He had recently set up camp in the forest near her tribe, he had not yet seen her and had not yet received messengers from the tribe.

Hm, the little runaway... It seemed like she was desperate to escape something. Well, he'd just go look for her and return her "home" if necessary. If not, they could always have some fun together first. He growled lowly in anticipation as his pack began to move through the forest in search of their new... prize? Maybe.

The sound of rustling leaves and snapping twigs drifted through the air as the pack moved steadily deeper into the forest. The alpha kept his senses honed, tracking down their prey... er, target. He was confident they'd find her soon enough. His tail wagged lazily behind him, the tip curled slightly in amusement.

The thought of bending her to his will made him grin broadly. Yes, this would certainly be an interesting addition to his pack... or at least a fun diversion until he decided what to do with her.

Ah, there she was. The scent grew stronger as he spotted the tailless figure darting through the trees a ways ahead. A low chuckle rumbled in his chest as he signaled for his pack to follow him in pursuit of their quarry. Soon enough, they would have her cornered... and then the fun could begin. His yellow eyes glowed with anticipation.

Her desperation to escape only served to excite him further. The chase had become as much of a game to him as catching her would be, and he reveled in the thrill of the hunt. As she sped up through the forest, so too did his pace quicken; he was relentless in his pursuit of the tailless female who dared defy him. His pack followed close behind, their predatory gazes fixed upon her as they tracked her movements through the trees.

That was her mistake. He knew these woods as well; he had hunted here countless times before. Even if she did manage to lose them for a moment in the twisting maze of tree trunks and undergrowth, she'd eventually lead them back to her hiding place. His predatory grin widened as they followed her scent deeper into the canyon.

Her attempt at evasion would fail. He growled lowly and signaled to his pack to spread out; they'd surround the canyon and block all exits. Then they could reel her back in like a fish on a hook. His nostrils flared as he scented the air, picking up her trail once more amidst the musty scent of rock and damp earth. "Seems our little runaway tried to hide," he purred mockingly, "But I always find what belongs to me."

His pack snarled in agreement as they moved stealthily through the underbrush, closing in on their prey. Soon enough, she'd be theirs.

The scent of her continued to guide him even as she disappeared into the darkness of a cave, drawing him deeper and deeper into the earth. He grinned wickedly at the thought of finally cornering his elusive prey; he could taste victory on the air already. "There's nowhere you can hide from me, little one," he growled lowly, pushing through a narrow fissure in the rock that led to another tunnel.

His pack followed close behind, their bodies tense and ready for battle as they moved through the twisting passageways beneath the forest floor. Soon enough, they'd emerge from the darkness and have her trapped between them like an animal caught in a snare. The thought sent shivers of anticipation down his spine.

His yellow eyes narrowed in surprise as he spotted her emerging from the river; she'd managed to lose them... for now. "Don't think you can outrun me forever, tailless," he snarled through gritted teeth, his voice echoing through the darkness around them. "You belong to me." His paws dug into the earth as he braced himself against the current of the river, waiting for her to show herself again.

His pack followed suit, dispersing along the bank and searching for any sign of their prey among the rocks and reeds beside the water's edge. They would find her; it was only a matter of time.

His ears twitched at the sound of splashing water; she was indeed still trying to evade them. A low chuckle rumbled in his chest as he crept along the riverbank, moving silently through the underbrush. He knew exactly where she was headed, and soon enough, there would be nowhere else for her to go. His pack followed close behind, their movements equally stealthy as they tracked their prey through the darkness.

"Don't tire yourself too much," he murmured darkly from across the river. "You'll need your strength." Her pursuers had boxed her in; there was no escape now but straight toward him. He grinned hungrily as he braced himself, waiting for the moment when she would finally emerge from hiding and face whatever fate awaited her at his hands.

Suddenly, he saw a glint of metal in the moonlight as she drew a knife from somewhere hidden within her clothes. The alpha's eyes widened fractionally before narrowing into slits of predatoral amusement. Ah, the little tailless had thought to fight back. How... adorable.

"That won't help you," he growled darkly, unholstering his own weapons with ease: two long daggers that seemed almost to glow in the shadows around them. His pack tensed further, readying for battle if necessary. "You are mine now." The tone of his voice left no room for doubt; she belonged to him, and there was no escape from that fact.

His yellow eyes widened in surprise at the tailless' defiance. He wasn't expecting this; she was actually going to stand up to him? Amusement twisted his features into a dark smile as he watched her press the knife against her own throat. So, she meant to play rough, did she? Very well, then. If that was what she wanted...

With a snarl, he lunged forward, his claws extended and ready to rend her flesh. His pack followed close behind, their own weapons raised as they readied themselves for the coming battle. He knew now there would be no other way; she had left him with no choice but to fight for what was his. And if she truly meant to die by her own hand rather than surrender... well, then he'd see just how much of a warrior she could be.

His amusement did not waver as he watched her attempt to stand up to him. It was almost... touching. He growled lowly in warning, the sound vibrating through the air as his claws stretched out further toward her throat. "You may think you can win," he purred darkly, "But I promise you, tailless... you cannot." His pack followed suit, closing in on their prey with hungry predator's grins etched onto their faces.

It was now or never; if she wanted to live, she'd have to fight like her life depended on it. And so far? She hadn't given him any reason to believe that she could do more than scrape the surface of his power.

His yellow eyes narrowed in surprise as the tailless made her move; he'd been certain she would try to fight back somehow, but this... He found himself hesitating for a fraction of a second before snapping out of it. His claws curled into fists once more as his hand shot forward, aiming to catch her wrist before she could inflict too much damage on herself. "Stop that!" he growled through gritted teeth.

His pack hesitated as well, unsure whether they should intervene or not. They shared their alpha's curiosity; what would happen now? Would the tailless surrender after all this, or would she continue to fight until her last breath? The tension in the air was almost palpable as they waited for her next move with bated breath.

The alpha narrowed his eyes in suspicion at her request. Was she giving up? He didn't trust her easily; after all, she had tried to escape before. His hand twitched slightly as he fought the urge to strike out and stop her right there. But then... perhaps it would be better to allow her this small concession. After all, if she surrendered willingly, it would make the whole thing much easier on everyone involved.

With a sigh of resignation, he slowly lowered his claws back down to his sides. "Fine," he grumbled darkly, taking a step back from her. His pack hesitated for a moment longer before following suit; their heads swinging low as they moved away from the tailless female and took up positions behind their leader once more. It seemed that she would live to see another day... but only if she played by their rules now. "You are coming with me

His eyes narrowed as he stared into hers, searching for some sign of submission or fear. Instead, all he found was defiance and challenge in her gaze. Well then... it seemed they were going to have to do this the hard way after all. "I'm afraid I can't allow that," he growled lowly, taking another step forward. "You are coming with me." His hands curled into fists once more as he prepared for whatever she might try next; whether it was to run or fight again, he wouldn't be caught off guard this time.

The tension in the air grew thick once more as they circled each other warily, like predator and prey engaged in a deadly dance. The question now was who would make the first move; whether the tailless would try to run again or stand her ground against him. Either way, he knew she wouldn't last long.