Ash

We are walking back to the White Stone Pack. Jax has stayed silent as I freak out on the inside. Someone I don't know knows. This isn't good.

"I'm sorry," Jax whispers.

"It's alright, I know you didn't mean to," I sigh.

I'm not mad at him I'm more just frustrated. What's going to happen now? Will they force me to stay in the castle so they can use me in their battles? Will they hand me over to the rogues? Will they kill me? I don't know and I hate not knowing.

Before I know it, we are back at the pack house and I can hear the chatter and music coming from the backyard. We walk around the house and I see a bunch of people drinking, dancing, and laughing. I look to Jax giving him an 'are you kidding me' look.

"Hey, hey. Just give it a chance. Maybe your Lamara is here somewhere," Jax says in a hushed tone.

I roll my eyes and make my way over to the party. Sticking to the outskirts of the crowd. Once I manage to lose Jax, I walk to the bonfire that is burning and sit on a nearby log. I pick up a stick and poke at the fire, watching the embers dance with light. The fire dies down a bit as I sit there and only embers remain. I look around myself and over my shoulder to see if anyone is watching. Once I determine that I am alone, I hold out two fingers, my fire dancing across them as I throw it onto the wood. The fire now tall and bright. I smile as I feel the warmth of my element on my face. A hand lands on my shoulder causing me to jump slightly and look behind me. I grin widely and jump up to hug Hayden. He is finally back from overseas.

"Hayden! Thank god you are back," I sigh in relief as he hugs me back.

"Hey Ash, everything okay?"

"Not really but I am guessing you have been filled in by Sam about what has been going on."

Hayden nods and takes a seat on the log, patting the spot beside him for me to sit down. I slump down onto my seat and look into the fire again.

"What are you worried about?" Hayden wonders.

"I just don't want people to use me. I am afraid that if people found out who I am, they will treat me differently. That they will use me. I don't want people to meet me as...you know who...I want them to know me as Ash Wilson. Badass trainer." Hayden and I laugh at my comment.

"I understand where you are coming from but right now you have two choices. You either stay and tell the people in this pack who you are in order for them to feel safe with the current threat against my pack."

"What's the second option?" I question.

"You leave and hope the rogues leave as well. I don't know how they know the Saviour is here but let's hope it's a lucky guess and they are telling all the packs this."

I sigh. I would rather leave to keep them safe but what if the rogues don't leave them alone. What if the moment I leave is when they finally decide to attack? Why do I have to make such hard decisions?

"What do you think Hayden? What would be best for you and your pack?" I ask, looking for an answer.

Hayden shakes his head, "I cannot make that decision for you. You must make it yourself. I will support you either way."

I huff. I don't want to be left with this bug if a decision. This is the lives of countless people in my hands now. I land my chin in the palm of my hand with my elbow in my knee. What to do, what to do. I guess I will talk with Jax and see what he thinks. Maybe we can ask surrounding packs if they have gotten similar messages. Movement in front of me causes me to look up from the fire. Braden. He sits down in the other side of the fire pit, observing me.

"Can I help you?" I ask.

"Do you know who the saviour is?" He blatantly asks.

"What? Why would you think that I know who they are?"

"You have met many wolves over the past year. Maybe you came across him."

I resist the urge I have to roll my eyes. Two parts of that sentence bothers me. Wolf and him. Does he seriously have such a small imagination that he insists the saviour on being a wolf and a male?

"What makes you think they are a male?" I wonder.

He lets out a short laugh as if I was joking. He sees my unimpressed facial expression and looks more serious. "Why not? All of the great werewolves in history have always been men. I mean..." I cut him off.

"What about Braelynn or your mother Noctis?" I mention.

He seems stunned into silence for a moment before replying with, "How do you know about them?"

"I went to the Royal pack today. Heard some stories. I also happen to know a certain wolf who knows Braelynn."

Braden wracks his brain for a moment, "Zane."

I nod. "Are you still so sure that they are a guy?"

"Well, I don't know. I guess they could be..." Braden cuts himself off, "Does that mean that you know the saviour? Is it a girl?" He excitedly asks.

"I don't know who they are. I was just trying to prove the point that girls can be powerful too," I answer.

"Yeah, they can be. What about you? You are too good at combat to be a human, what are you?" Braden asks.

I smirk and walk around the fire towards him, "Now, now. That is none of your business."

I Pat him twice on the back of his shoulder and he whips his head to look at me with shock and confusion. I give him a confused look before I just decide to walk away from the weirdo. I make my way into the house away from the party and walk into my room, locking the door. I do not want to be disturbed as I get my beauty sleep.

***

Braden

I am mingling around the party. No one is sure of why the party is being held but they aren't questioning it. Instead they enjoy the music and drinks. I look for someone I know before seeing Sam in the distance. I make my way over to him.

"Hey man, I haven't seen you around in a while," I send him a grin.

He smiles back, "Yeah, sorry. I have been kind of occupied lately. I am trying to figure out what to do about this rogue problem. I am glad we have Ash and Jax to help out if something happens but I just want to know why they think the Saviour is here."

I nod in agreement, "I am wondering the same thing as you are. What do you think about Jax? Could he be the Saviour?"

"No, I have seen his wolf the first day Jax and Ash fought together on the territory. He was a grey wolf."

I stay silent for a moment, "What about Ash?"

Sam gives me an odd look, "I don't think she is a werewolf Braden."

I squint my eyes at him, "But you think she may be something?"

"Well..." Sam trails off, trying to think of whether to tell me or not.

"Come on Sam, you know I just want to help out," I tell him sincerely. I just want to find the saviour to see if he has a plan for us. How he will help us with the rogues.

Sam sighs, "Alright. I got a call from the doctor at our hospital the day after Ash was pretty badly hurt."

I don't know why but it pained me know Ash was hurt not too long ago. I want to know who did it and tear them apart but first, I need to know this story.

"The doctor said to be on the watch for Ash turning into a werewolf."

"What?!" I question a little too loudly.

"Shshsh," Sam hushes me. "I confronted Ash and she told me that it was nothing and the doctor had a misunderstanding. All of her injuries healed within a matter of hours, maybe faster. Since then, her healing has been the same as any human. I don't know what happened that day but who knows, maybe she knows who the Saviour is."

I nod and excuse myself from Sam. I start heading towards the fire where I sense Ash sitting. When I get there, Alpha Hayden is sitting beside Ash.

"What do you think Hayden? What would be best for you and your pack?" Ash wonders and that intrigues me.

Hayden stands up from the log, "I cannot make that decision for you. You must make it yourself. I will support you either way."

What decision? What's going on? Hayden leaves and I wait a moment before making my way to the other side of the fire and sitting down. I swear this fire was just dying out a moment ago when I saw it before talking with Sam. Weird. Someone must have thrown another log on without me noticing.

"Can I do something for you?" Ash's angelic voice questions. Woah, wait? Did I really just think that?

"Do you know who the saviour is?" I blurt out. I mentally face palm myself. I meant to take this slow and ease into the question.

"What, why would you think that?" She asks and I don't miss the slight waiver in her voice. She's nervous.

"You have met many wolves over the past year. Maybe you came across him," I shrug my shoulders, trying to act nonchalant.

Ash seems to battle with her inner self. Maybe her wolf? Maybe she is a werewolf. She then looks irritated, was it something I said?

"What makes you think they are a male?"

Her question surprises me and I let out a small laugh. Why wouldn't he be? I look at her expression and see her completely serious.

"Why wouldn't he be a male wolf? All of the werewolves in history have always been men. I mean..." I go to take back my last comment. I knew it wasn't true. I actually had no good reason why I thought that. Ash cuts me off before I can say anything else.

"What about Braelynn or your mother Noctis?" She states.

I am quite surprised by this. How does she know about my mother or more importantly, Braelynn.

"How did you hear about them?" I question suspiciously.

"I was at the Royal pack today. I heard many stories from a few different people. I also happen to know a certain wolf who knows Braelynn."

I search my brain for the answer of who it could possibly be before one word comes up, "Zane."

"Are you still so sure that they are a guy?" Ash says in a cocky tone.

"Well, I don't know. I guess they could be..." I admit but cut myself off. She practically just admitted it right? "Does that mean that you know the saviour? Is it a girl?" I feel triumphant.

"I don't know who they are. I was just trying to prove a point. Girls can be just as powerful as guys."

"Yeah, they can be." I pause. Thinking of what to ask next. "What about you? Your fighting skills are exemplary, too good for a human. What are you?"

A smirk crossed her mouth as she walks closer to me. I didn't miss the way her fingers brush through the fire on her way. She doesn't even flinch. "Now, now. That is none of your business."

She then reaches out and pats me twice on the back. My head turns fast to look at her in shock. Tingles spark between her hand and my shoulder where she touched me. I can still feel them lingering. Before I know it, she is gone from sight and I am left there alone with so many questions. If she is my mate, why can't I smell her?