Having a cottage to our self is nice. The cottage itself was nice but meant for a couple no doubt. The bed was large, and I could tell room had been made for a puppy to be born. 

Quinn and I were back to sleeping in the same bed. We hadn't done that in a while. In a way it's comforting to have Quinn next to me. His back brushed up against mine as he faced the opposite way of me. Tonight, Lupa decided to join us.

Eden is curled up on the floor sleeping. Lupa had set her head on the bed before she leapt up and came up next to me and laid down. Quinn turned over to see what had moved the bed before he smiled at Lupa.

She had tucked herself right next to me as I wrapped an arm around her fluffy body to snuggle with her. Lupa is like a miniature heater. Always radiating warmth which I love.

"Goodnight, Silver and Lupa." Quinn murmured as his hand gently rested upon my shoulder. I turned to him and smiled before telling him goodnight as I rolled back around and curled up into Lupa who groaned before I let myself fall asleep.

~~~

"Silver wake up." Quinn shook me awake as I jolted up and he backed off.

"What?" I asked and he set a plate down in front of me.

"Smoke came in with breakfast for us. Its sausages and scrambled eggs." Quinn told me as he set a plate down in front of me as I rubbed my eyes. Quinn smiled as he walked through the cabin holding his food as he set meat down for Eden and Silver.

"He brought us it?" I asked.

"Yes, he assumed we would want breakfast, so he got some things from the chefs." Quinn explained as he sat down with his food and began to eat.

I looked at the plate with the sausage and eggs. While Quinn had more eggs on his mine is abundant with sausages. Smoke at least knew the proper diet of a wolf since he is one as well. I preferred the meat more than anything else, although I don't mind eggs.

I began eating the eggs before focusing on the sausages. The sausage is delicious. Lupa came up to me after she finished her food as I scraped all the bits of food from the plate. Quinn came over and took the empty plate before putting it with his plate.

"Did you enjoy breakfast?" Quinn asked and I nodded as he came over and sat down with me.

"Yeah, the sausage was delicious." I told him and Quinn smiled as he put an arm around me, and I leaned over and hugged him.

"Being in here is boring." I admitted and Quinn nodded.

Lupa squeezed between the two of us separating us as Quinn raised an eyebrow at her.

'I require the attention.' Lupa responded laying her ears back as Quinn leaned over and began petting her. Lupa began smiling. Quinn continued petting her as Eden lifted himself off and walked over.

"Quinn, do you mind if we go for a walk?" I asked as he halted his petting for Lupa who glared at him.

"Are you feeling up to it?" Quinn asked glancing at my injured leg.

"I wouldn't be asking you if I wasn't up to it. Not to mention I'm going stir crazy at this point." I told him and Quinn smiled as he stood up.

"Let's go then." I took Quinn's hand as the two of us went outside as the chilly air met my face as I wrapped my sheepskin jacket around me. 

"Are you good with just that?" Quinn asked as he put his jacket on and I nodded.

He then motioned for me to follow him as Eden and Lupa followed us out. We were at the outskirts of the camp the dire wolves have set up.

"We shouldn't go into the woods though. Smoke told us they aren't the most dangerous things out here so we should attempt to listen to that at least." Quinn looked at the woods silently as we began walking.

The camp they had is surrounded by woods with one big trail that led out. That trail is no doubt the one that they take when they go hunting. The trail that the bears had no doubt taken when we gave them the chance to leave.

I hope they are doing okay; I had no doubt though. Bears are dangerous enough on their own, they had a mini pack going. They have each other after all and that's more than enough to get back. They had no dire wolves to worry about this time.

"What do you think is in the woods?" I asked as Lupa trotted ahead of us and looked around. Quinn glanced back at me.

"Not sure, but whatever it is has the rest of the dire wolves cautious. So, we should be cautious as well. Whatever is out in those woods is no doubt a danger to us just as much as it is to them." Quinn explained.

I nodded at that as I kicked a rock forward while taking a glance at the woods. The woods have a haunting beauty. Something about them is scary yet beautiful.

They weren't called the ghost forest for nothing. Although it wasn't much of a ghost anymore. The previously thought extinct creatures ran through here. So, far we had only seen mammoths and this dire wolf pack.

Quinn remained at my side throughout the walk as Eden appeared at our side. Lupa circled back around prancing around the three of us. She looked happy.

Lupa has the chance to run around happy as ever. She seemed to bask in this chance as she trotted her head high in the air not a worry in sight. Quinn glanced at me as he gave me a smile as we looped back into the camp.

Children and adults were out in the camp. "How much do you know about wolf behavior?" Quinn asked as we passed a group of three kids running with their puppies following them nipping at their heels.

"A little bit, why?" I asked.

"So, I don't know a lot but I'm quite sure one of the things is typically only the 'alphas' of the pack are allowed to have kids and there are a lot of children here. Way more than just the two leaders having children." Quinn is right on that.

There is a huge abundance in children around here. Quinn stopped as I looked over at him. The number of children here is a bit crazy.

"My dad allows everyone here to have their own kids if they want them. It's even encouraged." Quinn turned around to see Smoke and Summer standing behind the two of us.

Summer stood up tall and proud as he watched Lupa who pinned her ears back. While Summer seemed to like Lupa, Lupa seemed to despise him. Although it was more of a pride thing with him having beaten her. Well Smoke being the one to beat me.

"Dire wolves are a dwindling species. There aren't a lot of us left compared to bears, foxes, and other wolves. My dad encourages anyone here to have children to make sure our population stays up and interbreeding with other wolves isn't frowned upon either if it keeps us from dying out." Smoke answered.

"If we weren't so low in numbers the number of children would be restricted. But we are low in numbers so anyone can have children and start a family with kids together." Smoke looked over at me as he watched me.

"Are hybrids common?" Quinn asked.

"No, they do happen, but it's not a common occurrence. Most wolves or canines won't come this far out or make it this far in." Smoke glanced at me. "The majority of the times that it happens is one a dire wolf wander outside of the forest and encounter someone else outside of the pack." I knew he was referencing to me.

I looked back at Quinn as he gave me a smile. I hadn't tried to claw off Smoke's face, yet which is improvement. Things could have gone a lot worse, but they haven't so far.

"I assume you two were out taking a walk?" Smoke asked and Quinn nodded.

The air between the two is suffocating. The two attempted to act civil, but the dominance between the two is just unbearable. Smoke is the next-in-line alpha, and Quinn is a male bear which are dominant in general and then his royal upbringing on top of that.

"Yes, Silver was getting stir crazy just sitting around." Quinn responded watching Smoke.

Smoke was just a little bit shorter than Quinn which is terrifying in a way. Most wolves never even breached the height that a bear could much less a polar bear. Smoke wasn't huge the way Quinn would be though.

He had a much leaner look the same way I did. "I'd advise walking a bit closer to the camp." Smoke responded as he turned around as Summer turned with him.

"Do you know what is in those woods that have all of you worked up?" Quinn asked and Smoke glanced over.

"There are a lot of things in those woods that can work anyone up. These woods tend to hide creatures that are believed to be extinct. I wouldn't go too close to those woods. While they won't come directly in, they have no problem stalking the borders." With that last ominous phrase Smoke left the two of us.

Summer trotted after him. 'I don't know if he is attempting to warn us or intimidate us.' Lupa said and I looked over at her as did Quinn as she made herself capable of him hearing as well.

"Combination of both." Quinn looked back over at me and motioned for me to follow him back to the cabin as I took in a deep breath. The dominance may be gone but the overlaying thought of danger isn't.

I took a glance at the woods now curious what could be running through them to have even Smoke cautious. But I didn't want to find out firsthand. So, I turned back around and followed Quinn inside to the safety that the cabin would provide.

1690. Feel free to guess what stalks the woods. I had fun writing what stalks the woods. They'll be making an appearance soon enough. ***