Phantom Hollow Hidden Behind Forced Smiles

Strangely, for the male, the first to arrive was not the pack's reigning leaders but instead a gruff statue of a wolf. Or not a statue, but rather an individual with the strong smell of a million different herbs on her as well as the pack scent. Gruff because her face resembled that of an oncoming storm - dark, brooding and not at all approachable. In an instant, she seemed to have reached the borders within mere seconds of his summons, scrutinising his face, his pungent smell, his posture and his attitude. 

Apparently she'd reached a conclusion because the unknown wolf drew back, her face still hard but now with the satisfied look one would see on a cat. It was as if she'd deemed him no threat, nothing more than a trickster, handing him a bunch of leaves. "Eat," she'd said, and pushed them towards the male.

Unknown to him if he did eat them, the plants would give a strong itch on the back of his neck - one place extremely hard to scratch. Such a trickster, the woman was. And more, a burning sensation in his mouth as well.

And Veritas loved it because while she might look like she was seeing no threat with the newcomer on the outside, she knew, inside, she was not a gullible wolf. She was not one to be played for a fool. The burning rage craftily hidden behind placid eyes gave the man away completely, and hell no, she was not going to let any pack of hers be destroyed from the inside out.