Chapter 2

- Beta Kevin, patrols have spotted a man camped a mile from the border.

- Human?

- No. He's a wolf. The patrol only saw him because he got a little closer to the border after a rabbit.

- Rogue?

¬ They can't check without getting close, but it doesn't smell like one.

- A rabbit doesn't kill a wolf's hunger, - he said, with a chuckle.

- Who ate a rabbit? – a figure at the door of the pack's house, asks.

- Alpha - the two say in unison, tilting the head and revealing the neck.

- We have a wolf camped a mile from the border.

- Wouldn't it be prudent to send a patrol to capture him? - the alpha asks.

- Probably. If he poses no danger, we can release him and drive him away from pack lands. - The beta bows his head, once more, in respect, and, in the company of the chief of patrols, he heads to the place where the wolves trained.

- Where is the patrol that saw the man? – the Beta asks.

Two men approach in reverence.

- It was us Beta

- Bring two more men and let's catch a wolf. I want him alive.

The five men shift and run towards the camp. When they approach, they stay hidden watching.

By the river, a young man who didn't look more than 15, was efficiently skinning a rabbit.

With gestures, the beta orders the men to surround and capture the boy.

The young man stands up suddenly, letting go of the rabbit. Rotating his head from left to right, he sniffs the air. Frightened, upon realizing the presence of several men, he throws himself into the river and submerges.

Kevin laughs. The patrols rush into the river and capture the boy.

- Do you have fish blood, pup? – he questioned, amused.

Under Kevin's amused gaze, the boy tries to free himself from the strong hands that grab him. The boy smelled like a wolf, but he wasn't old enough to shift. Obviously, another wolf has to be nearby. Probably the pup's father.

- How old are you, puppy?

- I'm not a puppy. I'm almost 18 years old. - he answers furiously.

Kevin raises an eyebrow in disbelief.

- Where's the other wolf? Your father, perhaps.

- There's nobody with me. I am alone and I have no family.

- OK, you don't answer here, you answer in the dungeon.

The boy curls up and moans, but when he feels that he is being dragged away, he begs:

- Please let me take my things. That is all I have. Please.

Kevin looked around the small camp. There was almost nothing there, but everything was clean and tidy. With a gesture, he sends 2 men to pack all the things and take them with them.

The boy's stomach rumbles, and he looks sadly at the half-skinned rabbit, abandoned by the riverside. This gesture does not go unnoticed by Kevin, who feels his heart sink.

The path to the dungeons was made in silence, which was only interrupted by the sporadic rumbling of the prisoner's stomach.

The boy is thrown into the cell, and his things abandoned in a corner.

Through the mind link, Kevin orders the other men to leave, and at the same time, contacts the alpha.

“Alpha, we captured a pup. We haven't found anyone else, but maybe we'd better send another patrol to look for it."

"No. We are going to reinforce the border patrol for now”, the Alfa replies, in the same way. “I’m going there, I want to join the interrogation.”

“Yes alpha and please have someone bring something to eat. I think we interrupted his breakfast” – Kevin ends the mental connection with a chuckle.

When the alpha enters the dungeons, in his hands he has a tray with a pile of steaks and vegetables, which makes the boy salivate at the smell. Kevin nods in greeting, picks up the tray and sets it down in the prisoner feeding space.

Without any diplomacy, the young man takes the tray and sits in a corner devouring the food.

- Well, it seemed to me that a rabbit wasn't good for anyone's food. - Kevin says looking at the alpha.

The alpha nods, and with a gesture, he and the beta grab chairs and sit down in the front of the cell.

- What's your name, pup. - the alpha asks.

- Ryan. – he answers between bites.

- And how old are you, Ryan?

- I'm 17. I'll be 18 in August.

- Who was the other wolf? - Kevin asked.

- I already said that there was no one else there, I'm alone.

- Don't lie, pup. The patrol saw a wolf hunting.

- It was me, and I only caught rabbits. I don't hunt pack food. I didn't know I was so close to a pack. I camped there, because there was a river.

- You were the wolf? - The alpha chuckles. – But you're 17, you can't shift.

- Yes I can. I shift at the age of 12. - Ryan replies proudly.

The alpha and beta look at each other, both not believing the boy.

- What pack are you from? You don't smell like a rogue.

- I'm not a rogue – he says, offended.

- If you are not a rogue, answer. What pack are you from?

- I don't have a pack.

The Alpha loses patience.

- Well, we'll let you think about your answers. – he says, making a sign to Kevin, and they both leave the dungeon, leaving Ryan alone, no longer in the mood to eat.