“Why would we want you in our Pack?” The brown-and-white dog’s voice was full of disdain.

“Because I’m a hunter,” Lucky replied. “I can be useful to you.”

“We don’t need scavenger city dogs who think they can hunt.”

Something about the female long-ear’s bearing sparked a memory in Lucky’s mind—he’d seen this dog during the fight, following the Alpha’s orders. This was the one the dog-wolf had called Spring.

Lucky clenched his teeth against a snarl. He knew he mustn’t rise to the taunts, however tempting it was. “I would be valuable to your Pack. You would be stronger with me on your side.”

To Lucky’s relief, the male long-ear looked up at the brown-and-white chase-dog uncertainly. “I don’t know, Dart. If he does know Sweet . . .”

“I doubt it, Twitch,” snarled Dart, and turned back to Lucky. “I can smell the stink of the city on you. What is it you hunt? Food wrappers?”

The three dogs laughed scornfully. Lucky tried not to show how close the barb had come to the truth. He’d learned a lot since those days, after all. Besides, he was secretly pleased to hear that the city’s stench still clung to him. It told him he was still his old self, still a City Dog and a Lone Dog.

He was still Lucky.

His quiet pleasure was shattered when the dogs began to advance again. Still refusing to back away, Lucky flattened his whole body against the ground, but he couldn’t stop his muzzle from curling. If they insisted on attacking, he would fight back. Even if it only made things worse for himself.

I may still smell of it, he thought despairingly, but I’m a long way from the city now. And I don’t have any friends here. . . .

There was no sign of these dogs giving any ground, he realized. And there was no point submitting if they were simply going to tear him to bits anyway. Baring his teeth in a warning snarl, he leapt abruptly to his feet, standing stiff and tall.

I won’t be easy pickings. . . .

The male black-and-tan called Twitch was limping slightly, and Lucky was bigger than each of them, but he knew he couldn’t outfight three brutal dogs all at the same time.

“Take him, Spring!”

The female black-and-tan went for him, charging low for his neck. She moved with unexpected speed, and Lucky just managed to leap sideways. But this only took him into the path of Dart, who lunged for his scruff. Lucky yelped as he felt her teeth sink into his flesh, and then Twitch sneaked in and bit his foreleg. Lucky squirmed, throwing Dart off, snarling and gnashing at Twitch.

But now Spring was back. She seized a mouthful of his neck fur and gave it a fierce tug.

Were they actually planning to kill him? Lucky didn’t think so, but they were certainly going to hurt him badly—make sure he fled and never returned. And if he couldn’t get the upper paw against these three mangy brutes, there was no way he would ever get into their Pack. The rest wouldn’t dream of accepting him—even Sweet.