Answers

I looked toward Craig's family and smiled.

"I would like to thank you for all your hospitality. I would hate to overstay my welcome so I can leave if I'm causing difficulties" I began. Craig's dad stepped forward and hugged me.

"Of course not! You are like family. We can't let you live alone in the woods" he said as he let me go.

"Thanks, Mr. O'Brien" I replied.

"Call me Johnny" he said as he led me over to the couch.

I hugged Maria and then Clay.

"Hey, Kitty" Clay said but he wouldn't look in my eyes.

I looked at him closely. I remembered what he said last night. He would have bitten me without my consent. Just like that, any romantic feelings I had for him were gone. I turned to the other three men.

"Kitty, I'd like you to meet some friends of ours. They are here to help us sort this all out" Johnny explained and I nodded.

"This is Colton, Patrick and Neil. This is Kitty." Johnny introduced us.

I shook Neil's hand first. {Enforcer} the voice in my head whispered.

Next I shook Patrick's {First in command}

I shook Colton's last .{Alpha. Very dangerous. Be careful}

"It's so nice to meet all of you" I said as I shook Colton's hand.

Suddenly he pulled me closer and smelled. I tensed as did the entire O'Brien family. He let me go quickly and smiled. {He knows that you have silver on you}

"It's nice to meet you too. Let's sit down and talk. We have so many questions for you" Colton as he motioned for me to sit with the three of them on the couch.

I looked at Craig and he nodded and sat next to me. He made a big show of putting his arm around me and Colton narrowed his eyes at us. Craig just stared back.

"Where would you like for me to start?" I asked, attempting to break the tension.

"At the beginning of course. What happened when the Nightmare first began?" Colton prompted.

So I told them. All of it. Dad dying, the radio message, the voice telling me things, finding the box, leaving the house, moving the food, my shelters (though I did leave out how many and their locations), the van, it getting colder, the spells, and me getting sick. The only things that I left out is seeing the wolves. I didn't want Craig to get in trouble for checking up on me which I now realize is what he was doing. There was silence afterwards as everyone processed what I said.

"How did your Mom die?" Patrick asked.

"She died in a car crash. Killed on impact." I explained.

"Where is the rest of her side of the family?" Neil asked quickly. {He wants to hunt them down. Lie}

"I'm not sure, really. After my Mom died, we moved out here. I have no contact with that side of the family" I lied.

I wasn't close to them and we did move but I had addresses for my grandparents and uncle. Colton and Craig both looked at me. {They know that you are lying}

"I see" Colton said and I smiled at him.

"How old are you?" Patrick inquired.

"I'm fifteen but I'll be sixteen in December" I replied and Colton and Patrick exchanged looks.

"What questions do you have for us?" Patrick said, kindly.

{Shock them. They are undervaluing you} I pretended to think for a moment and then looked straight at Colton.

"How long have you been Alpha?" I asked him as I looked in his eyes.

I saw shock and anger there as he looked toward Craig.

"He didn't tell me anything. You know that I'm telling the truth just like you knew that I was lying about me knowing my family's whereabouts. Just like you know that I'm carrying silver. But you don't know what else I'm carrying, do you?" I added.

Colton stared at me and I stared back.

"So when did you know?" He asked with a sneer.

"About the O'Brien's? As soon as I woke. About you and your enforcer and first in command? As soon as I met you." I explained.

"Do you know what you are yet?" Colton smirked.

"I'm starting to figure it out." I replied.

"Let me help you. You are a witch as was your mother. You found her alter supplies in that box along with her grimoire, her book of spells. Normally if someone found these items, it wouldn't matter, none of it would work for them. Since you are her daughter it will though. What is interesting is that most witches don't receive their magic until they are seventeen. There have been a few rare cases of a sixteen year old doing simple spells but nothing like healing themselves or compelling plants to grow. It makes me wonder" Colton trailed off.

"Wonder what?" Clay asked.

"If she is this powerful now, how much power will she have when she gets her magic?" He continued.

"What makes you think that I haven't already gotten my magic?" I asked

"To receive your magic, you have to perform a ritual with a coven under a full moon. You glow from the inside for the rest of the night. Did any of that happen to you?" Colton explained.

"Oh. Yeah, none of that happened." I said, sheepishly.

"Is that why the vampires were after her?" Maria asked.

"How would they know? She didn't even know until after the Nightmare." Patrick replied.

"Maybe they caught some of her family and they told them?" Clay offered. {That's not what happened}

I shook my head, "No. It wasn't that" I said.

"How do you know?" Clay demanded.

"How did I know that they were coming? or that you were werewolves? or he was Alpha? I just know" I sighed.

"So do you know how they knew about you? Or why they want you?" Craig asked gently.

I took a deep breath and cleared my mind. I searched through the voids of my mind, trying to find an answer.

{They don't know what you are. Someone important to them wants you. They requested you. They knew you from before and they want you to join them}

"The Vampires don't know that I'm a witch. It's something else. Someone who's important to them, knew me from before and want me." I explained. Everyone looked at me with concern.

"Shit." Neil said.

"What does this mean for me?" I asked Colton.

"They may stop hunting you after a while but if they find out about your powers, they will never stop. They will follow you to the ends of the earth." He said and I began to panic.

"Can't we just change her? If she's a werewolf, they won't go near her" Clay asked and I panicked even more.

I definitely didn't want to be a werewolf and I didn't like how Clay kept trying to change me.

Patrick shook his head and said, "We can't change a witch. If you bit her, she wouldn't change and you would be tied to her for life. She would be able to call and compel you at her will."

"I'll just go back to the forest. I'll be fine." I said as I got up.

"You aren't going back there by yourself!" Craig yelled as he jumped up.

He grabbed me and looked into my eyes. His family jumped up and began to argue as Neil moved to block the door.

"Everyone STOP!" Colton yelled and everyone froze, compelled to do whatever he said.

He looked at me as I slipped out of Craig grasp and inched toward the door. He shook his head.

"Kitty. I'd like to offer you a place here. With our pack." he said. {Stop. Listen to him}

"How?" I asked but I stopped. He smiled and stepped close.

"I know that you've heard that some packs are capturing humans and it's true. We need humans because werewolf women can't bear children." Colton explained. I looked toward Maria.

"She was a human until after she had Craig, then Patrick changed her to keep her safe. That is typically the way in our pack. We would never capture or hold an innocent. Long ago, before men slaughtered most of your kind, witches and werewolves were natural allies. Witches can only be female and can't be changes while werewolves can only be born male. It was a natural fit in many cases and our packs allowed witches to join and belong. They were sacred to us and we fought to save and protect as many witches as we could when the Inquisition and trials came. Witches are our trusted advisors and healers in the pack hierarchy. They are our Betas. We would protect them with our lives. I would like to offer you this position in our pack." Colton said. I looked around and read surprise in everyone's face.

"Would I have to follow your orders?" I asked. Colton grinned.

"I would like you to but I wouldn't be able to compel you like I can with the rest of the pack" he replied.

"How many witches do you have in your pack?" I asked

"You would be the first. You have no idea how rare witches are. I've only met one other witch in my entire life" Colton explained.

I stepped close to him and searched his face. He looked confused for a moment but then cleared. He nodded and put his hands out. I put my hands in his and Craig stirred. I looked deep into Colton's eyes.

{Pain, he's hurt. He doesn't trust you but he needs your power. He knows that Craig will never leave you. He needs Craig too. Craig is next Alpha but no one knows that yet. Craig is the strongest wolf in the pack already. Together, you would be unstoppable and Colton knows it. He will protect you and keep you safe and happy but he will try to use your power for himself and he will try to use your influence over Craig.}

I gasped and took a step back. I looked at Craig and he rushed over to me. I looked back at Colton and he grinned.

"Shit. You are powerful, little witch. Well, now you know. Are you going to tell him?" Colton asked.

"Of course I am. I will not keep this secret from him." I stated.

"Yet you will keep other secrets?" Colton pushed. I shook my head.

"No secrets from him from this point on" I replied and turned to Craig.

"You are going to be next Alpha. You are already the strongest in the pack. Colton needs you to stay and keep order and he knows that you won't leave me. He also want's to use both of us to help the pack and fight outsiders." I said, calmly.

Craig turned white while several other's reacted.

"No way!" Clay snarled.

"Seriously?" Neil murmured.

Patrick grinned and nodded. Johnny looked proud and Maria looked worried at both of us.

"Is that all?" Colton prompted.

"Oh! I'm carrying a silver knife on my back and I have an herb sachet spell in my pocket." I added.

There was silence for a moment as everyone processed this information.

"What does the spell do?" Patrick asked.

"It's supposed to knock out anyone who inhales it besides me for an hour. I have no idea if it works." I replied.

Patrick smiled at me and I decided that I liked him.

"Can we see it?" Patrick requested and I pulled it out and handed it to him.

Colton came over and looked at it.

"It's powerful" Colton said.

"Can you see it, Craig?" he asked and Craig stood behind me. He nodded.

"Yeah. It's glowing" Craig said as he looked at the sachet and then at me in wonder.

"When did you make this?" Craig asked me.

"After my shower. No offense but I wasn't about to go into a room full of werewolves completely unarmed" I explained.

Craig smirked and looked at me. I looked back at him and thought of all our times together. How he would always be there to defend me if someone was picking on me. How he held me whenever I cried. He was my best friend and I had completely taken him for granted.

"So why do you trust us now?" Clay asked, breaking me out of my reverie. Craig looked startled too.

"I trust him" I said as I nodded toward Craig.

He grinned at me and I smiled back. I glanced at Clay and he scowled.

"So why aren't you giving us your knife, then" Clay challenged. I started to reach for it but Craig stopped me.

"Keep it on you." Craig said and I nodded. {He doesn't trust the rest of them either}.