Darkness Falls Read Free

face a crisscross of wrinkles. Lucky lowered his head, biting back a snarl. He remembered all too well the humiliations that Whine had faced as the lowliest Pack member.
    But Alpha wasn’t finished yet. “And the new Omega will be given a permanent reminder of his treachery: a scar on his flank so that none can forget what he has done.”
    Lucky yelped. He thought of Mulch, who’d been blamed for eating out of turn . . . framed by Lucky and Whine, to get him demoted to Omega. Alpha had sprung at Mulch, scraping and gouging. Sweet had backed him up, adding savage bites to Mulch’s wounds.
    â€œOh, Alpha,” whined Martha, the huge Leashed Dog with webbed paws. “Be merciful!”
    By her side, little Daisy yipped: “Please. Lucky will do everything you say; we promise. You don’t have to do this.”
    Lucky whined softly with gratitude as Twitch and Spring joined the chorus of protests. “We agree,” barked Twitch. “Becoming Omega is enough punishment.”
    Fiery cocked his head questioningly and even Sweet seemed unsure, though she stayed silent.
    Alpha howled to be heard, his wolfish cry cutting through the whines and yaps. “The Pack will need stricter rules if it’s to survive with all these extra dogs! That will be the price of Lucky’s treachery and deceit.”
    Lucky couldn’t imagine any stricter rules—Alpha’s Pack was already so organized, the hunting and eating rights clearly regimented. A dog’s rank even dictated where he slept!
    Lucky had risked his life to battle the foxes, and yet the Wild Pack’s leader was determined to hurt and humiliate him. His leg throbbed and his head felt thick and heavy, a grim reminder of that furious tussle.
    The dogs were growling, barking, arguing with one another—divided over Lucky’s fate.
    â€œWait!” snapped Mickey, the Farm Dog. He stood over his longpaw’s glove, his ears flat but his head held high. “We’re wasting time fighting with one another. We should be devoting our energies to surviving in this strange world, not arguing about who is higher in the Pack.” Mickey tapped the glove absently with his paw. “Bella and Daisy are good hunters. The Pack would benefit from their skills. Why wait to use them?”
    â€œBecause we must have order,” said Snap, the white-and-tan mongrel from the Wild Pack. “It’s not about whether you like it—a Pack can’t work without order. That’s how it’s always been.” She spoke reasonably, without anger or malice.
    Mickey’s ears pricked up. “The Big Growl changed all the rules. Leashed Dogs are joining Packs, and Pack Dogs need to change too. Hierarchy doesn’t seem necessary—not anymore. It just makes things complicated.”
    Lucky had rarely heard Mickey say so much.
    Snap watched the Farm Dog, as though considering his words. But before she could speak again, Alpha sprang toward Mickey. Standing over the cowering black-and-white dog, he snarled: “The Big Growl is an even greater reason to stick to order and tradition. The world is more dangerous than ever. What we need is discipline, not some lazy group of ill-trained house-pets.” He lifted his muzzle, his yellow eyes cold.
    Most of the dogs lowered their heads, careful not to challenge the half wolf. None of them spoke.
    Alpha looked from each dog to the next, then glared at Lucky. “It’s time for the marking ceremony. Hold him down.”
    Panic surged through Lucky’s body, his legs trembling and his paw pads growing damp with sweat. His eyes shot across the dogs, wondering who would launch the attack. Several of the Leashed Dogs whimpered, but they didn’t dare speak up for him anymore. Even Bella, who had risen to her paws, said nothing.
    Sweet broke forward. Lucky yelped in dismay as she pounced at his back, hugging his shoulders with her paws and bringing him down. His