Runt's Revenge

Puppy Love

Athena had set the motel room alarm clock to allow them to get two hours of sleep. She didn’t know how much time her river-walk diversions had bought them and she was determined to get Cassie back to her pack as quickly as possible. And they definitely were not going to be able to run the whole way!

“Come on Fun-Size. Rise and shine!” she said in a sing-song voice.

“Uuuuugh! I am too tired to get up!”

“I know.” Nea sighed, “Me too, kiddo. Come on, let’s get you in the shower. That will help.” While Cassie was in the shower, she called information from the phone in the room and got an address for the local bus station. She dug through the bag that she had filled at West’s cabin. Was it only last night? It seemed like a week ago! She found a can of peaches and a can of beans. She scarfed down half of each, leaving the other half for Cassie. Then Nea took her own turn in the shower while Cassie ate.

“You are a good egg, you know that?” Nea said as she braided her wet hair.

“What does that mean?” Cassie asked, head c****d to the side with one eye squinting at her friend.

“I mean, that for a person of your young age to be able to run in a river all night, wake up after too little sleep and eat a not-so-great breakfast without complaining… that makes you an exceptionally amazing person in my eye, Fun-Size.”

“Well…” she though about it for a second, “You are pretty special too, you are My Beta.”

“Absolutely! Now, pack up, we need to sneak out of here.”

“Wait, why did you tell the guy last night that we were staying a few days?” Cassie was curious.

“Never let anyone know your true plans… that is what Warrior West taught me. It gives us wiggle room if we need it,” Nea elaborated.

“Wiggle room?”

“Yes! See, then we could stay if we needed to, or come back… and if anyone asks the front desk, they will tell them that we are here for three days and someone might wait here, hoping we would return. Also, if we had said we just wanted the room for a few hours, he might have been suspicious and asked around, giving us away,” Nea told her as they casually made their way out of the room.

Nea looked carefully both ways, giving the air a sniff. It was good so far! As they walked past a maid’s cleaning cart, Nea grabbed a few dirty pillow cases and hastily stuffed them in her sack. Then they made their way off the motel property to the gas station next door.

“We are going to have to come up with a disguise to get through town, she mused out loud to Cassie. “We might be a little too obvious. I don’t want to scare you, but I am worried about that man who shot my Alpha sending people to find us.”

“Who is he? Why did he do that” She asked.

Nea mussed her hair, “I don’t know everything yet, but he is my step father and a very bad man. I do not want him anywhere near you, Fun-Size.”

At the gas station, Nea told the girl to grab some snacks for herself as she busied herself asking the attendant for directions to the bus station. Cassie came to the counter with some candy, a pastry, and a dog leash and collar.

“What is this for?” Nea asked.

Cassie giggled, “just you wait,” she said excitedly.

Nea shrugged and bought the items with some of the cash that she had taken from West’s cabin.

“Follow me,” said Cassie.

Nea smiled and followed the girl who seemed to have found some sudden burst of energy. They walked down the block and nipped into a deserted alley.

“Okay, Mibayda,” said Cassie taking out the collar and leash, “Shift!”

Looking at the collar in the girls hands and back up at her eyes, then down again at the collar, Nea said, “You have got to be kidding me!”

“No! It’s the perfect disguise,” whined Cassie, “Pleeeeeeease! Your wolf is soooooo cute! No one will suspect a thing! A runt human is more obvious than an innocent looking puppy.”

“Oh my goddess,” whispered Nea. “Angel, what do you have to say about this?” she asked her wolf.

“She is not wrong. I am adorable,” answered Angel. “Adorable and deadly.”

Athena was still thinking when she saw Cassie’s eyebrow scrunch up as she commanded, “My Beta, SHIFT,” in an Alpha tone.

Suddenly, Nea had no control over her body as bones snapped and shifted into her wolf-self.

“Holy crap, Fun-Size, what did you just do?” Nea had never been compelled to follow an order as Alpha Eric was more diplomatic in his “requests.”

“Sorry Nea… I didn’t know that would happen! I just… wanted it sooooooo bad!” Cassie gushed.

Athena sighed, it was impossible to be upset with this young pup… even if being compelled to follow her command had been… unsettling! “Okay, but this is just for now. And ASK me next time!”

“I did!”

“Then allow me a moment to wrap my head around it! Oh my Goddess, Fun-Size, stop petting me and put the stupid collar on,” she linked to Cassie.

“You are such a sweet puppy,” Cassie said out loud in a baby voice squeezing Angel’s face between her hands. “Now we need a puppy name for you, My Beta.” Cassie laughed a little to herself… My Beta… My Beta… it sounds like a name, but more like “Mibayda” ha ha… all one word, fast! Now I have a special name for you too! I am Fun-Size and you are Mibayda.”

“Okay, I’m for it! Mibayda it is!” Nea linked back.

The two of them walked to the bus station and Nea had Cassie hold her up so she could scan the bus schedule.

“Fun-Size, does Cider Grove sound familiar? I think that is close to your packlands,” she asked.

“Yes, Mibayda! My dad took me shopping there last year!”

“Perfect! There is a bus leaving for there in about 30 minutes. Take the money from my bag and go get a ticket from the window,” Nea instructed her.

Cassie got in line and when it was her turn, she walked up to the window where a sour looking human was selling the tickets.

“May I buy a ticket please, to Cider Grove?” Cassie asked politely?

“How old are you, young lady?’ The woman snipped.

“I’m nine years old,” Cassie lied with a smile.

“You don’t look nine,” said the lady squinting.

“Everybody says that,” said Cassie, holding her head up high, trying to look confident and… well… taller.

“Fine,” the woman replied. “That is $26 dollars, please.”

As she took the money, she noticed the leash that Cassie was holding. Wait a second girl, no pets allowed on the bus.

“Tell her I’m your emotional support animal,” Nea linked to Cassie.

“She’s my emotional support animal,” Cassie repeated without hesitating a beat.

“She looks to young to be a trained dog,” said the woman.

“Oh, she just looks young. Like me.” Said Cassie. “But I tell you she is the best trained dog in the area!”

“The woman was now aiming her squinty eyes right at Athena. “Sit,” she said.

Athena sat.

“Down.”

Athena laid down.

“Rollover.”

Goddess, this was humiliating, thought Nea, but she obediently rolled over.

Narrowing her eyes even further, the woman stared at Nea for a second, “I guess it’s okay,” she said, handing Cassie the ticket. “But you are responsible for cleaning up any accidents.”

“We need to leave before I bite her,” Nea growled to Cassie.

Cassie laughed out loud as they walked over to the boarding area. They were able to get on board without any other problems and Cassie dug into the candy that she had purchased. She put Angel in the seat next to her and fed her some cheese, a little bit at a time.

“Have you no pride,” Nea asked Angel?

“Whaaaaat? It’s delicious and I’m hungry. Besides, I like her. She appreciates my beauty.”

Nea rolled her eyes over her wolf’s inflated ego.

“Try to get a little more sleep, Fun-Size,” Nea said as Angel curled up in a tight ball on the seat.

“Mibayda, tell me about your mom and dad… why do you have a mean step-father,” asked Cassie sleepily.

“My dad was the Alpha of the pack before Alpha Eric. He was the best dad in the whole world. But he was killed in a rogue attack when I was 10. My mom… well… she never liked me because I was born a runt. She thought it made her look bad, I guess.”

“That’s mean,” linked Cassie, and I couldn’t disagree.

“How about your parents, Fun-Size?” I asked, curious about her.

“My mom was a half-human. She got sick and died when I was little. Her wolf wasn’t string enough to heal her. She was really sweet and my dad’s heart broke. I have a great dad too, just like you did,” she said perking up. “He’s a great Alpha and our pack is the best one because of him. He’s a super smart business guy. You’ll like it at my pack,” she said.

Nea could feel Cassie’s fatigue through her Beta bond. “Once you are home, I won’t be able to stay with you for long, Fun-Sized. I will have to return to avenge my former Alpha.”

“You have to ‘venge the Alpha? No, you should stay with me,” said Cassie as she drifted off into slumber.

________________________________________________

Zayden and his team shifted back into human form once they found a strong trail leading out of the river and into the human settlement. They all dressed in simple clothes from their packs, taking a quick break to have a drink and eat an energy bar.

“What town is this?” Zayden asked Ben.

“Pine City,” Ben replied quickly.

Zayden updated his Beta as they ran down the trail to the town. The trail was easy to follow and led them straight to a hotel.

“Fan out, ask questions, report back,” Zayden barked out.