I woke up with a throbbing headache. My side felt as if there was a heart there instead of my chest. I caught the boys' attention when I groaned, trying to sit up and Benji smiled at me.

"Morning, Paws. How are you feeling?"

"Like shit," I responded honestly.

Lee had changed out of his lab clothes and into ones similar to Benji and he was driving us steadily down the endless road.

"We got some stuff to fill you in on," Lee said, looking at me through the rear-view mirror.

After getting told about Lee's past and what was back at that lab, I nodded in agreement to going back. I sat up near the two, staring at the road as Benji gave Lee directions to the rebel base. I did last sitting up long however and I layed back down as the pain overtook me.

"They'll have meds and better medical supplies at the camp," Benji assures. "Just hang in there, Ali."

We got to the base quicker than I thought as I longed for the medicine that Benji promised me. I tried but fail to set up as Benji and Lee opened up the back to the van, crawling in to pick me up. I swayed gently in Benji's arm as we approached a gate where I could vaguely see two people standing, my vision fogging up and going black.

"Who are you?" demanded a strong voice.

"Benjamin Rodriguez. I was sent by my mother from our base in New York on a rescue mission for the A.L.P.H.A. Project."

"Is this her?" asked another voice.

"Yes, but she's injured. Can you take us to Akita, please?"

"Yes, of course. We heard about you coming. Quickly, follow me."

I did my best to look around as we walked through the gate and I could vaguely see the camp. It was starting to get dark, the sun would soon set and the camp was littered with campfires and torches. I didn't get much time to analyze where I was which normally bothered me but right now all I wanted was that medicine.

I decided to blame my stuttering heart on the fact that adrenaline was doing it's job instead of it due to how good Benji smelled being this close to him as we walked inside a small room with a table.

"Akita, will meet you here, use whatever you need."

Benji laid me down on top of the table and lifted my baggy sleeve up my arm to unwrap and replace my bullet wound bandages. After doing so, he looks around for what I can only assume is medicine. Once he gets what he's looking for, he opens a bottle of sorts with a pop sound and shakes two little pills into his hand, gesturing it out towards my mouth. Suddenly, I'm thrown back into a memory I thought was blocked out forever.

"Next we're going to check your tolerance to poison," explained the scientist. "This should be quick."

I watched, sitting in my chair, as one of the lab assistants gestured to me two red pills in his hand. My nose twitched and I looked away, refusing to take those damn pills. But refusal was not an option. I cried out in pain as the shocks broke into my skin longer than usual. By the time it was over, I was trembling, unable to sit up straight as I stared at my scientist dead in the eyes.

"Want to make it two?" he asked, threatenly showing me the shocker controller. I couldn't do anything else except open my mouth to swallow the pills and we waited.

The wait wasn't long as I felt my body convulsing, foam starting to form and I shook more than I already was, falling out of the chair. The scientist didn't move until what felt like an eternity before injecting something into my body.

"I guess she has none," was the last thing I heard before blacking out.

Before I knew it, tears formed in my eyes as I stared at those pills in Benji's hand, his face littered with concern that filled my heart up.

"Sweetheart, what's wrong?" There goes the butterflies again.

"Just remembering," I softly answered.

"You don't have to take them but it will help with the pain," he told me softly, knowing exactly what was going on.

"I'll take them," I answered, the pain taking over my hesitation.

Benji brushed my arm with the gentalist of touches as he lifted the pills up to my mouth and I swallowed them quickly.

"Those should kick in pretty soon," he assured me, not removing his hand until the door opened quietly.

"Benjamin, pleasure to finally meet you."

I tilt my head to the side as I see a woman standing. She wears interesting clothes, different than Benji and Lee. She wears a brown outfit with belts around her waist and on her upper right leg. The outfit has almost a cape for the back and a large hood. She wears a gold necklace with what looks to be a sun attached to it, like the ones I would draw when I was much younger. Her eyelashes were dark and her blue eyes looked into mine with wonder.

"This is her?" she asks.

"Yes," Benji nods. "Akita, meet Ali. Ali, meet Akita, leader of this camp."

"Nice to meet you," I weakly say.

"The pleasure is all mine!" Akita exclaimed. "We can't- I can't believe that you're here! You have no clue how much we've been waiting for this day!"

"You knew about me?"

"Ha! The whole world has! We must celebrate your arrival! If you're up for it that is."

Before Benji can speak, I accept her invitation. "That sounds like a wonderful idea."

Akita smiles big. "We'll see you outside in a few."

Benji nods, before turning back to me with a glass of water from the shelf.

"Oh! Benjamin. Quinn gave me a message earlier with a new spot for you guys to meet outside of Seattle."

"Outside of Seattle? Why?"

"Said that the DOA figured out what you're trying to do so he wants to meet you there to insure Ali's safety."

Benji looks confused but nods anyway, offering the water when Akita leaves the room.

"You sure you're up for a party?" Benji asks me.

"I've never been to one before. I'm feeling a lot better now anyways, you must've forgotten I'm part wolf," I say with a smirk.

Benji softly laughs. "Yup, totally forgot."

I chuckle as I make my attempt to sit up. It was a lot less painful and I swung my legs over the side with relative ease as Benji searched my face for signs of pain but I gave him none.

"Should we head out then?" he asks me.

"Yeah, let's do it," I answer, following him out of the tiny medic room. I take my first real look around the camp we were in and it was pretty nice. There were people mingering around either doing jobs or chatting with their friends. It was much darker than it was before and the torches blazed around the edges of the base. Suddenly, Lee approaches us with a smile.

"Hey guys! How are you feeling Ali?"

"Better," I said.

"Are you going to this party that they're throwing?" Lee continues to ask.

"That's the plan," Benji answers.

"Great!" Lee exclaims. "I don't think I've been to a party in years. Lets get over there, it should be starting soon."

As we approached the area that Lee was leading us too, my ears started filling up with a beautiful noise. I watched as we rounded the corner to where a wooden floor was with people hitting or strumming things in their hands as the rebels on the wooden floor surrounded by the stringed lights hanging above danced.

"Hey stranger!" I peeled my eyes off of the dancers and looked up to see the rebel leader with a smile on her face.

"Lee filled me in on your mission and about the information at that lab. I told him we're more than happy to help."

"That's good to hear, Akita," I said with a nod.

"This is your first party, yes?"

I nod again. "Yes. I'm liking it so far."

"Good to hear! We love parties around here."

When I thought that was the end of the conversation, I was proved wrong as I started getting asked about my life back at the lab.

"You came from a lab, yes? What was that like?"

"Uh..." I hesitated.

"Akita," interrupted a voice. My heart fluttered when I saw Benji's face. "Let's let her enjoy her first party."

"Oh yes! I apologize for stealing you away. Have fun you two!"

I let out a breath I was holding when she walked away towards the people playing the music and turned to Benji.

He smiled and started walking towards one of the benches that sat along the side of the floor and sat down, patting a spot for me to join him. I brushed my tail out of the way as I went to sit down, watching as the people moved to the music that was playing while Benji told me what an "instrument" was and what kind they were playing.

Suddenly, I felt his eyes stare into the side of my face as I continued watching but I didn't feel uneasy like normal, it was almost... comforting.

"You're staring again," I teased. But he didn't look away.

"I know."

Heat flushed my cheeks and my heart flipped. Before I could recover, Benji whispers something I'd never heard spoken to me before. "You're so beautiful."

My heart stops flipping and instead fills with something that makes me want to feel it forever. It was warm and daring and it felt like something I couldn't place. I never felt this way before, nor was I ever complimented like this.

Before I could say anything, the current song finishes and another one starts with a Banjo. Akita starts singing and before long, the whole group joins in. I quickly learned that this was a popular song among the rebels called "Raise Hell."

Akita's voice was powerful as she danced around the wood floor, everyone joined in and danced in what looked to be a routine of sorts. Benji then mentions it's one of his favorite dances. The people joined their voices with Akita's during the chores, filling my body with an energy I didn't know I had.

Suddenly, I feel Benji stand up, offering his hand.

"May I have this dance?" he asked.

"I don't know it though," I hesitated.

"Do you trust me?" he asked. At my nod, he smiles, grabbing my hand and pulling me up. "Just follow my lead."

Beni pulls me in close when we get up there and twirls me around the song, my hesitation leaving in a flash. I smile at him as we stay in time with the others, letting Benji take the lead. I hated losing control, but I didn't mind losing it to Benji. We join the circle of people as they dance around, stomping their feet during the bridge of the song, their cries of joy filling the air.

I watched as Akita tried teaching Lee the song, but he gave up, improvising his own little dance contently, making me smile even more.

"To Ali!" Akita shouts.

"To Ali!" Joined everyone.

My face started hurting from the smiling as I looked into Benji's eyes as the chores played again, starting to feel the rhythm and being able to keep up with everyone else. He pulls me in close when the song comes to an end, looking me dead in the eyes with a look that made me want him even more than I did before. I wanted him to be mine and I wanted to be his.

Akita walks up to us and I break away from Benji's warmth to greet the leader.

"Sleep well you two, we'll leave for the rebel base in the morning."

"Thanks again, Akita," Benji said with a smile.

"Anything to protect my people, and you are now a part of us."

"We're honored, thank you," I said with a mini bow.

"Let's get some sleep," Benji said, lightly brushing my back with his hand, making me start walking towards the huts behind the wooden dance floor.

"Hopefully we find some answers tomorrow and we can get you to the rebel city within the next handful of days."

"I'm sure it will go smoothly," I told him as he stopped in front of a door. "This is where the women sleep, Lee and I will be in the guy's hut."

I gave him a nod but he didn't move, he just stared at me, glancing down from my eyes to my lips and back again. I could feel his indecisiveness and his hesitation. What was he trying to do? He makes up his mind and backs away with a smile and suddenly, I wanted to know what he was going to do and to get him back closer to me.

"Benji?" I asked him.

"Yes?"

"I think you're beautiful too."

I know that that's not probably the word you use for a male but instead of correcting me, he smiles with the softest gaze in his eyes. "Thank you, Ali. Sleep well."

I watched as we went until he disappeared behind the hut walls before entering my own with a giddy feeling. What am I getting myself into?