Disclaimer: I don't own Bitten, not the books, or the show. I'm just using it to practice my writing because I love these characters.

Enjoy reading.

Chapter 6: To be a Wolf

The next morning, Ashley was in the infirmary, checking their emergency supplies. Over the years she had stocked up on as many First-Aid supplies as she could. She bought some things online like sutures, gauze, bandages, and even hemostatic powder. Even if someone was tracking her purchases, she could simply excuse it as the curiosity of a vet student. Things she couldn't purchase, she took from the Vet clinic over a number of years. It had been several years since anything big happened to any member of the pack so they had plenty of everything from saline to antibiotics.

As she was doing inventory, her ears picked up sounds from the great room. It was Jeremy and Elena, talking about the night before. Soon their conversation changed to a year ago before Elena left. At that time, a human was looking for people to buy the arm of a werewolf, half transformed. Jeremey sent Elena to buy the arm, but while there, Elena discovered the man wasn't willing to sell and instead, wanted hunters who would track with him and fund his werewolf hunts. He attacked Elena, who had no choice but to kill him.

Ashley didn't hear about the incident until later when Clay told her that Elena left. Ashley was heartbroken. Elena did not call her or text her to say goodbye, nor did she answer Ashley's calls or return any attempt to reach out. She was at school, but she couldn't focus because she was also worried about Elena. Worried about not knowing where she was or if she was safe. It was Logan who told her that Elena had gone to Toronto. Ashley asked Logan to talk to Elena, tell her to call, but Elena never did. Worries turned to resentment and confusion. And Ashley never got an explanation from Elena.

Ashley closed her eyes when she heard Elena say, "... I realized that everything that is here, you, Clay, the ability to run, none of it was worth it if I had to be that… thing again." Her heart broke once more. A thing? Was that really what Elena thought of them? Of her? Even after so many years, Ashley still could not understand Elena's perspective on being a wolf. They had superior strength, speed, health, longevity, intelligence. They were more privileged than most humans. At the same time, even if they weren't related, the fact that they shared their bodies with wolves brought everyone into the Pack, making them family.

Ashely didn't have anything before the Pack. She remembered being a wolf before she was human. The only downsides were the violence and the constant risk of death, but it made her appreciate every day of her life even more.

"That thing is who you are," Jeremy replied.

"No. I want to be who I am in Toronto. A normal person, not a killer."

Ashley wished Jeremy had called her for that mission instead. Because then, Elena wouldn't have killed that man and she would not have left. Unlike Elena, Ashley had no qualms about killing if it meant she could protect her family. Then, maybe, Elena would not have left.

As Nick left the manor, his peripheral vision caught Ashley jumping from the window to the ground floor before she took off running to the forest. He ran after her but she was running at full speed, weaving between the trees. But, Nick was faster than her. As he caught up to her, she jumped up into one of the trees. She sat on the branch, her feet dangling below her. Nick remained at the foot of the tree below and heard soft sobs and cries.

"Ash," Nick called, worry clear in his voice. Since that first day she came to Stonehaven, she always found comfort and safety up in the trees. Above everything she had privacy where no one could see her cry.

"Nicky, is there something wrong with us?" Ashley cried.

"What do you mean?" Nick asked.

"I like being a wolf. I like the freedom and power it gives us. I like the family I found. You, Antonio, Jeremy, Clay, Pete, Logan, and even Elena. We became family not because we're related by blood but because we're wolves. If I wasn't a wolf, I would have never come here." Her voice softened. "I would've never met you. I wouldn't be me if I wasn't a wolf." She kept her voice low to keep it from breaking but Nick could hear the tears in her voice. "But, when Elena treats it like a curse, I feel like I'm being denied. Like I'm part of her curse."

Nick sat on the ground at the base of the tree. "We've been wolves for as long as we can remember," Nick said. "I don't think either of us could ever completely understand how Elena feels after being suddenly pulled into our world."

When Ashley didn't respond, Nick looked up to see her standing on the branch. "What is it?"

"Death," Ashley replied. All the hurt in her voice was replaced by dread. "To the east. Go get the others."

Nick inhaled as the wind brought the scent of the decomposing body into his nose. As he ran back to the manor, Ashley moved closer to the scent. She observed her surroundings before descending from the trees, where she found a little boy dead on the ground, his bowels removed and devoured. It was clearly a wolf attack. She gritted her teeth as she swore, "Damn that Mutt." A child. How could they stoop so low? She closed her eyes, saying a short prayer for the boy before she decided to move him. If anyone found him near the property, it would be bad for them, even worse than the woman.

Just then, Nick, Elena, and Clay came running to see the boy's dead body. The rest of the pack followed. When they saw the body, they were silent and in shock. Elena crouched down beside Ashley. "He's just a child." She inhaled deeply. "This kill, it's the same sent as the Mutt from the flophouse."

"He's the same one that killed the girl before, now a young boy, this has got to stop," said Antonio.

Clay moved forward and leaned toward the boy. "What are you doing?" Elena asked.

"He dumped him here to put a target on our backs. We have to move him."

Before that chance arose, they all heard hunters moving toward them with a barking dog. They wouldn't have time to move the body. Jeremy and Clay argued about moving the body, but Jeremy gave orders so Clay moved back. As the men came into view, Ashley grasped Clay's arm. "Don't pick a fight. Don't even talk," she warned him. Knowing Clay well, she knew he would retaliate if he felt the hunters were attacking the Pack. If he did or said, anything, it would surely escalate the situation.

They all moved back, standing behind Jeremy as the hunters approached. The hunter stopped when they saw the dead boy behind the log. "My God… it's a kid." He looked up at the Pack. "What the hell did you people do?"

"We had nothing to do with this." Ashley rolled her eyes and pinched Clay. He always had to open his big mouth. Ashley felt like she was about to have an aneurism as everyone started talking and arguing with the hunters. Although, she grew pissed, glaring at the hunter when he suggested that they would tamper with evidence. Then, he started making statements, clearly accusing them of having something to do with the boy's death. How dare he?

As they argued, the dog started barking loudly at Elena. The tension reached a climax when the hunter removed the safety from his gun and the dog ran off the leash. Clay grabbed the gun and hit the man with the butt of the gun before removing the bullets. "Next time you popped the safety off your gun, I'm gonna give you a reason to use it," Clay said in a low, obviously threatening voice.

Jeremy entered between Clay and the hunters. "That's enough." Clay threw the gun on the ground and turned to leave. Ashley followed close behind him as the tension dissipated.

"Seriously, I told you to keep your mouth shut." Ashley scolded but then smiled at him as she wrapped her arms around his waist. "But, nice hit."

"You're not mad?" Clay said.

"He deserved it."

When they returned to the manor, everyone gathered around the great room. All of them were wondering the same thing: why was a Mutt dumping bodies on their doorstep? Not only did it bring unwanted attention from the townspeople, risking their exposure, but they also drew attention to themselves. Ashley sat down as her mind wandered, the voices only registering in the background.

If the Mutt was smart, he would have stayed away from the Pack. He must have known that the Pack would hunt him for killing a human, but he stays and continues to do it. He was clearly challenging the Pack's rule. But, something still didn't sit right with her. Elena said that the Mutt was newly turned, which means he wouldn't know much information about the Pack. If he did, that meant that the person who turned him knew about the Pack and had a vendetta. It would have to be someone the Pack was familiar with, who was trying to stay hidden while sicking the Mutt on them. If the person behind the Mutt acted themselves, the Pack would immediately identify them through their scent. Someone they knew, but who could it be?

As Ashley came back to reality, everyone was already splitting up. "Hey, Jer-"

"Gimme a minute," he said to Ashley. He turned to Elena. "Come outside with me for a second." Then he told Clay, "Stay." Jeremy and Elena walked out before Clay sat down next to her.

Although they shut the door, Ashley could still hear their conversation. It was soft but her sharp ears could make it out. Her heart broke once more. Elena was in a serious relationship with a guy in Toronto called Phillip and he sent her flowers. Another thing about Elena's new life she didn't know about. And it sounded like Jeremy didn't know either until he saw the card and the flowers.

She really wants us out of her life, Ashley thought as she scoffed.

When Clay noticed the sunken look on Ashley's face, he scooched closer to her on the couch. "Hey, what's wrong?"

Ashley shook her head, returning a blank look on her face. "Nothing, I was just thinking."

"You have that same look on your face Jeremy always has when he's talking to someone in town. When he's lying. You know you can't lie to me," Clay said. "What did you hear?"

Ashley smiled nervously as she looked at Clay. She didn't want to tell him but he had those lovesick puppy dog eyes he always had when it came to Elena. She didn't want to tell him because she knew it would break his heart but she also couldn't bear to lie to him. "Oh, my darling brother," Ashley said as she lightly touched Clay's face. "Elena has a boyfriend in Toronto. His name is Phillip. He sent her flowers and now Jeremy's getting rid of them."

The moment he heard, Clay got up and walked out of the house. Ashley sighed, leaving Clay alone to deal with his emotions. It seemed like Elena had them all up in knots.

Jeremy held on tight to Ashley's shoulder as they watched the sheriff and her deputies wrap crime scene tape around the trees where the boy's body still laid. She kept her head close to Jeremy's chest, making a show for the sheriff to see her sorrowful eyes as though trying to avert her gaze from the gruesome scene.

"How did you all find this boy together?" the sheriff asked.

"Well, we were out for a walk, and that's when we s…" Antonio lowered his head toward the boy and his voice to be more somber. "That's when we saw him."

"You have a lot of problems with kids trespassing on your property?"

"Not usually. Occasional party in the woods. Teenagers."

"I have a vague memory of being one," said the sheriff. "Any idea why an 11-year-old boy would be out here?"

"Absolutely none."

"Sheriff, coroner would like a word."

"Gentlemen." The sheriff went into the cornered-off area as Ashley, Jeremy, and Antonio turned back. Ashley straightened herself out as they walked back to the manor.

"What's your take on things?" Antonio asked.

"We better find this Mutt before she does."

"I have a thought," Ashley said. "Let's get to the basement."

Ashley stood in front of the photos of the known Mutts that had problems with the pack before. "I don't think we're dealing with just one Mutt."

Jeremy and Antonio exchanged glances before turning back to Ashley. "Elaborate on that."

"This is a new Mutt but he knows too much about us. He's trying to bait us, getting the townspeople to turn against us, challenging us by killing on our territory. It doesn't sound like something someone we've never met before would do," Ashley explained.

"Someone bit him. Someone we know with a vendetta against us. That's why I want him alive," Jeremy explained.

"Yeah, but if it were you challenging a pack of wolves, would you only create one Mutt? No. You'd want an army to fight and taunt us, send us on a wild goose chase, while you remain in the shadows."

"So, we're dealing with at least three people," Antonio deduced. "A master who turned at least two Mutts."

"But, we only know of one," Jeremy replied.

"And the master has to be someone on this board," Ashley said as she looked at the photos on the glass screen.

Hope y'all enjoyed that. The next chapter will come.