The call came from the gamma's mate while I was at the coven house. There was an attack on the nymph grove; unknown attackers, please help. Witches and wolves don't normally communicate, so hearing from them told me this was serious. I sent the alarm to all the witches in the area, not just the hunters but also the healers. I didn't know precisely where the grove of the nymphs was, but that didn't end up being a problem since there was a giant wildfire in the grove. I just followed the smoke after I shadowstepped to the general area. 

I saw absolute carnage, and I gladly jumped in to help. Wolves were attacking wolves, and honestly, I could not tell who was the good or bad. I just used magic to deflect the attacks of wolves on me, nymphs, or any other witches. Since wolf bits are poisonous to witches, that was not something we could let happen. 

Our priority was putting out the fire; usually, this would be easy for the nymphs to handle because of their nature magic. However, they were weakened since it was their grove and source of power. We started by using the creek water to douse the flames. We had to be careful since human firefighters were also trying to control the fire. We figured that an accelerant had been used since the fire had proliferated. 

The witches grew thin in numbers since so many jobs needed to be done. We had firefighters. We had witches directing the smoke away so no one breathed it in. We had witches keeping the humans away from the wolf battle and caring for the wounded. I found myself desperately trying to use water to put out the flames, and we had to be quick about the water since the water was being evaporated away as we worked. 

I was so concentrated on saving one of the trees that I didn't notice one of the wolves try to pounce on me. I was knocked out of the way by another wolf and saved by him. With all the power radiating off this wolf, he must have been an alpha wolf, one of the leaders. The wolf that was going to rip my throat out got his ripped out instead. The alpha wolf turned to me. I opened my mind to him and heard his thoughts. Mindreading is one of the Silverstone witch's gifts, but I usually prefer not to use it. 

'Ethan's tree, please save Ethan's tree,' he desperately thought to me.

"Ethan's tree, is it the one I was working on?" I questioned. His eyes widened, realizing I could hear him, and he nodded. "don't worry, I am going to save his tree." 

I went back to work throwing water on the flames with new energy. If that wolf could save me, I could save his friend's tree, and I would. The battle of the two wolf packs ended abruptly when the wolf who had saved my life killed another older but still powerful wolf, I am guessing the alpha of the other pack. All the wolves from the other pack either surrendered at the fall of the alpha or ran into the woods to escape capture. 

The alpha wolf who saved me shifted back into his human form in all his naked, bloody glory. He was tall and broad. He had light brown hair and tan skin that stretched over his extreme amount of muscle. He declared war over the lands that belonged to the Mountain Pass pack as annexed into the Greenfield pack or his pack. He also proclaimed that all prisoners were to be taken for evaluation. Of course, ending the battle did not mean the work was done. We were still fighting the fire, healing the wounded, and keeping the humans away. 

"witch," he called; only after he stared at me for a moment did I realize I was the witch he was talking to. 

I finished dousing and putting up the protective barrier around the tree I just saved before turning to him. I had saved close to 15 trees when I was there. After using that much energy, I was unsteady on my feet. I would have fallen over if it hadn't been for the alpha who caught me. 

"I think you need to rest," he said, hefting me into his arms. "Thank you for saving my friend, witch." 

"Roe." I tried to stay away, but he was right; I needed to rest. Still, I had enough energy to tell him my name. "my name is Roe." 

"and mine is alpha, Baxter."