Author's Note (Monster): Hi guys! I have a massive opinion on Heart of A Champion remix you can find on my AO3 update. Enjoy

Previously on Savage;

J-Dog and Deuce find out about Danny's current state through his file update.

Johnny's POV

I never knew how bottled up my emotions had been until the moment Charlie asked me about Danny. It was bold of him to do it, but it was exactly how I knew him. I saw a lot of me in Charlie. I would have wished for him to be an Alpha and help me work sometimes, but he already tried to help me in other ways.

Because of my sudden withdrawal from the elections for the High Council, other candidates had introduced themselves. It appeared the only reason I was running alone, was because they didn't want to lose from me. If that statement seemed arrogant, it wasn't. One of the candidates replied with "Who wants to lose from THE Johnny 3 Tears?" when a reporter asked about their sudden interest in the position.

I rolled my eyes at the thought of it alone. It was already tough enough to be excluded from the election. I didn't even need Brendon to rub it in, but he did it anyway. Right now he was ahead of the others in expected votes.

If Brendon became a member of the High Council, I'd personally eat my own desk without spices to lessen the dull taste of wood.

I was looking over a final document for today, already seated on the couch of my living room. The Betas could come home anytime but for now, I was enjoying the peace. The television was my background noise. I didn't like the quiet anymore.

I turned up the volume, looking up from the papers when they spoke of the elections. The male anchor opened his mouth to speak but the female took over as it switched to the elections. In my vision, he would've been allowed to speak up on any subject.

Omegas shouldn't just be passionate about entertainment. What a surprise, the news once again mentioned I dropped out since my application was not following the rules. You'd have to live under a rock if you hadn't heard it yet. My thoughts immediately wandered to Danny. He must've heard by now. A portion of me wanted him to approach me about it, but I had to remain strong and stay away from him. It was clear I wasn't good for him. I had to keep protecting him from myself.

I could hear the front door unlock, keys dropped in the bowl. It was J-Dog. He got home from work. He walked in, remaining in the door opening as I could see from my peripheral vision. I looked up to acknowledge him, eyes dropping down to the brown folder in his hand. He took work home for the first time. On his own accord, I meant.

Maybe he hadn't finished his work yet, like me. We could work together here in silence. "Not done working yet?"

"No, I am", Jay muttered. He hesitantly came closer and held the folder out to me. I looked up at his face. He wasn't looking back at me. Then I let my eyes glide over the file.

Danny Mu-

I jumped to my feet, discarding my own file to get away. "Why did you bring that here?!"

"Because you must see it", Jay replied. He stuck out the file to me again. I shook my head and pushed his hand away like he was holding liquid fire. "I'm not ever touching that file again. I did not command you to bring it home. I don't want to see it."

"But boss-.." J-Dog began. I cut him off by walking out of the room.

It didn't work as he followed me right away. "Johnny! You have to see it!"

"No! I will not look at it!" I called back at him. It was childish, really, to have him follow me upstairs.

That file had ruined my life and I never wanted to lay eyes upon it again. If there was anything I needed to know about Danny, he would have to tell me himself. I would never again learn something from Danny through his file. "He can talk to me himself!"

"You know he wouldn't!" J-Dog complained. I stopped, by now we were on the first floor. I turned to look at Jay. "If it were important, I'd like to think Danny would tell me."

"He wouldn't and you know why he wouldn't."

"Yes, because of that damned file!" I argued. Jay shook his head. "It's not about the file."

"How is it not about the file?! You made Danny find the file and he hasn't spoken to me since!"

Jay finally let his arm with the file drop to his side. "It has always been about you. You gave Danny the image of a trustworthy Alpha, kind and honest, but then you also gave him the image of a manipulative and deceitful Alpha. Knowing what he's been through, he chose to believe the latter and fled while he still could, but I'm sure he keeps hoping the first image will prevail and return to restore you in his eyes."

"I'm sure Danny has long forgotten about me", I shrugged. "I was just another Alpha asshole to him."

"No, you weren't. Please, just look into his file", Jay asked, holding out the file again. I shook my head. "I will never look at it again. Danny should tell me himself if there's anything he wants me to know about."

With that, I walked away. J-Dog didn't follow me. I fled into my own room, locking the door behind me. I didn't want any more arguments over that dumb file. My room held a balcony that overlooked the city. I remembered it to be one of the spots Danny had enjoyed the most on his first nights here.

I leaned my elbows on it, looking over a darkening sky above the city. Somewhere out there, Danny was on his own again. Or had he now found someone else? Most likely not since I had crushed his trust in Alphas once more. Maybe I finally drove him to give up on humanity altogether.

There was a knock on my door but I ignored it. "Boss!"

I ignored it again, giving the door a hard stare as if Jay would feel that I wanted him to stop bothering me right now.

"You're a god damn coward!" Jay called out. I went back inside, surprised by the outburst, but I didn't make a sound. I could hear another knock but it was more of a punch into the door. "You don't want to protect Danny from yourself. You want to protect you from yourself."

I kept my gaze on the door.

"Danny is stronger than any of us know or even hope to see. You're afraid of yourself. I bet you didn't even know you had it in you to show such possessive persistence in the first place."

It was true.

I wasn't sure just how true, but I'd been horrified, knowing what I had inflicted out of stubbornness to get Danny. It felt evil, it felt primal and it felt like I had a hidden monstrous Alpha inside me, laughing while I felt the guilt eat me up.

"You feel guilt and remorse and as long as you still feel those things, you're nothing like those assholes", Jay called over the door, much quieter now.

I contemplated opening the door, but he was right. I was a coward. I was afraid looking at the file again, would awaken the beast within. I wanted to avoid that beast at all costs.

"You hold power over your own instincts", Jay said. There was a shuffling sound before a sheet flew under the door. I stepped closer to look at the black and white image, squinting my eyes before I recognized what Jay was showing me. There were white letters written at the top; Danny murillo – 4 weeks expecting.

"Get your act together, boss, Danny needs you right now. They need you."

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