~Tanner~

Peanut budder.

I could see it, right there up on the counter. No one was around to get it for me, but maybe I could get it open myself... Cole was in the shower, as I'd come to learn was the name of the large white thing. The smaller white thing was called a toilet, and evidently it is 'bad' to drink out of. Hmph.

After a few weeks of living there, I'd managed to gain a decent understanding of how things worked. My vocabulary was expanding, but I still only spoke to Cole. His friend, Rowin, had tried several times to get me to say something, but I just didn't feel comfortable around him. He was the one who was home more often, though, so I did have to keep myself in line and not growl at him for being there. Cole trusted him, so I was doing my best to tolerate him. Anyway, back to my peanut budder. Cole had made us sandwiches earlier and left the jar out...so now it was mine. I just had to get to it.

With a woof of concentration, I shifted my weight onto my back legs and lifted my front paws to the counter. My broken leg was doing much better, and the bar and pins were actually coming out sometime soon, so I could use the limb decently well, though I still stumbled once in a while. Right then, it was doing what I needed of it and holding me up so I could swipe the peanut budder jar from the counter.

The plastic jar went flying when I hit it on my first try. It dropped to the tiled kitchen floor beside my back paws. I was on it like white on rice... or at least that's what Cole had said before. I quickly snatched the thing up in my jaws and took it to my room. Just to make sure I wouldn't get caught, I even squirmed partially under the bed before beginning to tear the jar apart.

I didn't hear the shower turn off, but I did hear Cole's feet on the hardwood floor in the hallway. Err... I abruptly stopped chewing the destroyed jaw and began licking my lips...right as my haunches were grabbed and pulled, forcing me out from under the bed.

Tanner was good. No bad. I shouted to him mentally, afraid that he would think I was being bad. I hadn't been. He snickered as I stood up and faced him, trying to put on my best 'I'm innocent' face, because I was. He had left the peanut budder out.

"That might have worked, but one, I know you. And two, there's peanut butter all over your face and paws."

Okay, well, since he already knows... I quickly turned and dove back under the bed, only to be yanked out right as I grabbed for my destroyed jar of peanut budder.

"You little brat. That doesn't mean go back and keep doing the bad thing."

But Coleeeeeee, I whined to him mentally, honestly not understanding.

"It's Alpha now, pup," he reprimanded before continuing, "And it's time to get you back to the vet to take out that splint."

Noooo vet. No. Vet hurts.

"It won't hurt that much. He'll put you to sleep again and give you some medicine for afterward."

That medicine worked decently, but it wasn't nearly as good as not hurting at all.

No no no no!

"This isn't up for discussion, Tanner. You need to get the metal out of your leg, or it will begin hurting much worse than it has."

That had me pausing. It will hurt more...? While I was thinking, he quickly reached down and snatched away my broken peanut budder jar.

Hey!

"This wasn't yours. What have I told you about taking things that don't belong to you?" he chided, making me pout as I tried to grab the broken jar from him.

But I want.

"I don't care. It wasn't yours to take. You will be skipping dinner tonight for stealing."

B-But Cole.

"Alpha. I am your alpha. You will address me as such like all the rest of the pack members. Now stand still so I can put your harness on."

I flinched when he shouted, but then grumbled and hopped up on the bed, flopping over. I knew I was being difficult, but I didn't wanna be bossed around. The past two weeks had started out awesome, but now that I could understand most of what he was saying, he just kept trying to tell me what to do.

~Cole~

I swear, every day, this pup was getting more and more difficult. It was like he didn't understand what rules were, and I knew he did since we had gone over them several times. Sure, he didn't know too many words now, but he definitely knew right and wrong, and jumping up on the counter to steal food for the sixth— sixth—time is definitely wrong. I knew he was young and all, but even my pack's five-year-old pups knew discipline. With a tired sigh, I shook my head and began putting the harness on him while he fumed. He had grown quite a bit in the time I'd had him, picking up at least twenty pounds. His fur had also begun to grow in just about everywhere, showing us that he had a gorgeous silvery-black, salt-and-pepper coat. As I finished up with the harness, I quickly pulled him out of bed and down the hall... Bastard was dragging his ass on purpose, but whatever, I'd just drag him intentionally, too, because two can play that game.

"You're gonna hurt yourself if you don't start walking."

He snorted at me.

Want dinner night.

"No. You lost that privilege by stealing food instead of asking for it."

Tanner can get.

"That doesn't mean Tanner should get," I reprimanded. He didn't seem to understand that part yet, it would seem. Meh, well, at least he hopped into the car without a struggle. Rowin was busy and everyone else was out, so it was just me for this vet visit. Tanner seemed to have thankfully calmed down as we pulled up, and I was able to walk him into the office like any other pet. Unfortunately, the office wasn't quite as empty as it had been our past visit, and well, Tanner saw a cat...I had been in the process of walking over to the window to sign us in when Tanner snarled and lunged at the cat carrier. His jaws instantly tore into the top, making the poor feline inside shriek in fear.

"Tanner!"

All I got in response as I ran for the 'dog' was a steady Kill kill kill kill kill!

"Doc!"

The vet ran out from the back a moment later and quickly held the door open so I could drag Tanner out of view of the damned cat. Once we were in the farthest back room, I released the darn brat and leaned back against the door with a sigh. I should have known to be careful of the possibility of other animals in there, especially since Tanner had seen several stray cats in the backyard and almost gone through the glass to get them.

"Damn. That was almost bad," I whispered as I caught my breath.

Cat cat cat cat.

"No. You don't get a cat," I replied with a growl as I looked over at Doctor Wolf and handed him a twenty.

"For the cat carrier. I doubt it's reparable."

He nodded and told me he'd be back shortly to work on Tanner's surgery. I dropped into one of the chairs in the small room as Tanner sat at the door and whined.

"Shut up, Tanner."

I was in no mood to deal with his complaining after what he'd just done.

Caaaaat. Tanner want cat.

"I don't care. You're not getting it."

He began clawing at the door, which seriously pissed me off. I didn't want to have to replace a damn door, too. Jumping up, I shoved him aside and snarled.

"Stop it. Now. You are not going to get that cat. Do you hear me, Tanner?"

I want. I get it. Tanner can get it.

Before I realized what I was doing, I had smacked him on the muzzle hard enough to silence his complaining. It was a much lighter punishment than what I normally gave to pups who disobeyed me so openly. However, Tanner looked completely shocked that I had even touched him. I figured he'd just sulk for a little while about his hurt nose, but when his eyes rose back to mine and didn't look away...

Challenge, my inner wolf growled as it clawed its way to the surface. I narrowed my eyes and growled a warning, but Tanner just kept staring. Hell, his were beginning to narrow, too.

"Look away, Tanner. You can't handle me... You'll only get hurt."

His upper lip began to lift, but thankfully the doctor came in from the other door right at that second, stealing Tanner's attention and breaking our eye contact.

"Hey, Doc, be careful, he's being a bit odd today," I warned as I dropped back into a seat and tried to calm my angry wolf. Doc just laughed and patted Tanner's head.

"I'm sure it's just the cat. He nearly got the sucker, too."

I didn't want to argue, but his disobedience could be handled at home. Right then he needed that stuff out of his leg so it could finish healing. I just shrugged in response.

"Alright, let's get you to sleep so we can finish fixing up your leg, okay, pup?"

Tanner woofed and shook his head when the doctor tried to fit the gas muzzle over his nose. Thankfully the guy was used to unhappy pets and easily managed to get the thing on and hold it until Tanner began feeling sleepy. Once he was out, we lifted him up on the table and Doc got busy. It only took him about twenty minutes to get everything out and wrap up Tanner's leg, which was a lot less time than I'd thought it would take. He also took a look at Tanner's neck, which had been bandage free for about a week, and nodded in approval.

"He grew quite a bit over the last two weeks, and his injuries are healing well. Must have gained a good twenty pounds, too, maybe more."

I smiled and nodded as I ran my hands through the pup's growing fur.

"Yeah. And that shampoo is doing wonders. He isn't scratching much at all, and his hair is coming back... right along with his attitude."

Doctor Wolf laughed and began washing his hands after turning off the gas to Tanner's mask.

"He might have some trouble fitting into pack life, or really taking discipline. It's all new to him."

"I know, but he can generally understand me now. Though he still challenged me a moment before you walked in."

Wolf's brows went up in surprise, but he didn't seem too worried.

"He might be a dominant...or even an alpha."

Shit. I hadn't even thought of that. It was rare to see one to begin with, but hell, he was from another pack, maybe he really was an alpha. That would explain his sudden disobedience pretty easily. I guess I'll have to make sure he knows that this pack isn't going to be needing a new alpha anytime soon.

I nodded to Doc and paid him before I got Tanner into my arms and headed out the back door. I got Tanner home before he was fully awake so there was no tension on the car ride. Unfortunately, come evening, he was waiting right at the edge of the kitchen with his bad leg stuck out to the side in its new cast, waiting for his dinner. I knew if I started telling him he couldn't have it that he would just argue, so I bit my tongue and went over to the sofa to eat. Within seconds, the darn pup was right next to where my feet were propped up on the coffee table. He was seriously beginning to irk my wolf. He was even starting to drool on my floor while staring at food that was definitely not his.

"Tanner. Go," I growled, not wanting to have to punish him again. Instead of heeding my warning, though, he just snorted and inched forward, licking his chops before giving a quiet whine.

"Tanner."

Setting my food aside, I jumped up and charged him, but the little shit just ran around me and snatched the burger off of my plate.

"Tanner. Come. Now."

My wolf snarled the order from between my lips, and thankfully Tanner skidded to a halt...but ate the food in his mouth as he turned to face me. I walked stiffly toward him and motioned for him to follow. Again, he was smart and listened, limping after me since his leg was probably hurting him a bit. We went down the hall until I opened a spare room I'd never bothered to decorate. There was a blanket in the corner, and that was all. When Tanner got closer, I stepped back and pointed inside the room.

"In. Now."

He looked into the room, then backed up and sat down as his gaze rose to meet my own. The puppy eyes weren't going to work this time. He needed to learn, alpha or not, that I was the leader in this pack.

"Get. In. Now. Tanner," I warned, baring my teeth slightly. His ears flattened to the side, and he tucked his tail in response, but instead of going inside, he began backing up toward the living room again. My wolf was out in a blur, tearing through my clothes and lunging as Tanner turned to run. With his bad leg, he didn't get more than two steps before I had him by the neck, pinned to the floor. Each time he tried to get up, I shook his neck and growled, threatening him against trying to move more. I knew right away that his wolf wasn't happy about being pinned or bitten, but after a few moments, it finally went limp beneath me. While I would normally let most pups up after this display of dominance, he was going much further than others when he didn't listen to his punishment. So I slowly lowered myself onto his body and stayed still.

Cole offfff! Nnn, offfff!

No.

His wolf whimpered and growled, scratching at the floor, though it was going nowhere with my teeth still holding onto its scruff. Thankfully the embedded collar had pretty much healed up, or I would be causing more damage that wasn't needed.

Stay, I thought to him.

Noooo! Offfff, he replied back, making my hackles bristle.

Stay!

There was no doubt in my mind with this display that he would definitely grow up to be a dominant wolf. Alpha was also possible, but I wasn't going to let him get away with the disrespect he'd been showing me. He was still a kid, and he would show submission like any other pup in the pack. After a few minutes, I felt us both slowly relax and eventually stood up to let him move. He didn't hesitate to dart into the room I had opened up, not willing to try to fight a wolf easily twice his size again.

When he was over on the blanket, I let my body shift back to its human form and quickly shut and locked the door. It had silver inlays to keep wolves from clawing at the door, but I'd never had a wolf get to the point of attacking it yet. They always took their punishment in stride. Hopefully Tanner would, too. Shaking my head, I left him there and went back to the kitchen to recook my dinner. I didn't like to shift into my wolf form if it wasn't needed, but that darn boy was pushing my buttons like no other.