Sharp fangs sank into his flank and he howled with pain and rage, twisting to snap at his attacker but only catching her ear. At the same time, the black-and-tan male got a grip on Lucky’s own ear, tearing at it. Lucky felt a sharp pain and warm blood spreading through the fur over his skull. Dart still had hold of his neck fur, her teeth now sinking into Lucky’s flesh.

Lucky felt panic begin to overwhelm him along with the rage. She was going to do serious damage if he could not shift her soon.

“Enough! LEAVE HIM!”

The bark sounded savage, but also familiar. Lucky stumbled when he felt the pressure and pain at his neck fade away. Still snarling, his three attackers backed off, their hackles bristling and their teeth bared.

Panting, Lucky gave them a defiant snarl in return, but his eyes hungrily sought out the newcomer. That scent he knew so well tickled his nostrils, and his heart thudded hard and slowed as he caught his breath.

“Sweet,” he gasped.

She did not bound forward to greet him, but simply stood there, her head held high as she studied him with narrowed eyes. Her ears pricked forward and she sniffed imperiously at the air around him.

“He’s an invader!” Dart barked.

“So I see.” Sweet stood very still, cocking her head only slightly, never taking her eyes off Lucky.

“We were trying to get rid of him,” snarled the limping male, Twitch.

“You should let us finish!” said Dart.

“No,” Sweet growled. “I know this dog.”

Dart lowered her head and tail. She looked submissive, and not happy about it.

“I’m going to take him to Alpha. Any objections?” Sweet looked around her Packmates, clearly not expecting any disagreement—and none came. “I shall propose him as a new member. He would be an asset to the Pack.”

“Yes, Beta.” The others were deferential now, though they shot venomous glances at Lucky.

Beta? Lucky thought. He knew that every Wild Pack had an Alpha, a leader, and an Omega, who had the lowest rank in the Pack—but what was a Beta? Just how well has Sweet settled in to this pack? But this wasn’t the time to start questioning her. “Thank you, Sweet,” he began as he scrambled back on all fours. “I’ll—”

“That’s enough.” Any warmth in Sweet’s eyes was gone altogether, and a faint shiver of apprehension went through Lucky’s bones.

“Sweet, I’m sorry—”

“Just follow me. And don’t use my name. In fact, don’t say another word.”

CHAPTER NINE

Sweet led Lucky around the shore of the lake into a deep bay fringed thickly with trees. Under the branches the light was green and cool, the ground soft underpaw. After the dazzling sun-high brightness of the valley, Lucky’s eyes took a little time to adjust to the shade as he followed Sweet’s narrow hindquarters closely through two lines of straight trunks.

Where the trees opened out to the shallow dip of a clearing, Sweet paused. The Sun-Dog’s light pierced the pine canopy here, sending spears of dusty light to the grassy ground, and Lucky could see several distinct hollows strewn with soft leaves and moss—proper sleeping dens, carefully arranged. It was a long way from the rough camps his own Pack had managed to set up.