Waking up to the smell of bacon and eggs cooking was definitely relaxing. I remained in bed for a few extra minutes, just listening to the goings-on in the other rooms. The sound of a spatula moving against a pan was the first thing I picked up, but then the humming of the television overtook it.

Ah, Tanner's still watching that show. He must be half asleep unless he took a break last night.

Yawning, I got myself up and sauntered into the living room after pulling on a pair of boxers, noting Tanner was under the blanket, his eyes half-lidded with sleep.

Yeah, someone needs to go to sleep.

Shaking my head, I walked over to turn the television off...only to hear a growl coming from behind me. Straightening up, I turned to stare down at Tanner with a raised eyebrow.

"You've been watching it all night. You need to get some sleep."

Tanner sleep later. Want watch, it good.

Well, it was nice to see he already had some new words, but they probably weren't going to stick if he didn't get some rest for his brain.

"If you don't rest, those new words you just learned are going to fall out of those big ears," I warned, trying so hard not to grin at my stupid lie. It was true enough, though, 'cause he really did need to rest in order to retain the information.

But Tanner want learn more. Not can learn in sleep.

Chuckling to myself, I walked over and knelt beside him with a smile.

"You want to lose what you've already learned?"

He huffed and shook his head but didn't lift it from his huge paws.

"Then you need to get some rest."

No want, he replied in frustration. I really wanted to roll my eyes and drag him into the other room because I wasn't used to being ignored, but I knew that would just end up starting a fight.

Sleep here, learn when sleep.

Squeezing my eyes shut tight, I forced myself to hold back a growl and instead shook it off before shrugging.

"Fine."

I'd seen him getting ready to work me up again as my eyes opened, but when I gave in, he actually seemed surprised. His ears perked up halfway for a moment, waiting for me to say something else. However, when I just turned and walked away, I heard him grunt in disappointment and snuggle himself a bit farther under the blankets.

"I'm surprised you were able to do that, Alpha."

Looking up as I stepped into the kitchen, I gave Orlando a sarcastic smile and walked over to the fridge to grab the gallon of milk inside. It was kind of a puppy drink, but breakfast just didn't feel right to me if I didn't have it. When I got it out, though, I had to clip a quiet growl at Orlando because I could hear him snickering under his breath about it. Too bad for him, I wasn't in the mood to joke around this morning after having to back down from Tanner.

"When are you going to let him go?"

The question had my head jerking up and toward the stove, my eyes narrowing questioningly on Orlando.

"Let him go? I'm not holding him captive."

The cocky grin on his face told me I was lying. Hell, I'd even fenced in my yard so Tanner could go out and relieve himself...without being able to just walk off.

"I-I only have him here so his injuries can heal," I whispered hurriedly, trying to defend myself with logic. His leg was still wrapped, even though he could use it pretty well now, but it wasn't perfect yet so he shouldn't have to risk going back out there until it was.

"His leg is fine now, Alpha. He knows how to survive, even in the winter months. He's been out there since he was five, and I don't think you keeping him here much longer is going to end well for either of you. He's already beginning to challenge you, and he knows darn well he's doing it."

I had a feeling he was going to keep lecturing so I bared my teeth in warning. He flinched and shut his mouth, though he obviously didn't look happy when he turned his attention back to the pan he had been tending of now-burnt bacon. He didn't need to tell me all of that stuff because I knew it was true, but the alpha in me just couldn't help seeing the small pup I got out from under an old tree as one I would always have to protect.

But now his wolf is getting close to being just as strong as my own, I thought to myself as I grabbed a piece of bacon from the hot pan and bit into the charred meat. Every day I could feel his strength becoming more and more present in the house. He probably didn't know that he was doing it or how to control his wolf's presence, but it was obvious he was getting stronger... which also meant he was getting more dangerous.

It was not even a month later when I finally realized this wasn't going to work. He was learning like crazy, which was good, but it also meant he was understanding what he was more and more with each passing day. His awakening to his own dominant side was definitely at the forefront, and each chance he got, he was challenging me. Whether it was stealing my food or ignoring my orders, he was spending more and more time alone in the punishment room and less and less time out in the living room or playing in the backyard. It was finally Friday and I was just returning from work. I'd finally begun teaching again at the local university, and man was I tired. I was only twenty-two but having to deal with Tanner for the past several weeks had really worn me out. We had fought again that morning, and I ended up shifting, ruining my favorite pair of jeans minutes after I'd put them on. He had been in the punishment room since then, so when I opened the door to it, I figured he would be pacing or scratching at the damaged wall like he had been the last few times. When the door slid open, however, my jaw dropped at the sight before me. Where I expected Tanner to be, a gorgeous boy lay, sleeping on the blanket Tanner's wolf always rested on. He was curled up just like a wolf would be, but there was no fur or paws to be seen. His cast had been taken off the week before, but there were now scars up and down his right leg and missing hair on those areas from everything Doc had done, which might or might not grow back over time.

Rowin, come here, I thought through our link. My voice likely gave away my shock, because not a minute later, my beta was looking into the room, gasping quietly when he saw why I had called him.

Is that Tanner?

I nodded silently and took a step inside the nearly empty room. My wolf immediately perked up, confused but excited when it smelled Tanner's dominant scent but only saw the kid in the corner. The sound of my shoes on the hardwood floor had the boy blinking sleepily before his head snapped up in surprise. Right away he tried to get up on his paws, but there were no paws, or four legs for that matter. He quickly stumbled and face-planted onto the blanket, then tried again but got the same result. When he heard me chuckling, he looked up and growled, but come on, I couldn't take him seriously right then. He couldn't even stand up.

"Hey there, pup, let me help."

He wasn't happy about the idea, but when I got closer and began lifting him up off the floor, he struggled to keep himself standing and quickly grabbed onto my arms. The kid's wolf had gained about forty pounds since I'd found him, but his human form needed a good growth spurt before he even came close to bossing me around. His messy hair only comes up to my shoulders, for god's sake. When he finally managed to steady himself, I carefully turned us and helped him walk out of the room. I knew he wasn't happy, but at least he wasn't biting at me.

"Do you want clothing, Tanner?"

He growled in response but eventually replied into my mind, Yes.

"Alright, come with me."

I was kind of hoping he could talk through his mouth now that he had it, but I guess I couldn't really expect that right away. The little pups in my pack took a few weeks to learn how to use their mouth in accordance with what they wanted to say once they shifted into their human forms for the first time. We were halfway to my room when he began stumbling over his own feet and whimpering. You'd think he really was a puppy with the amount of whining he was starting up over such a simple thing.

"Okay, you, com'ere."

I carefully moved Tanner until I could lift him into my arms. Thankfully he seemed happy about not having to stagger around, and I could almost see the little pup I had over a month ago return as he nuzzled against my neck. Rowin and I picked out some clothing from the collection we kept around for the rest of the pack, for when they stayed over and forgot to bring their own stuff. We then quickly helped Tanner get dressed. Nothing quite fit him since his human form still needed to gain some weight, but at least nothing fell off.

"Alright, dinner?"

His eyes rose to mine for the first time since he'd shifted, and I felt a heavy weight press against my thoughts. They were the eyes of a predator...a dominant. He slowly nodded and started for the door, growling any time Rowin or I stepped in to try to help him. Rowin had already cooked dinner, so when Tanner finally made it into the living room, we all sat down on the couch and tried to relax with our food. I could feel Tanner's eyes on my plate several times throughout the meal, but he wisely kept his paws, err, hands, to himself this time.

I didn't expect it so I wasn't prepared when my door opened and Tanner stepped into my room around two in the morning. He was quiet, but I should have still woken up more than I did, which wasn't much. I was groggy and exhausted after grading papers most of the night, so my eyes were barely trying to open. When he leaned over me, I should have forced myself to wake up, but again, I didn't. Sleep just weighed too heavily on my mind. When I did finally awaken, it was because of the feeling of teeth on my throat and the sound of a low rumbling growl coming from the wolf now leaning over me in bed.

Alpha no Cole. Mine. Alpha Tanner.

I gasped for air and quickly swung a fist into the side of his head. Damn. His wolf's skull was seriously tough.

He backed off, though, which gave me the chance to shift and lunge in defense.

Tanner. Stop this right now. I am your alpha.

There was no way he could honestly be thinking of beating me. Even though my neck was bleeding, he hadn't dealt a strong enough blow to hinder my ability to fight back, and judging from the look on his face, he knew it. When I charged him, he wasn't fast enough and my own teeth sank into his shoulder. His wolf gave a loud howl of pain and ripped itself away, making me take a chunk out of that shoulder when I really hadn't meant to.

Tanner, I shouted into his mind again, trying to make him snap out of his aggression.

His wolf just snarled and lunged for a second attack, but I slipped on my own blood when trying to dodge, allowing him to get in another bite, this time to my face. Before I could respond, he turned and bolted out of my room. I followed him when I realized where he was going, but when I stepped out into the backyard, the only thing that caught my attention was the open back gate.

Wait...how, why? Why was the sliding door open? And the gate?

Planned.

Tanner planned this. If he couldn't kill me, he had everything ready to get away.

I quickly jumped off of the back porch and into the light blanket of snow in my backyard. My breath made puffs of heat in the cold night air as I scanned the forest beyond my property, my left eye squinted shut from the injury, leaving my right one to look. I could unfortunately sense him getting farther and farther away. My heart constricted as my wolf swung its head back and let out a loud, haunting howl.

Tanner!