《Taming the Beast》 Chapter 6 (Keegan) Chapter 6 (Keegan) (Keegan''s POV) Caroline was the only thing on my mind all the way home. I copsed on the couch and sighed like a lovesick pup. Karma crawled into myp and rested her head on my shoulder. I smiled and kissed her head before I just sat there, staring at the ceiling and thinking about Caroline. Gregg, my future beta, sat next to me and just watched me. Asher sat on my other side. Asher started thumping my head. I growled and finally looked at him as my mom entered the room with a basket ofundry. "What''s gotten into you dear?" she asked me, tucking a loose piece of hair behind her ear. I shrugged, but I could feel my cheek heat up. I knew I was blushing. I''d never blushed in my life before Caroline. "Our baby boy found his mate, and she''s a human," Asher said in a baby voice as he reached over and pinched my cheek. I growled and hit him on the back of the head hard. He winced and shut up. My mom gasped and set her basket down. "How did that happen? She''s human? You found your mate on the first day out?" she said excitedly. She started bouncing on her toes and pping like a two year old. I rolled my eyes and sighed. "Ma, I''ll tell you about her if you stop doing that," I said, practically begging her. She onlyughed and walked over to us on the couch. Asher moved to the single chair to let my mom sit next to me. She sat and waited eagerly. I only looked at the ceiling, smiling lightly to myself. "What''s she like?" my mom asked impatiently. "Her name is Caroline. She''s pure spitfire. She''s bossy and impatient. She''s got hair the color of a wheat field but it''s shiny and soft. Her eyes... they aren''t quiet just one color. They change depending on her mood: green when she''s angry and grey when she''s being bashful. They turn this amazing color of ocean blue when she''s happy. She''s beautiful... and stubborn. She''s got this sort of... athletic hourss shape. She''s got strong legs... she ys volleyball," I exined, staring at the ceiling. After running into her at lunch, I asked the guys to tell me all they knew about her. My mom squealed, making me flinch at her close proximity. "That''s wonderful Keegan!" she smiled before she hugged me tightly and kissed my face repeatedly. I scrunched my nose and tried to lean away from her. "Ma," I whined. The guys only chuckled. "You forgot to tell you mom about her big, juicy ass," Nick smirked, motioning with his hands and pretending to squeeze something. I red at him as I growled. "Stop teasing him, Nick," my mom said in a very motherly manner. Karma shifted on myp, she was looking at me now. Her light brown eyes held excitement. "Will she y with me?" Karma asked. I touched my forehead to my little sister''s as I smiled. "I''m hoping she''ll be too busy ying with me," I said innocently. My mom pped my shoulder, making all of us guys startughing. "You are such a bad influence on your sister, I swear," my mom said, standing. She picked Karma off of myp and went to retrieve her basket. "Oh, and someone should break the news to, that retched, Natasha and tell her that she''s not going to be Luna anymore," my mom said with a slight smirk. I sighed and covered my face with my hands. I almost forgot about that. Natasha was this stuck up girl with dyed-blonde hair and muddy brown eyes. Every Alpha has to have a Luna. Lunas are thought to bring out the gentleness of an Alpha. Without her, he would basically be bitter and mean to everyone most of the time. He would have no sympathy. So I was supposed to mate with Natasha. Her father was my dad''s beta and they thought it would be a good move for the pack. "I will dly tell her," Gregg muttered as he rolled his eyes. The sight made me smirk. He couldn''t stand Natasha. We''d all grown up together, so we knew her well. "Isn''t she on the volleyball team with Caroline?" Asher asked. I sighed and mentally face-palmed myself. She was. "You all know that just simply telling her that she won''t be Luna won''t work. It doesn''t work that way. Plus, I don''t know if I''m even allowed to have a human Luna," I said with a sigh. Everyone got quiet as they thought about that. "Well, I''m going to Harley''s tonight to get some more medicine for your father," my mom said, breaking the silence said before she left. My jaw locked as I tensed. My father was really sick. It was why I had to take over so early. I hated seeing him that bad. "Your mate is headstrong. I''ve known her for a while and she''s been through a lot, so you''ll have to be patient with her, Keegan," Trevor input. I looked at him curiously but I didn''t have time to ask the question I wanted because Nick was already talking again. "Hey, there''s a volleyball game tomorrow. No doubt, your mate, Caroline, and your soon to ex-girlfriend Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. will be there. Plus, there will be girls in tight, almost nonexistent shorts for the rest of us," Nick suggested. I smiled lightly and nodded. I couldn''t wait to see Caroline. Natasha... not so much. Chapter 7 (Caroline) Chapter 7 (Caroline) (Caroline''s POV) I reached up and spiked the ball over the. The other team scrambled but they just couldn''t return it. The sound of skin skidding on polished wood floor stung my ears. Personally, I hated the sound, but it came with the territory of being a volleyball yer. The ball hit the floor and the whistle blew. I smiled as I jogged over to my other teammates, giving them high-fives. I hugged Stacy and Mariana at the same time; our little group hug taking ce in the middle of our side of the court. We''d just won the game. I smiled as I let go. Stacy''s eyes flickered over to the bleachers before a suspicious smirk appeared on her face. "I think cafeteria boy is keeping tabs on you," she said. I nce over to see Keegan with a group of boys that were well-known around the school. Of course he would be in with the popr crowd his second day here. I saw thating a mile away. He was sitting with Gregg, Trevor, Asher, and Nick, and he seemed to be the leader of them. Unbelievable. Unbe-freaking-lievable. Gregg was a firecracker. He was wild and unpredictable; also a bit of a prankster. Trevor was actually kind of shy and sweet, but he would still make trouble with the boys. Asher was the obnoxious one. Out of everyone, you would always be able to hear him when he talked. He was always so damn loud. And Nick was the pervert; point nk. The boys around him were being rowdy, but Keegan was as calm as Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. a cucumber, and his eyes were trained on me. He gives a small smile which I return before turning back to my girls. "You''re being ridiculous," I roll my eyes at her. Mariana and Stacy went to go talk to their families and I walk towards the bleachers as my eyes scan the bleachers for Danny and Preston. "Good game," a deep, familiar voice said from behind me. I turn on my heels quickly to face Keegan. He''s smirking at me slightly as his eyes take in my attire openly. I cross my arms over my chest and shift my weight to my right foot. "So, what, you''re stalking me now?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him. He chuckles before he jabs his thumb back in the direction of his rowdy friends. "They wanted to watch the volleyball team because of the shorts and dragged me along with them," he exined easily. My face turned red as I looked away from him. I felt like an idiot. "Keegan! Baby, over here," a teammate of mine yelled across the gym. I mentally flinched. I don''t know why a pang of jealousy ran through me, but I couldn''t control it. I raised my eyebrows at him and put my hands on my hips; trying to keep cool. "Someone''s popr," I said, my voice filled with amusement. His cheeks blushed ever so slightly through his golden skin as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. I would''ve addressed it, but right then, my favorite three year-old was running up to me. "Ninny!" he screamed. I couldn''t help the big smile that spread across my face as I squat to meet him despite my thighs aching from the game we just won. He jumped into my arms and I stood with him, grunting as I did so. "There''s my big boy. I think you''re starting to get too old for this," I said teasingly before I kissed his cheek. He giggled before he hid his face in my neck. I turned my eyes back to Keegan''s shocked and almost hurt expression. I shook it off before I moved Preston to my hip and rocked him gently. "Keegan, this is Preston. Preston, do you want to say hi to Keegan?" I asked, my tone getting softer and gentler when addressing Preston. Preston hid his face in my neck as his tiny hands gripped around my neck. I chuckled and looked at Keegan again. He was just staring kind of shocked. "He''s really beautiful," Keegan said a little wistfully. I saw Danny near the exit, waving towards me and a smile spread across my face. "Hey, I have to go, but I guess I''ll see you at school tomorrow," I said, shing Keegan a quick smile. I walked over to where Danny was waiting for me. He smiled and slung an arm over my shoulder before he kissed the side of my head. "Okay, you were right. Bringing Preston to the game was a great idea. He loved it, and he actually sat still for once.... And you were awesome," Danny chuckled. I smiled and used my free hand to push him away from me gently before recing it back under Preston''s leg. "I told you," I smiled triumphantly. I buckled Preston into his seat before I slid in the passenger side. Danny got in and started the car. Once we were on the main road, his nced at me briefly before returning his eyes to the road. "So who was that guy you were talking to?" he asked curiously. I smiled lightly as I shook my head. No way in hell was I ever talking about boys with my brother. Not even if hell froze over. That was just something that was off limits to him, even if he was like my stand-in father/guardian. Plus, my brother was a cop. Mixing overprotective, cop-brother with boy drama was never a good idea. Chapter 8 (Keegan) Chapter 8 (Keegan) (Keegan''s POV) I watched the game closely. It wasn''t that I was a big volleyball fan or anything, I was just watching Caroline. I noticed the way her brow furrowed slightly and she chewed on her lip when she was concentrating. I noticed how she bit her lip after getting a point to keep from trash-talking. I noticed how it was harder for her to stretch her arm up on her right side than her left. I wondered what that was about. She spiked the ball, earning the Bulls the winning point. She celebrated with her teammates. I saw her nce at me. I smiled lightly as the guys dispersed to go talk to girls. I walked down to where she was standing. I had to resist the urge to touch her. "Good game," I said, leaning over slightly so she could hear me over the noise. I smirked as I took in her volleyball spandex shorts and spandex top. All in all, they fit tightly, hugging every wonderful curve of her body. "So, what, you''re stalking me now?" she asked, amusement clearly written all over her face. Okay, so maybe I was stalking her a little bit, but she didn''t need to know that. Thankfully, Nick already gave me a great excuse. I chuckled, trying tough it off, and motioned to the guys. "They wanted to watch the volleyball team because of the shorts and dragged me along with them," I lied easily. Her cheeks turned rosy in embarrassment. All I wanted to do was touch her cheeks and pull her into me. Natasha called to me but I wasn''t really paying attention. I kept up an easy conversation with Caroline. It was like breathing, it came naturally. "Ninny!" a little kid screamed, interrupting our conversation. A wide grin spread across Caroline''s face as she knelt to meet the little boy. She picked him up and kissed his cheek. "There''s my big boy. I think you''re getting too old for this," she smiled towards him. The look of love in her eyes for this child made my heart break. The kid rested his head on her shoulder and it looked like a natural urrence. The boy looked just like her, granted his hair was a tiny bit blonder and he was a boy, he looked just like her. I could only stare at them, shocked and... hurt. I was hurt because my mate already had a son. And if the son was here, the father was probably not too far behind. My mate already had a family. I wouldn''t want to pull her away from her family... her son. "Keegan, this is Preston. Preston, do you want to say hi to Keegan?" she asked motherly towards the child. I felt like my heart had just been ripped out and stomped on. It was getting a little harder to breathe. The kid clung tighter to Caroline, making her chuckle. She looked so happy. Blue... her eyes were blue as the skin around her eyes crinkled withughter. "He''s really beautiful," I said politely. I couldn''t help but think of what our children might have looked like. "Hey, I have to go, but I''ll see you at school tomorrow," she said, smiling at me quickly before leaving with the child in her arms. A tall blonde male was waiting for her. He slung his arm over her shoulders and kissed her head. I felt tears prick my eyes. Wait, tears? I didn''t cry. I don''t cry. My fists balled angrily. How could a girl I just met, have me feeling like this? And she wasn''t even trying to do it. She was just living her life. The life she established way before me. Anything I did to pull her away from her family at this point would only make her hate me. And I didn''t want her to hate me. I wanted her to be happy. So I guess I finally did find my mate... but it was too Natasha came bounding up to me; her shorts were hiked up higher on her skinny legs than the other girls. She smiled a toothy grin as she tucked a loose piece of dyed-blonde hair behind her ear. She was tall for a girl, only half a head shorter than me and that was saying something because I was 6''5''''. Caroline was a good head shorter than me. Natasha wrapped her thin arms around me as she pressed her body closer. Growing up, she was teased for being a little on the heavier side. When she hit high school, she dropped a ridiculous amount of weight, threw herself into everything, caked her face, and became the person standing here now. She used to be so nice and gentle. I guess time changed that. Her standing here was an awful reminder that I was stuck with her. My n for tonight was to break up with her so I could pursue my Caroline. Great, I was already calling her mine and she clearly wasn''t. I was stuck with Natasha. Caroline was happy with her life. She had a kid for God''s sake. "Aw, you came to watch me y? You''re such a good boyfriend," she smiled as she pulled away. I gave her a half-assed tight smile back but she seemed pleased with it. She reached forward and pressed her lips against mine. Her kiss had nothing on Caroline''s touch alone. I had to stop thinking about that girl, but it was hard. "The boys dragged me along," I said, feeding her the same excuse I gave Caroline. Natasha wrapped her hand in mine. I didn''t pull away. I let her do what she wanted, despite the curious nces I was Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. receiving from the guys. Because the God awful truth was that Natasha was going to be my Luna and wife. Because I couldn''t have Caroline. Chapter 9 (Keegan) Chapter 9 (Keegan) (Keegan¡¯s POV) I waited anxiously all weekend for lunch on Monday but the days dragged on. All weekend, I watched the clock, waiting for the next day. I could tell my friends were worried about me, but I couldn¡¯t be bothered to reassure them. In truth, I wasn¡¯t okay. I was far from okay. I was nervous and worried about what to say when I saw Caroline. In truth, her having a whole family while still in high school both surprised and saddened me. My mate. The only soulmate I would ever had was already taken, and she looked happy. I promised myself that if she was happy, I would leave her alone. I didn¡¯t want to force myself on her, but I still had so many questions. But I wasn¡¯t able to ask until Monday. Monday at lunch, I would finally be face to face with Caroline again. Lunch was when I would see her. Lunch was when I would ask her about Preston. My chest squeezed painfully at the thought that Preston was her son. The guys threw meforting nces all throughout the day. I was bouncing my foot every ss. Gregg told the others about everything during the weekend. They promised to go with me. So when the lunch bell rang, I waited until Caroline was seated with her friend before I walked over to her table and sat beside her. All the guys filled the other seats on the cafeteria benches. Caroline and her friends looked at us confused. In fact, the whole cafeteria was looking at us. I knew it was weird, but I had to be at her table today. I needed to know. I didn¡¯t have time to worry about what other people thought of the situation. Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. ¡°Hey there, cupcake,¡± Nick said suggestively. I wanted to rip his head off at thement. I didn¡¯t even realize I was growling until I saw Caroline¡¯s face widen in shock as she looked around confused. Nick slinked back, rightfully. I stopped growling and acted as if nothing happened as the guys filled the air with normal conversation to make up for my nervousness. I wasn¡¯t really paying attention. I was thinking about the question I was about to ask. It quieted as Caroline drank her water. The guys nced at each other before looking at me. They were giving me an in. I saw my opportunity and couldn¡¯t jump on it fast enough. I tripped over my words at first, but I finally got something out of my mouth. ¡°Your son was really cutest night,¡± I blurted before I could stop myself. Those were the wrong words. I wanted to ease into the topic. I wanted to hint at it without outright assuming and insulting Caroline. I¡¯d practiced in my head for days what I wanted to say, and none of what I practiced came out. Instead, I identally jumped straight to the question at the root of all my nervousness and fear. I don¡¯t know what exactly I expected in return, but I wasn¡¯t expecting her to spit water all over me. Chapter 10 (Caroline) Chapter 10 (Caroline) (Caroline¡¯s POV) Have I mentioned that I hate Mondays? My weekend was spent taking care of Preston while Danny worked, as always. I didn¡¯t mind it at all, but Monday morning, I was ready to rip someone¡¯s head off. I don¡¯t look horrendous when I wake up, my hair is silky and pretty much stays the same. I just thank the heavens I don¡¯t drool or snore; I learned that much from sleeping in ss. My routine is not to talk to anyone until lunch on Mondays, unless I absolutely have to. And I do just that. ¡°Morning sunshine,¡± Stacy joked at me from across the table. I only re at her and reintroduce her to my middle finger. Just because I¡¯m talking to people, doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m in a good mood yet. I fork some sd into my mouth and lean against my hand. ¡°Are you going to try and talk to Brighton again today?¡± she asked. That only earned her another re. She onlyughed at me. ¡°She¡¯s got a new potential bae,¡± Mariana smirked, bumping my arm. I felt a leg brush mine and a ting shoot all the way up my core. I sat up straighter as my eyes snapped to the culprit. I inched away from him lightly only to be pushed against him again as the rest of his posse showed up to sit at my table. We got weird looks from everyone in the lunch room. I mean, if some of the most popr guys in school and the hot new guy sat next to three volleyball dorks, I would stare too, but the boys went on as if they didn¡¯t even notice. ¡°Hey there, cupcake,¡± Nick smirked suggestively. From beside me I heard Keegan¡­ growling? The fudge? When I looked over to him though, his face was calm and the growling stopped but Nick slunk back; obviously taking the hint. ¡°Hey Holloway,¡± Trevor smiled sweetly. I only blinked at the guys sitting around my table. Mariana and Stacy were confused as well. Well, Stacy was hitting on Gregg, but you get the point. ¡°Wait, you guys know who I am?¡± I asked curiously. They all howled inughter, earning a lot more looks. Most of the looks were from the jealous girls but whatever. I turned and was faced with Keegan¡¯s nervous gaze. I¡¯m sorry, wait, what the hell was Keegan nervous about? He was freaking royalty. I sighed and dismissed the thought¡ªand the boys¡¯ughter¡ªas I took a sip of my water. I loved water; it was seriously some hydrating stuff. I practically gulped down the whole bottle. ¡°Your son was really cutest night,¡± Keegan said bluntly. I couldn¡¯t hold back the water as surprise registered on my face. I spurred most of the water out of my mouth as my head snapped to Keegan, soaking his head, hair, and shoulders in the process. I choked on what was left. I coughed as I looked at him wide eyed. The other guys were literally rolling on the floor, holding their stomachs as they howled inughter. When I could finally breathe again, I looked straight to Keegan. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I said. I grabbed his arm and tried to ignore the tingling sensation running through my hand. I stood and dragged him along behind me. I knew I couldn¡¯t actually drag him, but he followed me obediently anyway. I know it was just water, but I felt bad. I also felt like I needed to get him out of there. I dragged him into the girls¡¯ bathroom and he didn¡¯t resist. It was like he was blindly following me. I grabbed some paper towels and went to dry him off. ¡°You¡¯re too tall,¡± I said, a little frustrated. He smirked lightly at me before he leaned against a nk wall Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. and slid down until he was sitting. I dabbed the water off of his face and pressed the dry towels against his shirt to try and soak up some of the water. I sighed and sat next to him as I continued dabbing him. His eyes closed and he looked peaceful but there was a hint of hurt behind it. ¡°That wasn¡¯t my son,¡± I said softly as I tried to dab more water out of his shirt. I think we both knew it was a helpless attempt, but neither one of us wanted to move. His eyes opened slowly as he looked at me. I dropped my hand and sighed, running my fingers through my hair and biting my lip gently as I looked away from him. Chapter 11 (Caroline) Chapter 11 (Caroline) ¡°What do you mean?¡± he asked. My eyes flickered over to his truly curious face before I sighed. ¡°I¡¯m only 18, why would I have a toddler? Preston is my brother¡¯s son. Well, I¡¯m practically his mom, but he¡¯s not my biological son, but he is my nephew¡­ and that was my brother you saw with us,¡± I exined. His eyebrows scrunched in confusion. ¡°Where is Preston¡¯s mom in all of this?¡± Keegan asked. I looked down at the crumbled napkins in my hands and sighed. ¡°She left my brother, Danny, to deal with Preston on his own,¡± I answered softly. Keegan touched my arm gently. Fire shot up my arm, but when I looked at his face, it held nothing but sympathy. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said genuinely. I shook my head as a soft smile yed at the corner of my lips. ¡°Don¡¯t be. I love that kid,¡± I said. I bumped his shoulder lightly with my fist before I started dabbing him again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry about spitting all over you. I can¡¯t imagine how attractive that looked on your end,¡± I Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. joked. His hand was still on my arm. Trust me, I noticed. ¡°I don¡¯t think anything could make you unattractive,¡± he muttered quickly. My eyes shot up to his as he blushed lightly. He averted his gaze and shrugged a little. My ears were hearing things. That was the only excuse I coulde up with. ~ The next day, I was anxious for lunch. I knew exactly why too. Keegan. He was all I could think abouttely. I wanted to get to know him. I wanted to get inside his brain and learn everything. I wanted to crawl under his skin and stay there. My leg shook nervously as I waited for the bell to ring to signal the start of lunch. I stared at the clock; watching the time tick away. As soon as the bell rang, I jumped up and grabbed my bag. I packed my lunch today, so I went straight to my table. I pulled out my lunch bag and started dumping its contents on the table. Stacy and Mariana slip into their seats at our table. ¡°Damn, what¡¯s gotten into you?¡± Stacyughed. I couldn¡¯t very well say that I was waiting on Keegan because I needed his touch, his voice, his face, his everything. I wondered briefly when I got psycho- stalker on the poor unsuspecting kid. I just wanted him to hold me and never let go. See? Psycho. Stacy and Mariana went on about some party that was going to happen this Friday. I could care less. My attention snapped to one of the cafeteria entrances where Gregg was. I smiled lightly to myself. Keegan wouldn¡¯t be far behind. Sure enough, he was through the door next¡­ with Natasha hanging off of his arm. It felt like my heart stopped as I froze. Natasha was on the volleyball team with me. Everything about her was fake even if no one came right out to say it. I never really got along with her in the first ce, but now¡­ I hated the bitch. Chapter 12 (Caroline) Chapter 12 (Caroline) Gregg saw me and smiled as he started heading towards me. Before, I was excited to see Keegan, but now I was dreading having to sit through a whole lunch period listening to him and Natasha flirt and touch. I looked down at myp as Gregg took the seat on my left and Keegan on my right. It didn¡¯t go unnoticed that Natasha nted herself on Keegan¡¯s other side; practically sitting in hisp. Asher, Nick, and Trevor filled in the rest of the seats at our table. My friends, John, Stacy and Mariana, all greeted them. There were less looks today from the rest of the cafeteria. I flinched away from the butterflies running amuck in my stomach. I tried to ignore the shocks of pleasure running up my leg from where Keegan¡¯s jeans were brushing against mine. Keegan smiled at me sheepishly; like he¡¯d just been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Hey Caroline,¡± he greeted. I narrowed my eyes at him. Was he serious? He goes on saying that he¡¯s attracted to me, makes me feel some kind of way, makes me excited to see him, only to rub his girlfriend in my face? ¡°Oh, Caroline, hey,¡± Natasha said as if she didn¡¯t see me sitting there until now. Her hand rubbed up Keegan¡¯s arm. I wanted to rip it off. I watched as each perfectly manicured, candy-colored nail moved up his chest then back down his arm. How dare she touch him! He was mine! No he wasn¡¯t. I took a deep breath to calm myself He wasn¡¯t mine. He was someone I could possibly be friends with, but he wasn¡¯t mine; not in that way. He said a few nice things to me and I let my imagination run wild. Us being together was never even a possibility. Natasha always got what she wanted¡­ and she had Keegan. ¡°Caroline, I see you¡¯ve met my boyfriend, Keegan,¡± she smiled indifferently. Keegan¡¯s eyes shot to mine as he blushed. He kind of reminded me of a shy young boy. I wanted to hug him and tell him that everything was going to be okay, but that would be weird. I shrugged and turned back to my turkey smi sandwich. ¡°Yeah, we¡¯ve met,¡± I said. I sounded bitter. That¡¯s not the way I wanted it toe out at all; although I did feel that way. An awkward silence fell over the table as I ate my lunch quietly. Well, everyone else was quiet while Natasha rambled on about something. I sighed ad decided to tune her back in. It didn¡¯t sound like she was talking about Keegan anymore. ¡°¡­ so when we get married, I decided that I¡¯ll change dresses for the reception,¡± she said. I choked on the chip I¡¯d just stuck in my mouth. Gregg pat my back gently. I¡¯m d it was him. It wouldn¡¯t have helped to situation any if Keegan was touching me. I gained control over my wind pipes again and drank some water. Natasha continued on as if nothing happened. Selfish bitch. I let out a sigh of relief I didn¡¯t even know I was holding as the lunch bell rang. I quickly stood and rushed off to my next ss. ¡°See you at practice!¡± Natasha called after me. I walked quickly until I reached the Science wing. I let out a breath and took a step into the ssroom. I felt a hand on my elbow and I was pulled out of the ssroom and against the wall beside the door. I knew who it was before I saw his face because fire shot through my body. I sucked in a breath as I saw he had me boxed up against the wall. I was aware of how very close he was. ¡°Caroline, I can exin,¡± Keegan started. I wanted to bash on his face. I wanted to yell at him. I wanted to scream. Instead, I acted like it didn¡¯t bother me. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± I said, blinking at him. He shook his head at me in disbelief. ¡°I saw you¡­ I felt you, and you were mad at me. I should¡¯ve told you about Natasha but it¡¯s not what it seems,¡± he tried to exin. I stopped him. ¡°What you do or don¡¯t do on your time is none of my business, really. There¡¯s nothing to exin. We¡¯re friends, you don¡¯t have to exin your girlfriend to me,¡± I said. I was lying through my teeth. I wanted to know so badly, but what I said was true: it was none of my business. Keegan sighed and tried to speak again, but I brushed his arm aside and slipped into the ssroom. Keegan slipped into the seat next to me as the bell rang. This was going to be a long ss. Chapter 13 (Caroline) Chapter 13 (Caroline) (Caroline''s POV) I walked to the door with Preston on my hip and swung the door open to find my two friends practically bursting with excitement. Stacy was dressed in a tight silver strapless dress and red pumps. Ariana had on a ssier royal blue halter dress that flowed to her knees and matching wedges. I sighed and rolled my eyes. It didn''t take a genius to realize that they were up to something. "Mary!" Preston squealed and reached for Mariana. I smiled and let him shift into Mariana''s arms. She smiled. "Hi baby," she said as she and Stacy walked inside. They dragged me up to my room with Preston in tow. Stacy automatically started plowing through my closet as Mariana sat on my bed and yed with Preston. "What''s going on?" Danny said from the doorway. He was dressed in his decorated ck police uniform. That was Danny''s job. He was a police officer for our little town. I shuddered at the thought. I really hated his job. It was dangerous and I didn''t know what I would do if I lost Danny too. There was a plus of never getting speeding tickets though. I only shrugged. "I have no idea," I answered. "We''re going to Duncan''s party, duh!" Stacy said,ing from my closet with a ck, one-shoulder dress. The strap was made of a lightyer of tulle that wrapped down the dress. Stacy got the dress for me for Christmasst year. I started shaking my head. "I have to take care of Preston tonight," I said, dly giving my excuse. Mariana snorted in augh. "No you don''t," she said. I looked to Danny for help. He only shrugged. "I was just about to drop him off with our neighbor, Mrs. Piggens," Danny said. I red at him. "Thanks Danny," I scowled at him as he picked Preston off of Mariana''sp. I groaned as Stacy squealed and dragged me towards the bathroom. Danny closed the door behind him. After showering, Stacy and Mariana stuffed me into the ck dress. It hugged my curves like you wouldn''t believe. I was surprised that it even covered my whole butt. The ck heels they paired it with made my legs look long. Mariana started on my hair while Stacy started my makeup. Stacy only put a bit of blush and red lip stick, Stacy was satisfied. Mariana finished up and I was finally allowed to look in my full length mirror. I gasp as I checked out my entire body. I looked fantastic. They really worked their magic on me this time. Mariana straightened my normally wavy hair and it hung bone-straight all the way down to my waist. It was sleek and shiny. There was a waterfall braid starting at my side part and going all the way to the back on my head into a pair of nude bobby pins. "You look so hot! Oh my God! Keegan is going to be all over you when he sees you!" Stacy gushed. My eyes widened as my head snapped to her. "That''s why you guys did all of this?! You''re pushing me at Keegan? He''s dating Natasha!" I yelled at her as she pushed me out of the door. I watched as Mariana grabbed a clutch and my phone. "Sweetie, you are so much better than her. She''s a bitch," Mariana said sweetly. I couldn''t help but to buzzing with students, alcohol, and energy. Stacy pushed me from my lower back as Mariana dragged me from my wrist. I groaned and let my head fall back as we entered the house. The music sted me where I stood. It vibrated through my whole body. My best friends dragged me straight through to the kitchen. It was much quieter in there. Stacy let go of her hold on my back and shoved a red Solo cup in my hand. She pointed a candy colored nail at me. "Drink," she ordered. I sighed and gave onest pleading look to Mariana. She only smirked and crossed her arms as she waited. I shook my head and looked at the clear-brown liquid in the cup. It was actually pretty full. I swirled it timidly. "I''m going to regret thister," I muttered before I downed the whole thing. Stacy put three shots in front of me next. I drank every single one of them down. I could just imagine letting my mind be free for one night. For one night, I wouldn''t mope over someone who wasn''t mine to begin with. For one night, I Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. wouldn''t worry about mothering a kid who wasn''t mine to begin with. For one night, I wouldn''t think about my parents. For one night, I would actually have fun. I felt eyes burn into my back. I knew who it was before I even turned around... and I didn''t want to turn around. Mariana was standing in front of me. She noticed him first too and tried to get me to look with her eyes. I only shook my head; making me dizzy in the process. I was a light-weight, so I was pretty tipsy, edging on drunk. I giggled and reached a hand on the counter to steady myself as everything started moving slower. I slowly turned and saw Keegan looking at me with a look that I could only describe as sympathy. I didn''t want his sympathy. I noticed Natasha hanging on his arm. She had on a red dress with a plunge neckline. It hugged her very thin frame and ended right under her butt. Her thin legs contrasted against the dress. She had on ck strappy heels and her hair was up in a high ponytail. Make up caked her face. She looked like a model, and it made my heart sink. I looked behind to two of them to see the rest of the guys. When I saw them, I smirked and walked over to Gregg who was the closest. I stumbled a little but he caught me. He chuckled and secured his hands on my waist as he steadied me. "Whoa there," heughed. I smiled and put my hands on his shoulder. I could feel Keegan''s eyes on me but I didn''t care anymore. Chapter 14 (Caroline) Chapter 14 (Caroline) "Come dance with me!" I giggled, pulling on Gregg¡¯s hand. I was tiny, but I was mighty. I dragged him towards the makeshift dance floor before he had a chance to argue. I turned and pulled him against my backside. He froze for a moment before I slowly slid my backside against his groin. I heard him groan as his hands went to my hips. "Aw fuck. Keegan is going to kill me," he muttered. I smiled and continued grinding against him. He slowly got more into it as my tipsy state wore off until I was just buzzed. His hands ran over my hips and across my stomach. I shuddered slightly when he unknowingly ran over my scar. I continued dancing anyway. The whole time, I felt his eyes on me. I wanted him to watch. I wanted him to know how it felt. Turning quickly, I reached up slightly and pulled on Gregg''s neck; making his lips crash into mine. He froze in shock for a moment before I bit his bottom lip teasingly. He groaned as his hands found my lower back. I moved one of his hands so he was cupping my butt. That only made him groan louder. Gregg was a pretty good kisser. I arched into him before I felt myself being ripped away. Tingles shot up my arm. I knew exactly who it was. "Hey!" I protested. He dragged me up the stairs and to an empty room. He pushed us inside before he mmed the door, locking it in the process. I crossed my arms and red at him. I was still buzzed so I still had that warm fuzzy feeling in my stomach... or was that from Keegan''s touch? I didn''t care. Keegan rubbed a hand down his face before he looked at me incredulously. "What was that?" he asked, getting straight to the point. My hands moved to my hips. "That was me having fun. And if you''ll excuse me, I would like to get back to Gregg," I said. I smirked suddenly and shrugged a little. "We were having loads of fun." I added. Keegan''s face turned bright red as he red at me. He looked like he wanted to punch something but instead, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. When he opened his eyes he was calmer. "What are you doing?" he practically pleaded. His sudden change in tone made me blink in surprise. It also made me feel really guilty. I didn''t want to feel guilty. I was suddenly very angry again. "You don''t get to do that! You don''t get toe in here with your girlfriend and then dictate who I hook up with," I yelled at him. He flinched. "You can''t hook up with me bet-best friend; that''s against... its low, Caroline... and I guarantee that he won''t hook up with you tonight. He''s too loyal to me," he said softly, catching himself twice. I was pretty buzzed so I barely noticed. I sighed and looked away from him as tears pricked my eyes. I didn''t want to cry. I didn''t want to cry in front of Keegan. I didn''t want to let him know how he affected me. A tear fell anyway. I felt a calming hand cup my cheek as his thumb brushed my tear away. I let out a breath with his touch. I secretly hated that he could make me feel better so easily just by touching me. "Aw baby, I didn''t mean to make you cry," he said softly. A warm sensation filled my body as ''baby'' slipped through his lips like velvet. My eyes shot up to his and I was angry again. I pointed a finger in his chest and took a step forward. He inadvertently took a step back as his eyebrows raised in surprise at my sudden mood change. My re could''ve put him six feet under. Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. "Don''t call me that," I seethed. It hurt too much for him to call me that, knowing that he''s already taken. And I wasn''t a home wrecker. He raised his hands in surrender. I sighed and calmed down a hair. "I''m going back downstairs. You should probably find your girlfriend," I said, sneering on thest word. At thest second, Keegan''s hand wrapped around my wrist and pulled me into his solid body. I gasped at the electricity flowing through me and our sudden close proximity. His other hand found the small of my back. My breathing became erratic and staggered and I couldn''t control it. "Caroline, please be careful. I don''t want you to do something that you''ll regret in the morning," he said softly and urgently. His face was so close to mine that I could feel his warm breath against the top of my head. His piercing amber eyes held my eyes. I could only imagine what color mine were right now. My emotions were so all over the ce that they were probably all colors. I bit my lip lightly as Keegan''s eyes followed the movement. His head slowly leaned down until his lips were only centimeters from mine. I didn''t want to stop him, but I knew that I had to. And I obviously had more control over my actions right now than he did. "I would regret this," I whispered. He froze and pulled back to look at me. He looked hurt. "Yeah, we should probably get back to the party," he said softly, letting go of me. I sighed when he did and wasted no time darting out the room and back down to the kitchen. I grabbed a full red Solo cup and took a generous sip. "What did Keegan want with you?" I heard from behind me. I turned and shrugged. "He was just trying to sober me up a little and keep me from doing something I would regretter," I answered easily. I didn''t like Natasha but I could still be cordial towards her. She smirked at me as she leaned against the counter in front of me. "That''s my Keegs... Always trying to help out the less fortunate," she said with a sickeningly sweet tone. And just like that, I hated the bitch even more. Chapter 15 (Keegan) Chapter 15 (Keegan) (Keegan''s POV) Watching Caroline grind on Gregg literally made me sick to my stomach. I watched her face and it made my heart drop. She was smiling, and having a good time... and it wasn''t with me. Gregg tried to resist. With onest look at me and a groan, he finally gave in. Trevor, Nick, and Asher watched Gregg and Caroline in shock; their eyes ncing at me every once in a while. I heard Caroline''s friend''s giggling behind me. Natasha was oblivious to my sudden mood change. She clung to me and talked about everything and anything. My eyes were glued to Caroline. That girl had no idea what she''s doing to me. I wanted to be Gregg at this moment. My eyes widened in shock as Caroline spun to face him and gripped his neck. It seemed like everything was moving in slow motion as she kissed him. Gregg''s eyes widened in shock also. I watched her tug on his lip with her teeth. I was furious... and hurt. As much as I wanted to bash Gregg''s face in, I knew it wasn''t his fault. Caroline was like a siren. She Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. could probably make any guy fall at his knees with just one sexy smirk or smile. I quickly broke away from the group and over to the dance floor. "Hey! Where are you going?" Natasha protested. I grabbed Caroline''s arm and tried to ignore the tingling sensation that shot through my hand. She protested but I pulled her up the stairs and into a room. I locked the door behind me. I ran my hand down my face before I just let my arms fall at my sides. "What was that?" I found myself asking. Caroline uncrossed her arms and put them on her hips. "That was me having fun. And if you''ll excuse me, I would like to get back to Gregg. We were having loads of fun," she smirked suddenly. I flinched as my wolf whimpered like it had just broken its leg. Suddenly, my face heated. I knew I was ring but I just couldn''t seem to stop. I reached my hand up to punch the wall but stopped myself at thest second. If I punched something, it would crumble like a cookie and I would be exposed. I sighed to calm myself down and closed my eyes for a second. I took a deep breath before I opened my eyes again. "What are you doing?" I said in desperation. She blinked at me in surprise before she suddenly looked guilty, and then angry. She went through so many emotions that I had to watch for them carefully. "You don''t get to do this! You don''t get toe in here with your girlfriend and then dictate who I hook up with," she yelled at me. The image of Gregg hooking up with my sweet Caroline made me flinch. It broke my heart really. "You cant hook up with my be-best friend... that''s against... its low Caroline... and I guarantee that he won''t hook up with you tonight. He''s too loyal to me," I exined softly. I almost slipped up in calling Gregg my Beta instead of best friend. I almost mentioned the werew also. It was so easy to forget that Caroline was human. This was weird because werewolf mates are normally other werewolves. There hadn''t really been a human-werewolf rtionship of mates yet. Yet, here I was... mates with Caroline. She sighed and looked away from me. I noticed the tears dart down her cheeks. It looked like she was trying not to cry. I cupped her face and wiped her tears away with my thumb. I instantly felt horrible. Chapter 16 (Keegan) Chapter 16 (Keegan) "Aw baby, I didn''t mean to make you cry," I said softly, trying tofort her. The words slipped out of my mouth before I could stop them. Her eyes were a mixture of green, gray, and blue. They were clouded and she was angry. "Don''t call me that!" she snapped at me. I raised my hands in front of me, taking my hands away from her. She calmed down slightly before she looked at me again. "I''m going back downstairs. You should probably find your girlfriend," she sneered at me. She started leaving. I didn''t want her to leave just yet. Even though we were arguing, I needed her around. I pulled her flush to me. She gasped as her cheeks turned bright red. I held her close to me; not wanting to let her go. I struggled to keep my Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. breathing even. "Caroline... please be careful. I don''t want you to do something that you''ll regret in the morning," I said softly. I was practically begging her. I caught her eyes. They were still a mixture of colors which meant that she was confused. I didn''t mean to confuse her; I just couldn''t stand being away from her. She bit her lip. I had to hold in a groan as my eyes followed her lips. She was freaking irresistible. I couldn''t help myself. The pull to her was too great. I leaned towards her. I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to feel her warm plump lips against mine. I wanted to revel in her lips... in her body. I wanted her. "I would regret this," she whispered hoarsely as I was only centimeters from her. I felt a pang shoot through my body as my wolf started whimpering again. I searched her face for anything and everything. "Yeah, we should probably get back to the party," I said softly. I reluctantly let go of her. She sighed almost in relief and darted out of the room, which only made me hurt more. She didn''t want to be around me. She didn''t want to see me. I sighed and ran my hands over my face as I groaned. "Hey man. I''m so sorry. I didn''t know what to do and she was there, and dude, I couldn''t move. I couldn''t help myself. She''s so... so...," Gregg rambled nervously. "I know," I sighed, cutting him off. I watched as relief swept over his face. "I know," I repeated, more to myself. "How is it that you''re mated with a human? I still don''t understand that. How are you going to make her Luna when she isn''t even a wolf?" Gregg asked. I only shrugged as I stuck my hands in my deep pockets. "I really have no idea, but I''m going to have to figure something out because at this point, I can''t live without her. I need her," I said sadly. Gregg sighed and shook his head gently. "I''m sorry," Gregg said again. I sighed. "But if it makes you feel any better, I think she was doing it to make you jealous. Haven''t you noticed how upset she gets over the fact that you''re with Natasha? Or the way she can''t help but blush and try not to look at you when you''re around? I think she feels the bond too, but she''s trying to ignore it because of Natasha," he said. My eyes lifted to meet his steady gaze. He was right. Chapter 17 (Keegan) Chapter 17 (Keegan) "I need to talk to my dadter and figure out a way out of this," I said. "As for now, let''s go enjoy the party," Gregg said with a small smirk. I couldn''t help but to think of how he was "enjoying" himself with my mate earlier. I rolled my eyes and walked out of the room. The music hit me instantly. I walked back downstairs to the kitchen. I needed a drink. I walked down to see Natasha sneering at Caroline. It didn''t take a genius to see that she was jealous. When Natasha saw me, she smiled brightly. Caroline didn''t turn around, but she tensed; clearly knowing I was behind her. She took a shaky breath before she left. She stumbled a little, clearly drunk. I felt like it was my fault. Natasha pulled on my arm and started trying to get my attention. My eyes flickered to where Caroline was being handed a drink by a guy. I furrowed my eyebrows before I turned to Natasha. "I think we should break up," I said, making her halt her talking. She stared at me wide-eyed. She looked shocked before sheughed a little. She kissed my cheek. "That''s funny," she said. I sighed. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. "I''m not kidding, Tash. I need to be taking care of my father and focusing on my Alpha duties. Plus, you''re not really my mate," I exined. "So what, you think Caroline is your mate? She''s trailer trash!" Natasha yelled at me. I growled at her. "You don''t talk about her like that," I said, authority lining my voice. She grumbled and pouted with a re as she crossed her arms over her chest. I was using my Alpha voice on her. She had to obey. I made sure that she was looking me in my eyes. "We''re done," I said sternly. She huffed before she stormed off. I turned to try and find Caroline. I saw her on the stairs, practically being dragged by some guy. She wasn''t even fully conscious. Rage. That was all I could feel. I quickly went up the stairs after them. I burst into the right room just as the creep was putting her on the bed. His eyes only locked with mine for a second before I lunged at him. I wanted to rip his throat out and slowly use my ws to rip his heart out of his chest. He obviously didn''t have one anyway. I yanked him towards me by his shirt and got a good hold around his neck. I mmed him against the wall. His hands wed at my grip around his neck as he looked at me in fear. "I was just... having a little... fun," he choked out. That only made me angrier. I could easily snap his neck, but I didn''t need murder of a human on my hands. I set him on the ground and punched his jaw hard. He knocked out immediately. Scum. Caroline moaned and turned over on her side on the bed. I sighed and just watched her for a moment. She looked so innocent and vulnerable. I walked over and cradled her in my arms. She made a soft noise, and rested her head against my shoulder as her hands rested in herp. I carried her downstairs and searched for anyone. I saw her friends first. Their eyes widened when they saw me with her. I probably looked like a kicked puppy, but I couldn''t help it. Chapter 18 (Keegan) Chapter 18 (Keegan) "What happened?" the Latina one asked. She was the more sober one. I sighed and craned my neck to look at her face before looking back to them. "This idiot spiked her drink. He was about to take advantage of her, but I go there in time. I''m going to go ahead and take her home. Can I have her stuff?" I asked. "What happened?" I heard Trevor''s voice from behind me. I sighed and told him what I just told her friends. He nodded. "I''ll show you were she lives," he said, taking her stuff from her friends. "Thank you... for taking care of her," her red-headed friend slurred. I think her name was Stacy or something. Trevor grabbed Gregg and told the others what was happening. We walked out into the crisp fall night and to the truck. I put Caroline in the backseat and slid in beside her as Trevor drove. Gregg sat in the passenger seat. When we pulled up to her house, I took a second to look at the ce where my mate lived. I cradled her in my arms again as we headed towards the door. Trevor found her house key in her purse thing and opened the door. I took her upstairs and opened the first door I saw. I sighed and realized that I got the right room. It was simple yet, it fit her. Trevor put her purse thing on her vanity and even plugged her phone into her charger next to her bed. Iid her down before I rummaged through her drawers. I finally found a pair of Captain America lounge pants and a big tee- shirt. I slipped the pants on her and undid her dress. I paused before taking it off. I noticed a long scar running on her abdomen on her right side. There were scars all over her stomach actually; little ones, but the one on her right side was long and looked like it was deep also. My heart squeezed for her. Whatever happened, she didn''t deserve the pain that those scars must have brought. I quickly slipped on her shirt before tucking her in her bed. I held her hand and rubbed my thumb over her knuckles briefly before I pushed her hair out of her face. I left a long lingering kiss on her forehead. She stirred gently and grabbed her extra pillow, hugging it close. "Keegan," she muttered softly. It was barely a whisper, but my heightened hearing picked it up anyway. I couldn''t help the smile that broke out on my face. "Hey, I think her brother is pulling up," Trevor alerted me. I sighed and nodded. "Go wait in the car, I''ll let him know what happened," I instructed. Trevor nodded before he disappeared. I turned off the light and closed the door to her room before I made my way downstairs. I hit the bottom step just as the front door opened. My eyes widened slightly. It was the same guy I saw with her at her volleyball game... only he was wearing a cop uniform. "Who the hell are you?!" he yelled at me. I shushed him and looked up the stairs. "I just got Caroline in the bed and I don''t want to wake her," I said softly. I extended my hand to him. "I''m Keegan Porter," I introduced myself. He looked at my hand before he looked back up to my face. I Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org. dropped my hand and sighed. This was going to be a long conversation. "What the hell are you doing in my house?" he asked softer than the first time. I nced up the stairs again before looking back to Caroline''s brother. He motioned me to another part of the house. I noticed that it was the living room. He motioned for me to sit and I did. He sat across from me and waited. I took a deep breath and looked at my hands before I started. "Caroline was at Duncan''s party and she was drinking a lot and a little out of control actually, but I talked to her and she sobered up a bit after a while. She was okay, and then... this... scumbag," I started. Already, my fists were clenching and unclenching as I tried to get my anger under control. "He spiked her drink. Or at least, I''m assuming that because I saw him hand her a drink and then a few minutester, she was out of it and he was dragging her upstairs." I gauged the brother quickly. He was getting angry really fast. "I stopped him though. Pretty damn near killed him, but I stopped him. I got her stuff from her friends because they were too drunk to drive. Then I brought her here, put her up in her room and I was going to put some painkillers by her bed before I left," I exined. After a second, the brother sighed with his eyes closed and pinched the bridge of his nose briefly. "Thank you... for bringing her home. I''m Danny, by the way," he introduced himself. I shook his hand professionally and stood. "Sorry for the intrusion," I apologized. He shook his head. "No it''s okay. You can stay in the guest room tonight. I''ll grab you a change of clothes for a shower. I''m going to talk to Caroline when she wakes up in the morning. I want you there," he said. My eyes widened in shock. He wanted me to stay the night? He chuckled as if he were reading my thoughts. "Yeah, I know it''s weird, but you seem to really like her and I don''t think you would do anything to hurt her. Call it... brother intuition," he shrugged. I nodded. "I''ll just tell my ride I''m staying then," I said softly, heading towards the front door. What a weird turn of events. Chapter 19 (Caroline) Chapter 19 (Caroline) (Caroline''s POV) Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. The first thing I noticed when I woke up was my pounding head. It hurt like hell. I grumbled and opened one eye at a time to adjust to the sudden brightnessing in through my window. I sighed in relief when my eyesnded on a bottle of painkillers and water on my nightstand. I cautiously sat up and held my head for a second before I took them gratefully. God bless whoever put this here. Wait, how did I get homest night? Thest thing I remember was dancing with this random guy. He handed me a drink and... Oh no. I checked my body and moved my hips slightly to see if I was sore. I sighed in relief. So I guess nothing terrible happenedst night. So what did happen? After the painkillers numbed my headache, I threw the covers off of me to see that I was in my pajamas. Mariana and Stacy must have brought me home on the other side, standing with a towel wrapped around his waist. I only gaped at him. Keegan had a nice, no, great,no, godly body. I could tell that much even with a shirt on. His chest was deeply defined with sharp cuts outlining his incredible muscles. He had a freaking 8-pack. His sides rippled like a house made of bricks all the way to the boarder of his abs. He had a deep v-line that disappeared into the towel. His arms were ripped also with his veins raising the skin over them. He didn''t have hair on his stomach or chest at all. He was Adonis in the flesh. My cheeks turned bright red as I realized that he just watched me check him out. "I-I... what are you doing in my house?" I asked him confused. He only shrugged and walked into the guest room. I followed him. He was facing the bed with his hand on the towel. His back was to me. "I was just about to drop my towel you know," he said without turning around. His back was just as muscr and defined as the front of him. I let out a quick breath and turned so that my back was to him. I covered my eyes with my hands. "Go ahead... I''m not looking," I said. I heard the soft putter of the towel hitting the ground before I heard him moving. "What are you doing in my house?" I asked again. He chuckled. I felt his hand on my hip as the other ran over my stomach. I gasped and uncovered my eyes. My arms dropped to my sides as my eyes shot open. I shuddered and flinched away from him slightly as he touched my scar. His arm slipped around my waist and I felt his hard bare chest against my back. I rxed into him. I couldn''t help it. His breath was right at the base of my neck and I stifled a moan. Even just touching me was a major turn on. "Your brother invited me to stay after I brought you homest night," he said softly near my ear. My eyes shot open but I didn''t move. I didn''t want to. "You brought me homest night?" I squeaked. He nodded before resting his head on my shoulder. I sighed and closed my eyes. "What the hell happenedst night? I barely remember anything. I know that my drink was spiked, but nothing happened. Did you... did you stop him?" I asked softly. His grip tightened around me. He hesitated before he nodded slowly. We were both silent for a moment as he just held me. His arms were secure and protective around my waist and over my shoulders. My hands came up and held onto the forearm of his arm that was going across my chest. Chapter 20 (Caroline) Chapter 20 (Caroline) "Are you okay?" he asked me gently. I sighed and closed my eyes, letting my head rest back on his shoulder. I had no idea what I was feeling. Being in Keegan''s arms made me forget almost everything. "Caroline! Breakfast''s ready!!" my brother yelled from the kitchen. Keegan ced a slow soft kiss against my neck. I sighed lightly as my eyebrows knitted together. "Don''t do that," I said hoarsely. I didn''t have much of a voice after Keegan''s unexpected kiss. He chuckled before he let go of me. I immediately felt cold without his touch. I had the strong urge to run back into his arms. He reached over to the bed to pull the shirt on. I watched, slightly disappointed that he covered his chest up. I walked downstairs with Keegan on my heels. I walked into the kitchen and sat at the table. There was a huge stack of pancakes in the center of the table. My brother sat a te of eggs next to it. I smiled as my mouth watered. Keegan sat next to me and my brother sat across from me. My smile fell when I saw my brother''s stern face. His chin was leaning against his sped hands as he stared at me. I hesitantly too a few pancakes and a scoop of eggs on my te. I drenched my pancakes in syrup before taking a big bite. Keegan loaded up his te and dug in. My brother stayed silent and motionless. "Do you want to tell me what happenedst night?" my brother asked quietly. I stopped chewing and my eyes shot to him. Keegan''s chewing slowed but it didn''t stoppletely. My eyes flickered over to Keegan briefly before I looked back to my brother. "Keegan told you, didn''t he?" I asked. He scowled at me. "Well I found him in the housest night," he said usingly. I sighed and set my fork down. "Look, I know it was stupid but I wasn''t really thinking about what could happen. I was just trying to have fun," I exined in a rush. Danny sighed and started putting food on his te. "Good thing Keegan was there or else who knows where you''d be right now!" he yelled. I flinched and looked at the table. I heard him sigh and felt Keegan''s handce with mine. It calmed me almost instantly. I didn''t raise my eyes to his but I squeezed his hand gratefully. "I just... I worry about you Care. And with mom and dad," he trailed off as my eyes finally snapped to his. They blurred with tears as it felt like my very fresh wound was being ripped open. I took a shaky breath and tried to calm myself. Keegan''s thumb was running over my hand gently. It wasforting, but the sting of my parents'' death was still very present and very painful. "Danny," I whispered. He sighed and looked at me sympathetically when he saw my face. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. "Care, I''m sorry," he apologized softly. I stood quickly, releasing my hand from Keegan''s. I quickly walked up the stairs to my room without a nce back before Ipletely lost my cool. I missed my parents. Watching them die was not something I wanted to be reminded of. I ran into my room and mmed the door behind me. When I was curled up on the bed, hugging a pillow, I finally let my tears fall. I sobbed quietly into the pillow as tremors racked my body. Everything I''d been trying so hard to keep down came bubbling to the surface. I didn''t want to think about my parents. I didn''t ever want to think about my parents. All I saw when I thought about them was how they died... and how I was the only one who got out alive. There was a light knock on my door but I ignored it. It opened anyway. Danny and Keegan walked in cautiously. Chapter 21 (Caroline) Chapter 21 (Caroline) "I''m sorry, Care. I forgot how... new that still is to you. I didn''t mean to upset you or remind you. It just Content held by N?velDrama.Org. sort of... slipped out. Please stop crying," he begged. My brother hated crying unless it wasing from Preston. He also hated making me upset... almost more than he hated crying. Keegan walked further into my room and tucked my hair behind my ear and out of my face gently. He smiled lightly as he knelt beside the bed. "Hey," he practically whispered. He stood and got in on the other side of my bed. He pulled me up into a sitting position and opened his arms for me. "Come here," he said softly. I didn''t hesitate. I crawled over hisp and buried my head into his chest as I grabbed my stuffed bear and clutched it tightly to my chest. It was a bear my parents gave me. I''d always grab it when I missed them or when I''d get upset. Keegan''s arms went around me as he rested his back against the headboard. He rubbed my back gently as I continued to cry. He didn''t say a word. He just held me, which was fine by me. He shushed me lightly as I sobbed into his neck. Being in his arms actually made me feel better. It was like warmth spread through my body, calming me. Once my sobs stopped, I just sat there across Keegan''sp. I didn''t want to move. I was embarrassed enough as it was because ofst night and breakfast this morning. Keegan started humming to me lightly. And he actually wasn''t half bad. His voice was decent, or at least his humming voice was. He trailed off and let out a breath, his hand still rubbing my back. I finally lifted my head to look at him. His hand released from around me and he wiped my wet cheeks with his thumbs. "Better?" he asked. I nodded slowly. "Why are you doing this? Why are you still here? Shouldn''t you be with your girlfriend?" I asked him hoarsely. He sighed and caught my chin so I was looking directly at him. "I''m here because I care about you... and she''s not my girlfriend anymore," he answered. My eyes bulged. He broke up with herst night?! Oh crap, she was going to kill me. I looked away from him as I processed all of this information. "Ninny?" I heard from the doorway. I sniffled and took a deep breath. "Come in baby," I said. He walked through the open door and climbed into my bed. I slid off of Keegan''sp and onto the bed beside him. I wanted to be back in his arms again, but our moment was over. Preston climbed into myp simrly to how I was just sitting on Keegan. Preston didn''t rest his head on my shoulder like he normally did. He sat straight up and inspected Keegan. I chuckled softly. "Preston, this is Keegan," I smiled gently. "K-Keys," Preston said. Iughed. Preston gave everyone their own name ording to him. Then he did something I didn''t expect. He crawled out of myp and went to get in Keegan''s. Preston was shy. He normally didn''t go to people he didn''t know. It took him a whole year to go to Mariana and Stacy. Preston''s little face lit up with excitement. Keegan''s eyes bulged as he watched him. Then his eyes "Does this happen normally?" he asked. I slowly shook my head, watching Preston still. Prestonid his head on Keegan''s shoulder and let out a breath as he closed his eyes. "I think he''s still tired. Rock him a little," I whispered. Keegan did as I asked, holding my nephew gently. I smiled sappily at the picture. It was so cute. Who knew Keegan would be good with kids. What was more surprising was that Preston actually went to him. Preston didn''t go to just anybody. Chapter 22 (Caroline) Chapter 22 (Caroline) I wasn''t as cranky as I normally was on Monday. After Keegan left my house Saturday, he stopped by Sunday to see how I was doing. He even brought a toy airne for Preston. It was still amazing how much Preston liked him. They yed in the living room for almost the whole day. With Monday rearing its ugly head, I actually wasn''t that affected by it. I mean, I still wasn''t talking to anyone until lunch, but that was okay. That was my tradition. I was relieved when lunch rolled around. I couldn''t wait to see Keegan. I wanted to see him. I wanted to touch him and feel thatforting warmth I always feel when we''re touching. I slid into my seat at the table with the lunch I packed. Stacy and Mariana were the first to the table. They looked sullen and sad. "We are so sorry about what happened at the party," Stacy blurted first. I shook my head. "Nothing happened and I got home okay. That''s all that matters," I said. Mariana put her head on my shoulder and her hand rested on my far shoulder as she sighed. "I''m sorry too. I never should''ve let Stacy talk me into taking you to a party," she said. Stacy''s mouth dropped as she looked at Mariana. "Hey!" she protested. I onlyughed. "It''s okay, really. Keegan took me home and I was fine," I shrugged. Stacy and Mariana''s eyes lit up. I ignored their curious and pleading faces and took a bite of my sandwich. "Okay, I can''t take this anymore. Spill. What happened?" Stacy asked. My cheeks turned bright red as I thought about what actually happened. "Oh my gosh! Did you hook up with him?" she squealed. My eyes widened as I started shaking my head. "No! And keep your voice down," I said quickly. She only giggled. I sighed and looked around before I looked back to my friends. They leaned in expectantly. "He broke up with Natasha. And my brother caught him at the house and asked him to stay the night, but he slept in the guest room. And then we all had breakfast together and my brother questioned me about the party and I broke down. Keegan came to my room and just held me and it was the best feeling I''d ever had. Then, get this, Preston even sat in hisp. Preston loves Keegan which is so weird because you know how he is. Then Keegan left, but he came back Sunday to check on me and ended up ying with Preston almost the whole day. It was so cute!" I exined in a rush. Stacy and Mariana squealed but quickly stopped when Keegan and the guys came into view. We all started eating our food, pretending like we weren''t just talking about Keegan. They all slid into our table. Keegan sat on my right and grabbed my hand. I loved the way it fit perfectly into his; his fingersced waffle-style with mine. Mariana held her ce on my left. Gregg sat as far away from me as he could. Iughed when I realized it. "Hey Gregg, why are you way over there? You know I don''t bite," I said with a wink. "Yes you do," he murmured, keeping his eyes on the table. Mariana, Stacy and Iughed. None of the guys did. Gregg kept his nervous eyes down and Keegan''s grip on my hand tightened. The others just stayed quiet. When we sobered up, I released my hand from Keegan''s which made his eyes snap to Content held by N?velDrama.Org. me. He was about to protest but the she-witch interrupted him. "Hey Keegs," she smiled as she sat on his other side, pushing Asher over in the process. He sighed and turned to her. I looked on confused. I thought he broke up with her? "Natasha, I told you, we''re not together anymore," he said sternly. She only smirked at him as she touched his face and leaned closer. "That''s not what my dad says," she said in a sing song voice. "He said you can''t do that. And you know you can''t be with... Caroline... she''s not like us," she added. I wondered what she meant by that. Was she saying that it was because I wasn''t popr like them? And what did her dad have to do with anything? "Natasha," he said slowly like he was reprimanding to a two year old. "You know very well how this all works. I''m going to be... in charge soon and I want what I want, so get used to it. As for us... we''re over," he said carefully but sternly. His voice wasced with authority. She puffed out a breath and stood before she pointed a finger at me and narrowed her eyes. "This isn''t over," she gave her final words before she left. Gregg was the first to speak up. "I hate to say this, but she''s right until you figure something out," Gregg said. Keegan red at him. "We''ll talk about thister," Keegan snapped at him with the same amount of authority. Gregg lowered his head and started eating again. The whole table was silent for the rest of lunch. What was with all the secrecy? An even better question: what the hell was going on? The lunch bell rang. Everyone was too happy to get out of there. Keegan walked beside me quietly to our Forensics ss. Before he could walk into the ssroom, I pulled him aside. He leaned up against the wall and waited as I tried to figure out what to say. "What the hell was that at lunch?" I asked quietly. He only shrugged. "My parents are... friends with Natasha''s parents. They shipped us a while ago and they expected me to stay with her, but I didn''t," he answered carefully. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. "She''s not going to leave me alone. You know that right?" I said. He shrugged again. "She will if I tell her too," he muttered. "Why?" I asked confused. He looked surprised that I heard him. He ran a hand down his face before he sighed. "She just... she has to, and let''s just leave it at that," he said before he walked into the ssroom. I followed after him. Something told me that this was going to be a long year. Chapter 23 (Caroline) Chapter 23 (Caroline) (Caroline''s POV) I pulled my tight short sleeve shirt on before I exited the bathroom stall. I always changed in the stall because of my scars. No one knew about them or saw them except Danny, Mariana, and Stacy and I wanted to keep it that way. I weaved my way through the other girls, who were also changing, and to my locker. I pulled my knee pads out and slipped them on before sticking my feet in my shoes. I had to steady myself again as Natasha bumped me as she passed me. I red at her back as I heard her "She''s pathetic," I caught her saying. She nced at me with a smirk before she exited the locker room. I puffed out a breath before I stood and stretched gently. I made sure that the ace wrap around my stomach was smooth before I walked out also. Stacy pped my butt as I got onto the court. She smirked andughed at my expense as I rolled my eyes at her. We were volleying today; almost like a scrimmage. I was serving first. I tossed the ball in the air and waited until it came down a little bit before my hand smacked it across the. I sprinted to my position Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. on the as the other side hit it back to us. We had a good volley going, but finally, we got a point. Natasha picked up the ball and walked to the as I held my hands out for it. She smirked and shoved the ball into my stomach. My tender scars ached as I doubled over and tried to catch my breath. The ball fell to the floor as I held my stomach. Tears sprung to my eyes but I held them in as long as I could. "Listen here bitch," Stacy started as she stormed under the and into Natasha''s face. "Don''t test me, Stacy," Natasha growled back. I felt Mariana''s hand on my back as she led me to the bleachers. I sat gently and she rubbed my back. Stacy and Natasha were still yelling at each other. "Are you okay?" Mariana asked me. "No," I managed to choke out. My insides were zing and not in a good way. My scars were really sensitive to touch. From the inside, it was no problem, but if something hit it, I was in a world of unbearable, teeth grinding, and tear-inducing pain. And right now, I was in unbearable, teeth grinding, and tear-inducing pain. "Just because no one wants your bitch ass, doesn''t mean you can take it out on Caroline. She hasn''t done anything to you!" I heard Stacy yell. "You have no idea what you''re talking about!" Natasha yelled in her face. The coach walked into the room and her eyes scanned the scene quickly before she blew her whistle. Stacy and Natasha didn''t stop. And I couldn''t stop the tears. My lip quivered as I silently begged the pain to go away. Mariana stood quickly. "I''ll be right back," she said before she ran out of the gym. Coach didn''t even notice. She was too busy trying to break up Stacy and Natasha. "That''s why nobody likes you! You''re a fake bitch and the freaking spawn of Satan! You have no idea what friends are supposed to look like because you don''t have any. You''re a twat! No wonder Keegan dumped you!" Stacy yelled at her. Coach blew her whistle three times and stepped in between the two of them. She put her hands out as she looked between the two of them. "What in hell is going on here?!" she yelled at them. They both started trying to talk at the same time, getting louder and louder. I looked over as the doors burst open. Mariana came in... and Keegan was right behind her. I lowered my gaze as I held my stomach gingerly. Without a word, Keegan scooped me up bridal style and headed for the door again. His touch wasforting and I weed it. Chapter 24 (Caroline) Chapter 24 (Caroline) "Young man! Who are you and what are you doing with my yer?!" Coach called when she noticed him. "I''m taking her to the nurse," he said over his shoulder as he continued walking. I groaned softly as I let my head rest on his shoulder. True to his word, he took my all the way to the nurse. The nurse took a look at me and motioned for Keegan to put me on the cot that was almost to Keegan''s waist. I curled up on my side as the tears continued to leak out of my eyes. Keegan ran the back of his thumb along my cheek as he brushed away a tear before he stood and told the nurse what happened. Mariana must have told him. The nurse had me sit on the edge of the cot and sit up. My legs dangled over the edge. My eyes shot nervously to Keegan. He didn''t know about my scars, and I didn''t want him to. I didn''t want him to pity me, and I didn''t want to exin how I got the scars. The nurse left to get some ice. My ace wrap suddenly felt tight and restricting. I wanted to take it off, but Keegan was sitting right here. "It''s okay, Caroline. I know about the scars," he said softly. My eyes widened. How could he possibly know? "Did Mariana tell you?" I asked. He shook his head as he stepped forward and lifted my shirt gently. I froze as he slowly unwrapped my ace bandage. "No," he answered as his fingers brushed along my biggest and deepest scar gently. The movements made me shiver. I watched as his hand retreated and he put my shirt down. "I saw them when I brought you home from the party Friday. I put your pajamas on you. I didn''t see anything. I was careful to do it Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. in a way that wouldn''t expose you, but... I caught a glimpse of them. I looked," he admitted. I was waiting on him to ask how I got the scars but he never did. He stayed quiet as his hands dropped back at his sides. "Why are you still here?" I blurted, not being about to take the silence anymore. His hand came up and rested on my cheek as his eyes met mine. "I told you... I care about you. You think it was because of what you looked like? I care about you, Caroline, as a person, not a body. And this is all my fault anyway. I should have told Natasha to leave you alone sooner. I didn''t think she would do this. I''m going to make this right," he exined. "How," I said hoarsely. "You two clearly have history and she obviously has something on you. It''s not that easy. You can''t just tell her to stop and she''ll stop," I said. Keegan cracked a smile before he chuckled softly. I red at him. "What the hell are youughing about?" I yelled at him. He shook his head. "She will. She has to," he tried to exin. I just looked at him confused. He wasn''t making any sense. The nurse came in and handed me a bag of ice and some painkillers. I gratefully took them and pressed the ice against my stomach. I winced at first but then sighed at the cooling relief. After twenty minutes of blissful silence, the nurse came in and took the ice bag from me. "That should feel better. How is that?" she asked. I stretched my arms up gently before I nodded to her. I left the nurse''s office with Keegan on my heels. "I can''t believe you knew about this monstrosity on my stomach and you didn''t pity me or ask how I got it," I said. "It''s none of my business," he answered. "It''s disgusting," I muttered more to myself than him. He stopped and pulled me back into his chest like he had me in the guest room two days ago. His hand ran over my numb stomach and his fingers lightly traced my scar over my tight shirt like he already had my body memorized. I gasped and tried to push his hand away but he stopped me before he continued tracing my scars. I tensed. I normally didn''t let people anywhere near my stomach. Chapter 25 (Caroline) Chapter 25 (Caroline) "Hey, don''t say that. Every inch of you is beautiful. Your scars tell a story. I don''t have to know that story yet," he said gently. I let his fingers trace my scars. Eventually, I rxed into him. He kissed my temple before he let go all together. I let out a breath I didn''t know I was holding before I turned to look at him. "I-I should probably get back to practice," I stuttered quietly. "I''m going with you... I need to have a chat with Natasha," he said with venom in his voice. We walked back to the gym to find it empty. I went to the coach''s office and saw Natasha and Stacy sitting in the chairs in front of Coach. She saw me and walked out of her office, closing the door behind her. "Is what Stacy saying true? Did Natasha shove the ball into your stomach?" she asked. I nodded slowly. "Coach, I have... scars all over my stomach from the ident and the surgeries I had to have afterwards and it hurt me more than it would a normal person," I exined in a rush. Her eyes widened Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. in realization. "I''m sorry," she said knowingly. My ident wasn''t a big secret. Almost everyone knew about it so she understood immediately. Her eyes went to Keegan. "And what is your roll in all of this?" she asked him. He hung his head. "I''m the reason Natasha is acting this way. Her family is a friend of my family and she took something I said to heart and took it out on Caroline," he exined. Coach nodded as she processed this. "Come into my office," she said, turning back to the door. Once the door was closed, she started yelling at Natasha. Stacy watched silently as her eyes went wide. Keegan discreetly rubbed small circles into the small of my back. It instantly rxed me as always. Once Coach was done yelling, she kicked Natasha off the team. My eyes widened in shock. I knew Natasha was in trouble, but I didn''t think Coach would go that far. She red at me with ssy eyes before she stormed out of the office. Keegan followed her. He stopped her by grabbing her arm. She spun to face him, her re was solid. I watched from the doorway as he red back at her. "You''re stopping this, now," Keegan seethed. His voice was stern and authoritative. She only kept her re. "You''re going to leave Caroline alone for good. You will not physically or verbally assault her, got it?" he finished. She puffed out a breath and crossed her arms before she was throwing them in the air. "She''s not even one of us! You know how... they will react to her. You know you won''t be allowed to pursue her because she''s normal," Natasha yelled at him. "Stop raising your voice at me and walk away. My decision is final," he barked at her. Her eyes flickered to me before she did as he said. "What was that all about?" Stacy whispered from beside me. I shrugged. I literally had no idea. Chapter 26 (Keegan) Chapter 26 (Keegan) (Keegan''s POV) I was furious with Natasha. I stormed into my house and mmed the door and grunted. I paced the living room and ran my hand through my hair. My mom came rushing in from the kitchen. She looked at me amused. I sighed and stopped as I ran my hands over my face. "I need to talk to dad," I said softly. I walked around to the kitchen and opened the door that led down the stairs. I took a deep breath before I walked down the stairs. I hated going to see my dad, because I hated seeing him like this. Since werewolves couldn''t really go to the hospital, this was our own personal pack hospital. Rooms lines up on both sides of the hallway and we had a pack doctor. I could see him in his office. At the bottom of the stairs, I went down the long hallway before opening the door to his room. The lights were brighter in here and the room was set up like a hospital. "Hey dad," I said softly. His bald head turned to me and he smiled softly. "Keegan, good to finally see you down here," he joked. I frowned as worry set in. My dad noticed and tried to sit up some more. He grunted as he tried to push himself up on his thin arms. He used to be ripped and fit and healthy with a full head of hair and even a beard and mustache, but that was all gone. I guess cancer could do that to a person. He was weak and skinny andpletely bald. I hated seeing him this way. It made me sad beyondpare. I adored my father. I loved him. I was a daddy''s boy, but I rarely visited him down here because it brought tears to my eyes. But I needed him; I needed his advice and counsel. I sat in the chair by his bed facing him and sighed. "Dad, I found my mate. Her name is Caroline Holloway. She''s so... she''s strong and stubborn. She''s got eyes like you wouldn''t believe and she''s so beautiful. I roll over every time she talks... even if she''s yelling at me," I chuckled lightly. "I love her, and I know it too. It''s just..." I trailed off to try and see how to word the next part. I had no idea if my father would approve of Caroline or not. He noticed my turmoil. "What is it, son?" he asked gently. I sighed and looked around before I looked at him. "She can''t be Luna," I said carefully. He looked confused. "What do you mean? If she''s your mate, then she''s going to be Luna," he said. I sighed ad ran a hand down my face. "She isn''t... dad, she''s extraordinary. She''s not normal by any means, but she is human... she''s not a Lycan like us, and I know that''s going to be a problem for the parliament," I exined. My dad looked off in thought. He hummed thoughtfully as he twiddled his thumbs. "Well, you''re obviously mated to her for a reason. It''s the first I''ve heard of it, but she''s your mate. Even if you ignored your wolf and mated with Natasha, you would be ruthless and mean; especially since Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. you lost your true mate. Maybe I can ask the parliament as a dying wish to let this Caroline girl be Luna. Of course, there is the option to change her, but it hasn''t been done in hundreds of years, and you know how dangerous if can be from your Alpha training. I wouldn''t suggest doing that option. You should call a parliament meeting for here in a week or so to discuss it," my dad suggested. I frowned. "Dad, I don''t want your...st wish to be spent on me. I''m not going to be that selfish. You should save it for something you want," I argued. He chuckled and reached over to grab my hand. "My real wish is for you to be happy... and your true mate will make you happy. I just have one condition," he said with a smile. I squeezed his hand back gently. "Anything, you name it," I said quickly. He smiled fatherly at me, his teeth showing. "I want to meet her," he said. I froze. I could barely work up the courage toe down here. I didn''t know about bringing Caroline down here. "I just want to meet the girl who''s going to be bossing my son around for the rest of his life," he joked. Iughed lightly before I nodded. "She wouldn''t hesitate to do that... I''ll bring her," I agreed. "Can you bring her tomorrow, son? I''m not getting any younger. I want to see her before things really start going south. My voice is already getting harder to maintain," he said with a cough. My heart dropped as I felt the salt water build up in my eyes. I immediately started nodding. "Okay, I''ll bring her after school tomorrow," I promised. He thanked me before he drifted off to sleep. I sniffled and turned. I rushed out of the room and took a deep breath. I covered my eyes with my hands briefly and calmed myself before going back upstairs. I sighed to myself, entering the kitchen and telling my mom what he said. She giggled like a schoolgirl when she found out she was going to be able to meet Caroline tomorrow too. Oh boy... I texted Caroline and asked if I could take her somewhere after school. She agreed eventually, but not without asking a million questions. I didn''t tell her what we were going to be doing. She was under the assumption that we were just going to be hanging out with the guys at my house; which wasn''t entirely a lie. We were going to hang out with them for a little bit, too. But I didn¡¯t know how to exin my dad¡¯s situation to her just yet. Chapter 27 (Keegan) Chapter 27 (Keegan) (Keegan¡¯s POV) ¡°Wow,¡± Caroline breathed as her up ran over my house. I squeezed her hand gently before we walked inside. My mom practically ran us over at the door. My mom swung the door open with a huge grin stered on her face. She attacked Caroline in a hug. Caroline looked a little shocked at first but she eventually returned the hug. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°Mom,¡± I scowled at her. She only giggled and let of Caroline only to drag her inside. ¡°It¡¯s so nice to finally meet you Caroline! I¡¯m Lena, Keegan¡¯s mother,¡± she introduced herself as she dragged us into the living room. Nick, Asher, Gregg, and Trevor were lounging on the couches ying video games. Well, Nick and Asher were ying and Gregg and Trevor were watching. ¡°Hey there Holloway,¡± Trevor said, smiling at her. She looked around as if she were still a little stunned. Caroline turned to my mother. ¡°Nice to meet you too,¡± Caroline said shyly. My mom wrapped her up in another hug. ¡°Aw! You¡¯re perfect!¡± my mom squealed. ¡°Mom!¡± I yelled at her. She turned and scowled at me. ¡°Oh, I¡¯m excited, sue me,¡± she said throwing her hands up before she disappeared into the house. I sighed and shook my head at her. Caroline leaned closer to me. ¡°What exactly did you tell your mom about me?¡± she asked, trying to whisper. I knew the guys would hear her anyway. ¡°There¡¯s this amazing girl,¡± Asher said, mocking me. ¡°She¡¯s beautiful and strong and bossy,¡± Nick jumped in, sounding like an eight year old girl. ¡°She¡¯s stubborn and so sure of herself. Her hair is like a shiny, silky wheat field. She has eyes like you wouldn¡¯t believe,¡± Trevor joined in, turning around on the couch to give Caroline a sappy look. ¡°I think I love her,¡± Gregg finished off in a simr voice to Nick¡¯s. I knew I was blushing. I rubbed the back of my neck nervously. ¡°I didn¡¯t say all of that,¡± I muttered. I sure was thinking about it though. Caroline broke outughing. She held her stomach to keep from doubling over, she wasughing that hard. The guysughed with her. ¡°You guys are all idiots,¡± I grumbled. When they sobered up, I took Caroline to the kitchen. She looked at me expectantly. I sighed as I looked towards the door that led to my dad. ¡°My dad wanted to meet you, but he¡¯s really sick so he¡¯s in the hospital downstairs,¡± I exined in a rush. Caroline looked at me confused. ¡°Hospital¡­ downstairs?¡± she asked. I chuckled and nodded before taking her hand and opening the door. I led her down the stairs and to my dad¡¯s room. I hesitated before I pushed the door open. My dad wasying on the bed like he normally did. Only today, he had his oxygen tank hooked up to him. The small clear tube went under his nose and tucked behind his ears. He smiled when he saw us. ¡°Keegan, my favorite son,¡± he smiled. I smiled too and rolled my eyes. ¡°I¡¯m your only son,¡± Iughed. His eyes went to Caroline. I had my hand on her lower back. She stayed close to me. I think she was scared or something. I pushed her forward lightly towards my father. He smiled at her. ¡°You must be Caroline. I¡¯ve heard so much about you. You¡¯re every bit extraordinary as my boy described you,¡± he smiled, taking her hand. She blushed lightly and gave him a sheepish smile. ¡°Hi Mr. Porter,¡± she said timidly. Heughed weakly. ¡°Mr. Porter was my father. Call me Wes,¡± he said. My father¡¯s eyesnded back on me. ¡°I like her, son. I see why you do too. Please, take a seat Caroline,¡± he smiled at me Caroline smiled gently at him before she looked back at me. She took a seat in the chair facing my dad and I stepped back and leaned against the wall as they talked. Back and forth, my dad would ask a question and Caroline would answer. They kept an easy conversation. Eventually, Caroline started asking question. My dad hesitated when asked why he was so sick. ¡°Cancer: stage four. I¡¯m on hospice right now,¡± he said softly. Caroline let out a sharp breath. My father frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t cry, Caroline. My whole family hase to terms with my condition. At least now I know that when I die, Keegan will still have you,¡± he said with a soft smile. That took me by surprise. I sighed and tried to keep my tears from falling. Caroline looked shocked. Tears brimmed her eyes as well. I balled my fists and immediately got mad to keep from crying. ¡°Dad!¡± I snapped at him. I red at him; I couldn¡¯t help it. My dad looked at his bed sheets guiltily. Caroline stood and walked so she was in front of me. She put her hands on my elbows gently and looked up at me. My eyes were probably glossy but I continued to re at my father. ¡°Keegan, look at me,¡± she said softly. I did. My face softened when I saw her. She had already been crying. I sighed and reached up to wipe her wet cheeks with my thumbs. Her eyes closed before she looked at me again. ¡°I know that losing a parent is hard, but at least you get time to prepare yourself. You get to spend time with your dad knowing that any time might be thest. You get to tell him that you love him onest time. I would kill for that,¡± she said softly. Tears fell down her face faster than I could wipe them away. I knew that she was speaking from personal experience and that¡¯s what killed me. I pulled her into my chest as I wrapped my arms around her shoulder and her back. Her breathing was shaky, like she was trying to control herself. I closed my eyes briefly as I sniffled. When I opened my eyes, they locked with my dad¡¯s. He gave me an apologetic look. Did she lose her dad? I heard in my head. I knew it was my dad. It was an Alpha gift to be able to She lost both of her parents. She was there when they died, I though back. My dad¡¯s face went to one of shock. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean to upset y¡¯all,¡± he apologized. I sighed and smoothed my hand over Caroline¡¯s hair. ¡°It¡¯s okay, dad. I¡¯m not mad. I know¡­ I know that it¡¯s inevitable; it¡¯s just¡­ I¡¯m not ready to lose you,¡± I said softly. Caroline¡¯s arms tightened around my waist. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go either. I really like you,¡± Caroline muttered into my shirt. My dad and I chuckled until he broke out into a coughing fit. It calmed down before he let out a breath andid back against the inclined hospital bed. I gave him a small nod. ¡°I hope to see you again soon, Caroline,¡± he said with a smile. She let go of me and went over to hug my dad. His arms went around her gingerly. I smiled a little at the sight. Seeing Caroline hug my dad was doing something weird to my heart. ¡°I¡¯ll make Keegan bring me every week,¡± she whispered to him. I looked at the floor and smirked a little as my dad chuckled. ¡°Good,¡± he whispered back. Caroline let go and kissed his cheek before she walked back over to me. I held my chest and pretended to look hurt. ¡°Why don¡¯t I get a kiss?¡± I asked. She smirked at me. ¡°You¡¯re not as cool as your dad,¡± she said before she stuck her tongue out at me. My dadughed. I was d that Caroline could make himugh. I hadn¡¯t heard himugh like that in a long time. Caroline walked past me and out of the room and I followed. We walked back upstairs. The guys were still ying video games in the living room. Caroline plopped down in the middle of the couch just as the guys finished the game. ¡°So who want to get smoked first?¡± Caroline asked. They all looked at her funny. I just watched, amused. Nick wrinkled up his nose. ¡°You can¡¯t y Call of Duty,¡± Nick said. I wanted to warn him to be nice but Caroline put this innocent look on her face that told me that she was up to something. ¡°It can¡¯t be that hard right? Just hit the x-button and move the stick-thing,¡± she said innocently. Nick snorted. ¡°I¡¯ll y you,¡± he said. Gregg handed her a controller. ¡°Let¡¯s make this interesting. Loser gives winner 30 bucks,¡± Caroline suggested. I smiled. I knew she was nothing what she appeared to me. ¡°Deal,¡± Nick said confidently, starting the game. Thirty minutester, Nick was thirty bucks lighter. Carolineughed over-dramatically in his face before she hopped up and did a small victory dance. The guys all looked at her with their jaws on the ground. I only smiled proudly. That¡¯s my girl. Chapter 28 (Caroline) Chapter 28 (Caroline) (Caroline¡¯s POV) I was thirty dors richer by the time I left Keegan¡¯s house. Serves Nick right for being all high and mighty. Of course, then I smoked him so back that he had no words. In fact, no one had any words. You think that they would put two and two together but they didn¡¯t. I was living with my older brother. C.O.D. and Fifa World Cup marathons were bound to happen. I looked at the time on my phone and frowned. ¡°I would stay and beat all of you, but I have to get home,¡± I said, standing. I looked to Keegan. ¡°Danny¡¯s going to work soon, and I have to watch Preston,¡± I exined to him. ¡°Next time Holloway,¡± Trevor smiled at me. I smiled back. It was so cool to have a bunch of guy friends to hang out with. Keegan grabbed his keys. ¡°Bye guys,¡± I waved to all of them before I headed out the door. Keegan was right behind me. On the ride to my house, Keegan asked about my gaming skills and I answered with a smile. We talked easily the whole way back and Keegan walked me to my door. ¡°Do you need any help with Preston?¡± he asked me. I smiled at the thought. Keegan was really good with him which was unusual because Keegan only met Preston a few times. I shrugged. ¡°I might. My brother probably wants to say bye to you before he leaves,¡± I said, turning to unlock the door. I pushed the door open. ¡°Ninny!¡± Preston yelled as he ran to me. I smiled and picked him up. I bounced him on my hip and smiled. Preston¡¯s eyes went to Keegan. ¡°Keys!¡± he squealed. We bothughed as Preston switched over to Keegan¡¯s hip. ¡°Hey buddy,¡± Keegan smiled at him. Preston rested his head on Keegan¡¯s shoulder as he touched his finger to his lips. ¡°Hey,¡± I heard Danny say from behind me. I turned to see that he was buckling his belt shiny ck belt on his uniform. I raised an eyebrow at him. ¡°Runningte?¡± I asked, amused. He scowled at me. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be if someone didn¡¯t decide to go hang out with their boyfriend for four hours,¡± he said. My eyes widened and I could feel myself blushing. ¡°Keegan isn¡¯t my boyfriend; he¡¯s my friend. And we went to go see his dad who¡¯s in hospice,¡± I said crossing my arms. Danny¡¯s eyes went wide as his eyes flickered to Keegan. ¡°Shit, man I¡¯m sorry,¡± Danny said apologetically. His cheeks turned candy apple red. ¡°It¡¯s fine,¡± Keegan said quickly, but I noticed the tightness in his voice. ¡°Keegan wanted to help watch Preston,¡± I said, changing the subject. My brother smiled. ¡°Yeah, sounds good. I don¡¯t trust Caroline to watch him by herself anymore anyway,¡± Danny said with a smirk. My hands went to my hips and I gasped. ¡°It was one time!¡± I said loudly. ¡°You gave my kid a sugar high,¡± Dannyughed just as loud. Keegan chuckled. Danny grabbed his keys and headed for the door. ¡°Well I have to get going. I¡¯ll be home around midnight. Keegan, you¡¯re wee to spend the night again if you want since I know that¡¯ste, but no funny business with my sister. And Caroline¡­ no candy for Preston. I mean it. Bye, big boy,¡± Danny said to Preston before he Content held by N?velDrama.Org. walked over to Keegan. He gave Preston¡¯s head a kiss before he was out the door. I red at the closed door while ¡°Bye daddy,¡± Preston said softly. Preston¡¯s head shot up and he looked at Keegan excitedly. ¡°Hide and seek!¡± he squealed. Keegan chuckled before he put Preston down. So we ended up ying hide and seek for a good hour before Preston was finally tired. Keegan and I plopped down on the couch as Preston sat on the floor watching his cartoons. Keegan nced at me before he pulled me into his side. His arm wrapped around my waist. My heart started pounding at how close we were. I tried to keep my breathing under control. ¡°Caroline,¡± Keegan whispered. His breath fanned my neck. I shivered involuntarily before I looked at him. He motioned over to Preston, who was sleeping on the floor. I stood up and stretched. I bent to pick him up but Keegan beat me to it. ¡°I got it,¡± he said, scooping Preston up easily. I followed Keegan upstairs and pointed out Preston¡¯s room. After Preston was tucked into his bed, we went to me room. I sighed and curled up on my side in the bed. ¡°I¡¯m so tired,¡± I muttered. Keegan got in my bed on the other side of me. His face only inches from mine as heid on his side. We didn¡¯t touch at all¡­ just stared at each other. It wasn¡¯t weird at all, I swear. My eyes ran over his defined but masculine cheekbones and jaw line. Up close like this, I noticed light stubble lining his jaw. I wonder how often he shaves it. Before I could think about it too much, I reached my hand up and touched it. I ran the back of my fingers over his jaw line back and forth. He let out a breath as his eyes closed halfway. His hand reached over and rested on my hip. My hand cupped his face as I ran thumb back and forth over his cheek. ¡°You have no idea what you mean to me,¡± he whispered as his eyes closedpletely. I inched forward and pressed my lips to his gently. He froze for a moment before he kissed me back fiercely. My heart fell out of my chest and then came back beating double time. Butterflies were having an all out war in my stomach. His hand pulled my hip closer to him as his mouth moved sensually against mine. He groaned and flipped me on to my back. I took a sharp breath as my hands found his neck. He hovered above me and I pulled his neck closer. His tongue flicked my bottom lip, asking for entry. I dly gave it to him. I moaned as his tongue dipped into my mouth. His minty breath was weing. My back arched to meet his chest. His arm slipped under my back and pulled us closer together as his other hand propped him up. His mouth left mine, leaving me breathless as he kissed my jaw and then my neck. A wild moan escaped my lips as I moved my neck to give him better ess. He was excited. I could feel that much. ¡°Keegan,¡± I said breathlessly. I was going to tell him we should stop, but his lips cut off my train of thought. He kissed my corbone. ¡°Keegan!¡± I moaned. I had to stop this now or it would go too far. He growled and started to kiss me harder. I whimpered as my breath starteding in big gasps. My chest heaved and my eyes squeezed shut as my head tossed back. His hand came from under me to prop himself up again. His kisses slowed down until they were gentle and tender again. He kissed up my neck and jaw. I was still struggling to slow my breathing. Even these small gentle kisses were making me wild. His lips brushed against mine tenderly. When he pulled away, I kept my eyes closed. I felt him move beside me again. I could feel his eyes boring into me. I waited and caught my breath. I felt like I¡¯d just run a marathon; not that I was kissing Keegan. I turned over on my side and opened my eyes. He was smiling gently. His hand reached up and cupped my face as he ran his thumb over my cheek. I knew I probably looked flushed. ¡°You have no idea how much I wanted to do that,¡± he chuckled. I blushed. Keegan wanted to kiss me too? I looked at him before I smiled softly too. I was falling for him, hard. Keegan released my face and moved his hand down toce his fingers with mine. I sighed and closed my eyes as Keegan reached over me to turn themp off. ¡°Goodnight Keegan,¡± I whispered. ¡°Goodnight Caroline,¡± he replied softly. Chapter 29 (Caroline) Chapter 29 (Caroline) (Caroline¡¯s POV) By the time morning rolled around, I was well rested. I dreamed of Keegan all night long. When I woke up, he wasn¡¯t in my bed anymore. I sat up and yawned, stretching my arms up. I stood and went to my drawers for a change of clothes. After taking a shower, I changed into a pair of dark-wash skinny jeans and a loose-fitting blue blouse, paired with my ck and blue Nike running shoes. I brushed through my long hair before deciding to just let it fall to my waist. I put on a lightyer of makeup before I grabbed my bag and went downstairs. Keegan was ying with Preston and Danny was in the kitchen making breakfast. ¡°Hey, Care, breakfast will be ready in two,¡± Danny yelled towards the living room. ¡°Okay,¡± I replied before I went and sat on the floor with Preston and Keegan. They were ying with Preston¡¯s action figures. It was so cute. Preston smiled at me. ¡°Ninny! Keys is Superman and I¡¯m Batman,¡± he said excitedly. I chuckled before kissing his cheek. He immediately frowned and wiped his cheek off. ¡°No!¡± he protested. ¡°Why not Preston?¡± I asked him. He straightened and crossed his arms. ¡°I¡¯m a big boy,¡± he proimed. Iughed and shook my head at him. ¡°Keegan¡¯s a big boy and he still gets kisses,¡± I said. Preston looked at Keegan doubtfully. I leaned over and pressed my lips against his cheek before looking back to Preston. ¡°See?¡± I said. Preston frowned. ¡°I wanna kiss too,¡± he pouted. Keegan and Iughed before I kissed his cheek again. ¡°Better?¡± I asked. He smiled widely as she nodded. ¡°Breakfast!¡± Danny called. I took Preston by the hand and we all went to the kitchen. Danny had a buffetid out on the table. After we ate, Keegan and I walked out to my car. I tossed him the keys and got in on the passenger side. I noticed his clothes for the first time all morning. I looked at him quizzically. Keegan drove off to school as I turned towards him more. ¡°Where did you get the change of clothes?¡± I asked. He smiled lightly but kept his eyes on the road. ¡°Gregg dropped it off this morning,¡± he answered me easily. We rode in afortable silence all the way to school. Keegan held my hand waffle-style and kissed the back of it before we got out of the car and went into the school. It was odd. People were staring at us like we¡¯d justnded from another everybody in the school seemed to think something was going on. I didn¡¯t even know what was going on. Most of the girls¡¯ expressions consisted of res and scowls. Natasha¡¯s expression couldn¡¯t put me six feet under. It was that way all the way up through lunch. I sighed and sat down quickly. Mariana and Stacy were grinning at me like idiots. ¡°What?¡± I snapped at them. ¡°What crawled into your underwear this morning, princessa?¡± Mariana asked. I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. ¡°People have been staring at me all day,¡± I whined. Stacyughed. ¡°Yeah, they should. Rumor is that Keegan spent the night at your house a few times. And a few people from his neighborhood saw you at his house. And apparently you were there for hours,¡± Stacy said. I sighed and rolled my eyes. ¡°So?¡± I shrugged. Their mouths dropped. ¡°It¡¯s true?¡± Mariana practically whispered. I shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡­ well we did kissst night but that was it,¡± I said. They both went on to grin like idiots again. ¡°Oh my God, Carol!¡± Stacy squealed. ¡°You know I hate it when you call me that¡­ and keep your voice down,¡± I muttered. They both shut up and looked to where I could feel him. I knew he was staring at me without even having to turn around. He slip into the seat next to me as the guys filled in to their spots. Nick looked grumpy and that made me smile. I reached over and pinched his cheek. ¡°What¡¯s the matter Nicky? Is someone¡¯s pride hurt?¡± I said in a teasing baby voice. The guysughed as Nick swatted my hand away. ¡°Shut up,¡± he muttered. Iughed and sat back in my seat. Keegan wrapped his arm around my waist and traced the scar on my stomach lightly. I¡¯d got used to him doing that so I didn¡¯t mind at all. He leaned over to kiss my cheek but I stopped him with my hand. ¡°No PDA,¡± I said, wrinkling my nose. I hated when other couples made out in public so I wasn¡¯t going to be one of them. Keegan pouted but he didn¡¯t argue. ¡°You shoulde over again, Holloway. There¡¯s no way you can be good at Fifa too,¡± Asher said with a smirk. I smiled innocently. ¡°Fifa¡­ is that the one about football?¡± I asked innocently. Nick¡¯s eyes went wide as he looked at me. ¡°Don¡¯t fall for it Asher,¡± Nick warned. I batted my eyshes at him. ¡°Fall for what?¡± I asked. Keegan chuckled into my neck. I froze as a pleasurable shiver run up my spine. My eyes closed halfway and I had half a mind to moan, but I didn¡¯t. I pushed Keegan away instead. My face turned to his smirking one. ¡°Stop that,¡± I snapped at him softly. He smiled and leaned in closer. ¡°I¡¯m not doing anything,¡± he said close to my ear. Fine. Two could y this game. I ced my hand on his knee discreetly and he stoppedughing. His breathing hitched. I smirked and ran my hand further up his leg. His eyes closed and he groaned loudly. I burst outughing along with the rest of the table. Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. ¡°Do you need a room?¡± Stacy joked, raising an eyebrow at him. Keegan¡¯s cheeks flushed red as he scowled at me. I only smiled innocently. I rolled my eyes. ¡°Fine, one quick kiss only because that was so funny,¡± I smiled at him. He smiled and leaned forward, pecking me on the lips. Mariana let out a small awe sound as the guys snickered. The cafeteria got really quiet. I finally realized that I probably shouldn¡¯t have let him kiss me in one of the most public ces in school. My cheeks turned red as I kept my eyes on the table. ¡°Just ignore it,¡± Keegan said gently. We chatted with the entire table until the bell rang. As always, Keegan walked me to my ss. He respected my ¡®no PDA¡¯ rule and we went on like we always did. After school I hung out with him and the guys at his house before I went home and took care of Preston. Chapter 30 (Keegan/Caroline) Chapter 30 (Keegan/Caroline) (Keegan¡¯s POV) I looked around at the elders and chair people of our Lycan parliament. They talked easily with my dad. We were all sitting around in his hospital room. We decided to have the meeting in the hospital room so my dad could be a part of it. He would be making the request on my behalf anyway. ¡°I¡¯ve called this meeting to bring to light that Keegan found his mate. His true mate,¡± my dad started. I smiled when the council members started congratting me. ¡°But¡­ she¡¯s a human. She¡¯se and visited me often and I can honestly say that she¡¯s a good girl. She would make a great Luna despite the fact that she isn¡¯t Lycan,¡± my dad exined. The room got really quiet as the council members looked around the room at each other. I could see that this wasn¡¯t going to go my way at all. ¡°Have you told her about us?¡± one of the council members asked. He had a scruffy graying beard and matching hair. I shook my head. ¡°We¡¯ve just been getting to know each other. She lost both of her parents in an ident. She was there with them when it happened, so now she lives with her brother and his three year old son. They¡¯re really good people. My personal opinion is that she¡¯s been through a lot. She would most likely be able to handle this life,¡± I said, giving my input. They thought about it silently. I resisted the urge to bounce my leg in nervousness. I had to keep still and show dominance. At least, that¡¯s what my training said. ¡°We¡¯ve never encountered anything like this before. Are you sure that she is your mate? What¡¯s her name?¡± another one of the members asked. ¡°I¡¯m positive. Her name is Caroline Holloway,¡± I answered. ¡°We will discuss this and make a decision at ater time,¡± the council member with the graying beard said as he stood. I stood as well and reached over to shake his hand. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said. They all shook my hand and my dad¡¯s before they left. I sighed in relief. I hoped they would let Caroline be Luna. ~ (Caroline¡¯s POV) We fell into this simple and easy routine for a few weeks. It was easy andfortable for me. I didn¡¯t want to talk to Keegan about what that kiss meant just yet, but we talked pretty much about everything else. Being with Keegan¡¯s friends and family seemed like second nature to me. It was so easy to get along with everyone. I talked to Keegan¡¯s dad, Wes, a lot too. I liked him. He was like my second dad. Even with his cancer, he still seemed free spirited and worry free from his hospital bed. If he ever had any pain or problems, he always kept it to himself. I didn¡¯t want to lose Wes yet, just like I didn¡¯t want to lose Lena and Keegan. They were quickly bing my second family. Keegan fit in well with my family as well. It was safe to say that I was falling in love with him, and fast. The simplest things he did made my heart flutter, I was perfectly okay with that.Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. Chapter 31 (Caroline) Chapter 31 (Caroline) We were hanging out at Keegan¡¯s house. It was him, the guys, and me. Keegan and I were sitting on the couch watching Nick and Asher go at it on Fifa. They wouldn¡¯t let me y anymore because I kept beating them so bad it was embarrassing; fine by me. When they wanted something challenging, they would y me. I was leaning into Keegan¡¯s side as his arm draped over my shoulders. My fingers were ¡°What are we?¡± I asked softly. Keegan looked off thoughtfully as if he didn¡¯t know whether to tell me or not. ¡°You two are mates,¡± Asher said as if it was the most obvious answer in the world. He didn¡¯t look up from his game. I scrunched my eyebrows in confusion. Mates? ¡°All that matters is that you¡¯re mine,¡± Keegan said, redirecting my chin with his finger so I was looking at him. He was smiling. I couldn¡¯t help but smile along with him. He leaned forward and touched his lips against mine. I smiled into the kiss before I tried to pull away. Keegan wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me on top of him so I was straddling hisp. My squeal was muffled by his lips. I wanted to faint. The way he was kissing me made me want to take him up to his bed right now. His hands pulled my hips closer to him. I moaned when I felt something poking my thigh. His mouth left mine and peppered kisses down my jaw and my neck. ¡°Keegan, not here,¡± I breathed. He growled and sucked on my neck. I stifled a moan by biting my lip. ¡°Why not?¡± he muttered against my corbone. I couldn¡¯t even remember anymore. His hand slid down and squeezed my butt cheek. ¡°Keegan!¡± I moaned. ¡°Okay, the game can wait. I¡¯m out of here,¡± I heard Asher say. My eyes shot open and I slid off of Keegan¡¯sp, despite his protests. My whole face was probably red. Oh yeah¡­ that¡¯s why. Nickughed as he watched us before he pouted yfully. ¡°Aw, things were just starting to get good,¡± he joked before he winked at me. My face felt hotter, if that was even possible. I scowled before I started hitting Keegan repeatedly. ¡°I told you not here!¡± I yelled at him. Keegan took my hands and pinned me down on the couch. I snaked from underneath him and got to the top of the couch before pushing him forward with my legs. I smiled as Keegan went toppling to the floor. I sat on the couch and watched as he looked around confused before his eyes snapped up to me. The guys looked on amused and shocked at the same time. Keegan¡¯s shocked expression turned into a yful smirk as he reached up and pulled me onto the floor. The guys made room on the floor as they just watched. Keegan flipped me over and tried to pin me, but I was quicker. I got the crook of my elbow around his neck. He got out of that and got the upper hand before I gained it back. We wrestled on for a good five minutes. My hair was starting to stick to my face and my shirt clung to my stomach. It was getting impossibly hot, especially with Keegan¡¯s body heat. Finally, I got my legs around his neck. He was smirking at me. ¡°You know, this isn¡¯t how I pictured the first time with my head between your legs,¡± Keegan smirked. I loosened my grip as my mouth cked in shock. The guys thought that was really funny. Keegan took his opening and flung me around on my back lightning fast. I heard a thump as a shooting pain spread from the back of my head. There was something sharp underneath my head. I justid there. ¡°Yes!¡± Keegan jumped up happily. I covered my face with my hands as tears sprung to my eyes. My head was really starting to hurt. I didn¡¯t want them to see me cry. I started that war and I didn¡¯t want them to think I was weak. I tried to gain myposure as the guys all recapped our little fight. ¡°Oh shit,¡± I finally heard one of them say. ¡°Crap Keegan. What did you do?!¡± I heard Nick say. What the hell were they talking about?Content held by N?velDrama.Org. Chapter 32 (Caroline) Chapter 32 (Caroline) (Caroline¡¯s POV) I opened my eyes slowly and everything started spinning. I groaned and closed my eyes again when I felt Keegan¡¯s hand on my cheek. ¡°Shit, shit, shit!¡± Keegan muttered. There was a pause. ¡°Mom, I need your help,¡± he finally said. What in hell were they making a big fuss about? I tried to sit up, but Keegan¡¯s hand held me down. ¡°Don¡¯t move,¡± he said panicked. I groaned again and opened my eyes. ¡°I-I¡¯m fine,¡± I lied. ¡°Why is everyone freaking out?¡± I asked. It was then that I smelled something Content held by N?velDrama.Org. metallic. It was very distinctive. I smelled it before¡­ after the ident. Blood. I took deep breaths and tried to calm my breathing. I wasn¡¯t squeamish about blood or anything; it was just that I was thinking about the ident again. I sighed and reached my hand back to touch the top of my head. Keegan swatted my hand away before I could. ¡°Don¡¯t touch it,¡± he said. He looked nervously towards the stairs. ¡°Mom!¡± he yelled louder. His worried and scared face turned back to me. A momentter, we all heard her footsteps descending. ¡°I¡¯ming, I¡¯ming. Honestly Keegan, you would think you and your friends could take care of-¡± she stopped when she saw me. Her eyes widened in shock. ¡°Mom¡­ help?¡± Keegan asked hopelessly. I saw Lena re at all of them. ¡°What are you boys just standing around for? Gregg, get some towels. Trevor, get ice. Asher, grab my scrubbing brush and some rags. Nick, get the bleach and the stain wash from theundry room,¡± they all frantically did as she asked. Gregg handed a towel to Keegan which he wrapped around the ice Trevor gave him before he lifted me gently and ced it against my head. I hissed in a breath which made Keegan take it away. I took it from him and ced it back on my head. I knew he didn¡¯t want to hurt me, but I needed apress on my head. Even I knew that. ¡°What now?¡± he asked looking to his mom. She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. ¡°You¡¯re going to be in charge of this entire¡­ group in probably less than a year, Keegan. You should be able to handle this,¡± she said calmly at him. Keegan only started freaking out. ¡°Mom! I hurt her! We were wrestling and I went too far. I-I can¡¯t¡­ I can¡¯t,¡± Keegan was in full overdrive. He was on the brink of hyperventting as his eyes darted around nervously. I reached my free hand over and squeezed his hand in mine. ¡°Keegan, calm down,¡± I said softly. His eyes snapped to mine and he did calm down a bit. I rubbed my thumb over his hand and gave him a soft smile. ¡°I¡¯m going to be okay, it¡¯s just a bump. But you need to keep it together¡­ for me, okay?¡± I asked gently. He calmed down more as he nodded. My smile widened a bit. That instantly sent more pain to my head, but I ignored it and tried not to wince at the pain. ¡°Okay,¡± he croaked out. Chapter 33 (Caroline) Chapter 33 (Caroline) (Caroline¡¯s POV) ¡°Good, now you said there was a hospital downstairs right? Take me there and whatever doctor is on hand can look at me there. Sound like a n?¡± I suggested. He swallowed as his nervousness started evaporating. ¡°Okay,¡± he croaked out again. He scooped me up before quickly carrying me through the kitchen and down the stairs. His mom went ahead of us and got a room ready for me. The doctor came in only a few seconds after Keegan set me down in the examination chair. It was a middle-aged woman with slightly graying hair pulled back into a tight ponytail. She was hefty. I guess with all of those guys to take care of, she had to be. ¡°What seems to be the problem?¡± she said, mostly to herself as she moved around to examine the back of my head. After a second, she came back around and smiled at me. ¡°Good news, you''re going to be fine. It¡¯s very small, barely noticeable. Put a little Tuff-Skin on that and it¡¯ll seal up by tomorrow. I think you may have a mild concussion as well, so just don¡¯t do anything strenuous for a few weeks, like no sports, being upside down, running, and no more wrestling,¡± she said, winking at me. I thanked her gently and tried to keep down to oh-so-obvious blush that tinted my cheeks. ncing over at Keegan, I noticed that he was still shaking his leg nervously. ¡°Why was there so much blood?¡± Keegan asked her. She turned and smiled at him. ¡°Any cut to the head is going to bleed a lot. There¡¯s more blood circting in our heads and faces because of our brains,¡± she answered sweetly. She grabbed a jar of something and put a swab in the honey colored liquid. It looked sticky. She held it up to me. ¡°This is the Tuff-Skin. I¡¯m not going to lie and say it will be painless. It¡¯s going to sting a lot. Afterwards, you can wash it out tomorrow night and you should be good as new,¡± she said. I nodded weakly before I waited as she disappeared behind me. She wasn¡¯t lying. As the sticky liquid hit my scalp, I yelped and let out sharp breaths as my eyes watered. ¡°Ow,¡± I whined. It hurt a lot actually. It was over a little bitter. She gave me a few more instructions about eating and sleeping, and watching out for my concussion in general. I thanked the doctor before she left. Keegan just sat in the chair, staring at the floor and shaking his leg. He looked so worried. I reached out to touch him, but he shot up and out of the room before I could. My heart hurt a little at the rejection. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I heard his mom right outside my door. ¡°I can¡¯t do this, mom. I can¡¯t put her in danger like this. I can¡¯t ask her to be a part of this. I forgot today. We were wrestling and I forgot that she¡­ I forgot, mom. I went too far. I-I,¡± he trailed off into a sob. It sounded like he was panicking again. A tear escaped my eye listening to him. He was scared for me, I got that much, but why? ¡°Honey, this was an ident. We all know that you would never hurt her on purpose. You would protect that girl with your own life¡­ hell, we all would,¡± his mom said. I smiled lightly at the thought. I eased off of the chair and made my way closer to the door. ¡°But I need to protect her from myself! Today when I saw herying there¡­ I don¡¯t know. It was like my brain just shut off or something. I couldn¡¯t take control. I couldn¡¯t think straight because all I could think about was that I couldn¡¯t lose her. Maybe¡­ maybe this was a sign. Maybe we shouldn¡¯t push our luck with the council or even just being together,¡± he said. I leaned against the doorframe as I eavesdropped. What did he mean? ¡°Stop it!¡± Lena snapped at him. I heard her take an exaggerated breath before she continued. ¡°Keegan, she makes you happy¡­ and she makes me happy. Hell, she even makes your friends happy. If you let her go now, you¡¯re never going to forgive yourself. You''re worse off without her. You need her,¡± Lena said, though it sounded more like she was begging. ¡°Maybe the council was right when pairing me up with Natasha. She¡¯s like us and she would be here, no questions asked,¡± he said defeated. I covered my mouth with my hand to keep the loud gasp from escaping my lips. Tears pricked my eyes and slithered down my cheeks. ¡°She has an ugly attitude. You¡¯re my son, and I love you, but you¡¯re an idiot of you let Caroline go,¡± Lena seethed. ¡°Maybe I should. I don¡¯t know. I just don¡¯t know what to do. This isn¡¯t easy,¡± he sighed. I stepped out of my hiding ce inside the room and red at Keegan. I knew my eyes were probably puffy and red from crying but I didn¡¯t care. ¡°Let me make it easier for you,¡± I choked out hoarsely before I stormed past him and up the stairs. ¡°Caroline!¡± I heard him call after me. I was dizzy and my head was spinning, but I didn¡¯t care. I gripped the counter when I reached the kitchen. I took deep breaths and closed my eyes. Once I regained myself, I walked into the living room to see the guys trying to clean my blood out of the carpet. They all looked at me curiously and worried when they saw my face. ¡°Someone¡­ take me home, please?¡± I croaked. Gregg and Trevor stood immediately. ¡°We¡¯ll take you. Let me just¡­ talk to Keegan-¡± ¡°No,¡± I cut him off. They looked at me surprised. ¡°He¡¯ll try to stop me, and I really don¡¯t want to talk to him right now,¡± I said vaguely. Gregg nodded quietly. Him and Trevor washed the bleach off of their hands before they rushed me out to a car. I sat in the backseat with Trevorforting me as Gregg drove. The ride was quiet mostly until we pulled up to my house. Gregg stopped the car but didn¡¯t let me out just yet. ¡°What happened?¡± he demanded. I sighed and looked at the ceiling before I closed my eyes. ¡°It¡¯s over. Keegan couldn¡¯t choose between me and Natasha, so I made the decision for him. Did he even really like me? Was this all a joke from the start?¡± I said, thinking out loud. Trevor immediately started shaking his head. ¡°Caroline, he-¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say that he cares or loves me because he doesn¡¯t. If he did, he wouldn¡¯t have even considered dating Natasha again. If he cared about me, he wouldn¡¯t have let me go so easily. If he loved me, he would¡¯ve fought for me¡­ but he didn¡¯t. Now what, I¡¯m supposed to assume that the past four weeks weren¡¯t aplete joke to him?¡± I seethed, getting angrier and louder by the second. Trevor flinched as I rushed out of the car and mmed the door behind me as I entered the house. I had a feeling that Netflix and frozen yogurt were going to be my best friends tonight.Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Chapter 34 (Keegan) Chapter 34 (Keegan) (Keegan¡¯s POV) Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. Well the council finally agreed to try out Caroline as Luna. They wanted to run tests on her without her knowing first though; terms I was more than willing to ept. But when Friday rolled around and things got out of hand. I froze. I couldn¡¯t do anything. I was about as helpful as a goldfish and I hated it. I felt even worse after she stormed out of the house hurt and upset. What really got me was the silence. Caroline didn¡¯t talk to me for a week straight. It was torture and my wolf was depressed. I didn¡¯t want to go out for runs or anything. It was like I was lost without her. My mom was right: I needed her. I just might¡¯ve realized it toote. Even in school, Caroline was like a fortress. She managed to not talk to me in Forensics too even though she was always my partner and sat right next to me. Her silence was killing me. After school ended on Friday, I wasn¡¯t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing. I sighed when I sat on the couch with my water bottle. The guys were ying C.O.D. but I could tell that their hearts weren¡¯t in it. They¡¯d been pouting all week long. In fact, everyone in the house had been pouting all week long, including my dad and Karma. The guys were silent as they slowly trudged through their game. I couldn¡¯t take it anymore. ¡°What?!¡± I snapped at them. They all turned to look at me. ¡°You all have something to say, so just say it!¡± I yelled at them. I was cranky. I¡¯d barely gotten any sleep at night thinking about Caroline. Gregg paused the game and hesitated. I felt a whack on the back of my head. I looked up to see me mom walking into the living room connected to Karma by the hand. I scowled and rubbed the back of my head. I was two seconds away from saying something to her, but then I saw her face. Her eyes were red and puffy. She looked stressed out and older than before. She was also very, very angry. ¡°Caroline was like a daughter to me and I want her back!¡± my mom yelled/whined. ¡°And you love her so it¡¯s not like it would be any loss to you. This house feels empty without her. You''re putting more stress on your dad because he wants to see her. She makes himugh, Keegan. Your fatherughs when he¡¯s talking to Caroline. She¡¯s like the soul of this house and YOU SUCKED THE SOUL OUT!!¡± my mom talked/yelled at me. Her talking patterns were so all over the ce, I didn¡¯t know how to respond. I stood and tossed my hands up in defeat. ¡°What do you want me to do?!¡± I yelled at her. She flinched before she only got angrier. ¡°I miss herugh. She would have a tea party with me sometimes,¡± Karma added timidly. I sighed and ran my hands over my face. ¡°Go apologize to her¡­ right now,¡± my mom ordered. I uncovered my face and looked at all the sullen faces in the living room. I wanted her back too¡­ so bad. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll go to her house,¡± I said. ¡°You can¡¯t. One, no doubt her brother knows about what happened and is out for your blood. Two, there¡¯s a volleyball game tonight,¡± Trevor said. And that is how we ended up back at high school on a Friday night. We sat in the bleachers and watched the game quietly. I noticed that Caroline wasn¡¯t ying and that worried me to no end. With Caroline sitting on the bench and Natasha being kicked off a while ago, the Bulls lost badly. And with every point they got, Caroline got angrier. I knew that she could feel me looking at her. She always could. My heart did a little back flip at seeing her. When the game ended, I realized that I had no idea what I was going to say to her. I walked up to her anyway. Right before I could say anything to her, my favorite little toddler came running up. ¡°Keys!¡± Preston squealed. I smiled and knelt as he jumped into my arms. I hugged his gently as his small arms went around my neck. I stood with him. I couldn¡¯t help the huge smile that made its way onto my face. Caroline sighed and kept her eyes down. ¡°Preston. No Keys. It¡¯s time to go,¡± she said sternly. ¡°No!¡± Preston said defiantly, clinging to me tighter. ¡°Preston! No. More. Keys,¡± Caroline seethed, venomcing her voice. She also sounded hurt. I knew why. I hurt her. ¡°Caroline,¡± I pleaded as she peeled a screaming Preston off of me. Preston kicked and screamed until Caroline finally put him down. Preston ran to Danny. Caroline turned on her heels but I pulled her back to me. Her breathing became erratic as she froze; her hands against my chest. My body sparks in that familiar way that only Caroline could cause. I missed our spark. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you y today?¡± I asked softly. That seemed to snap her back to attention. She pushed away from me and red. ¡°Because I have a concussion,¡± she snapped at me before she hurried off. My heart felt like something was squeezing it. My chest hurt. I hurt her¡­ in more ways than one. I wanted to cry. I just wanted to curl up in a ball and die. I felt terrible. And more than anything, I wanted her back. I wanted my Caroline. I felt a hand on my shoulder. I jumped slightly before I turned to see Danny. My eyes widened. Danny was holding Preston on his hip. ¡°Hey look, I know that you and my sister aren¡¯t on the best terms right now. And she told me her side of the story, but I just want to know what happened. I sighed and sat on the bleacher. I thought for a moment before I ran my hand over my face. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt her, ever. It¡¯s just¡­ we were wrestling and I wasn¡¯t careful at the end. I-I¡­ there was so much blood. I got scared. I got angry at myself for hurting her. I couldn¡¯t even take care of her because I was so scared and nervous. Afterwards, I was talking to my mom. I-I was panicking. I told my mom that Caroline would be better without me if I could hurt her so easily without realizing it. She overheard everything and left. She hasn¡¯t talked to me since,¡± I exined in a careful rush. Danny sighed and thought for a moment. ¡°I know it much have been hard for you to see her like that, and I get it. You were freaking out and said some things you could¡¯ve probably worded better. Just¡­ give her a little time, and tell her the truth. She hates it when people lie to her,¡± he said before he stood up. ¡°Hang in there. You and my sister are meant for each other. Even I can see that,¡± he said before he started walking away. Preston waved at me. I gave a small smile before I waved back. Danny was right; I had to tell her the truth¡­ But how? Chapter 35 (Caroline) Chapter 35 (Caroline) (Caroline¡¯s POV) I ignored Keegan for almost a week. I caved and talked to him at the volleyball game, but only a few words. Keegan screwed up, and I was already screwed because of it. The problem with letting go of Keegan was that I had to let go of everything that came with him. And I wish I could say that I hate him, but I don¡¯t. I don¡¯t think I could ever hate him. Monday rolled around slowly. Per tradition, I didn¡¯t talk to anyone until lunch. I didn¡¯t even talk at lunch. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. I always got lost in my thoughts and ended up staying quiet anyway. Keegan and the guys didn¡¯t sit with us anymore. I was kind of relieved for it. I didn¡¯t know how well my self-control would hold up with Keegan so close to me. I was barely surviving my Forensics ss. I felt Keegan¡¯s eyes on my back. He was always watching me. Even the guys were sulking around. I really missed them. Lunch was awkward and ufortable. I was all to d to get out of the cafeteria and into my Forensics ss. Well, I was d until I remembered who I sat next to, and saw what we were doing today. Today, we were watching a Crime 360 video. They were supposed to help us practice what to look for in a crime scene. Mr. Norman turned off the lights and my heartbeat doubled as I felt Keegan¡¯s presence even more. ¡°Caroline,¡± he whispered. I stayed quiet and kept my eyes on the projector screen. ¡°Please talk to me. I can¡¯t take this anymore; I miss you. There¡¯s something I need to tell you,¡± he said softly. I tried to ignore the way my heart fluttered at his words. I shushed him without taking my eyes off the screen. From across the lunchroom, I would look at him, but up close like this made me want to melt, so I avoided looking at him from close distances. I shook my head, eyes trained on the ¡°educational¡± video. Half of the ss was asleep already. Suddenly, I felt a hand on my thigh near my knee. It immediately set my core on fire. Tingles and electricity ran up my leg as I gasped softly. Why did I decide to wear shorts today? With Keegan¡¯s hand on my thigh, I couldn¡¯t think straight. My lips parted slightly as a sharp breath escaped me. He started rubbing light circles into my leg and tracing patterns I couldn¡¯t keep up with. Electricity followed his touch, leaving ghost whispers of where he¡¯s been. My breathing picked up as he inched further up my leg. I wanted to stop him but at the same time, I didn¡¯t. The final straw was when he squeezed the inside of my thigh near the hem of my shorts. My eyes closed briefly as I moaned. It wasn¡¯t a quiet one either. My eyes shot open and I pped a hand over my mouth as eyes started looking back to find the source of the noise. Keegan took his hand away as he smirked. He knew he got me. I only red at him as I jumped out of my seat and rushed out the door, taking the bathroom pass with me. I let out a deep breath and leaned against the wall as soon as I got out. I leaned over, setting my hands against my knees as I waited for my breathing to slow down. When it finally did, I ran a hand over my face and through my hair. What the hell just happened in there? That¡¯s it, I¡¯m going home early. I went back into the ssroom, recing the bathroom pass and grabbing my stuff. I gave Mr. Norman theme excuse of me not feeling well before I was out of there. ¡°You didn¡¯t even let me exin,¡± I heard a familiar voice say from behind me. I rolled my eyes and started walking faster. ¡°That was a week ago. I¡¯ve been avoiding you since then. I was hoping you would get the hint by now,¡± I yelled over my shoulder. I jumped in my car and sped off. I wasn¡¯t ready to go home yet. I pulled onto own of the many country roads (this was Texas after all) and drove to my favorite stables. Because of everything that happened, I hadn¡¯t ridden muchtely, but I used to go all the time when my parents were still alive. The stable hands and owners all knew me and let me ride whenever I wanted. I parked my car and grabbed my riding boots out of the backseat. It took some digging through Preston¡¯s toys and car seat, but I finally found them. I pulled them on and walked into the barn. ¡°Caroline!¡± I heard from in front of me. I looked and saw a woman¡¯s head peaking over the wall of a stall. She exited the stall before she came and hugged me gently. I smiled. ¡°Hi Rosa,¡± I greeted her. Rosa was one of the owners here. She tucked a piece of her curly ck hair behind her ear and gave me a once over. ¡°How are you holding up?¡± she asked sympathetically. I shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m ready to start riding again,¡± I replied. She smiled and pulled off her gloves. ¡°You can take Cali out. You remember where everything is,¡± she said as she started walking away from me. ¡°Bye Rosa,¡± I yelled. I quickly pulled Cali out of her stall, tacked her up, and mounted. I took her out on the West trail that was covered heavily by trees. Halfway down the trail, Cali started freaking out. I tried to calm her down, but it wasn¡¯t working from her back. I slid off of her and grabbed her reigns as I tried to calm her down. She neighed and reared up. Her hoof wasing straight towards my face, and I knew it. I was so shocked that I couldn¡¯t move. My life shed before my eyes and I realized that no one would find me out here in time. This was it. I was going to die. Arge ck figure pushed me down in time. I heard a hoof connect with the animal and it whimpered and buckled slightly as it stood over my body on all fours. It was only then that I realized that the thing that protected me was a wolf. Its pointed nose was only inches from mine as it breathed. I froze. Its eyes were a warm amber with flecks of gold and ck¡­ kind of like Keegan¡¯s eyes. It looked intelligent; like it could understand everything going on around it. I wasn¡¯t sure whether to be scared or relieved. On one hand, the wolf saved my life, but on the other, it was probably what scared my horse in the first ce. I let out a breath of relief. For some reason, I knew this wolf wouldn¡¯t hurt me. After a moment, I sat up and leaned against a tree. And the wolf let me. There was a small bit of pain in its eyes. I peeked over its back and saw where Cali caught him in the back. He whimpered a little as heid down in front of me. I hesitated before I reached forward and pet the wolf¡¯s head. It let out an almost content sigh and rxed. ¡°I thank you for practically saving my life, but I think you were the one who spooked my horse in the first ce,¡± I said with a small scowl. As if the beast understood me, his body shook with a deep noise that sounded like chuckling. Its eyes opened and it looked like he was smiling at me. I took this opportunity to look over the wolf. It was huge. I don¡¯t think wolves are even allowed to get this big by nature. The spot on his back where Cali kicked him was healing faster than I ever thought possible. It was hard to see through the thick ck fur, but if I looked close enough, I close see the skin shifting. My eyes widened in shock. The wolf sighed and closed its eyes again, resting its head on its paws. He wasn¡¯t scared of me, and I wasn¡¯t scared of him. In fact, I was slightly drawn to him, which was ridiculous because it was an animal. ¡°I¡¯m going to call you Keegan because you remind me of this guy at me school,¡± I said with a slight smile. The damn thing rolled its eyes at me! What the actual hell?! ¡°Yup, just like Keegan,¡± I muttered. The wolf made a deep chuckle again. I pet his head again and he rxed, letting his eyes close. We sat like that for a long moment until Keegan¡¯s ears pricked up. His head shot up and he arched his body around me as if he were trying to keep me hidden. I finally heard hoof beats approaching. So I guess Cali ran back to the stables then. My Keegan wolf let out a low growl and bared his teeth as his ear pinned back against his head. I tried to move, but Keegan¡¯s head snapped to me as if he were telling me to stay put. I wasn¡¯t scared of him. I rolled my eyes and stood up anyway. Keegan went back to growling at the ier. It was Rosa and Brighton. Their eyes widened as they saw the huge wolf standing in front of me. ¡°Caroline, don¡¯t move,¡± Rosa said, her voice full of fear. They kept their horses back so the wolf wouldn¡¯t scare them, but they didn¡¯t dare get off. Keegan was still growling, bearing his teeth at them¡­ trying to protect me. ¡°I¡¯ll can animal control,¡± Brighton said as he pulled out his phone. I only sighed and crossed my arms. I looked at the wolf in front of me. ¡°Keegan!¡± I yelled. Immediately, the wolf stopped growling and looked at me. ¡°Sit down and shut up,¡± I said. He did it immediately. His ears dropped as he looked at me with a soft look, almost as if he were saying sorry. He whimpered slightly. ¡°How did you¡­¡± Rosa started. I reached over and scratched Keegan behind his ear. He tilted his head towards the sky and it looked like he was smiling again. ¡°He¡¯s not bad; he was just trying to protect me. Cali spooked and he saved me from getting a hoof to the head and dying. He¡¯s just trying to protect me,¡± I exined. Brighton hopped off of his horse and stepped closer to us. The wolf stepped forward and started growling again. I put a hand on his shoulder and he stopped. He looked at me and softened his ear. ¡°I don¡¯t think he wants you guys near me,¡± I guessed. The wolf knelt his head to his paws and pushed his head into my back so I stepped closer to him. I understood when he wanted. I got on his back. He was almost as tall as a horse as he stood again. My hands tangled in its fur and I held on tight. Brighton got back on the horse. ¡°Well, I guess¡­ he can bring you back, as long as he doesn¡¯t spook the horses? I¡¯m not really sure what to do in a situation like this,¡± Rosa said unsurely. I scratched him behind his ear and he let out a content breath. I only smiled. Rosa and Brighton rode off back to the stables. I pped the wolf¡¯s shoulder gently. ¡°You didn¡¯t have to growl at them,¡± I muttered. He chuckled before he trotted towards the barn. I tightened my grip I his fur and leaned closer towards his head. ¡°Let¡¯s see how fast you can go,¡± I whispered, his ears twitched slightly before he started loping. Little by little, he started speeding up. I had a vice grip on his fur as we flew through the forest. He didn¡¯t go on the trail. We went through the thick of the forest. It was starting to get too fast. I didn¡¯t even know wolves could run this fast. ¡°Okay, time out,¡± I breathed. We slowed immediately until we came to a stop. I heard noises surrounding us, like more animals wereing, but Keegan didn¡¯t seem to be rmed. The first wolf I saw was an auburn color. He was smaller than my Keegan wolf, but still big. I slid off of Keegan¡¯s back as the auburn wolf pranced over to us. It looked like he was smiling. His paw knocked me down on the ground before his tongue ran over my face. I scrunched up my nose and squirmed from underneath him. My Keegan wolf growled at him before mping his teeth over his ear. The auburn wolf yelped and jumped away from me as he whimpered. I wiped my face on my shirt. ¡°Gross,¡± I muttered. Three more wolves came from the trees. Two of them were brown; one darker than the other, and a blonde one. They were all smaller that my Keegan wolf, but they were all really big to be normal wolves. My Keegan wolf growled at them, almost like he was daring them to try what the first one did. My Keegan wolf pushed his head against my chest and sighed. I rubbed his head as a slow smile spread across my face. He trusted me enough to show me his pack. I stepped away from him and pet the head of the auburn wolf. I decided to call him Asher because he was boisterous like the human Asher. The Asher wolf tilted his head closer to me and slipped his eyes close. My Keegan wolf started growling lowly. ¡°Stop it,¡± I scowled at him. The other wolves chuckled as my Keegan wolfid down with a puff, looking annoyed. One by one, I greeted each wolf until I went back to my Keegan wolf. I sat, leaning against his side as I scratched behind his ear. He rxed and turned more towards me so it was more like I was sitting in the middle of his body. I touched his fur near his hip and he whimpered. I immediately withdrew my hand. I guess he healed but he was still going to have a bruise from Cali. ¡°If we don¡¯t leave soon, people are going to think you ate me,¡± I said, standing eventually. My Keegan wolf freaking rolled his eyes at me again, before I hopped back onto his back. The other wolves disappeared and we headed back towards the ranch. He dropped me off near the edge of a pasture so he didn¡¯t scare the animals before he nudged me towards the barn and left. Rosa engulfed me in a hug when she saw me. She was shaking slightly and Brighton was behind her off to the side. Rosa sighed and touched my head gently. At first, I thought her reaction was weird, but then again, maybe mine was. ¡°Oh my God, Caroline, we thought he was going to attack you,¡± she breathed. I onlyughed. Brighton looked at me like I was a maniac. I pulled away from Rosa and smiled at her. ¡°He wasn¡¯t going to hurt me. If anything he thought you were a threat and was trying to protect me. I would leave him alone. He didn¡¯t hurt anybody, and if anything, he saved my life,¡± I exined. Rosa sighed and looked at me thoughtfully for a moment. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll leave him alone, but if he¡¯s not so friendly next time, I¡¯m calling animal control.¡± Chapter 36 (Caroline) Chapter 36 (Caroline) (Caroline¡¯s POV) The next day at lunch, Keegan was staring at me again, but this time, there was a glint of happiness in his eyes. Yesterday, after my encounter with my Keegan wolf, I thought about my Keegan all night long. I missed him. I did feel drawn to him in a way I¡¯ve never felt before. I couldn¡¯t just ignore it. Plus, I would rather be drawn to a human than a wolf. In no way, shape, or form, did I want to try the whole bestiality thing. I was not Belle, I didn¡¯t want a beast. I sighed and stood, walking over to his table. He smiled softly at me as I ced my hands on my hips. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. Looking around, I noticed a lot of people staring at me. ¡°I¡¯m ready to listen,¡± I muttered. He heard me anyway. He smiled and pulled me down onto hisp. ¡°Keegan!¡± I squealed. The boysughed as they watched the disy. ¡°So you¡¯lle over to my ce after volleyball practice today?¡± he asked I rolled my eyes and hit his chest lightly. ¡°That¡¯s not what I said at all,¡± I sneered at him He only smirked and squeezed the inside of my thigh. I moaned again despite myself before I red at him, pping him in the chest repeatedly. ¡°Stop doing that!¡± I said. The boys wereughing, including Keegan. I noticed that Asher had a small bruise on his ear. That was weird. ¡°I was just trying to prove a point,¡± Keegan said with an innocent smile. I ruffled his hair and he pouted. ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± he said. Iughed and stood from hisp. He tried to bring me back down but I moved out of the way just in time. ¡°Jerk,¡± I muttered. ~ Keegan walked with me to our Forensics ss. His arms went around my waist gently as sparks shot up and down my body. I repeated the action; wrapping my arms around his waist. He hissed in a breath and jumped away from me. I frowned before I lifted the back of his shirt. I gasped as shock ran through me. There, on the side of his lower back was a bruise¡­ In the shape of a hoof print. All I could do was stare at him. How did that get there? Something told me that he didn¡¯t ¡®just so happen¡¯ to be riding horses yesterday and ¡®just so happen¡¯ to get kicked by one in the exact same spot that my Keegan wolf did. He pushed down his shirt quickly as a red tint touched his golden cheeks as he turned to face me. ¡°Ready to talk?¡± he tried to change the subject. I just took a step away from him as the pieces started clicking together. My Keegan wolf looked just like Keegan. The hoof print on Keegan¡¯s back where the wolf got hit from protecting me. The wolf knew what I was saying. His pack looked a lot like Gregg, Trevor, Asher, and Nick. One of the guys said something about being mates, and not in the friendly Australian way of saying friend either. So when he said ¡®mate¡¯ he meant¡­ Holy Crap. I¡¯m Keegan¡¯s freaking mate in his weird werewolf-like life. Okay, maybe I need to take a step back and think about this. Maybe I¡¯ve just been reading too many werewolf stories on Wattpad or something. Keegan¡¯s face watched me as if he were confirming my thoughts for me. I took one step away from him, and then another. I had to be dreaming right? That was it¡­ I was dreaming. I turned on my heels and ran into a wall. I held my nose and moaned as I squeezed my eyes shut. My head was still sensitive from thest time I hit it. My brain rattled. I heard Keeganughing from behind me. I turned and red at him. He walked up to me calmly and touched my arms as he kissed my nose. Sparks flew all over my body, but I ignored it to pout at him. ¡°Come on, we¡¯re skipping. I¡¯ll tell you everything,¡± he said softly. He put his arm around my shoulders and we walked out to his car. I stood in front of the passenger door and stared at it. Did I really want to get in the car with him? He was my mate¡­ I think. He wouldn¡¯t hurt me¡­ I think. Keegan just stared at me from across the hood of the car. I sighed and got in. I closed the door and buckled up before Keegan drove off. ¡°Where are we going?¡± I asked. A smirk appeared on his face. ¡°My ce,¡± he said. He reached over andced his fingers with mine. It shot sparks up my arm. I Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. sighed and rested my head against the headrest. A few minutester we were pulling up through the woods to Keegan¡¯s house. Keegan took my hand and dragged me to the door. He pushed the door open and pulled me inside. ¡°Ma!¡± he yelled. ¡°Keegan why are you home early? You know you have to- oh, Caroline!¡± she squealed as she rounded the corner. I smiled as I stepped forward and hugged her tightly. I missed Lena¡­ and Wes. I missed everything that came with Keegan. I pulled away and smiled at her. Her hair was up in a messy bun with pieces hanging freely. She looked just like any hardworking mom would look. She reached forward and hugged me again. I really missed Lena. Keegan seemed to grow restless. He pulled me out of his mom¡¯s embrace and back into him. His hand ran over my stomach, tracing my scars lightly. I missed that. His fingertips sent electricity through my bones. ¡°Oh Caroline, I¡¯ve missed you so much. I know! I¡¯ll make you guys some food. It¡¯s like having my daughter back,¡± Lena smiled as tears filled her eyes. Her hands sped together in front of her mouth. I smiled as well. My heart swelled at hearing her words. ¡°Don¡¯t cry,¡± I chuckled lightly. ¡°I missed you too,¡± I said. The way Lena treated me; you would think that she was my mother. Seeing her made me think of my own mother; which made me think of my parents¡­ which made me thing of the ident. My smile faltered slightly and I flinched a little. Keegan noticed. ¡°Ma, I¡¯m going to take Caroline out to the creek,¡± he said towards his mother. She nodded and looked behind her briefly. ¡°I¡¯m going to get started on making the food. The boys and Karma will be home from school soon. I¡¯ll tell the guys where you are,¡± she said. She looked at me again. ¡°It¡¯s great to have you back, sweetheart,¡± Lena smiled before she disappeared into the house. Keegan pushed my hips towards the back door. We walked back outside and I gave a little gasp. It was beautiful. For some reason, it reminded me of a little Scottish town with the way the houses were set up. There was a clear, wide dirt path with houses on either side. It looked busy even though I knew most people were probably at school. Keegan held my hand and led me past all the houses. We went through some trees and arge clearing. He led me through more trees before we came up to another clearing. It was gorgeous. I froze when I saw the water. My breathing hitched and I took a staggering step back. I hated bodies of water, even a pool. It reminded me too much of the ident that took my parents; the ident that I was in too; the ident that gave me the long scar on my abdomen. I started shaking and Keegan noticed. He stopped walking and came back to me. When he said he was bringing me to a creek, I was too preupied to think of the water, but now I was flipping out. I felt someone pick me up and I let out a blood-curdling scream. ¡°You¡¯re going to get so wet!¡± Asher¡¯s voice filled my ears. I felt my phone leave my pocket. No doubt it probably dropped somewhere in the grass. My eyes widened and my heart felt like it dropped out of my chest. I was frozen in shock. I couldn¡¯t even scream anymore. Suddenly all I could see was that bridge. I saw the headlights. I heard the honking of a horn and the screech of tires. I saw the water rush towards me as we got closer to the creek. My hands were gripping Asher so hard that my knuckles were bone-white. I was shaking violently but Asher didn¡¯t seem to notice. I could feel the seatbelt slice into my side as the car lurched over the bridge and into the water. I felt weightless, and then I was submerged in water. I was frozen. I couldn¡¯t move. I just sunk deeper and deeper as shes appeared. I saw my parents screaming for help. I watched as my dad frantically tried to kick out the window and open the door as the water rushed in. I watched as he finally broke the window with a small hammer I found in the backseat. I watched as the water came rushing in faster. I couldn¡¯t breathe. I felt a hand wrap around my waist before I was pulled out of the water and on to the grass nearby. I breathing. I saw my dad push me through the window. I watched as sadness filled his eyes; like he knew that they wouldn¡¯t make it. I felt the pain in my side as clear as day. I felt pressure being put on my chest. I sputtered some water before I felt really sick. I sat up and leaned over, throwing up some more water. My whole body shook violently as I coughed. I felt a hand on my back. I couldn¡¯t help the sob that broke out of my sore throat. It was like I was losing my parents all over again. Only my brother knew about my fear of water. I also didn¡¯t like being in cars over bridges. They were rational fears after what I had been through. I was pulled onto someone¡¯sp and I knew it was Keegan by the sparks being sent through my body. ¡°Caroline, Caroline, its okay. You¡¯re okay,¡± he triedforting me as his arms wrapped around me. I sobbed as I buried my face into his shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry, Caroline. I didn¡¯t know,¡± Asher said. Keegan growled at him. ¡°Go get my mom,¡± he snapped at them. They all left, leaving Keegan sitting on the grass with my wet shaking body curled up on top of him. He used his fingers to brush my wet hair out of my face. I clung to him; my knuckles white. I shook as he tried tofort me. We sat there for what seemed like forever, and I wasn¡¯t getting any better. Chapter 37 (Caroline) Chapter 37 (Caroline) ¡°My heavens! Why are you just sitting there?! Get her inside,¡± I heard Lena say. Keegan shifted his hold on me and stood easily. He was holding me bridal-style. He held me tightly as his mom put a light nket over me. Keegan walked briskly with his mom and the guys behind him. Little by little, I started calming down. We emerged into the house and Keegan kept walking. He took me up the stairs to a room and took me to the bathroom; closing and locking the door behind us. I clutched the nket I¡¯d acquired tightly as light sobs escaped my lips. I rested my head on Keegan¡¯s chest as his hand rubbed my back gently. We stayed there until my sobbing stopped. I dropped the nket to the tile floor and wrapped my arms around Keegan¡¯s neck. He hesitated before his arms came around my waist. I buried my head in his neck as his hand rubbed smallforting circles in the small of my back. ¡°Are you okay now?¡± he asked gently. I nodded slowly. It seemed like Keegan was getting angrier by the second. ¡°I¡¯m going to kill Asher,¡± he growled. By the tone of his voice, I knew he wasn¡¯t kidding. I pulled away and sniffled as I wiped the tears from my eyes. His face softened at the sight of me. I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s not his fault. It¡¯s really no one¡¯s fault,¡± I sniffled. I gave a shaky breath as I looked at the duvet. ¡°Two years ago, I was in the car with my parents and we were going over a bridge. This other car lost control and¡­ we went into the water. Both of my parents died¡­ it¡¯s why I live with my brother now. I¡¯ve been deathly afraid of water and being in a car over bridges ever since. And that¡¯s how I got those scars,¡± I exined hoarsely. I feltfortable enough around Keegan that I could open up to him. Even if it meant telling him something I never talked about with anyone. He wiped away tears I didn¡¯t even know fell. He sighed and reached forward to kiss my forehead. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± he whispered. I sighed as my eyes closed. I wrapped my arms around his trim waist. I could practically hear Keegan¡¯s gears turning in his head. I looked at his face as I ced a hand on his chest. ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± I said, pulling back. His eyes furrowed in confusion. I sighed and hit him with the palm pf my hand as hard as I could. ¡°Don¡¯t kill Asher. He didn¡¯t know,¡± I exined. ¡°I want to kill him for hurting you,¡± Keegan growled. ¡°You hurt me too,¡± I countered. I know it was a low blow, but I wanted him to get it. His face contorted in Content ? N?velDrama.Org 2024. pain, anger and sadness all at the same time. ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to and I¡¯m so, so sorry,¡± Keegan said quickly. ¡°I know that. I also know that Asher didn¡¯t mean it either. He was just excited and wanted to have fun. Just like you,¡± I said. His face dropped as he got the point. I sighed and looked away before continuing my story about the ident. ¡°The ident¡­ it caused my appendix to rupture and grazed a few other organs. I had two broken ribs and a fractured corbone. It was really¡­ I had to have three different surgeries and when I woke up in the hospital, I found out that my parents didn¡¯t make it¡­ but those surgeries left scars that you wouldn¡¯t believe. I¡¯ve always been really self-conscious about them.¡± I exined. I think by this point, I was just talking to talk. I hadn¡¯t really talked to anyone about what happened. Danny knew, but only because the police had to tell him. Keegan¡¯s hand went to my stomach as he traced the scars. I sighed and rxed. His eyes went back up to mine. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a change of clothes and a towel to dry off,¡± he said before he kissed my cheek and left. I sighed and leaned against the edge of the huge tub. His bathroom was really nice. He had a full ss shower with a detachable shower-head, two sinks with a long connecting counter and a huge mirror covering the wall all above it, a roomy toilet roomplete with a magazine rack, and a huge Jacuzzi- style bathtub that could easily fit three people¡ªor arge wolf. Iughed lightly to myself. I must have been on drugs or something. There was no way that Keegan was a werewolf. There was no possible way. The door creaked open and Keegan walked in with a towel and a change of clothes. I started pulling off my clingy wet shirt. I tossed it in a near hamper and started pulling off my shorts. ¡°Caroline,¡± Keegan said slowly. I stepped out of my shorts and tossed them in the hamper also. I was well aware that I was in nothing more than my ckce thong and matching push up bra. ¡°What?¡± I said answered, finally looking at him. His eyes flickered to my stomach. I grabbed the towel quickly and balled it up in front of my stomach as I blushed. ¡°I¡¯ll be out in a minute,¡± I snapped quietly. Keegan didn¡¯t take the hit, or if he did, he ignored it. He set down the change of clothes down and walked closer to me. He slowly took the towel from my hands and set it down on the counter as well. His expression was soft and understanding. ¡°Hey, it¡¯s okay,¡± he said softly. Looking into his amber eyes, I believed him. His hand reached up hesitantly and touched my stomach. I let out a breath and closed my eyes. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful, Caroline. Don¡¯t let anyone tell you differently,¡± he said softly. I opened my eyes to see him looking me with¡­ love. I tangled my hands in his hair and pulled him to my lips. He inhaled deeply as his hands slid to my waist. He picked me up and sat me on the counter. He sat in between my legs and pulled my lower back so I was flush to him. Something poked me in the thigh as my back arched to meet him. His tongue flicked inside of my mouth. His hands gripped my hips tightly as he groaned. His lips moved to nip my ear. I gasped as my stomach did a million back flips and turns. ¡°I love you¡­ every inch of you,¡± he whispered gently before he pulled away to look at me. I froze and my eyes shot open. There it was: the L word. Keegan said he loved me. The thought that he felt for me the same way I felt about him made it a little harder to breathe. Keegan loved me. I sat there in shock for a minute as I tried to process this. Keegan loved me: that¡¯s all that continued running through my head. His eyes searched my face, nervous of what I would say. He was scared, I could see that. Did he not already know that I loved him too? It was obvious to me, but then again, I knew my own thoughts. Keegan had no idea what I was thinking. I smiled at him lightly and released a breath. I moved one of my hand to cup his face as my thumb ran over his cheek. ¡°I love you too, Keegan,¡± I whispered. He smiled before he kissed me deeply. I moved my hand back to his soft, short ck hair. The kiss picked up pace quickly, making my heart beat wildly. I was pretty sure Keegan could hear it. His hand slid up my back and then back down. He groaned when I slipped my fingertips under the hem of his shirt to rest on the edge of his jeans. I pulled his shirt up and he raised his arms for me before his hands went to my knees and slid up my legs,ing dangerously close to the hem of my thong. His lips attached to my neck and he sucked on it gently. His hands slipped over my hips and he squeezed my backside. His lips traveled further south and he kissed the top of my chest. I arched my back and let my head fall back. ¡°I need to stop,¡± Keegan breathed as his lips brushed against my neck. I didn¡¯t want him to stop. His lips attached back to mine and my nails dug into his back. He growled and bit my lip gently. ¡°Caroline,¡± he breathed huskily. He was trying to control himself and I could see that. I moaned loudly as he nipped at my ear and hit my sweet spot on my neck. Keegan finally gave in. *~* He lifted me by my thighs and I wrapped my legs around his waist as his lips crashed back to mine. He moved his hand to my butt and squeezed it roughly. I let out a small breathy gasp. Keegan walked out of the bathroom and into his bedroom. How he did that while driving me insane at the same time, I have no clue, but he did. He set me down on the bed and hovered over me keeping his lips on mine the whole time. My hands reached down and fumbled with his belt before I managed to get his pants off. He kicked them off. His hand moved up my leg as his other one propped himself up. His hand inched closer to my underwear. He put his knee up on the bed in between my legs. His lips were magic against mine. Fire shot to my core. I felt his hand on my underwear straps and then my underwear was off. I opened my eyes breathlessly just in time to watch Keegan tuck my underwear into the back pocket of his jeans. His eyes ranked over me lovingly and lustfully. I fought the urge to cross my legs and cover up. ¡°You¡¯re so beautiful,¡± he muttered before his lips were on mine fiercely. I ran my hands down his chest and rubbed my hand over the front of his flimsy boxers. I was greeted with a big surprise. He groaned and his hand squeezed my thigh above my bent knee. He pushed my legs open more before his hands went behind my arched back and snapped off my bra. I quickly tossed it to the side and pulled Keegan¡¯s shoulders down so his lips were on mine again. He trailed kisses down my neck and chest. When he got to my stomach, he nced up at me almost as if he were asking for permission. I granted it and he ced light, gentle kisses along every single scar. His lips came back to mine and I attacked him fiercely. He hand came up and rubbed my swollen and ready lips gently as his mouth continued to move with mine. I moaned and wiggled my hips to get closer to his hand. ¡°Fuck, Caroline,¡± he muttered into my neck. He teasing was driving me nuts. Finally, he slipped a finger into my throbbing core. I squealed/moaned as my eyes snapped shut and my jaw went ck. My back arched as I forgot how to breathe. He slid his middle finger out before pushing it in again. My hands gripped his shoulders and Keegan pumped his finger in and out repeatedly and it drove me mad. I was squirming the whole time. My breaths wereing in pants now. He did this for a while before he added another finger, making my squeal again. He groaned against my mouth and thrust his fingers deep inside me. I couldn¡¯t help it, I yelled out something incoherent as my eyebrows knitted in pain leasure. I was a virgin through and through, so this was my first time for anything. I hadn¡¯t even made out with a guy before Keegan. His lips left my body. I opened my eyes to see Keegan watching me as he thrust his fingers into me roughly. I gasped and couldn¡¯t keep my eyes open. They shut tightly as my leg started shaking. A loud, long moan escaped my lips. I moved my hips into his hand as Keegan sped up. Knots and butterflies filled my stomach as my aching womanhood pulsed. My chest heaved as my nails dug into Keegan¡¯s shoulders as he hovered over the side of me. My toes curled and my back arched as my knees slid closer to my torso. I let out a series of short quick breaths before my body rxed. I took a deep breath to try and calm my breathing but it didn¡¯t work. I was still worked up. I could feel my heartbeat pulsing in my core. Keegan removed his fingers and brought it up to his mouth. I watched intrigued as he licked his fingers clean. He moved to hover above me; his lips only centimeters from mine. ¡°I can¡¯t wait to taste you for real,¡± he said huskily before his lips were on mine gently. I could feel his long shaft against my entrance through his boxers. It felt good. I wasn¡¯t even scared. I knew it would hurt a little at first but I loved Keegan. I wanted to be with him. I pushed my hips down so that his tip put a little pressure on my entrance. His deep groan was probably the sexiest thing I¡¯d ever heard. He froze a moment before he pulled away from me. ¡°Not yet,¡± he breathed. I looked in his face and saw reluctance. He wanted to, but something was stopping it. He kissed me deeply and his shafty in front of my entrance again. I reached down and pulled his shaft through the hole in the front of his boxers, quickly pulling him to my entrance, but his hips froze as he resisted. He gasped before he groaned huskily, and very loudly, and dropped his head in the crook of my neck. He trembled lightly before he pulled away again. This time, he jumped off the bed and tried to catch his breath. ¡°Fuck, Caroline, we can¡¯t do that yet,¡± he said slightly out of breath and pissed off. I sat up and took a deep breath before I looked at him slightly hurt. ¡°Why?¡± I asked. He sighed at seeing my face before he sat on the bed next to me. ¡°There¡¯s a process and I want you to know everything first,¡± he said softly. Everything¡­ about what? ¡°Everything? Like what?¡± I asked him. He smirked at me. ¡°Like the fact that I turn into a wolf,¡± he said, nudging my shoulder. My eyes widened in shock. ¡°So¡­ I wasn¡¯t on drugs or dreaming?¡± I asked. Heughed and shook his head. ¡°Nope,¡± he said popping the p. He leaned over and kissed me gently. ¡°Get dressed, I¡¯ll show you,¡± he said softly. I straddled hisp instead. ¡°But I don¡¯t want to get dressed,¡± I pouted. He groaned as I grinded my hips, rubbing my still wet womanhood along his bare shaft. He yelled like he was in pain as his face scrunched in need. I smirked slightly as my lips attached to his neck. ¡°I¡­ want¡­ you,¡± I whispered in between kisses. He stood quickly and set me down on my feet. ¡°Caroline¡­ you have to know everything first,¡± he said sternly. I rolled my eyes before I picked up my bra and snapped it back on. ¡°Fine,¡± I grumbled. He onlyughed. I felt his chest against my back as his arms slipped around me. His hands trailed along my scars and for once, all I felt was beautiful. ¡°Also, everyone just heard what we did¡­ sensitive werewolf hearing and all. If I took you now, the whole pack would hear you¡­ even if they didn¡¯t have hyper-senses,¡± he whispered huskily. My cheeks turned bright red as I felt my face heat up. Everyone in this house heard us: the guys, his mom, his dad, everyone. I spun out of his arms and pped his chest. ¡°You knew they could hear us and you kept going?! Why would you even tell me that,¡± I screeched. He onlyughed. ¡°Rx, the guys took my mom out for groceries before you got too loud. Well, my dad doesn¡¯t really move from his bed so he could¡¯ve heard everything. The walls down there are pretty thick for sound proofing but he¡¯s an Alpha so¡­¡± Keegan trailed off. ¡°Wait, Alpha? Isn¡¯t that like¡­ the president?¡± I asked. Keegan raised an eyebrow at me in amusement and nodded. I went to the bathroom and slipped on the maxi dress Keegan brought for me to change into. It was a simple ck tank maxi with a clinch waist and open back. I racked through my hair with my fingers before throwing it in a side ponytail. ¡°The guys are back with my mom. Someone¡¯s been doing their homework,¡± he noted. I shrugged. ¡°I read a lot,¡± I answered. I looked around the bed for my underwear before I remembered that Keegan took them. He had his pants back on and was slipping on his shirt. ¡°Keegan will you give me my underwear please?¡± I asked, holding out my hand. He started grinning like an idiot as he shook his head. I looked at him confused and shocked. I needed my underwear, I felt naked without them. ¡°They¡¯re mine,¡± Keegan said like a proud toddler before he walked towards the bathroom. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. ¡°Keegan¡­ underwear, now!¡± I ordered. His head peeked out the bathroom door as he smirked at me. ¡°You wore a thong. That was sexy as hell,¡± he said instead, and then he was back in the bathroom. Chapter 38 (Caroline) Chapter 38 (Caroline) I grunted and took a deep breath before I looked towards the bathroom again. ¡°I¡¯m going to go tell Asher that he¡¯s not in trouble,¡± I muttered before heading down the stairs. The guys were sitting on the couch except Asher. He was pacing in the middle of the floor. All of the guys looked smug, but Asher¡¯s face¡­ I immediately walked over and hugged him. He squeezed me back tightly. ¡°I¡¯m so, so sorry, Caroline. I didn¡¯t mean to-¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, Asher. You didn¡¯t know, and Keegan isn¡¯t going to punish you for it,¡± I said softly, rubbing his back. He sighed. ¡°Yeah, well it sounded more like you were punishing him,¡± Nick said, rubbing the back of his neck with a smirk. ¡°Sensitive wolf hearing and all. You¡¯re lucky we got Lena out of the house in time,¡± he added. I let go of Asher and red at him as the other guysughed, including Asher. ¡°So you¡­ you guys turn into wolves too?¡± I asked, whispering thest sentence. Sue me, but I didn¡¯t want to say werewolf out loud. It was way too clich¨¦. They allughed at my resistance to say it. I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my waist. I knew it was Keegan by the sparks. I wondered if I would ever get used to that. ¡°That¡¯s why I was taking you to the creek,¡± Keegan said. I shuddered at just hearing the word. Keegan sighed and gave me a sympathetic look before he continued. ¡°I was going to tell and show you everything.¡± Keegan¡¯s mom bristled into the room and gave me a once over. ¡°Feeling better dear,¡± his mom asked me sympathetically. I nodded as heat filled my cheeks. The guys just cracked up. They wereughing so hard, they were having a hard time breathing. I shifted my eyes to them and tried to get them to shut up. ¡°I have to grab something from upstairs. I¡¯ll be back,¡± Keegan said, kissing my cheek lightly before sprinting back up the stairs. I sighed as a little girl tapped me. Her eyes were wide ad she looked like her mother. I knew from the talking earlier that her name was Karma. ¡°Gregg and Trevor can show you their wolf. Sometimes Keegan lets me ride on his back sometimes. I¡¯m not a wolf yet,¡± she said. I smiled lightly and chuckled before I nodded. Trevor smiled before grabbing my hand. ¡°Touch her again and I¡¯ll kill you!¡± Keegan yelled from up the stairs. I rolled my eyes. He was so overprotective. ¡°Keegan, calm down!¡± I yelled back. I grasped Trevor¡¯s hand tighter as we went outside. The guys led me to the first field we passed earlier. We stopped and they started stripping. ¡°Oh my God!¡± I squealed as I covered my eyes. They chuckled. Suddenly,ughing stopped. Instead, cracking could be heard. I only uncovered my eyes when I felt something damp on my hands. I jumped back in surprise. Trevor¡¯s snout was right in my face. He smiled and nuzzled his head against my shoulder. I smiled and scratched his head before we heard growling from behind me. Trevor backed away with his ears down and tail between his legs as my Keegan wolf walked up, baring his teeth. I smacked his shoulder which made him stop. ¡°I swear Keegan; you¡¯re so overprotective. Stop it. These are your friends¡­ and they¡¯re my friends to,¡± I said, shooting him a scowl. Keeganid down beside me and rolled over on his back. I smiled. He was surrendering¡­ good. I ran my hands through his fur before he justid on his stomach and put his head on his paws. Gregg wagged his tail and rubbed his face against my chest. I rubbed him too before I went and sat against a sulking Keegan wolf. I kissed his face and he perked up. He smiled before he stood up. I stood too and he nudged me towards the trees; sticking his nose in my butt. ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m going,¡± I said, taking the hint. I walked into the trees. Once we were hidden enough, Keegan stopped. I watched as bones cracked noisily and the tail retracted. His pores seemed to suck all of the magnificent ck fur away until he was just bare skin. I watched as hepletely transformed until all that was left was Keegan the human. I could only stare in shock. I knew he was a werewolf but watching him was something like I¡¯d never expect. He smiled sheepishly at me. I looked down and noticed that he was naked¡­pletely naked. I gaped at how big he was. No way was that going to fit in me. It was a good thing he stopped me earlier. ¡°Clothes on, now,¡± I said, snapping out of my daze. I turned and covered my eyes to give him some privacy. Okay, so really it was so I didn¡¯t stare at him the whole time but whatever. He chuckled and shuffled around for a moment before I felt a pair of hands on my arms. I slowly uncovered my eyes to see him standing right in front of me, smiling. He just had some basketball shorts on. I took a moment to really look at his body again. It was toned and athletic and smooth. His muscles bulked slightly in all the right ces; causing deep ridges and veins to stand out all over his chest. His basketball shorts were hanging dangerously low; giving me a good view of his muscr v-line that veered into the shorts. When I looked back to his face, he held an amused expression. ¡°No, no, please continue. I don¡¯t think you¡¯ve thoroughly checked me out enough,¡± he joked, making my cheeks me. I looked to the ground to try and mask my embarrassment. I felt a finger under my chin before I was looking at Keegan again. He was very close. My hands reached up and rested on his hips as we stared at each other. Keegan smirked. ¡°You know, watching your mate transition is very intimate¡­ pretty much magical. You treat it as if it was a chore,¡± he said with a slight pout. I looked up at the hovering stars. They were sharp and beautiful from this forest. I sighed. ¡°What time is it?¡± I asked Keegan. He only shrugged. ¡°Let¡¯s go back inside. I¡¯m sure dinner¡¯s ready,¡± he said. I nodded and he pushed my hips forward and out of the woods. We entered the warm house and the smell of cooked meat and vegetables hit my nose. My mouth started watering instantly and my stomach grumbled loudly in protest of not having any of that delicious smelling food. I immediately went to the kitchen. Lena was bustling around. ¡°Anything I can help with?¡± I asked. She looked up and me and smiled. She brushed the back of her hand along her forehead as she let out a breath. ¡°Yes actually, can you make the bread rolls? The dough is over there and there are spices in the cab. The pan is on the counter over there. Go nuts,¡± she said, pointing out the ingredients. I smiled and immediately thought of my mom¡¯s famous sweet rolls. And for once, I wasn¡¯t sad thinking about my mom; at least, not with Lena right here and Keegan in the next room. I washed my hands quickly and strapped on an apron. I grabbed a stick of butter out of the fridge and the milk. I set that and other things on the counter. I put the dough in the bowl and set the whole stick of butter in it. I sprinkled a little salt and an unhealthy amount of sugar in it. I kneaded it over and over again until it was all blended evenly. I made a hole in the middle of the dough and squirted almost an entire bottle of honey and some olive oil inside before I kneaded it again. Once the whole thing was covered in honey, I made them into intricate little rolls. I added a small design by pinching and twisting a small piece of the middle on the top. I set the rolls in the avable oven¡ªthere were three almost industrial sized ovens!!-- and took the liberty to make another batch. The first batch made about 30-some-odd rolls but I knew that wouldn¡¯t be enough. Lena and I bustled around the kitchen quietly as we worked. While my rolls were baking, I mixed up a block of butter with honey. I mashed it into stic wrap and formed it into a ck before putting it in the fridge. I went ahead and made a Chinese cabbage sd with involved shredded cabbage, chicken voring powder, olive oil and sugar also. I also made my mom¡¯s special punch. It was a simple fruit punch with lots of diced fruit, orange juice, ginger ale, and passion fruit punch mix. I also made some homemade mashed potatoes. By the time I finished the sd, punch and mashed potatoes, my rolls were ready. I pulled them out and smiled as I saw that they were perfect. The golden brown rolls were steaming and perfect. I still remembered it perfectly. I pulled my honey butter out of the fridge and unwrapped it on to a butter te. Once the rolls cooled down a bit, I put them in the cloth covered bread basket and set my makings on the dinner table. I sighed and wiped the sweat from my forehead on the back of my hand. I leaned against a chair and watched as Lena started setting her food on the table. She made chicken, ribs, sloppy Joes, roast beef, broli, sweet corn, and sweet iced tea. I smiled at the spread on the table. Except for my Chinese sd, this was a great Southern meal. ¡°Dinner!¡± Lena yelled. All at once, Karma, the guys, and Keegan rushed in and took a seat. ¡°Nobody touches the food until after I make Wes a te,¡± Lena said sternly. Their eyes bugged as they watched her slowly make a te for her husband. I chuckled and pulled off my apron, sticking it back in the kitchen. When I came back out, everyone was staring at me. ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°I told them to wait until you told them what you made,¡± Lena exined with a motherly smile. ¡°You were a real help today, thank you,¡± she said. I smiled back and went to sit in the empty seat next to Keegan, who was sitting at the head of the table. ¡°Thanks for letting me help,¡± I said back. I looked at the expectant faces andughed. ¡°I made the mashed potatoes, fruit punch, cabbage sd, and sweet rolls¡­ oh and the butter is for the sweet rolls, though I doubt you¡¯ll need it,¡± I said. I grabbed my basket of rolls and set one on my te before I passed it to Keegan. It was a family-style dinner and everybody took what they wanted and passed it to the person next to them. The guys all had their tes piled high. I had a good amount of food on my te also. Keegan bit into my sweet roll and froze. In fact, after everyone took a bite, they froze and looked at me. So now, no one was eating anymore or even moving. They were all looking at me. ¡°What?¡± I asked confused before took a bite of my roll. I smiled and chewed it slowly. It was perfect. The ratio was heavenly, and now I understood. If I wasn¡¯t mistaken, Asher had tears in his eyes. It was quiet for a really long time before someone finally spoke up. ¡°Caroline, you have to give me this recipe,¡± Lena gushed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think it was possible to love you even more,¡± Keegan smiled lovingly. ¡°Please marry me,¡± Gregg sighed as he took another bite. Keegan growled at him. ¡°I want to marry these rolls,¡± Trevor said dreamily. ¡°I want to have sex with these rolls,¡± Nick muttered. Iughed heartily as Lena scolded Nick. ¡°Have y¡¯all tasted her mashed potatoes? They¡¯re insane,¡± Asher said with a mouthful. Thus, everyone at some of my mashed potatoes and the cycle started all over again. By the time dinner ended, they still weren¡¯t done gushing about the food I made. Keegan couldn¡¯t keep his hands off of me. Literally, he had to be touching me in some way, but I didn¡¯t mind. He finally hung out with the guys and I started wandering around the house. I went into the kitchen to help Lena clean up. Afterwards, she pulled a te out of the over with food piled high. ¡°I¡¯ll be back, I¡¯m just going to give this to Wes,¡± she said. ¡°May I?¡± I asked hesitantly. She smiled and nodded. ¡°Yeah, he hasn¡¯t seen you in a week. Go for it,¡± she said handing me the te. I thanked her before I took the familiar way to Wes¡¯s hospital room. I knocked lightly before I opened the cracked door. There was a scruffy graying man visiting with Wes. I looked at him apologetically. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Is this a bad time?¡± I asked. Wes only smiled and shook his head. He had his oxygen tubes on today so they restricted his movements a bit. ¡°It¡¯s never a bad time for you, my daughter,¡± he smiled. I blushed as a warm fuzzy feeling filled my stomach at hearing him say that. It was safe to say that I loved this man. Not in the same sense as Keegan, but in a fatherly way. I held the te up a little. ¡°I brought you dinner,¡± I said, setting the te on his hospital table and rolling it in front of him. ¡°Perfect! I¡¯ve been waiting to taste these rolls that you guys have been talking about,¡± he said, picking it up. He took a bite and groaned as his eyes closed. ¡°Holy mother of Jess¡­ if I were catholic, I would feel the need to confess to eating this roll. It tastes like pure sin. Marcus, you have to taste this,¡± he said, handing the man his other roll. Marcus took a bite and practically fell out of his chair. ¡°This is extraordinary,¡± Marcus breathed. His eyes snapped to me. ¡°Where did you learn to cook like this?¡± he asked baffled. I hesitated as my smile fell a tiny bit. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. ¡°My, uh¡­ my mom taught me before she died recently,¡± I exined softly. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± Marcus said sympathetically. I shrugged and fiddled with my hands as I shuffled closer to Wes. ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± I dismissed it. ¡°How did your father handle it?¡± he asked curiously. I sighed and held my chin up. I refused to be pitied this much in one day. ¡°He died also. We were in a car ident and my dad managed to get me out, but it was toote for them,¡± I exined softly but surely. I was sure of myself about for once in my life. Maybe I was finally over my mourning period of what happened. Wes reached over and squeezed my hand gently. I gave him a soft smile before I reached over and gave his cheek a quick kiss. ¡°Wes and Lena are the closest thing to parents I have now,¡± I added. ¡°We are your parents,¡± Wes said towards me. ¡°You¡¯ll be our daughter inw in just a little bit anyway,¡± he added with a wink Iughed as my cheeks heated. ¡°Well, I-I should probably start heading home. Danny has to work tonight and Keegan and I are watching Preston. Well, Keegan doesn¡¯t know that he¡¯s helping me yet,¡± I said with a soft smile. Wes to remember that he was sick. Wes finished coughing and I handed him some water. His eyes wandered over to Marcus who was sitting quietly. ¡°Danny is her older brother who she lives with and Preston is his son,¡± Wes exined. Marcus only nodded quietly. I sighed and rubbed Wes¡¯s arm gently. ¡°You have to take it easy. I want you around for as long as I can keep you. That can¡¯t happen if you¡¯re ¡°I will always be here for you, even when I pass,¡± he said with a small smile. I sighed and hugged him gently. ¡°I¡¯ll see you tomorrow, okay?¡± I said softly. He nodded and I left. I trudged back up the stairs and to the living room. Keegan was sitting on the couch with the guys. I sighed as he pulled me onto hisp. ¡°We should get going. Danny has to work tonight,¡± I said. His hand rubbed up my leg and I stopped it before it went too far, even though I really didn¡¯t want to. ¡°Okay,¡± he said quietly before he kissed my gently. We stood and I said goodbye to the guys before we left. When we finally reached my house, I turned to Keegan. I looked at him curiously. ¡°Do I know everything yet?¡± I asked. I wasn¡¯t going to lie, I wanted him badly, but he said we couldn¡¯t go there until I knew everything. He shook his head as we walked inside. ¡°Not yet,¡± he answered. Chapter 39 (Caroline) Chapter 39 (Caroline) It was another week of teasing and underwear stealing. It was hard to keep my hands off of him at school, but Thanksgiving break wasing up so that was something I wouldn¡¯t have to worry about for much longer. Danny seemed d that Keegan was back. Wes was stable and I visited him every day I could. After the first dinner at the Porter household, every time I stayed for dinner, I had to cook, which I didn¡¯t mind. I loved cooking. Finally it was thanksgiving break, and I for one, was happy on a Monday. Keegan was hanging out with me at my house. Danny took Preston out for a day of fun so we had the house to ourselves. We were upstairs in my room watching Inception because I didn¡¯t get it the first hundred times of watching it. Keegan¡¯s arm was around my waist as I curled into his side. He didn¡¯t look like he was watching the movie though. He looked deep in thought. I watched him curiously before I sat up. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± I asked. He nced at me before he sighed and turned the TV off. ¡°After this, you¡¯ll know everything,¡± he said discreetly. That peaked my interest. Keegan had been avoiding telling me everything because he said it wasn¡¯t the right time. ¡°My dad was, well he still is, Alpha of our pack. We¡¯re called the Red Sun Pack. It¡¯s the biggest and most sessful pack in America. Half the kids at school are a part of it, you just wouldn¡¯t know. Anyway, when my father passes, his Alpha title will go to me. My Alpha training had to start early because of my dad¡¯s health. That¡¯s also why I hadn¡¯t gone to public school until now; I was training. The council set me up with Natasha before because in order for the next Alpha to take the title, he has to have a mate. That¡¯s just the rule and I was okay with it until I met you. You are my mate. I knew that from the first moment I saw you¡­ but mates are normally other Lycan, or werewolves, like us. You¡­ you¡¯re special and I have no clue why. No one, especially an Alpha, has been mated to a human and the council isn¡¯t sure to allow it or not. They¡¯re debating whether or not to make me mate to Natasha or let me have you,¡± he exined hesitantly. I let out a breath as I took that in. ¡°You would let that happen?¡± I asked softly. He immediately started shaking his head. ¡°No, of course not. I don¡¯t know what I would do without you. That¡¯s why I¡¯m telling you now because I made the decision that if I can¡¯t have you, I¡¯m not going to be Alpha,¡± he said determined. My eyes shot to his beautiful amber ones. ¡°You can¡¯t do that, Keegan. If being Alpha is that important, I¡¯m not going to stop you. It would kill me, but I¡¯d do that for you,¡± I said softly. He leaned forward and kissed me deeply as his arms went around my waist, sliding me on to hisp. ¡°No,¡± he said against my lips. ¡°I love you and I want you and nothing is going to stop me from being with you,¡± he said surely. I moaned as his tongue dipped into my mouth. I caught the hem of his shirt and pulled it up and off of him. ¡°Then don¡¯t stop me,¡± I breathed before my lips were on his again. Doing the exact opposite of what I asked, he stopped me. ¡°The mating process is moreplicated than that,¡± he sighed, taking my hands in his. I pouted. He only chuckled and ced a quick kiss on the end of my nose. I¡¯m not like an out of control horn-dog or anything but I just couldn¡¯t stand not having him when he was this close. ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked him. He sighed and thought for a moment. ¡°There¡¯s a whole process thates with mating. We can¡¯t just¡­ have sex. It doesn¡¯t work that way for werewolves. Plus, I don¡¯t just want to ¡®have sex¡¯ with you. That makes it sound like a one night stand. I want to make love to you, but we have to go through the whole process first,¡± he exined. My heart fluttered when he said he wanted to make love to me. I smiled gently as a pink blush covered my cheeks. I knew I was probably already flushed but I couldn¡¯t help it around Keegan. He touched my cheek gently, admiring me. ¡°So what¡¯s the process,¡± I asked after I calmed down a bit. He smiled. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve already done the first step when we were at my house and every other time after that. I pleased you. I put my needs on hold and took care of you first,¡± he said slyly. My cheeks heated at the memories. ¡°Then, I have to mark you. It¡¯s like¡­ a love bite that says you¡¯re mine. After a few days, then we make love,¡± he exined. I smirked at him. ¡°Then mark me,¡± I said simply. He looked at me hesitantly. ¡°Are you sure? Normally it wouldn¡¯t be a big deal because werewolves heal quickly, but you''re different. I don¡¯t know what it will do to you. It¡¯s never been done to a human before,¡± he said. I sighed and slumped a little before I pulled his lips to mine. He kissed me back, a little surprised at first, but he kissed me back. I pulled away and rested my forehead against his. ¡°Keegan¡­¡± I said slowly. ¡°I want to be with you, forever. How can I do that if you¡¯re too afraid to mate me? I¡¯m willing to take the risk¡­ for you. Why won¡¯t you do the same?¡± I asked him softly. He pulled away and looked at me. ¡°It¡¯s going to hurt you,¡± he tried anyway. He seemed worried. I shrugged as I shook my head. ¡°I don¡¯t care,¡± I whispered. He sighed before his eyes went to my neck. ¡°I¡¯ll do it somewhere discreet. It might not heal for a while,¡± he said. I nodded. He kissed me deeply making my heart and stomach flutter before he peppered kisses down my neck. He pulled off my shirt C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org easily andid me back on the bed. He trailed kissed down my chest and stomach. He kissed along each of my scars and groaned. I felt something sharping from his mouth. He looked at me hesitantly, almost like he was waiting for permission to continue or waiting for me to change my mind. I nodded, giving it to him. His lips trailed to my left side just above my hip before sharp teeth dug into my skin. My eyes closed as I gripped my sheets and screamed. It hurt a lot, but at the same time, it aroused me like you wouldn¡¯t believe. Tears pricked my eyes as my body shook. Keegan¡¯s hands held my hips still as his teeth sunk deeper. I yelled out again. I knew he said it would hurt, but I didn¡¯t think it would hurt this bad. Finally, Keegan retracted his teeth and licked the small wounds. I sniffle and wiped the tears from my eyes. Keegan pressed his tongue against all the wounds gently before he hovered and looked at me. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked softly. I nodded but my tears were unmistakable. He sighed and sat back on his heels. He looked away from me for a moment, regret shing through his eyes. I sat up and cupped his cheek in my hand, making him look at me. ¡°Hey, I asked you to,¡± I tried assuring him through my sniffling. ¡°Maybe this was a mistake,¡± he muttered, looking away from me away. I let in a quick breath as tears stung my eyes for a different reason. His eyes snapped back to mine as they widened. He immediately started shaking his head. ¡°I don¡¯t mean you, Caroline! God, I don¡¯t mean that you and I are a mistake. I just didn¡¯t, and still don¡¯t, want to ever hurt you. God, I love you too much to even think about not being with you. I want to do this with you. I want us to officially be mates. I just didn¡¯t want to hurt you. I know that it physically hurt you,¡± he rambled on quickly. I wasn¡¯t upset at him anymore. It was actually kind of funny watching him il like that. I found myselfughing a little. He narrowed his eyes at me. ¡°Why are youughing?¡± he asked curiously. I probably looked crazy right now but I didn¡¯t care. I sat up and hissed in a breath before my eyes were back on Keegan. ¡°It was funny watching you freak out,¡± I shrugged. My face got serious again. ¡°I know you don¡¯t doubt us, Keegan. You¡¯re defying everything you know to be with me and I won¡¯t take that for granted. But you can¡¯t freak out every time I get hurt,¡± I said. He sighed and his eyes flickered down to his bite marks. He smiled a little at the sight. ¡°Why did you leave it there?¡± I asked, curious. His smile widened as his eyes came back up to mine. I saw nothing but love in them. ¡°Because I wanted you to think of your stomach as beautiful and not the way you think of it now. This way you¡¯ll think of me marking you, instead of your scars,¡± he exined. I leaned forward and pressed my lips against his gently. His hand rested on my waist¡­ right on his mark. I hissed in a breath and he pulled away. I blushed. ¡°I¡¯m still human,¡± I shrugged. He chuckled before he stood, offering me a hand. I took it and stood too. ¡°Let¡¯s go get that taken care of,¡± he said. He pulled me towards the bathroom where the first aid kit was. When we got there, he sat me on the counter. He grabbed a fairlyrge gauze pad and put it over my, now bleeding, bite mark. It covered the whole thing perfectly. Keegan taped each side with medical tape before he lifted me off the counter. I walked back to my room while he disappeared down the stairs. Coming back into my room, he was holding a bag of ice. I thanked him before Iid down and ced the ice against my side. Keeganid down in the bed next to me and put his arm around me. His thumb was rubbing light circles in my arms as he yed the movie again. I looked up at his rxed face and gave a light smile. ¡°I love you,¡± I said softly. He smiled down at me and gave me a gentle kiss. ¡°I love you more,¡± he whispered back. Chapter 40 (Caroline) Chapter 40 (Caroline) ¡°No! I¡¯ve been practicing! How did you beat me again?¡± Nick whined. Iughed and shrugged. We were at the Porter house waiting on dinner. I¡¯d already made my portions and had them set out on the table. To pass the time, I decided to whoop the guys at videogames. They never stood a chance. It was a few days after Keegan marked me. Four days to be exact. It was also Thanksgiving. We¡¯d decided to have dinner at the Porter¡¯s house since they had more room and Danny had never met them before. He was the bite was finally green. It¡¯d left a nasty bruise at first. And being as it was Thanksgiving break; there was no school or volleyball practice to worry about. I just had to keep Danny from finding out; which was surprising easy. I yed Gregg on Fifa next. Looks like he¡¯d been practicing too, but he just wasn¡¯t as good as me. As I was ying the game, I started to feel ufortable. It started to feel hot. I shed my light sweater, leaving me in my tank top but it didn¡¯t help. I¡¯d had a hot sh before two days ago. I was hoping this would pass like thest one. By the time I finished ying, Gregg won. I was sweating bullets and feeling a little out of it. The room was tilting. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Gregg asked as he turned to look at me as he was sitting on the floor and I was sitting C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org on the couch. Keegan was down visiting with his dad. My heart hammered as I panted. I leaned over and groaned. It was too hot. ¡°What happened?¡± I heard Keegan¡¯s voice. I was too weak to even look at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know. We were ying and she just¡­ I don¡¯t know,¡± Gregg tried to exin. I leaned over so I was lying on my side with my feet curled up. I felt Keegan¡¯s hand on my forehead as he pushed my very damp hair out of my face. ¡°Caroline¡­ Caroline, open your eyes please,¡± he whispered. I did as he asked. I opened my eyes into slits. I couldn¡¯t remember anything beyond Gregg winning and me getting very hot. It was still hot in here. I took a deep breath and sat up as Keegan handed me a bottle of water. I drank it gratefully, almost finishing the entire thing. I sighed and handed it back to him. I still felt hot, but it was a little better. ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± I tried to assure them. They were all looking at me worried. There was a moment of silence before the doorbell broke through it. ¡°I¡¯ll get it,¡± Trevor muttered. ¡°Wow, nice ce,¡± I heard my brother¡¯s voice. I smiled and looked towards the door. I stood and started making my way over to him. Before I got to him though, ck dots swam in my vision. I saw everything go sideways before Ipletely cked out. Chapter 41 (Keegan) Chapter 41 (Keegan) (Keegan¡¯s POV) Something was wrong. Something was very wrong and I knew it, but Caroline dismissed it like she always does when she¡¯s trying to hide something from me. Danny arriving took everyone¡¯s attention off of Caroline for a moment, including Caroline¡¯s. She was looking a little pale but she smiled and stood to greet him. She mumbled his name before she started falling. I quickly caught her before she hit the ground. I scooped her up in my arms bridal style and looked worriedly over her pale, sweating body. Her brother looked between us confused. ¡°What happened?¡± he asked confused. My frantic eyes met his. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± I answered truthfully. I could feel the guys shuffling restlessly and ufortably behind me as they didn¡¯t know what to do. Hell, I didn¡¯t know what to do. I never knew what to do when Caroline got hurt; I always freaked out instead. I was a poor excuse for a boyfriend. Hell, I was a poor excuse for an Alpha. ¡°Mom!¡± I yelled. She came out all smiles when she saw Danny. She held out a hand to him. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Lena; Keegan¡¯s mother,¡± she introduced herself warmly, not feeling the tension in the air or seeing Caroline¡¯s limp body in my arms. ¡°Danny,¡± he said grimly, shaking her hand with his free one. His other arm was holding Preston. His eyes flickered over to me and my mom finally turned around. ¡°My heavens! Keegan, why are you just standing there?!¡± she yelled at me. ¡°I don¡¯t know what to do!¡± I yelled back frantically. I was getting more and more anxious and time passed. My mom sighed and rolled her eyes, muttering something about my brain switching off before she looked at me again. ¡°Get her to the infirmary downstairs,¡± she instructed. ¡°Tell Dr. Thomas what happened. He¡¯s the one on duty right now,¡± she said. ¡°A hospital¡­ downstairs?¡± Danny asked. That was exactly what Caroline said when she found out. My worried eyes flickered down to her and she muttered something and rested her head against my shoulder, clutching to my shirt like Preston would have. I turned and started walking towards the kitchen. ¡°You cane with us,¡± I threw over my shoulder. I heard the shuffling of Danny¡¯s feet behind me as I pulled the door open and walked down the stairs. Dr. Thomas met us in the hallway in front of a room. He motioned us inside. I walked in quickly and set her down on the hospital bed. ¡°Ninny?¡± Preston said softly, looking at her. He looked like he was about to cry. Hell, I was about to cry. Caroline stirred a bit on the bed. I pushed her damp hair out of her face. Danny sat in one of the visiting chairs as he looked around amazed. At this point, I didn¡¯t care if everything was exposed to him. I just wanted Caroline to be okay. Dr. Thomas came back and set her up on an IV of fluids. He put a cold towel on her head and checked her vitals, hooking her up to a monitor. The machine came to life as it started beeping to match her heartbeats. Dr. Thomas pushed lightly on her stomach. She yelled out in pain as he pushed on her side where I marked her. My eyes widened as he lifted her shirt lightly, exposing the bandage. He undid the bandage to reveal a very purple area. Her dark veins were visible on her pale skin. The teeth marks were raised slightly. Dr. Thomas sighed before recing the bandage. ¡°Mr. Porter, could I speak with you alone for a moment?¡± he asked knowingly. My eyes flickered to Danny, who was staring at his sister. When he realized that we were looking at him, he stood quickly. ¡°I¡¯ll be upstairs,¡± he muttered before he hurried off. Dr. Thomas waited until we heard the door at the top of the stairs close before he looked back to me. ¡°You marked her? Are you crazy? She¡¯s human!¡± he hissed at me. I sighed and hunched over a little bit. ¡°She¡¯s my mate and I love her,¡± I said desperately. ¡°You poisoned her,¡± he countered quietly. My eyes went to her sleeping form. ¡°Can you fix it?¡± I asked. He sighed before he nodded. ¡°Her human blood is too weak to ept your marking. If left untreated, it could kill her. I figure, we can give her a little of your blood; maybe a pint or so in a blood transfusion. Your blood could ease the process, heal up that scar and counteract the poisoning. It may or may not work. We¡¯ve never encountered anything like this before,¡± he guessed. I nodded quickly. ¡°Anything, just¡­ save her, please,¡± I begged. Dr. Thomas looked over my face before he sighed. ¡°I need to get her blood type first and see if you are a match,¡± he said. After running the proper tests, I was a match. Dr. Thomas got a pint of my blood and switched out the bag of fluids with the bag of my blood. ¡°Now just give it a little time. She probably won¡¯t wake up for a few hours,¡± he informed me. ¡°Please¡­ you can¡¯t tell anyone,¡± I begged him. He hesitated before he nodded grimly. I could tell he thought it was a bad idea, but he agreed anyway. I thanked him and sighed before I went to see my dad again. He looked at me worried. ¡°Is Caroline okay?¡± he asked. I hesitated. ¡°She will be,¡± I answered softly. As I stood there, afortable silence fell over the room. I enjoyed it while itsted. ¡°You marked her,¡± my dad practically whispered. ¡°And it poisoned her?¡± he continued. I could tell he was curious. No one of our kind had ever mated with a human before so everything about my rtionship with Caroline was new. There wasn¡¯t a handbook for these things like there is for thetter. Content held by N?velDrama.Org. I sighed and shook my head. ¡°I just¡­ I just want to be with her dad. She¡¯s quickly be my world,¡± I admitted. ¡°I don¡¯t know what I would do if¡­¡± I trailed off, not even wanting to finish that sentence. My throat choked up and I swallowed roughly. ¡°I know son. She¡¯s quickly wrapped all of us around her dainty fingers,¡± my dad said with a small smile. We were both silent as we hear her start to stir. ¡°Go to her,¡± my dad said softly. I nodded once before I rushed back to her room. I held her free hand in mine just as she let out a deep breath and turned her head to the other side. ¡°Keegan,¡± she muttered. I smiled lovingly at her. I loved it when she said my name in her sleep. I peeled the bandage away and looked at my bite mark. Caroline and I had taken the second step to mating. The council couldn¡¯t know about this. If they knew I went against them, there¡¯s no telling what they would do to me or Caroline. They weren¡¯t above or past doing things the old fashioned way. The thought sent a shiver down my spine. I wouldn¡¯t let that happen. No one could know until our mating process wasplete. I knew what I had to do now. I had to turn Caroline. It hadn¡¯t been done for centuries because of how dangerous the whole thing was, but every one that survived it turned out a pure white wolf. There weren¡¯t any more white wolves in existence. They signified a newly born wolf, pure in all their ways. The reason a lot of people didn¡¯t survive the change, ording to history, was because their heart had to be pure going into it. If there was any deceit in their intentions for changing, the process would only kill them. Others died because they weren¡¯t strong enough to survive the change. Eventually, we started giving birth to wolves instead of making them. We didn¡¯t have a poption problem or anything; it was just that too many people were dying because of it. Waiting for Caroline to wake up brought the most grueling hours I¡¯d ever lived through. My leg bounced nervously. Finally, she stirred and groaned as her eyes blinked open I let out a breath of relief and stood to kiss her head. ¡°Oh God, Caroline,¡± I breathed in relief as I held her gently. She looked at me confused. ¡°What happened?¡± she asked hoarsely. My face fell and I dropped my eyes to her white bed sheets. ¡°I-I¡­ your mark¡­ my mark poisoned you,¡± I practically whispered. Her hand reached up and touched my cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t do that¡­ don¡¯t regret anything,¡± she said hoarsely. I poured her a ss of water and handed it to her. She drank it gratefully. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± I whispered. She shook her head and set her ss down. ¡°Keegan, I feel fine. I just want to go home,¡± she said. He looked towards the hallway before he nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll get you out without anyone even realizing you¡¯re gone,¡± I smirked trying to lighten the mood. Once her transfusion wasplete, Dr. Thomas suggested that we finish the mating process before my blood wears out of her system just in case we run into any other hups. I sighed and rubbed my hands along the front of my jeans. It was now or never. Chapter 42 (Caroline) Chapter 42 (Caroline) (Caroline¡¯s POV) I wasn¡¯t exactly sure what happened, but all I knew was that Keegan and I werepleting the mating process tonight, and that thought had me giddy. I felt more than great. I felt stronger, and almost a little invincible. Keegan snuck me out of the house and to the car. We managed to get to my house right at sunset without anybody catching us. As far as everyone else knew, we were still in the basement hospital. I walked up to my bathroom and took a quick shower; washing the sweat and dirt away. I towel dried my hair so my currently darker blonde hair was still damp and hanging wavy to the middle of my back. I walked out with the towel wrapped around my body tightly. Keegan was sitting on the edge of my bed. His eyes nced down my body. I walked closer to him and his hands rested on my hips. ¡°Y-You¡¯re mark is very faint now,¡± I said, slightly nervous. He smiled up at me. ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous Care¡­ it¡¯s just me,¡± he said softly. His words wereforting. He stood in front of me and kissed me gently, his hands still on my hips. ¡°I love you,¡± he muttered into my lips. I smiled Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. against his lips as my hands went to the back of his neck, pulling him closer to me. He picked me up and I wrapped my legs around his waist. He turned and set me so my back was on the bed. His hands slowly undid the towel and tossed it aside. He pulled away and drank in my body with his eyes. ¡°I love you, Keegan,¡± I breathed, finally able to talk. His eyes were bright amber gold with no traces of ck in them. ¡°You are so beautiful,¡± he breathed before his lips were on mine again fiercely. I moaned into his lips and tugged at the bottom of his shirt. He quickly pulled it over his head before he slipped out of his pants and boxers. He reached his hand down as his lips attached to my neck. I gasped and my mouth opened as his fingers teased me below. I moaned and arched my back slightly as his fingers dipped inside of me. My breathing picked up as he added more fingers, preparing me. I¡¯d seen him fully before. I briefly wondered how he was going to fit. His fingers thrusts onest time before he rubbed his fingers over my aching womanhood and positioned himself between my legs. His lips left my body as he looked at me. His eyes searched my face full of lust and love. ¡°Are you ready?¡± he asked. I nodded, slightly out of breath. He hovered over me. I felt him at my entrance before he pushed into me. I screamed and immediately tried to push him out, but he stayed where he was. ¡°Ow, Keegan, it hurts!¡± I cried. He leaned over and kissed my neck gently as he groaned. ¡°I know, baby, I know, and I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯ll feel better after a while. I promise,¡± he breathed into my neck huskily. With his lipsforting me, he didn¡¯t move. I knew that he probably only had the tip in, and that¡¯s what scared me. After a minute, I rxed a little bit. When I did, Keegan pushed into me a little further, making me yelp and grip his shoulders. He pushed even further, making tears spring to my eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this anymore. It hurts,¡± I cried. ¡°Baby we can¡¯t stop now. You can¡¯t stop once you¡¯ve started, it¡¯ll only make it worseter,¡± he said pushed into me a little further. I screamed and screwed my eyes shut as I cried. He pulled out before pushing back in, making me scream again. Every time, he would apologize. I knew that he was trying to be gentle with me. After a while, my screams turned into loud moans as Keegan started picking up the pace and going deeper. My nails dug into Keegan¡¯s back earning a growl from him. He was starting to pants as well. We were both gasping for air as Keegan kept steady, gentle thrusts. With every thrust Keegan watched my face. He came down and kissed my lips gently. ¡°You¡¯re mine,¡± he growled. I moaned as his hips trusts into me faster. I could feel our separate entities morphing into one as we continued. I could feel Keegan tense above me as a pressure built up in my lower regions. Butterflies attacked my stomach as my toes curled and my back arched. I sucked in a breath as my legs started shaking and I moaned Keegan¡¯s name loudly. He thrust in a few more time before he released with me. He panted as he hovered above me. We were both hot, sweaty messes. I knew my hair was probably tangled but I didn¡¯t care. I was officially Keegan¡¯s mate. He brought his head up and peeked at me. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Keegan asked in a sexy husky voice. I nodded slowly, not really trusting my words. ¡°I love you Caroline¡­ so much,¡± he said softer I smiled and pulled his lips to mine as I kissed him deeply. ¡°I love you,¡± I whispered. He pulled out andid beside me, trying to catch his breath. I crawled out of the bed on shaky legs and headed my drawers. I had to hold on to things so I didn¡¯t fall over. I eventually decided against pajamas. I brushed through my hair and brushed my teeth before I went back to the bed. I was too sore to walk anymore. I crawled under the covers and Keegan did also. He pulled me tightly to him so we were spooning, me being the little spoon. His cool minty breath fanned my neck as he said goodnight to me. I returned the sentiment. Chapter 43 (Caroline) Chapter 43 (Caroline) My eyes fluttered open as sunlight poured in from the cracks in the blind. I felt an arm around my waist Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. tightly and steady breath against my neck. I turned to my other side and into Keegan¡¯s hard chest and moaned at how sore I was. I smiled gently as he chuckled. ¡°Good morning, my love,¡± he said in his beyond sexy morning voice. I peeked at him before I felt something poking my leg. I giggled, feeling like I was very much on cloud nine. ¡°Last night was¡­¡± I trailed off looking for the right word. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he whispered. My eyes went back up to his face. My hand cupped his face as my thumb ran along his cheek. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Keegan. I knew on some level that it was going to hurt. But after it stopped hurting, it felt almost¡­ euphoric,¡± I said biting my lip lightly before I smirked at him. He chuckled before he kissed me. It was an eager and passionate kiss. I was ready for him again. His fingers rubbed my womanhood, spreading my juices over my lips before he hiked up my leg over his hip. I felt his tip at my entrance before he hurriedly pushed his shaft inside of me. I gasped and moaned almost simultaneously. I bit his bottom lip hard as he slid almost all the way out before thrusting into me hard. We were beyond being gentle. Keegan¡¯s lips traveled down my neck to my corbone. His tongue roamed around my breasts as his eager thrusts continued. I moaned as he sucked a sensitive nub into his mouth. He pushed me on to my back as he continued, picking up the pace. Going to the side of my left breast, he left a lingering kiss before his canines sunk into my delicate flesh. ¡°Ahh!¡± I yelled, arching my back up to him. His tongue ran over the puncture wounds until the bleeding stopped. He sat up and propped my feet up in the bed. His hands ran down my thighs to my hips before he started pulling my hips forward to meet his. I moaned as that already familiar pressure started building up. My hands gripped the sheets as my hips rose to meet him. Keegan growled and brought his lips back to mine as I wrapped my legs around his waist. We were both panting for air. His chest glistened with beads of sweat and he had the sexiest bed-head I¡¯d ever seen. I tangled my fingers through his hair and pulled. He groaned loudly as his hands slid up my sides. ¡°Keegan¡­ I¡¯m about to-¡± I breathed. ¡°Hold it,¡± he growled near my ear. I wasn¡¯t sure if I heard him right. ¡°What?¡± I squeaked. He groaned and nipped my ear. ¡°I said, hold it,¡± he growled again. His words alone could¡¯ve put me over the top. He was being possessive and controlling and oddly enough, I liked it this time. He continued thrusting into me as I bit my lip to hold in my orgasm. He took his index finger and thumb and twisted my right nipple between his fingers, instantly pushing me over the edge. ¡°Now,¡± he breathed. I yelled out his name as my toes curled and I released the pressure between my legs. It was so intense; more intense thanst time. I felt it through every bone in my body. I was breathless and gasping for air. I saw Keegan tense over me as his thrusts slowed and he groaned loudly. After a while, we both came off of our high simultaneously. Keegan¡¯s head dropped in the crook of my neck as he thrusts one more time and kissed my neck gently. I moaned as he rubbed against my sensitive womanhood. My leg twitched from the aftermath as I closed my eyes and tried to catch my breath. ¡°That was wild,¡± I croaked. My throat was sore from all the screaming I¡¯d been doingtely. He chuckled huskily and kissed the soft spot on my neck, making me gasp and close my eyes. ¡°You¡¯re mine,¡± Keegan growled. ¡°Every inch of you is mine,¡± he said, thrusting his hips forward on the his butt to stop him. ¡°Not yet,¡± I asked. He smiled at me lovingly and pecked me before he flipped us over so I was on top of him. All the while we kept our connection. I hunched over andid my head down on his chest. He tucked a piece of hair behind my ear before his arms went around me gently. I didn¡¯t want to stop touching him just yet. His hand rubbed my back slowly and I sighed. Weid there in afortable silence before I rested my head on my hands and looked at him. ¡°What happens if the council finds out we did this against their wishes?¡± I asked softly. He tensed and looked away from me. I sat up so I was still impaled on him. Keegan sat up also as his hands went to my lower back. ¡°They will find out,¡± he said indifferently. I looked at him confused. He saw my face and sighed. ¡°Everyone will know. After mating, both people let off a scent that says they¡¯re mated. It¡¯s noticeable only to Lycan. And honestly, I don¡¯t care. I want the whole world to know that your mine so no one gets any ideas,¡± he exined with a low growl on the end. I raised an eyebrow at him in amusement as he red at a wall. He saw my face and smiled sheepishly. ¡°Someone¡¯s gotten possessive,¡± Iughed at him before giving him a light kiss. He smiledzily at me. ¡°Mates get even more possessive after mating. That, plus I¡¯m Alpha blood makes it a hundred times worse. I¡¯ll get jealous of Danny or Preston even touching you,¡± he shrugged. I smiled and shook my head at him. ¡°Well don¡¯t growl at them or get angry because they are my family. The only family I have left,¡± I said as my smile dropped. Keegan lifted my chin with his finger to look at him again. ¡°Hey, you have me now; and my mom, and my dad, and Karma, and the guys. We¡¯re your family too,¡± he said gently. I kissed him lightly and nodded before I raised my hips to swing my leg over and finally disconnect us. Keegan groaned and closed his eyes as his tip slid out. ¡°I¡¯m going to go shower,¡± I muttered. It took me a second to find my bnce, I was so sore. I had to use the bed to walk on my shaky legs. I squealed when Keegan scooped me up. He carried me to the bathroom, and set my on my feet in the shower. ¡°I¡¯ll take mine after you,¡± Keegan said with a smirk. I think he was happy I was sore. I was just happy that he was officially mine. ~ (Keegan¡¯s POV) After showering at Caroline¡¯s house, we both pulled our clothes back on. I was a little disappointed that I didn¡¯t have any underwear to steal off of herst night, so I pulled a thong out of her drawer when she wasn¡¯t looking. They were like mementos in a way. Each once signified a different time. Of course, I washed them but she¡¯d taken a shower beforest night so the redce underwear I took from her drawer would have to do. I stuck them in my back pocket. Caroline was pulling on a sports bra and t- shirt. She already put on a pair of underwear and yoga pants. Her back faced me as she checked her phone. She threw her beautiful long hair up in a messy bun and went to make the bed. She pulled back the sheets and her eyes went wide as she blushed. I looked at the bed and chuckled. Her eyes snapped up to me as I started pulling all the sheets off of the bed. In the center of her grey sheets, there was evidence of her lost virginity. I bundled up the sheets and took them downstairs. I stuffed them in the washing machine, put the detergent in, and started it. I jogged back up the stairs to find Caroline trying to stretch out her legs. I smiled and wrapped my arms around her stomach from behind. She leaned back against me as I kissed her neck and started rocking her gently. ¡°Sore?¡± I asked in her neck. My fingers traced the spot where I marked her. She shivered involuntarily and nodded. ¡°You¡¯re kind of¡­ big,¡± she whispered thest past. Iughed softly and kissed her cheek. She was so innocent¡­ well, she used to be. ¡°We should probably go back to your house. They¡¯ve probably noticed that we¡¯re gone by now,¡± she said softly with a sigh. I ran my nose down the arch of her neck, taking in her delicious and intoxicating scent of vani and strawberries. ¡°As you wish, my love,¡± my wolf automatically replied. Great, my wolf was turning into a big softie. It was him who took over this morning; calling Caroline ¡®mine¡¯ and telling her to hold it. We stood there for an extra moment before Caroline craned her neck to kiss me. I smiled and spun her to face me. I picked her up and she wrapped her legs around my waist. I twitched before breaking contact with her. ¡°If we don¡¯t leave now, we¡¯re never going to get out of here,¡± I breathed, centimeters from her face. She only giggled and set her feet back down on the floor. I grabbed her hand and led her out to the car. Chapter 44 (Caroline) Chapter 44 (Caroline) ¡°Do you think that Lena will still have some breakfast left over?¡± she asked me as I drove. I smirked to myself. ¡°They won¡¯t even start eating until I get there,¡± I answered her. I reached my hand over andced it with hers as I drove with one hand. Keeping my eyes on the road, I brought her hand up to my lips and peppered kisses along her hand before resting out hands in between us and rubbing light circles into the back of her hand. I nced over to see her smiling as she watched me. I chuckled. ¡°What?¡± I asked. ¡°Nothing,¡± she shook her head with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m just¡­ I¡¯m happy; legitimately happy. I can¡¯t remember ever feeling this good. It¡¯s like there¡¯s¡­ I don¡¯t know, fireworks running through my body. I can feel every single one of my nerves,¡± she said giddily. I smiled as the skin near my eyes crinkled. ¡°I¡¯m happy too, love. Did you get your mark yet?¡± I asked her. ¡°The mark on my side? You were kind of there for that Keegan,¡± she said sarcastically. Iughed and shook my head. ¡°Check your mark,¡± I told her. She pulled her shirt up to look at her side and gasped. I¡¯ll take that as a yes. She brought her shirt up more for me to see. It was there. She had an intricate swirling tribal design that went on her side and covered her ribs, all the way up into her sports bra to where I marked her again this morning in crimson. Almost like my blood made the tattoo. I could see one of the lines swirl into my initials. She admired it for a while before she pulled her shirt back down. She looked at me expectantly. ¡°Don¡¯t you have one?¡± she asked as we pulled up to my house. I smiled and turned the car off before I lifted my shirt. Right over my heart was a tribal design that was simr to hers. I looked to see that her initials were in cursive over my heart, connecting to the design the fanned out over my peck. Mine was manlier that hers, obviously, but it was in the same blood crimson. Caroline reached her hand forward and ran her fingers over the slightly raised skin gently. ¡°How long does it stay?¡± she asked. I put my shirt down and kissed her gently as I took her hand in mine. ¡°A few weeks like it is now. Then it fades over the course of another two weeks until it¡¯s gone,¡± I answered. She frowned suddenly. ¡°Will it stay is one of us dies?¡± she asked. I growled at the thought but sighed and calmed myself down. ¡°Yes,¡± I answered. I pushed my door open and Caroline met me around the front of the car, putting her hand in mine before we walked to the door. ¡°Hey, I didn¡¯t mean to upset you, I was just curious,¡± she apologized softly. I shook my head and kissed her temple. ¡°It¡¯s okay, love. I know,¡± I muttered. She smiled. ¡°I wonder if Danny is still here,¡± she thought out loud. Her eyes went wide. ¡°Danny won¡¯t know, will he?¡± she asked, slightly scared. I chuckled and shook my head as we finally reached the door. ¡°There¡¯s no turning back now. Here going nothing,¡± I muttered before I pushed the door open. ~ (Caroline¡¯s POV) The first thing I noticed was Natasha standing next to a very scary looking man, talking to Lena. He looked like her father or something. The next thing I noticed was my brother ying video games with the guys. Everyone looked at us when we walked through the door. Keegan pulled me behind him a little bit as all the wolves in the house started sniffing the air. That¡¯s when I realized that every wolf in this house, including one who wanted to kill me and her father, knew that Keegan and I were mated. The guys paused the game. ¡°You didn¡¯t,¡± Gregg practically begged, being the first to speak. Lena walked up to me and Keegan moved out of the way. Lena hesitantly lifted my shirt. She sighed in disappointment when she saw the natural tattoo. ¡°You got a tattoo?!¡± Danny bellowed. I wanted tough at him, but I kept my mouth shut. ¡°I-It¡¯s just henna,¡± I lied. ¡°Danny, I have things to deal with privately here. Will you take Preston back home? I promise, we¡¯ll exin everythingter,¡± I practically begged. Danny stared at me and sighed before he gave in. Everyone was quiet as he went upstairs and came back down with Preston sleeping in his arms. He kissed my head as he passed me. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at home,¡± he said sternly. Keegan growled lowly but I elbowed him in the stomach lightly. Danny left closing the door behind him. I turned and gave Keegan a look. He smiled sheepishly as a light pink covered his cheeks. ¡°Sorry,¡± he apologized. My lips turned up into a smiled. ¡°How could you mate with a human?!¡± Natasha¡¯s dad asked angrily. I flinched away from him as he took a step forward. ¡°You were supposed to mate with my daughter!¡± he continued yelling. ¡°Your daughter¡¯s a bitch,¡± I muttered to myself, forgetting about the superhuman wolf hearing. The angry man moved like lightning. He yanked my arm towards him. I yelped before he was off of me and Keegan was standing in front of me. ¡°Touch her again and I will end you where you stand,¡± Keegan seethed at the man. Natasha¡¯s dad was bigger than Keegan, but somehow, I knew that Keegan could take him. ¡°What are all those disgusting scars? What are you like emo or something?¡± Natasha put her two cents in. I quickly lowered my shirt as tears stung my eyes. Great, she was the absolutest person I wanted to know about those. Keegan¡¯s growl was loud in warning. Natasha¡¯s eyes widened before she shrunk back and lowered her gaze. The tension in the room was almost unbearable. Lena moved beside Natasha as the guys stood up and quickly formed a circle around me. I was trying not to show weakness. I held my head high and blinked back my tears. ¡°No, Caroline was right. Your daughter is a bitch. She¡¯s not fit to be Luna, anyone could see that. She¡¯s selfish and rude, and she has no heart. She¡¯s only worried about herself. The truth of the matter is, Caroline is Keegan¡¯s mate, human or not. And we all know what happens when one of us, especially an Alpha, is kept away from his mate¡­ and we don¡¯t want that, do we?¡± Lena said, jumping to my defense. I gave her a small grateful smile which she returned. ¡°Natasha, let¡¯s go! The council is going to hear about this,¡± he muttered as he stormed off, his brat of a daughter following behind him. The door mmed and everyone released a sigh of relief. I, however, released my tears. I sniffled as Keegan pulled me in to his chest. His hand rubbed my back gently as I wrapped my arms tightly around his waist. Lena came over and put aforting hand on my back as well. ¡°Baby, you know you¡¯re beautiful, especially to me. She was just trying to get to you,¡± Keegan said, lowering his lips to my ear. I shook my head. ¡°No, she¡¯s right. They are disgusting,¡± I cried into his chest. He shushed me before I felt myself being pulled into a different chest. I was greeted with the amazing scent of cherry blossom and vani. It was Lena who was rubbing my back now. ¡°Oh sweetie, no. You can¡¯t let her get to you like that. Those scars are beautiful just like you. They show that your heroic and humble; two things that she is not,¡± Lena said softly. I sniffled as my crying eased. It was nice to be held be a mother again. She led me to the kitchen and made me a te of food. She sat me at the bar and let me eat ahead of everyone else, which made me feel a lot better. We made a te for Wes and I took it down to him. Talking to him made me feel a lot better also. Finally, I went back up the stairs to see that everyone was eating quietly. ¡°Keegan, you¡¯re smell is different but Caroline¡¯s is almost the same as it was before,¡± Lena said, looking to Keegan from over her fork. I took my seat next to him quietly. He smiled at me gently and kissed my head once he finished chewing. Hisced his fingers with mine and kissed the back of my hand. I don¡¯t think I would ever get over the sparks that his touch sent through my body every time. Everyone was quiet as they ate. An awkward silence filled the room. ¡°I want to change Caroline,¡± Keegan said softly after he finished eating. I looked at him confused as everyone else looked at him shocked. Change me how? He looked at me before kissing my hand. ¡°If she¡¯s okay with it,¡± he added. ¡°Keegan¡­ you know how dangerous that is,¡± his mom said slowly. ¡°Dude, that¡¯s like begging the council to exile you,¡± Gregg said, shaking his head. ¡°But she¡¯s fine the way she is,¡± Trevor said incredulously. ¡°Yeah, but only for now. What¡¯s going to happen if somethinges up?¡± Keegan argued back. ¡°She would be pure white. Those things are like unicorns,¡± Nick said dreamily. Keegan¡¯s head snapped to Nick as he growled. ¡°Mine!¡± Keegan growled loudly. ¡°Keegan, calm down,¡± Lena said. I¡¯d had enough. ¡°What the hell are you guys talking about?¡± I yelled, standing quickly. I looked at everyone around the table with my eyes narrowed, expecting someone to give me an answer. They all only lowered their heads in response expect for Keegan; who was watching me like I might explode at any second. He rubbed my hand gently and eased me back to my seat. ¡°Caroline, we¡¯re talking about changing you into a wolf¡­ like us,¡± he exined slowly. My eyes widened as I looked around the table in shock. No one said a word, letting me process the information. ¡°So¡­ I would turn into a wolf¡­ like you guys? And I wouldn¡¯t be so, breakable? And I¡¯d be fast and have better hearing?¡± I asked, not really believing what I was hearing. ¡°And your scars would probably go away too,¡± Trevor added softly. My eyes snapped to his as Keegan growled. Trevor lowered his head like the others and stayed quiet. ¡°How is that even possible?¡± I practically whispered. ¡°You would heal faster too. Your body would automatically get rid of all the scar tissue,¡± Keegan answered softly. ¡°But I don¡¯t want that to be the deciding factor of whether you change or not. It¡¯s very dangerous and I would go over all the possibilities and the process with you, but it¡¯s the only way that the council will let you be Luna. You¡¯re already my Luna, but who knows what will happen? And now that Christopher is on a war path, I¡¯m not sure what could happen. They might still make Natasha Luna, and I don¡¯t want that to ever happen,¡± Keegan rambled. I reached over and held his cheek in my hand Content held by N?velDrama.Org. as I kissed him gently, forgetting about everyone else at the table for a moment. His hand automatically went to my hip and his thumb rubbed small circles in the side of my back. I pulled away, searching his face quietly. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± I practically whispered. His eyes widened. ¡°Do you want time to think about it?¡± he croaked. I shook my head and let my thumb run over his cheek repeatedly. ¡°I love you, Keegan¡­ and if that¡¯s what it takes to stay with you then so be it. Just tell me when and where,¡± I said softly. Tears pricked his eyes. ¡°You might die,¡± he said hoarsely. ¡°I¡¯d rather die than be living a life without you in it,¡± I whispered. He reached forward and kissed me gently. He seemed to be in a mental turmoil. Maybe he wasn¡¯t expecting me to say yes so easily. ¡°We should consult an elder. Just to be sure, we do it right,¡± Lena said hesitantly. I knew she didn¡¯t want to interrupt our intimate moment but she needed to. I pecked Keegan¡¯s lips once more before I turned back to the table. Everyone was looking at theirps shocked. ¡°This isn¡¯t happening,¡± Gregg muttered, shaking his head. ¡°We should give it a few months and consult with an elder to make sure that everything goes ording to n. We¡¯ll talk more about itter,¡± he said. I nodded, not really wanting to discuss everything in front of everyone. I stood abruptly and everyone¡¯s eyes went to me. I smiled sheepishly. ¡°I have to go exin to my brother,¡± I said. ¡°You can¡¯t tell him the truth,¡± Keegan said quickly. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. ¡°I¡¯m not stupid,¡± I said before I scowled at him. A light pink covered his cheeks as he stood as well. ¡°I¡¯ll be back in a few,¡± he called over his shoulder, leading me to his car. How was I going to exin this to Danny? Chapter 45 (Caroline) Chapter 45 (Caroline) It was the weekend after our Thanksgiving break. Keegan had yet to tell me about the process of turning me into a wolf. I think he wanted to prolong it, but sooner orter, he would have to tell me. School kind of got put on the backburner, and by this point, I was just going through the motions. I started spending a lot more time at Keegan¡¯s house. I was trying to learn their way of life. So far, all I got was that they eat a lot, they have super hearing, they¡¯re faster, stronger, and they turn into wolves. The guys were all ying videogames in the living room. I¡¯d opted out this time. I was rxing on the couch with Keegan¡¯s arm around my shoulder but I was feeling restless. I stood and stretched as Keegan looked to me expectantly. ¡°I¡¯m going to go for a walk,¡± I muttered, heading for the kitchen. ¡°Be sure to stay inside the property line. I¡¯m going to talk to my dad about¡­ everything,¡± Keegan called after me. I nodded before I went out through the back door. I passed the rows of bustling houses and entered into the woods. The normally dark green leaves were red, yellow and orange, showing signs of fall. It was past Thanksgiving after all; almost winter. The trees were practically bare, leaving a maze of branches to look through towards the sky. The brown and red leaves crunched under my feet as I walked further and further into the woods. I pulled the cardigan around me and folded my arms over my chest, letting my hair cover my ears as it hung to my butt. I decided to straighten it today so it was silky smooth and longer than normal. It was a little chilly outside, leaving a light flush on my cheeks, but other than that, it was a nice day. I froze when I heard the sound of another pair of feet crunching against the forest floor. I turned, hoping it was Keegan. No such luck. A tall man, about 6¡¯5¡¯¡¯ was stalking towards me in nothing but a pair of dirty khaki shorts. My heart sped up as the man smirked at me. His dirty blonde hair was tussled and he had muddy brown eyes. His figure was lean and looked a little malnourished. A wind blew at my back, making my hair go wild on the sides of my face. I quickly contained it and snapped my eyes to the man. He sniffed the air and sighed contently. He was starting to freak me out. I stayed frozen in ce as he stalked towards me. My heart fell like it was about to pound out of my chest but I tried to keep calm. He chuckled and sniffed the air again. ¡°Interesting,¡± he said, circled me, making me feel like prey. ¡°You¡¯re marked¡­ no, mated, but you¡¯re a human?! So I guess the rumors are true,¡± he screeched, stopping his circle. ¡°You must be the Alpha¡¯s bitch I¡¯ve been looking for,¡± he said, grinning evilly. Now my head was spinning. My heart was beating so fast that I was sure he could hear it. I found myself backing up slowly. The only reason I knew that was because my back was pressed up against a tree now. My breathing became sporadic as my eyes took in his every move. ¡°What do you want with me?¡± I managed to squeak out. He smirked deviously at me. ¡°I was giving instructions to kill you. With you out of the way, things can go back to¡­ the way everything was nned. You¡¯re pretty little face will be no more,¡± he exined easily as he walked closer. There was no where I could run; he¡¯d catch me anyway. He yanked my arms towards him harshly and I let out a yelp. Catching both of my hands in one of his, his dirty fingers pulled my chin Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. harshly up so my teary eyes were looking at him. ¡°Why?¡± I croaked out. His lips turned up in a devilish grin again. ¡°Because, my dear, someone¡¯s paying me to do it and I think it¡¯ll be fun. But who says we can¡¯t have a little fun first,¡± he said. I was pushed on to my back suddenly. I gasped and let out a small whimper as he straddled myp. I struggled against him but it was no use. I let out the loudest scream I could when I felt his lips on my neck. It was slobbery and made me feel dirty. Just as soon as I started screaming, his hand covered my mouth. I sobbed as my eyes closed. ¡°Rx, my dear. This will be over before you know it, and then you¡¯ll be dead,¡± he chuckled into my neck. I struggled against him, which he didn¡¯t like. He sat up and my head snapped to the side as I gasped from the immense pain spreading across my cheek. ¡°Stop it!¡± he yelled angrily. His hand reached for my pants as I sobbed. This couldn¡¯t be happening; not now¡­ not to me. I heard a loud growl before the man was ripped off of me. I was too shocked about what was about to happen to look up at themotion. I heard snarling and the sound of skin ripping, but I was too afraid to look. I just silent. The only noise was my sobbing and a wolf¡¯s panting. After a moment, there was the sound of bones snapping. I felt a hand touch me gently. My eyes widened in fear as I looked at the strange boy. I screamed and took a step away from him. During my step, I tripped over my own feet and went tumbling. The strange boy caught me before I could fall and set me back on my feet. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you,¡± he said softly, backing up with his hands raised in surrender. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked softly. I nodded slowly. I looked him over. He didn¡¯t look any older than me. He had a strong jaw line and masculine features, but not in the hulk way. He was kind of tall. He had chocte brown hair and his eyes were a color I¡¯d never seen before. They were a lc color. His muscr bare chest was covered in ayer of dirt and he had on a pair of ratty basketball shorts. ¡°Who are you?¡± I whispered. I heard a loud growl before arge ck wolf pounced on the mystery boy. Keegan. I rushed forward so that I was in front of them. Keegan lunged for the boy¡¯s neck. The boy rolled from under him and shrugged his shorts off before there was a chocte brown wolf standing before me as well. Keegan lunged for him, but the boy maneuvered out of the way and managed to get a chunk of Keegan¡¯s tail between his teeth. Keegan turned and snapped his jaw over the boy¡¯s hip. My eyes widened. ¡°Keegan stop!¡± I screeched. Both of them froze where they were and looked at me. I don¡¯t know why, but I suddenly got mad. My fists balled at my side. ¡°Now both of you, let go and change back now so I can talk to you,¡± I said. They hesitated and looked at me before I heard cracking. I looked down and waiting until I heard Keegan growling again. I rushed forward and put my hands against his chest. ¡°Stay away from my mate, rogue!!¡± Keegan snarled at the boy. ¡°Stop it, Keegan! He wasn¡¯t hurting me!¡± I yelled at him frantically. ¡°Bullshit!¡± Keegan yelled, looking at the boy. ¡°No, seriously, he was saving me! Do you see the mangled, dismembered body over there? Because I did, and it almost made me throw up,¡± I yelled at him. Keegan looked over to the body then back to the boy before his anger faded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. That guy over there was on top of her and I just... I don¡¯t know what came over me, but I felt like I had to protect her. I¡¯m just passing through,¡± the boy exined in a rush. Shivers ran through my body at the mention of the dead guy who was about to rape and kill me. Keegan put an arm around my waist without even really thinking about it. I dly leaned into his side, grateful for hisforting touch. ¡°You¡¯re eyes are purple,¡± Keegan practically whispered. I turned to look at the boy who was looking at us in a mixture of shock and confusion. ¡°My eyes are blue,¡± the boy corrected him slowly. I shook my head. ¡°They were purple a second ago. Now they¡¯re blue,¡± I said. A look of realization passed on Keegan¡¯s face. ¡°You¡¯re a Luna protector,¡± Keegan said softly. It was my turn to look at him confused. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Keegan asked him. He looked down and rubbed the back of his neck nervously. ¡°Aiden Matthews. Look, I know this is yournd and your pack and I¡¯m sorry. I was just trying to get through. You know how rogues have to keep moving and all. After all, you¡¯re an Alpha. I don¡¯t know what your policy on rogues is but please don¡¯t kill-¡± ¡°Join my pack,¡± Keegan said, cutting him off. We both looked at him shocked. ¡°What?¡± he blurted. Keegan sighed and looked at me before he looked back to Aiden. ¡°I¡¯m giving you an invitation to join my pack,¡± Keegan said again but this time it was more reluctant. Aiden looked away as he tried to process this. Keegan told me that rogues were stray werewolves who were either exiled from or left their pack. Although, some were born into it. ording to Keegan, they were normally killed on sight or taking into custody. Keegan didn¡¯t like rogues. He said they were sneaky and untrustworthy. Why was he letting this rogue join his pack? ¡°Why?¡± Aiden asked, speaking my thoughts. ¡°You¡¯re a Luna protector. Honestly, I thought they were just a myth, but when a pure hearted Luna is too¡­ delicate for her world, a Luna protector is given to her. Sometimes two, if the case is severe enough. The characteristic that lets you know who they are is their eye color. They normally have light purple eyes when they sense their Luna in danger. Luna protectors don¡¯t have a mate because they¡¯re main objective is protecting their given Luna. Based off of what happened here, I¡¯d say that Caroline is the Luna that you¡¯re supposed to protect,¡± Keegan exined patiently. Chapter 46 (Caroline) Chapter 46 (Caroline) ¡°So¡­ he¡¯s my¡­ protector?¡± I asked slowly, a little shocked by all this new information. Keegan looked at me and nodded. ¡°She¡¯s Luna? But she¡¯s human?¡± he asked shocked as his eyes flickered to me. I rolled my eyes. ¡°I can¡¯t wait till you change me so I don¡¯t have to hear that all the time,¡± I muttered to Keegan. Aiden eyes went wide. ¡°You¡¯re changing her?!¡± he screeched. Keegan¡¯s grip tightened around my waist. He tensed and shot me a look before he looked back to Aiden with a clenched jaw. ¡°We¡¯re¡­ thinking about it¡­ and she¡¯s not Luna yet,¡± he said hesitantly. I pouted as I looked at Keegan. ¡°I thought you said-¡± ¡°Caroline, not now,¡± he warned. I crossed my arms and red at the floor. Okay, so maybe I was acting like Preston would have, but that just goes to show that I¡¯ve been spending way too much time with him. Not that I wasining. ¡°I ept your invitation,¡± Aiden said after a moment. I looked at him as my re dropped. Aiden rubbed the back of his neck nervously as his cheeks turned pink. ¡°Plus, I hate being a rogue. It¡¯s really hard,¡± he admitted. I smiled and wiggled out of Keegan¡¯s grip. This meant I had an attractive new friend, and for some reason, that made me really happy. I walked over and grabbed his wrist. Keegan growled lowly with his arms crossed before I shot him a scowl. He rolled his eyes before he started walking ahead of us. I pulled Aiden along excitedly by his wrist. I don¡¯t know why, but taking Aiden in made me feel like babying him. ¡°Let¡¯s get you showered and into some fresh clothes. You could probably fix some of Keegan¡¯s clothes,¡± I said turning my head to look back at him. He blushed which was super adorable by the way. Keegan only huffed and kept walking. He was like a pouting toddler who didn¡¯t want to share his toys¡­ it was so cute. I decided to hold off on questions about Aiden until after he had a hot shower. We entered the house through the front door. Instantly, all the guys looked at us and then to Aiden who I was still towing by the wrist. They gave Keegan a questioning look. Keegan only crossed his arms and rolled his eyes before he looked away from us. ¡°Caroline got a new pet,¡± Keegan said while scowling at the floor. I let go of Aiden and smacked Keegan¡¯s arm as hard as I could as I red at him. I know that it didn¡¯t hurt him, but he flinched anyway as he looked at me. ¡°I swear Keegan, one more word from you and you¡¯ll be in the doghouse for a month,¡± I yelled at him. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. He looked at me incredulously as the guys started rolling from how hard they wereughing. Lena came down from the stairs and looked at the lot of us before her eyesnded on Aiden. She red at Keegan. ¡°Keegan Porter, you know our policy about rogues,¡± she said slowly as she walked down the rest of the stairs and into the living room. The guys sobered up and watched Lena carefully. Keegan was about to say something but I beat him to it. ¡°Aiden¡¯s not going to hurt anybody! This creepy guy was going to kill me and he saved me. His eyes were purple. Keegan said he¡¯s a Luna protector,¡± I said in a rush. Everyone froze and looked at Aiden who dropped his gaze to the floor. It was quiet for almost two minutes as no one said anything. ¡°Not possible,¡± Lena finally said, shaking her head. ¡°We could test it¡­ just to be sure,¡± Trevor said. I silently thanked Trevor mentally before I shrugged at Keegan. He growled. ¡°I¡¯m not putting Caroline in danger just to prove that herpdog¡¯s eyes change colors,¡± he snapped at Trevor. I red at Keegan. ¡°What did I say about the names?!¡± I yelled at him. He looked at me shocked. ¡°You were serious about that?¡± he asked. I only crossed my arms and raised an eyebrow at him. Oh I was dead serious. ¡°Caroline, you can¡¯t be serious,¡± he said, almost trying to convince himself. ¡°Keegan, I was serious, and I still am. You¡¯re in the doghouse,¡± I said turning away from him. The guys all snickered. Even Aiden smiled a little. ¡°Back to this mythical Luna protector thing,¡± Gregg said after a moment. ¡°Do it,¡± I authorized. ¡°Come at me Gregg. Keegan, stay back,¡± I warned. He sighed and looked at the ceiling before he went to stand next to his mom. Gregg stood and smirked before he came charging at me. By the rate in which he was running, I knew it was going to hurt. I squeezed my eyes shut as my heart dropped and waited for the impact but it never came. I heard a body m to the floor before growling shook the house. I opened my eyes to see that Aiden had his hand around Gregg¡¯s throat. Aiden was crouching about Gregg as he growled. Gregg¡¯s eyes widened as he looked at Aiden. ¡°Holy¡­ crap,¡± Gregg breathed. Aiden released Gregg and stood before he looked at everyone else sheepishly. His eyes were that lc color again. Gregg shuffled from underneath him and went to sit on the couch again. ¡°Unbelievable. First, the human mate, then, the human Luna, and now, our human Luna has a Luna protector¡­ what is wrong with our pack?¡± Asher said, breaking the silence. Iughed before I grabbed Aiden by the wrist and dragged him up the stairs. ¡°Keegan, I¡¯m letting him borrow your clothes until I can take him shopping!¡± I yelled down behind me. I heard an exasperated groan before I smiled. I led Aiden to Keegan¡¯s room and to the bathroom. I handed him a towel and a washcloth. ¡°I¡¯ll get you a change of clothes,¡± I said. I went to Keegan¡¯s drawers and pulled out an unopened package of Hanes boxers. I shuffled through his things and found a pair of dark jeans and a simple gray t-shirt. I walked back to the bathroom and set them on the counter for him. I turned on the shower and showed him how to change the temperature. He hesitated before he looked at me curiously. ¡°Why are you being so nice to me?¡± he asked. I smiled at him. ¡°I don¡¯t know. You¡¯re different I guess. I¡¯m used to the guys being afraid to y with me or even hang out with me alone because Keegan will get mad, but with you, he won¡¯t have a choice in the matter. Plus, you seem like a good person; I want us to be friends,¡± I shrugged. He smiled and nodded once. ¡°We can be friends,¡± he said. I smiled and moved in to hug him before I stopped. ¡°Maybe after you shower,¡± I said, scrunching my nose up at his dirt covered chest. He chuckled and nodded before he took a step back. ¡°I¡¯ll be downstairs,¡± I said as I left. I closed the bathroom door behind me and jogged down the stairs to where everyone was lounging and talking and ying videogames. Keegan wrapped his arm around my waist and pressed me up against the wall as soon as my feet hit the even floor. He kissed me deeply, pressing me up against the wall. Memories flooded me brain making a soft moan escape my lips. ¡°You weren¡¯t serious¡­ were you?¡± Keegan muttered against my lips. My eyes shot open and I tried to push him off of me. His hands caught my wrists and held them against the wall on either side of my head. His lips attached to my neck and I let out a breath as my eyes slipped close. ¡°Keegan¡­ get off of me,¡± I muttered/moaned. He growled and bit my neck lightly. I gasped and tried to move my hands. Keegan held them in ce. ¡°Keegan,¡± I tried again more sternly. He sighed into my neck before he finally let go. I pushed him away and red at him. ¡°Caroline,¡± he groaned/begged as he ran hand down his face. I crossed my arms and snaked around him so I wasn¡¯t on the wall anymore. ¡°I was serious,¡± I red at him before I headed for the stairs. I paused and turned back to him. ¡°And Aiden is staying in my guest room until we figure out what to do,¡± I said. ¡°What?! No!¡± he said shocked and angry. I red at him. ¡°I wasn¡¯t asking you,¡± I snapped back before I spun on my heels and jogged up the stairs. By the time I got to Keegan¡¯s room, Aiden was already dressed and ruffling his hair with a towel. He looked at me guiltily. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­ if I¡¯m causing trouble, I can leave,¡± he said quickly. I shook my head. ¡°Aiden, you¡¯re not causing trouble,¡± I said softly to him. My eyes flickered to the door quickly. ¡°Keegan is the one acting like an ass!¡± I yelled over my shoulder. I was rewarded with a loud growl. I smiled before I looked back to Aiden who was watching me with amusement written on his face. ¡°Do you guys fight like this all the time?¡± he asked. I shook my head. ¡°We almost never fight,¡± I answered. Aiden raised an eyebrow at me. I reached forward and wrapped my arms around him. ¡°Now I can hug you since you¡¯re wearing clothes and you don¡¯t stink so badly. You actually kind of smell like Keegan,¡± I said with a giggle. He chuckled and hugged me back lightly before I pulled away. ¡°So¡­ will I be staying at a room here?¡± he asked looking around the room I shook my head. ¡°You¡¯ll be staying with me and my brother and my three year old nephew. I mean, as long as you promise not to hurt anyone. Keegan thinks you¡¯re a warrior wolf¡ªwhatever that means¡ªbut you¡¯re not going to hurt anyone who doesn¡¯t deserve it¡­ right?¡± I exined. He shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt anyone ever,¡± he said honestly. I smiled. ¡°Good, then we can go now,¡± I said, grabbing his wrist and pulling him down the stairs. Keegan was leaning up against the wall with a pout. My smile fell as I remembered the incident in the woods. ¡°Keegan,¡± I said softly. His face softened as he looked at me slightly scared expression. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± he asked automatically. I let go of Aiden and walked closer to Keegan. ¡°In the woods when that guy was attacking me¡­ he said somebody paid him to kill me. He said that with me gone, everything would return to normal,¡± I recalled quietly. Keegan¡¯s jaw clenched before he closed his eyes to calm down. ¡°No one is going to hurt you. Plus now you have a Luna protector who¡¯s going to be living with you so we have extra protection,¡± he said, determination seeping through his voice. I nodded gently. Chapter 47 (Caroline) Chapter 47 (Caroline) ¡°Hey Aiden, will you start the car, I¡¯ll be out in a second,¡± I asked him, handing him the keys. He gave me a small smile and nodded before he left. I turned back to Keegan and sighed. ¡°I think Aiden is a good kid. Maybe he has a past and we don¡¯t know why he¡¯s a rogue now, but he¡¯s here. You need to give him a chance. Plus, he¡¯s made to protect me. Shouldn¡¯t you be extra nice to him? I love you C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Keegan, but don¡¯t let your jealousy cloud your judgment,¡± I said softly. His eyes filled with regret as he looked at me. ¡°I just don¡¯t trust him,¡± he said reluctantly. ¡°Trust me,¡± I said automatically as I held his jaw and ran my thumb over his cheek. ¡°Don¡¯t make him feel like such an outcast. I can imagine that it¡¯s hard enough for him already,¡± I added. Keegan sighed before he nodded sullenly. ¡°Okay, I trust you,¡± he agreed. I smiled seductively before I pushed up on my toes, pressing my lips right next to his ear. ¡°Then you¡¯re out of the doghouse, because frankly, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to go that long without you,¡± I whispered before my teeth tugged his ear. He groaned and let his hands roam to my backside. I gasped in his ear as he squeezed my butt which only made him growl. This was spiraling fast. My fingers tangled in his hair as his lips came down and attacked my neck. My back arched slightly as he pulled me closer. My eyes slipped close as a breath escaped my lips. ¡°If you guys are going to have sex right here, would you mind giving us a warning first? Or at least give us time to evacuate the country so we don¡¯t have to hear your moans of pleasure¡­ again,¡± Asher said with a smirk. Keegan growled and picked me up so I was straddling his hips before he pressed me against the wall roughly. He either didn¡¯t hear Asher, or he was choosing to ignore him. ¡°Kee¡­ gan,¡± I tried to say his name but ended up moaning thest part as he pressed his groin into me. He was very aroused. I wasn¡¯t going to go well going home now. Aiden was going to be there and that would be awkward. But I couldn¡¯t leave now when I was all hot and bothered. I grunted and put my feet on the floor as my eyes opened. I pushed Keegan back gently. He growled from the sudden loss of contact before he pushed me up against the wall harder. I chuckled and pushed my hands against his chest. ¡°Whoa there big boy,¡± Iughed. ¡°I want you¡­ now,¡± Keegan breathed huskily. His words sent an army of butterflies to my stomach. It felt I was going down the steepest past of a rollercoaster. I shivered involuntarily. Shaking it off, I reached up and pecked his lips gently. ¡°Later; I¡¯ve got to go exin Aiden to my brother,¡± I said. He whined a little before he pulled me tightly to him. ¡°Please, just twenty minutes,¡± he begged. I raised an eyebrow at him in amazement. ¡°You seriously think we can finish in twenty minutes? Keegan, it takes us hours,¡± I said. I forgot about the other wolves in the living room. Trevor cleared his throat. I looked over to see that they were all looking at us in a mixture of shock and wonder. My cheeks turned bright red and my me was instantly doused. Well, it was until I felt Keegan trailing his nose along my neck so gently that it tickled. ¡°Gregg, get the guys out of the house for a while; including my mom. Try to include Aiden. Show him around, I don¡¯t know, just go away,¡± Keegan ordered in a growl. ¡°Y-yes Alpha,¡± Gregg stuttered. Keegan bit my neck gently, making my face scrunch in need. My hold was wavering. My knees felt weak. Keegan¡¯s arm wrapped around my waist tightly. He was holding my back against his chest roughly. He peppered kissed up to my ear and tugged on my lobe with his teeth gently. Keegan was seriously the only thing keeping me standing upright at this point. I moaned louder than I should have as I leaned back into him. His lips traveled down to my corbone and he growled. ¡°Get out now!¡± he snapped at the guys. They blinked out of their shocked state of watching us before they hurried out the back door, grabbing Keegan¡¯s mom on the way. Karma was at a friend¡¯s house. I felt myself being picked up before I was tossed on to Keegan¡¯s soft cushy bed. He didn¡¯t even give me time to breath before he ripped my shirt off and tossed it aside. Well, I¡¯d never be able to wear that shirt again. He unsnapped my bra and flung it aside next. He waisted no time getting mepletely naked; sticking my underwear in his back pocket as always before he undressed himself. ¡°I¡¯m running out of underwear,¡± I breathed. His mouth attacked my breast as his hand yed with my other one. I gasped and moaned before I arched my back up to him. ¡°I¡¯ll buy you more,¡± he grumbled before he started trailing kisses down my stomach. He kissed my scars like he always did, making me feel beautiful. He lowered himself to the floor and pulled my hips to the end of the bed before he ced a kiss right under my navel. My stomach trembled involuntarily before I pushed up on my elbow and looked at him curiously. ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked breathlessly. He only smirked at me with a glint of mischief in his eyes before he lowered his head and ran his tongue slowly through my aching core. I fell back to my back almost immediately as my back arched up. I couldn¡¯t help it, I practically screamed at the feeling ripping through my body. My hands tangled in his hair as I panted. Another loud moan escaped my lips as he did it again. My legs squeezed around his head. He chuckled before he pushed my legs open again. His eyes peeked up at me before he began his assault licking and sucking everywhere. I couldn¡¯t even being to exin how good it felt. He added his fingers to the dance and I squirmed under him. He groaned and sped up. I was so close. I was no longer in control of the loud noises escaping my mouth. I was cussing and moaning and yelling his name. I was out of control as waves of immense gut- wrenching pleasure washed over me. I felt the pressure build up in my lower regions quickly. I screamed as my body shook with my orgasm. Keegan kept up his motion even though my legs squeezed around his head again. My body stilled as I panted. I untangled my hands from his hair and let my legs rx, releasing him from my vice grip. I sighed and covered my face with my hands as a smile spread across my face. Keegan hovered over me and uncovered my face. When I saw him, I cupped a hand around his neck and pulled him down to my lips. I could taste myself on his tongue and I moaned. The things this boy did to me. I didn¡¯t have much time to recover before he pushed his shaft into me hard. I screamed out and bit his lip. He chuckled before he mmed into me again. I inhaled a sharp shaky breath before I ran my hands over his chest and down his magical, rock-hard abs. He growled and thrust into me deeper. I moaned as Keegan sucked roughly on the skin on the tip on my shoulder. After he thrust again, his teeth sunk into my shoulder. I screamed in pleasure as they sank deeper. He licked the wound clean, all the while keeping his deep hard thrusts constant. I wondered¡­ I leaned my head up and kissed his neck roughly. He let out a breath and dropped his head, giving me good ess to his neck. Without thinking about it too much, I sunk my teeth into his neck as hard as I could. He thrust into me onest time before he cried out. His body tensed and I felt something hot and wet explode inside of me. I bit down harder as he thrust a few more times, sending me into my orgasm for the second time. I moaned and pulled my mouth away from his neck. Keegan was panting heavily over me; his sweaty body glistening. I was panting too. After a moment of trying to catch my breath, I raised my arms above my head and closed my eyes as a smile ghosted my lips. ¡°God, you drive me crazy Caroline,¡± he groaned. I opened my eyes as my smile widened. ¡°And you drive me insane, so we¡¯re not even,¡± I said with a smirk. He growled and kissed me gently, letting his tongue slip into my mouth. ¡°I fucking love you,¡± he growled. I smiled against his lips and pecked him once more before I held his face as he looked at me lovingly. ¡°I love you more,¡± I said gently before he got up suddenly. I frowned as I watched him before Iid back down against the bed with a soft thud. ¡°Normally, female mates go into heat soon around this time,¡± he said. I sat up again and raised an eyebrow at him as he rummaged through his drawers. He slipped a pair of boxers on and sighed when he saw my face. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, what?¡± I asked. He smirked and rolled his eyes as he pulled on his jeans. ¡°You might go into heat. We don¡¯t know since all of this is¡­ new, as you know. But typically when females go into heat, every male wolf will know. It¡¯s like a siren call. You¡¯ll bepletely sex driven and try to get it from anywhere. Having sex at this time will only guarantee a baby if not two. We Lycan are notorious for twins,¡± he exined with a wink as his lips spread into a smile. ¡°I don¡¯t want a baby right now. Not before I¡¯m married¡­ and not before you change me,¡± I said softly. His eyesnded on me as his hands stilled. He sighed and shook his head before he continued pulling a shirt. ¡°I wish I never told you about that,¡± he muttered. I decided to let that one go. ¡°Then we need to get you to a secluded area where you won¡¯t make every guy want to jump you¡¯re bones. We would have to mask you scent. There¡¯s a whole process. If you even do go into heat. You¡¯re human, so you might not.¡± ¡°There seems to be a process for everything,¡± I said, rolling my eyes. ¡°You know, Lycan families start early. My mom had me when she was 16. Her and my dad found each other when she was 15 and he was 18,¡± Keegan shrugged. I sighed and shook my head. ¡°I¡¯m not your mother babe,¡± I winked at him. ¡°But I¡¯ll think about it because I love you,¡± I smiled at him. I finally got up and stretched my sore limb before I retrieved my bra. Keegan snapped it on for me as I went looking for my shorts. I finally found them on the other side of the room. I didn¡¯t even bother looking for my underwear; I knew exactly where it was. I slid on my shorts before looking at my shirt. The fabric had a long rip going down the middle. I sighed and went to toss it in the trash before I pulled a shirt from Keegan¡¯s drawer. It was long and made it look like I wasn¡¯t wearing any shorts. Keegan wrapped his around my waist from behind and kissed my cheek. ¡°The guys are back,¡± he said softly. ¡°You and Aiden should head home; we have school tomorrow,¡± he added. I turned my head and kissed him deeply as my hand held his cheek, angling him towards me more. He kissed me back fiercely as a groan escaped his lips. He pulled away a little out of breath. ¡°I could take you all night long, Caroline. We should stop before I¡¯m ready for another round,¡± he said huskily. I smiled and pecked him once more gently. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow,¡± I said. He smiled and kissed me again. I giggled and pushed him away gently. ¡°I¡¯m never going to leave at this rate,¡± Iughed. ¡°I love you,¡± he said softly. It was me who kissed him this time. ¡°I love you more,¡± I smiled against his lips. I turned out of his arms and sighed as I walked carefully down the stairs. Chapter 48 (Caroline) Chapter 48 (Caroline) I wasn¡¯t as sore as the first time, but I was still sore. The guys were waiting in the living room. Aiden was standing by the door shifting ufortably. I watched them confused. ¡°Ready to go,¡± Aiden said quickly. I nodded slowly as I examined everyone¡¯s faces. Nick had a smug Content held by N?velDrama.Org. expression as he looked at his watch. ¡°Two hours and 35 minutes. Was it just a quickie this time?¡± Nick asked as everyone burst outughing except Aiden. ¡°We could hear your screams from the clearing,¡± Asherughed. I shot them a re as my cheeks turned bright red. ¡°I can¡¯t wait for one of you to get a mate so I can tease y¡¯all. You guys are jerks,¡± I muttered. They only mind-blowing sex and not just wishing I could,¡± I retorted. They all stoppedughing and red at me. It was working. ¡°What¡¯s your point?¡± Nick spat. I smiled sweetly and shrugged. ¡°Just that I¡¯m having a hard time walking while you guys y videogames all day. That¡¯s all I¡¯m saying,¡± I said indifferently as I smiled. Nick was fuming as he stood quickly. ¡°Hey, I hook up almost every weekend,¡± Nick said, trying to defend his manhood. I smiled and walked over to pat his shoulder. ¡°Sorry Nick, you¡¯re hand doesn¡¯t count,¡± I said before walking back to the door. Nick¡¯s face turned red as he red at the ground with his arms crossed. He was mumbling something under his breath. The other guys¡¯ eyes went wide as they looked at me with a mixture of shock and amusement. They ¡°Holy shit¡­ I like post-sex Caroline. She¡¯s funny,¡± Trevor smirked at me. I did a curtsy andughed. ¡°Bye guys,¡± Iughed before I pulled Aiden out the door and to the car. His cheeks were red and he was quiet as I drove us to my house. I got out and led Aiden inside. ¡°Danny!¡± I yelled, closing the door behind Aiden. Aiden looked around before his eyesnded on my brother and widened in shock. Danny was dressed for work in his police uniform. Danny looked at Aiden curiously. ¡°Care to exin Caroline?¡± he asked. I smiled and pulled Aiden forward a little. ¡°Danny, this is Aiden. Aiden, this is my brother Danny. Is it okay if he stays in the guest room for a while?¡± I asked him. Danny eyed Aiden warily before he looked at me again. ¡°What happened to Keegan? I thought you guys worked everything out and were going steady again,¡± Danny asked/whined. Iughed and shook my head. I didn¡¯t forget about my brother¡¯s budding bromance with my boyfriend. ¡°No, Danny, not like that! Me and Keegan are still together and going strong. Aiden is¡­ Aiden is a friend of ours and his parents kicked him out so he needs a ce to stay for a while until we can figure something out,¡± I lied easily. Danny¡¯s eyes narrowed in suspicion. ¡°Why did they kick you out?¡± Danny asked. Aiden sighed quietly as a sad look came over his face. ¡°I refused to take over the family business. My parents didn¡¯t like that so much, so they kicked me out and started training my twin brother for the job,¡± he said easily. Danny made a small ¡®o¡¯ noise before an awkward silence fell over us. Finally, Danny sighed as his hands went to his hips. ¡°You know, Care, sometimes I think I let you have your way too much,¡± Danny gave in. I smiled and rushed forward to peck his cheek. He grumbled before he gave me a look that meant business. ¡°I¡¯m going to work now. I won¡¯t be back by the time you guys leave for school. Preston is asleep already, so try not to wake him. Take him over to Mrs. Piggens¡¯ house in the morning before you leave. He shouldn¡¯t give you too much trouble,¡± Danny said. I nodded as I soaked in everything he said. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms. ¡°You know, I have taken care of Preston before without you,¡± I pointed out. He smiled and shrugged. ¡°He¡¯s my son, Care. I¡¯m going to worry,¡± he said before he said goodbye and was out the door. I grabbed Aiden¡¯s wrist and pulled him up the stairs. I showed him where the guest room and bathroom was before I dragged him into my room. We sat on my bed criss cross facing each other as I held a pillow against my chest. He looked like he was deep in thought. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± I asked quietly as I watched him. He sighed as his eyes finally flickered to me. ¡°You¡¯re lie was actually spot on,¡± he answered. I looked at him confused. What lie was he talking about? He saw my face and shook his head as he looked at his hands resting in hisp. ¡°My dad actually did kick me out. He¡¯s Alpha of the Grey Moon pack. When I turned 16, he tried to send me off for my Alpha training because he was getting weaker. I didn¡¯t want to be Alpha. I didn¡¯t want to be in charge of all those people. I didn¡¯t want to do it. He got really mad when I didn¡¯t ept the mate he chose for me and told him that I wasn¡¯t going to Alpha training. He was so mad that he kicked me out. I¡¯ve been a rogue ever since, and now my twin brother is next in line to take over. That was years ago though,¡± he exined. My eyes widened in shock. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry, I-I didn¡¯t know,¡± I stuttered. He chuckled. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯m over it and I¡¯ve learned to live with it. My dad was an asshole anyway, and my mother never tried to stop him,¡± he shrugged it off. He looked around my room. ¡°What about your parents?¡± he asked. My eyes lowered to myp as I tried to ignore the pang in my chest from the question. ¡°T-They died two years ago in a car ident. The car went into the water. I was in it too, but my dad pushed me out before I drowned too,¡± I exined softly. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± he said quickly. I shook my head. ¡°I-It¡¯s okay,¡± I replied before I yawned. Aiden stood quickly. ¡°Well, goodnight Caroline,¡± he said as he headed to the door. He paused and looked back at me. ¡°And thanks¡­ for everything,¡± he added with a small smile before he left, closing my door behind him. I sighed and curled up under the covers. I was exhausted. Sleep came to me easily. Chapter 49 (Caroline) Chapter 49 (Caroline) After dropping Preston off at Mrs. Piggens, Aiden and I drove to school. We grabbed Aiden a schedule from the main office before we went to find our lockers. His was right beside mine. I still don¡¯t know how Keegan managed to convince the office to let him attend with no papers or anything. Walking through the main hallway was really awkward. It was like Aiden and I both had a giant neon side above our heads that screamed ¡®look at us!¡¯ while rotated with shing. Girls were eyeing Aiden like he was a chocte bar and they were on their period. The guys were looking at him like he¡¯d justnded from Mars and they didn¡¯t know how to feel about it yet. Aiden seemed ufortable under their stares. His cheeks had a light pink tint to them as he subconsciously moved closer to me. We finally reached our lockers. I opened mine before I finally took a good look at his schedule. It mirrored mine exactly. Somehow, I knew Keegan was behind that. He was trying to keep me protected. I know he wouldn¡¯t say so, but the stranger who tried to kill me in the woods put him on his toes. I chuckled and shook my head before I handed the schedule back to a nervous-looking Aiden. ¡°We have all the same sses,¡± I informed him. He seemed to rx tremendously. ¡°Why is everyone staring at me?¡± he practically whispered, leaning closer to me. I chuckled and shrugged, pulling out my necessary books. ¡°Because you¡¯re hot,¡± Iughed quietly. His eyes bugged at that which only made meugh harder. ¡°Aiden, you¡¯re practically man-candy to girls here,¡± I shrugged. He looked at me curiously. ¡°But not you?¡± he asked. My lips pursued together in a tight indifferent smile. ¡°I don¡¯t see you in that way. I see you as a friend. I¡¯m in love with Keegan. He¡¯s my mate,¡± I said. He nodded and smiled. ¡°At least I can count on that,¡± he said, bumping my shoulder lightly. Iughed and shook my head at C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org him. He filled his locker and stuffed his bag in there too. He leaned against the lockers and smiled at me. ¡°You¡¯re refreshing,¡± he said. Before I could ask what he meant by that, I felt someone push me back before standing in front of me. I was now staring at dark brown curls and sandy blonde hair up in a ponytail. ¡°Hi,¡± one of the girls said seductively. I moved around them to see Aiden send a quick re to the floor before he looked at me. I shook my head and mouthed ¡®no¡¯. He understood immediately and looked at the girls indifferently. ¡°Hi,¡± he greeted back. They smiled and I went to stand beside Aiden. Theypletely ignored me¡­ which was reasonable. They were here to hit on Aiden after all. ¡°I¡¯m Carly and this is my friend. Amber,¡± the girl with the sandy blonde hair said. Aiden gave them a polite smile. ¡°I¡¯m Aiden,¡± he said back. Their smiles widened. ¡°You must be new. We haven¡¯t seen you around before. Where are you from?¡± they asked. That was a good question. I looked at Aiden expectantly. He nced at me out of the corner of his eye before he smirked at my curiosity. ¡°West Virginia,¡± he answered. ¡°Well, wee to Belford High School, and South Carolina. Here¡¯s my number if you ever need any help with where to go,¡± she said, handing him a slip of paper. Her eyes flickered to me. ¡°Or who to hang out with,¡± she added. Thement was clearly meant for me and I knew it, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to react. I just stared at them. I felt Aiden¡¯s hand slip around my waist as he pulled me in front of him so his chest was against my back. He rested his chin against my shoulder and smiled. ¡°Will do,¡± he said knowingly. He wasn¡¯t going to call them. They both red at me. ¡°You got thest new kid!¡± the brte named Amber said. I only shrugged as I found myself smiling. They muttered something under their breath before they spun on their heels and walked away. I and looped my arm with his. I was still smiling like an idiot as I started dragging Aiden in the direction of our first ss. ¡°This is great! It¡¯s like having a gay best friend,¡± I said. I was extra giddy today. Aiden scrunched up his nose as he looked at me. ¡°I¡¯m not gay, he pointed out calmly. Iughed and shrugged. ¡°I know, but you¡¯re not interested in hooking up with girls or finding a mate, so I don¡¯t have to worry about bitches being personally mad that we¡¯re friends,¡± I tried to exin. He chuckled. ¡°It looks like they¡¯ll still be mad,¡± he said, referring to Carly and Amber. My smile widened as I added a little bounce I my step. ¡°Yes, but you¡¯re on my side,¡± I countered as we reached the ssroom. Heughed but didn¡¯t argue. He knew I was right. ~ The day was going great. I had Aiden in every single one of my sses and I loved it. We joked around,ughed, got in trouble a few times, and I got to know more about Aiden. I dragged him to the lunch table after our fourth period ended. Keegan and the guys were already sitting there with John, Stacy, and Mariana. My friends eyes Aiden in shock. I forgot they didn¡¯t know. It¡¯d been a while since we¡¯ve hung out outside of school and volleyball. I sat next to Keegan and Aiden sat on my other side. I smiled and leaned over to peck him lightly. He pulled me closer and made the kiss longer than I intended. I pulled awayughing. Keegan sat sideways, straddling the bench. He slung an arm around my waist and slid a container in front of me. ¡°My mom packed you a lunch,¡± he exined. My eyes lit up as I opened the container eagerly to find smoked salmon, spring rolls, and broli. I picked up a fork and dug in, going for the salmon first. ¡°How did your morning go?¡± he asked. I smiled and swallowed the bite. ¡°Interesting,¡± was all I said, not taking my eyes off of my delicious food. I took another bite and chewed before I swallowed. ¡°Apparently, there¡¯s only one new guy per person,¡± I chuckled. Keegan raised an eyebrow in amusement with a light smile ying on his lips. ¡°And apparently you have two?¡± Gregg chuckled. I shrugged. I set my fork down and turned to pinch Aiden¡¯s cheek. ¡°Poor Aiden got hit on by so many girls today. He had to use me as a defense,¡± I said in a baby voice. He pulled my hand off of his face andughed. ¡°Stop that,¡± heughed. I heard Stacy clear her throat. She looked at me expectantly. I smiled and rolled my eyes. ¡°Stacy, Mariana, John, this is Aiden. Aiden, these are my beyond normal friends,¡± I said jokingly. ¡°Beyond normal best friends,¡± Stacy rified. Iughed and leaned back into Keegan¡¯s chest. His arm went over my shoulders as he kissed my cheek. ¡°You guys are so cute!¡± Mariana blurted with a huge grin on her face. Stacy took a closer look at me. I smiled and shrugged. ¡°Wait a minute¡­¡± Stacy said while squinting her eyes. I watched her slightly amused by her serious demeanor. ¡°That drunkenly happy look, the glow¡­ ohmygoshyouguystotallyhadsex!¡± She screeched. My cheeks reddened and I stared at the table as everyone elseughed. ¡°Okay, Stacy, what¡¯s your point?¡± I asked, slightly embarrassed. Keegan¡¯s hand brushed over my side where his mark was. I shuddered involuntarily and my eyes closed to slits as I let out a sigh. Keegan chuckled in my ear, making my snap my eyes open and lean away from him. ¡°I hate you,¡± I scowled at him. He only smiled at me smugly. ¡°You love me,¡± he grinned. I smirked at him. Two could y this game. I leaned closer to him and ran my hand up his thigh. His breathing hitched as his eyes flickered to me. I raised an eyebrow at him as I inched my hand closer to his hip slowly. As soon as my hand lightly squeezed the bulge in his pants, I nipped at his ear, making him groan loudly as his eyes closed. I what that meant by now. He scowled at me. Everyoneughed before everyone engaged in conversations again. Chapter 50 (Keegan) Chapter 50 (Keegan) (Keegan¡¯s POV) ¡°She might survive it. You know it¡¯s a 50/50 chance. The people who survive the change arepletely up to fate, you know that, but you¡¯re right; the council won¡¯t let you be Alpha until you have a Luna. Are you willing to risk her life and your Alpha title for your human mate?¡± the Elder asked. I looked at the floor as I thought about it. I was willing to give up my title. It would go to Gregg if I refused and I knew he would do a good job, but Caroline¡¯s life? I wasn¡¯t willing to risk that. ¡°I¡¯m aware of the danger and I¡¯m ready,¡± Caroline said, interrupting my thoughts. My eyes snapped to her determined face. My wolf was whimpering. We didn¡¯t want to lose her. ¡°Caroline,¡± I begged quietly. It was two weeks since Aiden joined our pack. I thoroughly informed Caroline on everything we had to do to change her. Also, we found out that humans don¡¯t go into heat. ¡°We¡¯re doing that, Keegan,¡± she cut me off sternly as she looked at me. When she saw my face, hers softened. ¡°We¡¯re doing this for us,¡± she added quieter. I sighed and nodded. It was what she wanted. It was what was going to guarantee if she could survive it, and it was what was going to be deciding factor of the council making her Luna. I sighed and shook my head. She wanted to do this today before the council could make a ruling on making Caroline Luna. Maybe if they saw that she was strong, maybe if she was a wolf, they would be more inclined to say yes. Natasha¡¯s dad did go to the council after all. They weren¡¯t pleased that I mated with her at first, but most thought it was okay mostly because they wanted to see what would happen. After a while, they epted it. We were meeting with an Elder to do the shifting ceremony. It was 7 pm. There was a family cabin near ake that I reserved for this alone. My mother reluctantly handed me the keys. She was scared for Caroline too. Caroline Content held by N?velDrama.Org. was a little weary about theke but it was a part of the process. ¡°So what do we do now?¡± Caroline asked. ¡°When is thest time you mated?¡± the Elder asked her. She looked at me sheepishly. We spent the night in the cabin and ended up making love as soon as we woke up early this morning. We repeated our blissful morning for a long time and ended up having ate lunch and taking a long shower together. ¡°This afternoon, before you got here,¡± Caroline answered shyly. I couldn¡¯t help but smile at her. She was really timid when she wanted to be. The elder nodded and stood. We followed suit. ¡°Good, face each other,¡± the Elder instructed. He agreed to lead us through the Change just to be sure everything went right. I couldn¡¯t bear to lose Caroline. My wolf whimpered in the back of head in agreement. Following the Elder¡¯s instructions, I sunk my teeth into Caroline¡¯s neck deeply. She let out a small yell as her face scrunched in difort. I had to re-mark her because the cement was off. The Elder took my hand and made a deep sh across my palm before doing the same to Caroline. She winced but stayed quiet. She knew this would hurt. I told her that from the beginning. We pressed our bloody palms together and held it there for a few minutes. The Elder led us outside and ordered my to shift into my wolf. I did so easily. The elder took a small bowl and knife as he walked loser to me. I stayed still as he cut my shoulder and let the blood drip into the small bowl. I watched Caroline carefully, looking for any signs of reluctance or regret. Sadly, I saw none. She was calm and her expression was nk, almost as if she knew I was waiting on her to change her mind. The Elder handed the bowl to Caroline and she drank quickly. This would be the hard part for her. We both had to strip naked and get in theke. We stripped and Caroline hesitated at the water¡¯s edge. She shook lightly and looked at the water with a scared expression on her face. Iced my fingers with hers as I stood beside her. I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze which made her wild eyes go to me. ¡°I¡¯m right here. I¡¯m not going to let anything happen to you,¡± I said gently, leaning over and kissing her head. Her eyes just went wide as she stared at the water, tears threatening to spill over. ¡°I¡¯m scared,¡± she squeaked in a small voice. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do this.¡± Chapter 51 (Caroline) Chapter 51 (Caroline) (Caroline¡¯s POV) The sparkling water glittered back at me in the fading sunlight almost like it was teasing me. We were supposed to get in the water as the sun was setting or else this wouldn¡¯t work, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to even stick a toe in. I trembled lightly as tears pricked my eyes. Everything came flooding back to me; the ident, my parents, everything. ¡°I don¡¯t think I can do this,¡± I squeaked. I was mad at myself for how pathetic my voice sounded, but my fear of the water quickly drowned out that fear. Keegan¡¯s thumb rubbed light circles in the back of my hand. I had to remind myself that I was doing this for Keegan. 10 minutes couldn¡¯t hurt too much, right? I sighed and stepped forward so that my feet were in the water. I knew Keegan was smiling at me, trying to encourage me but I was too busy watching the water cautiously to tear my eyes to his. ¡°I¡¯m right here, Caroline. I¡¯m not going to let anything happen to you,¡± Keegan said gently. I sighed and held his hand tighter as I just went for it. I jumped in and the water surrounded me immediately. I wasn¡¯t even worried about the December chill. I was too busy freaking out. I felt hands go around my waist before I surfaced. I had tears in my eyes as I clung to Keegan for dear life. My whole body shook as my breathing became sporadic. Keegan rubbed my back gently as he shushed me. Eventually, I finally calmed down just as the sun finished setting. It was time for the next step. I knew this would hurt so I wasn¡¯t looking forward to it. Shakily, I set my feet on the slimy, muddy ground before I turned my back to Keegan. Slowly, I moved my hair over my shoulder and waited. I heard Keegan sigh as he hesitated. His fingers brushed over the fresh wound near my neck. I hissed in a breath as it hurt and sent shivers down my spine at the same time. ¡°Keegan, we¡¯re running out of time,¡± I whispered. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Caroline,¡± he said with regret and pain weaving through his voice. He sighed before plunging his ws into my lower back. My back arched as I screamed, tears running down my face. His other hand steadied my shoulder as I felt his ws dig deeper. I sobbed and tried to keep my body from shaking too much. I could see the water around me darken as I tried to cry quietly. I didn¡¯t want Keegan to regret changing me. After a moment, he retracted his ws out of my back. I winced at the movement before I was pulled back into Keegan¡¯s chest. His arm wrapped over my shoulders as I heard him release a shaky breath. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry,¡± he whispered again. I only nodded. After submerging again, we walked out of theke and into towels that the Elder handed us. Keegan had to help me a lot, seeing as I had five gaping holes in my lower back. We walked into the house and Keegan handed me a pair of ratty shorts and a tank top as well as a sweater. I threw my wet hair up in a messy bun. We were silent as we dressed. The seriousness of what we were doing thickened the air, making us stay quiet. Keeganced his hand with mine and led me down a secret staircase. The dark stone hallway was dank and smelled of water. It was oddlyforting. That was until I saw therge iron jail cells. I froze and stared at them wide eyes. I wasn¡¯t expecting this part. I knew Keegan said they had to contain me and wait for the change, but I wasn¡¯t expecting the literal cage. Keegan stopped with me and looked at me. My consciousness was teetering already when I felt a pain seer up through my back. I yelled out and slumped to my knees as the pain spread through my body. ¡°It¡¯s starting. We need to get her in the cage now,¡± the Elder said, slightly frantic. I screamed as it felt like my body just caught on fire. Tears streamed down my face as I slid on to my side. I was scooped up and set on a cot. I knew the cot was inside the cage cell but I didn¡¯t care at this point. The cage was actually reallyrge, giving me a lot of room; not that I wanted to use any of it right now. I screamed as I felt something snap in my foot. Keeganid down beside me and clutched me tightly as I let out the asional scream. ¡°You need to get out of there,¡± the Elder bellowed at Keegan. I screamed again as the snapping feeling moved into my ankles. ¡°I¡¯m not leaving her,¡± Keegan growled at him. ¡°This is going to be her first change and you know how dangerous those are for werewolves already as it is. Are you willing to risk your life and hers?¡± the Elder snapped back. My brain became foggy as the snapping and searing pain reached my knees. It felt like someone took an 18-wheeler at 100 miles per hour and rammed it into my legs. I heard the steel rattle with the opening and closing of the cell. I let out a strangled sob as the pain moved to my hips. I felt dizzy with pain and I was ready to pass out. I wanted Keegan. That was my only thought as I pushed myself off of the cot and on to the floor. My shattered legs hit the floor with a thud, making me let out a blood curdling scream. After my scream quieted into whimpers and sobs, I used my arms to drag myself closer to the gate. I pushed my hand through the opening in between the thick metal bars. My vision was blurred and my head was swimming, but I looked for him anyway. ¡°Keegan,¡± I cried. He immediately reached out and sped my hand in his bigger ones. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Caroline. I¡¯m so sorry,¡± he said quickly. Through my blurry vision, I could see that he had tears rolling down his face. ¡°It¡¯s too fast. She¡¯s changing too fast,¡± the Elder said. I could hear the panic seep into his voice. ¡°It¡¯s going too fast, her body isn¡¯t going to be able to take it all at once,¡± the Elder exined. It sounded like he was in a long tunnel and getting father and father away. My yells and sobs eased a bit as everything just sort of stopped. I took a breath, thinking that maybe it was over. I couldn¡¯t be more wrong. I contorted awkwardly as I felt the bones in my back snap. I couldn¡¯t even scream. I inhaled deeply and just stared wide-eyed at the ceiling as pain filled my body. I couldn¡¯t do it anymore. I didn¡¯t want to do it. Slowly, I allowed my eyes to slip close. ¡°No! No! No! Caroline!¡± Keegan yelled, but he sounded so far. I heard rattling before I felt his hands scoop my up gently. I didn¡¯t want to fight anymore. I didn¡¯t want to feel this pain anymore. It felt like someone was dropping a bus on me. Letting out a prolonged sigh, I allowed my eyes to close all the way. I rxed into Keegan¡¯s chest. I could feel myself slipping and it was almost peaceful. ¡°She¡¯s fading fast. You have to get her to fight through it,¡± the Elder said. I took abored breath. That was too much effort so I just stopped. This was it. I wasn¡¯t going to make it through and I knew it. I was oddly okay with the thought if it meant not feeling this pain again. I felt Keegan¡¯s soft lips on my forehead. He kept them there as a he sobbed. I felt his wet tears against my face. ¡°Please¡­ please fight. Fight for us, for our family, for Preston and Danny. We need you,¡± he cried with his forehead against mine. I took anotherbored breath as a single tear fell from my eye. I had to fight; I knew that. I couldn¡¯t just die, leaving everyone I loved. I¡¯d have to go through this for them¡­ for Keegan. I inhaled a shaky breath and screamed as the pain moved to my shoulders. They snapped forward painfully. I cried as the pain continued down my arms Keegan just held me; rocking me gently. I cried as the pain snapped to my neck. Breathing became more difficult as I squeezed my eyes shut. ¡°It¡¯s almost over. It¡¯s almost over; you¡¯re doing a great job, Care. It¡¯s almost over. Just keep fighting,¡± he whispered near my ear. My crying stopped as my head snapped. My head was pounding and I couldn¡¯t move as I head more snapping in my body. I couldn¡¯t feel Keegan anymore but I heard him say ¡®I love you¡¯ before everything shut off. I couldn¡¯t hear or see anything. All of my senses were gone. I still fought. I felt something extend from my backside before I could smell everything. I could smell something woodsy which I assumed came from the Elder. Next, I smelled the dank wet smell of the cer. I smelled Keegan¡¯s intoxicating smell of pine, spices and masculinity. My eyes shot open and I scrambled to my feet. I had to blink for a minute. Everything around me seemed so clear. I could see each defined line of the cell and wall. I turned to see the Elder and Keegan looking at me in awe. I looked around just taking everything in with my eyes. I tried to talk but all I heard was a sort of barking and whimpering. I immediately shut my mouth. I did it. I couldn¡¯t believe I actually did it. I bent my back to try and catch a look at my backside. I saw a bright, snow white tail wagging. I couldn¡¯t help it, I started chasing it. I caught it, sping my jaws around it and whimpered. I guess it was mine after all. I heard Keegan¡¯s deep chuckle. I smiled. As soon as I did, I heard a panting. I walked in a small circle before I rolled on to my back. I cocked my head and watched as Keegan opened the gate. ¡°She¡¯s beautiful,¡± the Elder said wistfully. ¡°She¡¯s my Caroline,¡± Keegan said with a small smile. I got back on to my feet and shook out my fur. I smiled as Keegan approached me. He didn¡¯t hesitate to wrap his arms around my neck and bury his face in my fur. He took a shaky breath. I lowered my head on to his back. Taking a step back, he smiled again with tears in his eyes. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go for a run,¡± he said. I followed him further down the tunnel that was on a small incline. We emerged in the forest. Keegan stopped and slipped off his shorts. I watched as he quickly turned into the beautiful ck wolf I¡¯d grown to love. ¡°Looks like my work here, is done,¡± the Elder smiled. Keegan nodded his head once before the Elder left. Keegan pushed his head against my shoulder gently. Follow me, love, I heard in my head. I looked around confused before I looked at Keegan curiously. Is that you Keegan? I thought, trying to direct it towards him. He smiled and nodded. Mind linking; it¡¯s how wemunicate when we¡¯re in wolf form. It works while we¡¯re human too, but we normally just use texting, he exined. Follow me. Keegan took off running and I ran after him. I was surprised at how fast we went through the trees. Running felt amazing. I passed up Keegan and just kept running. C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org Care, stay with me. I don¡¯t want and hunters seeing you. You¡¯re white fur sticks out too much. I craned my neck to look back at him as I slowed down. After running for a while, we were back at the How do I shift back? I asked. He chuckled and stood in front of me. I watched as his wolf disappeared, leaving my gorgeous boyfriend naked in front of me. ¡°Just think about shifting. Take a deep breath and try to slow your heart rate,¡± he said, slipping his shorts back on. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. After a moment, I opened my eyes. Everything still looked the same, except I was on two feet again. Keegan walked forward and crashed his lips against mine, pulling my naked body to him. Pulling away a little, he looked me over with a look that I couldn¡¯t ce; almost like he was trying to memorize my body again. His eyes stopped at my stomach. ¡°Caroline,¡± he whispered, looking at my stomach shocked. His eyes had a glint of nostalgia and sadness in them. I looked down at my stomach to see that my scars were gone. All that was left was my bellybutton and the groves that formed around my muscles. I looked at my side and saw the faint remains of my marking tattoo. I smiled down at my body. ¡°There¡¯s gone,¡± I smiled, looking back up at Keegan. He only frowned. ¡°I¡¯m going to miss them,¡± he said. Iughed and wrapped my arms around his neck. I watched his face for a moment with a smile before I pushed up on my toes and kissed him gently. His arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me closer. The sparks running through my body were ten times stronger. I started walking backwards towards the house, pulling Keegan with me. We walked inside the house and Keegan closed the door behind him. I pulled away from his lips breathless. Keegan looked sort of dazed as azy smile crossed his face. He was breathing heavily too. I smiled that I still had that effect on him. He smiled and kissed me deeply before he pulled away again. ¡°Marry me,¡± he whispered. I looked at him shocked. ¡°What?¡± I asked, even though I heard him clearly with my enhanced hearing. He got down on one knee and held my hand in his. ¡°Caroline Anne Holloway, I knew from the first moment I saw you that I wanted you by my side forever. I¡¯ve loved you since I first ran into you in the cafeteria that day. I can¡¯t believe you went through the change for us. You¡¯ve been through so much¡­ you¡¯re the strongest person I know. I know that I¡¯ve only known you for a little whilepared to when most people get engaged, but we¡¯re not most people, are we?¡± he chuckled. I shook my head as I smile. ¡°Will you marry me?¡± he asked softly. I smiled as tears stung my eyes. ¡°Yes,¡± I whispered. Iughed softly and wiped away my tears. ¡°Of course I¡¯ll marry you,¡± I added. He smiled and kissed me deeply. I wrapped my arms around his neck. He spun me in a circle and I giggled. He set me down and I just smiled at him. I was so happy. I suddenly yawned as a wave of exhaustion hit me. I smiledzily as my eyes slipped close. Keegan chuckled and scooped me up bridal style. I yawned again and rested my head against his chest. ¡°You¡¯re probably exhausted from the change,¡± he said as he carried me up the stairs. We emerged in therge bed room andid me down on the bed. He pulled the covers up over my shoulders. He got in behind me and wrapped his arms around my waist. I heard him breathe in before he kissed my head. ¡°Rest love,¡± he whispered as my eyes slipped closed. ¡°I love you, Keegan,¡± I mumbled before I drifted off. Chapter 52 (Keegan) Chapter 52 (Keegan) (Keegan''s POV) She looked so perfect. She was perfect and she was all mine. How did I get so lucky? Caroline slept peaceful almost the full day. I got up to make breakfast and take a shower before I hopped back in the bed and wrapped an arm around my fianc¨¦. I nned on buying a ring as soon as we got back. Proposing to her was kind of ''spur of the moment'' but it was the right time. Caroline could be Luna now, if the council didn''t exile me for changing her in the first ce. Caroline mumbled incoherently as her hand went to my arm. I smiled and kissed her head. "I love you," I whispered to her. I swear I saw a ghost of a smile on her lips. My hand rubbed over her stomach. I couldn''t wait until we started our own family. Caroline wanted to wait but werewolves normally conceive and start their families early. This was especially true for Alphas. We had to have an heir. It was easy for me to imagine her toned stomach protruding with my baby inside. It was easy to imagine a little Caroline or little me running around the pack house. Caroline slept through the entire day. It was finally eight o''clock at night when she woke up. Her eyes fluttered open and she stretched before turning in my arms to look at me. "Good morning," she muttered with a smile. I only chuckled. "It''s nighttime again, love," I smiled as I raised an eyebrow at her. Her face went to one of shock. "It''s okay. You needed to rest after the change. It takes a lot of energy. I slept for a full 24 hours after my first change." I assured her. She sighed and sat up to stretch. "Running with you was so much fun. When do we have to be back?" she asked as sheid back down with a look of pure innocent curiosity. I chuckled and pulled her body against mine, reveling in the intoxicating smell of her. She smelled like vani and raspberries. My wolf and I melted at the scent. "We were supposed to be back by this afternoon. Besides the guys and my parents, no one is allowed to know about what we did, okay?" I said seriously, pulling back to look in her crystal blue eyes. She nodded slowly. "What if I want to run" she asked. I sighed. I didn''t think about that. I kissed her forehead and got out of the bed. "We''ll cross that bridge when we get to it," I sighed. I reached into my duffle bag and pulled on a pair of jeans over my boxers. "What are you doing?" her sweet voice filled my ears. I didn''t want to go back, but I had to before anyone picked up on us being gone. I pulled my shirt over my head before I went back to her. She was Content (C) N?v/elDra/ma.Org. sitting up in the bed, holding the covers against her chest as she watched me with a pout. "I meant what I said, love; we have to get back. If we''re gone too long, people will start getting suspicious... no matter how much I want to take you all night long on this bed," I said, adding in thest part huskily. I leaned over and kissed her gently. Her hand snaked around my neck and she pulled me down to her. A groan escaped my lips at the unexpected move. I quickly pulled myself away and took a step back. She only pouted. "Keegan," she begged. I shook my head. "We have to get going. Maybe when we get back," I said. It was taking every ounce of self-control not to give into her every need. All I wanted to do was please her, but I knew that if we didn''t leave soon, we''d be in big trouble. I turned back to my duffle bag and went to get my toiletries before zipping up the bag. Caroline only crossed her arms as she sat motionless in the bed. I had to keep from chuckling at her. She could be a child at times, but that''s what I loved about her. She wasn''t so corrupt; she still acted like a toddler at times, but then could turn into a sexy irresistible vixen or a mature adult. I grabbed Caroline''s bag and ced it on the bed beside her. Her pout only grew as she looked up to me. I sighed and ran my fingers through my already tussled ck hair. "Caroline, please, love. We have to go. I promise to give you whatever you want as soon as we get back," I said. I knew I would regret agreeing to thatter, but we really needed to go. Her lips turned into a mischievous smile as she perked up. "Anything" she asked. I sighed before I nodded. "Within reason," I added. She hummed thoughtfully before she smiled and grabbed her bag. "Deal," she agreed. ~ The car ride back to my house was peaceful and beautiful. It was a quiet intimate moment between me and my mate and I couldn''t have asked for anything else. I held her hand in mine tightly as I opened the door. Six heads looked at the door with an expression of nervousness and fear. When they saw Caroline, they all let out a breath of relief. My mom ran over and engulfed Caroline in a hug; her arm around her back tightly as her other hand held Caroline''s head against her shoulder. My hand was released from Caroline''s as she hugged my mother back just as tightly. Pulling away, my mother red at me with tears in her eyes. I could see that a few had fallen already. She reached forward and pped me on my arm. I looked at her shocked. "What?!" I asked loudly and confused. My mother only red at me. "Where have you guys been?! We''ve been worried sick! You were supposed to have been home hours ago!" she yelled at me. Caroline chuckled and twirled her hair nervously. "That was kind of my fault. I ended up sleeping all day," she admitted. My mother''s face softened as she hugged Caroline again. "It''s okay sweetie. Ipletely understand. It''s not your fault," my mother said quickly. I shook my head at my mother as my gaze turned to my relieved friends. "Natasha and William have been wreaking havoc while you were gone. They went to a council in an uproar asking them to punish you for mating Caroline or have her... dismissed... for knowing about us," Gregg said carefully. I knew exactly what he meant by ''dismissed''. I found myself ring and growling before tingles shot up my arm. I looked down to see Caroline touching my arm gently. She gave me a soft smile. "It''s okay," she whispered as her hand started rubbing light circles into my arm. It instantly calmed me down and I released a breath before I got angry again. "That''s it," I said, looking to my friends. I pulled away from Caroline and started pacing. I caught a glimpse of her hurt expression but brushed it off quickly. "The only reason we even stand her is because her father was my dad''s beta! I''ve had enough! I''m exiling her from the pack, immediately." My Alpha voice snuck out, as everyone looked at me shocked. "You know William will fight tooth and nail for his daughter," my mother said softly. I red at her and stopped pacing. "I don''t care," I seethed before I was out the door, mming it behind me. Chapter 53 (Caroline) Chapter 53 (Caroline) (Caroline''s POV) I stared after him shocked. I knew he was mad at Natasha, but I didn''t think he would go that far. My new wolf senses picked up on everything and I was loving it, except Keegan was mad, and pushing me away because of it. I sighed and shook my head at the closed door that he mmed a few minutes ago before I went and sat on the couch. Gregg nudged my shoulder. "It''s great to have you back, Care," Gregg said, breaking the silence. "What was it like?" Aiden asked curiously, jumping at the opportunity to ask. Lena sat next to me as my body went stiff as I remembered the pain coursing through my body and how bad it really was. I was looking off at a ce beyond them as I remembered every gory and pain-induced detail. "It was horrible," I whispered more to myself than them. "There was so much pain and I had to get in a "Theke? Oh, because of the ident?" Aiden asked. I almost forgot that he didn''t know about my fear of water and bridges. I nodded as my eyes ssed over with unshed tears. "During the change I-I... I almost didn''t..." I trailed off as a tear finally slid down my cheek. "You don''t have to talk about it if you don''t want to," Lena cut in quickly, giving Aiden a pointed look. I shook my head. "No, it''s okay," I tried to assure her as I swiped under my eyes. "I''m d I did it. I''d go through it all again if it meant keeping you guys around," I said, smiling softly at every single one of them. Aiden wrapped me in a hug and I let my head rest against his shoulder. It felt... brotherly. With him holding me, I knew that he would protect me no matter what. Thank you, Aiden... for everything, especially for sticking around with our crazy pack, I tried mind- linking him. A soft smile spread onto his face and I knew he got it. It dawned on me that that was the first time I''d called it my pack. I smiled also as I just rxed and took in everyone around me. I didn''t ever want to lose any of them. You''re wee, Care. You know I''d do anything for you right? He mind-linked back. My smile widened. I know, that''s why I''m thanking you dumbass, I joked. Heughed out loud and everyone looked at him confused before they shook it off and stared at me again like I might disappear or break down at any second. I tried mind-linking Lena next. Keegan proposed to me... and I said yes, I said as I looked at her. A glint of happiness filled her eyes as she smiled and started squealing and bouncing up and down like Preston would''ve if he got excited. "Oh my gosh! I can''t believe he actually did it! I''m going to have grandbabies soon. Beautiful, beautiful grandbabies," she grinned. Iughed and shook my head at her in amusement. The guys looked at me in shock. "Caroline... are you pregnant?" Trevor asked as he looked at my stomach. I shook my head and rolled my eyes. "No! Keegan just proposed to me while we were at theke house," I exined. All of the guys'' eyes widened. "Just?" Asher picked out. "What did you say?" Aiden asked curiously. I smiled and shot him a wink. "What do you think?" I hinted. He smiled and squeezed me tighter to him. "I am so happy for you both!" he said. Iughed and tried to pry his arms off of me. This had been one day that was quiet the emotional rollercoaster. ~ The next day was Monday. I actually talked to people before lunchtime. I think it was the fact that I was floating on Cloud 9 at the moment from being a werewolf and a fianc¨¦. Lunch was calm and I was just happy. I didn''t see Keegan till lunch which was fine. I figured it was best to give him his space and let him cool off. I caught res from Natasha whenever she would see me but I didn''t care. I was the happiest girl in the world at the moment. I was happy to have Aiden by my side everywhere. I was happy that all of my senses were 1000 times better. I was happy that I would marry Keegan. I was happy that he was my family now. Volleyball practice was a breeze. I didn''t get winded or anything. My new superhuman abilities were awesome and definitely a perk. I gulped down my water as Mariana and Stacy approached me with sullen looks. I immediately frowned. "What''s wrong?" I asked, screwing the top back on my water. Stacy fully pouted as she looked at the floor. "You never hang out with us anymore. It''s like ever since you started dating Keegan, you''ve been our friend less and less," Stacy said. Mariana nodded in agreement. "It feels like you''re recing us with his friends and Aiden," Mariana added. I frowned as I looked at them. They were right. I had beencking in the friend departmenttely. We walked into the locker rooms and I took off my top to start changing without even thinking about it. "You''re right. You know what, Friday we''ll have a girls'' night at my ce," I suggested. They both smiled at the idea. I turned and shuffled through my bag to grab my shirt. I froze when I heard theContent held by N?velDrama.Org. sharp intake of breath from Mariana and Stacy. I looked at their shocked faces and was instantly confused. "Y-Your scars," Mariana whispered. Shit. I forgot that they werepletely gone. I felt my face flush as I didn''t know what to say. Lying was the easy part; trying to think of the lie was a lot more difficult. "I-uh... Keegan... uh, found this doctor who specializes in scar tissue removal and got me an appointment. I-uh, I went a few weekends ago. He''s really good," I tried to cover. Stacy raised an eyebrow as her hand touched the smooth surface of my skin. "I''ll say," she whispered. I quickly put on my clean shirt and a pair of yoga pants. Aiden was taking me to Keegan''s house. He was probably waiting for me out at the door of the gym like he normally did. "So girls'' night at my house on Friday; don''t forget. Plus, I have huge news to tell you guys," I said, remembering that I was Keegan''s fianc¨¦ now. I loved the sound of that. Where are you? I heard through mind-link. I looked off into space, knowing it was Keegan. Practice rante. I''m about to leave with Aiden now, I answered back. Stacy and Mariana were looking at me expectantly as the locker room emptied. I blinked at them. "What?" I asked. Stacy smiled and rolled her eyes. "She spaced out... of course," she chuckled. I smiled and shrugged. Sure, let''s go with that. "I said, does your ''big news'' have anything to do with Keegan?" she asked again I smiled and nodded. "I''ll tell you on Friday when you guyse over. I''ve got to go," I said quickly as I zipped up my bag and swung it over my shoulder. Even though I knew they really wanted to know, they kept their mouths shut and just said goodbye. I started walking out of the gym. Aiden was leaning against the door waiting for me. I smiled before I forgot that I left one of my book assignments in my locker. Quickly telling Aiden I would meet him at the car, I fast-walked through the empty hallways to my locker. I don''t care who you are, an empty school is always going to be creepy. Maybe I should''ve had Aiden stay with me. I quickly opened my locker and pulled out the book I needed before shoving it in my bag. I sighed and mmed my locker shut as I started towards the parking lot. As I rounded the corner, I ran into someone that just felt like skin and bone. I looked to see a smirking Natasha. Her arms were folding and her hazel eyes were cold as ice andpletely void of any emotion. "What do we have here?" Natasha smiled evilly. I took a step back as fear instantly froze my body. "What do you want?" I managed to choke out. Her smirk turned into a re as she took a step towards me. I instantly took a step back. "I was the rightful Luna of my pack until you came along. Now everyone is wrapped around your finger and I have to be a rogue. A rogue! All because of you! I''m ending this now. I''m ending you," she spat at me. My eyes widened. "Y-You can''t hurt me. Keegan ordered you-" "He''s not my Alpha anymore. His word means nothing. I''m not forced to listen to him anymore. You know, he really should have thought about that beforehand, but... oh well," she said, the evil smirk sitting proudly on her face again. My eyes widened in fear. I knew that I could handle her maybe for a little bit, but she was the daughter of a beta. Surely, he taught her something if not everything. Aiden! Keegan! Please help! I''m inside the school and Natasha''s got me cornered. She''s going to hurt me because she no longer has to do what the Alpha says. She''s insane and I''m scared, I try mind- linking both of them at the same time. She can''t know that you''re a wolf! Just hold tight; I''m on my way, Keegan answered back. I''m on my way too, Aiden assured me. I wasn''t paying as much attention to Natasha as I should have. I felt a cloth smother my mouth and nose as someone grabbed me from behind. I struggled and tried to push them off of me but it was no use. I felt my bag drop as I got dizzy and sleepy all of the sudden. I sighed and rxed even though I really didn''t want to. Thest thing I saw before I passed out was Natasha''s smirking face. Chapter 54 (Keegan) Chapter 54 (Keegan) (Keegan¡¯s POV) I¡¯d been trying to mind-link Caroline for the past two minutes as I sped to the school. She wasn¡¯t answering. Finally, I heard something. Only, it wasn¡¯t the person I wanted it to be. She¡¯s gone. Natasha had back up and took her, Aiden informed me. I sped up as my jaw clenched and my fist hit the steering wheel. ¡°Damn it!¡± I said loudly in my empty car at no one in particr. I mind-linked Gregg and told him what was going on. I also told him to bring the best trackers to the school. I barely even parked and turned off the car before I was running inside. I followed Aiden¡¯s scent to a now empty hallway, but Caroline¡¯s bag was on the floor and her stuff was scattered across the floor. ¡°How do you know she had help?¡± I asked Aiden as soon as I saw him. He sighed and looked at the toppled bag. ¡°Natasha is anorexic. Even as a wolf, she wouldn¡¯t have enough energy to hold Caroline,¡± he answered. Natasha was anorexic? Why hadn¡¯t I noticed that before? It made a lot of sense and kind of exined why she was so mentally out of it and always craving attention. ¡°My guess is a rogue or a few rogues are helping her,¡± Aiden continued. I sighed and looked at her bag. I found myself whimpering as I stared at the bag sadly. How could Natasha stoop to something like this? What was she doing to my Caroline? Where were they? I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned to see Gregg trying tofort me. It didn¡¯t work. I just wished it was Caroline¡¯s hand. ¡°We¡¯ll find her, he tried to assure me. I looked behind him to see Trevor, Asher, Nick, Cade, Joshua and Kyle. Cade, Joshua, and Kyle were our best trackers. Cade and Kyle were twins. I didn¡¯t feel like talking anymore. I was too depressed over the fact that I couldn¡¯t hear my mate. Her mind-link was off, meaning they must¡¯ve knocked her out somehow. The thought of anyone putting their hands on her made my blood boil. I balled my fists as my jaw clenched and unclenched. ¡°Alpha Keegan,¡± I heard from beside me. I snapped my head to the voice to see that it was Aiden. He looked guilty and regretful. His eyes were purple, and I had a feeling that the color wouldn¡¯t change until Caroline was safely home again. I had half a mind to yell at him for letting this happen but thought better of it. I noticed he was holding a rag in his hand. He held it up slightly. ¡°It looks like they used chloroform. We should tell her brother,¡± he said softly. I red at him. ¡°No!¡± I barked. ¡°I want my Luna back just as much as you do! Her brother is a police officer and might be able to help,¡± he snapped back at me. Seeing my face turn red with anger, he sighed and took a step back. ¡°I know that I¡¯ve failed you and this pack. I understand that it was my responsibility to protect her and I couldn¡¯t. I¡¯m the worst Luna protector ever and I know that. I feel terrible and wouldpletely understand if you exiled me. But Caroline is my best friend. I want to do everything we possibly can to find her. Don¡¯t you?¡± he asked softly. I frozen as my heart squeezed painfully in my chest and my wolf whimpered in pain. I tried mind-linking Caroline one more time. When that failed again, I sighed and nodded to Aiden once. ¡°Very well then, let¡¯s get going. I think her brother is at work right now. Aiden, you¡¯reing with me. Gregg, take over here. I want my mate found and I want Natasha dead,¡± I seethed before I turned on my heels and headed for my car. Mom, I need you to get the warrior wolves and put Natasha¡¯s dad in custody, now, I mind-linked her. Why? was her brilliant response. I didn¡¯t have time to give her the full story without getting angry all over again; not that I wasn¡¯t already. They took Caroline, was all I said before I cut off the connection. I needed Caroline to be okay. I sped to the police station, not even bothering with the wary looks the cops were giving me. I probably looked like I was ready to murder somebody, and frankly, I was. If Caroline were here, she would have calmed me down and told me that everything was going to be okay. That thought nearly killed me before it only made me angrier. I stormed up to the main desk with Aiden hot on my heels. His look screamed murder too. ¡°Where¡¯s Daniel Holloway,¡± I ordered more than asked. The receptionist, held a finger up to me as she continued the phone call she was currently on. I growled and ripped the phone from her hand before I threw the whole thing on the ground. She looked at me in fear and shock as a few police officers stepped closer to me ready to detain me. I¡¯d like to see them try. My eyes narrowed at the receptionist as I mmed my hands down on the desk. ¡°I don¡¯t have time for this! Where is Danny?!¡± my voice boomed throughout the entire station and it instantly got quiet. I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. I turned and sighed and relief when I saw Danny. He looked at us confused and shocked. ¡°What are you guys doing here? Keegan, why do you look like you¡¯re ready to kill somebody?¡± Danny asked, stepping closer to us. My fists balled tighter, my nails most definitely drawing blood from my hands. ¡°Because I am,¡± I snapped back at him as I kept my daze on the floor. ¡°What happened?¡± Danny asked softer. I think he was trying not to upset me more that I clearly already was. I sighed as my face dropped in defeat. I ran my hand over my face before my watery eyes met his confused ones. ¡°Someone kidnapped Caroline,¡± I said softer. He froze before his whole body tensed. ~ Danny had been pacing for a while as he tried to process what I said. The whole station got quiet as they waited to hear what he was going to say. I guess they were all friends with Danny and knew about his sister and his situation because they all gave us sympathetic looks. ¡°How do you know this?¡± Danny asked the venom unmistakable in his voice. I nudged Aiden. I was tired of talking. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. ¡°We were at the school and she just got out of volleyball practice. I was going to drive us to Keegan¡¯s house. I was waiting out by the car while she went to go grab a book she forgot in her locker. The next thing I know, she screaming for help and then it all just stops. I was already on my way to her and when I got closer, all I saw was her bag on the floor and I couldn¡¯t hear her anymore. There was a rag with chloroform on the floor too. There had to be more than one of them also; like she was a specific target,¡± Aiden exined in a panicked rush. Caroline¡¯s disappearance was taking a toll on him as well. I looked around and noticed that the officers weren¡¯t seeing us as a threat anymore. I stood quickly from my seat, suddenly restless. I threw my hands in the air and grunted at Danny¡¯s quietness. ¡°Danny, we have to do something! My fianc¨¦ is out there with, no doubt, very dangerous people who¡¯s intension is to hurt her!¡± I yelled. Danny¡¯s eyes widened in shock as he looked at me. ¡°Fianc¨¦? Y-You said fianc¨¦,¡± Danny said shocked. My cheeks turned red as I scratched my neck nervously and avoided his stare. ¡°I don¡¯t think this is how she wanted you to find out,¡± I said nervously. Danny smiled a little before he was all business again. His jaw locked as he started towards a door. ¡°Let¡¯s find my sister,¡± he said with a newfound determination. ~ Danny had put together a search party and had a detective looking for Caroline now. Satisfied with his actions, I went back home. All that was left to do now, was wait. I walked straight past my mother and her insistent questions and went straight upstairs to my room. I mmed the door behind me and closed my eyes as I sighed. I felt my body shake lightly as I let the tears I¡¯d been holding in, roll down my face freely. I slowly got in the bed and hugged the pillow that she always used when she was over. It still faintly smelled like her and that realization had my criesing in sobs now. This was all my fault. I shouldn¡¯t been paying more attention. I should¡¯ve thought of what exiling Natasha would mean. I should¡¯ve protected Caroline better. I should¡¯ve never led Natasha on in the first ce. I should¡¯ve read the obvious signs. Natasha was mentally sick. Who knew what she was capable of? I sighed and tried to get some sleep. I had a feeling it would be a while before we heard anything. I know I needed to get some rest. Once I got involved in the search, I wouldn¡¯t be able to rest until I found her. I knew that much already. My wolf whimpered and howled in pain but there was nothing I could do until tomorrow. I sighed and closed my eyes. I might as well try and get some sleep, but the bed felt cold without Caroline. Chapter 55 (Caroline) Chapter 55 (Caroline) (Caroline¡¯s POV) The first thing that registered was the pounding headache I had. I didn¡¯t like it and it made me feel really ufortable. I coughed and tried to press a hand to my head. I felt something restraining me. I looked down to see zip ties. I could probably get out of these easily now that I was a wolf. I froze. They couldn¡¯t know that. If they did, they would restrain me even more. It would be even harder to escape, and they would know that I can contact people. Keegan, I tried mind-linking him. I was greeting with nothing. I tried again. Keegan, please hear me. No answer. I sighed and went for Aiden. Aiden, can you hear me? I tried. Caroline, thank God! We were so worried! Keegan is passed out upstairs. Do you want me to wake him? Aiden answered. No, it¡¯s fine, let him sleep. Look, I¡¯m restrained in a dark room. I don¡¯t know where but it seems to be underground. They don¡¯t know I¡¯m a wolf yet. They don¡¯t know about the change. Just pretend that whatever they do hurts you. If they ask about the scars, tell them Keegan gave you a blood transfusion to get rid of them. They have no point of reference so they¡¯ll believe you. Hang tight. Keegan and Danny have their best guys on it, Aiden assured me. I coughed and tried to see where I was more clearly. ¡°Oh good, you''re awake,¡± I heard. I blinked rapidly to adjust my eyes to the sudden bright light. I couldn¡¯t tell where I was, but it was a nk room with no windows and only one door. There was no furniture except the chair I was strapped to. I looked up to see a very sinister looking Natasha. She was holding a thick piece of leather and standing with her hand on her hip. ¡°What do you want from me?¡± I asked. She only smirked. ¡°Oh sweetie, I don¡¯t want anything. You ruined my life and caused me pain so I¡¯m going to do the same to you,¡± she said. She stalked towards me. ¡°Tell me¡­ why are your scars gone?¡± she asked. I kept my mouth shut and looked down. If I gave the answer too willingly, she wouldn¡¯t believe me. I felt the thick leather slice into my arm. I yelled out in pain before I red up at her. ¡°Keegan gave me a blood transfusion. It got rid of the scars and it gives me the healing ability of a Lycan,¡± I answered through my teeth. I could feel the welt on my arm healing. There was a glint of happiness in her eyes. ¡°Oh goodie! That means I can torture you more,¡± she said with a sinister smile. I sighed and looked back down at myp. I cried out again when I felt the leather sting my arm again. ¡°You might as well get walked out of the room, closing the door behind her. I let out a breath I didn¡¯t even realize I was holding. I needed to figure out where I was if I wanted to be saved. Caroline, I¡¯m so sorry. Please tell me that you¡¯re okay, Keegan¡¯s voice reached me. I felt my eyes water with relief. Keegan, where were you? I asked. I knew that he could hear my crying through our mind link. I didn¡¯t want to make him feel bad but I was tired and scared and I wanted nothing more than to be with him at this moment. I¡¯m so sorry. Please forgive me. I¡¯m doing everything I can to find you. Your brother is too. My mom is taking care of Preston for a while. Do you know where you are? He rambled. I sighed and looked around the nk room. I wish I did. Where would Natasha bring me? Do you know? NO baby, but I¡¯m going to find out. Hang tight; help is on the way, he tried to assure me. I sighed as my tears finally fell. I love you, I said after a while. I love you too, he replied before I shut off the mind link. The door opened again and a guy walked in with a tray. I tried to silent my tears. ¡°I brought you some food,¡± the guy said. I looked up to see a guy who looked younger than me. He had a baby face and wild curly brown hair. He had big blue doe eyes and he was actually kind of tall. ¡°Why are you helping her?¡± I asked hoarsely. He sighed and set the tray down beside me. It was just then that I noticed that he had a fold-up chair under his arm. He unfolded the chair and set it in front of me. He picked up the tray and sat it in hisp. ¡°Why are you helping her?¡± I asked again louder. ¡°I¡¯m a rogue. I don¡¯t have a home. Natasha promised us that if we helped, she would let us join the pack when she bes Luna,¡± he exined. I sighed and chuckled as I shook my head. He watched me curiously. ¡°What?¡± ¡°You do realize that I¡¯m currently going to be Luna right? Keegan¡¯s going to be pissed. Actually, the entire Alpha family is going to be pissed. They¡¯re probably already pissed and looking for me. Do you really think that Keegan is going to wee you into the pack when you helped kidnap and kill his mate?¡± I said with an eyebrow raised. He gulped as his neck started turning red. ¡°But¡­ Natasha said that you were human,¡± he said confused. I nodded. ¡°I am,¡± I answered. ¡°I¡¯m Caroline, by the way,¡± I introduced myself. He gave me a shy smile. ¡°I¡¯m Derek,¡± he said. I looked around the bare room before I looked back to him. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you what, if you help me. I will let you join the pack, and Keegan will have no choice. He¡¯ll let you in after he hears how you helped me escape. Because he will find us, and he¡¯s going to kill everyone involved unless I say differently,¡± I offered Derek. He gulped and became noticeably nervous. Belonging to N?velDrama.Org. He thought for a moment before looking at the tray of food. ¡°I¡¯ll do it,¡± he agreed. I smiled at him and nodded once. ¡°Then you have my word that you will not be killed and you can join the pack,¡± I promised him. He gave me a sheepish smile. ¡°Thank you,¡± he sighed in relief. He looked to the tray again and then back to me. ¡°I¡¯m supposed to feed you, but I think Natasha put something in the drink to slow you down. Everything else is okay though,¡± he said. I waited patiently as he fed me. He left and grabbed an unopened water bottle before letting me drink it. ¡°Thank you,¡± I said after I¡¯d finished eating. There was a moment of silence before I looked back to the boy. ¡°Where are we?¡± I asked him. He looked around the room before he looked back to me. ¡°Natasha had a family house outside of town. I think it was west of the Red Sun Pack; not far from them actually. It was like arge cabin in the woods somewhere. I couldn¡¯t tell you exactly how far, sorry,¡± he tried to exin. I shook my head. ¡°It¡¯s perfectly okay. I thank you for helping me out in the first ce. You will be rewarded, I promise,¡± I smiled at him. He smiled back. ¡°I think it took us about half an hour to run in wolf here,¡± he shrugged. ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone that you¡¯re helping me, okay?¡± I said softly. He nodded eagerly and pretended to zip his lips. I let out a small chuckle. ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered before he stood and left. I sighed. Keegan, Aiden, there¡¯s this boy here helping me. He says that Natasha is rounding up rogues and promising them spots in the pack if they help her. They think she¡¯s going to be Luna soon if she gets rid of me. Oh, and his name is Derek. You can¡¯t kill him, and I kind of promised him a ce in the pack for helping me. He says that we¡¯re at a family cabin about half an hour west of the pack house running wolf. By the looks of the room I¡¯m in, I¡¯d say that I¡¯m underground, I exined. I¡¯ll spare his life. Can you try and find out how many rogues are there? Keegan asked, all business. I¡¯ll ask him when he gets back. Please hurry, I asked softly. I felt Keegan click out but Aiden was still there. I¡¯m so sorry, Caroline. This is all my fault, he said sullenly. I could hear the self-pity seeping through his words. It¡¯s not your fault, Aiden. Juste find me quick because I know Natasha ns on torturing me, I said. The door opened and in walked Natasha with two mutts at her heels. She wore her favorite smirk as she eyes me like a toy. ¡°Oh good, you¡¯re awake still. We¡¯re going to y a game,¡± she said. He eyes sparkled with anticipation. I didn¡¯t like that look. Keegan is getting the trackers together now. I¡¯m supposed to distract Danny until the wolf part of everything is over. We all love you, Caroline and we¡¯re doing everything we can, okay. We¡¯reing for you, he said. I sighed and looked up to Natasha. ¡°What kind of game?¡± I asked reluctantly. Her smile only widened. ¡°I thought you would never ask,¡± she said. The two buff rogues that were nking her suddenly stepped forward and undid the zip ties from around my wrists and ankles. They grabbed either of my arms and stood me up roughly. ¡°I¡¯m going to ask you a question. If you don¡¯t answer or maybe even if you do, Rocky and Tuff over here are going to beat you,¡± she said. ¡°What?¡± I squeaked out. She chuckled. ¡°Wrong answer,¡± she said simply. She motioned to one of the guys and I was punched in the stomach. I doubled over and fell to my knees as I tried to get air back to my lungs. ¡°What¡¯s my favorite color?¡± she asked. I guessed pink. I was wrong and I got hit in the head. I fell over before coughing and sitting up again. She asked 21 pointless questions and I had to take a beating each time. I hated how vulnerable I felt. I hated the fact that I couldn¡¯t fight back. After she tsked at me, she left with Tuff and Rocky following behind her. I was a little surprised to see Derek walk in with a bucket of water and a few towels. He picked up my huddled figure off the ground and set my back in the chair. He kneeled in front of me and used a rag to start wiping the blood from my face and arms. ¡°Are you okay?¡± he asked softly. I gave a small shrug and let out a sigh. ¡°I will be when Keeganes,¡± I answered. ¡°How are you going to tell him where you are?¡± Derek asked. I hesitated slightly. ¡°He¡¯ll know,¡± I said vaguely. Derek sighed as he pressed the wet rag to a cut on my cheek. I hissed in a breath as I jerked away from him. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± he said softly. I sighed and let him clean the cut. ¡°It¡¯s okay, thanks for the help,¡± I shrugged it off. I remembered Aiden¡¯s words from earlier. ¡°Hey, about how many rogues would you say are working for Natasha?¡± I asked. He sighed and rinsed the blood out of the rag in the bucket before wringing it out. ¡°Probably about 20-30 of them, including me. She found as many as she could. They run a 2-mmile perimeter and guard the outside and inside of the house. There¡¯s about five who just stay in wolf form all the time. It¡¯s weird really. But most of them are trained or being trained by the ex-warrior recruits,¡± he exined. I thanked him before I ryed the message to Aiden. Keegan seemed to have shut off their way. Finally, they wereing for me. Chapter 56 (Keegan) Chapter 56 (Keegan) (Keegan¡¯s POV) I¡¯ll admit, I haven¡¯t been the best Alpha so far. I couldn¡¯t help it. I needed to get my mate back. I wasn¡¯t going to rest until I had Caroline in my arms. Two days. We¡¯d been searching for Caroline for two days after she told Aiden how many people were guarding. Each day that passed, I was sure that their army was growing stronger. I prepared my men for a battle and a battle was what we were going to get. Finally, we found her. Of course, we couldn¡¯t just bust in there without a n. We ran surveince. We tried to calcte their perimeter checks and strength. I told Danny about my ¡°hunch¡± of where she was and he was all over it. I had to have someone try to distract him as we prepared the attack. A lot of the pack was willing and ready to help their future Luna. We stalked through the woods as quietly as we could as we approached the house cautiously. Even Content held by N?velDrama.Org. from here, we could see that they had a lot of werewolves protecting the house. I had to hold back a growl that threatened toe out. They were holding my mate and I wanted her back. I heard unknown footsteps and quickly told everyone to hide. If things weren¡¯t so serious, I probably would¡¯ve form and slipped my shorts on. My eyes widened when Danny came into view. I looked behind me to the cabin before I red at Danny. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± I hissed at him. ¡°You found my sister didn¡¯t you? She¡¯s here and you didn¡¯t tell me,¡± Danny whispered. I sighed and looked back to the house again. ¡°There are things you don¡¯t know about and I didn¡¯t need you getting the police involved¡­ they would¡¯ve just gotten hurt. Same as you if you don¡¯t leave now,¡± I said quietly. He crossed his arms Great, he was just as stubborn as Caroline. ¡°What are you talking about? I¡¯m not going anywhere,¡± Danny said a little too loudly I held back a grow and signaled the wolves around me. I gave them the go ahead to attack. All 40 of them popped out of the trees and took off on silent feet towards the house. ¡°They have wolves on their side and so do I. I didn¡¯t want you to get hurt. Caroline would kill me if you did,¡± I exined. His eyes bulged. ¡°You can tell them what to do?¡± he asked. I sighed when I heard the growling and fighting behind me. Keegan, please tell me the sound of all that fighting means that you¡¯re here, Caroline mind-linked me. Be ready, was all I replied with. I turned back to Danny. ¡°Try not to freak out. You¡¯re going to have to be able to protect yourself. I¡¯m going to turn into a wolf now, are you going to be okay?¡± I asked him. He hesitated but nodded. ¡°You can freak out and yell at me after we save Caroline,¡± I offered. That seemed to snap him out of his daze. I slipped my shorts off and ced them in the hole of the tree. Not even two secondster, I was in my wolf form. I looked back to Danny¡¯s shocked face before I motioned towards the house. ¡°Wait, how do I know who to shoot?¡± he asked. I sighed and knocked him back into a bush. I turned human quickly and sighed. ¡°Just stay here and shoot any wolfing to attack you. My men know who you are,¡± I said before going wolf again. I took off towards the house. There was already a lot of blood and fighting going on. Everywhere I looked, one of my men was fighting a wolf. I went inside to look for Caroline. There was a boy in the kitchen. He looked at me with wide eyes as I growled at him and started stalking towards him. ¡°I-I-I¡¯m Derek. I can show you where she is,¡± he said. I immediately stopped growling and nodded my head. I remember Caroline saying that this boy was helping her. He led me to a set of stairs going down. I turned human and followed him down. I noticed Aiden hot on my heels. Derek led us down and I immediately saw two huge rogues blocking a door. I knew who was in there immediately. I ran towards them and snapped the neck of the guy closest to me. Aiden took care of the other guy. I kicked in the door and immediately froze. Natasha was standing there smiling with a knife to Caroline¡¯s throat. Aiden¡¯s eyes bulged when he saw and he froze as well. ¡°Aw Keegs, you came back for me,¡± she cooed with a crazy smile. I red at her. She onlyughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; we can be together as soon as I get rid of sweet, sweet Caroline,¡± she said. She looked at Caroline and so did I. Caroline¡¯s face was colored ck and blue along with any other skin that was showing. Her lip was cut and she had a ck eye. She looked tired, but angry. I growled at Natasha. She did this to my mate. The whole time she was talking, Aiden was sneaking to her side. Now, Caroline. Go wolf now, I mind¨Clinked her. Her normally blue-green-grey eyes turned fully ck in anger as it started. Chapter 57 (Caroline) Chapter 57 (Caroline) (Caroline¡¯s POV) Now Caroline. Go wolf now, Keegan mind-linked me. I could feel the anger coarse through my body as I shook with the anticipation of power and strength. In less than a second, I was down on all fours, growling at Natasha. My clothes were ripped and scattered on the floor. Her expression was pure fear and I loved it. With everything she did to me over thest week, I wanted her to suffer. But more importantly, I wanted her dead. ¡°T-That¡¯s not possible,¡± she whispered. Keegan crossed his arms over his chest and raised an eyebrow C¨°ntens bel0ngs to N?(v)elDr/a/ma.Org at her. ¡°You didn¡¯t honestly think we would leave her that vulnerable to you, did you?¡± he asked her. I stalked towards her with my teeth showing as I barked at her before I continued growling. I would do the pleasure of killing the person who has been torturing me since I met Keegan. She would pay. With that final thought, I lunged at Natasha, taking her throat in my mouth. She kicked and screamed, but my jaw was locked. With onest squirm from her, I mped my mouth all the way down, earning me a satisfying snap from her neck. Her body went limp. I let go and watched her lifeless body thump the floor. I didn¡¯t even feel bad about killing her. There wasmotion outside and I looked towards the door. The fighting was getting closer. ¡°We need to get out of here,¡± Aiden said. They both went wolf and nked either side of me. We ran out of the basement and dodged the fighting bodies. Keegan led us out into the line of the trees where we finally slowed down. I let out a breath of relief. ¡°Stay back!¡± a familiar voice said. I turned to see my brother pointing a gun at me. My eyes widened as I took a step back. Without hesitation, he pulled the trigger. I felt a stinging in my shoulder as I whimpered and felt to the ground. Keegan stepped in front of me and growled at my brother. It was the loudest and most menacing growl I¡¯d ever heard. Against my will, I changed back to my human form. I cried out as I grabbed my shoulder. Keegan¡¯s growling stopped and then I felt him pick me up. I cried as I tried to stop the bleeding. ¡°It¡¯s okay, Caroline. It¡¯s okay,¡± Keegan voice said soothingly. I whimpered and cried, trying to get away from the pain but it followed me. ¡°Caroline? That was Caroline?¡± my brother asked dumbfounded. Keegan growled at him. ¡°Where¡¯s your car,¡± Keegan barked at him. Danny led us to the car where we all got in except for Aiden. Aiden ran wolf beside the car just in case. ¡°We need to get her to the hospital,¡± Danny said frantically. ¡°No! We heal faster than normal people and all gunshot wounds have to be reported. We don¡¯t have a hospital in out basement for nothing, Danny. Drive to my house,¡± Keegan ordered. He held my face against his chest as he tried to shush me. I cried out as we hit a bump and it jerked my arm. Finally, we pulled up to the house. Keegan scooped me up and rushed me inside. Aiden stood guard outside as Danny followed us inside. Once downstairs, we could see that it was starting to get packed. A lot of injuries must have resulted from all the fighting. Keegan got me into a room and the doctor came in. He immediately put me on a drip of something. I rxed as my eyes closed halfway. Everything felt slow and muffled. I felt Keegan press his lips against my head before Ipletely cked out. Chapter 58 (Keegan) Chapter 58 (Keegan) (Keegan''s POV) I had to leave Caroline''s room as they performed surgery to get the bullet out. I was pacing upstairs in the living room with Danny seated on the couch watching me. We''d both been quiet for thest half hour; me trying to figure out if Caroline was okay and Danny was trying to digest everything he just saw. "How is any of this even possible?" Danny whispered. "I can''t believe you shot her!" I yelled at him. I couldn''t help it. I was upset and I needed someone to Content held by N?velDrama.Org. take it out on. Plus, the doctor had mind-linked me earlier, telling me that the bullet was silver and really close to a major blood vessel. Caroline might not make it out of this. "I didn''t know it was her! My thoughts when I see three wolvesing towards me aren''t exactly ''gee, look, my sister, her boyfriend and her best friend'', so I''m sorry, okay!" he snapped back at me. I growled as my eyes watered. "I told you any wolf that was trying to attack you. She was stepping away from you," I argued. "I panicked okay!" he said, his hands going up in the air before dropping in hisp again. "Wolf or not, she''s still my sister," he said softly. I sighed and shook my head as my eyes closed. I stopped pacing and pinched the bridge of my nose. Alpha Keegan, Luna is out of surgery but we won''t know the results until she wakes up. We had to cut out all areas touched by the bullet to allow her to heal herself. Now all we can do, is wait, Dr. Thomas informed me. I let out a breath I didn''t even realize I was holding. "Thank God," I said out loud. Danny looked at me curiously. "Caroline is out of surgery... They said that if she heals herself, she''ll be fine. If not..." "Yeah, I get it," Danny said quietly. There''s something else we found Alpha, Dr. Thomas linked me. Is she going to be okay, I asked. Yes, he linked. I could feel the anticipation of him wanting to tell me more but I just wanted to know that Caroline was alright. I didn''t want all the details. That''s all I need to know, I replied before I cut off the link and turned my attention back to Danny who was bouncing his leg. "What were you doing with silver bullets anyway?" I asked him. Danny shrugged. "I prefer them over the normal ones. They cut through easier. I always have silver bullets on me," he exined. I sighed and shook my head. "Well, keep them away from my pack and keep them away from Caroline, got it?" I said before I went outside. The fight had long since been over. After the rogues found Natasha''s dead body, they panicked and ran away. "She''s out of surgery," I told Aiden when I found him. "Get someone else to run perimeter. Caroline is probably going to want to see you too when she wakes up. And you are her Luna Protector. I think you''re the only male I''ll be okay with around her," I said. He nodded and turned out of wolf form before pulling on some shorts. "Did the doctor say anything else about her condition?" Aiden asked. I nodded as we started walking back to the house. "It''s touch and go. Danny shot her with a silver bullet so they had to take arge chunk out of her shoulder to give her wolf blood a chance to kick in and heal it," I answered quickly. We walked through the house and down to the hospital. "It should be a few hours before she wakes up," I added. He nodded as we made our way to her room. I froze at the door as tears stung my eyes. She looked so fragile and vulnerable. Her normally bright tan skin was pale and ghastly. Her parted lips weren''t their normal pink color. They were dry and cracked. Even her normally bright, wavy blonde hair was limp and lifeless. She was hooked up to a heart monitor and there was an oxygen chord running under her nose. I held onto the doorframe tightly as I sucked in a breath. I could hear the wood splintering under my grip but I didn''t care. My Caroline''s life was hanging by a thread and I couldn''t take that. I took a step back, and then another before I ran back upstairs. I ran up the second flight of stairs and mmed the door to my room. I pressed my back against the door as I tried to calm my staggered breathing. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of me and I couldn''t get my breath back. I crawled forward slowly and let out a pained howl as I reached my bed. I leaned against the bed and let the tears fall freely. I couldn''t stop the sobs that racked my body. There was a light knock on my door, but I was too broken up to acknowledge it. My mom walked in with red puffy eyes and sat next to me, pulling my head into herp. "She''s going to be okay, Keegan," my mom whispered, although I could hear the uncertainty in her voice. She ran her hand over my hair and kept repeating her words. I wanted my Caroline here a bunch of machines. I held on to my mom''s arm as I sobbed into herp. Dignity was thest thing on my mind. I would walk around dressed as a princess in heels if it meant I could have my Caroline back. I love you, I mind-linked her even though I knew she probably wouldn''t hear me. I needed her to survive this. I needed her to live. Chapter 59 (Caroline) Chapter 59 (Caroline) (Caroline''s POV) I groaned and touched my arm gingerly. All I felt was a thick piece of gauze covering a hole a little bigger than a bullet wound. Everything came rushing back to me. My own brother; I wondered how he was taking all of this. I never in a million years wanted him to find out. Tenderly, I blinked my eyes open. I looked around the white washed room until my eyes finallynded on a figure sitting in a chair, bouncing his leg nervously. "Aiden," I croaked. He shot up and handed me a cup of water. I took a generous sip and thanked him. He took my hand gently in his. "I''m so d that you''re okay," he whispered. His eyes were red and puffy like he''d been crying. "It''s all my fault. I''m so sorry. I should''ve been protecting you better. I shouldn''t have let you go back by yourself," he started rambling. I shook my head. "It''s not your fault. She would''ve found a way to me eventually," I brushed him off and looked around the nearly empty room. I felt my hear sink. "Aiden, where''s Keegan?" I asked softly. Aiden avoided my eyes as he fiddled with his hands. I felt tears sting my eyes as I thought of the worst. I whispered Aiden name once more to catch his attention. He sighed and tugged on his hair. "He won''t... he doesn''t want to see you like this. He''s been locked up in his room since we got here," Aiden answered. I inhaled sharply. It was worst than thinking that he couldn''t see me; he didn''t want to see me. That hurt more than anything I could''ve imagined. "What do you mean ''he won''t''?" I asked hoarsely. Aiden shrugged. "He hates seeing you like this, so he just... avoided seeing you all together," he tried to exin. "I''ll go get him," Aiden said quickly. I felt the tears trickle down my face as I sniffled. "Don''t bother," I seethed before I swung my legs over the edge of the bed. Aiden was by my side in a second. "What are you doing?!" he asked as his eyes bulged. I sighed as I pressed my feet to the floor and stood on shaky legs. "We''re going home," I said softly. Aiden scooped me up and carried me up the stairs without another word. Aiden set me down when we reached my brother in the living room. Preston was ying with Karma on the floor. As soon as my brother saw me, he jumped up and wrapped me in a hug. "Oh thank God," he sighed in relief at the same time I hissed in a breath and held my tender shoulder. I red at him as he pulled away. "I can''t believe you shot me!" I yelled at him. He onlyughed and hugged me again, lighter this time. "I''m so d that you''re okay. I''m so sorry," he said softly. I hugged him back, instantly forgiving him. He kissed my head and I felt Preston tugging on my pants leg. I looked down to see that he was pouting and he wanted to be picked up. I smiled and did exactly what he wanted. I kissed his cheek and he giggled before I handed him over to Danny. "I''m going home," I said softly before heading for the door with Aiden on my heels. "Caroline," a broken voice called from behind me. I froze and tensed as my breath caught in my throat. I wanted to turn and run into his arms, but he didn''t want to see me. I balled my fists and bit me lip before I continued out the door. I walked quickly, but he still caught my arm. I cried out in pain as my injured arm was pulled. Keegan quickly let go but grabbed hold of my waist instead. "Caroline, I''m so d that you''re okay," he breathed against my hair. I jerked away from him and red. "Did you even check on me, at least once?" I asked with some hope still. He looked down as he fidgeted. "I couldn''t stand to see you like that. Caroline, you were so pale and you looked... dead. I just couldn''t," he said quickly. I don''t know why it rubbed me the wrong way that he didn''t check on me, but it did. "I wanted your face to be the first thing I saw when I woke up, but instead, you were cowering in your room. What kind of mate does that make you? What kind of Alpha is too afraid to face their own mate?" I asked in a whisper. He looked at me stunned and hurt but I didn''t care. "I can''t stand to be around you right now. I''ll contact you when I''m ready," I said, heading to the car again. I got in and got Aiden to drive away before Keegan could stop us. I sighed and leaned my head against the window as I watched the passing scenery. "You didn''t have to be so hard on him after everything," Aiden practically whispered. I only growled at him. He quickly shut up. The rest of the ride was in silence. We walked through the doors of the house and I sighed. I nned on sleeping for a very, very long time. "How long was I out for?" I asked Aiden before he could disappear up the stairs. He looked off to the side thoughtfully as he hummed. "Well, you were with the crazy bitch for about a week and then you were in aa for about another week. It''s almost time for spring break. Keegan told the school that you had a stomach bug," he said. Speaking of... I rushed to the nearest bathroom and released my guts into the toilet. I heaved and heaved until there was nothing left. There wasn''t much to begin with. I panted and wiped the tears from my eyes as I tried to regain myposer. I sighed and closed my eyes briefly before I rinsed my mouth out. I rubbed my hand over my face before letting it rest on my forehead as I leaned against the counter. I felt myself being picked up in a cradle. "Come on," Aiden said in a way that was meant to get a two year old in bed. I would''ve fought him on it but I was too tired. I leaned my head against his chest instead. Heid me down on my bed and pulled off my shoes before pulling the covers over me. "Get some rest," he whispered. I closed my eyes and