[sylvanSpider]

Audrey pressed her lips together, looking up at her employer. Her gracious, kind, intelligent employer. Nora bore with her the face of one attempting to be comforting, but one who had no idea what she was getting herself into. She was naive. Despite this, the small werewolf mustered a smile, “It isn't a matter of fear I'm afraid, Miss Nora. You were fortunate to have met Hal and I—an omega and an alpha who has no idea what he's doing. Alphas that do know what they are doing...they're...they're terrifying, and they command not only respect, but fear as well.” She swallowed and looked down, “In the case of...of the latter...I have but two choices, to concede or to run. If we make a pack, there is a good chance those in the next town will hear about it. They will be eager to claim me back once they find that I'm here. They are under the belief that they run this town as well, coming here only when things get too hot.”

Audrey's eyes shifted back up to Hal. He, too, was naive, “Three big, huge alphas would only be working together under the pretense of an allegiance. Allegiances between packs are weak and liable to dissolve at any moment, including when human prey are in sight. If humans are greedy, a werewolf alpha is greed incarnate.”

Ash kept her eyes folded, her eyes resting on whoever was speaking at the moment, tapping her foot lightly. She was not meaning to exude a feeling of impatience, but if one were to describe her in a word it would be that. Audrey's mode of speaking was oddly formal at all times it seemed, and she wondered if she spoke the same way around others not her employer, or other wolves. Then, the way she was speaking now, she made it seem like she didn't really have a voice with other wolves. Audrey was a shy, timid little thing, submissive in nature and perfect prey for someone like Nora to employ. She could see why she'd hired her. She said nothing, choosing to keep her mouth shut and listen. Best not to play the fool.

Audrey spoke for her, wide eyes looking up at Nora, “Collars and leashes? Miss Nora, forgive me, but I haven't seen nor caught scent of a dog since stepping into your apartment---”

“They're for people use,” Ash said, a wry grin directed at Audrey, complete with a pair of waggling eyebrows.

Audrey paled. The leashes weren't for the obedience of an animal. It was likely that those leashes and collars had been used on Ash and she gulped. They apparently had a thing for hierarchies as well. Instead of responding to that, however, she responded to Hal's question, “Humans essentially earn their ranks. For us, it's biological. I could have a burst of confidence and attempt to take command, but ultimately it's a futile battle. I'd still emanate the scent of an omega, the pheromones of an omega. The humans are more free to decide. Of course, when a human joins a wolf pack, regardless of how dominating they are, they would never be able to overtake an alpha unless they were a trained werewolf hunter. Which, speaking of, is another problem that wolves deal with. Thankfully, for those like me, they tend to leave omegas alone.”