The Fire Burns

Lilly wiped the wetness from her eyes and gazed out over the valley, searching for answers. Why was Humphrey acting this way? The distance between them was beginning to worry her, if she lost him... She couldn't even bring herself to think of what would happen.

"Lilly,' A deep voice called out to her.

"Garth?"

"Yeah," Garth stepped from the shadows standing awkwardly watching her.

"How long have you been standing there?" She asked.

"Long enough," Garth sympathized.

"So you saw that huh?" Lily guessed, trying to hide her embarrassment. Garth padded over and sat down beside her, for a split second they touched and an electric tingling surged through her body.

"I would just give him some space, he's not used to all this Alpha business," Garth consoled. "He'll come around eventually,"

"I get that, but I hate seeing him this way, he was better off as an Omega," she huffed.

"Maybe," Garth chuckled. "But he might surprise you,"

"How would you know?" Lily questioned.

"Believe it or not in the beginning, I wasn't all too keen about being an Alpha," he replied. "A lot of my friends became Omegas and I wanted so badly to join them, but because of my father, my destiny was different."

"So you regret becoming an Alpha?" She asked.

"No I don't regret Alpha school, it changed me, not in a bad or good way, it just changed me. Before I was lazy, selfish and I only wanted to look out for myself, thankfully the days of training slowly beat those parts of me into submission. Most would think that was good thing, and I thought the same, but that part of me reared its ugly head a few months ago. When I left you."

"Garth.." She began.

"No please let me finish," Garth interrupted. "While we were away at Alpha school... Me and Kate, had a "thing". It was pretty serious, but after we graduated we went our separate ways and didn't talk again, I think she almost forgot about us, but I didn't. So when I heard that we would be uniting the packs I was so happy, I was beside myself, I knew we would be getting a second chance to start over, and now that we had matured maybe it would work. Now you know what happened next, her and Humphrey were taken to Idaho and I met you. I thought that was it, but when our wedding date drew closer I became more and more worried about what our lives would be like, raising pups and having more responsibility, honestly it all scared me. And when Kate brought up her and I being together again, I jumped on that opportunity to have something that was familiar in my life. I was a coward."

"Why are you just telling me this?" Lily demanded.

"Because... I want to salvage what we had," Garth confessed. Lily's heart stopped, all the memories that she had with Garth came flooding back. Images of the first time she had laid eyes on him, that afternoon when he had commented on her eyes and their first kiss filled her head. She gazed up at Garth as a tear rolled down his cheek.

"What am I even doing?" he asked himself. "You should hate me," Garth stood to leave but Lily grabbed him.

"You really mean it?" Lily asked.

"Yes," Garth declared.

Their heads were extremely close together now, Lily's heart was beating rapidly and her breathing was quick and shallow.

"I'll do whatever I can to-" He began but Lily shushed him and pulled him into a passionate kiss. Her upside down world suddenly slid back into place, like a key into the lock that had held her heart captive.

"I love you Lily," Garth whispered. Lily smiled for the first time in weeks and pressed her head into Garth's chest.

"I love you too Garth,"

It was early in the morning and the birds fluttered around singing their joyful songs to the world while down below a more grim scene was unfolding. Humphrey stood as still as possible beside Sage and Garth while Winston marched out in front of them, signaling the start of the meeting. "I wonder where Hurly is?" he thought to himself.

"Now you should all know why I've brought you all here today," Winston paused and the wolves nodded their heads in unison. He continued, "You are all suspended from active duty until further notice, only after you have each been subject to questioning and cleared will you be allowed to return to service."

"May I speak freely?" Sage raised his head and asked.

"You may," Winston answered curtly.

"A trial sir?" pressed Sage.

"No one said it was a trial Sargent," Winston answered in a deadly calm voice.

"Sure sounds like it to me," Sage snorted. "Is this even necessary?"

"Is the safety of our pack necessary?!" Winston exploded.

Sage shrunk back "No I just-"

"How do I know that one of you isn't a murderer?!" Winston screamed.

"We had nothing to do with Adrian's death," Garth reassured Winston. "It was accident,"

"Are you sure of that?" Winston glared at Humphrey.

"Hey!" Garth shouted stepping between them. "Humphrey was separated from us, he said he was trying to fight his way back,"

Rage was now beginning to swell inside Humphrey, "How can Winston think that I'm a killer!" he screamed in his head.

"And you believe him?" Winston demanded.

Garth glanced over at Humphrey then back to Winston, "I do,".

"I need to deal with this problem now, every minute we spend here is another minute we've wasted in fighting our war!" Winston yelled.

"Our war?" Humphrey burst out. "This is because of your past!"

"Don't patronize me Humphrey, we're all in this together," Winston growled.

"Are you out there, in the field fighting?" Humphrey preached. "Have you bled like we have? Have you lost what we have? Have you fought with every ounce of your being through pain, and loss?"

"I know what you're going through Humphrey, believe me when I say that," Winston said sincerely.

"I'm beginning to doubt that," Humphrey snarled.

There was a long pause that seemed to last an eternity. It was broken only when Winston spoke.

"Each of you will report for questioning tomorrow night at the full moon, until then you are not allowed out side of the packs borders," He ordered. Winston looked directly at Humphrey and said, "You will go first,"