1: The First Sight.

My name is Catalina Grace Harington. But most call me Cat. I’m seventeen – almost eighteen - years old, with natural dark red hair, and bright green eyes. My skin, despite my strange hair color, is dark tan from my dad’s side. My brother looks like my mom, though. Light brown, curly hair, light tan skin, and bright blue eyes, he’s nineteen. Now the thing about my family is…we’re all werewolves.
Yep! You heard me right, I said werewolves. Now the bad thing about being werewolves is…we’ve all seen each other naked more times than I can count, and it gets to be the norm.
Today was my eighteenth birthday, and the day I met the rest of the pack. I stood glaring at the mirror as my mom fixed my makeup. I was wearing a dark green sundress that showed off my long legs and made my curves known. I was not a dress girl, nor was I one to wear makeup, but my mom said this was the most important day in any wolf’s life. It was the day that the pack accepted me fully. If the alpha didn’t deem me acceptable, I had to work for my acceptance for three years, and then the alpha would evaluate me again, if I still wasn’t accepted, then I was outcast. Of course all of this was obsolete if I happened to find my mate in that pack, which wasn’t likely, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to find my mate anyway, they’re always so controlling.
“Stop moving! You are going to make me ruin your makeup!” mom scolded.
I crossed my arms and huffed. “This is not me! And didn’t you say that the acceptance ceremony is about letting the pack know who you are?” I asked.
“Yes, but I want you to look your best! And looking like a hobo when the pack is evaluating you won’t go over well with the alpha, he’s very strict.” She said.
She stood me up and looked me over, smiling and nodding once. “You’re perfect.”
I rolled my eyes and threw my hands up into the air. “Wonderful!” I said sarcastically. “Can we go now?”
She sighed and crossed her arms. “Fine, let’s go.” She said.
I slipped on my dark green silk flats, and stomped down the stairs. “Daddy!” I shouted. “Mom is making me look…girly!” I told him, my face scrunching up.
He smiled and enveloped me into an affectionate hug. “And you make a very pretty girly girl.” He said.
I smiled. “Thanks Daddy.”
“No problem Pumpkin Pie.” He said.
My brother, Riley, pulled me into a giant bear hug from behind. “You actually look like a girl!” he exclaimed, picking me up from behind and squishing me to him.
I squealed and kicked my legs. “I can’t breathe!” I said dramatically.
He laughed and dropped me. I landed gracefully on my feet and turned to face my brother, glaring at him playfully. “Let’s go before I beat the crap out of this little twerp.” I said, ruffling Riley’s hair playfully.
Riley actually wasn’t short, he was 6’2 and about a foot taller than me. He had a muscular build and arms that could squeeze the life out of a vampire, some say he was handsome, I only saw him as a big brother.
“I’ll show you, twerp!” He challenged, grabbing me and spinning me around in his arms. I laughed and smacked the back of his head when he set me down. “You’re a dork.”
We all got in the car and headed off to the pack house, where, if I wasn’t accepted into the pack, I’d have to live as a servant of the alpha for three years. If I was accepted, or found a mate and had to be accepted, I would go out with the entire pack for a celebratory hunt.

We arrived an hour later. The entire pack stood outside, the pack was one of the biggest packs in the world. They were called the Blades-of-Blood pack. A pack of about twenty people. I hadn’t met anyone from the pack yet, because it was forbidden to meet the pack before your time.
I stepped out of the car and stood beside my brother. The family of the wolf was not supposed to leave the half-blood’s – that was what they called the unaccepted wolves – side until Alpha ordered them.
My father put his hand on my shoulder, and Riley held my hand tightly in his. I met the Alpha Damian’s eyes as he walked forward, and he paused mid-step. He stared into my eyes and I felt heat flash through me. ‘Oh no!’ I groaned in my head.
“Mates.” We said at the same time.
I said it in disbelief; he said it as a fact. Alpha waved my family back into the cheering crowd as he strode toward me. Without a word, he pulled me into him, picking me up, and crushing me to his chest, he nuzzled my neck, inhaling my scent. This was a natural reaction to a male wolf who found his mate. My instinct reaction was to inhale his scent, wrapping my arms around his neck.
My reaction was completely my inner wolf’s fault. She was in control. I didn’t want this, but I had no choice. I’d been told that your wolf takes control when you first find your mate, but I hadn’t known it was this strong! I didn’t want a mate in the first place, and guess what I did? I jinxed myself!
Alpha let me down and stared into my eyes with his electric blue ones. He had hair as black as a raven’s wing, and was extremely muscular. His arms could crush a vampire to dust, and they were nicely tanned. He grabbed my chin and pulled my face up to his, smashing his lips to mine. I couldn’t resist him, my wolf was still in control, and even if I wanted to resist him, I couldn’t, you can’t deny the Alpha.

We all sat behind the house, waiting for the moon to come out. I sat with Riley, both of us not happy about me finding a mate. “I’ve told you hundreds of times before that I didn’t want a mate, and what did I get? A mate!” I crossed my arms with a huff.
Riley growled, “And mated with the Alpha no less. I’m telling you I don’t like it.”
“You and me both.” I muttered.
“Really? Because you seemed very friendly with him before.” He raised an eyebrow at me.
“That was my wolf. She took over when our eyes met.”
Alpha Damian was speaking with a few of the pack members, but his eyes strayed to where I was sitting every once in a while. “Now that I’m his mate, he’s not going to order me around…right?” I asked Riley.
Riley shrugged. “It depends on what kind of person he is. I don’t order Lily around because I know that she can rip my head off and use it for volleyball.” Riley laughed.
I smiled. Lily is Riley’s mate. I haven’t met her because I wasn’t allowed to meet fellow pack members until I was a full blood. Lily stood by her brother, Blake, and they spoke in quiet voices. “He better not order me around. I don’t like that.” I said the last part slowly.
Riley chuckled, giving me his famous half smile. “Don’t I know it. Remember when I told you to clean your room? You literally kicked my ass all the way back to my room.”
I groaned and slapped my hand to my forehead. “Why do I need a mate?” I asked Riley.
Riley pat my shoulder comfortingly. “I don’t know. Why does every wolf need a mate?” he asked me.
“To keep the generation alive, but I don’t have Alpha blood in me, it doesn’t make sense that I would be the Alpha’s mate. You have to have Alpha blood to mate with an Alpha!” I threw my hands up in the air.
Riley shrugged. “The Wolven Goddess works in strange ways sometimes.”
Ah, yes, the Wolven Goddess. Legend has it that she still lives today, she resides in the body of a werewolf. No one knows who it will be. She created wolves. I’ve read hundreds of ancient history books, forbidden to be seen by human eyes, which say the Wolven Goddess was born from the spirit of two wolves. Her powers were so great that no human could see her, lest they surely die. So she decided, because she was so lonely, to create a being like her, only in human form. She called him, Linsahamo. He could run at speeds, unknown to humans, and could see in pitch black darkness, but his greatest power of all, was his ability to transform into a wolf, twice the size of a regular wolf. She made a female for Linsahamo that she called his ‘mate.’
Together, Linsahamo, and his mate Gathamas, created the first generation of wolves. And so, werewolves were born. It is said that the Wolven Goddess had hair as golden as the sun’s rays, and eyes as dark as the night sky. She had skin like winter’s snow and lips like the blood in our veins.
I snapped out of my thoughts when Riley stood and walked over to Lily. I realized that Damian was making his way over to me. I looked down as he sat in the chair beside mine. “I didn’t realize having a mate was that hard for you to accept.” He said, his voice was soft, but it still held the authority of an Alpha, in fact, you could feel authority rolling off of him in waves.
I looked up in chagrin and grimaced. “I guess you heard me.” I whispered.
“My hearing is better than most of the wolves here.” He said, his eyes boring into mine.
I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. “It’s just…I’m not…” I growled, shaking my head and trying to find the words to explain why I didn’t want a mate. “I don’t want a mate, I don’t want a boyfriend and I don’t want to date anyone! I’m not ready for any of that, and I won’t be ready anytime soon.” I said.
Damian nodded once, eyes hard, face stone. “I see.” He said.
I sighed. “It has nothing to do with you.” I said. “I’m just…I don’t like relationships.”
“So you’re denying me my right to a mate?”
I shrugged. “If you take it that way. I’m just saying that I’m not going to accept your advancements with open arms.”
He stared at me with dark eyes and then nodded again, glancing at the sky. “It’s time for the celebratory hunt.” He said.
I looked up and realized the moon had shown itself. It was only a half moon, but it kept the night bright.
Damian got up and faced the pack. “It’s time!”
Riley smiled a huge smile at me and grabbed my hand, pulling me up. “You think I should annoy mom and change with the dress still on?” I asked Riley, whispering conspiratorially.
Riley laughed and shook his head, slinging an arm over my shoulders. “She would murder you ten times over.” He said.
I laughed. “I know that’s right.” I muttered.
I winced as everyone started stripping and sighed, stripping off my dress. I could feel Damian’s eyes on me, but I ignored it and changed to wolf form. I shook myself out and sat on my haunches. I could feel my wolf smiling and yearning for me to run.
‘We meet back here when I howl. If you have any complications, I want you to howl and contact me through the bond.’ Damian told us all through the bond.
We nodded. ‘Now go.’
We took off through the forest.
I grinned, enjoying the wind through my fur, my wolf was smiling as well, it was truly exhilarating. I skidded to a stop after a while of running and perked my ears, cocking my head to the side. I closed my eyes and let my ears range out, listening for prey. I heard the yowl of a mountain lion and my eyes flew open. I crept forward and paused when I heard pacing. I crept to the break in the trees and peeked out. The mountain lion paced on a high rock. I watched it, quickly forming a plan. I crept around the clearing, not making a sound, and got behind it. I waited a second longer before launching myself at the big cat. Before the cat could whirl around, I tackled him onto the ground and we went rolling. The cat raked his claws across my chest and I yelped in pain. I wrapped my mouth around its neck and snapped it, silencing its yowls quickly. I pushed the cat off of me and shook myself. Grinning, I lay down and dug into my meal. Eating raw meat is a part of being a werewolf; it feeds your inner animal.
I paused and perked my ears as the sound of footsteps hit my ears.
Electric blue eyes stared at me from the darkness of the forest. Damian. He crept into the clearing and walked over to me, sitting on his haunches on the other side of the cat. ‘Impressive.’ He said approvingly, looking at the size of the animal that I took down. I nodded and pushed myself up on my haunches. Damian’s eyes went down to the wounds on my chest; they would be healed by tomorrow. He growled and anger built up in his eyes. ‘You need to be more careful, though.’ He said through the bond in a hard voice.
I glared at him. ‘Hard to be careful when you’re focusing on the kill.’ I quipped.
He gave me a dark look and snarled at me. ‘If you weren’t my mate I would-“
He was interrupted by a howl of pain from a wolf that I knew well and I took off. I followed the sounds of the howl and broke through the clearing. Riley struggled as a vampire took him down to the ground. I snarled and lunged, knocking the vampire off of Riley. We both went rolling on the ground and I ended up on top, pinning the vampire to the ground and snarling in his face. He stared into my eyes and his face twisted up in a menacing grin. “Ah, the Wolven Goddess returns.” He spat.
I cocked my head to the side and gave him a questioning look. “Oh, you don’t know do you?” He giggled girlishly. “You will, my sweet, you will.”
I snarled and grabbed his neck with my teeth, snapping it easily. I backed away and looked at Riley. His face was scratched badly, but he seemed okay. He nodded once to me and I paused before nodding back. What did he mean ‘’the Wolven Goddess returns?”
I looked at Damian; he seemed to have heard, because he was looking at me confused. He lifted his head and howled, signaling that we all meet back at the house. ‘We need to talk about what he said.’ Damian said.
I nodded once and took off, following my scent back to the house. Damian and I were the first ones back. I walked over to where I left my clothes and transformed back into my human form. I heard a growl and looked over; Damian stared at me with dark eyes. I ignored my inner animal’s growls and quickly pulled my clothes on. The others arrived shortly after. They transformed and as soon as Riley was dressed I ran over to him and pulled him into a hug. “Are you alright?” I asked, turning his face from side to side so I could see his scratches.
He smiled and swatted my hands away playfully. “I’m fine! It was-“
“Riley! What happened?” Mom shouted, running over.
“The little twerp got attacked by a leach!” I said, smiling at Riley.
“Yeah and Cat here had to get him off me, can you believe that? Tiny Tina had to help me!” he teased.
I rolled my eyes. That’s what he called me since I’m shorter than him. He can’t call me Tiny Tim, so he calls me Tiny Tina.
“Catalina. I need to talk to you.” Damian’s hard voice called.
I ruffled Riley’s hair and turned to follow Damian into the house. We walked up the stairs and into his office before he turned to speak. “Cat…what did he mean by that?” he asked me.
I lifted up my hands as if in surrender. “You know as much as I do.”
“He told you that you would find out soon. Do you carry the Wolven Goddess?” He asked me.
I shrugged. “How should I know? The legend says that the wolf won’t know until the Goddess decides.”
He stared at me, curiosity burning in his eyes. “You know the legends?”
I nodded. “I’ve read every book we have.” I said.
“I’m impressed. Most wolves don’t know our history.” He said.
I grimaced. “I’m not the most…popular person at my school. I’m the freak. And the ugly girl.” I admitted.
Damian’s eyes roamed my body. “You’re not ugly at all. You’re exquisite.”
“I’m hardly exquisite. And they never see me in clothes like this. I’m more of a…tomboy, I guess you could say. I wear T-shirts and baggy pants. This-“ I gestured to my dress and shoes. “-Is my mother’s doing.” I said.
Before I knew what he was doing, I was against the wall, and Damian was pressed against me. “You are exquisite. You should look in the mirror sometime. Everything about you.” He ran his hand through my hair. “Your hair, your eyes.” His eyes met mine and I almost melted, they were dark and dreamy. “Your body.” He said quieter.
I could feel my cheeks heat up, but I resisted the urge to give into him. He leaned his head down and pressed a warm kiss to my neck, making my wolf scratch at my control, trying to take over. I felt my eyes change color, and my control slipping as his hands slid down my sides, stopping at my hips. I thought my dress was going to catch fire.
“I…my parents…” I could barely get the excuse from my lips, my wolf snarled at me and went back to enjoying Damian’s touch.
Damian leaned his head up so he could meet my eyes and the corners of his lips tilted up in Damian’s equivalent of a smile. “What’s that? What did you say?” he asked, pressing a kiss to the corner of my mouth.
“My parents will…get worried…if I’m in here too long.” I gasped as his hands found their way under my dress, which was when I lost control.
My wolf took over and wrapped my arms around his neck. I pulled his face up to mine and smashed my lips to his. I mentally glared at my wolf. ‘I hate you’ I told her.
‘Love you too, Cat.’ She said smugly.
“Lorry.” We both paused as he addressed my wolf, pulling away and staring into my now black eyes.
“Yes, my love?” she asked.
“Give Cat her body please.” He said, running a finger down our cheek.
Lorry pouted, but sighed and gave me control. I was away from Damian in a second, across the room, by the door. “This can’t happen again.” I said.
“There’s my mate.” He whispered, as if to himself.
“I have to go.” I said.
He turned to me and smiled. “Fine. But just one more thing.” He said.
He was against me again, pressing me against the wall by the door. His lips were at my ear as he whispered in his Alpha voice, “I want you to keep wearing clothes like-“ he gripped the skirt of my dress in his hands. “-This. I want people to see what they can’t have”
I whimpered and nodded, unable to say no to the Alpha voice. He let me go with one last kiss to my temple. I tightened my hands into fists and growled, storming out of the room. I’d have to follow his orders, he may be my mate, but he was still the Alpha. I walked down the stairs to find mom and dad standing in the living room, mom had her keys in hand, and she was talking heatedly on the phone. Dad had his hand on her shoulder, giving her comfort.
I walked up and mom became silent. “Okay. Alright, I’ll call you later.” She said, hanging up before she could get an answer.
“Let’s go honey. Riley is going to stay with Lily for the night. It’s the first time they’ve been able to see each other since you were born.” She murmured.
I nodded, feeling guilt for keeping them apart. We walked out to the car and I jumped in, looking out the window at the house. I noticed that one of the windows was open, and a dark silhouette stood outlined by the light of a few lamps. Damian.
Damian’s hand lifted to the window and he pressed it against it, I couldn’t see his face, but I knew he saw me. I felt heat flash through me as I thought about what happened in that room and fanned myself unconsciously. We pulled away from the house and I leaned my head back, exhausted from today’s events.

2: My crazy school.

I awoke the next morning to my alarm clock; I groaned and banged my hand down on the snooze button. I dragged myself out of my bed and into the bathroom. I grimaced when I looked in the mirror, I didn’t look too good.
I grabbed my brush and untangled my hair, and then I jumped in the shower.
After showering, I stepped into my room and walked over to my closet, luckily my mom had extra clothes for me just in case I decided I didn’t want to be a tomboy anymore. On one side of my closet were my regular clothes; on the other side were all of the other clothes mom bought for me.
I grabbed some dark blue denim skinny jeans, and a tight fitting, white T-shirt. I slipped on some white satin flats and sighed, looking down at my makeup bag with a grimace. I threw on some eyeliner and mascara, shrugging and calling it good. I left my hair it’s natural. It was wavy and thick, I usually put it in a ponytail.
I said I didn’t like wearing this stuff, I didn’t say I didn’t know fashion! I grumbled all the way downstairs and into the kitchen. Riley walked in the front door, his clothes rumpled and a big smile on his face. His smile faltered as he looked at me in tight clothing. “Whoa, sis! You look like a girl!” He exclaimed.
I stuck my tongue out at him as I grabbed an apple. “It’s the Alpha’s orders that I dress like this. Ugh! I feel like a bitch!” I said.
Riley laughed and ran upstairs to dress for school. I grabbed my keys to my shiny black Porsche Mirage GT. I grabbed my bag and ran out, only to stop when I realized, leaning against my car, was Damian. He grinned at me and pushed off of my car. “Hi, Cat. I’m here to catch a ride with you to school, maybe you can show me around. The pack has to stay together, so we’ll be going to the same school. We’ve done it before. Oh and-“ he paused, pulling me into him, pressing his lips under my ear in a small kiss. “-I like the outfit.” He whispered.
I shivered involuntarily and felt him grin. I pushed away from him and glared. “I told you I don’t like that!” I said.
He shook his head. “No you didn’t. You said you wouldn’t accept my advances easily. You never said I couldn’t do it.” He said.
I threw my hands up in the air. “Get a ride from my brother, I don’t want to sit in the car with you.” I snapped.
I threw my backpack in the back seat of my car and sat in the front. I sighed and looked over; Damian sat smirking in the front seat. “Jackass.” I muttered, starting the car and speeding off.
I weaved around people on the freeway, going as fast as the car could take me. “Damn, you’re a speed demon!” Damian laughed.
“I prefer the term, speed angel. But whatever floats your boat.” I shrugged.
I pulled into school ten minutes early. And my only best friend, Trevor leaned against his car beside mine.
I got out and opened the back door, grabbing my backpack. I ran around the car and hugged Trevor. “How is my big teddy bear today?” I asked in a baby voice.
Trevor snorted and pulled me back, looking at my outfit. “New style?” he asked.
I heard Damian’s growl from behind me and ignored him. “Yeah. I thought I needed a change.” I said.
Trevor smiled. “You know Derik is going to be all over you, don’t you?” he asked.
I rolled my eyes. “Derik can take his confidence and shove it-“
“Whoa, whoa! That’s enough!” he laughed.
Damian cleared his throat and I looked at him, rolling my eyes at the jealousy in his. “Trevor, this is Damian, Damian, this is Trevor, my best friend.” I said, emphasizing the “best friend.”
“Nice to meet you, man. You new to Chamberlin High?” Trevor asked, as friendly as ever.
Damian nodded curtly and grabbed my arm, pulling me from Trevor’s grasp and into his side. Trevor raised an eyebrow at me and I elbowed Damian, crossing my arms and glaring at him. “Well…I’ll see you later Cat. I like the outfit by the way, it’s about time you showed some confidence.” He said.
I smiled at him, pulling away from Damian. “Yeah. See you later.”
The bell rang before Damian could say anything, though he was about to, and I stalked off to school. God! Who does he think he is? I can’t hang out with my best friend in the whole world without him in a jealous rage? Ugh!
I ignored the shocked stares of kids in the hall. They were all whispering about the change in my style. I got to my locker and that’s when I got tired of it all. I threw my books in my locker and turned around. “Yes! I’ve got a body! Whoop-de-doo! Why don’t you whip out your phones and take a picture!” I threw my hands in the air.
Everyone averted their eyes; they knew not to mess with me when I was in a mood. I turned and flounced off, striding to my next class, science. I walked into my class and groaned internally. Derik’s eyes roamed my body and he stared at me in shock, but then again, who wasn’t staring at me in shock? I plopped down in my seat at the front of the class; the seat beside me was empty, because no one wanted to be partners with the freak. Damian walked in just as the teacher did. Mrs. Laurence stared wide eyed at Damian; of course, everyone was staring at him like that, except me.
He handed a slip to the teacher and she blushed, signing it without even looking at it. “C-class, this is Damian Villain. Please warm give him a welcome.” I don’t even think she realized she said that wrong.
Mrs. Laurence isn’t married, she’s twenty, but she likes it when people call her Mrs. Instead of Ms. It makes her feel more professional. Damian waved and walked straight over to me, sitting in the adjoining seat. I sighed as he grabbed my hand, entwining his fingers with mine.
“Are you seriously doing this?” I hissed as Mrs. Laurence started the class.
Damian grinned at me. “Yes.”
I tried to wiggle my hand out of Damian’s grasp, but he just tightened it. “Bastard.” I muttered, making Damian chuckle.
“Ms. Harington, do you have something to share with the class?”
I opened my mouth to give her a great sarcastic retort, but Damian cut me off. “No. I’m sorry Mrs. Laurence, I was distracting Cat from her work.” Damian said, as innocent as an angel.
I glared at Damian and ripped my hand from his grasp. “Well. That’s perfectly alright, Damian. Just don’t do it again, please.” She said.
I rolled my eyes as Damian did his famous, blinding grin as Mrs. Laurence. “Of course.”
Damian slung and arm around my shoulders and I faked a smile for Mrs. Laurence. “Get your arm off of me before I rip it off.” I said through my teeth, keeping the smile in place.
He laughed and pulled me tighter into his side. “Now class, we’ll be learning about molecules today…” I tuned her out as I pushed away from Damian, taking his arm and shoving it into his side. He sighed and crossed his arms, his muscles flexing as he did it, making a few of the girls in class gasp.
“I’ve never seen her so annoyed; she must hate this Damian guy.” I heard Derik whisper to his friends.

When the bell rang I jumped up and grabbed my backpack. “You’re a real Jackass, you know that, Damian?” I asked.
“I believe you’ve told me once before.” He grinned.
I growled and stalked passed him, I could feel him following me as I stopped by my locker. “Where is the rest of the pack? I thought you said they were all here.” I said.
“They’re here somewhere, I guess none of them have first period science class.” He said.
I nodded and grabbed my books. I turned back to Damian and pointed at him. “If you do that again, I’ll never speak to you again.” I said, my voice matter of fact.
The corners of his lips tipped up. “Then I guess you wouldn’t me to do this then.” He then grabbed me and pulled me into him, pressing his lips to mine.
My body acted on its own, relaxing and wrapping my arms around his neck. My wolf wasn’t even in control. He slipped his arm around my waist, and we were completely unaware of the crowd watching us.
Damian pulled away and smiled, running his finger down my cheek. “Now was that so bad?” he asked.
I sighed. “No.” I admitted. “But I don’t want it to happen again.” I said, pushing away from him.
He sighed and watched me grab my things, ignoring the glaring girls and the jealous guys. I walked passed him to my next class, history. He followed me all the way there like a dangerous, black haired puppy. “I’m guessing you made sure we had every class together.” I said.
He smiled, but didn’t answer. We walked into class and Damian paused to give the teacher his slip to sign. I sat down beside Trevor and smiled at him. “Hey. Did Mr. Raman lose his temper yet?” I asked in a whisper.
Mr. Raman has a blood pressure problem, and loses his temper easily. He likes me and Trevor though, always letting us off the hook.
“Nah, but Gabe is pushing it.” Trevor whispered back.
Damian sat on my other side and grabbed my hand. I sighed in annoyance and looked at Trevor. “Hey, I’m thinking of going to the movies Saturday night and seeing Brave, I heard it’s really cute, you want to go with me?” I asked.
“Sure. I haven’t got much better to do than to see a dorky movie with my dorky friend.” He teased.
I smiled. “Thanks.”
“Eh shut up, you little runt.” He said with a teasing smile.
“Who you callin’ a runt, you Ninnyhammer!” I teased back.
“What the heck is a Ninnyhammer?”
“It’s a fool or a simpleton. A ninny.” I said, giggling at the new word I found.
“That is not a real word.” He argued.
“Yes it is! Look it up on Dictionary.Com!” I said defensively.
He nodded. “Alright, I will.”
With that, we turned our attention to the front of the class, where Mr. Raman’s face was turning red. Gabe was the class clown, and he was always making Mr. Raman lose ten years of his life in a fit of rage. Mr. Raman sat down, and a fart ripped through the room.
I put my hand to my mouth and looked at Trevor in shock. He’d never done that one before.
That was when Mr. Raman lost it. “That’s it!” he yelled, picking up the whoopee cushion and throwing it at Gabe. And I was out of my seat. I was sort of his anger management. Damian let go of my hand, wondering what I was doing. “Mr. Raman, calm down! He’s just a stupid kid!” I said in my most soothing voice.
Mr. Raman looked at me with desperate eyes. “But he’s so annoying!” he said.
“It’s alright, let’s go get you some coffee, and a nice donut from the teachers’ lounge, how about it?” I asked soothingly.
He took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and pointed at Gabe. “You’re going to be expelled young man! I’ll make sure of it!” he said.
He then let me take his arm and steer him out of the room. I mouthed that class was dismissed just before we left and Trevor gave me the “OK” sign with his hand.
I walked Mr. Raman to the teachers’ lounge and sat him in the chair. Mrs. Laurence raised an eyebrow. “Gabe?” she asked.
I nodded. “His worst yet. He set a whoopee cushion on the desk chair.” I said.
She snorted. “I could have done better than that.” She said.

3: The promise.

I was walking to the cafeteria when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to find Derik. He smirked at me, and I rolled my eyes, turned, and started walking again. “What do you want, Derik?” I asked on a sigh.
“Oh nothing. I’m just interested in your little relationship with the new kid.” He said casually, catching up with me.
“That is none of your business, and there is no relationship.” We’re just bound to each other for all eternity.
“You could have fooled me with how you made out in the hall back there.” Despite myself, I smiled.
“That was his doing, not mine. He thinks he can win me over.” I said, rolling my eyes.
“He seems to have succeeded.” Derik said.
I snorted and glared at the ground. “He has not. He’s just a pushy jackass.” I grumbled.
Derik smiled. “I’ve never seen you act this way. Are you sure he hasn’t succeeded?”
I looked at Derik and glared. “Why are you asking me this?” I asked as we entered the cafeteria.
He shrugged. “I don’t know. We’ve teased and annoyed each other so long that I feel kind of like your brother.” He said.
I let out a startled laugh and looked at him. “I was under the impression that you hated my guts.” I said.
He shook his head and waved his hand. “Nah, notice how none of the guys here have tried to annoy you but me?” I nodded.
“Well that’s my doing. It’s my job to annoy the crap out of you, I threatened to throw them off the football team if they even tried to annoy you.” He said.
I smiled as I grabbed a half a sandwich. “That’s…really sweet, in a weird way.” I said.
He chuckled. “Hey, sorry about the whole freak thing, I called you that to annoy you, but it kind of stuck.” He said, leaning against the counter as I paid for my food.
Trevor walked over as I smiled at Derik. “Hey, no problem man. It’s only fair since I colored your hair pink last year.” I said.
“What’s up, guys?” Trevor asked, slinging an arm around my shoulders.
I heard Damian’s distinct growl and looked over, giving him a sharp look as he stood up that told him to sit down.
“Derik is confessing his undying love for me.” I said sarcastically.
Derik laughed and teasingly pushed my shoulder, making everyone in the room gasp. “Nah. I’m just making Cat my sister from another Mister.” He said.
I laughed. “My brother from another mother.” I added.
Trevor laughed. “I thought I was your brother from another mother.” He said.
“You’re both my brothers from other mothers, okay?” I said, laughing.
“Well, I should go tell everyone the news. See yah sis.” Derik teased.
I nodded, smiling. Trevor and I sat at an empty table. He raised an eyebrow at me and I shrugged, still smiling.
I looked up as Lily plopped down beside me. “You caused quite a fit with Damian.” She whispered to me.
I rolled my eyes. “He can get over it.” I muttered.
I heard another growl from Damian and sent him a glare. Trevor raised both eyebrows at me now. “Hey, why don’t you and Trevor come sit with us? I mean, we’ve got room at the table.” Lily offered.
I looked at Trevor and shrugged. He shrugged as well and grabbed his tray. Lily led the way back to the table. I sat across the table from Damian, beside Trevor. Damian stared at me with dark eyes and I stared back at him evenly.
I looked around the table and smiled at the pack. “Hi guys. Long time no see.” I said jokingly.
Some snickered, and some just smiled. “Yeah, we’ve been pretty busy since yesterday.” Hal, one of the many pack members said.
I smiled. “I would say so. How the hell did you guys get transferred so quickly?” I asked.
“You’d be surprised what a little bribe can get you.” Damian muttered, a smile tipping up the corners of his lips.
I smiled at him and noticed that Melody beside him was staring at Trevor. Their eyes had met. I raised an eyebrow and looked at Damian, looking pointedly at Melody.
Damian followed Melody’s gaze and cursed under his breath. “Not here!”
He grabbed Melody by the arm and got up. “Get Trevor outside the cafeteria.” He told me.
I grabbed Trevor’s arm and drug him outside the lunchroom. I followed Damian into an empty classroom and he let Melody go, locking the door behind us.
I let Trevor go and Melody grabbed him, snuggling her face into his neck and inhaling his scent. “But he’s not wolf.” I whispered, watching as Trevor wrapped his arms around Melody.
Damian slung an arm around my shoulders. “This is rare, but it does happen. We’ll have to ask the Wolven Goddess to change him; the ritual takes all of a day.” He explained.
“What happens in that day?” I asked him.
He shrugged. “The ritual includes locking Trevor in a room, and leaving him there for a full twenty for hours. The Wolven Goddess has made him a mate, it’s most likely that she’ll make him wolf as well.” He said.
I nodded, and we slid down the wall to the ground, I straightened one leg and kept the other bent. Damian crossed his ankles. “Were we like this when we found each other?” I asked, disgust coloring my tone as I watched them make out.
“Yes. But we weren't so…” he cleared his throat uncomfortably as Melody jumped up, wrapping her legs around Trevor’s waist. “Primitive.”
I snorted a laugh. No, if we had been that…primitive, my brother would have killed me. Damian pressed a warm kiss to my temple and I looked at him when he pulled back. “What was that for?” I asked softly.
“I think you’re cute when you laugh.” He said.
I started to realize how close we were, and how warm he felt with his arm around me. I averted my eyes and shifted uncomfortably. Damian sighed in understanding and dropped his arm. “I’m sorry Cat. I wish there were some way to make you see that I could make you so happy…” his eyes bored into mine, turning determined. “I will. I’ll make you see, some way or another.” He promised.
I couldn't answer, the way his eyes could stare right into my soul was incapacitating. Luckily, I didn't have to, Melody had regained control of her body. She turned to us, hand held tightly in Trevor’s. “Can we go home now?”
I looked at Damian and burst out laughing. “Let’s take ‘em home. We can take my car.” I said.
Damian got up and I held up my hands, acting as if I was too helpless to get up on my own. Damian smiled slightly and leaned down, scooping me up in his arms. I yelped and glared at him. “Put me down!”
“I don’t think I should. If you needed help getting up, you’re obviously too weak to walk to the car.” He said.
I glared at him. “And you will be too weak to get out of bed when I get done with you if you don’t put. Me. Down!” I said.
His eyes darkened and he leaned down, his lips at my ear. “Is that a promise?”
I blushed deep red. “You know what I mean!”
He sighed and set me down. I glared at him and stalked down the hall, grabbing Trevor by the arm and dragging both Melody and him with me. “Cat, he was just playing with you, his wolf can be a bit too playful sometimes.” Melody tried to convince me.
“Wolf?” Trevor asked.
“You’ll find out later.” Melody said.
I growled low in my chest. “I’m not speaking to him or his wolf again. He’s a jerk.” I said harshly.
Melody sighed. “He just doesn’t know how to deal with a mate. He’s been waiting a hundred years to meet you. He almost lost hope. He’s very confused as to why you won’t accept him.”
“Mate? A hundred years?” Trevor asked again, his voice coloring with disbelief.
Melody giggled and kissed Trevor’s cheek. “You’ll find out later.” She repeated.
Trevor wasn’t bad looking, in fact, he was kind of handsome. He had sandy blonde hair, toned arms, though not as toned as Damian’s or Riley’s, and he had dark brown eyes.
I glanced back and realized that Damian was following from afar. I sighed and stopped. “You guys go on ahead, meet me by the car. I’ll catch up.” I said.
They nodded without a word and walked ahead. I walked back over to Damian and he raised an eyebrow at me. Without a word, I wrapped my arms around his torso and hugged him, laying my head on his chest and listening to his heartbeat.
“I’m sorry. I lose my temper sometimes.” I whispered.
He hesitantly wrapped his arms around me. “I know. I’m not angry at you.” He said.
I nodded. “I know, but it was a stupid thing to lose my temper about, and I promise I won’t do it again.” I said.
“Why the sudden change in heart?” he asked me softly.
I shrugged. “Melody told me that you’d almost lost hope in ever finding a mate, and that you were confused as to why I didn’t accept you.” I murmured.
“Why won’t you accept me? Is it something I did?” he asked me.
I sighed and looked up at him, shaking my head. The bell rang and I let go of Damian, taking his hand. “Let’s go before the principal finds out we’re ditching.” I whispered.
He nodded and walked along side me out the school doors. Kids who sat outside stared at us, but we ignored them. “Be honest, is it something I did, to make you not want to be with me, I mean?” he asked.
I shook my head quickly, stopping him at the parking lot. “Of course not…but it’s too complicated to explain here. Let’s get to the pack house and I’ll explain there, alright?” I said, looking at Damian with pleading eyes.
I didn’t want to explain this, to bring back the painful memories of so many betrayals. Damian nodded in understanding and we walked the distance to the car. Trevor and Melody were in a kissing war again. “Guys! Come on you need to breathe sometime!” I rolled my eyes.
They broke apart, both smiling goofily. They were unashamed at being caught. I jumped into the driver’s seat of my car and the others jumped in. I backed out of the lot, only to have my GPS start ringing. I pressed the call button on the touch screen, even though I didn’t know the number. “You guys going home?” Lily’s voice asked on the other line.
“Yeah, I’m taking these two penguins home. Damian’s with me.” I said.
“So I saw, I didn’t see Melody or Trevor with you though.” She said.
“Yeah, they were already at the car, making out like two sex crazed Looney’s.” I said.
“I see.” she said on a laugh. “Well we were just making sure. We’ll see you later, bye.” And she hung up.
I got onto the freeway and sped up, weaving around people. “Good Goddess, slow down!” Melody said behind me.
I smiled. “Don’t worry, Cat does this every day.” Trevor said, completely relaxed in the backseat.
I reached the pack house in less than an hour, thanks to my reckless driving. I jumped out of the car and walked lazily over to the house, watching as Trevor and Melody disappeared into it. “Ugh, I can’t believe I have to share their thoughts. Being an Alpha sucks sometimes.” Damian muttered beside me.
I looked at him. “Can you read my thoughts?” I asked curiously.
“Only if you want me to. I can tune out the packs thoughts pretty well, but with a mate it’s different, if your mate is unwilling to share her thoughts, then it can’t happen.” He said.

4: Forgiving you can't be that hard...can it?

We walked behind the house, strolling through the woods as I worked up the courage to tell Damian why I couldn’t accept him yet. “Please tell me, I won’t be angry.” He pleaded again for the fifth time.
I sighed. “I know, it’s just hard to talk about.” I took a deep breath and let it out, noting how shaky it was. “When I was fifteen, I got into my first real relationship. His name was Laurence, and I thought he was sweet. Turns out he was a violent drunk, just like his father. He came to my house late one night when my brother was out at the beach camping with some friends, and my parents were out of state on business.” I stared out at the forest, my breath shallow and my voice thick. “H-he asked me to go with him to a party, and when I said I couldn’t…he slapped me. I knew he was drunk, I could smell it. I didn’t expect him to be abusive, though. He told me that I was going to go to the party with him, and I wasn’t going to object. I slammed the door in his face and called my brother.” I whispered.
Damian was silent, staring out at the forest for a full minute before looking at me. “He hurt you?” he asked, as if he couldn’t comprehend the subject.
I nodded, quickly wiping away tears that fell down my cheek. “But he’s not the only one. My second relationship was last year, around Christmas. I’d finally started to trust relationships again. His name was Carter, and he charmed his way into my life. He turned out to have anger problems. I was telling him that Trevor and I had made plans to go to the movies, and that I couldn’t go on a date with him, and he got angry, telling me that Trevor was too involved with me, and that he thought that I was cheating on him. When I tried to deny it, he slapped me. Over and over. It was Christmas Eve, and I came home with two big bruises on each cheek.” I looked away, ashamed. “I felt like I was being punished for something, like it was the Wolven Goddess punishing me for being foolish.” I whispered.
He was silent, but I could feel his anger. He suddenly let go of my hand, turned, and strode back toward the house. “Damian?” I asked, confusion and hurt coloring my tone.
He didn’t answer. “Wait…Damian!” I called, chasing after him.
He didn’t listen to me, nor did he pause. He opened the back door to the garage and walked in. “Damian, please don’t leave!” I begged.
He didn’t seem to even hear me; he jumped on his bike, started it, and sped out of the garage. I ran to my car and jumped in, starting it and speeding off in the direction of my house. I sniffed repeatedly and wiped tears from my eyes.

When I got home, I sat in my car for over an hour, with my head in my hands, crying. A knock on my window made me jump. I looked up to find Riley; I sighed and unlocked the doors. He walked around to the passenger side and opened the door. He sat, silently waiting for me to speak. “He hates me.” I whispered.
Riley took my hand and enveloped it in his, rubbing it so it warmed up. “Who hates you, Cat?”
“Damian. I told him about…Christmas Eve. He didn’t even look at me, he just walked away.” I said, tears running down my cheeks.
Riley stiffened and growled low in his chest. “Damn bastard. Can’t even support his own mate.” He muttered.
I sniffed and wiped my eyes. “Can you just…go back into the house? I’m going to drive around for a while.” I said softly.
Riley nodded, pat my hand, and got out of the car. I put the car in drive and backed out of the driveway, headed toward the only place I could think of that I could be alone at this time of day, the beach. I sighed softly as I parked; the beach was always so peaceful. I always had an extra bathing suit in the car because I never knew when the impulse to hit the beach would hit.
I grabbed my extra towel, not needing the sunscreen because the sun was setting over the horizon. I walked into the public changing area and quickly changed into my bathing suit.
After changing, I walked along the shore, staring out at the sunset. I laid out my towel and sat just out of reach of the tide, listening to the waves breaking upon the sand. Despite my wolf and I’s peaceful feelings, our minds would stray back to Damian. We both were trying very hard to forget today’s events, but it wasn’t working.
My phone rang out from my beach bag and I dug through it, finding it at the bottom. I looked at the number and sighed. I pressed the call button, staring at my hands as I pressed the phone to my ear. “Yeah.”
“Where are you?” Riley asked in a strangely suspicious tone.
I sighed again. “I’d like to just be alone for a while, alright?”
“Where are you?” he asked again.
“Where do you think I am? I’m at the only place I ever go!” I said.
“I see. Well I’ll tell him that.” Riley said.
“Wait, tell who what?” but he’d already disconnected.
I had a feeling I knew exactly who he was talking about. I cursed under my breath and threw my phone back in my bag. I crossed my arms and glared out at the ocean, I did not want to see him right now. I got up and decided to walk down the beach, leaving my phone in my bag, and my bag by my towel. I tromped down the beach, and willed myself to calm down.
After walking off all of my anger, I found myself at Lorry and I’s favorite place, the tide pool. I sat on the edge of a rock and watched in amazement as all the little creatures had gathered, there were starfish, and coral, and other creatures that I couldn’t identify. This was Lorry and I’s favorite place ever since we discovered it six years ago.
The wind blew from my left, and I caught the faint scent of cologne mixed with the musty smell of forest. I looked over and saw Damian watching me from about twenty feet away. I sighed, there goes my peaceful feeling.
“What do you want, Damian?” I asked, my voice inflectionless.
He was silent on the sand, but I could feel him getting nearer. “I assume you’re angry at me.” He murmured.
“You assumed right.” I said, crossing my arms in a defensive pose.
Damian knew this was no ordinary defensive pose for a wolf, if I had been in my wolf form right now, I’d have hackles raised, and teeth bared. He paused a few feet from me and cautioned me with his eyes. “Now Cat, let me explain.” He said in a cautious voice.
I jumped up and threw up my arms. “There is no need to explain! I can take a hint, Damian. You think I’m weak, and stupid.” I said, and walked passed him.
He grabbed my arm in a tight grip and whirled me around, staring at me with incredulous eyes. “You think I hate you?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Why else would you just walk away from me?”
“I walked away from you because I didn’t want you to see that…side of me! I was angry-“
“Yeah, at me, I know!” I snapped, ripping my arm from his grasp and stomping off.
I heard his growl and he was suddenly in front of me. I grabbed me in his arms, pulled me up to his chest, and kissed me. This was not his regular, soft or teasing kiss. This was a fierce, hot, shut-up-and-listen kiss.
He pulled back and stared deeply into my eyes, keeping his grip on me. “I was angry at the men that hurt you. I contemplated ripping their hearts from their chests, but I knew you’d be angry at me if I hurt them. I’m so sorry I gave you that impression, I never meant to hurt you.” He said, his voice velvet soft.
I was a few inches off the ground, and he held me up effortlessly. I don’t even think he realized he still held me up. “Ah, Damian?” I asked.
“Hmm?” he asked, as if I pulled him from an ocean of thoughts in his head.
“Could you put me down?” I asked.
He grinned and shook his head. Leaning down, he pressed his lips to my ear. “I’ve got you right where I want you.” He whispered, making a shiver roll down my spine.

5: He did it again.

I got out of my car, slamming the door and stomping passed a confused looking Trevor and Melody. Trevor had gone through the ritual, and is now a wolf.
“Cat, what is going on?” Trevor asked.
“I’m going to kill him! I’m going to murder that lying son of a bitch!” I yelled.
I stomped down the halls of the school, looking for Derik. I followed his scent to the cafeteria, slamming the door open. He sat with his friends in the empty cafeteria; he looked up as the door slammed against the wall.
“Hello, Brother.” I said, smiling sarcastically.
Derik stood and backed away from me. “I didn’t mean to tell him! It just slipped out!”
“It just slipped out that I was raped in elementary?” I yelled.
I heard the whole room gasp but ignored them. “I’m sorry! I-I didn’t know what I was saying!” He said.
I felt tears brim my eyes. “He won’t even speak to me now! You son of a bitch, he hates me.” I let him go and ran out before the tears could escape. I pushed through people who probably heard me and ran into the bathroom, leaning against the wall and running a hand through my hair.
Yes, I was raped in elementary school. My teacher, Mr. Garnish, he caught me in a janitors closet after everyone was gone; I was going home from detention. He took advantage of me. Derik caught me limping home, and I made him promise not to tell a soul. Not even Trevor.
And now everyone knows. Even Damian.
Derik and Damian had “bumped into each other” at McDonalds. I don’t know how Damian got it out of him, but Derik promised, and he broke his promise. A knock at the bathroom door brought me back to the present. “What?” I called, my voice thick.
“Cat, sweetheart, can I come in?” It was my mom.
I groaned inwardly, I’m in big trouble. “Yeah.”
Mom walked in and sat down beside me, where I’d slid down the wall. “So…the principle called…he said you caused…quite a scene.” She said softly.
A sob bubbled up to my lips and I broke down. “I was so scared! I-I didn’t want to tell anyone…I didn’t know what to do!” I sobbed.
Mom wrapped her arms around my shoulders and pulled me into her side. “Sweetheart, no one’s blaming you for anything! That bastard is sick and twisted and doesn’t deserve to live!” she growled.
I laughed wetly. “Mom, you have that murderous look in your eye that you got when Mr. Lanyard accidentally mowed over your lilies.” I said.
She smiled. “Sorry. I just don’t like it when someone hurts my baby.” She said.
“Can we just go home? I don’t want to be here when Mrs. Vineyards catches wind of this. She’ll be asking for his address and putting bullets in her Glock.” I said.
Mrs. Vineyards is my Spanish teacher, she likes me, treats me like family. She carries a Glock in her giant purse and she knows how to use it.
“Sure, sweetheart, let’s go home.” Mom murmured.
I wiped my eyes as we stepped out of the bathroom, a crowd of people stood silently, staring at me with sympathy. I looked at Trevor, who stared at me with disbelieving eyes. I knew he felt betrayed, how could I not tell my own best friend? The truth was, I thought he’d be ashamed of me, that he’d walk away from me, calling me weak. Mom kept an arm around me as we walked silently down the halls, it held me together, kept me strong.
“Do you want to ride with me, or do you want to drive home?” she asked me.
“I’ll drive. I need to think.” I said.
With the windows tinted dark, I couldn’t see anything through them as I unlocked the car. I got in and yelped in surprise as I realized Damian sat in the passenger seat. He stared at me, his bright blue eyes dark and dangerous. I sighed. “I take it you saw.”
“The whole pack saw. Every mind in the pack, except for the elders, was focused on you. And how many times do I have to convince you that I don’t hate you?” He asked in a frustrated tone.
I put the key in the ignition and started the car. “If you’d stop walking away from me and actually talk to me I might believe you.” I said, backing out of my parking spot.
Damian sighed. “Why didn’t you tell me, or anyone, for that matter?”
I slammed on my breaks in frustration and turned to Damian. “I was eleven years old! How the hell was I supposed to know what to do? The only reason Derik knew was because he found me walking home! I was completely alone in this! How the hell was I supposed to tell someone when I didn’t even know what was going on?” I asked him, my voice raising an octave.
Damian’s eyes hardened. “You had your family! Your family when you’re a half blood is your pack! You’re supposed to go to them in times of trouble! What were you thinking?” he asked incredulously.
“I was thinking I was scared! I was thinking that if I told someone he’d come looking for me! And I was thinking that people would yell at me like you are now!” I said.
“Whatever. I need to think.” He said, getting out of the car.
I sat staring at the door in disbelief, he did it again.
I put the car in drive and sped off, anger and hurt having a fighting for dominance in the pit of my stomach. I came into the driveway and sat in the car for a full minute, trying to calm myself. I got out of the car and didn’t slam my door, so I took that as a good sign that I wasn’t about to go insane.
I walked inside and found Dad pacing, and Riley leaning against the wall, a storm of rage brewing in his mind. They both looked up when I entered. Riley got to me first, I expected him to demand who it was, to yell at me, but instead, he pulled me into his arms and held me tightly against him.
I was finally able to receive the comfort I so desperately needed. It was a long time ago, but it was still fresh in my mind as if it were preserved on ice. I broke down and clutched Riley’s shirt, burying my face in his chest. He scooped me up and walked over to the couch, sitting down with me in his lap.
I cried into his chest while dad sat beside us, rubbing my back comfortingly. “It’ll be alright, Cat. We all love you, this doesn’t change that.” Riley said softly.
I cried until the comforting darkness of sleep enveloped me.

Damian is a lying bastard!

I awoke the next day to my alarm. I slammed my hand down on the clock to stop it and rolled over, only to come face to face with Riley. He still slept. He was a heavy sleeper when he wanted to be. He must have stayed in my bed last night to comfort me.
I smiled; I could always count on my big brother.
I shook him awake. “Hey, Riley, wake up yah big lug.” I said.
He groaned and opened one eye, but that one eye stared grumpily at me. “Can’t you see I’m soaking up some rays of Vitamin S?” he asked me.
I smiled and sat up. “What the hell is Vitamin S?” I asked.
“Vitamin Sleep, of course.” He said.
I rolled my eyes. “Well go soak up some rays of Vitamin S in your room. I have to get ready for school.” I said.
He sighed and rolled out of bed, literally. I don’t think he noticed how close to the edge he was. I laughed. “So much for wolf senses, huh?” I said as he groaned.
He stood up and waved a hand at me in dismissal, trudging out of my room. I rolled my eyes and looked over at my closet, yelping as I realized Damian stood leaning against the door with his arms crossed. “Damian! What are you doing in here?” I hissed.
“I came to see you. Obviously.” He said.
I got up and grabbed my hair tie, pulling my hair back into a messy ponytail. “Well you couldn’t have, I don’t know, knocked on the front door?” I glared at him.
“I wanted to see you last night, and I don’t think your parents would appreciate me visiting you at four in the morning.” He said.
I stared at him for a beat before saying a word. “Why would you do that?” I asked.
He pushed off of the door and walked over to me, pulling me into him pushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “Because I love you. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to comfort you. I just get angry, not at you, of course, but I take it out on you. I don’t want to take my anger out on you anymore; I promise I’ll never hurt you again.” He said softly.
I reached up on instinct and brushed my fingers through his soft, raven black hair, getting it out of his eyes. His eyes never wavered from mine as he stared down at me. “You love me?” I asked softly.
The corners of his lips turned up in a small smile. “Isn’t it weird? I wolf that loves his mate! It’s unheard of!” he teased, picking me up against his chest and nuzzling my neck.
I smiled a placed a soft kiss on his neck without realizing what I was doing. He let out a low growl of approval and trailed kisses down my neck, pulling my shirt down to reveal my shoulder. I was now thinking that a mate could be a very good thing. A knock came to the door, breaking us both apart. “uh y-yeah?” I called, taking a step away from Damian.
“Sweetheart, it’s your mother, you’re going to be late for school!” Oh God, school! I’m going to be the laughing stock of the year!
I sighed. “Yeah, don’t remind me.” I said.
Foregoing the shower, I ran into my closet and shut the door, not wanting Damian to see me undressing more than he already has. I slipped into some skinny jeans and a green tank top and ran out of the closet, grabbing my backpack.
“I’ll see you at school; please don’t just appear in my car again.” I said to Damian as I slipped on my green flats.
“No problem. My bike is around the corner.” He said.
I grabbed my phone and ran out of the room, and down the stairs, grabbing an apple to eat on the way. I threw my backpack in the front seat and jumped into the car, speeding away from the curb. I only had fifteen minutes to get there.

Ten minutes later I pulled into the parking lot. I took a deep breath and sighed. “I have to do this.” I whispered.
I got out of the car and grabbed my bag from the back seat. I didn’t see Trevor, which was a bad sign. I walked through the halls, ignoring the stares and whispers about me. I used the combination on my locker and put my books away, keeping the books that I needed. I closed the door and ignored Derik, who stood beside the locker.
“Cat. Please listen to me. I understand that you’re angry at me, but I couldn’t help it! Damian said that he knew you better than anyone, even Trevor! I thought I could trust him!” I stopped short at that.
That lying bastard! “He said what?” I whispered.
“He told me he knew you better than anyone.”
I turned to an empty locker and slammed my fist into it, leaving a dent. “I feel better now.” I said.
“Jeez. I’m glad I’m not that locker.” Derik said.
“Damian is a lying bastard. I can’t believe…he doesn’t know me at all!” I growled.
The warning bell rang and I walked in silence to science. I sat down at my desk and stared darkly at the desk. I sat with my forehead in my hand, drawing whatever came to mind on my notebook to keep me calm. Damian walked in just as Mrs. Laurence did, and sat down beside me.
“Hi, Cat.” He greeted.
I looked up at him. “Hi.” I said bluntly.
His eyes turned confused and he tilted his head slightly. “Alright, what did I do this time?” he sighed.
“Nothing that I want to discuss here.” In fact, I didn’t want to “discuss” it, at all! I wanted to rip his head off and use it as a bowling ball!
I looked down and realized I’d drawn a very detailed picture of Damian and I doing very intimate things.
I blushed and crumpled the page before he could see it, I was still very angry at him…wasn’t I?
‘No, you aren’t, he was only trying to learn something about us.’ Lorry commented.
‘Well he should have asked us! I wasn’t ready to tell anyone that yet!’ I thought back.
I heard her mental sigh, but she didn’t answer; she knew I was right; he should have come to us.
She was right about one thing, his potent, yummy scent was making it hard to stay angry at him. My hand unconsciously slipped into his under the desk and he glanced at me. I kept my eyes away from Damian, I was still going to talk about this to him, but part of my body was in control, I couldn’t remove my hand from his warm and soft one.
I cursed my stupid instincts to the ground, trying to gain the control to take my hand from Damian’s. I wondered if he felt my inner turmoil as well.
Before I knew what was happening, the bell rang, and I released my hand from Damian’s, grabbing my bag and striding from the room.

Authors note;

Wow! A lot of chapters! Please tell me what you think! I'll be updating as much as I can! Friend me if you'd like me to update you.

XOXO. Em.

Drunk humans, outcast wolves, and stubborn mates...fun!

School was a nightmare. Everywhere I looked, there were sympathetic stares, it made me sick. I refused to talk to Damian, and Trevor refused to talk to me. He felt betrayed that I didn’t tell him, this was exactly why I didn’t, I was afraid he’d tell me I was weak and never speak to me again. Now he just won’t speak to me.
I sighed as I walked back to my car. I’d waited until everyone had left to leave myself. I wanted to go to the beach again. But this time, I was going to enjoy the waves as they rushed over my skin.
I made sure my bathing suit and everything was in the trunk and then got into my car, speeding off towards the beach. The sun was still pretty high in the sky, so I was going to need sunscreen.
I pulled into the lot and sighed, knowing that the beach was going to have a few more people than it usually did. Mostly it would have teenagers; they’d just gotten off school and were enjoying the sunny day at the beach.
I grabbed my bag from the trunk and walked to the changing room, slipping out of my flats.
I quickly changed and lathered on sunscreen, before walking out on the beach with my bag slung over my shoulder.
There was a young couple strolling on the wet sand a ways down the shore, and a bunch of teenagers had started a bonfire and were listening to the radio, I smelled the faint smell of alcohol and sunscreen from their direction.
I set my bag on my towel and walked over to the water, sitting down where the waves met the shore.
I smiled as the tide washed over my bare legs, leaning back on my elbows to let the sun warm me. I pulled my hair from its ponytail and shook it out, letting it take its natural wavy shape.
“Hey! What’s up, beautiful?” one of the teenagers had strayed in my direction.
I rolled my eyes. “Oh, you know.” I looked up at him; he had brown hair and dark, muddy green eyes. He was definitely one to work out, with beefy arms and a six pack stomach, but nothing could compare to Damian’s. “I strangled a kid like you once. He was hitting on me.” I said, hiding my smile.
The guy’s eyes widened and he turned and walked away. I smiled and looked back out at the ocean, staring at the white caps far off. I realized before it was too late that one of those white caps was way too close, it rolled in and washed completely over me, I screamed as the cold water made me shiver and crawled backwards, getting to the dry sand. I let out a loud profanity and heard the howling laughter of the drunken teenagers behind me. Oh! So they thought this was funny! I grumbled as I shook out my towel and dried myself off, shaking out my now sodden hair.
I wrung my hair out with my hands and plopped down on my towel, which was now haphazardly laying on the ground. “Hey baby! I know something that will keep you warm!” I looked over as another Jock waggled his eyebrows at me.
“And I know something that will put you six feet under!” I yelled back.
He held up his hands as if in surrender and sat down. I pulled my phone from my bag, and without thinking, went to call Trevor. I realized that he kind of hated me right now and felt tears brim my eyes. Who was I going to cry to now? Damian was an asshole, Trevor hated me, my brother was probably busy studying for college right now…and Derik is the one that got me into this mess.
I wasn’t as mad at Derik anymore as I was mad at Damian. He lied, when he should have come to me, asked me the questions that he wanted to ask.
I felt betrayed, I felt lied to, and most of all…I felt as if he failed in promising me that he wouldn’t hurt me. He did hurt me, he hurt me without even realizing it.
The only person I could seek comfort from daddy, and that was probably not a good idea, didn’t want him getting into a fight with the alpha. I sighed and stared across the water, letting a single tear roll down my cheek. “Hi. I’m Gabriel.” I opened my mouth to tell him off but he held out his hand.
“I don’t want to hit on you. You seem…lonely.” He said. He had chocolate brown eyes and sandy blonde hair, he was wearing swim trunks, and he had a six pack. He still wasn’t as good looking as Damian, and I had to grudgingly admit it.
I sighed. “I’m Cat. And my week hasn’t been the best.” I said.
He sat down beside me. “I know you don’t know me…but would you like to talk about it?” he asked.
I stared out at the ocean, contemplating. “Come on, you don’t know me, and I don’t know you, we could just exchange problems, and be on our way.” He said.
I smiled slightly. “Okay. I’ll tell you, but if I find out you blabbed this to anyone, I’m going to kill you with my bare hands and laugh about it” I threatened.
He held up his pinky and I wrapped mine around his. “I swear.” He said.
“Okay…well it all started when I met Damian. He’s a big…giant…controlling jerk and…” I sighed. “I can’t help but have feelings for him.”
“And this guy hurt you?”
“Yeah…he tries not to…but he can’t help it, he’s very controlling and he can’t deal with his anger very well-“
“He’s hit you?” Gabriel asked in alarm.
“No! Of course not, he’d never! He just…he walks away from me when I need him most because he doesn’t want to show his anger to me. I’ve had a lot of abusive relationships before, and when I told him about it, he left, trying not to show me his anger. He’s sweet…when he wants to be.” I shrugged.
“So let me get this straight. He walks away from you, to keep you from seeing a side of him that he knows you won’t like? To protect you?” he asked.
I thought about it, and slowly nodded. “Like I said, he’s sweet.”
“I can understand that.” He said softly.
“Anyway I…I had a best friend named Trevor. I’ve known him since I was a little girl. I…” I hesitated, should I tell him?
“I promise I won’t tell anyone.” He said, seeming to read my thoughts.
I sighed. “I was…raped, in elementary. My history teacher had treated me…a little too differently from the other students. I was walking down the hall, going to walk home from detention, when he pulled me into the janitors’ closet and raped me. My friend Derik caught me limping home, and I made him promise not to tell a soul. He recently told Damian…and then I accidentally told everyone else in a blind rage.” I blushed.
“You…you were raped?” he asked quietly.
I shrugged. “Yeah. Anyway, Damian told Derik that he knew me better than Trevor, and…Derik told him, thinking it would be okay. Damian really hurt me and…I can’t bring myself to forgive him. Now my best friend feels betrayed that I didn’t tell him and…I’m alone.” I whispered.
Gabriel threw a friendly arm around my shoulders. “Well. How about this? You give me your number and I’ll give you mine, and whenever we need to talk, we’ll text or call one another. We’ll just rant until our hearts content.” He offered.
I looked at him, studying him for a few seconds. The wind blew from his direction and I immediately smelled wolf. I gasped, jumping up and getting away from him. “You’re wolf.”
He sighed. “Yeah. It’s kind of hard being a loner. I was thrown from the pack when I was nineteen. Apparently, I was unacceptable as a member.” He explained.
I sank down in the sand on my knees in front of him. “Really? Do you want to talk about it?” I asked him.
“Well you do owe me.” He joked. I smiled. “It started when I was eighteen, I had no family, they left me on the streets when I was thirteen. I came to the pack house for the evaluation, and Alpha Damian accepted me out of pity. A year later, as I was hunting, I was ambushed by a few vampires. They were too much for me to handle, so I howled. Damian had not been on the hunt with me, or anyone, for that matter. At the time I hadn’t known that it was unacceptable.” He explained, seeing my alarmed expression.
“What happened to make him throw you from the pack?” I asked him.
“Well, I kind of back talked him. He told me that I was stupid and that I shouldn’t have done it, and I told him that he should have been a better Alpha and told me we weren’t supposed to go out alone. I suppose he didn’t think about it, your parents are supposed to teach you the rules.” He said.
I nodded; my parents had told me many times never to go out alone.
“Well. I wasn’t taught that you were forbidden to speak to an outcast. Would you still like my number?” I asked him.
He smiled. “Sure.”
After exchanging numbers, I felt my hair and sighed in relief as I realized it was partially dry. “I probably should go. My brother gets worried when I don’t get home after school. I’ll call you.” I said.
“Yeah. I’ll just go hang with my stupid drunk friends.” He rolled his eyes.
I smiled. “You do that.”
I gathered my clothes and changed in the rooms, sighing as I caught a look at my hair; it was a big red mess, very attractive. I pulled it back into a messy ponytail and called it a day.
As I was walking out, a hand grabbed my arm and pulled me to the side. I wasn’t alarmed, I knew who it was before having to look at him. “Hi, Cat.” Damian said, his eyes dark and studying mine.
I pushed away from him, but he only pulled me closer. “We need to talk about this.” He whispered in my ear.
“We need to talk about nothing. I don’t want to talk to you, you’re a jerk and a liar.” I said, pushing away from him again, and having no luck of getting away.
“Okay, now we’re getting somewhere, what did I do?” he asked me.
I glared at him. “Remember how you “bumped” into Derik that day? Well when you “bumped” into Derik that day, did you, I don’t know, tell him that you knew me better than Trevor?” I asked him sweetly.
He tensed. “I might have said something like that.”
I now pushed away from him with enough force to push him back against the wall, quite a feat with how strong a hold on me he had. “You are scum! I don’t know why I ever even thought you wouldn’t hurt me again!” I shouted at him, stomping back to my car.
“I just wanted to get to know you, and I thought you wouldn’t tell me!” he said, chasing after me.
“Well you could have at least come to me and asked! I was willing to get to know you, Damian! And now I don’t even want to look at you!” I exclaimed.
He was suddenly in front of me, I bumped into him and his arms encircled my waist before I could fall. “Just hear me out. I love you, but I don’t know how to…show that love. You are everything to me now, I’m just not sure how to tell that to you. Please, I’ve been waiting so long for you, don’t take your love away from me before you’ve even given it a chance.” He was almost begging, his blue eyes pleading with mine.
I looked away before I could get lost in the ocean that was his eyes, but his hand gently pulled my face back up. I reached up and caressed his cheek in mine. “You’ll have to promise, whatever it is that you want to ask, you come to me.” I said softly, but sternly.
His mouth stretched up into a bright smile and he pulled me into him, hugging me close to him. “I promise.” He whispered.

Exertion my ass.

“Trevor, please talk to me!” I begged, almost having to run to keep up with him.
He kept his eyes forward through the halls and weaving through people, not acknowledging my presence. I huffed in frustration and touched his arm, and he jerked away as if I’d shocked him. I felt tears brim my eyes. “I thought you were my friend.” I whispered. When he didn’t answer I stopped trying to keep up with him, walking to gym without him by my side like he usually was.
I wiped my eyes and walked into the room, everyone turned their eyes to me, and they all became silent. It was like this all the time nowadays. They’d turn silent, and then they’d all whisper to each other about me. “that’s the girl that got raped when she was in elementary.” Or from the teachers, “poor girl has probably been through a lot through her life because of that.”
I ignored them and walked into the girls locker room, grabbing my shorts and stretchy T-shirt, I quickly changed and walked over to where everyone else sat. I sat down beside my pack members, Hailey, James, Gabe, Nala and Peter.
Hailey is a natural blonde, with chocolate brown eyes and a model figure. James is the Jock type, with dark brown, cropped, short hair, bright blue eyes, and an athletic build. Gabe is sort of the computer geek type; he has grassy green, intelligent-looking eyes, and bright red hair, I think he’s cute, in a brotherly sort of way. Nala is a good name for her, because it sounds just like her, she’s delicate, with a heart shaped face and chocolate brown hair framing it. She has hazel eyes that lean more toward green than brown, and she has a small figure. Peter is Nala’s mate, and they stick together like glue. Peter has muddy brown eyes, and is beefy, suggesting he works out a lot. His hair is brown, and he was automatically put in the football team as a courterback when he came here.
“Did you try talking to him?” Nala asked when I sat down.
I nodded. “He wouldn’t even look at me.” I said sadly.
Hailey sighed, her eyebrows furrowing. “He’s just being stubborn now. It’s been a week since he’s found out, if he were a true best friend, he’d understand.” She said.
I nodded. “I just need to give him a little time.”
“I think he’s just being stubborn.” Nala pouted.
I smiled. James, Hailey, Nala, Gabe, Peter and I have become good friends because we have several classes together. We’re always talking to each other through the pack bond, and getting each other in trouble when we laugh out loud at things we say.
We watched as Coach Lorre came in. The coach was hard headed and hardly ever cracked a smile, he reminded me of a drill sergeant.
“Alright children, today we have a new assignment.” Coach Lorre said, meeting eyes with each one of us. He met eyes with me and I thought I saw them soften for a split second before going hard again. “The principal thinks I’m being too hard on you, he suggested that I go easy on you, so, to acknowledge his suggestion, ten pushups, and twenty sit ups, after you run three laps on the track.” He said. A collective groan ran through the room, not including me and the pack.
Finally! A chance to use my strength! I thought with a smile.
‘Are you guys going to show off?’ Nala asked through the bond.
‘Hell yeah!’ we said in unison.
‘Okay, that was a little creepy, but I guess I’ll show off as well’ Nala said, a grin stretching on her face.
“Go!” coach said harshly.
James, Hailey, Peter and Nala skipped in front of me and Gabe, we were making a game plan. “We’re going to have to act exerted, I mean, after running the track, and doing pushups we’re going to have to, like, force ourselves to sweat or something.” Gabe said, smiling in amusement.
“Yeah, or we could just say our parents keep us very athletic.” I shrugged.
He laughed as we started running on the track. Gabe, Peter, Nala and I made it a race, Nala was winning. I growled and pushed myself harder, trying to keep in human speed as I passed Nala. She smiled at me.
I slowed to a jog as I reached the finish line, speeding up as I passed it. ‘you’d think being a werewolf would be a pain in the ass. But it’s awesome!” James exclaimed.
I smiled. ‘It has its drawbacks, like getting naked in front of God and everyone.’ Hailey muttered.
‘That can get annoying.’ Gabe said.
Before I realized what was going on, I passed the third lap and coach blew his whistle, “Harington! Ten pushups!” he yelled.
I skipped to the middle, exaggerating my breathing and hoping I was sweating. The heat helped with that, exertion may not get me to sweat, but the heat will.
I dropped on the ground, counting under my breath. One, two, three, four, five, six…
Coach blew his whistle again. “Harington! Sit ups! Twenty!”
I got on my back and started counting. One, two, three, four, five six, seven eight, nine, ten…
It was very simple, I didn’t know what the big fuss was, sit up, touch your toes, lay down, sit up, touch your toes, lay down, and so on and so forth.
When I got to twenty, my breathing was only slightly labored, and I felt like I’d really worked out my muscles.
I sat on the sidelines and leaned back, watching as a James, Hailey, Peter, Gabe, and Nala moved to the center and did pushups, and sit ups.
I felt his presence before he could sit down. Damian plopped down beside me and threw his arm around my waist. “Impressive, and I like the outfit.” He said in my ear.
I smiled and looked down at my white shirt and black short shorts. “It was the only thing I had that could be used for gym.” I explained.
“I like it, it shows off your long, beautiful legs.” He said, stroking the tip of his finger down my thigh.
I felt a rush of heat in private places and shivered, slapping his hand away. “Damian!” I admonished in a loud whisper.
I heard his deep chuckle and he placed a light kiss on my neck. “I like the way you say my name.” he whispered.
“Damian, we are in the middle of the track yard, with thirty people in view, don’t you think this is a little inappropriate? And speaking of, shouldn’t you be at practice?” I asked him as his hand covered part of my thigh.
“This is very inappropriate, and I took a break.” He said.
“Then why is your hand practically up my shorts?” I asked him flatly.
“Because I like to tease you.” he said, placing soft kisses on my neck.
I felt his breath hit my neck in a silent laugh as I shivered. He removed his hand from my thigh and lifted his head from where it sat between my neck and shoulder, grasping my hand in his. “Thank you.” I sighed in relief.
“Oh, I’m not being civil just yet.” He said, amusement coloring his tone.
I looked over and opened my mouth to ask what he meant and he smashed his lips to mine. He tightened his arm around my waist, thrusting his tongue into my still open mouth. Coach blew his whistle. “Harington! Villain! Does this look like a make out session?” Coach yelled.
I quickly pushed Damian away and blushed deeply. “Sorry Coach Lorre!” I yelled back. I looked at Damian, who now held an innocent face and glared. “Do you think you can try to control yourself for a few minutes?” I hissed.
He smiled and shook his head. “No.” And he kissed the tip of my nose and got up, jogging back over for football practice. I rolled my eyes and sighed. I looked back out at the track to see everyone was just about done with the exercise. James, Nala, and Peter were grinning at me, walking over to where I sat. “I guess Damian couldn’t get enough of your sexy ass.” Peter joked, making Nala laugh and push his shoulder playfully.
I laughed. “Apparently not.”
I got up as everyone headed to the locker rooms to shower. Grabbing my gym bag on the way, I stripped and showered all the grime and sweat from my body. After finally getting clean, I got my clothes on and packed my dirty ones in my bag. As I walked out of the locker rooms, my vision blurred. I leaned back on the wall and shook my head of the sudden dizziness that was threatening to overtake me, putting my hand on my forehead as a sharp pain made it ache.
As quickly as it came, it went away, and I was aware of Nala and Hailey’s concerned faces in front of me. “Are you alright? You looked kind of pale for a second.” Hailey said, feeling my forehead for fever.
“I-I’m fine. I just had a dizzy spell…I think.” I said, my voice unsure.
“Have you ever had these dizzy spells before?” Peter asked, coming up beside Nala.
I shook my head slowly. “No…I don’t think so. I think I’m okay, must have been from the exertion.” I said, not believing myself as I said it.
“Exertion my ass.” Nala said, making me smile slightly.
James and Gabe walked over, unaware of what happened. I pushed myself from the wall and took a step, and that’s when the dizzy spells came back, only with more force. I felt myself falling, but just before I hit the ground, I blacked out.

Oh my God you're pregnant!

I awoke lying on sand. I could hear the faint sound of waves hitting the shore. I stared at the sky above me, trying to remember how I got here. I slowly sat up, realizing that I didn’t recognize this place. Behind me was forest, and in front of me was endless sea.
“Ah, you’re awake, my child. I was afraid that I’d put you a little too far into your mind and I’d have to find you in limbo.” I heard a soft, tinkling voice murmur beside me.
I looked over to find a woman, maybe twenty years old, she had golden blonde hair down to her waist, and navy blue eyes. Her skin was extremely pale, and yet it only made her more beautiful. Her lips were red as blood, and they contrasted surprisingly well with her skin tone.
She wore a wispy white dress, with a gossamer train blowing in the wind. She looked so familiar, I knew I had seen her before, but where?
“You must be confused.” The woman smiled a blinding white smile. “I would be too if I had woken up in a place I didn’t know, with a woman I hadn’t met.”
“But I have met you I…I know I have.” I said, standing up without trouble.
The woman’s smile softened and she walked closer. I felt no fear of her; I was just very confused as to where I’d seen her before. “Yes, you met me when you were being created. Your spirit accepted me; I am part of you, Cat. I am the Wolven Goddess.” She said.
The shock hit me like a physical slap. I stumbled back a step, feeling physical pain. “Don’t try to process it.” She said, her tone warning. “You are unconscious right now, and it’s dangerous to try and process emotions while in this state, it causes physical pain because you are inside your mind, this is all a projection, even me.” She said.
“So…you aren’t real?” I asked her.
She smiled and shook her head. “No, we’ll meet in the real world, but for now, It is time I tell you who you are.” She said.
She stepped forward and grasped my hands in hers. “You are my chosen one. When your spirit and I met, I knew you would be brave, sweet, courageous, and very protective of your family. So I offered to become part of you, to be part of your soul. Your spirit was honored, it accepted immediately.” She explained.
“So what did my spirit look like?” I asked, curiosity getting the best of me.
“It’s your inner wolf, Lorry. Her spirit was waiting for you to be created.” She informed me.
I smiled. “Wow.”
“So now is the time that I tell you.” her smiled faded, her expression turning serious. “There is a war coming against the coven of vampires near you, and the blades-of-blood pack. But they will not attack when they see you.” she said.
“Why not?”
A small smile returned to her face and she looked out at the ocean. “There is something is not told in the history of wolves.” She said. “When I was so lonely, I asked the greatest God of all, the God who created us, if I could create a creature who could see me as I was. He told me that I could only create these creatures, if I created a natural predator and prey for them. It was only natural that I accepted. These creatures were vampires. They worshipped me like you do, but they are natural enemies of you.” She explained.
I nodded. “So that’s now the vampire knew you had returned?” I asked.
“Exactly.” She said, looking back over at me.
I hesitated, my mind going back to Damian. “I was wondering…why did you mate Damian and I? I do not carry Alpha blood.” I said.
“My daughter, I created Damian with the purpose of joining you together. He is your rock, and you his anchor. And you do have Alpha blood. Your family comes from a long generation of Alpha’s, but the generation died off when another pack took over and the youngest son took his place as Alpha.” She explained.
I stared ahead, fighting back my feelings of shock. “I hadn’t known.”
She put her hand on my shoulder and turned to me, putting her hand on my cheek. “My power is weakening. I need to send you back. Just remember, make sure he sees you.”
“Who?” I asked as my vision started to fade.
“You’ll know when the time comes.” she said, lying me back down on the sand where I’d woken before.
“Goodbye, my daughter.” She said softly.
I closed my eyes, and once again, blacked out.

I opened my eyes and ocean blue ones swam into my view. I was lying on the cold gym floor, Damian leaning over me. Behind him I could see the others, Nala, Peter, James, Gabe Hailey…and looking over their shoulders was Trevor.
“Cat.” Dan sighed in relief. “What happened?”
I reached up and grasped his arms, pulling myself to sit up. Realizing what I was doing, he wrapped an arm around my waist and helped me, settling me against the wall. I didn’t feel dizzy, I didn’t even feel like I’d passed out, I felt like been awake and alert the entire time…just unaware of reality.
“I think I need to go home.” I told Damian, giving him a pointed stare, telling him that I needed to speak with him.
He nodded once. “Harington, you okay?” Coach, who was standing a few feet away asked.
I looked at him and nodded. “Yeah, I think I just exerted myself, and I didn’t bring any water with me.” I lied.
He nodded, his eyes taking in my expression with suspicion shining in his eyes. “Should I call your parents?”
“No!” I said too quickly. “I mean…they’re at work. I’ll just get a ride home with Damian, if that’s okay.” I said.
“No, that’s fine. Damian, that okay with you?”
Damian barely even glanced at Coach Lorre, keeping his eyes on mine as he pulled me up to a standing position. “That’s fine.” He murmured, his voice slow and calculating.

On the way home, we were silent. He glanced at me every few seconds, but I kept my eyes forward. When we finally pulled up to the pack house, he turned to me. “What happened?”
“You remember when Riley got attacked by that vampire?” I asked instead of answering him.
“Yes, but what does that have-“
“And he said that the Wolven Goddess had returned?”
“Yes, but Cat what-“
“He was right. I don’t know how to explain this, so I’ll just let you see.”
I closed my eyes and let the barrier down, letting him into my mind. I heard his intake of breath as I let the memories race through my mind. His hand that hadn’t let go of mine since we left, slowly slackened from its tight hold as he listened.
I looked at him when the memory ended, closing my mind from him once again.
His eyes had been unfocused, and they immediately focused on me when I closed my mind from him. “So you are the one the Wolven Goddess chooses.” He whispered. “And you have Alpha blood in you.” he said a little louder this time, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
I nodded. “Apparently so.”
My mind went back to what she told me. ‘He is your rock, and you his anchor.’ I looked up, realizing that Damian had gotten out of the car. He pulled my door open for me and reached his hand in to help me out.
As soon as I was out of the car, he’d pulled me close to him and scooped me up in his arms. “Hey!” I laughed this time.
“Do not worry my lady!” he said dramatically, swooping me into the doorway. “You will not be harmed in your weak state!”
I slapped his chest, laughing as I he looked at me with mock worry. “Oh thank you my prince charming. I was afraid I would have fainted again.” I gasped, dramatically putting the back of my hand to my forehead and leaning my head back.
He smiled at my theatrics and walked over to the couch, laying me down gently. “Allow me to be your humble servant while you recover.” He said, getting on his knees and clasping his hands together under his chin.
I rolled my eyes and leaned over, kissing the tip of his nose. “You do enough for me already.” I whispered.
He grinned and grasped my chin. “You missed.” He whispered back.
He moved my face down and pressed his lips softly to mine. When he pulled away, he looked passed me and his grin came back. I looked over and realized my parents stood in the doorway to the kitchen. Daddy had his arms crossed over his chest, looking like the protective father I knew and loved, and mom was looking at us both with an inquisitive expression on her face.
“Sweetheart, why aren’t you at school?” she asked me.
Before I could answer, Damian answered before me, “She fainted in gym and I brought her home.”
“Are you alright?” mom asked in alarm.
I smiled. “I’m fine. It’s a little hard to explain, so you might want to sit down.” I said.
They sat down and stared at me expectantly as they waited for me to explain. I hesitated, wondering where to begin. Damian sat down beside me and squeezed my hand, smiling in reassurance. "Well-"

"Oh my God! You're pregnant, aren't you?" mom gasped before I could even begin to explain.

I snorted a laugh and rolled my eyes. "Why the hell would I be pregnant?"

"Well...you fainted in Gym, you're being very civil with Damian, he carried you into the house-" mom ticked off reasons on her fingers.

"Mom!" i inturrupted. "I'm not pregnant. I'm the chosen one of the Wolven Goddess."

At this, they both gasped.

***

Okay, so I completed a bunch of chapters in between writing Inner Animal. Please friend me if you'd like to know when I update, and please comment to tell me what you think! Don't hesitate to be a critic!

Part ten: Fine then, I'll dress like a girl.

Damian pulled me into his room, and I was slightly nervous. My parents left after getting a call from work – they were on a break and came here for lunch when we got home from school. They were a little apprehensive about leaving me alone in the house with Damian, but they decided they didn’t have much control over me anymore since I was eighteen and Damian was my mate.

I looked around; Damian’s room was just as I’d expected it, neat and clean. For being a controlling bastard – most of the time – he was always clean. The walls were dark green, the floors, a dark kind of reddish-brown color. His bed was a large, queen size, with an intimidating, dark brown, slay bed, bedframe. A dresser that matched the headboard perfectly sat against the wall across from the bed.

“This is…nice.” I said slowly.

I looked over at him and realized he was leaning against the pane of his window, watching me with dark eyes and a strange expression. “Thank you.”

I walked over to the bed and touched the smooth, shiny wood of the headboard. “You sure do keep things organized.” I commented.

“I’m an organized person…or I was until I met you.” He said, a grin beginning to form on his lips.

“What did I do?” I asked, trying to think over all my encounters with him in my mind, to find something that I said that changed him.

“When you entered my life, my once perfectly organized, file cabinet of a mind became nothing but a mess of confetti. You shredded any other thoughts and threw them into the back of my mind. Meaning that I could think of nothing but you, and I still can’t. It’s frustrating and…wonderful.” He said softly. “For the first and last time, I’m in absolute, unconditional love. I don’t understand what I’m feeling most of the time; this is all so new to me.” His grin softened into a light smile.

“What do you mean last time?” I asked him.

“I mean that I probably won’t be falling in love again – at least like this – for the rest of my life.” He said.

I almost couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Before I’d met the pack, I’d been told that Damian was a fierce, strict, and very dangerous Alpha, with a heart like stone and a face to match. I hadn’t known he’d be so handsome and…so sweet. My mind was swimming with thoughts and emotions, going so fast around my head that I couldn’t process them. Before I realized that he’d crept closer, he had an arm around my waist and was prying my hand from the headboard, which I’d had a white knuckled grip on. “Cat, you look a little pale.” He said softly, but I could hear worry behind the gentle tone.

“I-I’m okay. I just…this is a lot to take in.” I said, pushing away from him.

Did I even want a relationship? I’d been told I was loved before, but I was never told I was loved like…that. I’d been figuratively stabbed in the heart so much that it was bleeding and damaged, and its feelings were jumbled. I had no idea what to feel around people that wanted more than friendship. And even then…I was afraid. The only reason Trevor ever got to be my friend, let alone my best friend, was because he never gave up. He’d talk to me, even when I never talked back. Eventually, I warmed up to him. And now look where he was, he wouldn’t even look at me now.

“Cat, I won’t hurt you like that.” Damian said softly, as if reading my mind.

“How do you know that?” I asked in a whisper.

“Because I care about you, I want to be with you, I want to love you in a way the others never did. I want to be your friend, your companion, and your lover. I want to be there for you when you’re hurting, even when my anger for those who hurt you struggles to take control. I won’t walk away from you again.” He promised, grasping my shoulders and pulling me close to him again.

I resisted him once again, pushing my hands against his chest, but this time he wouldn’t let me go. “That’s what Trevor said. Trevor promised he would be there for me…but look at him now.” I said.

“I’m not Trevor, nor am I Carter or Laurence. I won’t Hurt you.” he insisted, staring into my eyes.

I sighed and pushed away from him once more. This time he let me go without a fight. “I’m sorry…I just can’t.” I whispered.

“Wait.” His voice stopped me as I touched the handle to his door. “Please…don’t go. Stay with me…if not as my lover, than as my friend.” He said softly.

I turned, surprise the dominant emotion on my face. I’d never heard his voice so…desperate. He was usually so confident, so cocky in his ways. His eyebrows were furrowed, his lips turned down in a small frown. I could see the hurt on his face, and immediately felt guilt overwhelm my fear of being hurt. I hadn’t meant to hurt him.

“Okay.” I whispered gently.

His face immediately brightened and he smiled. He walked over and grabbed my hand. “We can just talk until everyone gets home from school.” He said.

We both fell on the bed, and he put his hands behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. We sat in silence, both of us waiting for the other to say something. “Damian?” I whispered.

“Yeah.” he whispered back.

“Tell me something about you that no one knows.” I said softly.

“Okay… My mom and dad aren’t my biological parents.” He said softly back.

I thought about that for a moment before looking at Damian. “When did you find out?”

“When I met my real parents…at the cemetery.”

Before I realized what I was doing, I turned on my side and cuddled into him, putting my hand on his chest. “I’m sorry, Damian.”

He wrapped an arm around my waist to keep me there. “I was saddened…but I didn’t know them. My parents never even hinted that I was not loved because I wasn’t theirs, even with my brother-“

“You have a brother?” I asked.

He smiled. “Yes. His name is Victor. He lives in New York, decided to have his own life instead of living with the pack. He comes to visit every once in a while.”

“Does he have a mate?”

“No.”

“Oh. I hope to meet him someday, and your parents.” I said, resting my head on his shoulder and closing my eyes.

“You will, love.” He promised, tightening his arm around me.

I realized the position we were in wasn’t one of friends, I’d meant it for comfort…but I was so comfortable and warm here…I didn’t want to move. “Cat…?”

“Yeah, Damian?”

“Why are you afraid of letting me be with you?”

I sucked in a deep breath and let it out in a whoosh. “Because…every time I let someone into my life I screw up, or…they screw up.”

“You could never screw up; your faults only make me love you more. And as for me screwing up…” he paused for a minute, staring into my eyes. “I won’t.”

The way he said it, with so much conviction and honesty, the way his eyes were so earnest, I knew he wouldn’t. I put my hand on his cheek and smiled slightly. “I know.”

He tightened his arm and pulled me up so he could press his lips to my forehead. This was when I realized that I wasn’t just afraid to be hurt, I was afraid of losing Damian. Everyone I ever let into my life leaves me. Trevor, the only one I ever truly let into my life, won’t even talk to me now.

I was afraid of living life because of my past. I sighed and closed my eyes again, placing a soft kiss on his neck. “I’m sorry. I’m just…I’m just afraid, you know?” I asked him softly.

“I know, Love.” He pulled my face up and placed a soft kiss on my lips. “I know.”

I smiled and cuddled closer to him, he lifted his arm and played with my hair, it was so soft and comforting that I felt myself drifting off to sleep in his arms.

“Cat…wake up, Love.” I struggled awake to the sound of Damian’s deep voice.

I opened my eyes and looked up at him, meeting his bright blue eyes. “Hmm?” I asked on a sigh as I stretched my arms above me.

He was leaning over me, one arm on each side of me. “Everyone is home from school. I’ve explained to them why you passed out, but there is someone I’d like you to meet.” He said, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips.

I nodded slightly. “Alright.”

He helped me up from the bed, but as soon as I was standing, he pulled me into him and pressed his lips to mine. I ran my hands up his chest and played with the hairs on the nape of his neck with one hand, while the other tangled into his hair.

He pulled away and smiled, his breathing only slightly heavy. “Let’s go before they think we ran away.”

“Wait…who?” I asked as he pulled me through the door.

He chuckled, stopping and combing his fingers through my hair and pressing his lips to my forehead. “You’ll see, love.”

I’d never seen him so happy. He was smiling hugely, and his eyes were twinkling with delight. He pulled me downstairs and I stopped cold as two people, a man and a woman, looked up from where they conversed with the pack.

The woman had chocolate brown eyes. The man had raven sandy blonde hair. The man was handsome, and didn’t look a day over twenty. The woman looked more like nineteen. They both looked up and smiled when we entered.

“Damian, she is more beautiful than I imagined!” The woman said.

I was suddenly tackled in a hug with inhuman speed. It took a lot to keep myself on my feet, but I managed. “We’ve been waiting for Damian to find you!” she squealed in my ear.

She had me in a bear hug, and I was afraid I was going to suffocate. “Mom, you’re going to suffocate her!” Damian said in alarm as I frantically pat her back.

She let me go and I sucked in a deep breath. Damian pulled me into his side, smiling in amusement. “I’m alright.” I said when I caught my breath.

“Cat, this wonderful woman is Julianne, my mother. And this is my father, Cameron. Dad, Mom, this is Cat, my mate.” Damian introduced.

Damian’s father, Cameron, stood and walked toward me, he stopped a few feet away and looked me over, he then looked up and met my eyes. After a few long seconds, he smiled and looked at Damian. “I like her.”

Damian smiled brightly. “So where is Victor?” he asked them.

Mom and dad looked around, as if looking for someone. “He was here a second ago; he might’ve gone out to the car to get something.” Cameron said.

I looked up at Damian in confusion, his brother? “My parents heard about my finding you, and called Victor, who decided to fly home.” He explained softly.

“Okay, who has my-“ a man, probably Damian’s age came in, and he stopped speaking as soon as he saw me. I had a wave of déjà vu.

“Victor, this is my mate-“

“Cat.” Victor smiled.

“Vic! Who’d have known it was you!” I laughed.

We walked towards each other and pulled me into a big affectionate bear hug. “How long’s it been, Cat? Has to have been three years, right?” he asked when he set me down.

I nodded. “Right! The vacation to New York was three years ago. God, it’s good to see you!”

“Cat…you know Victor?” Damian asked from behind me.

I turned to Damian with a smile. “I took a Vacation to New York with mom a few years ago. Vic and I ran into each other at the train station, so, being a fellow wolf, he decided to show me around!” I explained.

“And you didn’t think to ask what pack he was a part of?” Damian asked, his voice getting dark.

I shrugged. “It didn’t cross my mind. Besides, it’s not like he hurt me or anything. We actually became good friends.”

“And apparently you’re going to be my sister, huh?” he nudged me.

I laughed and punched his shoulder. “And then you’ll have to deal with me for more than just a week.”

“Cat, can I speak with you for a second?” Damian asked, and I recognized the voice, he was in Alpha mode.

I looked at him in confusion, but shrugged. “Okay.”

He pulled me through the kitchen and out the back door, only stopping when we reached the far end of the porch. “Are you insane?” he asked incredulously when he turned to me.

I furrowed my eyebrows. “What’s your problem, Damian?”

“You met a strange wolf, in a strange city, and just let him take you by the arm and show you around alone?”

“Obviously he wasn’t that strange, it was your brother, Damian, and that was a long time ago.”

“You’re not seeing my point here. Every wolf you meet that is not affiliated with this pack is a danger. No matter who it is, if you meet one, he is likely to tell his pack, and they will kill you on sight.” He growled.

I glared at him. “Well it’s not like I’m going to be talking to any other wolves anytime soon! That was a one-time thing! It’s not like I’m going to go waltzing up to a wolf and say ‘hi! I’m new here, can you show me around?’ I’m not that stupid, Damian!”

“Apparently you are because you did it once!” he snarled, his eyes turning black.

This stopped me from speaking. I stared at him in hurt. “I’m so glad you think of me that way, Damian.” I said, my tone dripping with sarcasm.

His eyes faded back to blue and I immediately saw the regret in his eyes. “Cat, you know I didn’t mean that.” He sighed.

“No, actually I don’t know that, Damian.” I said, turning and walking away.

“Cat, where are you going?” he grabbed my arm, spinning me around.

“I’m walking home, or do you think I’m too stupid? Do you think I’ll catch a ride with a strange wolf?”

I ripped my arm from his grasp and kept walking. I pulled out my phone to call Trevor, but realized Trevor was here, and probably didn’t want to speak to me. I sighed and called my brother instead, I wasn’t walking the full hour.

“Hello.” My brothers’ voice came in on the other line.

“Hey, do you think you can pick me up? I’m at the pack house.” I said.

“How did you get there, don’t you have your car?” Riley asked.

I sighed. “I, uhm, I took a ride with Damian.” I muttered.

“Ah.” He seemed to understand.

“Yeah.”

“I’ll be right there.”

“Thanks, squirt.”

“Yeah, yeah, twerp.” He muttered.

A few minutes after I disconnected with Riley, I got a call…from Trevor. I bit my lip as I saw the ID, wondering if I should answer it. I sighed, no reason not to.

“Hey.”

“Cat…where are you? Damian said you had an emergency and you had to leave.” Trevor said.

“Well it’s not like you would care. I mean my own best friend shouldn’t care about my wellbeing, should he?” I hadn’t meant to say it, but my anger and frustration got the better of me.

I heard his sigh. “Cat…I’m sorry, alright? I just felt betrayed. I felt lied to. You were able to tell Derik…but not your own best friend? I mean, how does someone deal with that?”

I felt my anger heighten. “Well if you would have talked to me instead of jumping to conclusions I would have told you what really happened! Derik would have been the last person on earth to know about it, but he happened to find me walking home that day with blood all over me! I made him promise me that he’d never, ever, under any circumstances tell a soul. I didn’t want anyone to know about this because I was a stupid eleven year old girl. What, did you expect me to just walk up to you and say, ‘hey, I was raped yesterday, just so you know?’ That’s not how it works, Trevor.” And I disconnected.

I was angry, not just angry, I was frustrated and having the forest around me was making Lorry anxious. She wanted to run. Screw running with a pack; I didn’t care if the vampires found me. I walked into the forest and stripped my clothes off, shifting into my wolf form. I shook out my dark red coat and sank my claws into the damp earth beneath me. I felt Lorry smile at the freedom. We took off running, both of us feeling exhilarated as the wind blew by.

I ran until I reached a clearing and skidded to a stop, digging my claws into the ground to slow me down. It was a huge clearing, with a large hill. I trotted to the top of the hill and leisurely sank down on my haunches, watching as two, pure white birds landed in front of me and watched curiously. I leaned my head down close to one of the birds and sniffed at it. It surprised me that it didn’t fly away, it took my scrutiny bravely. I slowly cocked my head to the side and the bird mimicked my movement. Its pitch black eyes were more intelligent than I expected.

The bird looked sharply behind me and flew away with a warning call to its companion, whom flew off with him. I spun around, just in time to be hit by a body. We went rolling down the hill, scratching, snarling, and biting at each other every chance we got. The vampire was strong, but I was stronger, when we rolled to a stop at the bottom of the hill, he bit into my neck and I howled in pain. I rolled on top of him and pinned him down with my paws, snarling in his face.

“Stop, young one. Do not kill the boy.” The Wolven Goddesses voice echoed in my head and I blinked a few times.

The vampires face turned from anger to realization, and then pleading. “Do not punish me, Wolven Goddess, for I did not know.” He begged.

“I will not punish you, my son. You may go and tell your coven of what you’ve seen.” The words came out of my wolf mouth, the voice was mine, but the words weren’t.

I slowly backed off of the vampire boy, and he sat up. He quickly scrambled to his feet and bowed from the waist. “Thank you, my dear mother.” He said quickly.

The vampire scurried from the clearing, and I sat down to lick my wounds. But before I even lifted my bleeding paw, I was tackled again. I yelped in pain as I was pinned down by non-other than Damian.

‘Are you insane? You could have gotten yourself killed!’ he snarled through the bond.

I wriggled a little bit and snarled at him. ‘I was fine!’

‘I swear if you weren’t my mate I’d-‘

‘You’d what? Outcast me? Tell me I was a fool and send me off like you did with Gabriel?’ I snapped.

His gaze darkened. ‘How did you know about that?’

‘You can’t keep everything from me, Damian. I’m not stupid.” I pushed him off of me and got up, shaking myself off. “I met him at the beach. He told me about your little…confrontation.’ I said.

I trotted up the hill, wincing as pain shot through my healing paw, causing a small limp. ‘That was necessary, I had to assert dominance, he called me an incompetent Alpha.’

‘Yeah, well did you ever stop to think maybe he was right?’ I asked without turning.

He didn’t answer.

I stopped and turned to look at him. And he stared at me with unreadable eyes. ‘Every day.’ He whispered.

This shocked me. I hadn’t meant for my words to be so harsh, and it seemed I’d struck a nerve. ‘Listen, I didn’t mean that. I-I’m sorry. I have to go.’ I muttered.

I turned away from him and took off up the hill, running to the other side and into the forest where my clothes hung from a branch. I shifted and slipped my clothes on, wincing as the gash on my wrist healed the rest of the way, a healing wound hurts like hell. The bite marks on my neck healed a while ago.

I walked out of the forest just as Riley came speeding down the road. He skidded to a stop after zooming passed me and jumped out of the car. “What are you doing out here?” he asked me.

“I couldn’t stay at the house.” I shrugged.

“You have dirt on your face and arms.” He said suspiciously.

“My wolf wanted to run…and I kind of got attacked by a vampire-“

“What?” he yelled.

“I’ll tell you later, can we just go home?” I asked him pleadingly.

His lips pressed into a thin line, but he nodded. “Fine.”

He walked me to the car and opened the door for me. I thanked him and jumped in. Riley was walking around the car when his phone rang. He gave me the one minute sign when he answered. I sighed and opened the sun shade, planning to check my face in the mirror. I grimaced; it looked like someone threw mud in my face. I couldn’t imagine what my legs looked like.

My hair was tangled and messy. I sighed, searching through Riley’s glove compartment for the brush I knew he had. The boy cared more for his hair than he did his own life.

“Ah-ha!” I exclaimed when I found it, buried at the back.

I looked back up at the mirror and yelped as a face came into view behind me. “Hello dear. I just had to see for myself. My son was so excited that he had to be telling the truth. It seems he was.” The vampire was hiding it’s scent. How it got into the car without me hearing it was beyond me.

“So you’re going to leave my pack alone?” I asked him, my voice and eyes guarded.

“Ah, yes, you see it’s more complicated than that, dear Goddess. They killed my daughter. She was the only female I had left in the coven, and now, I’m afraid, I must get my revenge.”

I spun around in my seat to look at him, but he was nowhere to be seen. The driver’s side door slamming shut startled me and I looked at Riley. He cocked his head to the side at my expression.

“What’s wrong, sis?” he asked me.

“I-I…nothing.” I mumbled.

I looked in the mirror, just to make sure, but he wasn’t there either. I ran the brush through my hair, staring at the mirror in thoughtful silence as I did.


I got home and practically fell on the couch, groaning in relief at the beautiful, comfortable leather. Mom and dad were gone, and Riley told me he had to so see Lily, so I was home alone, and I couldn’t be happier. I haven’t been alone in a long time, and sometimes, both Lorry and I craved alone time.

I closed my eyes and started humming a song that my mom used to sing to me when I was little. These Little Dreams is what she called it. She played the piano for a while and loved to compose her own songs. I’d sit beside her while she composed them, and she’d teach me how to play them…


I was dragged awake by my alarm clock, and I groaned. I threw my pillow over my head to drown out the sound, and sighed when it didn’t work. I slammed my hand down on the snooze button and smiled slightly at the silence that emanated through the room. A knock sounded at my door. “Sweetheart, it’s about time for school.” Mom said.

I groaned and started beating myself in the face with my pillow. “No! school can die a horrible death for all I care!” I exclaimed.

I heard her soft laugh as it faded down the hall. I sat up and immediately pulled my hair back, tying it up with the hair band around my wrist. I jumped from the bed and walked into my closet, humming happily to myself as I unconsciously went for my tom boy clothes. A hand caught my wrist just before I touched the shirt.

“What did I say about that?” Damian’s voice was dark and playfully threatening in my ear.

I turned and glared at him. “I’m not your slave, and I can wear what I want.” I insisted, trying to remove my hand from his grasp, it only tightened.

“As I recall, that was an order.” He smirked.

I growled and ripped my wrist from his grasp. “Fine. Get out so I can change.” I ordered.

He smiled, touched his hand to his forehead and brought it down in two swirls, bowing slightly from the waist. “As you wish, my love.”

I waited until I was sure he left before smiling an evil smile. He wants me to dress like a girl? Fine then, I'll dress like a girl.

I grabbed a short black skirt from the shelf above the hanging rod, it reached about mid-thigh and it was something I wouldn’t have touched with a ten foot pole…until now, that is. I put on a low cut, white shirt that was so see-through it needed an undershirt, and to top it all off, a pair of black, leather, knee high boots.

I poked my head out of the closet door, making sure Damian wasn’t in the room, before flouncing out. I sat down at my vanity and picked up my eye shadow, brushing on a smoky eye look with perfect precision. I put on some black eyeliner and mascara, shouldered my bag, and sashayed out of the room. The blinds were open all over the house, bright, golden light filtering in. Mom had a duster in her hand, humming beautifully to herself as she swept gracefully by.

“Going on a cleaning spree, mom?” I asked her as I grabbed an apple.

“The house is a mess! And it’s almost spring, spring cleaning is very important.” She said.

I smiled and rolled my eyes. The house wasn’t at all dirty, every nook and cranny was spotless. Mom actually looked at me for the first time. “Goodness me! You look like those girls you always talk about…what do you call them?” she asked me.

“A slut?” I asked hopefully.

“No…a tramp, that was what you called them.” She said.

Damn. Tramps weren’t as bad as sluts, I was planning on making Damian angry, I guess this would have to suffice. I shot mom a salute and headed out the door, Riley must have stayed over at the pack house; I didn’t see his car. I did see a sleek, black, sexy-looking motorcycle sitting in front of the house, Damian leaned on my car.

“What the hell are you wearing?” he asked incredulously as I approached.

I gave him a fake pout. “You wanted me to dress like a girl, remember?” I asked him, running the tips of my fingers across his chest as I passed.

He growled and his eyes flashed black for a split second before he gained control again. “I didn’t mean dress like that!” he growled.

I batted my eyelashes at him and blew him a kiss as I got in the car. “See you at school, my love.” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

I slammed my door closed, slid the key in the engine and smiled as it roared at me. I sped away from the curb, leaving Damian standing there.

I laughed maniacally and turned the radio on. Best. Day. Ever.

Part Eleven: Who?

I pulled into the school parking lot, expecting to have a lot of stares today with what my outfit looked like. I suddenly felt a little regretful about what I was wearing. I’d meant to make Damian mad, I didn’t want men groping me every chance they got, and they probably would.

I took a deep breath and got out of the car, opening the back door so I could get my bag. A few jocks walking by whistled, some did this weird man bark. I ignored them all and walked up to the school. “Cat I needed- what the hell are you wearing?” Trevor half yelled, stopping me as I reached my locker.

“I’m trying to make Damian mad. It’s a long story and I’d rather not repeat it.” I muttered.

“You look like a slut!” he was whispering loudly now.

I rolled my eyes. “That’s the point dumbass.”

“Fine. Anyway I need to talk to you.” He said.

“I don’t want to talk.” I said, grabbing my books from my locker and slamming it shut.

“Well I do.” He grabbed me by the arm as I turned to leave. “Would you please just listen?”

I crossed my arms and leaned against one of the lockers, waiting impatiently. “I’m sorry, alright? I felt betrayed, but I was stupid about it, I was angry at you.” He sighed. “You remember when we went to the beach that time, we threw each other in the water, and we were so tired afterwards that we just laid in the sand staring up at the sky for a while?” he asked me.

This brought a small smile to my lips. “You told me to promise you that we would be best friends forever, that we would tell each other everything, and that nothing could break us apart.” I murmured.

“I partially broke that promise, I let something break us apart.” He said softly.

“And I kind of broke that promise before I even agreed. I’m sorry Trevor, I couldn’t tell you.” I mumbled.

The bell rang before he could answer and I sighed. “See you in History.” I said.

Damian caught up with me just as I was grabbing the door handle to science class. He grabbed me by the arm, his eyes were dark and his muscles were tense under his black, tight shirt.

“You’re either going to change willingly, or I’m going to make you.” he growled.

I smiled sweetly. “Whatever do you mean, Damian? I’m just dressing the way you asked me to dress.” I said innocently.

I pushed the door to my class open and heard a lot of whistling, and Damian growl. I ignored them all and sashayed over to my desk, sitting down and crossing my legs. Damian sat gracefully down beside me, still angry.

“When I asked you to dress like a girl I didn’t mean like a slut girl!” he whispered to me.

“Oh so you asked me now? I could have sworn you ordered me!” I snapped in a whisper.

“I’m not kidding, Cat, I want you to change.” He growled.

“Sorry, can’t do that.” I crossed my arms over my chest and leaned back in my chair.

His fists clenched and he growled low in his throat. “Why. Not?” he asked me slowly.

“I don’t have anything to change into.” I said simply.

Before he could answer, Mrs. Laurence came in and she smiled at the class. “Hello class.” She looked at Damian. “Damian.” She said by way of greeting.

I rolled my eyes. She’d been flirting with Damian since he came here. “Hello Mrs. Laurence.” Damian nodded politely, taking my hand atop the table for everyone to see. I ripped my hand from his. I wasn’t being very friendly to him right now. “Now class, the school has enacted a new role call system. Basically, if your name is on this clip board in my hand, I call it, if you don’t answer; you’re deemed absent, got it?” She said.

She started calling names, it was in alphabetical order, so I was the fifth called. I was busy arguing with Damian, so I didn’t hear her the first time.

“Ms. Harington!” she slammed her fist on the counter in front of me.

I jumped and looked up at her. “Yeah?”

“Will you please tell me you’re here so I can get on with this stupid assignment and start the class?” She said in a tightly controlled voice.

I raised an eyebrow. “Here,” I quipped.

She smiled and went on calling names. I rolled my eyes and leaned back, crossing my arms tightly over my chest. “You can borrow clothes from Lily.” He growled at me under his breath.

“Fine, will it make you happy?” I asked him in an angry voice.

“Yes, very much so.”


On my way to history, Trevor and Melody caught up with me. “What’s with the outfit?” Melody asked me.

“Damian made me angry, so I decided to make him angry.” I shrugged.

Melody smiled. “You guys go at it like cats and dogs.” She muttered.

“Hey Melody, you wouldn’t happen to have some clothes I could change into, would you?” I asked her.

She handed me her back pack. “I always have an extra for emergencies.”

“Thanks Mel!” I called, running for the bathroom.

I pulled out some skinny jeans and an off the shoulder lace shirt that came with a white undershirt. I was glad my boots would match the outfit.

I was just pulling my the shirt on when the bell rang and I sighed. I grabbed Melody’s backpack and my backpack and stepped out of the bathroom. “Hey.” Melody said, getting up from her place by the door.


“Hi, here’s your bag, and you can have those stupid clothes, I do not even want to look at them.” I said.

She laughed lightly. “Okay, thanks I guess.” She joked.

“No problem.” I said, starting down the hall.

I was late, but I didn’t really care. History could wait for me. I opened the door and Mr. Raman glared at me. “Sorry Mr. Raman, I was in the bathroom when the bell rang.” I said.

His glare softened. “That’s alright. Sit down please, Ms. Harington.”

I smiled. “Thanks.”

I sat down in the seat between Damian and Trevor. Damian looked me over with approval and I rolled my eyes. “Uh-oh.” Trevor murmured.

I looked over at him, his eyes were glazed over and his face was in a grimace. “What?” I asked him.

I heard Damian’s growl and looked over at him. “What?”

“There is a rumor going around…that you are fucking Mr. Raman.” Trevor said, his grimace growing more pronounced.

“What?” I yelled.

“Ms. Harington, is there something you’d like to share?” Mr. Raman asked me.

I looked up, realizing I was receiving a lot of stares. I blushed. “No, nothing Mr. Raman.” I said.

“Alright, then I suggest you pay attention.” He said.

“Sorry.”

He turned back to the board and I looked at Trevor with incredulous eyes. “I’m fucking who? What the hell-“

“You take him out of class when he gets hacked off, and he lets you off the hook for a lot of stuff. I’m not saying that I believe it, but that’s enough reason for others to.” He told me, shrugging.

“Oh my God.” I groaned quietly, putting my head in my hands.

“Melody has been hearing stuff like this all day.” He told me.

“Oh. My. God.” I repeated slowly.


I sat in angry silence all through History, even Gabe didn’t seem to be in the mood to clown around. I left the class in a rush to get away from the accusing stares. I ignored the whispers and the stares and threw my books into my locker, slamming it closed. I just wanted to get to lunch and get it over with.

Damian followed a few feet behind me, and Trevor went to find Melody. I was walking at a brisk pace and didn’t notice that someone had put their leg out to trip me until I was already hurtling towards the floor. Just as I was reaching out to catch myself, my hands landed on a sturdy chest and I looked up at Damian as he helped me up. “Are you alright?” he asked softly.

I pushed my bangs from my face. “I’m fine.” I said.

His eyes hardened and he pulled away from me, in one swift movement, the kid that tripped me was punched out on the floor. “Who is the son of a bitch that started the roomer?” he asked no one in particular. “Huh?” he asked loudly.

“Damian, stop. It’s not worth it.” I told him, putting my hand on his chest to get his attention.

His eyes were almost completely black, but I could see that he was struggling for control. He looked down at me and I could see that he was thinking of walking away, so I put my hand on his arm in a tight grip. “You promised.” I reminded him.

He sighed and put his hand on my cheek. “Let’s go to lunch.” He said.


Our gym class was canceled because Coach Lorre was sick with a stomach virus, so I sat on the bleachers watching Damian at football practice. Hailey sat beside me, admiring the hot guys, I was admiring Damian. He was pulling his shirt off because of the heat, and I was afraid I might drool. “Ah, Cat?” Hailey asked me.

“Yeah.”

“Your mouth is hanging open.”

I snapped my mouth closed and watched as Damian glanced our way with a small smirk. “Shit.” I muttered under my breath.

“Girl, I don’t have to be a mind reader to know what was going through that head of yours.” She told me.

“Was it that bad?” I asked her, wincing.

“You would have jumped him if I didn’t interrupt your fantasies.” She told me seriously, and I could swear I heard Damian snicker.

“Shit.” I repeated.

I got up and brushed the grass from my pants, only to be pushed back down again by the slut of the school, Mandy. “Hello, Slut. Has Damian dumped you yet?” she sneered.

I rolled my eyes and got up again. “No. He knows I didn’t fuck Mr. Raman. And you know it too, Skank.” I said.

She scoffed and threw her blonde hair back over her shoulder, her dark brown eyes defiant. “I know you’ve been fucking him. I also know that you weren’t raped in Elementary, you probably liked it, didn’t you?”

I felt my anger flare and my hands clenched into fists. “You probably planned to meet him in the janitors closet, didn’t you? And you were so desperate to keep your secret that you claimed he raped-“ She was cut off by a fist in her face, it was a few long seconds after the sickening smack and watching her fall to the ground that I realized it was my fist.

I leaned down to where she sat with her hand to her mouth. “You know nothing you sick, sadistic slut!” I snarled in her face, feeling my wolf take over. “You have no idea the emotional toll it took on me to have had that happen. You’re just trying to get the attention back on yourself, right? Let me tell you something, I’m not fucking Mr. Raman, and I sure as hell-fire didn’t fuck my elementary school teacher! So shut the fuck up before I do something even worse then punch you in the face, got it?”

She whimpered, but nodded quickly. I stood up and looked around, everyone had paused what they were doing, and Damian was standing close by, ready to help if I needed it. All of the football players were gaping at me. “What? Can I help you guys with something?” I asked incredulously.

They all started rambling at the same time and I rolled my eyes. “I’m going home.” I told Hailey.

“Okay. Call me later.” She told me happily, ignoring the fact that I just punched out the school slut.

“Kay.” I said, smiling.

I walked at a leisurely pace through the parking lot, it was almost empty because school ended, so the only cars here were the football team’s, Damian’s motorcycle, my car, and Hailey’s car. I hummed to myself softly and danced to the tune in my head, skipping to the car. Just as I was pulling my keys, I was pushed to the ground. I looked up to find the man that was in the mirror. “Please, forgive me, my dear mother.” He snapped his fingers, and the last thing I remember before I blacked out was a slight tingling feeling in my head.

Part Twelve: Possessed.

I awoke slowly, and my mind was muddled as I felt a terrible headache brewing. The first thing I registered was the sound of an echoing drip as if I were in a cave. The wet, musty smell and the feel of wet rock floor below me only seemed to strengthen that notion.

I slowly opened my eyes as I realized that I was against a small pillar, my arms were bound behind me around the pillar, and I was beside the opening of a torch-lit cave. It was raining heavily outside, and I could hear echoing footsteps of something or someone deeper into the cave.

I tried to loosen the binds on my hands, but they wouldn’t budge. I moved my foot a little, and looked down, realizing that I was barefoot. I knew that if I could change into my wolf form, I could break the binds and run, I searched for my inner wolf, but she was nowhere to be found.

“Shit.” I groaned under my breath.

No inner animal means no speaking to the pack through the bond. No contact with Damian.

I heard murmuring and multiple footsteps approaching from deep inside the cave, and felt fear envelope me. What did I remember before I blacked out? I thought quickly, my forehead breaking out into a sweat as the footsteps drew closer. I suddenly remembered the leader of the coven’s face, he was standing over me.

As the vampires approached, I realized just how weak I was. I had no strength, no speed, I felt…human.

“Hello, dear mother. I do apologize for taking your wolf away, I assure you, though, she is safe.” The leader of the coven said.

It was as if I was possessed. “My son, Paul, please, do not do this. I will be devastated if you destroy my pack. I live in this body; therefore I feel what it feels. My daughter feels pain, and sorrow. Please, I beg of you, do not hurt my family.” I spoke in a voice that wasn’t my own, and it shocked me.

Paul looked down at me and sadly shook his head, clicking his tongue softly. “I cannot stop, my dear, sweet mother. I have to avenge my poor daughter, and with you away from the pack, I can do it safely.” He told me.

I regained control of my body, and it seemed that The Wolven Goddess had given up trying to negotiate. “Please.” I felt a tear slip down my cheek. “Don’t hurt them.”

He leaned down and, with a long, sharp nail, ran his finger down my cheek. “Sometimes I wonder why she chose you. You are weak. You think you cannot live without your precious pack. But you are wrong.” He growled in my face, making me flinch.

“You don’t understand. He’s my mate, he dies…I’ll die.” I told him, my voice hoarse.

Paul shrugged at my words. “Then our mother will find another to take host of.” He said, and his tone was casual as if he were speaking of the weather.

The Wolven Goddess took hold of me again. “There will be no other chosen one for thousands of years!” she snarled from my lips.

He immediately took his hand away from my cheek. “Then I will spare the mate’s life. Could you please spare his name?”

“Damian.” I spat, gaining control once again.

Paul clenched his fists. “Fine…I will spare Damian.” He told me, almost having to force the words.

I didn’t feel assured. I felt hatred. Damian would not let his pack die. That wasn’t who he was. Damian was protective of his pack, and would do anything to keep them safe.

Even if that meant sacrificing himself.

I pulled at the ropes that bound me. “Please, think about what you are doing. You are killing off an entire pack, just for the sake of one female.” I pleaded.

He smiled and stood up. “Exactly.”

Part Thirteen: Mine.

I tried to make myself comfortable, but all in all, I was failing miserably. With my arms bound behind me, and the rough stone pillar against by back, my body was aching with the attempt to stay sitting up. My neck hurt from when I dozed off with my head hanging low, and my back ached agonizingly because it’d been slumped so long. If I were still a wolf, I would have been able to sit here for days without before even feeling a twinge of pain…it had been three days and I felt like my body was deteriorating into nothing.

I felt tears brim in my eyes as I realized I probably would never see Damian again. No matter if they spared him, he would give up his life for his pack. I cried quietly for the man I would ultimately lose, despair taking over. I should have never let him into my life. I was a bad luck charm. Anyone I let into my life left me, why did I think he would be any different?

I felt more human than I’d ever felt in my life. I loved Damian, more than I loved anyone else. I couldn’t stand the thought of losing him.

I was pulled from my thoughts of despair when I heard someone approach. I looked up to see a young vampire, probably just born into the supernatural world. “Hello.” He said timidly.

“Hi.” I whispered.

“Paul, my leader says you are our long lost mother. I can see now that he was right…” he hesitated.

“What is it?” I asked him.

He looked around and leaned down on one knee, whispering so no one could hear. “I cannot help but judge his reason for keeping you here. He tries to justify it, but already, new females have been sent to join our coven. He has no reason for revenge, but he insists. So I’m setting you free.” He reached into a small pouch that was tied around his waist and pulled out a jar. In the jar was a bright light. “I need you to close your eyes. This will be a little painful because I do not have the ability to render you unconscious just yet.” He told me with an apologetic look.

“What is it?” I asked.

“Your inner wolf. I took her from our leader’s courters.” He told me.

“Wait…before you do this…why? We are natural enemies. Shouldn’t you be trying to kill me?” I asked him.

“Even natural enemies can help each other when in need.” He told me with a shrug.

He looked around with apprehensive eyes once more before putting his hand on my forehead and leaning my head back against the pillar. I heard the jar open, and all of the sudden, I had to hold back a yelp as pain burned through my chest. But as quickly as the pain appeared, it was gone.

‘Cat, what happened? All I remember is the vampire staring down at us.’ Lorry said in alarm.

‘They took you out of me.’ I told her, sighing in relief as my wolf senses came back to me.

The boy untied my hands and helped me up. Immediately, my sore muscles began to heal. “Thank you. What is your name?” I asked him.

He bowed his head. “My name is Rae.”

“I can’t thank you enough. Be safe, Rae.” I told him softly.

“I will, thank you, mother.”

I ran from the cave entrance and smiled at the exhilaration of inhuman speed. I followed the familiar scent of wolf until I reached the pack house. Just as I reached the back door, it opened and I slammed into a sturdy chest, sending us both tumbling to the floor.

I looked up and realized I’d slammed into Damian. “Oops.” I said, my cheeks flushing in embarrassment.

I got up and pulled Damian up with me, realizing that my hands were muddy; I quickly walked over to the kitchen sink and washed them off. Just as I was turning the water off, I was turned around and Damian’s eyes were boring into mine. “Where have you been?” he growled.

“I’ve been…places. Now I really need a shower, because I probably stink.” I changed the subject quickly.

He caught my arm as I moved from his grasp. “What places? Do you know how worried I’ve been? I have the whole pack out there looking for you! Your parents thought you were dead, and your brother is going insane!” he yelled at me.

I ripped my arm from his grasp, my control finally slipping. “I just need to take a shower alright?” I yelled back.

“No! You are going to tell me what happened!” his voice turned Alpha, and I whimpered involuntarily.

“Fine. You want to know what happened? I was kidnapped, tied up, My inner wolf was taken from me, and I was told I’d lose everything that mattered to me. Got it? Good, I’m going to take a shower now.”

I turned on my heel and left Damian standing there, shocked into silence. I stormed up the stairs, grumbling to myself. I was very mad at Damian now that I knew he was alright. It made me smile a bit through my anger to realize just how ridiculous Damian and I were. We fought over the simplest remarks. I turned the shower on to boiling hot and jumped in, letting the water heat my skin until it turned red.

As I washed myself, I felt my entire world slip away, the heat of the water washed all of my stress away, leaving nothing but a calm, collective feeling. My thoughts drifted to Damian, and instead of the hostile feelings I expected to feel, all I felt was love, compassion, and understanding. I was suddenly able to put myself in Damian’s shoes. I was able to see that he wasn’t angry at me, but he was worried out of his mind. I felt like I could see from his point of view with this new, clearer mind. He loved me so much, that the thought of him losing me was just as bad as the thought of me losing him.

So as I stepped from the shower, I felt guilt encroach upon the calm feeling I had. I’d snapped at him, and all because I was afraid.

I sighed, wrapping a towel around myself and stepping into the guest room that I’d picked to shower in. Damian sat on the other side of the guest bed, staring out the window with his back to me. “Damian…I’m sorry.” I told him softly.

He slowly shook his head, still not turning. “It’s not your fault. I was too harsh.” He told me.

“No, I don’t mean that. I mean, of course I’m sorry about that, but that’s not the only thing. I know the reason why we fight. And it isn’t because we want to.” I sighed. “Have you ever noticed that you never start the fights? It’s always me, challenging you, trying to find reasons to…to stay away from you. It’s a survival instinct…actually,” I stated thoughtfully, “It’s more like a protective instinct. Because I always seem to do it to people I get close to-“ I realized I was babbling and cut myself off, Damian still hadn’t looked at me, but he was listening, I could tell by the way his back was tense, he was waiting for something…but what?

“My point is that I push you away, and I don’t even realize what I’m doing until…” I trailed off.

He finally turned to look at me as I sank down on the bed beside him, running a hand through my wet hair. His eyes met mine and he waited silently for me to continue. “Until it’s too late. I push you away because I’m trying to keep you from harm’s way. But seeing as you’re my mate and are obviously not going to back down…I guess I was wrong in doing so.” I sighed.

He sat in silence for a little longer before a slight smile graced his lips. “So you’re basically apologizing for pushing me away?” he asked me, his tone holding a bit of curiosity mixed with confusion.

“Yes. My entire body tells me to be with you…but my mind tells me that it’s too dangerous. I guess I should just shut my mind off and listen to my heart, huh?” I muttered, pulling my eyes from his and looking at my hands instead.

His warm hand touched my cheek, making me look back up at him through my lashes. “I think that might be a good idea. Seeing as I’m going to go insane soon if I’m unable to have you in my arms any longer.” He told me with a light, teasing smile.

I smiled shyly back. Looking down, I realized as my cheeks heated up that I had only a towel on. “So where is the pack? I’m surprised they’re not banging on the door asking me where the hell I’ve been for the past three days.” I said, getting up to get dressed.

“I asked them to give you some time to cool off. They’re all out in two huge groups, one at the pizza parlor, and the other at the ice cream shop.

I frowned as I realized I had no clean clothes, and I certainly wasn’t putting those damned clothes back on that I’d been in. “Here,” he handed me a full set of clothes and smiled. “I thought you might need something else to wear. Bethany has the same size clothing that you do.”

I smiled in thanks and without another thought, dropped my towel to get dressed. He’d seen it all anyway. Most of the pack had.

What I didn’t expect, was his reaction. His hungry growl ripped through the room and he was suddenly in front of me, I looked up into his eyes, freezing in place at the hungered, feral look his bright blue eyes portrayed. I instantly knew that this was what I looked like at the practice field the day he took his shirt off.

I was pulled from my thoughts as the tips of his fingers ran up my thigh, to my hips, to the curve of my side all the way up to my bare shoulder. My skin blazed where his fingers touched, and tingled when they left. He trailed his fingers up my neck, and when he reached my cheek, he cupped it very gently with his hand, his blazing eyes never leaving mine. His other hand lifted slowly, as if thinking that if he moved too fast he’d scare me away, and slipped into my hair. I felt as if my entire body was being burned alive…but it felt good. His hand in my hair tightened into a fist and he pulled me into him, in one swift movement I was against him, my lips being hungrily devoured by his. Not caring how I was –or wasn’t – dressed anymore, I pressed myself closer to him and returned his kiss with a moan of pleasure. His hand that once held my cheek now trailed down my body, landing on the small of my bare back and pressing me closer to him. In the very, very few seconds he’d pulled away from me, I’d almost torn his short off in my effort to explore his glorious bronze chest. My hands trailed down his chest to his perfectly muscled stomach that I’d fantasized about so much.

I felt his muscles tense at my touch and smiled under his lips as he let out a feral growl. He pulled away from me, gasping, and groaned my name, exciting me even more. Before I could comprehend what was happening, I was on the bed, Damian on top of me. We were both out of breath as we stared into each other’s eyes. His eyes were questioning, did I really want this?

I nodded to show him that I was. I wanted him, more than I’d ever wanted anything in my life, I wanted this man. He didn’t need any more encouragement; he leaned down and pressed his lips to my neck, running the tip of his tongue along where my blood pounded. Only one snarl of a word left his mouth before his sharp teeth bit in, “mine.”

My back arched and I felt my entire body explode in pleasure, my nails dug into his back and I cried out his name. I felt like my entire body was going to melt into the bed, I whimpered as I felt his teeth leave my skin, but moaned once more as he licked the wound to heal it.

He then rolled us over so I was on top of him, straddling his waist with my arms on either side of his head. It was my turn. I leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to his lips, I’d heard it was a lot more painful for the male then it was for the female. No one knew the reason for this. I pressed my lips to his neck and felt him shiver in anticipation. “I’m yours.” I whispered before sinking my teeth into his neck.

His arms tightened around me and he growled in pain, but after a second he tightened his arms for a different reason and growled in pleasure as I sucked his blood. The mating ritual of the wolf. Take your mates’ blood and you are forever bonded together, your minds, bodies, and souls will think, and act as one being.

“Shit, Cat.” He groaned softly in my ear.

I pulled slightly away and licked his wound, healing it so only a few small marks took its place. Soon those marks would change into their own tattoo, so no matter what, you’d always know who your mate was. I pulled back up just in time for us to be flipped over once again, and Damian growled lowly in my ear, making me shiver.

“Now I can feel exactly what you do as I make you mine in every way.” His hot breath hit my ear, and before I could ask what he meant, his lips enveloped mine once again.

Part Fourteen: Explanations.

I sat at the kitchen table; an awkward silence filled the kitchen as they all waited for me to explain. They didn’t know about the upcoming battle, and I was afraid to tell them. “They’ll have to prepare soon anyway.” Damian told me, taking my hand in his.

Since we mated fully, he could read my thoughts with perfect clarity when he wanted to, and vice versa. I sighed. “Paul wants revenge. We killed his last female. He contacted me before, recognizing me as the chosen one of the Wolven Goddess. I begged him not to attack, but he wouldn’t listen. And four days ago, as I was walking to my car in the parking lot of school, he knocked me out, kidnapped me, and took my wolf form from me. The Wolven Goddess tried to reason with him, but he only told me that he would spare Damian, because he was my mate, and if he died then I would die, and another chosen one would not exist for thousands of years.

“For three days I sat tied up, only being fed a few pieces of bread and a cup of water. A young vampire named Ray came to my aid, saying that he did not fully understand his masters’ reasoning. They had females sent from other covens; therefore he had no more reason for revenge. He set me free, after returning my wolf back to my body. I owe him a great debt because of that.”

I looked at everyone who stared back at me, my family. They could never be taken away, nor replaced. I’ve grown a bond between each and every one of them. “So…we’re to go to battle?” Ben, one of the many pack members, asked.

I nodded. “Yes.”

“Well that’s a bitch.” Lily muttered, standing with her back to Riley, who had his arms wrapped around her middle protectively.

This made me laugh. “We can take ‘em. I trust Damian has taught you everything he knows about Vampire combat?” I asked no one imparticular.

They all nodded and a rumble of, “Yes.” And, “uh-huh.” went through the crowd.

I nodded once. “Right. Now I need to make a call.” I turned on my heel, releasing my hand from Damien’s and running up stairs.

I pulled my phone from my pocket and found Gabriel’s number easily.

It rang about four and a half times before he answered. “Hello.”

“Hey…I need your help.” I sighed.

“Cat! It’s been a while since I’ve heard from you. What do you need?”

“I know we haven’t talked since the beach, but I need you to do me a favor. Have you any outcasts that you are acquainted with?” I asked him.

“About five that are good friends of mine. What’s this about, Cat?” he asked me.

“Gather them and meet me at the…” I trailed off, sighing.

Would he want to come back after what Damian did? “Where do you want to meet at?”

“I need you to trust me on this, Gabriel. My pack is in danger, now I didn’t want to say this in front of them, but we’re outnumbered. I need you to meet me at the pack house.” His sigh was indication that he probably wasn’t willing.

“Cat…”

“I’ll make sure that Damian is civil.” I added quickly. “Please, I’m asking you as a friend, please.” I begged.

He sighed again, and I could just picture him running his hand through his hair in frustration. “Alright. I’ll gather the others and meet you, but only you.” he insisted.

Now it was my turn to sigh. “You’ll have to work with him as well. In order to defeat them we need to do it together…he knows now that he was wrong, I promise you, he does.” I said, my voice desperate.

“Okay, okay. When do you want me to meet you?” I felt relief wash through me.

“Think you can gather your friends by tomorrow afternoon?”

“Piece’a cake.” He said in a New York accent.

I laughed in relief. “I owe you one.”

“Sweetheart, you owe me two.” He said.

Part Fifteen: Connected.

I sat outside on the porch, waiting on the top step of the stairs as the sun rose higher in the sky. Damian hadn’t been happy with what I’d done, but I told him that we needed all the help we could get. While I was in that cave, a large number of vampires entered that cave, and didn’t leave.
I sighed and dropped my head in my hands rubbing my temples tiredly. I’d been taking watch for five hours last night, and I was running on three hours of sleep. “A little tired today, Cat?” a deep voice chuckled.
I looked up and smiled. “Hey Gabriel. Long time no see. I was beginning to think you wouldn’t come.”
He was with five others, and all of them had no shirts on. “So am I ever going to see you with a shirt on? Seems like in any situation we’re in you’re always half naked.” I joked, standing up.
He smiled. “Nah, I think I look better without one on.” He said.
“Sure, sure.” I waved him off.
“Cat, these are my good pals, Freddy, Logan, Bob, Kevin, and Tom.” He leaned in and whispered conspiratorially. “They owe me for saving their asses a couple’a times.”
Freddy was a burley guy, who looked about eighteen or twenty, with sandy blonde hair and hazel eyes. His smile was charming, and he winked at me.
Logan was muscular, but not as big as his friend, he was maybe nineteen. He had very dark brown hair, it was almost black, and dark green eyes. He was serious as he studied me.
Bob was probably twenty one, with bright green eyes and a cocky smirk as his eyes roamed my body. He was half as big as Freddy, but just a little bit bigger than Logan.
Kevin stood with his muscular arms crossed, studying me with apprehensive hazel eyes, his sun-bleached hair was disheveled and unkempt, and he looked like he was tensing for a fight to break out at any moment, despite the light air around him.
Tom, with his light red hair, pale skin and bright green eyes, smiled at me in a friendly manner, but I could see in his eyes that he was apprehensive about this as well.
I smiled at them as way of welcoming them. “So, Cat. Tell us about what we’re doing here.” Kevin said.
This made my friendly smile fade. I sighed. “You might want to sit down; there is a lot to explain.”

For an hour, I explained to them what happened, we sat on the porch, and they listened intently, all eyes on me as I told them about the Wolven Goddess and Paul, the leader of the coven nearest us.
Just as I finished explaining, I felt pain hit my stomach and gasped. I lurched into a standing position and took a step toward the door, only to cry out and fall on one knee. Lily came running out, leaning down beside me. “Cat! What’s wrong?”
“D-Damian! Where is he?” I gasped.
“He’s making his rounds…Cat?” Without thinking, I changed to a wolf and took off towards the forest.

As I ran, I felt a sharp pain in my chest, making me yelp and breaking my stride, causing me to stumble before regaining my speed. It felt as if I was being ripped apart, but I was just feeling pain, no injuries occurred. I ran until I hit a clearing, skidding to a stop as I took in the scene in front of me.

Five vampires, all rolling around in a snarling heap of black fur. Damian was holding his own, but he couldn’t keep it up much longer.

I let out a feral snarl that made everyone but Damian freeze so drastically they stopped breathing.
Damian used this opportunity to kick them off of him and limped his way over to me, where I stood in a defensive stance. The vampires scrambled to their feet, seeing that it was me, they immediately dropped to their knees. “Forgive us, dear mother!” one of them begged.
“We are not worthy of your presence!” another said in a pleading voice.
I moved in front of Damian protectively, baring my teeth and growling harshly at the vampires. Every fiber in my being wanted to attack.
‘Wait, dear one. It is not their time yet. Let them be.’ I heard the Goddesses voice in my head.
I let out a huff and sat on my haunches, relaxing my body, a sign that they were free to go.

“Thank you, Goddess! We are forever in your debt!” another of the vampires said as they ran from the clearing. I turned to Damian, who lie helpless on the ground. His stomach was sliced, but not too deep, his shoulder was bitten multiple times, and he had a slice across his right eye.

‘Come on, Damian, let’s get you home.’ I sighed through the bond, leaning my head down to nudge it under his leg, pulling him up so he stood. Pain shot through both of us, and we yelped simultaneously. ‘sorry’ I said, grimacing.
‘It’s not your fault, I think my leg is broken.’ He grunted.
I let out a groan and started forward, both of us were limping because of his pain.

The clearing wasn’t that far away from the pack house, but with how slow we were going, it took about ten minutes to reach the edge of the forest. With Damian having to be half on top of me to walk,and feeling his pain at every step, it was like I was injured as well.

As soon as we entered the clearing where the house sat, the pack ran out to where Damian and I collapsed to the ground, unable to go on any longer. “Cat! What happened?” Riley asked me, lifting my head with both his hands.

‘Damian was attacked...I felt his pain.’ I explained through the bond.

Riley’s eyes darkened and he growled angrily. He leaned down along with Trevor and helped Damian up, making us both yelp. “Sorry.” Riley and Trevor said in unison.

They lifted Damian off the ground and carried him into the house, me walking after them.

I sat by Damian while he groaned in agony, tears rolling down my cheeks as I suffered his pain in silence. “He’s healing, but of course that’s causing more pain. He’ll pass out soon, which will relieve you both of your suffering.” dad explained to me with a sigh.

I nodded, never taking my eyes off of Damian. His hand was wrapped around my own, his groans the only thing breaking the silence in his room. Dad pat my shoulder and left the room quietly. “Cat...I-I’m sorry...I...I should have...” I shushed him softly, reaching up to push his hair from his face.

“This isn’t your fault. I-” I paused, wincing as more pain shot through my abdomen.”-Just rest, okay? Close your eyes, don’t think about the pain, alright?”

He coughed and I felt pain shoot through me yet again, but I ignored it, focusing on the small smile that graced Damian’s lips as he stared into my eyes. “If I was a vampire, and I saw you that fierce, I’d kneel down too.”

It surprised me enough to make me laugh that he would think of that to distract himself. “You told me not to think about the pain, so...” he moved his shoulders up ever so slightly in a shrug.

My smile faded as more pain hit and he cried out in pain, his back arching. He slowly relaxed, his breathing turning even, and his eyes closing. The pain faded from my body, and I sighed in relief for Damian. “You’ll be okay.” I whispered.

Part Sixteen: Star Gazing.

Standing outside, I leaned against a tree, letting the wind flow through my hair. The sky was clear and the night was quiet, it seemed that the vampires weren’t going to attack tonight. I sighed, running a hand through my hair. It was three days since the attack. Damian’s leg was almost healed, and his stomach wound was only a scar now, but he was still weak.

“It’s a little late for star gazing, don’t you think?” Kevin approached me, smiling slightly.

“This has nothing to do with stargazing. More to do with the fact that my pack is in danger.” I shrugged.

“You’ve been out here every night since we came, and you stay out here for at least five hours. Are you even sleeping anymore?” he asked me.

I sighed. “They won’t attack me, it’s practically forbidden. I can’t endanger my pack anymore than I already have, I owe it to them, they have done so much more for me.” I murmured.

“And what have they done to deserve such...gratitude?” I could hear the sarcastic tone in his voice and gave him a dry look.

“They gave me a family.”

At this, he was silent. “Why don’t you go back inside? I’ll be fine out here.” I said.

“Actually, I was sent out here by your mother. She wants me to take over the watch.”

I sighed once again, shaking my head. “I’ll only let you stay out here if you have someone else with you. I can’t risk it if not.” I stated firmly.

“Then I’ll get Bob out here with me.” He shrugged.

I nodded. “Alright. I’ll stay out here while you go and get him.”

He left to go find Bob, and I leaned my head back against the tree, letting myself relax for the first time since I came out here.

“It’s interesting. these people care more about you than they do their own lives.” I jumped up, only to come face to face with Paul.

“I doubt that, Paul. They can take care of themselves.” I growled.

He let out a laugh. “ We’ll see. You were right to stay out here. I’d never attack you, my sweet mother.” He stroked his finger down my cheek, and I slapped his hand away like I was burned.

“Don’t ever touch me again!” I spat.

He laughed again. “You are feisty.”

“Okay, I’ve got Bob, now go inside.” I turned to find Kevin and Bob.

I furrowed my eyebrows and turned back around to see that Paul was gone. My mouth opened, but nothing came out. “You okay, Cat?”

“I’m...fine.” I said slowly, shaking my head. “Just...be careful, and if anything happens, I want you to howl. Got it? Watch each other’s backs at all times.” I said sternly.

“Don’t worry. Now go!” he gave me a light shove.

I walked into the house, rubbing my eyes tiredly. I yawned as I pulled myself up the stairs. I entered the room, my eyebrows furrowed as Damian’s blue eyes stared seriously at me.

“You saw that, too, didn’t you? I’m not crazy, am I?” I asked him.

He shook his head. “You’re not crazy.” he confirmed.

I sighed in relief, leaning down to reach into my bag. I pulled out my pajamas and quickly changed, ignoring Damian’s hungry growl behind me.

I crawled into bed. cuddling into Damian, I pressed my lips to his, kissing him fervently. He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me tighter into him.

“You know, my leg is almost completely healed.” He murmured suggestively against my lips.

I pulled back laughing. “You are impossible.”

He smiled. “Hey, I might be impossible but I am your mate, and you have to deal with me.”

I kissed him again. “You know, I’ve never gotten to ride on your motorcycle. When you’re healed, do you think you could take me for a ride?” I asked him.

“I think that could be arranged.” he murmured.

I kissed him once more and closed my eyes. I smiled as I felt his hand on my cheek, the tips of his fingers grazing my hairline. “I love you.” He told me.

“I love you too.” I whispered.

Part Seventeen: Dying.

I awoke when screaming filled the quiet air; it took a few seconds of gaining consciousness to realize that it was me.
Damian sat up and grabbed my face in his, making me look at him. “What’s wrong?” He growled.
“They’re here!” I gasped, scrambling across the bed. Ignoring him as he called after me, I sprung from the bed, running full speed down the stairs and barreling outside. Only to find that it was quiet, very peaceful, nothing but crickets chirping, most pausing their peaceful music at my unexpected arrival. I looked around, unable to speak for a few seconds, before falling to my knees in the soft grass. This was the second time this week I’d had a nightmare. It’d seemed so real! They came marching into the field and snuck into the house, slaughtering my family without a second thought, leaving me to wake up and see the horror.
What was happening to me?
‘We’re under too much stress.’ Lorry said, as way of explanation.
‘No. We’re under too much pressure. The Wolven Goddess can’t possibly expect me to train these people on my own, can she?’
‘I don’t know.’ She whispered.
“The dream again?” Gabriel asked, startling me. “Sorry. I was on watch, I heard the scream. Saw you come running out. I put two and two together.” He said, sinking down on the grass beside me.
“I just don’t understand!” I whispered. “The dreams are so…real! I expect them to be there when I wake up…it just makes it so much worse that I’m worrying everyone for nothing.”
He slung and arm around my shoulder, pulling me into his side in an offer of comfort. “Don’t worry, kid.” He teased, trying to lighten the mood, but sobered when I didn’t smile. “It’ll be alright.”
I smiled slightly, weakly. “I’m sure you’re right. But while we’re outnumbered…I just can’t see the fate in my dreams being very far off from the truth.” I admitted softly.
“Hey.” He admonished, giving my shoulder a squeeze. “Don’t talk like that. We’ll figure something out. Besides, I heard that the packs in the surrounding territories are contemplating joining us in fighting. If they join us, there is no way we can lose.” He smiled slightly, giving me a wink.
I sighed heavily. “This is all on me, Gabriel. It’s my responsibility to kill the leader. Mine. No other pack can get involved. They’ll die.” I was sure of this. The feeling that twisted in nauseating patterns in my stomach; that dread that settled like a virus in the pit of my stomach every time I heard of the other packs, I knew it was a mistake.
Gabriel sighed as well. “Then…what?”
The answer was simple, too simple to be easy, “I kill Paul. If I kill Paul, then the vampires will stop their attack. No matter what.”
Gabriel shook his head slowly. “How do you know this? You can’t know that they won’t try to avenge-“
“You don’t know who-“ I paused, no, not who, “What, Paul is, do you?” I asked him.
Gabriel’s blank stare gave her the answer she needed. “He’s something that all vampires fear, and dread. When I was trapped in that cave, I saw the fear in each coven’s eyes as they passed the thresh-hold of that damp doorway that Paul called home. They weren’t given a choice to join his army; they were forced- threatened by Paul with who-knows what. He is their lord, more powerful than the Wolven Goddess herself, which is why she needs me to stop him. I’ve denied the truth for too long, and now is the time to accept it. I’m going to die.
“The Wolven Goddess chose me because I am the only one that will die for her pack, for her mate. She has not said it, but dread pulls at my thoughts. This is the reason for these nightmares. This is the reason I pull away from Damian’s comfort each night. My fate has been chosen, and nothing can pull me from its dark, cold fingers.”
Gabriel’s arm slowly slipped from my shoulders as I let this sink in, and his eyes stared, glasslike, into mine. “You mean to tell me that-“
Breaking the calm silence of the dark night, right behind us, was a voice, hard, and full of anger. “What?”
My eyes slowly drifted closed as pain clenched my heart. I hadn’t wanted him to know.

Part eighteen: Proposal.

‘Good going.’ Lorry said, but it was only a whisper, marring her sarcastic tone. She could feel the anger from both him and his wolf, and it weakened both of us.
I stood slowly, and turned around, meeting his blue eyes with my regretful, sorrow-filled green ones. “Damian.” I whispered, my voice just as weak as Lorry’s.
Gabriel pat my shoulder. “You’ll want to talk to him alone.”
I smiled weakly at him and watched as he walked away. Going back to take watch.
I turned back to Damian, grimacing at his angry look.
I sank to my knees, watching as he stared out at the forest, his expression brooding. He stood like that for seconds that seemed like hours, before finally speaking,
“You won’t die.” His voice was determined, his decision had been made.
“You don’t know that.” I whispered.
He growled, turning sharply to face me. “You won’t!”
I flinched at his furious tone, looking away from him. “Look. I don’t know what is going to happen. The Wolven Goddess hasn’t confirmed anything yet…but I have a terrible feeling that…this is how it’s going to be.” I whispered.
“She won’t take you away from me, I promise you, she won’t. If I have to lock you in the basement I swear I will!” He shouted.
I was about to open my mouth to argue, but the door slid open, and we both looked back to see Mom and Riley looking out. “Is there something wrong?” Mom asked softly.
I stood quickly, shaking my head. “Nothing is wrong, Mom. Go back to bed.” I told her softly.
“Why was Damian yelling?” Riley asked.
I sighed heavily. “No reason. Go on back to bed, guys.”
They both looked dubious, but obeyed. I waited until their footsteps faded before turning back to Damian. “I understand you are angry…maybe…maybe I don’t have to die. Like I said, the Wolven Goddess hasn’t confirmed anything yet.” I said, setting my hands on both of his arms.
He furrowed his eyebrows, lifting his hands to set on both sides of my face. “But what if you’re right?” He whispered.
I blinked hard, tears welling in my eyes. “Then I’m sorry. For everything I ever said to you. I love you more than anything in this world, and I can’t imagine you out of my life.” I had to catch my breath in a little gasp as I held back a sob. “God, I’m so scared, Damian. I don’t want to lose you!”
He grabbed me around my waist and pulled me into him, rubbing my back comfortingly as I sobbed into his chest. “I know, sweetheart. I know.” He said, burying his face in my hair and taking a deep breath.
He pulled his arm down to the back of my legs and swept my feet out from under me, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.
As he walked upstairs, my cries quieted, soothed by the soft, rocking movements of his arms, and his quiet voice whispering comforting words in my ear. Hiccups were the only thing that escaped my lips now as we entered his room; he sat down on the bed with me still cradled in his lap. His knuckles rubbed my back as he pressed kisses to every part of my face, ending with my lips. “Don’t cry, sweetheart, we’ll figure this out.” He said softly.
“I just wish she would tell me something. I feel like I’m waiting for results from a doctor.” I said, sniffing.
“Then what am I to do? I’m going to get your mind off of it.” Damian said, kissing my forehead again.
I looked up at him, wiping the tears from my cheeks. “What?”
He laughed nervously. “You know, I can’t imagine my life without you either. And, though I wanted to do this a little more…officially, I guess it doesn’t matter where I ask you, as long as you say yes.” He said, stroking my cheek with the tip of his finger.
I sat up in his lap slowly, raising my eyebrows. “Ask me what?”
His eyes bored into mine, and he smiled, He leaned forward and captured my lips in his, kissing me softly for what seemed like a full five minutes. When he pulled back, I didn’t notice he was holding something until he took my hand and set a small satin box in my palm. “Catalina Grace Harington,” He started.
“Oh my God!” I gasped as he kissed the top of my other hand.
“I love you more than life itself. Will you do me the most wonderful honor I can think of, and be my wife?” He asked softly.
Now tears ran down my cheeks for a different reason, as he opened the box in my shaking hand, I heard an involuntary gasp escape my lips. The band was encrusted with jewels, the centerpiece of the ring being a beautiful round diamond, shining even in the moonlight. “Damian…I-I….I mean….” I gave up trying to form words and finally nodded my head with a laugh. “Yes!”
He let out a deep breath and pulled me into him, pressing his lips to mine. He kissed me with abandon, caressing my cheek with gentleness only he could give. “Thank God. For a second there I thought you were going to say no.” He said when he pulled away.
A giggle escaped my lips, and I kissed his cheek. “Never.”
“Good, because if you had said no, I would have been extremely disappointed.” He said, giving me a light smile.

Part nineteen: two perspectives.

I stood at the altar, my wedding dress ruffling in the wind as Damian smiled at me. We were having our wedding behind the pack house, because we wanted to have everyone attend, and with the elders someplace else until no one would recognize them anymore, or wonder why they weren't aging, we couldn't do it at a church. I looked back at Lily with a bright smile, handing her my bouquet of roses.
The man marrying us was one of the elders. We were having the traditional wolf bonding ceremony, which was almost the same as a human ceremony, the only difference was that Damian had to put the same mark that I had on my neck, onto my ring finger. This was done by an ancient ring passed on through generations.
“Now, if you will present the-“ Elder Jonathan was cut off when a scream erupted somewhere in the crowd of wolves.
And everyone sprang into action. I was standing at the altar, unable to move as I everything seemed to slow down. I watched as Paul sneaked up on Damian, trying to scream for him to look out, but all that came out was a dry wheeze. I put my hands to my mouth, tears streaming from my cheeks, watching with horror as my fiancé’s neck was slit open. Paul smiled menacingly at me. He dropped Damian to the ground, and a horrific scream broke from my lips as everything went back to normal. “Damian!” I shrieked. His eyes drained of life, grey and unfeeling, and suddenly he was in my arms. There was no more forest around us, no dirt ground, just a white room. Everyone, even vampires, were staring at us as I rocked him back and forth, my wedding dress covered in blood, running my hands through his hair as I begged him not to leave me, screaming for him to wake up. No one was sad, they all stared…unfeeling.

I was shaking. Screaming Damian’s name. No, someone was shaking me. I opened my eyes to meet the panicked blue eyes of Damian. Relief slammed into me at seeing those eyes, full of life, full of love. It was a dream. A stupid dream. I let out a noise that sounded close to a sob, as I hugged him close to me. “Oh God Damian!” I sobbed.
I knew he’d seen. He’d seen the whole thing, felt every emotion. He cradled me to his chest and rocked me back and forth. “It’s alright now, love. Shh, I’m here.” He whispered.
“You died! You died and I couldn’t stop it!” I sobbed.
“Shh, it’s okay, sweetheart. I’m here, I’ll never leave you.” He promised.
Someone knocked softly on the door, and it opened. “Is everything okay?” Mom’s worried voice asked.
“Everything is fine. Just another nightmare.” He said.
“It’s about time for everyone to wake up. I’ll get breakfast started.” She said softly.
After she left, he lifted my face up, staring fiercely into my eyes. “I love you, so, so much. I promise you, I’ll never leave.” He said.
I sniffed and nodded. “Sorry. This entire thing has just frayed my nerves till the breaking point.” I said, smiling weakly as I wiped the tears from my face.
“It’s okay. Don’t apologize. Paul is an evil bastard who is messing with us all.”
I nodded, swallowing thickly, and pulled his face down, kissing him fiercely. He didn’t object, pulling me closer and running his tongue along my bottom lip, asking for entrance. This surprised me. Damian usually found his way in by making me gasp or moan, he wasn’t one to ask. I opened my mouth for him, and our tongues met in a twist of passion.
I was almost out of breath, so I pulled back, leaning my forehead against his wide chest. His breath was as ragged as mine as he let out a small chuckle. “What was that for?”
“I needed to know you were really here.” I whispered.
I could feel him tense as he sobered. He took my face in both his hands and looked me straight in the eyes. “I’m right here.” He said slowly. “And I’ll never leave you.”
I bit my lip and struggled against more tears that tried to fall. “I know…it’s just…that dream felt so real and-“
“But it wasn’t. It won’t come true. I won’t let you get hurt.” He said.
I wiped my cheeks once again and nodded. “Besides,” He said with a soft smile. “You are going to be Mrs. Villain soon, and we don’t need you to think about that kind of thing.” He said, kissing the tip of my nose.
I let out a giggle, and smiled. “There, that’s better. Now let’s go downstairs and see what we’ve got for breakfast.” He said, and in a second, he hoisted me from the bed and we were across the room.
***
I watched as Damian and Cat came downstairs, hand in hand. Their bond was strong, about as strong – if not stronger – than any other bond I’d ever seen. Cat’s face was red and blotchy, and I knew she’d had another nightmare. She looked…rather happy, though. Aside from the crippling fear and worry that she desperately tried to hide from the others. I could see it, in the way that she glanced out the back door window every so often, almost as if she was expecting them to come out of the forest with claws ready.
Of course, we all expected that.
“Good morning, Cat, Damian.” I said, nodding to them both.
Cat gave me a smiled. “Gabriel.” She greeted.
Damian nodded respectively. He didn’t like my friends and I being here, but he wasn’t going to object to his mate’s wishes. Every male wolf acted like the leader, like he wore the pants in the family, but when it came to their mate…let’s just say resistance was futile. I let out a soft chuckle at that thought, and Cat looked at me inquisitively. “What’s funny?”
I hid my smile and waved it off. “Nothing.”
I could see Damian’s frustration, and I knew he wished he could read my mind. I wasn’t a part of his pack, so the only way he could read my mind was if I let him in through the “outsiders bond.” This, in the history books is the only way a rogue wolf can enter another pack’s borders, unless given permission, as Cat did.
“Gabriel, who is on watch this morning?” Cat asked me, taking a bite of the breakfast her mother set out for us.
“Ah, your father, Kevin, and Gabe.” I said, nodding in thanks as she set a plate down for me as well.
She nodded to herself. “Good. We’ll start training today. My father and Damian will be helping me. And so will you Gabriel, if you don’t mind.” She said, rubbing her temples in obvious exhaustion.
“Of course. Don’t worry; they will be ready for this.” I assured.
“I truly hope you’re right. As for the worrying…well I can tell you that it’s not going to go away.” She muttered.
I sighed, and so did Damian. She was carrying too much weight on her shoulders. Her eyes had dark circles under them, and her face was pale and tired. Her hair was disheveled, pulled back into a messy ponytail. She was a wreck.
“Goodmorning.” Lily said, yawning as she led Riley in. They plopped down, and Riley gave Cat a weak smile.
She smiled slightly back. Their relationship has been strained. She told me a few days ago that they got into a fight about her relationship with Damian. He was being protective over her, because he knew they’d completed the bond. Also, she was stressed, and she snapped at him. They’ve been slowly forgiving each other ever since.
Next to come down was Trevor and Melody. Cat told me that Trevor wasn’t talking to her, but since all this started, they’ve been closer than ever. He greeted Cat, sitting down at the kitchen table and pulling Melody into his lap.
“Damian, I’m going to set things up for training, gather everyone and meet me in the backyard in an hour.” Cat told him after she finished her meal.
“Right.” Damian said, pressing a kiss to her forehead.
She turned to me. “I’m going to need your help with this.”
“Sure,” I said, jumping from the stool.
She looked down and smiled. “Gabriel! You actually have a shirt on for once! I’m so proud.” She teased.
I smiled and chucked her on the chin playfully. “Yeah, I decided a change might be good.” I joked.
We laughed as we left the kitchen, and then we began planning the training session.

Impressum

Texte: This book Is owned by Emily Carolyn Zimmerman(me) and I would appreciate it if you didn't steal it.
Bildmaterialien: Google Images.
Lektorat: Emily Carolyn Zimmerman.
Übersetzung: Emily Carolyn Zimmerman.
Tag der Veröffentlichung: 23.09.2012

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Widmung:
To my family. Who, even though they haven't read any of this, have supported me from the beginning. And to my brother, whom was my inspiration to start writing.