Page 11 of The Wolf's Secret Baby

“I don’t see how. She’s only a smidge more useless than you and you wish to fight alongside me? Me? Have you forgotten your place in this pack? Need I remind you that you are the lowest of the low? You aren’t going to fight at all. You are going to stay here and make sure the stronghold is ready for our return so that we may feast. I am not going to sully this glorious moment in our history by having you fight with us. No, I have other plans for you,” he appeared to have a wolfish smile even in his human form.

My throat tightened. I hated the way he spoke about us. Sometimes it felt we had been born just to be abused. I wished that things had been different, and I wished that Typhon could have understood as well. We were never going to be accepted or valued by the pack. We were never going to be given any kind ofauthority, power, or reward. Typhon was deluding himself if he thought this was the case.

“I can be useful!” Ambrosia suddenly spoke.

“You do not speak in the Alpha’s presence!” Hana shrieked. Moving as quick as a hiccup she sprinted towards Ambrosia and struck her across the face. The crack of her slap was as loud as a whip, and it echoed through the hall. Hana grabbed Ambrosia’s hair in her fist and twisted her head. Ambrosia cried out helplessly. I started towards them but then Hana stared at me, and she was practically daring me to come to Ambrosia’s aid.

“Release her!” Vance said. Ambrosia struggled for another moment before Hana took her fist away. She wore a sullen look on her face as she slithered back to Vance’s side. “I’m curious to hear what this human has to say. Perhaps she can give me some amusement if nothing else,” he gestured with his hand for Ambrosia to continue. She smoothed down her hair and attempted to compose herself after being attacked.

“I can help you. I’m sure you’re aware that one of the elements of war is knowing your enemy. I can help you study them. My career is all about understanding the human mind. I can tell you how we think, what to expect, and make this war go smoothly.”

“And why would you betray your own people?”

“I’m not betraying them. I’m helping them. I don’t want there to be a war. The sooner it’s over, the better it will be for everyone, presuming that you’re not going to slaughter them all. I can’t imagine you would. After all, what’s the point of winning a war if you can’t celebrate your victory in the faces of those you have defeated? Life is all about survival and I need to do what I can to survive. I have skills that you can use. Let me help you. I can make sure you win decisively,” she said.

Vance was more pensive than I thought he would be. “I see, well, while that is an intriguing proposal it’s not necessary at all. I don’t have any need for insight because I am going to overwhelm your people. I already know how they think and what they’re afraid of. You offer me nothing but a reminder that humans are going to lose this war because they value the individual over the pack. Do you think if the situation was reversed any wolf would betray the pack like this? No, we are stronger than your kind because we are bonded together by a connection that has grown stronger through each generation. If any wolf did what you have done, they would be ashamed of themselves. We would never value our own lives above that of the pack, and we would rather die with honor and integrity that betray our own people. Typhon, Kull, you insult me by bringing this wretch here. Take her away and set her to work. We can always use some manual labor and don’t intrude upon me like this again. You should know better than to bore me with your presence.”

He waved us away dismissively. I watched as Hana perched on his lap and made a show of kissing him, a show that was meant to torture me. I pressed my lips together and turned on my heels, marching out of the chamber, my skin flushed with heat.

Chapter Eight

Ambrosia

“Well that was a waste of time,” Kull muttered.

“I can’t understand it. I thought that he would be grateful,” Typhon had a look of disbelief on his face. I was stunned as well. My cheek still stung from where that other wolf had hit me and my scalp tingled with pain. I touched my head, afraid that she had torn a handful of hair out.

“I told you that you were wrong. When are you going to realize that we’re never going to be respected? If it’s not plain to you now, then I don’t know how it’s ever going to be,” Kull glared towards Typhon, raising his voice. Typhon looked around, not wanting to draw attention.

“We just need to find something else that he values.”

“No,” Kull shook his head. “He’s never going to see us for anything more than what we are. You heard him, these dreams of glory to which you aspire are never going to be fulfilled. They’re always going to be beyond our reach because it is not in our nature.”

“Our nature does not define us,” Typhon growled through gritted teeth. The men had squared up to each other and looked as though they were about to fight. Others around us were staring, drawn in by the argument. My curiosity was piqued as well, given the subject. The debate between nature and nurture was emblematic of my field, and I was curious about their standing. Why exactly did Vance see them as lesser than other wolves? There was something I was missing, and I had never liked it when things were kept secret from me. Perhaps that was one of the reasons why I had pursued a career in psychiatry. I enjoyed being the keeper of other people’s secrets.

“I suggest that we take this some other place before people interfere,” I said, gesturing to surly wolves that did not take kindly to this disturbance. Typhon and Kull yielded with grim acceptance.

“Look, they’re going to fight! I’ll bet on the ugly one,” someone in the crowd called out.

“Which one is that?” another replied, and laughter broke out. Typhon and Kull snarled and realized that people were taking wagers. They broke away and fled in the same direction. I skipped after them, having to step nimbly to try and prevent pain from blazing along my feet. I looked around warily and felt that my best bet was to stay with them. I noticed that when the wolves looked at me they sniffed the air and grimaced, as though my scent was unpleasant to them. I had never felt less wanted.

There were jeers as Typhon and Kull retreated from the crowd. The rest of the pack tried to get them to fight, while those who had wagered were now having to get their money back. Typhon and Kull stormed away towards the mountain. This stronghold had been built from the mountain. The walls smoothly joined the hard, slate-colored surface. Before us was a yawning entrance, a darkness that looked as though it was going to swallow us whole. I gulped as I followed Typhon and Kull. Their voices echoed around us as they squabbled, booming in the air. There were other sounds that made the air come alive. I peered into caves and saw animals being skinned, other people huddled together in groups, and areas where tools were gathered. In the far distance, beneath the other sounds, I could also hear the ting of hammers upon stone. I shuddered as I thought of the industrious wolves swinging away to mine whatever was of value here. I had never had the body for manual labor. I had always been a studious person, the kind that used to lag behind no matter what sport we took part in during physical education. A phantom ache entered my muscles as I anticipatedhaving to endure this punishment. I had to think of a way to escape.

Fear ran through me now that the plan had gone awry. What were Typhon and Kull going to do with me now? Perhaps there was a way for me to use the situation to my advantage.

We turned and twisted around dark corridors. I had to put my hand out to steady myself against the cold, unflinching rock. The ground was uneven and sometimes it was so dark that I couldn’t even make out my hand in front of my face. Other times, intermittent light illuminated the way. Typhon and Kull did not slow their pace, not even in the darkness.

Eventually we came to a large chamber in which other people were gathered. Some were playing cards, others were talking, and some others were sleeping. They gave cursory nods towards Typhon and Kull, but nothing more. They simply looked strangely towards me. Joined to this main chamber were smaller alcoves. Blankets hung across the entrances, offering some privacy. Inside, there was little in the way of personal items. Typhon and Kull had been bickering all the way and now that we were alone, they raised their voices.

“This is madness!” Kull bellowed, his eyes filled with rage. “When are you going to see that we are never going to be honored by the pack? Are you blind? I might as well pluck out your eyes because it won’t make any difference.”

“You can try,” Typhon snarled. “At least then I might be able to prove myself to Vance.”

Kull rolled his eyes and put his hands on his hips. “If you want to fight then we can fight, but it won’t make a damned bit of difference to Vance or anyone else around here. They don’t care about us. We don’t matter to them. If we disappeared, they wouldn’t even notice. The only thing we’re good for is to do the grunt work. The sooner you understand and accept this, the better.”

Typhon shook his head defiantly. “No, no I can’t accept this. I won’t. There’s always a path to glory. Vance just doesn’t understand. If we can make him see.”

This was too much for Kull to handle. He roared with frustration and then rushed towards Typhon with his arms outstretched. They grappled, struggling with each other, snarling. Their eyes bulged and I pushed myself back, pressing myself flat against the wall. They were standing in front of the entrance, and I dared not try to sneak past them in case I was struck by one of their powerful arms. They rocked from side to side. Just when I thought one of them had the advantage, the other would tip the scales of strength again. This wasn’t good at all, and it wasn’t going to help me escape.

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