If you behave threateningly they will attack. If you back away, they will leave you alone. I just came across a pack. They stared at me and growled. I did what I’ve been taught to do in a wolf encounter. Watch them closely and walk away. It worked flawlessly.
Very impressive. Any other game would have them attack independently of how you act as a player.
The devs put a lot of thought into making the game make sense. So the sensible thing to do in reality also works in game.