In the morning, the Alpha awoke to find herself really warm despite the amount of snow still blocking the entrance.  She then noticed Ten and realized she had been sleeping on him.  Hopefully he hadn't been bothered by that fact, but she soon saw he was still asleep.  Her eyes were fine with the darkness after awhile and she stayed with her head resting on Ten.  Sierra knew that she felt love for Tenebrae.  She knew that love was a big thing.  She knew that she shouldn't be loving an Omega of Krelleg Pack.  What happened from the time she was snarling in his face to now, when she was nuzzling him and sleeping on him?

Most important was that she actually accepted the fact that she loved him.

Though one question puzzled her: how would they do this with him being from a different pack?  Would he be able to join Soncha as Alpha Male, or would he stay loyal to Krelleg?  Should Sierra join Krelleg?  But if she did, her pack would be in turmoil without an Alpha, and she'd probably be an Omega in Krelleg.  What would the Krelleg Alpha think?  Would he be happy to be rid of an Omega?  Or would he be disgusted and still refuse to give away a packmate?  Every question haunted her.  Then a normal one came up: when would Ten wake up?  Sierra should talk to him about her questions.  Wait, did he even feel the same way?  She should ask him that first.  But would it be too straightforward?  Though it felt like he liked her back last night...

Tenebrae awoke after a while, and yawned, blinking the sleep from his eyes. Glancing back, he saw that the Alpha was still resting her head on his back and smiled warmly. So, he loved her. So, he knew he loved her. It wasn't like the feeling would ever be mutual; love for an Omega was something very few people would ever feel, let alone an Alpha from another pack. The truth of the matter was, she was perfect in every way imaginable, and he was not. That was how he saw things, anyway.

''G-g-good m-morning, A-Alpha.'' He said, smiling softly. ''Sh-should we tr-try and c-clear the sn-snow n-now ou-ourselves, o-or w-wait a-a while?'' He asked, tilting his head to the side slightly as he did so. He wasn't really that eager to get out; the Alpha would probably need to about her duties then, and his pack would probably have to leave.

"Call me Sierra.  My name isn't Alpha," she said with a giggle.  "Good morning to you, too.  I'm not sure if the others are up yet.  We should wait.  And um... I've been wanting to talk to you."  Sierra breathed in deeply, then expelled her breath with a sigh.  She stared down at the den's stone floor and knew she had to say it sometime.  Better now then never.

"I love you," she spoke softly.  She wondered if he'd say 'I love you' back... Then she'd ask him all of her questions.  Maybe.

Tenebrae wasn't sure what to expect when she said she wanted to talk to him. More questions on how he was treated, perhaps? Questions about the rest of his pack? Whatever he thought she'd say, it certainly wasn't the words that did come. When she said those words, the Omega wolf was dumbstruck.

He didn't know how to respond, but his heart was pounding faster than he thought possible. He was silent for a moment, unable to make a sound at all. Finally, though, he found his voice. ''I... I-I love y-you t-too, S-Sierra.'' He replied softly, his deep blue eyes full of mixed emotions; confusion being primary, but he had on his face an ex
pression like a lovesick puppy. Which he kind of was, really.

"If you were an Alpha, they wouldn't question you," Sierra stated simply.  "They'd respect you.  And if they didn't, I'd make them.  Anyways, hate can't last forever between a pack member and an Alpha.  If they didn't like you, they'd learn to like you."  She sighed and what she said next was unsettling.  "If it meant fighting your Alpha, I'd fight to be with you."

"My great-great-great-great grandfather was in a similar position to ours," Sierra began.  "I know it was a long time ago, but.. He was a pup from an archrival loner of Soncha Pack at the time.  My great-great-great-great grandmother fell in love with him and she was going to be the next Alpha.  Eventually, they both became Alphas and ruled Soncha for a long while.  The pack resented my old grandfather, though after a long while, they learned to respect him.  There's no changing who's Alpha."

Though Sierra sensed his worry.  Not everything was like that.  She knew it wouldn't be the same.  So now what?  "Though... I know it won't turn out that way for sure... So I don't know how this will ever work.  How about you give your ideas?"

"Yes," Sierra decided finally.  "Yes, that works.  Until we figure out what to do."  Just then, she noticed the snow falling bit bby bit at the entrance and the sound of paws scraping against the white; and then a huge chunk fell out.  "Alpha Sierra, are you alright?" a familiar voice sounded.  It was her Beta, Riker.  "Yes, Riker, I'm fine.  Can you get us out?"  Riker cocked his head, "Us?"  Though he didn't question his Alpha too much.  Other paws scraped at the snow before it all fell apart, completely toppling over.  Sierra was covered in snow, only a few parts of her visible.  Sort of like when you bury a guy in the sand on the beach.

"We're free," Sierra said happily, though muffled.

Tenebrae jumped, startled, as a voice sounded out. It was the voice of a strange wolf, but whoever it was was getting them out of the den, so it was good enough for him. As the snow fell on top of them, some got up his nose, and he snorted loudly, standing up and shaking his fur out to the extent where he looked like a giant fluffball. That was the reasn he hadn't shaken his fur out the previous night; it made him look like he'd been electrocuted.

''A-a-alpha?'' He asked, cocking his head and watching her. She was pretty much a snow-wolf.

"I'm fine, I'm fine," Sierra said with a snort.  She squirmed around a bit until she finally got out of the snow, a giant clump between her ears.  Shaking everything off, she was mainly snow-free and Riker looked over at Tenebrae.  He remembered last night then said nothing other than, "I'm glad that you're out, Alpha Sierra."

Sierra exited her den and looked over at the Krelleg wolves.  Ten would probably go back now.  But she didn't want him to.

The Krelleg wolves were all near the farthest end of the den-site, so as soon as Tenebrae got out of the den, he glanced back at Sierra before heading over to them. The male Alpha of his pack was busy speaking to his Betas, so the female Alpha, a grey wolf with a stripe of brown running down her spine, walked up to Sierra. ''I thank you, on behalf of my pack, for your hospitality. Should you ever need to seek refuge in Krelleg territory, you will be welcomed warmly.'' With that, she turned on her tail and headed back to her pack. They howled in goodbye, before leaving.

Tenebrae hung back a moment, watching Sierra, before howling a deep, mournful howl, and going n his way.