Javon glanced at Shadow and then back at Corval. "He seems ready. I don't belive you have long until he attacks. Tell me loner. Why enter pack territory? It's such suicide."

Corval kept staring at the Alpha, still unmoving. Then he got a look on his face of rememberance. "I know who you are Alpha. Why pretend you are one of them? My father told me of you."

Javon let shock fill his eyes. No loner had recognized him before. "What do you mean?" the Alpha snarled.

"I mean, you knew my father. When you were a loner like he was. When you were his brother."

Javon growled. "You are testing my patience. What are you here for?" 

Corval smiled. "I got through to you, didn't I? I actually surprised you."

Javon snarled again, "What do you want from me?"

"Answers. And then I will be on my way."

Javon growled. "Be on your way now."

"no."

"Shadow!"

Shadow circled the loner, snapping every now and then. He didn't believe one word of the loner's story about being Javon's kin, and it made him even more determined to keep him away from Rain and the pups. Far, far away.

"Get out of our territory and stay away," Shadow growled, his eyes locked on the loner.

Corval kept his eyes on Shadow, still circling, but all his words were at Javon. "Coward. Javon, you are a coward. Tell them who you are. Tell them where you came from. Tell them that you wouldn't be here if you hadn't fallen in love with Faren 5 years ago. Coward!"

Javon kept his mighty stance, but his eyes were fall of pain. He knew Corval's words were true. He was a coward. So much so that he couldn't even tell his pack who he really was.

"Tell them. Tell them, coward. Loner. Fake!"

Javon was getting tired of the names, of the callouts. Javon stood between the circling wolves. "Shadow. I am sorry." He gave a look seeking forgiveness from his pack. He didn't expect their forgiveness now though.

Shadow stopped dead, staring at his Alpha. "You mean what he's said is true? You're his uncle?"

"Shadow," a soft voice called from nearby. Shadow looked over to see Rain slowly creeping her way towards them. She looked uneasy, and with good reason. "What's going on?"

The alpha watched the new mother coming towards them. He looked at her with sorrowful eyes. His mighty demeanor had vanished. He looked between Shadow and Rain.

Corval stood smiling. Somehow the pain the Alpha was feeling was quite comforting to him. The uncle who had left was now being punished. 

Rain cocked her head, confused. "What's happened? And who is that?" Shadow looked at Javon.

"I'm not completely sure as to who he is, either, other than he says you're his uncle." Neither had ever seen Javon look like this, so...unlike a leader.

Rain looked to Shadow, then to Javon. "You're his uncle? But...but he's a loner!"

Corval kept smiling. The pack was falling apart because of their leader. How ironic. The one who is supposed to protect and unifying the pack is hurting them and tearing it apart.

Joven looked at them both. "It is true," he uttered. His head fell to his chest in a defeated manor. Corval had won. 

Javon looked up at Shadow. That wasn't what he expected to hear. He stood up. A bit of his might came back to his stance. He was accepted. He was still seen as a leader. His eyes had a touch of uncertainty in them, but they were mostly filled with relief and thankfulness.

Corval was just as surprised as Javon was. He always thought Loners were hated and outcasted by packs. That's why he hated packs so much, because he thought they were against his kind. Apparently, they weren't. He suddenly felt more accepting of pack existance. Still, though, he couldn't see himself joining as his uncle had. Corval was sure acceptance was not in his future.

Shadow smiled to himself, seeing Javon's usual confidence return, and nodded at Corval. "What do we do with him?" he asked.

Javon looked at the loner. Pity filled his eyes. "Let him go. He is kin after all." he muttered to Shadow as he still kept his eyes on Corval. "I pity you nephew. The love of a pack is greater than you will ever know." Javon turned to his pack. Corval wasn't his concern now.

Corval went to leave. Then, he turned back to Javon. "I never knew pack wolves had hearts. The way they attack a loner at first chance seemed brutal. Now, I see the reason. You are a family, willing to do what it takes to protect each other. I wish I had such family."

Javon didn't look back at Corval for a moment. Then, he slowly turned his head. "You have me."