Horizon Ridge undress, confess that you're still mine

I feel like I'm hogging you but, well, I did this to you and now I need to fix it! LOL... also, I could not resist this golden opportunity for some character development.

Pied was combing along the foot of the ridge in search for soft items to line the lair that would one day soon be her whelping den. Presently, she held a few bits of dried kelp in her maw. She was just about ready to make a trip back to the den site to drop off her findings, then return and fill up again, when she heard a cry from the direction of the beach.

She froze in her tracks, then quickly deposited the kelp and pivoted, trotting quickly toward the open sands. The Delta came to a grinding halt when she saw Jinx playing in the surf. She growled under her breath, irritated at the she-wolf for making such an awful sound and scaring her. Not wanting to be detected, Pied began to turn away to resume her search.

That's when the scent of blood registered in her nose. Slowly, Pied turned around and peered harder at Jinx's figure. Her breath caught in her throat when she squinted and noticed the red streak on the side of her pack mate's face. She took a step forward, a desire to lend her assistance washing over her.

Quick in its wake came another and much less altruistic sentiment. She's a threat, a voice in her head reminded her. She's weakened. If you put her in her place now, you'll secure your chance at motherhood... The voice paused, then added, You could probably even kill her, if you wanted, and eliminate the threat entirely.

Pied shook her head lightly, as if trying to get rid of a pesky fly. She knew that her true, caring nature was being overruled lately by the instinct to dominate and procreate. Having puppies was incredibly important to her but, even with the feral urges rising in her even now—urges she actually embraced, for the most part—she couldn't bring herself to kill Jinx over it. She could merely hurt her but even the recently ambitious Pied knew only a coward would kick Jinx while she was down rather than challenge her honorably.

"Agh," Pied muttered under her breath, trying to ignore the voicet—lest it lead her into spineless temptation—as she began running toward Jinx. If the Gamma turned, she might not be able to read her subordinate's intentions; was she running to her aid or preparing to rush her? The piebald yearling enjoyed this for a moment before making her intentions clear: "What happened? How can I help?"