Chapter 25

We burst through the trees after my best friend Tasha.

She saw me with Connor. If she gets to the road and alerts someone, then Connor will be arrested again and most likely killed.

I can't just sit around and watch that happen. I have to catch my friend.

I spot Connor. He's directly behind her.

He looks at me and I nod. He then does the only thing he can.

He tackles her and pins her to the ground. She tries to scream, but he places his hand over her mouth and muffles it.

He looks at me as I get down by her. She looks at me with eyes that are filled with anger and a tad of fear.

" Tasha, please let me explain," I say.

She shook her head no and tried fighting.

" Tasha, remember when you said you wanted to meet my mate?" I say.

She looks confused until realization settles in her eyes.

She looks at Connor, who nods. " Please let us explain Tasha," I say.

" You have no reason to trust me, I know that. However, Amber is your friend and I know you trust her. I also know you're furious at us right now and maybe a tad scared, but I'm begging you to please let us explain everything and if you still want to turn me in, I'll go willingly," says Connor.

Tasha slowly calmed as she saw only truth in his eyes. She nodded.

" Now I'm going to remove my hand. Promise me you won't scream or call for help," says Connor.

She nodded again and he removed his hand slowly.

" You can let her up, Connor. She won't run." I say.

He nods and gets up. He then holds his hand out to help her up, but she ignores him and gets up on her own.

" Follow Connor please?" I ask.

She nods, and we go back to where Connor sleeps.

I walked behind her and Connor in front. When we make it there she turns to me.

" I know you're angry at me for not telling you, but I have my reasons," I say.

" I'm more than angry about this Amber. Not only did you lie to me about your mate's name and who he was, but your mate is a murderer." She spat.

" He is not a murderer. I heard the story from him. I heard his side of the story, and he didn't do anything," I say.

" He killed his Luna and helped rogues attack his pack. He's a criminal." She spat.

I growl. " Don't you dare call him that." He is a sweet, sweet man and I trust him throughout my life," I say.

" Amber, this is stupid. I—I can't believe you're on his side," she says.

" I'm on his side because his side is on the right side. He didn't do anything wrong. I looked into his eyes as he said the story and all I saw was the truth. I know it was the truth. I'm his mate and he wouldn't lie to me. I would be able to tell if he did," I say.

" How long did he keep this stuff a secret from you?" she asks.

" He kept it a secret till after the pack meeting. That night he told me everything," I say.

" Why would he wait this long?" says Tasha.

" He was scared that if I found out the truth before he could explain that I would reject him and run away," I say.

" Does he have any other secrets that he's keeping from you? How did he escape? Who helped him? Who are his parents?" says Tasha.

" I already know who his parents are," I say.

" Who are they then?" says Tasha, crossing her arms.

" Can I say something..." says Connor, but Tasha cut Connor off.

" Shut up wolf!! No one told you to speak!!" She spat.

" Hey!! What is your problem?" I say. My wolf and I hate it when someone talks to Connor that way.

She looks at me. " He can explain this better than I can. So let him talk!! " I spat.

" Fine. I want to know everything. I want to hear everything, and if he lies, I call my dad," says Tasha.

He nods and starts telling her everything he told me.

I watch her reaction as he talks. She keeps a straight face the entire time as she stares at his face.

When he's done, and she knows everything, she looks at me and I nod.

" So let me make sure I have this right. Your pack was attacked by rogues and the boss rogue wanted to make your dad, Alpha Conan, suffer as he had, so he killed your mother, the Luna, in front of you and your dad arrested you on sight, not even allowing you to tell him what really happened, so you spent over a year in that prison for a crime you never committed?" She says.

" Yes," says Connor.

She searches his eyes and face for anything that would show he was lying, but he wasn't, and she saw only truth in his eyes.

"OK, I believe you," she finally says.

" So you'll keep him a secret?" I ask.

" Yes, I'll keep your secret," she says.

I sigh in relief and look at Connor, who is smiling in relief.

She walks up to Connor and stares right into his eyes. " Let me get one thing clear though. You hurt her, and I'll take care of you myself."

Connor nods nervously. " I would never hurt her. I'd rather turn myself in or die before I get hurt or let her get hurt," says Connor.

She nods and smiles. We sit back down. I lean on Connor, and he puts his arm around me.

Tasha smiles. " I have to admit, you guys are a cute couple," she says.

I feel Connor laugh. I smile at her. " We would have told you sooner, but given all that's going on, I couldn't let him get caught and sent back to Alpha Conan to be put back in that prison cell or worse," I say.

She nods in understanding and sits down. She then spots the half brownie on the ground.

" What's this?" She says, picking it up.

" He never got to celebrate his 17th birthday in that prison, so that's what we were doing when you showed up," I say.

" Oh, sorry." She says.

I just give her a smile. " I guess I'll go and let you two be alone. Don't worry. I won't tell anyone about him until you do," says Tasha.

" Thank you, Tasha. " I say.

She nods and heads back to her house. Though Connor being Connor, and her being my friend, we wanted to make sure she got home safe, so we walked with her and dropped her off at her yard.

She turned and hugged both Connor and me before saying goodnight and running back to her house.

We then head back to where Connor sleeps and sat down.

We talked for a bit before I started getting tired.

We lay down, and he says he'll wake me two hours before my family wakes up.

I nod and lay down with him.

So tonight was a pretty eventful night. I'm glad Tasha listened and understood everything and now knows just how much Connor means to me.

I know when we get to sleep tomorrow night she will want to know more.

So I will tell her everything, but for now I'm just going to enjoy the time that I have with my mate since I won't be seeing him tomorrow night.

I close my eyes and breathe in his scent before I finally drift off to sleep with a smile on my face.