to argue otherwise. Or did she?

Could the husky attempt to flee? Surely she could hold her own in a spellweaving fight should it come to that. No, the risks were too great. She couldn't chance any sort of rash action now, not without jeopardizing her life. And what of Northpoint? If she were to be killed, what was to stop these wolves from turning their wrath onto the helpless villagers in the valley below?

Something in Araki told her to go along with the wolf's authority and assume her submissive role. It wasn't her intuition, not even the chaotic remnants of the mindlink that floated about her mind. No, something else was driving her forward into this potentially hazardous situation, something she had never felt before.

<Araki.> Doko's broken voice in her head snapped the husky back to the here and now. She looked to him, and inwardly winced at his browbeaten appearance. <Your spellweaves...>

She had completely forgotten about the mana light that she was still holding in her hand. He wanted her to disperse the weave, as well as the weather barrier that still surrounded them. The wolf needed to work a teleportation pattern, and any interference from her own active threads would've been disastrous.

Both the light and barrier winked out of existence simultaneously, allowing the swirling snow and darkness to reclaim the rocky outcrop. Araki braced herself, trying to anticipate the discomfort that was to come.

The familiar pressure enveloped her, and she sensed Doko reach out to grasp her aura. But the experience was wholly different from the gut-wrenching chaos of earlier as he took time to carefully weave his patterns.

There was still the unsettling feeling of her body being disassembled into countless pieces, and a quick infinitesimal moment of nothingness. And then it was all over in the blink of an eye.

The same blinding wall of wailing snow still greeted her gaze as she reoriented herself. However the rocky outcrop was gone, replaced instead by towering trees to her either side, their thick trunks only just visible through the blizzard.

Doko and Nukenvu were both standing at her side. Without a word the latter set off at a brisk walk through the deep snow, his brother falling in step behind, head hung in shame. Araki had no choice but to follow.

Nukenvu moved with purpose, trudging through the snow toward what looked like a solid wall of ice that slowly phased into view through the gusting blizzard. When he came to a halt at the base of the obstruction, the husky realized the truth. This was some sort of spellweave!

The woven threads of the obstruction radiated with a strong signature, unique and unfamiliar even to her practiced mind. From what Araki could see through the blizzard, the wall of ice stretched out to her either side with no end in sight. What sort of spellcraft is this?

Nukenvu brought a paw up toward her. <You will not speak unless spoken to. You will not do anything unless instructed, especially any form of spellweaving. You may be bonded to our pack, but you are still a guest in our den. Tread lightly, and do not do anything you will regret. Is this understood?>

Araki nodded dumbly. She had no intentions of stepping even a hair out of line.

<Good.> The wolf jerked his muzzle toward the ice.<Now reach out and touch the wall. The veil will do the rest.>

She followed his gaze to the obstruction in question. The power of the unfamiliar spellweave was strong, too strong. To just reach out and touch it without knowing what exactly would happen was, well, it was dangerous. She had no way of knowing how the strange patterns would react.

<What are you waiting for?> Nukenvu spoke impatiently.

Araki tried to put better judgment aside and reached out, splaying her fingers. She hovered just beyond the field, wavering.

<My patience is not limitless, anthro.>

Her fingerpads touched the ice. The surface wasn't cold; it actually radiated with perceptible warmth.

The flowing patterns around her changed, becoming more animated. She felt the threads reach out to test her, searching for something... searching for the link that bound her to the pack.

Suddenly the patterns shifted again, and her splayed hand vanished through the ice. The husky took a sharp breath as she caught herself before falling forward.

Her hand was no longer visible. Only her arm up to the elbow stuck out from the ice; the spellweave had tested the husky and allowed her to pass through as one of the pack.

Araki didn't hesitate any longer. Screwing her eyes shut, she plunged forward, carrying the rest of her body through the veil. What waited on the other side stole her breath away.

Green, so much vibrant green; the trees were full of life, their limbs brimming with lush foliage. The blizzard was gone, and so was the cold. The temperature had drastically changed for the warmer, as if the days had been turned back to a different season altogether.

Plush soft grass cushioned the husky's bare paw pads, yielding to her weight with surprising comfort. It stretched on in a flawless blanket across the entire expanse of forest floor before her, richly grown and well groomed.

The strange veil Araki had just passed through loomed up behind her to form a protective dome overhead. She could see the raging storm beyond the camouflage barrier, which was transparent from the inside just like the weather weave she had worked earlier. This was a far more powerful spell though, not only designed to ward against the encroaching weather, but also crafted to guard against unwanted entry and attack. The power and skill required to even conceivably build such a defensive weave was almost unheard of.

This was, she realized, the pack's den.

Nukenvu emerged through the veil right on the husky's heels followed quickly by Doko, who kept his eyes lowered. She fell in step behind the two wolves, not knowing what else to do, warily scanning her surroundings as she walked.

All around her, mana lights floated between the towering trees, casting pale blue light down onto the path they followed. The surrounding forest was eerily silent.

<Mind yourself.> Nukenvu spoke as a final word of warning.

As the wolf's words echoed ominously in her head, they reached a clearing in the trees. A rather large rock formation towered before Araki, forming a prominent series of outcrops that matched the surrounding tree branches in height. Across the spline of its prominent formation, a small stream flowed freely from the top down to the lush grass below, disappearing straight into the ground in the most unnatural fashion. But it was the inhabitants of the rock formation that really captured her attention, and held it.

Each stoop was occupied by a pair of wolves, all of them standing with regal dignity looking down upon her. The collective regard of so many keen predatory eyes made her breath catch. It took every ounce of Araki's nerve to simply stop where she stood and not shrink away from their presence.

Even more wolves flanked the rock formation on either side. There must've been twenty of them, all glaring at her. The silence that prevailed was deafening.

Without a word, Nukenvu left them to join the rest of the pack, taking up his place just below the highest boulder. Alongside Araki, Doko cowered, his bushy tail tucked firmly between his hind legs. He kept his eyes locked on the ground beneath him, not even chancing a glance to the other lupine around him.

What in the gods' collective names do I do? She could feel the pack's communal disproval of her presence seething through the bond. They were waiting, waiting on her to assume her role.

Araki did the only thing she could think to do; she knelt down on her knees, following Doko's lead and dropping her gaze down to the ground before her.

Still the disquieting silence reigned, punctuated only by the gentle ripple of the flowing stream. She could do nothing but steady her nerves and wait, not even venturing to feel for the surrounding mana threads. One false move and this could turn deadly.

<Never would I have thought the day would come, when an anthro would stand before me like this.>_The baritone voice in the husky's head was imposing. _<And as bondmate to my pack no less. This is an unprecedented quandary.>

The speaker spoke with an unquestionable air of authority, his voice dangerously calm and composed. Araki resisted the intense urge to look up as the unmistakable sound of heavy paws plopping down onto the ground reached her keen ears.

<This is a grievous transgression, Doko.> This new voice was feminine, but no less imposing than its male counterpart. <You've put us in a difficult position.>

Another set of paws found their way to the ground, joining the first. Araki decided to chance a look, making sure to keep her head lowered respectfully.

Two wolves stood prominently before her. They were, Araki realized, the pair that had previously occupied the top-most boulder of the rock formation moments ago.

The slightly smaller lupine possessed a multi-faceted grey fur pattern, which flowed across his lithe form in elegant hues and patterns. Alongside him, the other's charcoal black fur contrasted drastically with his own appearance, accenting her stark golden eyes menacingly as she sized up Araki. Only the swath of grey fur across her muzzle set her appearance apart from Doko.

It was their aura of authority that set these two wolves apart from the others, how they stood with just that certain poise, heads held up, ears perked and alert, tails rigidly straight and high much like Nukenvu had stood earlier, but on a whole different level. She knew their names through the newly resurgent strength of the bond and the auras that glowed brightly to her mind's perception; Tolum and Lynua, the alpha male and female of the Three Peaks pack.

Tolum, who was slightly shorter than his mate, but no less imposing, stepped forward. She could feel his consciousness touch her aura through the bond. <You're the first anthro to ever cross this far into our territory.>

The husky lowered her gaze, unable to speak. Even though the grey wolf stood no taller than her shoulder as she knelt on her knees, it felt like he was towering over her meager form.

He turned his attention to Doko, who rolled submissively onto his side with tail tucked firmly between his legs.<I am very disappointed in you. Do you know what hell The Circle will raise over this?> He bared teeth and was upon the hapless black wolf in an instant. <Do you understand how enraged I am!>

Doko submitted to the alpha male's fury in a fit of whimpering.

<I should exile you from the pack! I cannot believe my son would be so foolish. You know the edicts, every wolf does. What do you have to say for yourself?>

Araki's ears perked slightly at the alpha's harsh words. She forced herself to keep her eyes pinned to the ground. Son? That meant...

Doko's reply was meek, almost imperceptible. <I have no excuse.>

There was a tense pause, and then the elder wolf's anger relented slightly. He removed himself from above the omega. <I don't know what I'm going to do with you.>

It was at that moment that Lynua made her presence known once more. _<You do know what the edicts state, Doko, what the punishment is for this transgression?>_She spoke calmly, but the boiling anger was clearly there in the alpha's voice.

Her words struck the young black wolf like a harsh physical blow. Still lying submissively on his back, he said nothing.

<They call for your immediate exile. You knew this, you knew this would be the punishment for your acts. And yet, you still committed them. Even worse, you knew what would happen to this anthro when you showed yourself to her. None of her kind can know of us. Her being here puts the entire lupine domain in serious jeopardy. What were you thinking?>

<I... I wasn't.>

The way Lynua spoke of the husky's presence, and of the unknown consequences for her being here, put Araki on guard. This was not good. She had no way of prepping any sort of spellweave to craft a possible escape or defend herself, not without tipping her hand and bringing the wrath of this entire pack down on her.

<We are obligated to carry out this punishment,> Lynua continued grimly. She paused, letting her words hang.When Araki looked up, she caught the two alphas regarding one another, as if a silent agreement was passing between them.

<However, The Circle doesn't know of this wrongdoing yet,> Tolum finished for her. He sighed heavily, and what remained of his anger seemed to rush out with his exhaled breath. <I suppose this was bound to happen sooner or later. Living this close to the anthro world, it was only a matter of time before the edicts would be violated.>

Doko's eyes darted about in confusion. He had clearly not expected such words from the alpha; neither had the rest of the pack. The bond was fraught with surprise and sudden concern. A few of the lupine on the surrounding rocks shifted about uneasily.

Lynua padded over and gave her son a reassuring lick to his muzzle. <The edicts are law, but they are from a time long forgotten. This is not something to exile a pack member over.>

<Right now we need to deal with her,> Tolum asserted, refocusing his attention back to Araki. <Supposedly, you have already learned our language from what Nukenvu has stated. What is your name?>

The grey wolf's unwavering yellow eyes were intimidating unlike anything Araki had ever faced before.

<Well, you can speak can't you?>

She swallowed and forced herself to relax. <Y...yes, I can.>

<And your name? Come now, I'm not going to rip out your throat.> He was getting impatient.

<My name's Araki.>

<And what is your purpose for venturing into our land?>

The blunt question came as a surprise to the husky. Should she answer honestly? Was there any danger in divulging her mission? In the end, she decided the truth was the safest bet. <I was sent here to investigate rumors of strange creatures roaming about Northpoint.> When he canted his head slightly as a show of not understanding, she clarified. <The village down in the valley. The locals have been frightened by strange events over the past few months. I was sent here to see if their claims were true.> She decided to forgo mentioning the last part concerning the order to exterminate any wild animal nuisances should she have come across any.

Both Tolum and Lynua digested her words at length, until the alpha female brought up a paw to point at Araki. <So you're a warrior then? You represent some sort of greater power beyond the village?>

The husky picked her words carefully. <Yes, although the Kaowyn realm is a peaceful kingdom. I am a sage who serves the government in many roles.>

<A sage? Not exactly a fitting title for a warrior.> She sized the husky up shrewdly, clear contempt in her eyes. <So you were chosen to travel into our land and deal with these supposed threats with force?>

Araki brought her hands up to quell the alpha's anger. <Heavens no! Yes, I am one of the few trained in the spellweaving arts. But I use my craft for peaceful purposes. I made my way into your land, not with the intent to fight, but to investigate. I had no idea your kind even existed.>

Her reply brought a few curious looks from not just the alphas, but the surrounding wolves as well.

Tolum took up the conversation with incredulity clear in his words. <You speak like not all anthros can spellweave. How is that possible?>

<Well... yes, only a small percentage of the populous can. That's how it's always been. Is it not the same for wolves?>

He stared at her for a long pregnant pause. <I don't understand. All wolves are capable of working mana threads. We thought the same was true for anthros as well.>

It wasn't, far from it. The ability to spellweave was an incredibly rare gift that seldom few had the privilege to wield. Those that did were only made aware of their talent when put through an aptitude test, or in some cases, when they accidently wove a spell during an emotional outburst. <No, I'm one of the very few that can.>

Again the wolves went silent and exchanged glances, before Tolum spoke once more. <No matter. What affinity do you possess? I take it anthros are at least versed enough in the art of mana weaving to comprehend that much.>

Araki ignored the condescending tone of the grey wolf. <My affinity is weatherweaving.>

<Weatherweaving?> Now Tolum seemed interested. <Well, well, I've never come across such an affinity before. Does that mean you can actually influence weather patterns?>

A little bit of confidence snuck back into the husky's voice. <Yes.>

<Show me.>

So she did, crafting for the pack a weave that drew the residual moisture out of the ground and flowing stream to condense in the surrounding air, a relatively simple weave that didn't require a focus seal, just careful thought.

The result was a thick bank of fog congealing around the husky and wolf pack, so dense that the alphas' forms were almost completely obscured from her view as they stood only a few arm lengths away.

Lynua was impressed. <I've never seen that sort of spell woven so effortlessly before. You really do possess the affinity. No wolf has ever been able to work such patterns in recent history.>

<It's a rare trait for anthros as well.> Araki let the threads unravel, causing the fog to dissipate.

The alpha female gave her a sidelong look with a slight tilt of the head. <Perhaps, this chance meeting was by design? Marlois tends to work his will in mysterious ways.>

Araki started at the mention of the familiar name. Marlois, heavenly god of punishment and wickedness, was said to possess the earthly form of a wolf. Could it be that perhaps there was some truth to the old tales?

<This must be the work of Marlois,> Lynua continued as she came to stand before the husky. <What better explanation is there? Only his divine judgment would allow you to enter our den, even with you sharing a bond to the pack.>

<We'll have to worry about that later,> Tolum stated brusquely, interrupting the alpha female's speculation. <What's important now is you've already been bound to the pack.> He slowly padded around Araki where she knelt, sizing her up. <No pack has ever taken in an anthro, never in the history of the second world. It's unheard of. So the question becomes, what do we do with you now?>

What confidence Araki had gained was promptly lost. <I... I don't know.>

Lynua gave her mate a hard look that spoke her displeasure at his rudeness. However, she let it slide and instead motioned with a paw toward the husky. <We cannot follow what the edicts call for in this situation. The penances delineated are... decidedly barbaric.> She paused, as if weighing her words carefully. <We will let you remain as part of this pack with the authority that is granted to us as alphas. But, we cannot guarantee what will happen when The Circle is made aware of this.>

Flanked on both sides by the two wolves, Araki worked up the will to venture a question. <What... is The Circle?>

Lynua puffed her cheeks in what she assumed was vexation. <I guess it was wrong for me to assume you would know. The Circle is our central government. It is comprised of a select group of alpha pairs that represent differing regions of the lupine domain. We are one of those alpha pairs currently serving on the council.>

<I had no idea...> Yet again, the lupines' cultural sophistication had completely taken her by surprise.

The black wolf wasn't done. <You will also abide by our laws if you are to be part of this pack. You will be an omega as the bond currently holds true, and thus fulfill all obligations of your rank. Your loyalty to this pack will be absolute. Is this understood?>

Araki hesitated, but then nodded.

<If you choose to break the bond, you will be free to go. However, there will be stipulations that you must follow if so. The decision is up to you.>

Lynua fell silent, and, after a moment's pause, Araki understood that the alpha was waiting for her to voice an answer. Could she go through with this? Was it wise to accept her role in this pack with the responsibilities that were already placed on her as a sage? The questions were daunting. There was no good answer. She needed time to think this through...

<I will accept my role in the pack.>

The words in her head were a surprise to the husky. They seemed to come from a whole other person. But no, it was she who had spoken with unwavering confidence.

The alpha female dipped her head slightly. <Then we will accept you into the Three Peaks pack as one of our own. But the bond is still incomplete.>

<There is only one way to solidify the bond,> Tolum added, moving assertively toward the kneeling husky from behind.

When Araki felt his uncomfortably close presence, she gasped at the unexpected shock of a cold nose working its way up under her tail for a sniff. She had almost forgotten she was still nude. It took every ounce of her willpower not to flinch as the alpha violated her intimacy.

<Doko certainly had his way with you. His scent saturates your fur. Oh, but you do smell quite enticing.>

The husky found herself in a sudden panic. Was the alpha hinting at what she thought he was? Gods above, she hoped not. She definitely wasn't in any shape for that, not after the vigorous rutting Doko had given her.

The black wolf in question remained passively silent. Araki could tell through the bond that he was overwhelmed by this sudden change in events. For that matter, so was she. This was all happening far too fast.

Her attention was drawn back to Tolum as he circled around her, eyeing her like a hungry predator. <All new members of the pack must mate with the alpha pair to complete the bond. And I fully intend to take advantage of that now.> Her ears flattened back as he moved toward her once more. She cowered down against the ground, allowing the alpha to stand over her like the dominant male that he was. <Don't worry; you'll enjoy this as much as I will.>

The grey wolf's newfound excitement was clear. His maleness already protruded slightly from his sizable sheath, bobbing in tune to his heightening arousal. She inwardly cringed. This isn't what I want. This is not what I want!

And yet, she did want this. There was an exhilarated flutter in her chest at the sight of Tolum's throbbing cock and heavy balls, just waiting to fill her. She was still quite tender from Doko's breeding, but that mattered not. To be mounted by an alpha, it was an honor, even a privilege. She knew it was the bond playing its influence, and she didn't care. Any apprehensions she had were quickly lost in the heady anticipation of what was to come.

Motion drew her attention to the surrounding pack. The rest of the wolves had vacated their positions on the rocky outcropping to join the alphas. They came to stand in a loose circle around the open grassy space, all eyes riveted on Araki in excitement. The mood had shifted dramatically. Gone was the tension from earlier, replaced instead with a collective energy that seemed to resonate all around her.

She thought for a moment that they all meant to join in. But no, Tolum made it clear with his dominate posture and a low warning growl that she was his for the taking. The rest, it seemed, were content to stand back and watch.

Their collective gazes didn't trouble her one bit, even with the alpha about to mount. But why am I not bothered by this? To mate while others looked on, was that not embarrassing? No... no it wasn't. She was just as excited as the rest, it was infectious.

The grey wolf nuzzled impatiently against her flank. <Lift that beautiful tail for me. Show me what is mine for the taking.>

The alpha's sultry voice sent a chill down Araki's spine. She wordlessly complied, bringing herself up onto hands and knees, flagging her elegant tail to the side to give him the view he so desired.

<Ah, yes, a lovely anthro, you are. Such a nice supple rump.> He padded eagerly around behind her. <I will make sure you remember this night. You're going to earn your keep in this pack, omega.>

Araki's heart felt like it was going to burst right out of her chest. Everyone was watching her, watching Tolum size up his newest bitch... almost everyone.

Doko's attention had been drawn to his mother, who, not to be outdone by her mate, had sauntered up to him casually. She rubbed shoulders with the younger black wolf, giving him a roguish look.

No words were exchanged between them. Araki watched with muted surprise as the elder lupine continued to tease her son with a few seductive rubs against his flank, before she stood before him, tail flagged high and to the side, puckered vulva presented to him shamelessly. The alpha female's brashness had taken Doko by surprise. But his shock was short-lived.

With a slight wag of the tail, he shook off his disbelief and obliged her unspoken appeal, giving her exposed sex a long lick of his broad tongue to her murr of delight. Are they really...

Slick velvety wetness brushed purposefully against Araki's swollen lips, rousing a startled moan from the husky. She looked back, only to watch Tolum bury his head beneath her raised tail to explore her intimacy with fervor.

He drank in her essence, lapping at her delicate folds, sending chilling jolts coursing through the husky's body. _<_Good girl, let me taste that wonderful nectar.>

The grey wolf hit all the right spots, working his tongue deep into her, curling wonderfully against the yielding flesh in a way no thrusting fingers could hope to achieve. He had her completely at his mercy, showing her just a hint of what a skilled alpha was capable of.

The smoldering flame within burst forth with renewed vivacity; her whole body felt as if it were on fire. "Oh, stop tormenting me!"

He didn't understand her spoken words; he didn't have to. The pleading in her tone was clear. <Impatient aren't we,> the lupine teased, withdrawing from her sopping folds.

Both of their musky arousal saturated her nose. She panted in the heat of the moment.

Movement out of the corner of her eye drew Araki's gaze to Doko just as he mounted Lynua. She caught just the faintest glimpse of his tapered maleness, before the black wolf thrust forward, burying himself into the alpha female in one eager plunge.

The alpha's pitiful whine intermingled with the heady groan that escaped his muzzle. He wasted no time pounding into her, ramming his hips forward heedlessly in desperate grunting pants. They became lost in the passion of their coupling, both wolves radiating with visceral pleasure through the bond, overpowering all else.

Araki drank it all in, reveling in the rawness of their mating as it washed over her.

<Always trying to steal my thunder,> Tolum scoffed with mock annoyance. His broad shoulders pressed up against the husky's haunches, allowing the alpha's warmth to seep through her soft white fur.

She bit her lip, her breath catching as she anxiously anticipated the male's advance.

For the second time that night, a heavy chest slid itself onto her back, powerful paws wrapped themselves around the crook in her hips, and the heavy breath of a strapping wolf wafted enticingly against her perked ear.

Her body tensed; his hot tapered maleness rubbed against her inner thigh, tantalizingly close to her sodden lips.

Tolum rocked his hips, tormenting her, making the husky squirm beneath him. <Oh yes, very nice. Nothing like mounting a wolf.>

She whimpered, unable to find the focus to mindspeak. His heady masculine scent filled her nose as those two strong paws held the grey wolf tight against her form.

He shifted, and the tip of the lupine's cock nestled against her outer petals, right on the cusp of taking his newest bitch.

But the wolf waited, drawing out the exasperating moment as long as his willpower could hold.

Finally, when Araki looked back in frustration, Tolum rocked his hind legs forward slowly with deliberate ease, gradually sinking his length into her.

Her ears pinned; she groaned a rich intoxicated groan, savoring every breathtaking inch of his ample cock. He may have been slightly smaller in stature than Doko, but the alpha's maleness was no less impressive, spreading her so perfectly wide like no anthro ever could.

After what felt like an eternity, the wolf's haunches met her own, his sheath bunching up against her soft heated lips. It was no less magnificent a sensation than when Doko had taken her, already feeling the beginnings of the wolf's knot entering her, just waiting for the right moment to tie.

He was quick, but practiced, withdrawing steadily only to thrust vigorously forward once more to bury himself completely in her. She could feel the alpha's satisfaction radiating through the bond, mingling with the impassioned emotions that sprang forth from Doko and Lynua, the former rutting the latter black wolf wildly as his hips smacked into her haunches reckless abandon.

She heard Tolum's claws digging into the ground for purchase with each powerful plunge of his hips, coupled with the raucous squelching of his stunning cock driving into her with the same zeal as his son. She reached out and gripped the soft grass in her clenched hands, trying to steady herself against the jarring surges of the wolf's passion.

That wonderful peak she had oh so relished with Doko was fast approaching once more. The tightness in her loins grew quickly, threatening to explode forth at any moment.

Her whole body tensed, muscles locking up, muzzle twisting to expose her fangs in a silent snarl. The apex loomed large before the trembling husky.

But then, Tolum suddenly stopped with his haunches firmly mashed up against her, tapered maleness buried to the hilt.

Araki's maw fell open. The husky's body was wound up so tight. Her peak teetered just out of reach, agonizingly close, and yet so far away. She looked back to the grey wolf in muted anguish.

<Now, now, don't want this to end too soon,> he soothed in a fatherly tone. He gave a playful grinding of his hips, sending a jolt of pleasure through her body, pushing her ever closer to that glorious precipice, but not close enough. <Wouldn't want to ruin the show.>

Araki's body screamed at her, begging her to finish. The agony of being so close was too much!

She pushed back against the male in desperation, only to have his powerful teeth clamp down on the scruff of her neck, making her freeze. A warning emanated from his filled muzzle in the form of a low growl. <Don't forget that I'm the one in charge here.>

The alpha's dominance was absolute. With a ragged breath, Araki forced herself to remain still. She was not the one in control.

<Good girl.> He released his hold on her scruff and gave a few strong thrusts, just to keep her poised on that jagged edge.

The wolf's knot was already swelling, threatening to tie them together at any moment. Through the maddening tautness of her impending release, she reveled in the feel of his bulge stretching her inner folds so perfectly, until he could no longer withdraw from her trembling sex.

Tolum kept her balanced right on the brink, giving a few thrusts of his squatted haunches every so often to drive that wonderful knotted length deep into her.

Her torture was only amplified as Lynua suddenly cried out, the black wolf's body shuddering in the throes of a glorious climax as Doko hilted himself in one last desperate plunge.

His canine whine of pure pleasure harmonized with her own as they both basked in the ecstasy of simultaneous release. The flood of raw emotions through the bond sent Araki reeling. She fought to steady herself, her grip on the grass tightening, tearing up roots as she struggled to make the world around her stop spinning. I can't take much more of this!

Thankfully, Tolum was done teasing her. She felt his paws tighten their grip around her waist. His heavy chest drew out in a purposeful breath, and the wolf abruptly tore into her like a wild animal possessed.

He grunted with the strain, pumping his knotted cock into her in a flurry of motion. All of the tension, all of the strain of being held so close, it all continued to build, growing stronger and stronger.

Araki held on for dear life, her body rocked over and over, breasts bouncing in tune to the alpha's final efforts.

The tension wound to a perfect crowning peak, and then, with the alpha's last passionate thrust, everything came unraveled in a violent burst of carnal bliss.

She let out an abandoned moan, holding her head high, ears pinned. The climax that flooded through her body was unlike any before it, amplified by the seemingly eternal torture she had suffered through to reach it. There were no words...

Tolum's throaty snarl pierced her ears in that same moment. The alpha's knotted length jerked, painting her shuddering folds with the wolf's potent seed.

He ground his hips against her, humping weakly, drawing out his climax as he emptied his balls into his bitch.

Araki's vision tunneled inward. She surrendered all manner of coherency, losing herself to the passion of the moment.

She could only just distantly register her own bodily ecstasy dispersing out to the rest of the pack, mixed with Tolum's own primal emotions. It was a unique experience on a whole other level, sharing in the wondrous experience with so many others.

But like all good things, her peak had to come to an end. After what felt like hours, the power of her climax ebbed, receding away into a strong, palpable afterglow.

Tolum, too, came down from the high to collapse onto her body in a panting heap. <Ohhh, yes! Such a lovely lay you proved to be.>

They both panted together, luxuriating in the sensual warmth of their coupling. When he managed to regain some of his senses, the grey wolf carefully dismounted, swinging himself around to stand tail to tail with her just as Doko had done once he had finished with Lynua.

Araki marveled at the feel of the male's cock still firmly lodged deep within her as he stood pressed up against her haunches. It was a sensation wholly unique to mating with a wolf, one that she definitely enjoyed.

But another surprise soon shook the husky out of her satisfied stupor. There was motion all around her; the wolves, the rest of the pack... they were...

All around her, the remaining lupine had paired off to mate, having been spurred on by the alphas and their two partners. Almost twenty wolves, all of them caught up in the passion of copulation in one way or the other. It was a breathtaking sight.

The energy of the bond was immeasurable, a swirling chaos of emotions and feral thoughts that all blended together into one potent aura. She found herself getting excited once more, caught up in the influential power of it all.

<Welcome to... the Three Peaks pack,> Tolum spoke, his voice in her head a little fragmented as a show of his exhaustion. <This is going to be quite the night.>