#2

"Snow!"

Snow grinned at his baby sister, Noreen, who was a beautiful female that loved to explore. "Noreen, how are you?"

"You missed out on Mother's birthday!" She hugged him tightly. "Hope you're ready for the firing squad?"

He chuckled. "Mother knows I was out doing something important. Besides, I already told her happy birthday."

Noreen scowled, but shrugged and escorted Snow inside their home: a large mountain den where the pack was all together and were safe from intruders. They entered through the underground garage, taking the elevator up to the first floor. As soon as the doors opened, Joey and Silas bombarded him with spit wads, making him snarl at them.

"Boys, leave your brother alone!" Snow wiped off the gross wads of spit and paper and glanced at his father, Alpha Turk, who smiled at Snow with affection. "Welcome home, son."

"I need your help," he said as a greeting.

Turk raised a brow. "Tell me what you need then you can go see your mother."

Snow told him, then went to the nursery where his mother hung out when she wasn't needed by others of the pack. Along the way, he saw others of the pack, nodding a greeting to them then continuing on. Wen he saw his mother, she was cradling a pup in her arms, rocking it back and forth. To Snow, his mother was someone to protect. He knew she was strong, but something about her seemed frail, ready to break. He didn't know what, didn't know why, but could sense it.

Mazelina looked up and saw Snow, smiling as she handed the pup to Dezra. She walked over and hugged him. "Snow!"

"Mother," he took in her scent as he whispered. It calmed him as nothing else can.

"Are you hurt?" she asked as she pulled back, looking him over.

He smiled. "Mother, I'm fine. You're overreacting."

She scowled at him. "A mother does not overreact, Snow. She is always worried for her pups."

Shaking his head, he walked with her back to the main area of the den. "You do not fuss over Joey and Silas like you do with me."

"Joey and Silas don't suddenly have the need to find something and go after it random times."

Snow shrugged. "I can't help it, Mother. It pulls me, dragging me along until it suddenly fades. I can't resist."

Mazelina sighed. "You know best, but I wish it did not take you so far away."

"No need to worry about our son, Lina." Turk walked up and smiled at his mate, who smiled back. "He is strong and probably more cautious than his siblings."

"But he is still my pup," she protested.

Snow chuckled. "I will always be your pup, Mother. Nothing can change that."

A hint of sadness entered Mazelina's eyes, but it was quickly gone when she smiled. "I love you, Snow."

"I love you too, Mother."

After dinner, Snow and his father exited the den and shifted into their wolves, then began running. It was tradition to do this before bed, as it gave the males a chance to let off steam and to bond. During the day, Turk was busy with pack and didn't have time. Snow's siblings were always home, so they got more attention than he did, and the nights were for his mother. So this was their time to talk and play.

"Why do you want to know about a pack?" his father asked through the link in their minds.

"I think someone is in trouble. I think someone is going to die if I don't help them."

"Why are you so insistent on helping? You do not know them."

"It is hard to explain. I just know that I must."

Turk turned to his son, halting their run to look him full in the eyes. "Snow, there is no pack named Sable Stars. There are several with the name Sable and several with the name Stars, but none with the name Sable Stars."

Snow bowed his head, whining softly. "I must find her, Father. I must find this female."

Turk rubbed up against Snow feeling his son's pain. "Find more information. Maybe with something else, I can do some more digging."

Snow nodded and they continued running.

[DREAM]

It was the same room.

It was the same filth.

It was the same female.

"Where are you?" he asked again, stalking towards her. "What pack do you belong to?"

She blinked up at him, green eyes dark and lifeless. "No pack. I do not belong in a pack."

Snow frowned. "What do you mean? Every female belongs to a pack."

She groaned, shifting her body until she could hold out her hand to him. He took it, feeling it cool in his. "They do not call themselves a pack. They are Prowlers. They go around, hurting and killing."

"They do not take you with?"

She shook her head slowly. "I am their reward. I am their prize. When they return, they come to me."

Snow growled. "They rape you!"

The female laughed harshly, then winced. "That is not all they do, Wolf."

Snow leaned down and cupped her face with his free hand. "Tell me where you are. I will find you. I will help you. Just tell me where."

The female groaned and for the first time, Snow noticed a chain on her ankle. It was so tight, her skin was punctured and bleeding. "I do not know. Underground is all I can give."

Snow pushed hair from her eyes, needing to see something of her that wasn't dirty. "Can you give me your name? Your old pack name? I can probably find you if I can get something."

Her eyes closed, and he thought the dream was ending, but she opened them again and said, "Silvercrown Pack. My father was second to Alpha. He can help you. He knows who took me and what they look like."

"When do they come for you again?"

She shook her head, eyes filling with fear. "It could be any day, at any time. It depends on how well they do." Her hand gripped his tightly. "Help me?"

Snow kissed her nose, delicate and small. "Give me your name."

She whimpered. "Last time I did that, this is what happened."

Snow swallowed down the urge to growl again and closed his eyes. "Tell me your name so I can find you."

"Sable," she whispered, barely heard by the male. Sable of Silvercrown."

[END OF DREAM]