High above the forest Lothar lumbered out a breath as he climbed to a ledge that offered a view of the surrounding valley. He'd needed a good run after the meeting in front of Galina's den. He flashed back to Galina standing naked and proud in front of her mother. She had hid her fright well for Lothar had barely scented it under the freshness of her womanly smell. She smelled of streams and grass...an earthy yet light smell that appealed to Lothar. Galina's beautifully curved body, full breasts, and mossy green eyes also appealed to him. He'd always found her combination of white blond hair and striking eyes to make her intoxicating both in human and wolf form. Though her body ran far from the typical athletic build of the female wolves, her uniqueness made her all the more enticing. Had Vadim not been present, Lothar would have tried to couple with her immediately.
He sighed as he thought of his last mate, Lena. She had been the opposite of Galina, in form at least. Lothar didn't know Galina well enough to know her personality. Lena had been his quiet rock, a steady mother to his pups and a wise leader of the females of his pack. Losing her had almost destroyed him. It had taken him over a year to consider even coupling again which is almost unheard of in wolf packs. Wolves were randy creatures as sex was as much of their day-to-day life as was hunting for food. His self-imposed abstinence had worried many and Lothar knew that some had questioned his leadership.
Lothar watched as the shadows grew longer and the sun dipped toward the horizon. It had been unusual for both the packs to run the forest in daylight today and he knew that many forest animals had hid in fear. His pack was now sleeping before they would rise again with the night.
"Ah, Lena, girl. I wish you were here with me." Lothar whispered. If Lena had been with him then it would be natural for Vadim to take Galina as a mate. The packs would be equal in stature and Lothar suspected that a mate for Vadim would cool his impulsive nature. But, that wasn't the case now. Both Alphas lacked a mate and the one that acquired Galina would technically have an upper hand over the other pack.
Lothar thought about how he would woo Galina. Having spent years with Lena, he wasn't unfamiliar with the intricacies of the female mind. What worried him was his inability to express himself well. Many thought his gruff demeanor nature was just his nature as a leader and the way that he kept himself slightly separate from the pack was part of being an Alpha. Only Lena had known of Lothar's sensitive side. His gruffness came from a crippling shyness as a pup and his kindness in his ruling came from understanding what it was like to live on the outskirts. He'd been abandoned as a small pup and having never lived in society had had to make his way on his own in the mountains before the Galzar pack had found him. Luckily, one of the young wolves had recently lost her pup and insisted on raising him. He'd been forever grateful to his adopted mother for taking him in and had struggled to be an asset to the pack ever since. Now, as a leader, he sometimes still felt like a fraud. Lothar was fiercely loyal and he would do anything for the greater interest of the Galzar pack. Because of this, his pack adored him and followed his word without question. They'd lived a happy existence aside from mild skirmishes with the Medina pack.
Lothar worried that the surrounding regions would learn of the potential for discord between the two packs and make a move. The Krystana pack ran to the north of them and were known to be fierce, foolhardy, and power-hungry. The only reason that they had kept their distance for so long was due to the peace that ran between the Medina and Galzar packs. Together the two packs could easily overcome the Krystana pack. If the pack sensed a crack in their tenuous unity though, they would descend upon them with a vengeance.
Lothar tensed as he sensed another presence and then relaxed as caught the scent of his second-in-command, Max. Max had joined the pack around the same time as Lothar and the two had grown up as brothers. Max deftly leapt on to the ledge and settled comfortably next to Lothar. Without speaking, the two shifted in unison.
"Nice night," Max said companionably. Lothar laughed. Max always had the ability to take some of his tension away.
"That it is." Lothar agreed and watched the sun slip beneath the horizon. A pale slip of a moon glinted low on the horizon. He heard his pack awaken below him and the first of the night's hunting party let out a few howls.
"I don't think she likes Vadim." Max said.
"No, she doesn't seem comfortable with him." Lothar agreed. He'd always had an amiable relationship with Modar and Galina.
"Don't you think that puts you in a better position?" Max asked.
"Yes, I do. But, I don't know. Vadim's prowess is legendary," Lothar said gruffly.
"Hey, I've heard great tales of yours as well." Max said playfully and punched Lothar on the shoulder. Lothar barked out a laugh.
"I wish Lena was here," He said softly.
"I know, brother. I miss her too. She was good for our pack." Max looked across the forest. "But if there was one thing she loved more than you...it was this pack. She would want you to do whatever was in the best interests of the pack."
Lothar nodded. He knew that Max was right. Though Lena had been a devoted mate she had deeply loved the Galzar pack. When she wasn't tending to Lothar she could be found playing with the pups, taking care of the women, or keeping their den clean. She was a gentle ruler in their midst and the rhythms of their pack had flowed around Lena.
"What will you do?" Max asked.
"I am going to go there tomorrow to see if she would like to go fishing with me. Somewhere further up in the mountains. I bet she doesn't know about the hot springs. That would be a nice private excursion. I'd like to get to know her better before we include her in the pack."
"Good point. If she is a crazy bitch we'd be better off without her." Max laughed.
Lothar felt a little fissure of excitement. He hadn't really enjoyed coupling since Lena had passed. He'd only done so for the most basic of releases. Now, he contemplated taking Galina to the hot springs and felt a low tug deep in his stomach. It surprised him and emboldened him. Perhaps it was time to take a new mate.