Dangerous liaison
Mating in secret is a highly risky business for a lone wolf.
In February, almost everything in Yellowstone is on its last legs, but the Druid wolf pack is reaching peak condition. It鈥檚 now that the young females come into season and hanging back from the pack is a lone male wolf. He has no territory of his own but follows the pack scavenging from their successes. But right now food is not his priority. The young females won鈥檛 mate with the pack鈥檚 alpha male as he is their father. So the intruder could well be in with a chance, as long as the alpha doesn鈥檛 see him. Whilst the pack is distracted, one female sneaks away. She won鈥檛 give up the security of the pack to stay with the lone male, so they meet close by in secret. But the pack comes their way and the alpha male is on to the intruder. He won鈥檛 tolerate any other male in his territory, let alone alongside one of his females. When wolves mate, they become locked together for up to half an hour, the intruder can鈥檛 break free. The alpha male attacks him and finally the intruder is released and can run off. For now, the alpha male settles for seeing the intruder off and returns to reassert his position in the pack. The intruder retreats to a precarious life in the shadows. But whatever happens to him, so long as he was coupled for long enough he will have young brought up in the security of one of the strongest packs in Yellowstone.
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