LITTLE SHE BEAR

Dolphus turned his nose up to the air and sniffed. His ears lowered down in caution the scent he was catching was no longer elk but a different species. He definitely was no longer in his pack's territory.

Dolphus stood up on his hind legs and morphed to his human form as his wife

Deirdre did the same and gave him a concerned look.

"Is everything alright dear?"

"We're out of territory" Dolphus replied crossing his arms as he studied the unfamiliar land "I can't even track the elk"

"We'll simply retract then" Deirdre reassured "but we must find food soon the first snow will be here soon and it possible they went this way let's check here for now"

"We must be cautious" Dolphus said, "this isn't our territory"

Deidre chuckled "Honestly Dolphus you act as though this is your first hunt"

"What?"

"You like the winter though" he teased, "if I could recall correctly you love get rather cozy in our den"

"That's because your fur is so warm" Deidre teased back.

The couple morphed back into wolves and continued flirting in their true forms nipping at their ears, playfully tugging tails, and nuzzling muzzles together.

The sun was setting as the sky was painted orange and pink followed closely by the blue-black night sky.

Deidre threw her head back and howled as Dolphus perked his ears up to listen for any unfamiliar or threatening foes. When there was no response the two werewolves resumed their hunting.

Dolphus was still being on the safe side they were still way far out from their territory for his comfort. It was getting late and their alpha Bodolf would be calling for everyone to come back to their territory soon.

However his mate Deidre lived for the hunt. Speaking of which she barked at him to get his attention he looked to see her beckoning him to follow her. It must be the elk or at least Dolphus hoped it would be he had the appetite of the whole pack now.

Deidre was running a little too fast for elk though because surly they would pick up on her paws treading the forest floor. Never the less Dolphus kept up the pace to follow her closely.

Deidre stopped and shifted to her human form suddenly as she scanned the new territory with a concerned look.

"Dolph" she whispered, "do you hear that?"

"Hear what?" he asked shifting human again "what is it?"

"Shhh!" Deidre took her husband's arm "it's coming from in there"

"I hear it again"

"Deirdre I think we've come far enough---"

Deirdre screamed at the sight of what appeared to be somebody hanging from a tree

Dolphus's heart dropped when he saw a young black man roughly around their age hanging dead by the neck with a noose.

"Is he..."

"He's gone baby" Dolphus confirmed, "there's nothing we can do"

"Who could have done this?" Deirdre said disgusted "I thought things like this didn't happen anymore human or shifter"

"There is still racism in the world honey" Dolphus "sometimes I think living in our paradise tends to make us forget that"

"Oh my God Dolph look!"

Not too far from the tree where the black man was hanging in front of a little stone cave was a dead grizzly bear. Dolphus connected the two and it clicked that they were a black were bear couple and the bear probably came out to defend her mate.

There were bullet holes all through her fur and the blood was tinting her once gorgeous brown fur red.

So on top of them being black they were also an easy target being bears because everybody knew for the most part bears traveled alone except for mating season and the winter for hibernation.

Judging by all the food at the black man's feet he was preparing for hibernation for himself and his mate. It sure was a lot of food for just the two of them though was it possible they had cubs?

The muffled cries were coming from the stone cave. Dolphus took out his phone and opened up his flashlight app and the two of them entered to see what it was.

"Dolphus it's a baby!" Deidre quickly rushed over to retrieve the bundle from the basinet "this must be their cub"

Dolphus's heart filp-flopped at the little face of the baby with it's chubby brown cheeks, large chocolate eyes, and head full of black curly hair. The baby cried even louder as Deidre pulled the blanket back to inspect more.

"It's a girl," Deidre confirmed, as she looked between the infants legs "oh Dolph she's beautiful look at her"

"She is"

Deidre looked into her husband's eyes giving him that look he knew all too

well.

"Dolph..."

"Deidre you know we can't" Dolphus said firmly "you know the pack would never approve"

"The pack has taken in orphaned cubs before---"

"Orphaned werewolf cubs Deidre" Dolphus reminded her "even if we were to take her in what's going to happen when she starts shifting in two or three years? She'll be a were bear cub"

"She's just a baby Dolphus" she tried to reason with her husband "wolf or bear she's harmless and helpless"

"She's also black Deidre and our pack is predominantly if not all white" Dolphus pointed out "hell we're both white and after what happened to her father...."

"We're not racist Dolph we would never do something like that"

"I know dear but I know for a fact there are some racist members of our pack" Dolphus pointed out "a black were bear cub would stick out like a sore thumb"

"We can't just leave her here all alone though" Deidre argued gently patting the baby on her back "she'll die especially with the first snow coming"

"You're right" Dolphus agreed

"Plus you we've been trying to have cubs of our own---"

"Deidre if we were meant to have cubs it would have happened by now" he said

"No" Deidre said as the baby blinked up at her cooing "she needs us Dolph if this weren't meant to be we wouldn't have found her"

She won.

His wife always won and Dolphus was usually a sucker for whatever Deidre wanted.

It was true they were going on almost eight years with no cubs and it was because of Deidre's infertility. It pained her to see the other bitches of the pack with their cubs while she remained childless.

Dolphus as much as he wanted cubs too never made his wife feel guilty about her inability to get pregnant. It wouldn't be a walk in the park but if it gave them a chance to be parents then perhaps it was meant to be.

"We'll certainly have an interesting time explaining to the council what we've found besides elk" Dolphus said, "we should get going"

The two of them morphed back to wolves, as it would be easier to get back to their territory on four legs instead of two. Deidre made sure the baby was secure and took a hold of her by the blanket and off they went.

"Easy there son" Bodolf said to his two-year-old cub "that's your papa's tail"

Channing wagged his tail mischievously and grinned

"Papa's tail?"

"Yes Papa's tail" Bodolf growled playfully "would like it if Papa cut his teeth on your tail?"

The little werewolf cub tumbled backwards as his father got up and morphed back to a human toddler. Once Bodolf morphed back he tossed Channing in the air and the child squealed with glee.

Lupe smiled at her husband and child playing now that their son could shift it certainly made playtime more interesting. It was always nice to see the Alpha be more laid back and not so serious all the time and Channing definitely brought the cub out of his father.

"Mama!"

Channing ran into Lupe's arms and she twirled him around.

"Did you have fun today little one?"

"Papa spent the whole day with me!"

"I know he did" Lupe winked at her mate and Bodolf smiled at her and went over to hug both of them. Lupe reached up to give Bodolf a kiss and he smirked.

"If Papa's lucky he'll get to spend all night with Mama"

"Perhaps"

Bodolf felt himself growing hard at that promise. Being Alpha and Alpha Female the couple rarely ever had personal time together because their duties with the pack always came first. Hell the last time they had a chance to mate frequently was before Channing was born.

"Bodolf!" one of the pack's councilmen burst into the Alpha's den "excuse me sir but we have trouble!"

"What is it?" Bodolf said placing Channing in his mother's arms again

"It's Ragnulf!" he replied, "he and few others of the pack are threatening Dolphus and Deidre!"

Bodolf could hear the barking and growling, which turned into snarling. Bodolf jumped into action shifting into his wolf and went to see what all the trouble was about.

Ragnulf was fighting Dolphus while Deidre seemed to be wrapped around a small bundle trying to protect it from Ragnulf's wrath. Bodolf quickly knocked Ragnulf aside off of Dolphus.

Ragnulf snarled at Bodolf and he stood on his hind legs and morphed back to his human form as Ragnulf did the same and he still looked pissed.

"What is the meaning of this Ragnulf?" Bodolf demanded, "you know I don't allow irrational fighting among pack members"

"There's also a rule about bringing outsiders onto our territory as well!" Ragnulf barked "why don't you ask Dolphus about what he and his mate brought here!"

"Honestly Ragnulf it can't be that bad for you to get this upset" Lupe spoke up on Bodolf behave

"Not that bad!?!" Ragnulf snarled "these two have violated the pack's rules have brought a were bear bastard on to our lands!"

Everyone in close vicinity gasped and some of the male pack members shifted to get into protective mode.

"She's just a baby!" Deidre cried out holding the baby close to her "she's been orphaned! Have mercy on her!"

"Bullshit!" Ragnulf bit back "babies grow up and she'll be a bear we don't raise bears we raise wolves! The only orphaned cubs we take are wolves! What's next an elk fawn?"

"Ragnulf does have a point sir" Varg one of the council said, "it's too risky to allow a cub of a different species into our pack"

"A nigger at that too" Ragnulf added disgusted "you ought to be ashamed Dolphus!"

"Hold your tongue Ragnulf!" Lupe ordered, "you've caused enough trouble!"

Lupe went over to comfort Deidre who was trembling as she struggled to hold the baby in her arms.

"Let us see the child Deidre," she asked her friend gently

"Please don't hurt her"

"We'll do no such thing," Lupe promised much to Ragnulf's dismay "Bodolf come here"

The baby cried and it was clear she had already grown attached to Deidre in the short amount of time. She was clearly still a newborn no more than three months old at the most and probably was being breastfed by her birth mother so she probably would have died if she had been left alone.

The scent that she carried gave her away to confirm that she definitely was a were bear cub. However Lupe just like Deidre saw the cub as an innocent baby regardless.

Looking at the situation as a mother Lupe knew that if something were to ever happen to her or Bodolf they would want somebody to take Channing in. Lupe knew that Deidre wanted to be a mother more than anything in the world.

"Bodolf you know you'd want somebody to do the same for Channing" she tried to reason with her husband

"Some of the pack won't like it" Bodolf warned the couple "but I know you will both raise this child well"

"Oh thank you Bodolf!" Deirdre smiled with tears of joy

"Thanks" Dolphus added, "this means a lot to us it really does"

"Next time be sure to bring some elk to celebrate" the Alpha said giving his friend a pat on the shoulder

"ARE YOU FUCKING SERIOUS?!?" Ragnulf barked "THAT IS NOT BY OUR LAW!"

"I'm Alpha Ragnulf" Bodolf said "and I have the final say"

"Then maybe you shouldn't be Alpha anymore!"

"Ragnulf" Lupe growled baring her fangs at the rebellious pack member "you know  that my husband has the final say now drop it!"

"As long as he's Alpha"

"Is that a threat Ragnulf?" Bodolf squinted his eyes at his rival

"Oh trust me my friend you don't know what a threat is" Ragnulf rolled his eyes "but that little nigger were bear is going to have to leave the pack eventually you mark my words"

Ragnulf scowled on his way back to his den while the rest of the pack did the same. Even if some of them did disagree it was late and it would be a matter that Bodolf would discuss further in the morning.

Dolphus and Deirdre named their newly adopted daughter Ursula which translated to "little she bear"