《Alpha Jax》


 Chapter One

    ~Dakota~


    Briiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing.


    The last bell of the day. You know, you''re never that grateful for life until you hear that last bell.


    School is over for the day, and the weekend comes to replace it.


    Everyone walks out of the class cheering. Forgot to mention, it''s spring break!


    I see my great friend Destiny run up to me all the way down the hall from Animal Science.


    "Ah Dakota, it''s a beautiful day. The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and the wolves are," She paused and waited for me to finish her sentence. Destiny and I always do this. Our school mascot is a wolf and I think they are the most beautiful creatures ever made by God.


    "Growling!" We both made growling noises and the people surrounding us made growling noises as well, but one is supposed to howl. When we heard Jack McMahon howl, other students and teachers howled with them. Everyone laughed as we saw a puppy try to howl from Animal Science. Everyone loved Buster.


    "To thy secret hide-out!" Destiny yelled and grabbed my wrist. Our secret hide-out was this clearing with a lake in the forest. Destiny and I are sure that we are the only people that know of it besides my sister.


    Because if people wanted to look for something beautiful, they wouldn''t look just on the outside of things. You have to lookdeeper.You have to look on theinside.


    Which is exactly what Destiny and I did!


    No, literally, when we were first exploring the woods we came across creepy shit but went in anyways like Yolo and tada! Beauty at its finest right there.


    Sure, you have to walk half a mile, cross a bridge-AKA a log over a creek, and then walk another half mile and BAM, you''re there at a lake with flowers and trees, and every time you''re there there are different wolves wandering around. We were excited about what we were gonna see.


    When we got to the clearing I couldn''t believe my eyes. There were three wolves.


    There was ahugeAutumn colored wolf, a black and white wolf-but it wasn''t as big as the other wolf, and a gray wolf-it was the smallest one. The wind blew lightly and I knew they would find us here.


    But when the Autumn and gray wolf froze, I knew it was a bad sign. I just didn''t have the heart to leave.


    But when they finally looked over, the Autumn wolf and I made eye contact, my breath was caught in my throat at the sight. I looked towards Destiny and she was looking at the gray wolf. I have to say he was beautiful but notasbeautiful as the Autumn wolf.


    I took the courage to walk up to it slowly. It was about twenty feet away, and I didn''t want to scare it off. Destiny looked at me like I was crazy, cause these wolves weren''t the playful ones that we have encountered.


    As I was making my way towards the wolf, I tripped over a twig.


    "AH!" I scream and I fall over the little hill and land on my butt. I looked towards Destiny-who I may add is on the ground dying from laughter. I look towards the wolves and see that they are smiling and rolling on the ground.


    "Wow, thanks, guys! Love to see how much you really care." I say with a straight face and the Autumn one comes running up to me. I brace myself for the impact if it jumps on my lap, but it doesn''t. Instead, it goes behind me and lifts my arms up, But I felt tingles too. I think my arm went to sleep though.


    The wolf helped me up and put its face in my hands. I smile and kneel down and start petting him.


    I was scratching behind its ears and he closed his eyes from pleasure. I smiled and giggled by how it was acting. It lays down on the ground and I gave him a belly rub.


    "You''re enjoying this aren''t you?" I asked and he shook his head yes and rolled around in the leaves. I laughed a bit by its playful behavior. I looked towards Destiny and see she was doing the same thing with the Gray wolf. I laughed so hard when the wolf and she started tumbling down the small hill.


    My phone started to ring and I saw that it was my brother Sean.


    "Hey, Sean!" Destiny looked up and looked curious. She laid down on her stomach, but the funny thing is, the wolf was mimicking her every move. She put her head in her hands, so did the wolf. I tried to stifle a laugh.


    "Come quick, we hit the motherload!" Sean whispered and I smiled. Destiny looked confused. I put my hand over the phone.


    "They''re hunting. I guess they found a fox or something like that." I said and she nodded.


    "What did you find Sean?" I said and he shuffled with the phone. Somehow I had a bad idea about this.


    "Were not going to hurt them, but we found wolves and one is one hundred percent black and, there''s this white, brown and black one and she is beautiful Dakota. You gotta come quick. It''s a sight to see!" He whisper-yelled and I smiled widely. The Autumn wolf had his head in my lap and I smiled and played with its fur on its head.


    "Ok, Destiny and I will be there shortly. Where are you by the way? The deer stand?" I asked him.


    "Yup. But it looks like there is a pack of them. But I don''t see their Alpha, Beta or third in command anywhere. It''s truly rare if you find them you know." Sean said and it got me thinking. The wolf in my lap froze. And so did the other two wolves. I looked at each of their sizes once again.


    The gray wolf was a bit over average size.


    The black and white wolf was about six inches bigger than the Gray.


    But the Autumn wolf was both of them combined.


    I froze and looked down at the wolf in my lap. He looked up at me and nodded. I gasped and I forgot I had the phone up to my ear.


    "Dakota, what''s wrong?" Sean asked in a worried voice and the Autumn wolf growled a bit.


    I looked down at him and rolled my eyes while I played with his ears and fur. He seemed to have purred and I giggled.


    "Sean. I think the Alpha''s head is in my lap. He seems to like me too." I say and giggle when he gets up and starts to sniff my neck.


    "What about the Beta and third in command?" He asked, slightly intrigued. I smiled and looked and Destiny and the gray wolf. They were cuddling-I think. They were lying together and looking at the sky. But she was petting him and scratching his head. He closed his eyes in pleasure and he licked her face a bit. She giggled and it looked like he was smiling.


    "Yup. I think the third in command like''s Destiny too." Just as I said that the Beta came up to me. He looked at me curiously before stepping a bit closer.


    I reached my hand out slowly, it looked like he didn''t really like people.


    I put my hand against his head and he leaned forward. I smiled and started scratching his head and he purred with pleasure. But the Alpha didn''t want me touching him.


    The Alpha got up, and the tingles left. He stood up tall and growled at his Beta. The Beta cowered and lowered his head from my hand. I frowned and looked at the Alpha. He looked happy that I wasn''t touching him. I took the opportunity and flicked his nose. He whimpered a little bit but looked at me.


    He was confused and looked hurt.


    "Hey. If I pet him you will not get upset." I pointed towards his Beta and he growled-somewhat possessively. I forgot Sean was on the phone and he kept calling my name.


    The Alpha looked down at my phone and nudged it. I looked down and heard Sean calling my name.


    "Dakota? You there?" He asked worriedly and I started to pet the Alpha since he was getting upset. He purred and laid his head in my lap.


    "Yeah, I''m still here. Sorry, I was petting the Beta and the Alpha got upset that I stopped petting him." I told Sean and we both laughed.


    "Hurry up, they''re starting to leave and there''s a bunch of deer. We need something for dinner don''t we?" He asked and I scoffed.


    "Ok, Sean I''ll be there in a bit. Love you, bro." I said and the Alpha put his head on my stomach-he pushed me down and laid himself over me. I laughed at his behavior.


    "Ok. Bye, little sis."


    "Bye."


    I hung up and threw the phone to Destiny. She caught it and put it in her back pocket. Now all I had to do was get the Alpha off me.


    "Ok boy, I have to get up now," I said and he whimpered and shook his head and laid on me-he literally laid on me and I gasped for air. He was so heavy!


    "Can''t... Breathe!" I got out and he got up right away and looked worried. I took in deep breaths of air before I got up. They all looked sad that we were leaving. Destiny walked over to me and smiled. We nodded once and looked toward the three.


    "Wanna race? The last one to the deer stand has to get sprayed by a skunk." I said and they shook their heads and covered their noses. We laughed and I looked toward the Alpha. He liked me the most and I hoped he would let me ride him.


    "Can I ride you to the deer stand? I don''t stand a chance running by myself." After I said that he looked up and nodded. He stood up straight and I jumped on his back. I felt the tingles again and I knew my legs would fall asleep. But the tingles intensified when I got on him. My breath hitched and he looked at me weirdly.


    I looked back at Destiny and she got on the Gray wolf''s back. She gasped too, and when she looked at me, we both shrugged and they all got into a line. I was gripping the Alpha''s fur and he purred a bit. They all looked towards each other and nodded like they were having a conversation.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    "Ok. One," I said and they got in a stance. I leaned down on the Alpha and held on for dear life.


    "Two," Destiny said and we looked at each other in a stare-off.


    "Three, Go!" Right when we said that the wolves took off and we held on for dear life. They must have known where they were going, cause five minutes later we were there, riding on the backs of wolves. Everyone stopped and stared at us.


    The Alpha and I came in first, the Gray wolf and destiny came in second, and since the Beta tripped back there, he came in third. We both laughed at him and he looked down in shame.


    "Sean! Go find a skunk! We said the loser has to get sprayed!" We point towards the Beta, while he looks down in shame. The wolves join in on our laughter, they howled and rolled around on the ground.


    Sean found a skunk and laughed.


    "I''m just messing with you. I would have to be stupid to do that to the Beta." Sean said and put the skunk back in time before it sprayed him. He ran away from it but tripped on the way back.


    I stayed on the Alpha''s back and played with his fur. He purred and I smiled. I leaned forward and laid down on him. I hugged him and kissed his head. We stayed like that for a few more moments until his head snapped in a direction. There was a full-grown male deer. I smiled and got off of the Alpha. He whimpered and I shushed him.


    I ran to the deer stand and grabbed a bow and arrow. I aimed at the deer''s head and whispered.


    "I''m sorry..." The wolves all looked at me and Sean rubbed my back, while I shot the deer in the head and killed it. I looked at Sean sadly and he hugged me. I was always connected with animals. Yea, we need them for food. But it hurts to know that you''ve killed something so elegant, graceful, and beautiful.


    So I was an animal lover. Sue me.


    Once I calmed down a bit I got down from the deer stand and I saw the Alpha was looking worried.


    I gave him a small smile and he came over to me. I sat down on the ground away from the deer stand and the Alpha came over and laid his head on my lap. I smiled and felt like he was trying to comfort me. He was rubbing his head on my stomach and my legs. I giggled at his behavior, and when I looked into his eyes, I felt happy. He was trying to be playful and comforting at the same time.


    I leaned down and kissed his nose. He smiled and rubbed his nose against my neck. I laughed a bit cause it tickled. But mostly, I felt tingles and his whiskers were tickling my neck. I laughed and he rolled on top of me and started licking my face. I laughed once again cause I''ve never met an Alpha like him. He''s playful and relaxed.


    Then again, I''ve never met and Alpha. I wonder if they''re always like this.


    I looked up to see my little sister running to the Beta. She laughed when he nudged his nose with her neck. She giggled and sat on the ground petting the Beta with tender touches as if she thought he would break any second. She scratched his head and he closed his eyes and purred from pleasure.


    I looked back at the Alpha and he had an emotion in his eyes. I just couldn''t tell what it was. I smiled down at him and started petting his back. He let out a breath and relaxed.


    I frowned when I saw my dad carrying guns. He looked very intimidating and scary, but he was actually a softy like me, Sean, Destiny, and Layla-my little sister. When he saw me and the Alpha, he went wide-eyed, dropped the guns, and walked over to us.


    "Wow. I''ve never seen one before." He said and the Alpha lifted his head off of my lap and stood up straight. He was tall, and he definitely looked like an Alpha. He stood tall and he looked proud of his title. My dad stood up and went up to the Alpha.


    He bowed his head once and the Alpha mimicked him, showing respect.


    "I know. Isn''t he beautiful?" I got up and started petting him. I scratched behind his ear and he leaned into my touch. I smiled. I was in love with this animal. My dad looked around and saw the Beta with Layla and Destiny with the third in command. While I think Sean was with a white, brown and black wolf that had a calming aura to her.


    My dad looked at me and frowned. I knew we had to go.


    "Dakota, Sean, Layla, and Destiny you all can come here tomorrow. We have to go home and cook dinner. Grab your buck and let''s go." My dad said in a sad tone and we all awed. The wolves whimpered and the Alpha stuck his head under my arm. I gave him a sad smile and kissed his nose again. He licked my cheek and I giggled. I looked over to Layla and she was laughing cause the Beta was licking her face. I looked over at Sean and he kissed the white wolves head. I saw Destiny hold onto the Gray wolf a little bit longer than usual. She kissed his head, and we started to go to the deer.


    I was very upset when a wolf started to sniff it.


    "Ah, ah," I told it and it backed away slowly and looked down. I felt bad so I went to comfort it.


    "Hey, you''re not in trouble, this is just my deer," I said with a smile and I played with its fur for a second. It smiled and when I took the arrow out, I saw a bunny.


    "Forgive me, dear bunny," I said and got my arrow and shot it. I went over to it and took the arrow out of the dead bunny. I decided to cut it up and give different pieces to different wolves. I gave one to a brown, the white-brown-and black, the Beta, The Gray, a black one, and I gave the rest to the Alpha.


    He even licked my hands clean for me.


    "Bye Alpha, see you tomorrow." I kissed his head and ran to where my family and Destiny were waiting for me at the car with the dead deer. We put it in the truck and when I got inside, The wolves were racing us down the road.


    When we were on the highway they stopped and went back.


    "That was so cool! I think the Beta likes me!" My sixteen-year-old sister Layla said.


    "Did you see the white, brown and black one? She was beautiful!" My brother Sean said.


    "The Gray one was so playful!" Destiny squealed.


    "The Alpha was gorgeous," I said, remembering the colors of his fur and eyes.


    "That was the most amazing thing I have ever seen, you never see the Beta, Alpha or third in command. You even get lucky if you see a glimpse of the Alpha." My dad said and when we got to our house, we weighed the deer.


    ~Jax~


    When I was with her I was playful and happy. But now that she''s gone, I feel sad and depressed.


    When Dakota left, I knew I had to get on her good side, in our human form of course. She was amazing at scratching my head! Her nails were so long and it felt so nice! No one could ever get me to act like that. Not even my friends and family.


    My third in command Logan found his mate Destiny, my Beta Jacob-his mate was Dakota''s sister Layla, Riley found her mate-Sean who is Dakota''s older brother, and I found my mate, Dakota.


    She was the perfect mate in the whole world. If I had gotten someone else I would have accepted them too, but I got lucky.


    Her beautiful green eyes and her blonde hair and her lightly tanned skin, made her look more desirable looking.


    When I had my head on her lap I felt the tingles go through me, every time she touched me. But when she kissed my nose they intensified.


    I ran all the way home, excited to tell my parents and siblings I found my mate.


    I got there in five minutes and when I got to the house, I went to the back yard and shifted. I grabbed a pair of shorts and boxers from my stash in a box in the bushes. I put them on and ran inside. I saw my mom cooking dinner and my dad was reading the paper, while my brother was playing video games upstairs and my sister was gossiping with her friends upstairs.


    I ran to my parents'' house because even though I moved out months ago to my mansion about four miles away from my parent''s house, I still wanted to let them know.


    So I ran upstairs to their rooms.


    I went to Kyle''s room first.


    I banged on the door as loud as I could until he opened it. He looked me like I was insane.


    "I have some news, go downstairs and wait for me and Angela please," I said, sounding excited and he shrugged and went downstairs. I then ran to Angela''s room and barged in.


    "Jax! Don''t you knock?!" She said and her friend giggled. I smiled at her and engulfed her in a hug. She hugged back cause she never got that mad at me.


    "I have some good news. All of you come downstairs with me." I said and I couldn''t stop smiling. They all shrugged like Kyle and went downstairs. I ran in front of them and smiled at my parents. I kissed my mother on her cheek and hugged my father. He hugged back of course, cause I''m special. They all sat down at the table and I took a few deep breaths.


    "Why am I here?" Kyle asked while getting comfortable in his chair.


    "What''s the good news, Jax?" Maria-Angela''s friend asked me.


    "Jax come on tell us!" My mother said and all I do was look at both of them. They need an idea of what''s going on.


    "Mom, how did you and dad meet?" I asked, putting my head in my hands, and elbows on the counter. I smiled at them and my siblings and Angela''s friend looked bored out of their minds.


    "Why do you ask Jax? You never wanted to know before." My father said and he looked deep in thought for a minute.


    "Well, you two are mates," I paused and they both nodded-probably wondering where I was going with this.


    "What does this torture have to do with anything?" Kyle whined and straightened up and I gave him the look. He thought for a second before looking more confused.


    "Yeah Jax, where are you going with this?" Maria asked in a cautious tone and I smiled at her.


    "Well I just wanted to tell you that Riley, Logan, Jacob and I found our mates today, but since you don''t find this exciting, I guess I''ll leave," I said and my mother practically jumped out of her seat.


    "Oh my goddess, Jax! That''s wonderful!" She engulfed some in a bone-crushing hug. I smiled and hugged my mom back.


    "Congratulations son. I''m proud of you." My father gave me a pat on the back.


    "This is fantastic! Now you, me, your mate and Derek can go on double dates!" Angela said and I hid behind mom.


    "No!" I said in my Alpha tone and she backed down immediately. I smiled but my mom smacked me upside the head.


    "Sweet! That''s awesome, can I go back upstairs now to my mate?" Kyle asked eagerly and I sighed but nodded. He jumped out of his seat and tripped going up the steps. We all laughed at how he fell.


    "Someone''s eager!" We laugh at him and he glared at us all before he went back to his room.


    Angela and Maria went back upstairs and I heard Derek come through the window.


    "So, when am I getting grandchildren?" My mom asked and I made a horrifying noise that sounded like a dying whale.


    "Oh no! Mom don''t say that yet! My Goddess!" I yell and hold my hands over my ears and drop to the ground while my mom laughs and my dad chuckles.


    "Jax, when you are ready, use protection. I don''t want her to get into trouble." He said which made my mom laugh more and I just ran outside to where I saw Riley, Logan, and Jacob holding their ears as well.


    "Jax! They started talking about grandchildren! Yeah, that would be amazing, but not right now!" Logan said as I smelled the air. There was a hint of Dakota in it. So she isn''t that far away. I take a deep breath and I smile.


    I run into the forest, shifting into my wolf Ryder.


    I ran towards her scent and when I found her, it was at the clearing. She was sitting there with Destiny and Layla.


    I decided to wait a bit.


    "So, Dakota, I dare you to jump into the lake," Layla said and she shrugged.


    Dakota started to take off her shorts and her tank top, leaving her in only her bra and panties.


    I felt so turned on. I growled lowly, but I was thankful they didn''t hear me. Dakota started climbing the tree to where a rope was, and when she reached the top, she grabbed the rope, jumped and lands in the water. Destiny and Layla were laughing when Dakota came out shivering and soaking wet.


    "Happy now?" She asked and I couldn''t help it. I stalked quietly towards Dakota. Layla and Destiny got the message so they stayed quiet. When Dakota was fully dressed I ran and trampled her.


    "AH!" She screamed as we tumbled down the little hill and the others laughed at us.


    When we stopped rolling she had leaves in her hair and she looked scared to death. I laid on her gently, just to make her warm since she was shivering. She snuggled up against me and I licked her cheek. She giggled and I turned around when I heard footsteps. I saw Jacob and Logan run-up to Destiny and Layla.


    "Hi!" They both squealed as they rubbed their bellies.


    I smiled at their behavior and when I looked down and Dakota, she was looking at me with admiration. I smiled at her and she smiled back. I rubbed my nose against hers and she giggled a bit.


    It''s almost as if we were humans together.


    That would be amazing. I would get to know her better and it would be perfect.


    But that''s not the case.


    I''m a werewolf, and she''s a human. She would hate me and never want to talk to me.


    I whimpered at the thought and she started to pet me in a comforting way. I leaned into her touch and I heard the guys talking to me through the pack link.


    ''What''s wrong Jax?''Logan asked me.


    ''Yeah, you never sound like that bro. What''s up?''Jacob asked me as Layla cuddled under him cause she was cold. He laid over her protectingly and I smiled and Dakota started to fall asleep under me.


    ''I just realized something. In order to get Dakota to accept Ryder and me, we have to meet up with them in human form. We then have to gain their trust. But until then, were just plain old animals to them..''I said and when the other''s didn''t reply, only whimpered, I knew they understood. The girls were wide awake when they heard our small cries.


    "What''s wrong? Why are you crying?" Dakota asks me as I snuggle up closer to her, wanting to feel her for a while longer before we have to go back.


    If I could tell her, I would. But that''s not happening for a while.


    "Ok, guys we need to get going. We''re going to get in trouble if we don''t go. Remember how we said we were going to the mall tomorrow at noon?" Once Destiny said that Logan, Jacob and I looked at each other and nodded. We would meet at the mall tomorrow at noon.


    Until then, we carried them back to Dakota''s house, where Sean and their dad were waiting for them. Dakota fell asleep on my back, while Destiny is half asleep and Layla is forcing herself to stay awake.


    "Thank you, guys. We were starting to get worried for a little bit." Their father said and messed up the fur on my head. I growled playfully at him and got in a stance that dogs get into when they want to play. He laughed and he shook his head at us.


    "Now go on, your pack is probably worrying about you three." He said and went inside with Layla, Destiny, and Dakota.


    Tomorrow was going to be a blast when they see us.

 Chapter Two

    ~Dakota~


    I woke up at three-thirty in the morning because of the wolves howling at the moon. I loved the sound. It makes my heart race and I get butterflies. They make me happy.


    I got up and went and sat in my nook so I could sit there and look at the sky at night, or if I get lazy and don''t want to move I can sleep there.


    Basically, it''s just another bed.


    I opened up the window on the right side and climbed down the ladder that I put there. My dad doesn''t mind that I leave in the middle of the night, cause he knows I''ll come back.


    I ran to the forest with some steak in a bag that I got from the store a few days ago.


    Once I entered the forest, I saw the black wolf from before at the deer stand. And then I saw the brown one from the deer stand as well. They must like it here. It''s very calming and relaxing.


    I wasn''t trying to sneak up on them, but I was trying to be cautious so I don''t scare them off.


    When I stepped on a twig, I froze when they turned around and started growling. But when they saw me they stopped and walked over to me. I put the bag I was carrying down that had the food in it.


    They sniffed the bag and looked at each other, like they knew they were getting some.


    They then looked at me with hope in their eyes.


    "Yes, you guys are getting some," I said and they howled at the moon with joy.


    But then I saw something huge lurking through the woods. It had yellow eyes and it was scaring me.


    The other wolves turned around and saw it too, but they bowed their head in respect.


    I should have known it was the Alpha I grew to love over a few hours.


    He came out from behind the tree''s, and my heart started beating faster with joy. When our eyes met, he ran at full speed just to slow down and trample me lightly.


    He laid on my stomach and started to lick my neck a bit. I felt the tingles forming again. I think he pushed me down a bit too hard.


    But I didn''t really care, I was happy I got to see him again.


    He then looked at the bag and started to sniff it. He looked at me with the puppy eyes and laid his head on my stomach. I knew what he wanted.


    I started to scratch behind his ears and he started to relax immediately. I smiled down at him and used my nails to scratch the top of his head. He growled playfully and I giggled.


    "Ok, you gave me the puppy eyes. You want me to make some steak for you too?" I said and he jumped off of me and waited next to the bag. I laughed and started to create a little stand so that I could cook the steak.


    I took out the steak and started to cook it once I made the fire.


    It took about ten minutes, but when I finished the wolves were drooling over it.


    I cut it into different pieces and gave them each one.


    But things turned bad when I missed the steak and cut my finger.


    I hissed in pain and looked at how bad it was. It wasn''t terribly bad, but I was using a ceramic knife. Just kill me now!


    "Ow!" I screamed when a piece of dirt got into the cut. The Alpha snapped his head to me and looked at the cut and whimpered. He started to lick at the cut. I hissed in pain and he stopped and put his head on my lap. I pet him with my good hand and it was starting to heal.


    "Thank you." I kissed his head and he nudged his nose against my cheek. I smiled and put out the fire with a water bottle that I had in my bag and then drank the rest. The Alpha then yawned, and the other wolves did the same.


    I then yawned cause I saw the time.


    It was four-twelve am.


    "Ok guys, I have to go now. I''m really tired and I have to get up at nine-thirty today." I said and they whimpered.


    The Alpha growled and laid himself on my legs and stomach and I could tell he didn''t want me to leave. I chuckled at him and he started to fall asleep.


    "I guess I could sleep here with you buddy," I said and he snuggled his head into my neck. I sighed and kissed his nose. The other two wolves were leaving and I could tell they were tired. They were dragging themselves and they kept yawning. I''m surprised that they just didn''t pass out right then and there.


    I started to cuddle up to the Alpha and his warm fur, but then I heard something. I heard twigs snapping viciously.


    I saw a light from a flashlight as well, I just couldn''t tell who it was.


    Until I saw him.


    I saw my brother Sean running around calling my name.


    "Dakota? Where are you?" He asked frantically as I whistled. He looked over to my direction and he saw the Alpha and I cuddling.


    "Oh my god. There you are, you had me worried sick!" Sean said as he ran over to me and hugged me. He looked at the Alpha and he yawned. He put his head back down and shut his eyes. I shrugged and Sean rolled his eyes.


    "Hey, buddy. It''s time to get off my sister now. My dad''s worried that she''s not in bed by now." Sean said and the Alpha lifted his head, shook it no and laid back down.


    "Dakota, help me out here, please? If not dad won''t let you go to the mall later today." Sean said and I was immediately wide awake.


    "Buddy please get off. I''ll see you later today ok? Please?" I asked in a soft whisper and he whimpered, but reluctantly got off of me.


    "Thank you," I said and kissed his head while he nudged his nose to my neck. I yawned and almost fell but Sean caught me.


    "Alright, let''s take you home," Sean said and I fell asleep in his arms, knowing he would put me upstairs in my room.


    --------


    I felt movement and I groaned. What now.


    "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" I heard a voice and it sounded a lot like Layla''s but I wasn''t sure.


    "It''s mall time girl! Get your ass up!" I heard someone else yell and I knew it was Destiny. She was the one that always cursed.


    I groaned again until I felt freezing cold water splash onto me.


    At this point, I was wide awake.


    "AH!" I said and fell off the bed with a thud.


    I heard laughter and when I looked up, Destiny and Layla were laughing at me. I got up from the floor and looked pissed.


    "Oh my god, Dakota you should have seen yo-" Destiny was saying something but I cut her off.


    "You have three seconds to run," I said in a harsh voice and they froze and looked at each other with scared expressions.


    "Dakota, we didn''t mean it like that, we were trying to be funny," Layla said.


    "One," I said and they started to back up.


    "Dakota we''re sorry!" Destiny said and Layla ran for it, so I followed and Destiny was right on her tail. We ran all the way outside with me screaming.


    "You are so dead!" I yelled at them and went into the forest. We saw a few wolves on the way in, but I was too pissed to stop running.


    "What happened to two and three!" They both shouted as they ran.


    I ran past the third in command and Destiny stopped to pet him. I almost trampled over her but I ran past her, trying to get Layla who actually dumped the water on me.


    "Layla! Get your ass back here now!" I yelled and the wolves whimpered. I don''t know why, but they did.


    We then saw the Beta and the Alpha at the lake and I was still chasing Layla. She started to run up a tree. Since she had a head start on one I climbed one next to it.


    I climbed faster than her and when I reached the top she was breathing heavily. I wasn''t even breaking a sweat. I jumped to the other tree and landed on the branch, and sadly, she jumped backward.


    "AHH!" Layla screamed as she started to fall. I was scared, so I grabbed her arm and flipped us around. She landed on the branch and I started to fall from thirty feet.


    "Dakota!" Layla yelled as she tried to grab my hand but missed it. At this point, I was free-falling. I saw a branch and reached out for it.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    I grabbed it with one hand and thankfully had my grip on it. I put my other hand on it and pulled myself up.


    I laid there for a few moments to catch my breath. I looked down and I had about ten feet left. I sighed as Layla climbed down from the tree as the Beta ran to her. She hugged him tight and wouldn''t let go. They laid down on the ground and he protectively laid on her, and if she would get hurt.


    I, on the other hand, was having a panic attack. I wouldn''t listen to anyone, and I didn''t even look down while the Alpha was scratching the bottom of the tree to get my attention.


    By the time Destiny, the third in command, the Beta and Sean came to me I was full-on sobbing with Sean helping me down.


    He held me in his arms as I sobbed onto his shirtless chest. The Alpha ran up to me and nudged his head on my arm. I felt the tingles go through my arm, and when I looked at him, he whimpered and laid his head on my lap. I pet his head for a second, finding it calming.


    Before I leaped out of my brother''s arms and to the Alpha, I started crying into his fur and he didn''t seem to mind. He put his head above mine and he stayed there with me until I was calmed down.


    My breathing was ragged and I had silent tears.


    About five minutes later, I calmed down fully and just laid there in the Alpha''s fur. He had this calming aura to him that I just couldn''t resist.


    "Dakota, hun talk to me," Destiny said for probably the tenth time and I finally looked up.


    I looked up at Destiny, Layla, and Sean. They were worried about me because I have never done that before. I''ve never made someone fall, and that was the first time I saved my little sister. She was so young and I was a senior in high school, she deserved to live longer.


    As I looked at Layla, she laid next to me and I held her and pulled her next to me. She started shedding silent tears onto my tank top.


    The beta came over and laid next to her, whimpering.


    Then my dad came running into the forest.


    When he saw Layla and I crying, he ran to us.


    "Dakota, Layla. What''s wrong? What happened? I heard screams and I... I got so scared." My dad started to tear up.


    Our mom was once reckless like us as well, but one day she was climbing something tall, and she misplaced her footing and fell forty-five feet to her death.


    It tore my dad apart. And he never felt happy ever again. It happened a few weeks after Layla was born as well. We never spoke of her ever again, but every now and then I hear my dad''s sobs in the night.


    "I was jumping from one tree to the other cause they woke me up with water, and when Layla jumped she fell off a branch. And when she fell, I grabbed her and switched places. A-And then I started to fall, but I grabbed a branch on the way d-down." I stuttered and my dad held me and my sister close to him.


    The Beta and The Alpha tried to comfort us as well by licking our arms.


    "New rule; never climb trees for the last resort. Even if your being attacked by rogue wolves. Never. I can''t lose you girls too. You three are the best things in the world to me." He said and Sean knelt down and hugged all three of us. Destiny knelt down too and hugged us too.


    We all stayed like this until Sean''s watch beeped to sign it was ten am.


    We all looked at him and he looked down in shame.


    "Sorry.." Sean said and we all laughed at our weirdness.


    "Layla, Dakota. Don''t ever scare me like that again. I can''t lose both of you." My dad said and we both nodded. By this point, the wolves were leaving to go deeper into the forest. They said their goodbyes and I was kind of lonely now. My dad and Sean left us and we started to get up.


    We then walked to the house where I made breakfast. And then I took a shower and got ready for the mall.


    I was ready an hour later and we made our way to the mall.


    "Ok girls! Where to first?" Destiny asked and we shrugged and went to the store Lids. We looked for hats and got hit on by hot guys. We blushed, got our hats and then left.


    We then made our way to our favorite frozen yogurt place; Frozo Yogo.


    When we walked in we saw our favorite cashier.


    "Dave!" We yelled as he turned around and smiled at us.


    "Destiny, Dakota, Layla! What a great surprise," David paused then gave us a smirk.


    "Actually, no it''s not. Go on, stack up!" David yelled and we cheered! We all ran to the ice cream where we stacked up.


    I got a tall cup with the chocolate and vanilla swirl ice cream, with cookie dough bits, chocolate chips, gummy worms and bears, and chocolate syrup with whipped cream.


    Destiny got the wide cup, with orange cream ice cream, gummy bears, and some whipped cream.


    And Layla got a tall cup with vanilla ice cream, strawberries, kiwi, and some whipped cream with a light chocolate sauce.


    In all, it was $22.97


    We thanked Dave and we all took selfies with our ice cream. We walked out of Frozo Yogo and we started walking towards a bench.


    "Oh my god! This is so good!" Destiny says and starts to eat her ice cream again. Layla and I laugh at how she was acting and ate ours.


    "I know! I love you ice cream. You''re my best friend." Layla said and ate hers while Destiny and I laughed this time.


    When we threw away our cups, we bumped into three really hot guys.


    The one I bumped into had short black hair and beautiful dark green eyes. He was really tan and had a muscular build. His features were stunning as he wore jeans, boots, and a shirt that hugged his arms and chest nicely.


    I heard him chuckle and it was deep and so sexy.


    "You like what you see love?" He said and I blushed.


    I looked down at the ground and mumbled a sorry. I heard giggles and looked toward Layla and Destiny to see them walking away and talking with the other two boys.


    I personally didn''t care. Their loss for leaving me.


    I looked back up and saw his beautiful green eyes looking down into my green ones.


    "I''m sorry, I''m Jax. What''s your name beautiful?" I heard Jax say; damn it, he has a sexy name as well!


    "I''m Dakota..." I said and blushed when he smiled his perfect smile.


    "That''s a beautiful name for a beautiful girl," Jax said and I blushed even more.


    He chuckled again and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. I got this tingly feeling but pushed it aside.


    "So, tell me about yourself beautiful." I blushed again and he smiled at what he had done.


    "Well I''m a senior in high school, I have an older brother and younger sister, my favorite animal is a wolf," I said and he smiled down at me with an emotion in his eyes. I didn''t know what, but it''s something.


    "My mom hasn''t been around since my sister Layla was born, and I think that''s it," I said and he nodded, looking deep in thought for a minute before speaking up.


    "If I may ask, what was so bad that your mom left you guys when you were younger? You don''t have to answer that if you don''t want to. I would never pressure you into doing something you didn''t want to do." Jax said and I couldn''t help but smile and lean into his touch when he said that.


    "No, it''s okay. It was when I was younger. Keep in mind, my brother Sean was four, I was two, and Layla was just born two weeks before. My mom was climbing something high cause something scared her. And when she was about forty-five feet up, she misplaced her footing and fell. She died instantly when she hit the ground. It tore my dad apart when he found out..." I said and Jax stayed silent. I started to tear up because of it. Just thinking about someone I love dying hurts me.


    "Oh my god, I-I''m so sorry Dakota," Jax said in a sincere, apologetic tone and I blinked away the tears. I didn''t ever want him to see me cry.


    "It''s ok. There was nothing we could do because no one was fast enough to save her." My voice cracked a bit at the end of the sentence and Jax pulled us into a little alleyway outside the mall and pulled me closer to him. I felt all of these tingles go through me as I cried into Jax''s shoulder.


    I wrapped my arms around his neck while he wrapped his arms around my waist. I shivered at the feeling of wildfire-like tingles spreading through me. It felt nice and comforting, yet I was just craving more and more of his touch.


    "I''m sorry, Dakota..." Jax said this before he pulled out a white cloth. I could tell something was up. But when he tried to grab me I knew there was chloroform on it. So I did what anyone would do.


    I grabbed his little friend down south and he looked shocked but pleased at the same time.


    But I''m evil, so I squeezed really hard and he dropped to his knees. I ran back into the mall and tried to find a place to hide. I stopped outside of Victoria''s Secret.


    I took the advantage and called Destiny and Layla. Destiny answered on the first ring.


    "Dakota! Where are you?!" Destiny asked.


    "I''m at Victoria''s Secret where are you?" I asked and she scrambled while holding her phone and running at the same time.


    "I''ll meet you there, I''m outside of Starbucks and the urge is just so real!" Destiny whined and I felt her pain. Like seriously, who doesn''t like Starbucks?


    "Ok, I''ll call Layla." After that, I hung up the phone and started to call Layla.


    But not before I heard him say my name.


    "Dakota," I turned around and fully took in his built figure. He was wearing this tight shirt that made his six-pack noticeable, and his jeans were a bit tight and he looked so sexy with his hair all messed up. He smirked at me and then winked because he knew I was eye raping him.


    He started to walk closer and I started to walk backward and he smirked when I hit a wall. He was still walking forward, and when he pushed his body against mine, I couldn''t help but just stare into his eyes.


    He stared right back which made my breath hitch.


    "You shouldn''t have done that sweetheart." When he said that, his voice was full of power and I found it so sexy.


    He was leaning in for a kiss and it took all of my power to resist. Plus he was getting the cloth out again and I did something similar.


    I kneed him in the stomach and kicked him in the balls, so he was gasping for air. I run back to Victoria''s Secret to find Destiny there, looking terrified. She was looking everywhere for me, and when she spotted me, she looked relieved for a minute and ran to me.


    "Did he try to kidnap you too?!" Destiny asked in a fearful voice. I wouldn''t blame her, I''m scared too. But then I got even more terrified when I remember I didn''t call Layla.


    I took my phone out of my pocket and dialed her number. She answered on the third ring.


    "H-Hello?" She asked while laughing her ass off. I was just relieved she wasn''t hurt.


    "Layla? Where are you?" I asked in a frantic voice.


    "I''m at the food court with Jacob, why? Is something wrong?" Layla asked with concern in her voice.


    "Yes, Jax and Logan are trying to kidnap us. Get out of there before Jacob does!" I said and she went silent. She told Jacob she had to go, but then I heard him get up and she started running.


    "Where are you guys?!" She asked in a scared voice.


    "In front of Victoria''s Secret. Hurry! They''re coming!" I said and hung up the phone. They started to look around and we saw Layla running towards us. But since they looked our way they saw us and started to walk to us. They smirked evilly and they were cornering us.


    I then saw one of my brother''s friends Jason. He was always there for everyone in their time of need.


    I then had an idea. Jason knows my scream from a mile away. The girls also saw him so they know what to do.


    "Dakota, kitten, what are we gonna do with you? It''s not nice to hurt my little friend down south." He said in an intimidating voice and I was getting scared. I looked back to where Jason was and he wasn''t there anymore.


    I started to panic as Jax cornered me and grabbed my waist. My breath hitched and he chuckled. I then felt the tingles again; it''s probably because I''m just so scared.


    He seemed to notice my emotions and he put his forehead against mine. He kissed my nose and I shivered with delight. I then looked towards Layla, and Jacob was touching her. They were also sharing a passionate kiss and I was getting mad. He was grabbing her ass and pulling her closer.


    Layla was grabbing Jacob''s hair and it looked like he moaned in pleasure.


    I then looked at Destiny.


    Logan was kissing her neck and she was trying so hard not to moan. But she failed miserably and caved in. She let out a quiet moan and he grabbed her hips and pulled her closer.


    Now I was pissed. They are just using them so they won''t be upset.


    Then Layla had to stop kissing him and take a breather. She looked at me and winked. She had an evil glint in her eye and I liked it. Destiny then looked at me and did the same thing.


    So we all grabbed they''re little friends and started palming then through their pants.


    Jax was surprised but he just let out a low, sexy moan. I started to draw patterns and he shivered with pleasure.


    If only he would learn his lesson.


    We all nodded and three seconds later, they were all on their knees holding themselves. We all then ran to the parking lot and got into the car.


    I started the car and drove down the road, only to see the boys at the door, looking more pissed than ever.


    "Dakota! I''m scared!" Layla cried and Destiny tried to comfort her. Obviously, I couldn''t because I was driving.


    "I am too Layla. We just need to find out why th-" I was cut off with the honk of a horn and cars sliding all over the road. I was drifting all over the place and at the last second, I hit a car and we went spinning out of control.


    "Get down!" I yelled and they did as told as we spun off of the freeway and into the forest; hitting as many trees as possible.


    We were thrashing everywhere and that was until we hit a rock and we went tumbling.


    "AH!!" We all were tumbling until the wheels were on the ground, and I had to avoid a bunch of cats. They looked like mountain lions, but that does make a bit of sense; we were a few miles away from a mountain.


    After I dodged the cats, I hit a tree and we stopped. My head hit the wheel and the airbags popped up.


    I then heard a few meows and a howl that came from a cat. I then fell into a deep sleep, not knowing if my sister and Destiny were alright.

 Chapter Three

    ~Dakota~


    I woke up, outside of the car. Along with Destiny and Layla. They were wide awake and leaning against a tree, most likely waiting for me to wake up.


    I groaned as I tried to sit up but failed miserably. The girls ran over to me in a panic, and when they kneeled down, I saw the damage.


    It looked like Layla had a broken nose and a sprained wrist, along with a cut at the top of her head.


    I then looked at Destiny and she had a black eye, as well as a bloody nose and a sprained wrist. I saw one of the cats come up to me and it nudged it''s head against my wrist, putting its head in my hand.


    I hissed in pain, but I still pet the cat until I was on the verge of tears. When I did start to cry, Destiny and Layla bombed me with questions.


    "What happened? Are you ok?" Layla asked.


    "Is your wrist broken or sprained?" Destiny asked. It went like that for a while.


    "Do you need to go to the hospital?"


    "Did you hurt anything else?"


    That question got me thinking.


    Did I get hurt anywhere else?


    I mean, the crash was really bad and I don''t know if one of the girls need to go to the hospital, or if those guys were still following us...


    Oh, crud...


    "Wait! Are those guys still following us?!" I leaned forward are when I felt a sharp pain go through my back and a rib, I knew I broke something. Especially since I cried out in pain and the cats ran up to me in a hurried fashion.


    They started to surround me and Destiny and Layla started to back away for an unknown reason. The cats started to lick the areas where I was hurt and it let me tell you.


    It.


    Hurt.


    Like.


    Hell.


    A cat''s tongue is like sandpaper but worse.


    But after a few minutes, it started to get better. The pain in my body, I mean. The cat''s tongue still hurt like a bitch.


    But when Destiny and Layla started to back away from me I knew something was up.


    "What?" I asked and they looked at each other and then back at me.


    But they didn''t respond.


    "What is it? Tell me, what is it?" I asked as they looked in shock at how I stood up with the support of the tree.


    "Your body, it just... And you just... How did you?..." Layla stuttered and Destiny looked in shock. They both look behind me and then back at me. I then saw Layla pet one on the head for a moment and then stop.


    "No there''s nothing there Dakota. You were stroking something invisible a few minutes ago and it was creeping me out. And I thought you were just messing with me, but now that Layla is doing it I know you guys really are." Destiny stated as the cat started to lick Layla''s hand and some of the others were going to her.


    But then I started hearing something in my head. It was very friendly and happy and I really liked it.


    Hi there!


    Um. Sorry but, who are you exactly? Are you my conscious trying to make me do something bad?


    Oh my god, no, silly! I''m something you never knew existed, considering they are rare and everything.


    I was a bit confused by that statement.


    I know you must be confused, so I will answer any question you have.


    Ok. So the first question, what are you exactly? Not trying to be rude when I say this, but I don''t think having voices in your head is good, because, I don''t want to have schizophrenia or some crazy shit like that.


    The first answer, I am a rare species called a werecat. And no, you don''t have any disorder. It is completely normal to hear your cat or wolf speak to you.


    Wait? Did you just say wolf?


    Answer two, yes I did say wolf. There are werewolves and werecats. But werecats are much cooler are rarer.


    This. is. AWESOME! Tell me more pretty please!


    Well, werecats and werewolves can shapeshift into us.


    What? I''m sorry I''m confused.


    It''s ok, everyone is at first. When I say this I mean, since you have me or if you had a wolf, you can transform into us. But I suggest taking your clothes off before you shift, or else they will rip to shreds, and when you shift back into a human, you will be naked in front of anyone who is near you.


    Aw! No! No one can touch, feel, or look at my privates!


    Oh and before I go on, no one can hear me and Destiny and Layla have been trying to call your name, so I will go so you can tell them the good news about me. Tootles!


    Ok, but wait! What is your name?


    Oh sorry, I totally forgot to introduce myself. I am ButterCup.


    Oh. My. God... That is too cute! Oh my god, we''re going to be best of friends!


    Yay! Ok, now get back to your friends. If you need me just call my name, I''m not going anywhere. Literally.


    I literally burst out laughing as ButterCup cut off the conversation with me, and without a doubt Destiny and Layla were calling my name, but looked freaked out when I started laughing.


    "Dakota? Are you ok? You have been zoned out for about ten minutes..." Destiny said and I smiled and started to tell them everything.


    "Ok, so apparently, I have a werecat inside of me and her name is Buttercup, and she is so nice to me and she answered all of my questions, and she said I can even shift into her! I know this all sounds crazy, but just, believe me on this. When have I ever lied to you about this kind of stuff?" I asked and they both nodded their heads.


    "Then prove it. Shift into your cat." Destiny said in a somewhat rude tone and I frowned at her.


    "I don''t really know how just yet. I''ll ask ButterCup." I said and she scoffed and rolled her eyes.


    Oh my long lost lover! How do I shift into a cat?


    Oh, yay were already long lost lovers! I feel special! And you just picture a cat, which would be me. But fair warning, it may be painful at first because you aren''t a pure werecat, no offense in any way.


    Ok, thanks ButterCup.


    You can call me Butter for short if you want to.


    Ok, thanks again.


    Oh, and there is one more thing that I need to tell you. Ok, that''s a lie it''s more like two.


    Ok, then what is it?


    When you first shift, your senses will be stronger and more sensitive. For example, you will have night vision at night, your smelling will be able to go farther, and you have a scent of your own, but only your mate and others know what it is.


    What''s a mate?


    That was the other thing I was going to tell you. A mate is a person you spend the rest of your life with. It''s like a humans soul mate. And on the bright side, we have already met our mate... I just don''t know if he will accept us when he finds out you have a werecat in you.


    Whoa whoa whoa, back the truck up. How come I didn''t know about you sooner?


    I will explain later. Just prove to your friend that I exist. I don''t think Destiny likes me right now.


    Ok, and she will like you. And if she doesn''t, she will have to deal with it.


    Ok and remember, imagine yourself as a cat.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    Ok thanks Butter!


    Anytime Dakota.


    "Dakota? You talking to this so-called ButterCup again?" Destiny asked in a smart ass tone and I got mad at her. I could feel Buttercup coming to my surface, probably wanting to let my anger out, but I pushed her back down and she started to calm down. I then backed up a few meters and I undressed as she told me.


    I thought very hard until I charged for Destiny and Layla, only to shift right before I got to them.


    They looked down in astonishment and Layla backed up a little bit. I whined in pain and Destiny pet me gently, as if she pet too hard I would break.


    But you have no idea, how bad it fucking hurt. It felt like all of my bones cracked and shifted into different places and positions. It was like someone was beating me a million times and I couldn''t do anything to help it.


    I told you it was gonna hurt. ButterCup retorted and laughed at me while I growled at her.


    Oh shut up. What do I do-


    I was cut off by ButterCup when I smelled a mesmerizing scent of axe and chocolate. Weird combination, but it smelled amazing.


    Mate! Go to him! Go to our mate!


    Wait wait wait! Earlier you said we already met our mate yes?


    Yes! Now go to him!


    Who is it? What''s his name?


    Jax! Now go to him!


    Oh hell no! I''m not going to a psychopath who tried to kidnap me. If he wants me to go with him, he''s gonna have to catch me.


    I cut her off and ran over to my clothes and shifted again and got dressed once again.


    Man, this is so much work.


    "Grab our phones now!" I yelled with great power in my voice and I shocked myself because of it.


    By the way, you have Alpha blood in you, but you are the beta. Your brother has already shifted into a werecat but your sister hasn''t just yet.


    Awesome! Thanks again, now it''s time to play hard to get.


    Oh goody, this is going to be fun! Mean, but fun!


    "Why? What''s wrong?!" Destiny asked and I could sense them getting closer.


    Crap!


    "Jax, Logan, and Jacob! I can sense and smell them getting closer! Get the damn phones now!"


    "I''m on it!" I hear Layla yell as I take off my.clorhes again give them to Destiny.


    "You guys will ride on my back and you have to hold my clothes. I''m telling Sean and dad about this when we get home."


    "No! Don''t do that just yet! They might not accept you or ButterCup!" Destiny retorted.


    "But he''s my dad! We already lost my mom he can''t lose me or Layla, it would kill him inside! Plus, ButterCup already told me that Sean shifted into a werecat. I have to ask my dad some questions if we make it out of here!" I said and Destiny sighed in defeat while Layla came back to us with the phones and chargers.


    See this is why we are sisters.


    "Layla hold onto the phones for dear life. Got it?" I still have power in my voice and I knew Buttercup was coming to the surface.


    "Got it," Layla said and I shifted once again, but it wasn''t as painful as last time.


    "What the hell?!" I heard someone yell and I went wide-eyed as Jacob and Logan looked at us in shock. Only to have Jax look at me in adoration and love?


    Yeah, he loves to kidnap me!


    I nodded to the girls and my strength was stronger than I thought it would be. Jaxs'' eyes turned pitch black and I was getting scared so I started to run.


    "Don''t let them get away!" Jax yelled with power, and when I looked behind us they were shifting into wolves.


    The same colored wolves from me and Destiny''s secret spot. Layla and Destiny gasp as we saw them shift. I was scared, especially when I saw Jax shift into the Alpha.


    I decided to show off my power.


    I ran faster and I let out a loud and powerful roar. We saw other wolves on the way to my house. And they started to chase us after realizing that the Alpha, Beta, and Third in command were chasing us.


    I let out another roar once again, and most of them flinched and stopped chasing us. We then ran past this big house with other wolves in their human forms. I could tell that they were all wolves because they smelled like them.


    It wasn''t until we were corned I started to get scared.


    They all looked accomplished that they found me.


    "What are we gonna do with a worthless little rouge like you?" One of them said in a harsh tone and I growled at him. He sensed my power and flinched the slightest bit, but he covered it up just as fast as it came.


    "I say we take it up with the elders. This one seems different. Plus Alpha Jax-" one of them started to say but I whimpered at the name and they all looked at me weirdly until we heard three low growls.


    "She''s a newly shifted, I can smell it." Another one said as he sniffed the air.


    "Ask the Alpha what to do with her. And don''t call her worthless; you don''t know her story so back off Scott." Scott, so that''s his name.


    "Shut up Rory, neither do you. For all we know she could have been a serial killer." Scott said. I looked back and forth at Rory and Scott and I found out that they are twins.


    Typical.


    "Well for all we know, she could have a mate that is worried sick about her. And whoever is her mate, we need to tell him or her that she is here." Rory said and I smiled at him.


    Note to self: Make friends with nice, understanding twin instead of evil, rotten, no good twin.


    "If I ever find my mate I just hope she won''t be like yours, AKA the pack slut. Plus this worthless little piece of shit could be one trying to get with every single Alpha male out there." Scott says rudely and puffs his chest out.


    "What did you call my mate Scott?" I heard Jax''s voice and I hid behind Rory. I saw hurt and pain go through his eyes but it also left as fast as it came. And it was replaced with anger.


    "Alpha Jax, I-I di-didn''t say a-anything." Scott stuttered and when Jax growled so loud and filled with pure hatred, he ran off whimpering. He then looked at me and I cowered even more behind Rory, but he moved out of the way when Jax started walking towards us.


    I still don''t know what ButterCup looks like but I know I am huge. Layla and Destiny were trying to be pulled off of me and I growled at anyone who tried to touch them.


    Then Layla got off of me and started running. Jacob ran right after her but she dropped to the ground and was rolling around and started screaming in pain. I ran up to her and guarded her from anyone who tried to touch her.


    "Step away ButterCup," Jax said and I was getting scared because I never said her name in front of him.


    Now, this was the point where I was getting pissed.


    No one tries to mess with my family.


    I started growling uncontrollably and my eyes went from a glowing yellow to a pitch black. I know this because I was looking in their eyes and they could tell I was pretty pissed.


    "Jax she''s your mate! You calm her down!" Logan yelled as he stared at Destiny, who also was hiding from him.


    It wasn''t until I heard a whimper and I looked back at Layla with adoration.


    She was a small cat, but not that small. Jacob came up to her and she whimpered while I let out a low and possessive growl over my sister.


    You can communicate with your sister you know. All packs or family members share a mind link. it''s how you communicate with others if you''re just too lazy or if they are in trouble.


    Thanks, Butter, but how do I do that?


    Just concentrate really hard and enter Layla and Missy''s mind.


    Is that her cat''s name? Missy?


    Yes isn''t it adorable!


    Oh my god yes!


    Ok, I''m gonna drool over our hot mate''s wolf for a while, just don''t mind me.


    Ok, and he is really hot as well.


    And mates can also go into each other''s mind, it''s part of the mate bond. Once again I will explain later, tootles!


    I then concentrated really hard.


    But not before I felt sparks all around my body.


    The realization hit me that I was being carried by Jax and I was thrashing everywhere. He was carrying my phone, charger, and clothes. But he let out a low sexy growl once he saw my panties and bra.


    I clawed at his face but it healed instantly.


    I was still thrashing around but he started to take me towards this huge ass house.


    As he carried me towards this mansion, I was starting to get scared. I was whimpering while thrashing around.


    But the more I did that the more the tingles spread.


    I just hope he doesn''t kill me before they kill Layla and Destiny.


    "You shouldn''t run from me Dakota and ButterCup. Cause I will always catch you." He said in a deep sexy voice and my cat purred at it while I was still scared.


    "And stop being scared of me. Neither me or Ryder like it." Jax said as he put me on the floor.


    Ryder?


    It''s his wolf''s name. Isn''t it so sexy?


    Oh, shut up you lovesick kitten.


    I can''t help it, Ryder is trying to get us to like him and Jax. I already know I love him. You need to as well.


    You can''t love someone who kidnaps you! I barely even know him!


    Well then get to know him! I want him to mark us!


    Mark us?


    Marking is part of the mating process. it shows other male wolves that we are his and we mark him in return to show other female wolves that he is ours.


    Mating process!? We have to have sex with him!


    Yes! I really want him to f-


    Ok, I''m blocking you out LA LA LA LA LA LA!


    Geez, don''t have to be a party pooper...


    I cut ButterCup off and start to think.


    But there was nothing I could do. Jax was keeping me in one spot on the ground. I looked around and saw Destiny and Layla were still close by.


    Wait a second.


    I look at him and start to whine and give him my best puppy eyes.


    Ok, that''s offensive... I am a feline, not a canine.


    Yeah yeah, but it still works.


    He looked down at me and his eyes were laced with worry.


    "ButterCup? What''s wrong?" He asked with sympathy and I made sure there was pain in my eyes.


    He made sure I was close to him, and everyone started to gather around me. I then gently put my foot on the ground and picked it back up and made a squeak in pain.


    "Dakota? Kitten you ok?" Jax said with worry in his voice and all I did was pretend to whimper.


    When really, I wanted to kill him for calling me kitten.


    We both know you and I liked it.


    Yea but it''s... It''s just... Oh, shut up!


    I cut her off and continued with my plan of trying to get away from the psychopaths that surrounded me.


    "Kitten tell me what''s wrong? I wanna fix what''s been hurt." He said in a sad scared voice and I felt bad for doing this.


    But it was fun at the same time.


    So I started to "limp" over the Layla where she got the strength to stand and shake her coat that was covered in leaves. Her coat was black and white. I was then starting to wonder what my coat looked like. Then as if someone read my thought, they brought a mirror out and showed me what I looked like.


    I was shocked when I saw my color. I was a somewhat Autumn color. My eyes were a bright yellow and my coat was a caramel color, with a brown tint. I looked over to Jax and he was looking at me with a certain feeling roaming in his eyes.


    Pride?


    Respect? Definitely not that one. If he respected me he wouldn''t try to kidnap me.


    Love? But how could he love me? I''ve only known him for about... A few hours at the least. That''s impossible.


    He is our mate, Dakota. He already loves us with all his heart!


    But how? He barely even knows us and we barely know him. You can''t love someone without getting to know a person!


    Do you believe in love at first sight?


    I don''t know.. It''s never happened to me before..


    This is exactly that! This is love at first sight! He already loves us without even having to get to know us! Now go to him!


    Why? So his friends can hurt Layla? Absolutely not! I''m not letting them handle my baby sister. For all we know, they could be rapists and pedophiles and creeps and stalkers! They could hurt my sister!


    Trust me, they won''t. They would never hurt her. I can feel it. You just have to trust me.


    I hate it when your right... But I need to tell dad and Sean about this. They would be able to help out a lot. Plus, I don''t want them calling out an amber alert for the only other two girls in his life... Which happens to be his very own daughters!


    You have a good point. So we need to find a way to escape from here-with Layla and Missy c-


    Wait... Missy?


    Yeah, Layla''s cat.


    Oh yeah, I forgot haha!


    Haha, it''s fine!


    Ok, so anyways we need to find a way to get home. Plus, I don''t know this territory so it''s gonna be harder. Plus, we have to find a way to get away from our mate. And the patrol. We also need a strategy to get Layla to come with us as well. But I will figure that out. Right now you need to get back there because they might start to worry about you.


    Ok, good luck Butter!


    Thanks, you too!


    I then cut off the link and came back to see very worried faces. And a scared Jax. I felt bad for not being able to tell him what I was doing. I turned around to look for Layla and she was giving me a knowing look. As if we had the same thought, we climbed up and tree and decided to take a little nap.


    "Buttercup, Missy? Where are you going?!" Jax yelled but we ignored him. We just yawned and fell asleep, cuddled next to each other. We then started to drift off into a little nap, until someone threw a few pebbles at us. My eyes shot open and I looked at the culprit.


    Sean?!

 Chapter Four

    ~Layla~


    (Back at the mall before the accident)


    When I first met Jacob, he was so sweet and funny and the most stupid jokes he told I was dying at.


    He was sweet and funny and kept calling me beautiful.


    "So, tell me a bit about yourself, Layla," Jacob says as I giggle and blush a bit. I looked into his deep, light gray eyes and I found myself mesmerized by the sheer beauty of them.


    I then looked at his blond hair, his strong jawline, and the stubble along his jawline.


    I swear he could be a Greek god if he wanted to.


    The realization hit me after he was smirking once he saw I was practically eye raping him.


    "You like what you see sweetheart?" He smirks and my eyes go wide and I look away, no doubt my face is as red as a cherry.


    And then he emits a full-on, hearty laugh.


    And oh my god, was it deep and sexy!


    I was practically drooling at the sound and I was getting really nervous.


    Eh, what the hell.


    I laugh along with him and after we calm down, I''ve noticed that he moved closer to me, and was holding me by the waist. And when I looked into his gray eyes, I saw adoration in them. I sighed contently, and I laid my head on his shoulder as I talked about myself.


    "Well, I''m sixteen... Uhh... Hah... Hmm." I tried to think of something. Interesting and he chuckled as I struggled to find words.


    "Well, I''m nineteen. I''m turning twenty in about two weeks." He said and I smiled a bit.


    "That''ll be fun. What are you going to do for your birthday?" I said and looked towards him completely. Watching as his eyes shine brightly when I looked at him.


    "Probably a pool party. But my family and I will probably go to a cliff that we always go to when someone turns twenty. It''s basically a tradition. We all race in the woods to see who can get there first and jump in. And when you do, you howl. This is especially more fun because we do it at midnight on the day of that person''s birthday." He smiles and I can see the excitement in his eyes, and the longing for it to happen. I smile in return and squeeze his hand.


    "That sounds like f-" I cut myself off as realization hit me.


    Wait a second...


    I never grabbed his hand...


    I looked down and saw his hand was over mine. And when I looked up, he was smiling cheekily, but guiltily as well. I giggled and intertwined our fingers and rubbed my thumb over his hand.


    "Okay back to you. What is... Your favorite color?" He asked and I giggle. Typical first question.


    "That''s a hard question... Considering my closet holds like every color known to man." I laugh a bit and he joins me soon after.


    "I would have to say... Orange. And before you ask next, yes, my favorite flavor candy is orange." I giggle as he looked at me with adoration. I looked deeper into his eyes and they held another emotion.


    Love?


    I thought for a second but shoved the thought away. You can''t love someone as soon as you meet them.


    "So, what''s your favorite color?" I ask and he chuckles that deep sexy chuckle I''ve grown to love.


    "Blue, and yes, before you ask, my favorite candy flavor is cherry." He says and I burst out laughing.


    "They aren''t even the same color!" I laugh and he joins me, and when we calm down he starts to lean in a bit. I get nervous and I start to panic. He senses me tense up. He squeezes my hand in a comforting manner, and I calm down and lean forward as well.


    This was it! My first kiss! I wonder if his lips are soft? Oh! Now I''m nervous again. What if I''m not that good of a kisser? That would be awful! Oh god, he would never talk to me again and then I''ll be lonely for the rest of my life living with twenty-eight cats and I''ll be a hoarder and-Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    My train of thought stops when he actually kisses me.


    His lips were so soft and he was so gentle.


    I froze for a second, not knowing what to do. But I relaxed into him and mimicked exactly what he did.


    He put one hand on my cheek and I slightly leaned into it. I smiled into the kiss and slowly leaned back to end the kiss. Especially since I was out of air from the gentle, passionate kiss we just shared.


    I looked into his eyes and they were definitely showing an emotion I could make out one hundred percent.


    Love.


    I gasped a bit and I felt something inside of me awake. It felt like this part of me died off somehow, but awoke after a couple of years of slumber.


    I ignored the sensation and paid my attention back to Jacob.


    "Wow," we both said at the same time and laughed a bit. I leaned into his touch, not even ignoring the tingles I got from him holding me close. I felt safe and I never wanted this feeling to end.


    I sigh contently as I get rearranged and put myself onto his lap, my head once again on his shoulder.


    I saw him look down and smile at me, and he kissed my forehead and rubbed his nose against mine. I giggled a bit but nonetheless, I rubbed my nose against his too. He then kissed my nose and I hid my face in the crook of his neck and smiled.


    I then heard high heels clicking and clacking against the floor, and they were coming towards us.


    I then looked up and immediately saw three different sluts coming up towards me and Jacob. And the lead girl was giving Jacob a seductive look, while the other two were giving me nasty looks.


    This got me pissed.


    I suddenly felt all protective of Jake and I got super jealous. I then looked at him and he seemed angry as hell.


    Like, if looks could kill, she''d be twenty feet under.


    She then stopped and ran her hand up and down his chest a few times before giggling seductively.


    "Jakey," she said in the most seductive voice possible. My blood was boiling at this point.


    Grrr....


    Wait what?


    What the fuck...


    Hi, sorry we had to meet like this. I''m Missy, your cat.


    Umm... Nice to meet you?


    Great now get her away before I do. Missy growled and I could feel her anger.


    And shit was it intense.


    Be my guest, to be honest, I''m too nice.


    Oh, believe me, dear, I know. I''ve been here for the past sixteen years watching what goes on, and I''ve seen how nice you are. Plus I''ll be given the chance to show Jacob''s wolf Landon how pissy missy can get.


    I giggled a bit in my mind at how she acted. I then paid attention again and saw this girl trying to get Jake''s attention, while he was looking at me with worry and concern.


    I looked into his eyes and they were a pitch black. I gasped a bit but didn''t pay attention to it as the girl pushed me off of him.


    I fell to the floor with a loud thud, and the whole food court just shut up and looked at what was going on.


    "Jacob, baby, come on. You don''t possibly want a nobody like her. You want a girl that can please you. Someone like me." She said as she started to kiss his neck.


    I stood up immediately to this.


    "Shea, stop," Jacob said with authority in his voice and I couldn''t help but suppress the giggle that was about to escape my lips.


    "Awe, but we always do this Jakey, why not now?" This Shea girl says and I grabbed her by the hair and dragged her off of him.


    "Because we both are saying so!" I said, not even knowing it is me anymore. It didn''t sound like me and I was really confused.


    Don''t worry it''s just me. Time to show her who''s boss.


    Good, go right ahead.


    Shea looked terrified and then she looked pissed.


    She tried to flip me but I did another move when I was behind her and her arms were in my hands and I was twisting them a dangerous way.


    "If you as even think about touching him again, you will not have the hands to put on make-up, and you will have a different kind of make-over for your face," I growled with anger and she shook for a second before flipping me onto the floor.


    "Girls look, it''s a little wanna be." She said and they all giggled while jake stood up going over to me.


    "Jake look, it''s a walking STD," I said and everyone in the whole area froze, including Shea and her gang. Then everyone including Jacob was laughing.


    "The bad thing about that, is that it''s so true!" Jacob said while rolling on the floor laughing.


    Shea and her gang turned red in anger and growled with hatred and their eyes were pitch black.


    "You think you can barge in here and steal my man away from me?!" Shea screams and everyone becomes silent again and Jake is trying really hard to stifle his laughs.


    "Yes. Especially since he was never yours hoe," I said and smirked as she got even redder.


    "How dare you! You''re nothing but an insignificant piece of shit that he will use for a one night stand and then leave forever." Shea said and her gang giggled while I faked hurt.


    "Well, if he was going to do that to me, how come he already did it to you?" I stated and she took a threatening step forward.


    "How dare you! You are a no-good, lying, worthless, ugly-" I cut her off before she could finish her sentence.


    "Shea, dear," I said and she shook with anger.


    "You should really stop talking about yourself that way hun. It''s bad for your self-esteem." I said and she gasped and raised her hand. I moved out of the way before she could hit me and she growled ever louder.


    "Oh, and I suggest, that unless your name is google, you should stop acting like you know everything," I said and everyone started laughing again. Jacob then walked behind me and hugged me and kissed my cheek.


    "Where have you been all my life!" He laughs but continues to hug me.


    Shea at this point starts to walk away with her wanna-be''s.


    "Mock my words, you will pay for stealing Jacob away from me!" She yells over the laughter.


    "Honey, he was never yours!" I tell back and she screams in anger and keeps walking away.


    I laugh along with everyone and turn to look at Jacob. He was smiling down at me and I smiled up at him and kissed him.


    The kiss was full of longing and happiness mixed in.


    I smiled once the kiss was over and then Jacob and I kept laughing.


    Then my phone rang.

 Chapter Five

    ~Destiny~


    (Before the car accident)


    I was with Logan in the mall. We went to an ice cream store and we got ice cream. But since I had already gotten ice cream today, I wasn''t complaining.


    Ice cream is ice cream.


    I was looking at the menu when he asked me a question.


    "So, how old are you?" He asks and I smiled a bit.


    "I am eighteen. What about you?" I asked and he smiled.


    "I''m twenty." He said and I nodded. Good, he isn''t like a thirty-year-old pervert.


    "That''s cool," I said and I looked back at the menu.


    This place had so many flavors. Mint chocolate chip, coffee, caramel, vanilla, chocolate, swirl. They had everything! And a flavor called dirt. I read the description for that one and it said that it was chocolate ice cream with Oreo cookies and gummy worms in it.


    I immediately gained interest.


    Once the waiter came over to us to take our order, I smiled politely at him.


    "I''ll have a waffle cone with three scoops of dirt." I smiled sheepishly and he chuckled but put in my order.


    "I''ll have a cone with two scoops of chocolate chip cookie dough." He said and the waiter smiled at us and put in the orders.


    "That''ll be $8.64." The waiter said and Logan handed him a ten-dollar bill.


    "Keep the change," Logan said and the waiter smiled politely and thanked us. We then waited for our ice cream.If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "So..." He said and I giggled a bit.


    "So..." I said and we both laughed a bit.


    "Has anyone ever told you that you''re very beautiful?" He asked and I looked down and blushed, hoping thy my hair would cover my face.


    "Not really, but I have heard it from a few people. And my parents. But then again, parents say that to their daughters anyways to make them feel special." I laughed a bit and he chuckled.


    "Well, you are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen." He said and grabbed my hand and kissed it. I blushed again and lowered my head so he couldn''t see my blush.


    I muttered a thank you to him and blushed a bit more.


    "You''re welcome Destiny." He smiled at me and when I looked into his blue and yellow eyes, I saw admiration in them. I smiled back and when our ice cream came to us we left the store.


    While we were walking around we were talking and asking each other more questions to get to know one another.


    "Okay, so, what is your favorite animal?" He asked.


    "I love wolves. What about you?"


    "Same. There''s something about them that makes them look so free and alive." He said and I smiled.


    "They''re beautiful," I said as I threw away my napkin that I got with my ice cream.


    "So I''m guessing you''re a senior?" He asked and I nodded.


    "I''m really sad about being a senior though. I don''t want to graduate. Just the thought of not seeing my friends for years devastates me and I love my school. Our mascot is a wolf and when I first heard about this, I was dying to get in. And I was lucky that I did, as well as Dakota. Her sister Layla got in because Dakota was already in. But nonetheless, the school is great and everyone is very relaxed." I smiled as I recall memories from school.


    "That sounds awesome. What''s the school called?" He asks and looks very intrigued.


    "Forest High. Which is very ironic because it''s right next to the forest." I giggled and he chuckled.


    "It must be beautiful looking out the window and seeing the forest. Seeing bunnies and deer and all those creatures." Logan said with interest.


    "Yeah, it is. I once saw a baby deer stand for the first time and it was so cute! He fell over the first time but then his mama pushed him up and he winked, but then slanted himself and started jumping around and he looked so happy!" I said and giggled at the memory. Logan chuckled and he leaned down and kissed my cheek. I froze for a second and once I realized that he kissed my cheek, I could feel the heat rushing to my face. I looked down and had my hair cover my face. I started to smile and I kept rethinking what had just happened.


    He kissed my cheek.


    He kissed my cheek.


    Oh my god, he kissed my cheek!


    I was really happy and giddy from then on. We then went to Starbucks for some coffee.


    "So what would you like?" Logan asked and I looked up at the menu.


    Ugh, so many choices...


    My train of thought was cut off when my phone rang.

 Chapter Six

    ~Dakota~


    ''Why is Sean here?''


    ''Who cares! That''s our ticket out of here!''


    ''But I care! My mate is down there!''


    ''But our dad is more important! He''s probably worried sick!''


    ''Oh... Alright. But promise to come back here?''


    ''Hell no.''


    ''Why the fuck not?''


    ''He was going to keep up captive here. He''s an asshole. End of story.''


    I shut her out after that. I was not going to listen to her or her stupid reasoning. I was not staying here and that was final.


    "Dakota Cheyenne Kennedy and Layla Denise Kennedy get your assess down here now!"Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Our cats couldn''t say no to him. They were frightened and they immediately obeyed his command. We jumped down from the tree and slowly made our way towards him with our ears back and tail tucked. He looked furious, and then I smelled something that was supposedly familiar.


    "Sean, it''s fine. Thank you, son." My father said as he walked around from the other side of the house.


    "How did none of you sense their presence or smell them?!" My mate asks furiously.


    "Werecats have a gene so that their scents only can be detected when they want them to be. Unlike you werewolves that stink up the place." As my father said this, my mate went in for the kill. I ran in front of my father and growled menacingly at him. He was not getting to my father. Not on my watch.


    "Step out of the way little mate." I once again growled and started moving towards him. He started to back up and I let out a roar that got him off his feet and onto his ass.


    "Impossible," Sean says.


    "Did she really just do that?" A pack member asked.


    "That''s my little girl." My dad says.


    That proud father moment only lasted those five seconds.


    "Wait. Little mate? Hell no! My daughter will not be the mate of some wolf. She''d be better off with a human."


    "How dare you insult me!"


    "How dare you take my children from me!"


    "Go back to your wife old man!"


    And then it was silent. My father stumbled backward and stuttered.


    "See, the old man can''t even talk." They pushed him to the ground. I once again growled.


    "Shut her up." They tried to touch me but Sean stepped in front of me, grabbed the alpha''s face with his palm, and we all watched as eyes glazed over. My mates eyes grew wide as he saw the scene unfold. What was going on?

 Chapter Seven

    ~Jax~


    It was strange. Sean grabbed my face and the next thing I know is that I''m watching a scene before my eyes. I was in a forest, and it was dark outside. The only light was coming from the moon goddess. Her light shone between the trees and cast shadows all along the forest floor. All of a sudden, a beautiful woman appeared. She looked to be in her thirties. She was running though, as if something was chasing her. I followed after her, trying to see what has upset her so terribly. As I ran after her, I saw a man and a little boy. They''re humans. But the older man looked very familiar. I just couldn''t put my finger on it. Then I see wolves. But not any ordinary wolves, these are wolves from my pack! My father is leading them with his beta and his third in command right behind him. They ended up cornering her. She then turned into a cat.


    She was a werecat? They are very rare.


    I watched from behind a tree as my father and the beta and third command circle around her. They were all growling at her. I then looked over to the man and the child, and the child was crying, holding onto the man. I''m assuming they were father and son. The man was now crying as well. The mom was looking at them from the corner of her eye. There were sorrow and love inside them. I started crying myself. It felt like I was connected to them emotionally somehow. This pain was unbearable. Also, considering that my father was going to kill a woman for no apparent reason, I was pretty upset. I knew my father could torture people to get answers, and that he killed rouges. But they were all werewolves. He had never killed a different species before and I was upset. The father I knew was better than this.


    Then all of a sudden they all attack her, my father going first. He went straight for the kill. I gasped and covered my mouth. As my father went in for the kill, I felt a pang in my chest. I then looked toward the father and son and saw that they were both crying. The man fell to his knees, and I was overwhelmed with such pain in my chest that I fell as well. It felt like my heart had been ripped out of my chest and torn to a million pieces. The pain I was feeling was unbearable. I started to cry. I then realized that the man and woman were mates, and this must have been what it felt like to lose a mate. I don''t know how he went on. Usually, people die when they lose their mates. However, he was human, so he was able to stay alive, just continuously mourn the death of his mate. After my father left her for dead, the father and son ran up to her. Once a werecat or a werewolf dies in their animal form, they go back into human form. She was naked.


    "Mommy?" The little boy asks while crying.


    "Mommy! Wake up please!" The boy was sobbing. He had just witnessed his mother''s murder. And there was nothing he could do to help her. If he interfered, both he and his father would have been killed.


    "Daddy, why isn''t mommy waking up?" The little boy asked.


    "Sean,"


    Wait. Sean. That is Dakota''s and Layla''s brother''s name. If that is Sean, and if that is Mr. Kennedy, then that means...


    That was their mother. Mr. Kennedy''s mate. Dakota and Layla''s mother.


    Who they think fucking fell to her death from forty-five feet!


    This is awful...


    "Mommy is gonna sleep for a long time now. She won''t be waking up. She''s gonna be in a peaceful sleep and nothing bad will happen to her. Just know, that mommy loved you so much. Don''t you dare ever forget that. Okay, Sean?" Mr. Kennedy said.


    "Okay, daddy. Please don''t fall asleep soon. I want you to be able to wake up." Sean was still crying and Mr. Kennedy joined him. I was holding myself in a ball and crying. Then I didn''t feel that pain. And the scene in front of me started to disappear. Before I knew it, I was looking back at the older version of Sean.


    "Oh my god... Alpha is crying... What did you do to him?" One of my pack members asked. All I did was look from Sean to Mr. Kennedy, to the girls, and then fall to the ground bawling. The pain I just felt, is the most horrible thing I could ever experience. If I had ever lost Dakota, I wouldn''t be able to survive. She is my everything. She is my rock. My anchor. My mea lux. (Mea lux is Latin for my light.)


    "Jax?" I heard her angelic voice and it only made me cry harder. I longed to hold her in my arms and never let go. I just needed to be near Dakota.


    "Dakota..." I sobbed her name and she came running over to me. She was clothed, so I''m assuming she changed when no one was paying attention. She touched my arm and I felt the tingles and not the heartbreak. I reached out for her and when I felt her body, I pulled her into my lap and held her as I sobbed into her chest. She played with my hair and said comforting things into my ear.


    "Leave, now!" I shouted to the members of my pack. I hated them seeing me like this. They all left except for Logan and Jake, Mr. Kennedy, Sean, Layla, and Destiny.


    "Jax, it''s okay. You don''t need to cry... Baby..." As Dakota hushed me with little sentences like these, it really helped me calm down. With all of the tingles and her voice and feeling her warmth, I felt whole. I felt complete. If only she would accept me. But most importantly, I need to get her father''s blessing. That will take a lot of work though, considering my father and two other members of my pack killed his mate. He probably does not deem me worthy. Also considering I kidnapped his children and their friend.


    "Dakota... I''m so sorry... I do not expect your forgiveness, I do not expect anything from you. But please give me another chance. I can''t lose you... I just can''t!" I held onto her tighter, but not too tight to where she couldn''t breathe. She was in shock, I could tell because she started to stutter a bit and stopped all movement. She then continued to play with my hair and helped calm me down.


    "Jax? What happened?" Jacob asks as he stares at me in astonishment. It takes a lot for me to break down like this.


    "Nothing," I said in a hard tone.


    "Jax obviously some-"


    "I said nothing!" At this point, I was seething with anger. Why would he do that? What had she ever done to him? Most likely nothing. I want answers now. There are laws between werecats and werewolves. One species can not kill someone of the other species unless having a good reason, like if they committed a crime on the other''s land, or if they did something terrible to the alpha or luna, things that are just plain awful. My father isn''t a good man. He abuses everyone in the pack. Including my mother and I. But that''s a story for another day.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "If you say so alpha." Jacob showed his respects by bowing and calling me alpha. I shoved my head into the crook of Dakota''s neck and took in a long deep breath. Her scent was out of this world. I couldn''t get enough of it. It helped calm me down a lot, and I eventually stopped crying. However, I still had a tight grip on Dakota. Her father was giving me a death glare though, silently telling me how he hated the way I was holding his daughter. He then looked over to his other daughter Layla and became infuriated. Jacob was holding Layla and kissing her forehead. She sighed in content and if looks could kill, Jake and I would be buried in the ocean''s depths.


    "I will not have my daughters mated to some no good werewolves!" Mr. Kennedy yelled. We all looked over to him.


    "My mate is a werewolf, dad. I know you don''t like it, but I''m the alpha in our little family. I''m not going to go on life without her if I do meet her in human form. She was one of the wolves that we saw at the deer stand." Sean trailed off quietly and his father looked at him, ready to explode.


    "Dad, why didn''t you tell us we were werecats? That would have been nice to know!" Dakota asked in an accusing tone. Her father then looked down and started to rub the back of his neck.


    "I didn''t think you girls were ready to know. And Destiny, why are you covered in blood?"


    "We got into a car crash running away from these guys." Dakota said nonchalantly.


    "What!" Her father was now enraged.


    "They may or may not have tried to kidnap us..." Layla said quietly, then immediately hiding behind Jacob''s back.


    "Girls! You will be coming home with me now! I forbid you from seeing these disgusting pieces of shit ever again! Sean, get them now and meet me by the car." As Mr. Kennedy finished saying this, one of my pack members came out to investigate. It was my cousin, Riley. When Sean looked over towards the door, they both made eye contact and gasped.


    You''re shitting me, right? These guys too?


    "Mate!" They both yelled as their eyes turned black. They ran up to one another and embraced each other. She then took a deep whiff of his sent then backed up.


    "You''re a cat." She said bluntly, sounding angry because of the fact.


    "Yes. I am. Is that a bad thing?" He asked, looking quite hurt by the expression she was giving him.


    "I do not know. I don''t know what to think about this." She said, as she looked away and rubbed her arm. She didn''t look like she wanted to be his mate.


    "Oh," Sean said, the sadness clear in his voice. She flinched a little from the sound and looked down at her shoes. It was awkward silence for a moment before Mr. Kennedy spoke up.


    "I will not allow my children to be mated to werewolves. You will become mates with either a human or another werecat." He said angrily.


    "But dad, we''re rare! Who knows where another werecat is. Besides, we can''t not accept our mates. Obviously it''s going to take time because they tried to kidnap us, but my cat has already accepted his wolf. We can''t just leave them and start a life with someone that isn''t meant for us." Dakota said and he stumbled on his words for a second.


    "I do not care. You girls are leaving, end of discussion. You girls will never see them again. Including you Destiny. Unless you want me to tell your mother about all of this and get you grounded and that boy in jail. I can tell by the way he is looking at you that you both are mates."


    "Sir, you can''t just not allow the alpha to see his mate. It will drive him crazy to the point where he will do anything to get to his mate." Logan spoke up.


    "Plus, I''m the beta and the man next to Destiny is the third in command. Their mates are the most important part of a pack. Surely you must know this sir." Jacob said in a polite manner and Mr. Kennedy just looked at him. The despair in his eyes was clearly seen by all of us, and we all knew he was still mourning the death of his mate to this day. Riley then looked up in a rush. We all looked towards her to see what she wanted to say.


    "I do not want a mate right now." She said bluntly. However, I could see the pain she was fighting from showing. She didn''t want to say that. We then looked at Sean and he stumbled backward and fell to the ground holding his chest. Dakota gasped and then stood up.


    ~Dakota~


    "How dare you!" She screamed in rage.


    "Stay out of this. I have no need to talk to a bunch of felines." She growled and started to walk away.


    ''HOW DARE SHE TALK TO HER LUNA LIKE THAT!''


    ''Luna? What''s that?''


    ''It''s the highest female rank in a pack, also known as the alphas mate. Let me at her!


    Before I could do anything, Butter came to the surface and I was watching from afar. Does she always view things like this?


    "How dare you disrespect your Luna!" Butter screamed at her and Riley turned around, she looked terrified.


    "You can''t possibly be my Luna." She said in an opposing tone. All of a sudden I shifted and roared. It held so much power. I could feel her wolf was trying to obey and bow, but Riley was stubborn and wasn''t allowing it. I kept roaring at her until she shifted and bowed. Then I would know that she has made it known that I am the one in charge here. She finally shifted after about two more minutes and she bowed, her ears tucked to her head. I growled at her, which made her cower more. She then stood up slowly and walked over to me, tail tucked and all. She bent her head down so the back of her neck was shown to Butter. Butter growled towards her and nipped her neck in anger and dominance. After that, Riley laid down in submission. I saw my brother sadly walk over to me, with a pair of clothes. They smelled just like Jax so I knew they were his.


    I grabbed them with my mouth and walked behind a tree to shift. I shifted and put on his clothes and walked over to Riley, holding up the clothing since it was so baggy on my small frame. I grabbed her by the ear and she yelped.


    "If you reject your alpha mate, you will regret it. You will be missing out on probably the best person on this earth. And if you ever disrespect your luna, female beta and female third in command, you will regret that even more. Do I make myself clear!" It was me towards the beginning, but Butter came out for the last part. She only whined and whimpered in submission and I took that as a sign that she understood kind of thing. I pinched her ear hard before letting it go, watching her run off in fear. I scoffed at her actions and turned around to see a lot of people. I''m assuming they''re all in Jax''s pack and they just witnessed their luna have a childish wolf submit to a cat.


    "Way to go Luna!" Logan yelled out and I nodded and smiled. I then looked at my brother Sean and my father. There was so much pride in my father''s eyes. I smiled at him and he smiled back.


    "What in the hell is going on out here? Why isn''t anyone doing something with their lives you worthless pieces of shit!" I heard an older male talking and I got scared. Jax got up and kissed my forehead. He put me behind him and Logan and Jake did the same thing with Layla and Destiny. Then an older version of Jax came out, and I knew right then and there that it was his father. Then a small woman came out as well, and she had the same eyes as Jax, so assumed that was Jax''s mother. She was very beautiful but terribly bruised. I gasped a small bit, and that made Jax''s father turn towards us.


    "Why the hell are those pathetic felines on my property!" He roared in anger and I felt Butter get infuriated. She came to the surface and I couldn''t stop her.


    "How dare you! We aren''t pathetic, and quite frankly, I am Jax''s mate." I grabbed his hand and he smiled at me for not letting anyone talk poorly about my family.


    "I don''t think so. You''re too weak to be a Luna. You will never be strong enough to be anything in life." After he said that I growled and shifted into my large cat. Everyone gasped and backed up. I stood tall and was filled with determination and pride. I would show him who''s weak. I roared at him and he growled and shifted into a black wolf that had a blue tint to it. He tried to stand taller, but my cat was slightly bigger than his wolf. I smirked at him and let Butter have full control. I watched it from afar. This was either going to go very good or end very badly.

 Chapter Eight

    ~Jax~


    Shit. I have to do something about this. I can''t let my mate die because of my father. He will rip her to shreds. Plus, Dakota hasn''t had any training whatsoever. She could very much die because of this. I ran in between them and put my hands out.


    "Stop! I''m not letting you two fight. Dad, Dakota is my mate. Yes, she is a werecat, but I want my mate and we can''t change that the moon goddess has chosen her for me. She is a great girl, and I''d do anything to protect her. Even if it was from myself or you. And Dakota, you can''t fight my dad. You have zero training, and because of that, it would be an unfair fight. There is one rule to fighting, and that is the people have to have the same amount and discipline in training. Since you are both of alpha/luna rank, you need to be as trained as he is. Therefore, neither of you can fight one another." Heh, take that dad. Didn''t think I was paying attention during that class now did you? I smirked at my dad, and he growled and walked back inside. I then looked back at Dakota, and she was taking deep breaths to calm herself down. I stroked her head and she licked my hand. We then heard my father''s thunderous footsteps and we turned around.


    "She will train. She will fight me. If she loses, she can''t be your mate and you will be with a werewolf. If she wins, which won''t happen, she will become the new Luna of the pack and you Alpha. And I will retire, as will my wife." He sounded really cocky. Like he knew he was going to win.


    "And what if she does not desire to fight you, dear father?" I asked him.


    "Then she will die." He walked away before I could come after him. I growled angrily and saw that Dakota had come back in human form.


    In another man''s clothes.


    "Whose. The fucks clothes. Are. Those." I growled in anger.


    "My brothers." As soon as she said that I turned eight different shades of red. I looked over and saw that his shirt was gone, and I could tell that he gave his boxers to his sister. That was kind of him.


    "Thanks." I gave him a nod of thanks and held Dakota close to me.


    "I do not care. You three are werewolves... And I-I can''t lose my children like I lost my m-mate." Mr. Kennedy was already tearing up.


    "Dad... You aren''t going to lose us. They will be able to protect us. You have done such a good job, but you need a break from the protection, and just be here to support us in case one of them messes up. Which, you know, will definitely happen." Layla said but giggled when her mate gave her a flat look. Mr. Kennedy chuckled and wiped his tears.


    "I suppose you''re right Layla. I just can''t lose you like I lost your mother. I couldn''t protect her from-" He stopped himself and Dakota looked up.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    "From what dad? You couldn''t help she fell to her death..." She trailed off, but the tone in her voice knew her dad had messed up.


    "Kids... Your mother didn''t fall to her death..." He was starting to cry, remembering the memory of what had happened to her was painful. I didn''t even wanna think about it.


    "Then what the hell happened to her? You told us for years that she fell to her death! Why would you lie to us?" Dakota got up, and Layla also walked over. Sean moved back.


    "You know what happened to mom?" Dakota accused him. He looked guilty.


    "I saw it happen... You really think I''d want to talk about how our mother was mercilessly murdered by none other than your mate''s father?" Sean got pissed. Dakota took a step back and looked at me.


    Shit.


    "How long have you known?" Now she was pissed with me. Great.


    "That''s what Sean showed me earlier. That''s why I was crying. I felt the pain of your father losing his mate... I don''t want to feel that ever again..." I looked down at my lap and sighed.


    This was gonna be one hell of a talk.


    "Jax''s father... Murdered my mother..? Our mother?" Dakota was crying now. I ran over to her and held her close.


    "No! Don''t touch me! For all I know, you could be just like your dad! You did try to kidnap me. Why wouldn''t you kill me?" Dakota was sobbing.


    "I would never kill the person I love," I said flatly. She looked up and she looked astonished.


    "You love me?" She questioned. I heard her heart flutter just a bit.


    "Of course I do. I''ve never felt anything like this, and I''ve never really had a proper girlfriend. That''s why I had the stupid idea of kidnapping you. I know now that that was wrong, and I won''t ever let it happen to you again. But I am not going to kill my mate. I only kill people if they deserve it." I held my arms open for her. After a moment of giving me a questioning look, she walked into my arms and continued to cry.


    "My father will pay for what he has done. I promise." I kissed the top of her head and stroked her back.


    "I didn''t even get a chance to meet her..." Layla whispered quietly. Silent tears rolling down her face. Jacob held her close and kissed the top of her head.


    "Our fathers were involved as well... We will make sure they pay for this." Jacob said and that only made Layla cry harder. I looked up and saw that Sean was standing next to his father. Crying silently, but somehow continuing to look strong for everyone else''s sake.


    "Jax, Logan, and Jacob," Mr. Kennedy starts. We all listen.


    "I don''t like any of you. Even if Destiny is not my daughter, she is part of my family. I do not want my children getting hurt. If I see one tear come from them because of you, I will kill you myself unless they are happy tears. I lost my mate, and I can never get her back, but I can''t keep you three from my children. No matter the rank. I don''t know what Riley is going to do about Sean and vice versa, but she better accept my son. What I''m trying to say is, do not hurt my babies. I will find out. And don''t let them get hurt either. I can''t lose them as well." We all nodded once in respect towards Mr. Kennedy.


    "Yes, sir." We all said in unison. We all started walking towards where Mr. Kennedy''s car was parked. I hugged Dakota tight and she hugged me tighter. I felt my heart race and I know she heard me.


    "When can we see you all again? You know, without having to kidnap us?" Dakota said jokingly and we all laughed. Except for Mr. Kennedy and Sean.


    "How about later tonight? In the woods?" I questioned and she nodded softly. I grabbed her hand and kissed it softly. I saw her face become red with embarrassment and smiled.


    "I will see you later, my beautiful mate." They all entered the car and the rest of us walked back into the house.


    Later, my beautiful mate is when I will truly be able to know you.

 Chapter Nine

    ~Dakota~


    My father allowed me to go out into the forest tonight to meet Jax. I wandered in the woods and looked up at the sky. The moon had lit up the entire forest through the trees. It was almost a full moon, and it was very beautiful. Especially since the sky was clear of clouds. As I walked through the woods, I started to feel anxious. I was excited yet nervous to meet up with Jax. I couldn''t stop thinking about what we would do when we meet, or who else would be with him. I smiled as I walked over a log. I then heard a twig snap behind me and turned around quickly. Since my cat had come out, I''m a lot more sensitive to sound and light. I can see pretty damn well in the dark, my hearing feels like I can hear a bunny eat grass from five miles away, and my smell is also pretty good as well. I can smell the water from the lake that''s about two miles into the woods, and I''m not even going in that direction. I heard another twig break and now I was on alert. I tried using my senses to help me. My nose smelled something familiar. It was amazing and when I used my night vision, I saw Jax in wolf form hiding behind a few trees. I breathed a sigh of relief and giggled.


    "Jax, don''t you try and scare me like that!" He shifted back and slipped on some shorts as he chuckled.


    "I wanted to see how fast you''d be able to figure out it was me. I''m glad the first thing you did was use your sense of smell. Very smart." He smiled and he pulled me into a hug. I sighed and took in a breath of his scent. It was mesmerizing. He growled lowly in approval and pulled me closer to himself. I snuggled into his warmth and kissed his chest softly. I heard his growl and I giggled.


    "I missed you." I sigh as Jax hugged me.


    "I missed you too." I looked up at him and kissed his cheek gently. He kissed my forehead and I sighed. Jax led us over to a big tree and we sat down beneath it. He, however, decided to place me on his lap the last second and I laughed at him. He chuckled as he pulled me closer to him. I laid my head on his shoulder as we stared at the moon. Jax grew a bit uneasy and tugged at his hair a bit.


    "Jax? What''s wrong baby?" He shivered and growled in approval.


    "There''s something we need to discuss." He was serious, and it made me feel like I did something wrong.


    "Don''t worry, I feel your panic darling. You haven''t done anything wrong. What I''m talking about concerns the full moon." I sighed in relief and nodded.


    "I''m assuming you''re going to ask for me not to be around you."


    "On the contrary, I''m actually going to need you with me so I don''t end up killing someone." I looked at him with wide eyes before he started to explain.


    "Before I knew you were my mate, whenever the full moon would come around, I would have to isolate myself to prevent from going crazy. However, now that I know I have a mate, my wolf will think of doing nothing but wanting to protect you. Anything could happen to you, and I can''t let that happen. And it will never happen as long as I am around. I can promise you that." I smiled at him but grew worried.


    "Your wolf won''t hurt me?" He kissed my forehead and pulled me closer to him.


    "No. He wouldn''t dare." I nodded and we sat in comfortable silence before I started falling asleep on Jax.


    ''Dakota? Where are you?'' I heard my brother in a mind link.


    ''I''m with Jax in the forest. I''m safe, I can assure you.'' I practically heard the relief in his voice.


    ''Okay. That''s good. Dad says if you want him to come inside he can, just don''t do anything you''d regret.'' I chuckled.


    ''Yes, sir.'' I gave him my best solute voice and he laughed.


    "What''s so funny?" Jax questioned and my face went red.


    "Nothing, my brother was talking to me that''s all. Would you like to go back to the house? My dad said you''re able to stay for the night." Jax smiled and kissed my head.


    "I''d love to darling." He picked me up and walked us to my room. He laid me on the bed before he got under the covers with me. I sighed and laid my head on his chest.


    "Sleep well beautiful." I giggled.


    "You too handsome." He chuckled before he fell asleep. And the sleep that was to follow, was determined to be the best damn sleep I''ve ever gotten in my life.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª


    I woke up with an arm around my waist, and a face in the crook of my neck. I smiled and snuggled closer to Jax, only to have him growl in return. I giggled and sighed as I looked out the window. The sun was shining and I heard birds chirping. I tried to sit up and look outside the window more, but Jax pulled me down into him.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.


    "Stay." I laughed as I kissed his nose.


    "Calm down baby, I just wanna look outside the window." He growled low and kept me close to him. I groaned and then got the terrible urge to pee. I gasped and tried hard to get out of Jax''s embrace.


    "Jax please, I beg you, please let go I really have to pee!" He chuckled before letting me go and I practically stumbled to the bathroom. I shut the door and was satisfied as I was able to do my business. I washed my hands and then went back out to Jax and pounced onto him. I laughed as he groaned and then growled.


    "Oh, you wanna play, mate?" He got up and I got scared. I couldn''t tell if he was mad until he gave me a look of mischief in his eyes. I giggled and bolted out of my room and down the stairs. I laughed as I heard Jax right behind me. I rounded the corner only to bump into my dad. I fell to the floor and groaned.


    "Oh god, my butt!" My dad helps me up and chuckles. Then proceeds to immediately get out of the way.


    "Well, don''t stop! He''s right behind you!" I turn around and yes, he is behind me. I make a sound of pure panic and dash away to outside. We were laughing as we tumble to the ground and lay in a tangled mess. We''re still laughing a lot when Destiny and Layla come out.


    "No fair! How come he got to stay but Jacob couldn''t?" Layla whined.


    "Probably because you''re only fifteen and Dakota is eighteen." Layla only groaned in frustration as there was a knock on the door and ran back inside. Jax helped me up and we walked back inside to see who was there. We heard and saw. She squealed when she saw it was Jacob and hugged him. Logan was behind him as well and Destiny waited for him to come through the door. I quickly went into the kitchen to help make breakfast with my dad. Also to try and get away from Jax.


    "This isn''t over, little mate," Jax whispered to me while nipping my ear lobe. I blushed furiously and quickly started making eggs, bacon, sausage, and toast. Jax stood behind me and kept his arms wrapped around my waist. I smiled and leaned into him while cooking. Whenever my father wasn''t looking, he would nip at my neck and press up against me. I couldn''t help but feel a strong sense of arousal. Jax pulled away and went to help my brother set the table. I looked into the living room and saw that Layla was on Jacob''s lap and Destiny was sitting next to Logan. I smiled and finished up plating the food on plates and gave them to Jax. I sighed and started washing my hands and cleaning the pans when I heard something from outside. I looked up and growled. I couldn''t smell much except for the meat inside.


    "Dakota? What''s wrong?" My father looked concerned but I didn''t answer him. I walked outside and felt my cat on alert. Jax and Sean followed and only Jax calmed down.


    "Dakota, love it''s aright. It''s just some people from my pack." I sighed and nodded, but Buttercup wasn''t backing down until she saw it for herself. Slowly but surely, people in their wolf forms started emerging from the trees. I sighed and started to go back inside, expecting them to follow. Instead, they just sat outside waiting for something. I looked at Jax confused.


    "What, do they think they aren''t allowed inside?" Jax growled at them and they bowed their heads.


    "No. Worse. One is Logan''s dad and the other is Jacob''s. They know they aren''t welcome here. The other is Sean''s mate. Don''t know what she wants." I growled in anger and turned around. You could see the guilt in their eyes.


    "How can you live with yourself? Knowing you killed someone''s mate? The mother of three children!" I was on the verge of shifting, as Butter was starting to come out. Jax sensed this and held me.


    "You need to calm down. If they die, you die. That''s the law." I growled and looked over to Riley.


    "And what do you want? Come to hurt my brother again?" She showed her neck to me and I growled.


    "It''s not me you have to kiss up to. It''s my brother." I stormed inside and huffed as I sat down on the table. Jax opened the door and sighed.


    "They want to know if they can come in and explain themselves. Also, there are a few other people from the pack that came cause they smelled the food while on a run. Is that alright?" I rubbed my face, trying my best not to cry.


    "Not up to me. Ask Sean. The others though, sure why not." He nodded and then suddenly a lot of half-naked men and women came inside. They all bowed to me and muttered one word.


    "Luna." They all sat down and loaded their plates and then just waited. I looked around confused.


    "You guys can eat, you know." They all had wide eyes.


    "Are you sure?" I was beyond confused now.


    "Yeah, why the fuck wouldn''t you eat? What, do you have to wait on the Alpha or something?" They rubbed their necks and nodded.


    "We always wait for the Alpha to start eating. Sometimes we have to wait a long time for him to even come down to meals because of paperwork. Even then, we have to wait for him to tell us the okay to start eating." A girl around my age told me and I growled.


    "Well, there''s now a new rule. When you guys are here, eat whenever the fuck you''re hungry. No waiting on anyone. Now, I''m going to eat my food on the porch outside. There are drinks in the fridge. Just save some food for my family and we''ll be fine." I grabbed my plate of food and my glass of milk and headed to sit outside. I growled lowly as Riley, Sean, the two dads, and Jax were talking a couple of feet away. Riley accidentally made eye contact with me and I gave her my best glare. She showed her neck, still trying to keep a conversation going with Sean. After a few more moments of them talking, I had finished my food and my milk. Now I was just waiting. Sean growled at them all before walking over to me and sitting down.


    "They want to talk about everything. Apparently, the pack that''s being run by Jax''s father is running like shit. They want to explain everything." I knew he was talking about Logan and Jacob''s dads.


    "And what about the mutt?" He growled softly but leaned back in his chair with a huff.


    "She wants to talk to me privately about what happened yesterday." I hummed in an annoyed agreeance.


    "Oh, so is she going to turn you down again in a nicer manner?" I felt my fangs come forward just thinking about how she humiliated my brother like that. He growled louder.


    "Shut up Dakota. She just wants to talk and apologize." I gave my best sarcastic ''mhm'' and walked inside to put the plates away. The five of them came inside and Riley and the two dads sat on the couch, while Jax and I shared a chair, Layla and Jacob the loveseat, and Destiny and Logan another chair. Sean stood the entire time behind me and Jax. They all looked so guilty. I sighed and chose to be the first to speak.


    "Well. Who wants to start first?"

 Chapter Ten

    ~Jax~


    I growled angrily, waiting for someone to start speaking.


    "Does father know you''re here?" They just lowered their heads more. I growled and got up from my seat with Dakota started to pace.


    "Someone better start speaking or else I will become pissed." I felt Ryder start to come out. Dakota tried to calm me down but it wasn''t helping much. Ace, Jacob''s father, cleared his throat and spoke up.


    "Jax, where do you want us to start?" Dakota growled.


    "Why did you three kill my mother?" Dakota spoke up Ace sighed and rubbed his face.


    "You know your father, Jax. Jackson is very unreasonable and he doesn''t give a damn about anyone. Not even his own mate. Hell, he beats anyone who doesn''t agree with him. So, when he found out that there was a werecat walking around near his land, he took unnecessary action." Ace paused and took in a shaky breath. Jordan, Logan''s father, then took over.


    "He had said that she was too much of a risk, saying things that she would try and kill people in the pack, that it would come for the children. He said our main priority was to kill the cat before we would worry about rouges. He said he had already received anonymous threats and that he knew that it was from the werecat. When we questioned him about the authenticity of that claim, he killed the old Beta for even saying such a thing. For questioning him." Jordan sighed and rubbed his face.


    "Wait, we weren''t the first Beta''s?" Jacob asked his father and he shook his head. Jacob sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.


    "So, then what?" Dakota was already silently crying.


    "Well, Jackson decided to track her down. We didn''t know if she had a mate or children at the time, and decided that we couldn''t end up dead ourselves because our mates would die and they were all pregnant." Jacob gets cut off by Layla.


    "She has a fucking family of her own. Didn''t your fucking Alpha take that into consideration?" Layla seethed in anger as Jacob tried calming her down.


    "We tried asking him that, and to consider maybe just talking to her about staying off his land, but he wouldn''t allow it." Jordan sighed and Riley was getting very uncomfortable.


    "So, that''s when the chase happened and you guys killed her," Sean spoke up, on the verge of tears. Jordan and Ace lowered their heads. Ace sighed and spoke without looking up.


    "I saw you two, you know. I could smell you guys and I looked out of the corner of my eye and just saw you two crying. At that moment I knew she was your family. I didn''t say anything to Jackson because I knew he would''ve killed you too." Ace started to cry and Jordan patted his back. Riley got up and went to the kitchen, probably to cool down. I rubbed Dakota''s back and whispered sweet nothings into her ear. Destiny was also silently crying and Sean was just angry the entire time. All of a sudden Dakota looks up and Buttercup surfaces.


    "Train me." She growled and everyone looked up at her.


    "What?" I was very confused and had no idea what she was talking about.


    "Train me to kill him." I stuttered and shivered. I don''t want my mate to become some killing machine.


    "I will, but you need to promise me something." Dakota gained control and then waited for my response.If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.


    "Promise me you will never turn into the monster that he is." She nodded and I shook my head.


    "I need to hear it." She sighed and looked me in the eyes.


    "I promise not to become a monster." I nodded and sighed. Sean then left to go to the kitchen.


    ~Sean~


    I walked into the kitchen to talk to Riley. I figured everyone in there was done for a while and decided that I might as well get it over and done with now. I walked in and saw her wiping away tears from hearing what had happened to my mother.


    "Well, you wanted to talk. So talk." I was impatient and I wanted to know if she really was going to reject me in a proper manner. She got up and kept opening and shutting her mouth. I sighed and leaned against the wall.


    After a few more moments of her doing this, I spoke up.


    "Any day now would be nice," I growled and she backed up. I sighed and just waited at that point.


    "I''m sorry." I scoffed.


    "Cool, just get the rejection over with then, I''m better off visiting my mother anyways." I felt Tuxedo come forward. For your information, my cat is all black with white under the chin. When he first came to me, I called him Tux, even though he swore his name was midnight. It just stuck though and we''ve called him that ever since. Every now and though I''ll call him by his real name.


    "No, I don''t want to reject you," Riley mumbled and played with her shirt. My heart fluttered and Tuxedo backed off.


    "You were so keen on it yesterday. What made you change your mind?" She sighed and sat down.


    "I was raised to not accept anyone as a mate unless they were a werewolf. And if not, then human but other than that nothing. A human would already lead to an impure bloodline. My parents told me they didn''t care, but that it was Alpha that would care. He already thinks his son and his future beta have failed him. He isn''t too mad about Logan because Destiny is human. But he''s furious and blamed the moon goddess for giving his son such a mate, and for making him such a disappointment. I was just scared of what would happen to me because I''m Jax''s cousin." I nodded and sighed. I want to accept her, but she really hurt me.


    "Give me a minute." She nodded and I started talking to Tux.


    ''Tux, what do I do? I want to accept her but she really hurt us. I felt like I was dying yesterday.'' I heard him sigh and then felt him starting to pace.


    ''I feel the same way. I already love her and her wolf, but I can''t go through that again. I don''t want to die.'' I started to tear up just thinking about that. I ended up shifting early due to the trauma of losing my mother. That also caused me to nearly die.


    ''Should I just give her one chance, and if she fucks up then I leave?'' Tux sighed and nodded.


    ''Yeah. Go for it.'' He blocked me out and I sighed. Riley looked up and gave a small smile.


    "One chance. You fuck up, we''re done. Understood?" Riley smiled and nodded, running up to me and hugging me. I hugged her back and sighed, rubbing her back up and down. I heard a groan come from Dakota and then footsteps retreating. She''ll warm up to her, I just know it.


    "Sean, how trained are you?" Jax asked and I shrugged.


    "I know a bit," I said as I sipped on my milk.


    "Good. You and I will spar soon and then train Dakota. Since my father has challenged her, she needs to learn how to fight in cat form." I nodded and sighed.


    "Will do." We nodded towards one another and continued talking about random things. We then all had dinner and the people from earlier came back once again to eat with us. We all laughed, ate, played games, and watched movies. Around midnight everyone left except for Jax, Riley, Logan, Jacob, and Destiny. Destiny is so much like family to us, Dad changed the old office into a bedroom for her. Destiny and Logan went to bed, then Layla and Jacob followed suit. Then Jax had to carry Dakota because she full-on passed out, and I was left with Riley. We awkwardly stood and waited for the other to speak.


    "So, did you want to stay here? Or go back?" She smiled and shifted her weight to each leg.


    "I can stay here. Just let me inform my parents." I nodded and gave her a minute. When she was done she smiled.


    "It''s all good. We don''t live with the Alpha as we have our own home, but if Alpha asks I''m at my friend from school''s house and they have also been informed on what to tell Alpha." I nodded and led her to my room.


    "It''s not much, but I think it''s cozy." She smiled.


    "It''s actually perfect." I smiled and stripped down to my boxers and gave her one of my big shirts.


    "The bathroom is right there," I pointed to a door and she nodded, walking inside and shutting the door. I got under the covers and turned out the light. I got comfortable and waited for her to return. I heard the door shut and the lights go off and Riley makes her way over. She got into bed and cuddled next to me. I kissed her heard and felt her smile.


    "Goodnight Sean," Riley yawned and started to fall asleep.


    "Goodnight Riley." I shut my eyes and that was probably the nicest sleep I''ve ever gotten since my mother''s murder.

 Chapter Eleven

    ~Jax~


    I woke up before Dakota. I smiled down at her and kissed her head before I got up and head to the bathroom. I did what I needed to do and then walked downstairs to start making breakfast. I took in a breath and froze as I smelled a familiar scent. I growled, and when I looked out the window, I saw my little brother. I sighed a breath of relief and went to the door to open it.


    "Hey, what''s up?" I crossed my arms and Kyle sighed, looking annoyed, as per usual.


    "Dad said he wanted you home. Said it was important." I chuckled.


    "Well, if it''s so important, then he can come here himself. After he has asked for permission to come onto their land. You know the rules about crossing without asking. Speaking of which," Before I could finish my sentence Kyle had already shifted and was running away. I chuckled to myself again and closed the door and locked it. I walk back into the kitchen and see that Dakota''s father is awake.


    "Good morning, Mr. Reynolds." I started to lower my head as he cut me off.


    "Don''t do that thing. You know, where you bow your head. It isn''t necessary Jax." I smiled and nodded.


    "As you wish, sir." He smiled at me and I started getting food out of the cupboards. I then hear Logan and Jacob come down.


    "Yo, Jax. Our dad''s said they needed us?" Jacob asked as he yawned. I shrugged.


    "I don''t know. All I know is that my father sent my little brother to come here and tell me that I needed to be home. Said that it was important. Why, what did Ace and Jordan tell you guys?" I was talking while making the eggs and bacon.


    "My dad said that some important Alpha''s were coming soon and that we need to prepare for their arrival," Jacob said and I looked at them confused.


    "Why the hell are Alpha''s coming? We already have a few alliances, and there isn''t anything important coming along right at the moment." I plated the eggs and bacon and Mr. Reynolds plated the toast on another plate and brought out glasses for everyone to get their own drinks.


    "That''s the thing. Your dad hasn''t even told everyone else why they''re coming. But he said it was important, and that they needed the three of us there." I shrugged and thought about it. Why would my father call over Alphas from other packs?


    "Well, whatever it is, it truly must be important. We''ll go over after breakfast." I stated and they all nodded. I went upstairs and wake up Dakota. She groaned and turned over to look at me.


    "What time is it?" She rubbed her eyes and I chuckled.


    "About nine-thirty." She groaned and sat up to stretch. After that, she went to the bathroom and grabbed clothes to change into. All she did was stare at me.


    "Well?" She seemed a little agitated.


    "What?" I was really confused.


    "I need to get changed."


    "Okay?" She groaned.


    "Babe! I need you to leave the room!" She laughed and I Oh''ed.


    "Alright, meet me downstairs for breakfast when you''re done." I kissed her quickly before I left the room. As I shut her door, I saw Sean and Riley exit from Sean''s room. They were smiling and I was happy they worked things out. The three of us went downstairs and waited for Dakota. Then people from the pack started showing up.


    "Morning, Alpha." They bowed and I nodded my head towards them.


    "Good morning, help yourselves." I pointed towards the plates of food on the counter and they smiled and grabbed their share. Then Dakota came downstairs and they stopped, bowed and mumbled.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "Luna." She nodded her head toward them and they all smiled. Dakota sat next to me and kissed my cheek. I felt a little tug on my leg and noticed a small child. I chuckled at Miya and picked her up and placed her on my lap.


    "Miya, what are you doing here silly?" She frowned and it was then that I noticed the bruise on her cheek. She is African American, and because of how dark her skin is, I couldn''t really tell it was there. I growled and everyone stopped what they were doing.


    "Who did that?" I growled out and she whimpered.


    "Alpha Jackson." She muttered and I almost roared in anger.


    "Why." She shed a few tears.


    "Because I was hungry and tried eating before he came down." I handed Miya to Dakota and stood up and started to leave. Dakota grabbed my arm and held me back.


    "No, Jax. You need to calm down first. After breakfast, then you can confront your father. But you need to keep in mind that there are going to be Alpha''s over at your house, and if you went and barged in wreaking havoc, they would all think you''re crazy. Just sit down, and eat your food. And Miya, from now on, you and your family will eat here for meals. Understand?" Miya nodded her head and we all sat back down and finished eating. No matter how much I wanted to beat my father, Dakota was right. No matter how furious I was with my father, I needed it to wait until those Alpha''s left my father''s house. Everyone made small talk while eating and when they were done, they said their goodbyes and went back to the packhouse. I walked over to Dakota and sighed.


    "I have to go back now and see what my father and the other Alpha''s want. I''ll be back later, okay?" Dakota frowned but nodded.


    "Alright. I''ll see you later babe." I kissed her and waited for Jacob and Logan. Jacob kissed Layla and Logan kissed Destiny. After we said goodbye, we shifted into our wolves outside and went back to the packhouse. After a few minutes, we shifted back and put on some shorts. We walked inside and the Alpha''s and our fathers were talking.


    "Father, you wanted to see us?" I asked and my father smirked.


    "Yes, I''m glad you three could make it. Logan, this actually doesn''t concern you at all, but you can stick around with us as Jax, Jacob, the Alpha''s and I talk business." He sat down at the table and the Alpha''s followed suit.


    "Yes, Alpha." Logan bowed and sat down with us anyway.


    "Well, what is this business about?" I asked and one of the Alpha''s spoke up.


    "Well, we heard that you two were looking for mates, and we were going to discuss you two becoming mates with one of our children," I growled and stood up.


    "And who told you I didn''t have a mate?" Father stood and growled at me.


    "You will not treat the Alpha''s with disrespect!"


    "I have a mate! You just don''t like her because she''s a werecat!" The Alpha''s saw what was going on and cleared their throats.


    "Jax and Jacob, our deepest apologies. We didn''t realize that you two had found your mates. Congratulations. Jackson, we will be in touch." Every Alpha gave my father a disapproving look, and he looked like he was about to lose his mind. When they all left he roared and threw me against the wall.


    "Jax! Why would you do that?" He hit me a couple of times and Jacob and Logan went to the other side of the room. Mother and my siblings came down to see what the ruckus was all about.


    "Why can''t you accept that my mate is different? Why do you want me to not be with her so terribly?" I got up and felt Ryder become in control.


    "We don''t need a half breed, Jax! You will mate with one of the Alpha''s daughters!" I roared and attacked him. We tumbled outside, and I could tell you could hear what we were yelling about for miles.


    "I will only be mated to Dakota! No one else!" I shifted and my father did the same. Mother ran in between us and screamed.


    "Stop!" Father growled at her and she glared at him.


    "Jax will not be mating with anyone else but his mate. You can''t change what the Moon Goddess has done and that is final. Jackson, stop acting like a child! Jax, Jacob, and Logan go back to your mates and stay there for a while. Now!" She used her Luna tone and I growled at my father but still listened. However, father leaped at me and scratched my face. I roared at him and backed up as my mother had gotten between us again.


    "Enough! Go!" Jacob and Logan shifted as well and we made our way back to Dakota''s. I howled to let her know I was coming back. I saw her come outside with a worried expression. I shifted quickly and put on shorts before making my way over to her.


    "Jax? Oh my god, what happened?" Dakota ran up to me and I growled in anger. She stopped and waited for me to speak. I was breathing heavy and trying to keep my composure.


    "My father tried to make us become mates with some Alpha''s daughter. Because he doesn''t want me being with you, and he doesn''t want Jacob being with Layla." I seethed in anger and Dakota was starting to become livid.


    "So, what the hell do we do now?" I embraced Dakota and sighed.


    "I don''t know. The Alpha''s left after they realized what my father was doing and now they''re probably gonna try and help their children find their mates. However, if we really want to make sure my father can''t interfere with us again, I''d have to do something I didn''t think I''d have to do for a long time." I had a grim look on my face as I looked down at Dakota.


    "What would that be?" She looked worried and she started playing with my hair.


    "I''d have to mark you."

 Chapter Twelve

    ~Dakota~


    "Mark me? That''s the only way for your father to leave us remotely alone?" Jax sighed as we made our way upstairs to my bathroom to clean him up.


    "Yes. And where we''re mates and it would have to happen anyway, I didn''t think it would have to be this soon." Jax groaned as he took off his shirt when I closed the bathroom door. My breath hitched at his beauty, but also at his injuries. He was terribly bruised, but I could tell he was healing quickly. I sighed as I grabbed a washcloth and ran it under warm water before ringing it out. I turned to Jax and looked at his face first. I saw he was covered in dirt, and he had a few cuts on his face as if claws had stricken his face. I sighed and moved him over to sit on the toilet. I lightly dabbed the washcloth on his face, afraid that I would hurt him. Jax stared at me as I helped clean his face and body. After I was satisfied with his face, I moved to his chest. I rubbed on spots where there was dirt, not being afraid to apply more pressure on areas where he was cut. I looked into Jax''s eyes, and they were glowing yellow. I gave him a small smile and he growled lowly, looking appreciative and filled with pleasure. I blushed and continued to clean him in silence. After I was done I spoke up.


    "Jax, can you turn around so I can get your back?" Jax didn''t move and I grew confused.


    ''Hey butter, is he okay?''


    ''Hey, Ryder is in control. If you want to clean his back, you have to use his wolf''s name.''


    ''Oh, thank you. I didn''t know that.''


    ''You''re welcome!''With that, I blocked Butter out and I cleared my throat. Ryder looked up at me and tilted his head slightly. I giggled for a quick moment.


    "Ryder, can you please turn around so I can clean your back?" Ryder growled in satisfaction. He stood slowly and gave a small smile. He then turned around and sat facing the toilet seat. I smiled again and started rubbing his back after I had rinsed off the washcloth. Ryder gave a hum of satisfaction and I tried hard not to giggle. He was just as cute as Jax.


    "What are you thinking about, Dakota?" I gasped as I heard Ryder talk. His voice was much deeper, and it was pretty sexy. I shivered at the thought and cleared my throat.


    "How adorable you are," I mumbled, but I knew he was able to hear me. Ryder stood up and turned around. I was a little startled by his sudden movement but started laughing when he picked me up in a hug. I wrapped my legs around him and threw the washcloth in the sink. Ryder growled and pulled me flush against him. I sighed and laid my head on his shoulder. I heard and felt Ryder purring, and I couldn''t help but laugh.


    "What is so funny?" I pulled away from him and the look in his eye was practically daring me to answer his question.


    "You were purring," Ryder walked into my room and threw me on the bed. I squealed as I bounced on my bed a few times before he joined me. He growled his deep and sexy growl once more before he put his head in the crook of my neck. I shivered from the pleasurable tingles I got and sighed as I hugged him. Ryder started to purr again, kissing my cheek every once in a while. I glanced out the window as I saw a bird land on my windowsill. I smiled and tried to get a better look at it, but Ryder had pushed me down on the bed. I laughed and kept trying to get up, but he kept pushing me back down. I groaned in annoyance and hissed at him. Ryder looked at me and growled.


    "Did you just hiss at me?" Ryder was now on top of me and the aura he was letting off was telling me that he was the dominant one. I gasped and shivered as I felt his breath down my neck.


    "Maybe I did. What are you going to do about it?" Ryder growled once again and pinned my arms and legs to the bed. I felt my eyes go wide and I heard him chuckle.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    "I don''t know. Maybe I''ll mark you." I saw him lean his head down to my neck and run his canines against my skin. I gasped and let my breath out shakily. He knew the effect he was having on me and I growled myself. He isn''t getting away with that. I quickly flip us over so I''m on top and I lightly brush my lips against his. I heard his growl of approval before I heard a playful growl. I had gotten up and ran to the door, and I could tell he saw the mischief in my eyes. He chuckled and stood.


    "Oh, you want to play games, huh? You better give me a good chase." I squeaked as I ran down the stairs away from Ryder. I was laughing the whole time and almost ran into Layla as I rounded around the corner.


    "Jesus, Dakota! What''s going on with you? Oh, nevermind." Layla quickly stopped talking as she saw Ryder chase after me. I laughed and ran past the pack members that were coming by for lunch. They laughed as well, seeing their Alpha and Luna playing together. I squeaked as he almost grabbed me, but I had made a sharp turn at the right time. Ryder growled and I giggled. I could see the love and some lust in his eyes. It made me shiver for a split second before I shifted into my cat. Ryder growled and shifted into his wolf. He approached me with a low growl, telling me to submit. I gave him a playful roar as I ran into the forest. Ryder ran after me with a howl. I was enjoying the chase I was giving him. I ran all through the forest with him right on my tail. I felt him playfully nip my tail and whenever he did I would make sharp turns, making him slip and run into trees or bushes, slowing him down in the process. I would always laugh in my mind, and Butter was always enjoying playing with her mate.


    ''Mind if I take over? I would like to play with him as well.''I smiled.


    ''Sure, knock yourself out.''That was all it took for her to take control and stop suddenly. Both her and Ryder were panting, and Ryder could tell Butter was in charge. Ryder growled, as if in approval. Butter sat down and started cleaning her paws. Ryder growled as he stepped closer and looked us in the eyes. I could feel us giving him a mischievous, lustful stare. Ryder sat in front of us and leaned his head toward my neck. He growled low and nipped us. I gasped and shivered as Butter just purred in satisfaction. Butter started to lick Ryder''s head, and he purred lowly and ended up laying down on his stomach, allowing us to continue to clean him. Butter continued to clean his face for a few minutes before we became thirsty and turned around to drink from the lake. Apparently, we wound up at the lake from all of our sharp turns. Butter lapped at the water and Ryder soon joined us. When we were satisfied, Butter and I noticed that Ryder gave Jax control back. I felt Butter retreat, and I quietly thanked her. I stared into Jax''s eyes and I saw love in them once again. I purred and rubbed myself up against him. He purred as well and we slowly walked back to the house. When we got there, it was practically almost dinner. I chuckled to myself, not knowing that Jax and I had been messing around for that long. When we got to the house, Layla gave me one of my summer dresses to wear, and Sean gave Jax some of his shorts to wear. We both shifted behind trees, and I made sure Jax got a quick glance at my backside. I heard his lustful growl and I giggled. I quickly hid and finished putting my dress on. When I was straightening it out, Jax was already behind me, allowing me to feel his friend join us. I gasped and gripped his arms. He growled lowly and nipped my ear lobe. I tried my hardest to keep my moan back. Jax chuckled and pulled me flush against his chest.


    "You shouldn''t have tried to tease me like that. I don''t know if I can control myself." Jax purred into my ear and Ishivered once again. Jax relished in the fact that he had this effect on me. I turned around in Jax''s hold and ran my fingers through his hair. He sighed and groaned when I tugged lightly. I kissed him softly and I could feel my heart soar. We pulled away and he placed his head in the crook of my neck. I continued to play with his hair before we walked hand in hand into the house. We went upstairs to my room and we took turns taking quick showers and getting changed. We laid in bed and just stared at one another. Jax was the first to break the silence.


    "Ryder wants you to know he enjoyed his time with you." I smiled and let out a small chuckle.


    "Well, I enjoyed my time with him." I snuggled up with Jax and we stayed that way until dinner. We ate, then came back up and gave one another light kisses before I started to fall asleep.


    "Dakota? Can I ask you something?" I hummed in response and waited.


    "Would you like to move in with me?" I gave him a startled look.


    "Don''t you live with your father?" Jax shook his head.


    "No, I moved out. I have my own place. It''s on our land, but it''s a different building." I nodded my head and sighed.


    "Can I think about it, baby?" Jax smiled and kissed me softly.


    "Of course. Take your time. Goodnight, darling." I smiled and got comfortable on Jax''s chest.


    "Goodnight, baby."

 Chapter Thirteen

    ¡°Daddy? What¡¯s wrong?¡± My dad turned his phone around and I took it. It was a video of Jax surrounded by the girls. My eyes went wide. I didn¡¯t need to play the video to know what happened.


    ¡°Oh, shit,¡± I rubbed my face and groaned. Jax chuckled at the memory. Then my dad chuckled. I looked at him in shock.


    ¡°You find this funny?¡± He nodded.


    ¡°She insulted you in front of me and tried telling you that I wasn¡¯t yours. Fuck yes I¡¯m going to go off on her. No one fucking tells me I can¡¯t be with my mate.¡± Jax walked into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. My dad looked angrily at his phone and he sighed.


    ¡°Yeah, I saw that part too,¡± I groaned and walked to the couch and face planted. Jax sighed and sat on the floor in front of me.


    ¡°Oh, come on babe. It¡¯s not that bad.¡± Right after that, Destiny, Logan, Layla, and Jacob came running down the stairs laughing.


    ¡°Jax, my man! That was great!¡± They all high-fived Jax and I made a groan scream sound.


    ¡°It¡¯s not funny! Everyone will see that!¡± Layla snickered.


    ¡°Yeah, but she got what she deserved.¡± I groaned as I face-planted into the couch again.


    ¡°What, do you think you¡¯ll get into trouble for his actions?¡± Logan spoke up and I nodded. A voice then spoke and I turned quickly.


    ¡°Well, I think he did what he needed to do. The she-wolf should¡¯ve known that you two were mates and should have left him alone.¡± I shot up and looked over to Jax¡¯s mother. I haven¡¯t been properly introduced, so I couldn¡¯t ask what to call her. But I had also shot up because she mentioned the girl was a wolf of their pack.


    ¡°So, you¡¯re telling me that she is a wolf of the pack?¡± She nodded and I felt Butter come to the surface.


    ¡°I¡¯m going to fucking kill her,¡± As quickly as it had happened, Butter had taken over and I wasn¡¯t going to stop her. Jax groaned and grabbed me when I tried to walk away.


    ¡°Listen, we will deal with her when the time comes. And worst-case scenario, the principal at your school is a wolf in our pack. If he brings it up, I will introduce you to him, the girl, and her parents as my mate and their future Luna. They will immediately back down and you¡¯ll get away with anything that happens, even if you start it.¡± Jax spoke but Butter was still shaking. She had calmed down enough to the point where I could take over again.


    ¡°If I see her, I will not hesitate to beat the fuck out of her. She crossed the line.¡± Jax sighed but nodded. He kissed my head and walked me over to his mom. She immediately hugged me and Jax spoke.


    ¡°Mom, this is my mate, Dakota. Dakota, this is my mother, Mary.¡± I smiled as I hugged her back. Mary pulled away and spoke again.


    ¡°Call me Mary, darling. Unlike my husband, I fully approve of you and Jax together. I think what Jackson is doing is wrong. But the fight has already been set in motion due to your training. I just hope that at some point he comes to his senses and changes his mind on the fight.¡± I gave her a sad smile and sighed. Right after that, pack members started to enter the house and they bowed as they saw us. I smiled and started to help my father with dinner. I immediately turned around and introduced my father to Jax¡¯s mother. They seemed to really hit it off and that made me happy. I then heard a scoff and turned around. I growled as I saw that girl who was all over Jax.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    ¡°Why the fuck are you here?¡± I was surprised, as she dared question me in my own house. I laughed and Jax came over and saw the girl. He groaned and the girl bit her lip.


    ¡°Hi, Jax,¡± She giggled and I had her up against the wall by her throat. Her parents were going to intervene but Jax growled at them.


    ¡°If youever, look at Jax, touch Jax, attempt to talk to Jax, I will fucking kill you. How dareyouquestionmein my own fucking house?¡± Her parents put their heads in their hands and the girl was clawing at my hands.


    ¡°This is the future Luna¡¯s house. You can¡¯t be here. You aren¡¯t part of the pack. I can do whatever I please with Jax.¡± I squeezed harder and her face started to turn blue.


    ¡°My name is Dakota Kennedy. I am mated to Jax Reynolds. That makesmefuture Luna. I should fucking kill you for what you have done!¡± I let Butter take control and the girl¡¯s face paled. She looked from me to Jax and then back to me. She then tried grabbing our hands and pulling them from her neck. Butter threw her hand onto the ground and heard her gasp for breath. The air that was left in her was knocked out of her. Butter elongated her claws and swiped the girl¡¯s face. The girl screamed and her mother was crying.


    ¡°If you ever treat me and Jax like that again, I will not hesitate to fucking kill you!¡± Butter had managed to half shift, leaving us with fur starting to come out from our body and our fangs and claws still out. The girl crawled away toward her parents. Her mother cried as she held her dumb fuck of a child. I growled out and looked toward them.


    ¡°Control your dumb bitch of a child, and I will spare her fucking life. I will not be responsible for the consequences that follow if she does not change her childish fucking ways.¡± My voice had managed to become deeper and Jax sighed. He came over to me and put his hand on my back. I growled lightly and he kissed the side of my head.


    ¡°I think the mutt has learned her lesson, love.¡± Butter gave me control again and I was breathing heavily. I had stopped shifting and was now human again, but I was in a lot of pain. Jax rubbed my back for a moment before I cracked it. I let out a sigh and looked back at the girl. She was crying and looked terrified. I scoffed at her and looked at her parents.


    ¡°Get the fuck out. Don¡¯t come back unless Jax and I say so.¡± They nodded and grabbed their daughter¡¯s arm and dragged her out. The pack looked worried for a bit.


    ¡°Just because I am nice, does not mean I won¡¯t fuck you up if you mess with me or my family. I will always treat you with respect unless you treat me or my family like shit. Exhibit A just walked out the fucking door.¡± I walked back over to the stove and finished cooking. Jax walked over to me and whispered into my ear.


    ¡°We need to leave right after dinner, love. It¡¯ll be getting dark soon.¡± I looked at the time and nodded. I was kind of nervous. I didn¡¯t know what to expect. I know he isn¡¯t going to hurt me, so I wasn¡¯t worried about that, but what if his father comes over? What if something bad happens while his wolf is out like that? The last thing I need is him getting hurt.


    Dinner came and went without any problems. I talked with Mary for a while longer just so I could get to know her. I was also told by her that his sister Angela and his brother Kyle wanted to meet me and get to know me too. Angela was excited to meet me and become friends and I was happy that she wanted to be friends. After dinner, I told my dad what was going on and he wasn¡¯t happy about it, but he was still letting me go to Jax¡¯s house.


    I had packed a small overnight bag and we both shifted outside and ran to his house. When we got there I had shifted back behind a tree and got dressed. We made our way inside and I had very little time to take in the beautiful scenery of the house. I was immediately dragged into a room by Jax. I was about to say something, but he cut me off.


    ¡°It¡¯s going to happen soon. After this, I won¡¯t be back until dawn. Please, just try and keep him calm, and don¡¯t try to leave his side. Even if you have to use the bathroom, you have to let him know, or else he will wreak havoc.¡± I nodded and was about to speak but it was too late. He groaned in pain and hunched over. I put my hand on his back and rubbed up and down. He then harshly sat up and looked at me and I was a little shocked from the sudden reaction.


    When I looked into his eyes, I saw his dark yellow eyes and his fangs sticking out of his mouth. He grabbed me and put me in his lap and growled lowly. I shivered and sighed.


    This would be a long night.

 Chapter Fourteen

    ~Dakota~


    I sighed as I rested my head on his shoulder. I could feel Ryder''s hums of approval as I drew circles on his arm. I looked around the living room and felt really happy here. It felt like a home, and I started thinking about moving in with him. Am I ready for that? We''ve only been together for a couple of weeks, and his pack barely knows me. It would help him be able to keep a better eye on me, especially if something goes wrong in his pack, and he doesn''t have to run from my dad''s house in order to get there. I know Butter would be more than happy to move into his home because we would be around him constantly except for when we were at school.


    I smiled at the thought of living with him. Maybe I should? I mean, I''m going to have to at some point. So, why should I delay this process?


    I sighed as I sat up a bit in Ryder''s lap. He looked over to me and I smiled at him.


    "Hey, why don''t we make something and watch a movie?" He gave a small nod and I kissed his cheek as I stood. Ryder was right behind me but I stopped and turned to look at him.


    "I don''t know where anything is," Ryder let out his deep chuckle and it sent shivers down my spine. Ryder grabbed my hand and walked me around the house until we got to the kitchen. I gasped and looked at how big the kitchen was. There was this huge island, four ovens, a gas stove, a double sink, and many, many cabinets. I squealed and ran over to the cabinets, trying to remember where everything is. Ryder hummed in approval for some reason and I turned around and quirked my eyebrow.


    "What was that for?" I giggled and he walked up to me and put me on one of the counters. I opened my legs and he stood in between them.


    "I''m glad you like the house. Especially since you''ll be living in it at some point. This will be the place where we raise our kids, and if you like it, they will too." My heart swelled and I kissed him softly. He growled lightly and I giggled.


    "Come on, let''s make some popcorn or something." Ryder nodded and picked me up. I laugh as he holds me up in front of him and searches through the cabinets. I felt like I was five again and my dad was carrying me to my room cause I was falling asleep on the couch. I laid my head on his shoulder and kissed his cheek softly. Ryder''s chest rumbled slightly and I smiled. Ryder had grabbed a bag of popcorn and put it in the microwave. As it cooked I let out a breath and looked into Ryder''s eyes.


    "Ryder?" He hummed in response.


    "I''ve made my decision about moving in with you." Ryder went still and patiently waited for my response. I smiled and nodded my head and Ryder grabbed the back of my head and kissed me hard. I moaned slightly and he pulled me closer to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and bit his lip slightly. Ryder growled loudly and gripped my ass. I gasped and as he started to kiss my neck, I smelled something burning.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    "Ryder, the popcorn!" His head shot up and he growled. He put me down and opened the microwave and I started coughing a little. He quickly grabbed the bag and put it outside and opened up some windows. He then rushed back over to me and held me. I sighed happily and he hummed.


    "Why don''t we just go and watch that movie, huh? I can have a much better snack out there." Ryder nipped my neck and I gasped and blushed a furious red. I giggled and kissed Ryder softly. Before he could do anything, I pulled away and looked away. I ran toward the living room and I heard his growl. I laughed as he chased me through the house and when I got to the living room, I grabbed a blanket and jumped onto one of the couches. Ryder growled and was on top of me within seconds. I gasped and shivered as I felt his powerful aura. My breath caught in my throat and he growled as he pulled me closer to his body. He breathed in my scent and growled as he roughly nipped my neck. I squeaked and shivered in delight. Butter was more than enjoying this, and I was as well, but I didn''t want my first time being with his wolf. That would be very disrespectful to Jax, and I don''t want to do that to him. Besides, after this, I''m going to ask Jax to mark me. I''ve come to the conclusion that since I''m moving in, I should get marked as well.


    I hugged Ryder and then sat up on the couch.


    "Well, what movie should we watch?" Ryder thought for a moment before he came to his conclusion.


    "Well, let''s watch Kingsman: The Secret Service." I smiled and nodded and I cuddled up into his side and he took the opportunity to keep his hand on my ass. I shivered and tried to ignore it as we watched the movie. He would occasionally squeeze and I would find my eyes rolling to the back of my head for a split second.


    I''ve never felt such things from a man and good god if I didn''t want it to stop. I groaned and laid down on the couch and covered my face with a pillow. Ryder paused the movie and chuckled.


    "What''s wrong, love?" I sighed and sat up. I rubbed the back of my neck as I felt Ryder''s hungry eyes on me.


    "I''ve made my decision about when I want to be marked. And where I would love for it to be right now, I don''t know how Jax would feel about it. I don''t want him being upset with me because you marked me and he didn''t. And I came to this conclusion because since I''m going to be moving in, I might as well get marked at the same time and stop putting it off. And my god, if I continue with you touching me the way you have been, I won''t be able to stop Butter from taking over and her most likely jumping your bones." Ryder growled loudly and grabbed me and placed me on top of him.


    "Then let her out. Not a day has gone by since I haven''t thought about fucking her." Butter immediately tried to come to the surface, but I held her back for a moment.


    "Ryder, if you were to mate with Butter and mark her, would it affect me or Jax in any way?" Ryder growled and shook his head no.


    "No, my mark would appear on her, not you. I love both of you and I love seeing both of you. However, if it''s alright with you, I''d like to see Butter and spend some time with her." Ryder''s eyes were now close to black and I could feel his lust for us. I giggled with Butter and sighed.


    "She''s all your''s Ryder." I kissed him quickly before I felt Butter take over.

 Chapter Fifteen

    ~Dakota~


    After Butter let me have control again, I noticed that Jax also had control again. I blushed furiously at Butter''s actions and Jax kind of chuckled. I looked at the time and noticed it was around midnight. I grew confused and looked at Jax.


    "Isn''t Ryder supposed to stay out until morning? It''s only midnight." Jax looked at the time and then his eyes glazed over. I knew he was asking Ryder what happened. Jax came out and cleared his throat.


    "Since Ryder and Buttercup marked and mated with one another, Ryder no longer has to stay out for the night." I nodded and I could feel Butter purring loudly. I smiled and shook my head and walked into the kitchen to make that new bag of popcorn.


    "Oh, Jax," He looked over and gave me a small smile.


    "Tell Ryder he sucks at making popcorn." Jax laughed and I giggled too. I grabbed a new bag and made sure to watch it so that it doesn''t burn. Jax came up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. He kissed the side of my head and sighed. I smiled and after two minutes I pulled out the popcorn. I placed it on the counter and turned around to face Jax. He kissed me softly and I wrapped my arms around his neck. Jax grabbed my hips and pulled me closer to him. It wasn''t a rough grab, though. He slowly had pulled me closer to him and it made my heart swell.


    "Dakota?" I pulled and looked into his eyes.


    "Yes?" Jax moved my hair from my neck and my heart was starting to race. I really hope he''s going to do what I think he''s going to do.


    "Do you mind if at some point tonight I mark you?" I smiled wide and nodded furiously. Jax laughed and I did the same. Jax walked away and grabbed a bowl for the popcorn and I grabbed the bag. We walked to the living room and decided to turn on another movie. I cuddled into his side and Jax wrapped his arm around me. I smiled as we watched the scary movie he put in. It was called A Quiet Place. It seemed pretty good so far. This novel''s true home is a different platform. Support the author by finding it there.


    I didn''t understand what was happening at first, but when things started to get explained I understood. I jumped a couple of times, especially when I saw the creatures that were killing everyone. I squealed and hid my face in Jax''s chest as he laughed at how scared I was.


    "Dakota, baby, It''s just a movie." Jax chuckled and I hit him.


    "It''s scary," I mumbled and he chuckled before kissing the top of my head. I felt my heart soar and started to fall asleep. I heard the tv had been turned off, and I looked at Jax. He put the bowl in the kitchen and came back to me. He kissed my forehead and carried me bridal style to his bedroom. To our bedroom. That thought made me really happy and I smiled as I laid my head on his chest. He laid me down on his bed and I sat up. Jax grabbed a pair of boxers from his drawer and went into the bathroom to change. A little part of me was upset that he didn''t get changed in front of me. I blushed from that thought and rubbed my face.


    I had nothing to change into, but I was more than comfortable with just sleeping in my bra and panties. I took off my clothes and got underneath the covers. As soon as I was settled under the blankets, Jax came out and saw my clothes on the floor. He looked a little confused and I shrugged my shoulders and closed my eyes. I could still feel his stare and I heard his thunderous footsteps come over to the bed. My eyes shot open as I felt a cold breeze from the blankets being ripped off me. I heard him growl and his eyes were black from lust. I shivered and had to squeeze my thighs a little to help my slight throb between my legs. Jax growled and I grew confused.


    "I can smell your arousal, Dakota." My eyes went wide as I covered my face. Jax grabbed my hands and pinned them next to my head. I gasped as he laid on top of me. I bit my lip lightly and tried as hard as I could to suppress my moan.


    "Don''t cover yourself in front of me." It sounded like an order and it was probably the sexiest thing I had ever heard come from him besides his deep growls. Jax growled again and he was breathing heavily. I kissed him and sucked on his bottom lip. Jax bit mine and I couldn''t help the loud moan that escaped me.


    "Jax," I moaned as he kissed down my jawline and neck. He found my sweet spot and my hips unintentionally bucked upward and Jax growled as he started to grind on me. I lost my breath, but I had enough to say one thing.


    "Mark me."

 Chapter Sixteen

    ~Jax~


    I woke up next to Dakota and smiled. Last night was amazing, and I couldn''t have imagined it being better with anyone else. We marked and mated, and now nothing can stop us from being together-not even my father.


    I started rubbing Dakota''s back and she smiled in her sleep. I stared at the ceiling and smiled wide.


    ''It happened. Butter and I mated, and I couldn''t be happier.''Ryder spoke and I let out a small chuckle.


    ''I know. I was there.''Ryder let out a playful growl and I shook my head. I slowly got up to go and make Dakota and I breakfast. I gently laid her on my pillow so she could continue to smell my scent. She smiled and snuggled into the pillow and I couldn''t help my chuckle. I was in an extremely good mood, and there would have to be something really bad to happen to ruin it. I put on a pair of shorts and walked downstairs.


    As I walked into the kitchen, I heard a knock on the door. I sniffed the air and had a small smile on my face as I answered the door.


    "Hi, mom," My mother smiled and looked around my neck for clues and let out a squeal when she saw my mark.


    "Jax! I''m so happy for you!" I shushed her quickly and brought her into the kitchen.


    "Mom, you have to be quieter. Dakota is still sleeping," My mom covered her mouth and giggled.


    "Sorry honey, I''m just really excited." I smiled and started to bring out pans and mixing bowls.


    "How did you know anyway? No one knows we''ve marked and mated one another." My mother gasped and I sighed and turned to face her.


    "You guys mated as well?" I groaned as I facepalmed myself.


    "I just ratted myself out, didn''t I?" My mother nodded and I groaned once again.


    "Yes, mother. We mated last night. As well as Ryder and Butter, and they have also marked one another." My mother started to jump up and down with joy.


    "I''m so happy for you guys. I could tell because there was another link that had opened in the middle of the night, and I realized it was Dakota''s. It had woken me up, but not your father. Just, be careful. Your father is still the Alpha, and he will notice the open link." I nodded and sighed. I heard footsteps come down the stairs and I smile. Dakota came from around the stairs in one of my shirts, a pair of shorts, as well as a blanket.


    "Hi," She waved tiredly to my mother and she ran up to her and crushed her in a hug. Dakota gasped in shock but laughed slightly and hugged my mother back. I walked over to them as they ended the hug and I kissed Dakota''s head.


    "Come on, I still need to make you breakfast and send you to school." Dakota groaned and walked over to the island and put her head on the granite top. I chuckled and flipped the pancakes that I had put in the pan as my mother and I were speaking. Dakota looked up and smiled as she could smell the food. Then she scowled, groaned again, and put her head on top of the island.


    "What now, love?" She tilted her head to the side and looked at me.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "I have to see that bitch again," Dakota sighed and my mother sat next to her.


    "Believe me, she won''t be bothering you any time soon. Her face has already healed and she will bear the scars from her disobedience, but you know what you should do?" Dakota looked to my mother and waited for her to continue.


    "You go into that school, you wear your hair down, and show off your mark. Since you''re in the pack, you will be able to tell who is in our pack and who is a human. If the humans ask, say you got a new tattoo. As for the werewolves, they will see your mark and know you are taken, as well as feel your new aura. Since you two have also mated, you will have the power of an Alpha. They will be scared shitless of you." My mother giggled and Dakota blushed.


    "You told her?" Dakota put her hands on her red face and my mother laughed.


    "On accident? She knew we marked one another because a new link was opened within the pack. And that would be yours." I plated her pancakes and gave her syrup, a fork, and a knife. Dakota smiled and happily ate her pancakes. When she was done, she wiped her face with a napkin and sighed as she looked at the time.


    "Alright, well, I''m going to go get dressed, then we can leave for school." I nodded and put the dishes in the sink. Dakota ran up the steps because if we didn''t hurry she would be late. Not that it would really matter anymore, all of the teachers in that school are werewolves in my pack, as well as the vice-principal and the principal.


    "You better hurry, too. Your father will be awake soon, and god forbid he ruins your morning with his bullshit." I nodded and hugged my mother goodbye. I then went upstairs and changed into jeans and a t-shirt when Dakota came out of the bathroom in the clothes from her overnight bag.


    "I had someone bring my car over from your house, so we can drive to your place so you can change, and then I''ll take you to school." Dakota smiled as we put on our shoes.


    "Sounds great," After we finished that, we left the house and drove over to her house. After five minutes, she ran inside and I waited in the car. I know I should say hi to her father, but I will see him later. Dakota came rushing out with her father in tow.


    "Jax!" Her father screamed as Dakota slammed the car door and started screaming.


    "Drive, drive, drive!"


    "What?" I was confused and about to ask questions when I saw her father come out with a bat.


    "Oh shit!" I quickly put the car into drive and sped off. Dakota clutched her chest and was panting.


    "What the fuck was that about?" I glanced over to her for a moment before spoke.


    "He saw my mark." I stiffened and cursed.


    "Fuck, does he know about us mating?"


    "No! And he will never know!" I nodded and sighed.


    "I''m in deep shit later," I mumbled to myself and pulled up to her school. As we pulled up, the mutt from my pack was with her friends talking about what had happened. I smirked and grabbed Dakota''s face and kissed her slowly. Dakota smiled and kissed me back. I got out of the car and walked over to her side to open her door. Once I did she ''awed''.


    "Awe, Jax, I could''ve done that myself," She smiled once again and I smirked.


    ''I know, just wanted to show that mutt that I''m yours and not hers by doing something romantic. I would have done this anyway, whether she was there or not.''I mind linked her and I felt her aura. She was pissed thinking about that girl again. I chuckled and kissed her forehead.


    "I love you, Dakota."


    "I love you too, Jax." Dakota smiled and I hugged her quickly. When I let go, Layla and Destiny had walked up to her.


    "Hey, guys!" They saw her neck and gasped.


    "No!" Layla was excited as she looked at her neck. Dakota blushed and rubbed her arm.


    "Wait, you guys didn''t, you know," Destiny didn''t finish her sentence but it made Dakota cover her face.


    "No way!" The girls screamed and laughed as they made Dakota blush. I laughed and started to walk to the driver''s side.


    "You''re leaving me with them?" Dakota looked at me as if I had three heads.


    "Yes, I literally have to. I will pick you up later, love." Dakota huffed and nonchalantly move her hair to the side so her mark was on full display, just like my mom had told her to do.


    And if the mutt wasn''t upset, that would be the biggest lie ever told.


    She was a mix of pissed, hurt, and scared. Everyone felt the aura of Dakota and I could tell she was slightly relishing in it. I chuckled a bit but it was cut off quickly by my father through the mind link.


    ''What did you do!''

 Chapter Seventeen

    Jax~


    Oh, fuck.


    ''What now, father?''


    ''You know exactly what I''m talking about!'' I sighed and rubbed my face.


    ''Dad, she is my fucking mate. It was going to happen at some point. I can''t help that Ryder took over, as well as Buttercup with Dakota, and they mated first. So, if anything, blame him.'' I heard my father roar in anger. This wasn''t going to end well. I then felt the link cut off and heard a roar throughout the woods. I cringed and sighed. I decided the lesser of two evils would be Dakota''s father. I drove to her place and parked outside. I saw Mr. Kennedy at the door with a bat and I sighed. I opened the door and stood next to my door.


    "May I have some time to explain myself, Mr. Kennedy?"


    "She''s marked, Jax. Why the fuck, if she marked?" He was furious but nowhere near furious as my father. I rubbed my face and walked to the sidewalk and stopped there.


    "My wolf took over, as you know. Mainly because of the full moon. But after about an hour or so, Buttercup took over, and I don''t remember much but what I do know is that my wolf and Dakota''s cat marked and mated first." I cleared my throat and Mr. Kennedy looked surprised.


    "They do that as well?" I nodded.


    "Yes, it is essential that if both mates have a wolf or an animal of sorts, they also mate one another. I didn''t expect it to happen, but after Ryder and Butter mated, it started the mating process for Dakota and me. And in my honest opinion, I really didn''t want Dakota''s heat starting in school."


    "Heat? I know Jane talked about that, but it never happened to her. What is it?" I sighed and I walked closer and sat down on the stairs.


    "A female''s heat is when they go through excruciating pain. The only thing that helps them is their mate''s touch. So, let''s say Dakota started heat in school. There are unmated wolves in my pack that attends there. They would smell her scent and would try and mate with her. But to her, it would be rape." Ryder on instinct let out a growl and it came through me. I cleared my throat and continued after I stood up.


    "So, because of my wolf and Dakota''s cat, both of us marked and mated one another." I rubbed the back of my neck and Mr. Kennedy stood.


    "Before you say anything, yes I made sure to use protection. Yes, Dakota and I both made sure that we were ready and wanted to. I would never force her into anything she didn''t want to do." Mr. Kennedy groaned and rubbed his face.


    "And, by this happening, she is safe from the wrath of your father?" I frowned.


    "Legally, yes. However, I don''t know what my father is planning. Since we mated, a new link was opened within my pack, and everyone knows it''s Dakota. My father woke up to it and he''s more furious than you are."


    "Why?"


    "He doesn''t want the mixed bloodline. He tried to get me to be with another Alpha''s daughter. Out of every single Alpha, my father is the one that doesn''t follow the rules. The only way now to get rid of Dakota''s and mines'' bond is if one of us dies." Mr. Kennedy nods and I panic.


    "Fuck," I run back to my car and Mr. Kennedy runs to join me.


    "She''s in danger, isn''t she?" I nod my head and speed back to her school.


    "My father cut off our mind link earlier and he''s been silent since. He is either going on a killing spree, or he is going to try and kill Dakota." I made it to her school in record time and quickly parked the car, along with jumping out of the car. I sniffed the air and truth be told, my father was near.


    "He''s close. Please, stay in the car." I toss him the keys and he tries to say no.


    "Mr. Kennedy, you are Dakota''s and Layla''s last parent. Do you really think that they want to lose the last person that can legally take care of them? Layla is a minor she would go into foster care. Please, if you see a wolf you don''t recognize or if they seem like they are going to cause harm, drive far away from here until you are given the okay." Mr. Kennedy hesitated and sighed as he took the car keys.Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    "Please, don''t let my baby die." I nodded and ran into the school. Everyone who was a werewolf knew who I was and they didn''t question it. But they looked at me like I was crazy when I started running through the halls. I felt my father''s presence become stronger the closer I got to Dakota. I found the class that Dakota was in and I barged inside. I ended up breaking the door down as I entered. I chuckled to the teacher and placed the door on the side of the wall.


    "Mr. Reynolds, please indulge me on why you felt the need to break down my classroom door?" Mr. Wick asked as he sat on his desk. Everyone giggled and Dakota blushed. I quickly glanced around the room and felt that everyone was a werewolf except for Destiny.


    "My father has gone on a rampage. He is trying to kill my mate Dakota for not being a werewolf." Dakota immediately stood as well as Destiny.


    "Where''s my father?"


    "He''s outside with the car, I told him if there was any trouble to just keep driving. He''s only human and I don''t need you losing another parent." I grabbed Dakota''s hand and everyone started to whisper. I scoffed and started to drag Dakota down the hall with Destiny following. I stopped and turned to Destiny.


    "Destiny, find Layla. My father will try to use her." I hand her a gun quickly and she squeals.


    "Jax, what the fuck?"


    "It has silver bullets. Shoot a werewolf, it will die. So that means if you have to shoot my father to survive, by all means, do so." Destiny was hesitant but I growled.


    "Layla, dammit!" Destiny hurried away to go find Layla and I pulled Dakota outside to the car.


    "Destiny is getting Layla." Mr. Kennedy nodded and I sighed. Destiny and Layla ran to the car as quickly as they could and barely missed my father coming out of nowhere. He tried to swipe at Destiny and Layla but missed.


    ''Distract him, I''m calling backup,'' I linked Dakota quickly and she didn''t reply.


    ''Logan, Jacob; Destiny and Layla are in trouble get to the school now!'' I didn''t hear their reply as I cut them off but felt their anger.


    "Dad, you can not change what the Goddess implemented eons ago. She knew that Dakota and I would be mates since before we were born. She created the bonds of many mates, way before they were even born, let alone created. You can not change what she created." My father growled and tried to nip at Dakota. She hissed at him and a lot of people from the school exited to watch the scene unfold. I noticed that they were all werewolves, and that the humans had been moved to the bunker inside the school, probably being told that there was a suspected gunman around the school, as was the protocol with supernatural fights happening at the school.


    My father then circled us and tried to swipe at Dakota. She growled herself and ended up shifting into her cat. I could feel Butter close to the surface and the two circled one another. A lot of people who didn''t know Dakota was a werecat gasped and started to murmur amongst themselves. My mother came running up with Jacob and Logan and screamed.


    "Stop it! Both of you, stop it!" Logan and Jacob also brought their father''s and they held back my mother.


    "Mom, they created the wager ages ago. I''ve trained Dakota enough to where she can fight. Mom, this has to happen now." My mother sobbed as she fell to the floor. My father shifted behind a tree and quickly put on shorts.


    "I will kill her Jax, and when I do you will mate with one of them!" He screamed at me and pointed to the werewolf females at the school. I growled and spoke.


    "YOU CAN''T CHANGE WHAT THE GODDESS HAS SET IN STONE! We''ve marked and we''ve mated already! You can''t do anything!"


    "I will, I''ll kill Dakota, then I''ll kill Layla because Jacob needs to be with a werewolf too." This time Jacob growled at my father and grabbed Layla and held her close.


    "I will help kill you myself if you try and touch her." Jacob and Layla moved away to the sidelines, and Logan did the same with Destiny. Now, it was just Mr. Kennedy, Dakota and I against my father.


    "I have one question." Mr. Kennedy spoke up and before he could speak Sean and Riley ran up to the group after shifting and changing.


    "What the fuck!" Sean tried to charge at my father but Riley held him back.


    "Sean! You know the rules! They made a wager! You can''t break that." Riley was trying to calm Sean down and Mr. Kennedy continued.


    "Why did you do it?" My father groaned.


    "Do what, exactly?"


    "Many years ago, you killed a harmless, innocent werecat. You killed my wife, the mother of my children, and my mate. Why? We hadn''t done anything wrong. We were minding our own business. And then we found out we were receiving threats after we had moved to the house we''ve been in for a while now. Layla had just been born. She was three weeks old. She never got to meet her mother, someone she needed. Someone I couldn''t be. Why did you kill Jane?" Mr. Kennedy was in tears and starting to sob. My heart ached for him, as I can''t imagine what a human goes through during the death of a mate. I will never understand except for that brief moment Sean showed me what had happened. My father started to laugh and sighed.


    "You want to know the real reason why?" Mr. Kennedy nodded and cleared his throat. My father grinned and leaned forward.


    "Because she wouldn''t let me fuck her," Dakota roared as loud as she could and attacked my father. My father roared back and shifted into his wolf. My mother looked heartbroken and I was very close to shifting and helping out.


    But it was too late. The fight had begun. The wager on who could live a fight to the death was here.


    And I don''t think Dakota is ready.

 Chapter Eighteen: Dakota

    This was it. I didn''t think this would happen so soon. I don''t know if I''m ready or not. I don''t know if I''ll win or not. Oh god, what if I do win? What would Jax''s mother think? Would she hate me? Would she try to kill me for killing her mate? I''m sure she knows that one of us has to die, and either she loses her son or she loses her abusive mate. I know her human side would rather lose her abusive mate, but what would happen to her wolf? Would she die? Would she be given a second chance mate? I know it''s a rare thing that happens, but I don''t think many people get second chance mates. All I know is that if Jackson wins, Jax will kill him. Jax can''t survive without his mate, he''ll die faster. He''s the next Alpha, and if he loses his mate he will kill everyone in his path of rage. I let out a breath and quickly linked Mary.


    ''Please don''t hate me if I win.''


    I then decided to quickly link my family and Jax.


    ''I love all of you. Please tell Daddy I love him too.''


    I quickly blocked everyone out and focused on Jackson. I focused on his stance and tried to predict what his first move would be. We circled each other for a few minutes before he did decide to strike. He pounced and went right for my neck. I swiped at his belly and tucked and rolled to the other side of him. He growled in anger and turned back to look at me. I could see the rage in his eyes. I could see his eyes turn red from anger. I could see the blood starting to pool on the ground from under him. I could tell his wolf was in charge, and honestly, that doesn''t sound like a bad idea. I could let Buttercup out as she is much stronger than I am. I quickly let her take control, but I make sure I am still able to see what is going on.


    Jackson''s wolf charged toward us and she dodged quickly and took a chance and bit his shoulder. She was trying to aim for his neck to end this quickly, but he had other plans. His wolf kicked us in the face with his rear legs and she let out a shocked whimper. Butter stepped back and shook her head and hissed at his wolf.The thick, red liquid dripped from his shoulder and down his leg. Lucas snarled at us and got into another fighting stance.


    "Lucas, please! Stop!" I heard Jax''s mother scream and realized she was talking to Jackson''s wolf. Lucas roared at his mate and that made her sob more. Butter and I roared at him in return and ran toward a tree. We jumped into the air, pushed off the tree, and landed right on Lucas'' back. Butter dug her claws into his back and started to bite his shoulders, back, and mostly, his neck. Butter created deep scratches in his back and jumped off before he could really hurt us. Lucas roared at us and started to circle us. Butter watched his movements and how his blood ran down his fur and onto the ground. She liked seeing the damage she had caused. And in all honesty, I liked seeing it too. He killed our mother, he tried to force Jax to mate with another female, he has disrespected me ever since he met me, and he deserves everything that is coming toward him. The only thing I feel bad about is that if I kill him, Mary will die. That is the one thing I will always regret. Lucas charged us unexpectedly and swiped our face and our side. Butter roared in pain and I hissed to myself. Even though she was still in charge, I could feel our shared pain, even if it is dulled down.


    Butter turned to him and bared our fangs to him. He bared his fangs and we charged at one another and ended up on our hind legs scratching and biting one another. He got a good bite in on my leg and I got a good swipe at his underbelly, as well as a bite on his neck. It wasn''t enough to kill him, but Butter got him good. There was blood running down the both of us, more so him rather than Butter and I. It pooled on the ground in puddles of dark red, and there were occasional bloody paw prints on the blacktop, the grass, and the trees from our fighting. Out of nowhere, Lucas swiped and got a part of our neck. It wasn''t a direct kill, but I had a feeling in a few minutes if we didn''t get some medical attention we would die. His wolf gave an evil grin and Butter hissed at him. A growl from Jax had distracted him as he turned to roar at his son. Jax growled back and Butter took her chance. She prowled around him silently and charged at him one more time.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    Lucas looked at us and we saw the shock in his eyes. Butter knocked him over onto his back and went in for the kill. Butter locked her claws into his skin and Lucas swiped at our stomach. Butter roared before biting into Lucas'' neck. She ripped out chunks from the front and both sides. Lucas tried to make noises, but she had ripped out his vocal cords.


    **


    Butter quickly got off of him so he would stop swiping at us. Lucas tried to stand but failed as he fell to the ground. He kept trying to get up, but he kept stumbling. He made a gurgling sound before his eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fell for the last time. He laid on the ground before we all heard his final breath leave his body. His body then shifted back into his human form and Jax with tears in his eyes quickly put a blanket over his lower half. Butter had given me back control and I started to sway a bit. I put myself in a stance to where I wouldn''t fall over. My head bolted upward when I heard Mary''s cry. She was on her knees sobbing while staring at Jackson''s lifeless body. She crawled over to his body and screamed into his chest. I could feel her pain through the pack link and it took my breath away. I could feel the slight pain that Jax was also going through, and it broke my heart. I was the reason why they were all crying. What am I to do? His father had challenged me. This was a fair fight. Oh my god, would Jax reject me? Would he actually leave me for this? I started to hyperventilate and I could feel myself start to sway again. I could also feel the lightheadedness hit me like a truck going one hundred miles an hour. I let out a small sound and fell to the ground. As I laid on the ground in my own blood, I saw Mary''s mark disappear. My heart ached for her.


    "Dakota!" I faintly heard my brother scream as he ran up to me. I slowly felt my soul leaving my body. Is this was it feels like in the beginning stages of death?


    Sean picked me up and as soon as he did, I started to shift back into my human form. Layla quickly ran up to me with a blanket and was sobbing.


    "Please don''t leave us, Dakota!" Her voice also sounded very faint. I started to see stars and my body went limp as I couldn''t support my own weight. Sean fixed my head so it was leaning against his shoulder and my father made his way over to me. I could feel my eyes starting to droop and I knew something was going to happen in the next few minutes.


    "Please don''t leave us. Don''t leave us as your mom did." I heard the pain in my father''s voice and my breathing became raspy and I was choking on my blood from my partially slit throat. Sean kneeled on the ground and held me properly. Destiny also joined us and started to sob too. I felt a few tears slip down my face as I looked at my family. I felt Butter become weak like me, and I don''t blame her. She did most of the fighting. I looked over to Jackson''s body and saw Mary, Jax, Kyle, and Jax''s sister Angela, who I didn''t get to meet yet. I started coughing and spitting up blood, and that was what got Jax''s attention. His eyes went wide as he quickly ran over to me.


    "No, no, no!" Sean let Jax take me from his arms so he could hold me. I felt the tingles and then I heard healers start running up to me.


    "Please don''t leave me, I love you. I want to have a family with you. Please, Dakota, please." Jax started to sob as I felt myself slipping away.


    "I love you," I coughed up more blood before I continued.


    "All of you," The healers took me away from my family and everything around me quickly went to black.

 Chapter Nineteen: Jax

    My father is gone. And where I am happy that he is gone, it still hurts me. He could have changed his mind. He could have withdrawn from the fight and we could have been on good terms. But now I might lose my mate because of him.


    The healers had taken her away and were rushing her off to the hospital. They had also put my mother on a gurney to bring her to the hospital so she can die there. They put a blanket over my father''s corpse and I let out a shaky breath as I get in the ambulance that my mother was in as it hadn''t left yet. I held her hand as I worried about Dakota. Just before the door shuts, Mr. Kennedy comes rushing in and just stares at my mother as the doors shut. My mother opens her eyes and they go slightly wide.


    "How is this possible?" Mr. Kennedy whispered. I looked at him strangely and spoke up.


    "What? What''s possible?" My mother started to stabilize and her heart rate went back to normal.


    "I feel the pull again. I haven''t felt this way in so long." Mr. Kennedy started to tear up a little. My mother holds out her hand for him and he grabs her hand. Mr. Kennedy got startled and pulled his hand away. My mother''s heart rate skyrocketed and she teared up.


    "Oh my god," Mr. Kennedy gripped his hair and started to cry.


    "Are you guys second chance mates?" My mother nodded slightly and I slumped in my seat. It was a relief on one hand, as I knew my mother wouldn''t die, but her mate is my mates father.


    My dying mate.


    I felt a pang in my chest and groaned in pain. I started to hyperventilate and I teared up.


    "No, no, no!" I felt Ryder start to come up and he was just as upset as I was.


    "What''s happening to my daughter, Jax?" I sucked in a breath and the pain in my chest stopped for a moment.


    "Dakota. She flatlined, but they were able to get her back." I started crying and hit the wall.


    "Damnit, can you go any faster?" I screamed at the driver and he floored it to the pack hospital. My mother sat up on the gurney as the ambulance stopped. They quickly opened the door and I rushed out to go and see Dakota. They would see my mother is okay with her new mate and wouldn''t be as worried.


    I ran throughout the hospital following Dakota''s scent. I found her in ICU and I felt my heart drop to my stomach. My father hurt her that badly? I felt tears well in my eyes as I burst through the doors and saw Destiny, Layla, and Sean all in the waiting room. Sean looked over to me and ran over to me to hold me back. I growled loudly and I tried to make my way past him.


    "Jax! Listen to me! She is going through surgery! If you go in there, you will get protective of her and you won''t let the doctors do what they need to. You need to calm down." I fell to my knees and started to sob. I needed to see her. I wanted to see her. I wanted to hold her. I screamed in agony as I felt my heartache once more. I clutched my chest and choked on air. I could feel my heart starting to break and I started coughing as I tried to stand. Sean started to tear up because he knew what was going on. I felt like a piece of me was being ripped to shreds and that a piece of me had died.


    After another few moments, I was able to breathe and sucked in a huge breath of air. I felt myself slowly mending as I was terrified.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    "They brought her back... This is the second time she''s died on me." I started to sob and one of the doctors came out.


    "Alpha Jax, we need you to mark your mate once again. She won''t make it unless you speed up her healing process." I nodded and Sean helped me up and the doctor and Sean led me to Dakota''s room. I choked on a sob as I saw her lying in the hospital bed. She wasn''t moving and was sewn up with stitches. She was hooked up to many machines, including oxygen and a liquid drip. I walked over to her and sniffled. I kissed her forehead and her heart rate sped up. My heart skipped a beat and I slowly let my canines come out. I bent down so I was hovering over her neck and sighed. I licked the area clean before I sunk my canines into her mark. Her heart rate sped up and her body started to shake. I quickly removed my canines and licked the wounds so they would close. Her body continued to shake and the doctors pushed me out of the room. I started to grow anxious, wondering if my mark made her worse. After a few agonizing minutes, her body stopped shaking and her heart rate went back to normal. She was still, but we waited if anything would happen. Nothing did.


    I sighed as I sat down in a chair next to her bed. I put my face in my hands and started to cry once again.


    Dakota didn''t deserve this. Hell, she wasn''t even supposed to get hurt. This was all my fault. I allowed her to go through with this. I should have stopped her. I should have fought my dad myself as a challenge for his position. He would have focused on me immediately as I''ve already been trained. He had to wait for Dakota to be ready because of our laws. I could have gotten my father out of the way ages ago.


    I still felt the pull, but it felt like it was numb in some sort of way. I knew she was there, and Ryder could still feel her cat, but something was off. She seemed far away. I don''t know how, but she does. A doctor walked in and I sighed. He cleared his throat and began speaking.


    "Alpha, we don''t have the best news for you." I immediately turned to look at him and growled.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Well, Luna Dakota, we don''t know when she will wake up. Or if she will wake up. Currently, we believe she is in a coma, and will not wake up for quite some time. The injuries she acquired from the fight with late Alpha Jackson were very severe. I can assume you felt the bond start to break when she left us twice." I growled as a warning and the doctor started to shift from one foot to the other.


    "Anyway, just, don''t expect her to awaken right away, Alpha. She needs all the rest she can get. We will be keeping a very close eye on her." I sighed and nodded. I played with her fingers and felt my heart break. I let out a shaky breath as my mother and Mr. Kennedy came into the room. Mr. Kennedy choked on a sob as he went to the other side of Dakota''s bed. He ran his hand over her hair and sniffled.


    "What did the doctor say?"


    "She''s in a coma." I choked on a sob and Ryder started whining. Even Buttercup wasn''t able to answer him. He still felt her presence, but it was just as faint as Dakota.


    "But she''ll live?" Mr. Kennedy spoke and I nodded.


    "Yes, she will Mr. Kennedy." I cleared my throat and wiped my face.


    "Please, Jax. Call me John." I nodded and my mother started to rub my back.


    "I know, honey. But we couldn''t change the rules. Your father had challenged her, and you had trained her really well. Especially since she technically wasn''t ready to fight him anyway." I nodded and slouched in the chair. Layla, Destiny, and Sean then came into the room and Layla started to cry.


    "She''s in a coma." Layla glared at me and I was shocked by what she said next.


    "You did this. You didn''t help her!" Layla screamed at me and I rubbed my temples.


    "It would have been against the law. I literally could not have done anything. I would have been banished or killed. Do not blame me because she agreed to a fight with my father." I was trying my best to not argue with her and she slapped me. I stood and growled at her and John got defensive.


    "Jax, don''t do anything stupid to my daughter," I growled.


    "I can not change what Dakota did! She agreed to fight my father for his position! This is not my fault!" Layla hissed at me and tried to scratch me. I grabbed her arm and held it in a tight grip.


    "You need to remember that I am your Alpha. You are part of my pack because you are mated to Jacob. You harm me, you won''t like what happens next." I growled out and she glared at me. She removed her arm from my grip and stormed out of the room.


    "I want everyone to get the fuck out. Now!" I roared and everyone left the room. I slammed the door shut and moved the chair closer to Dakota''s bed. I sighed and rubbed my face in frustration.


    "Please wake up soon, Dakota. Please."

 Chapter Twenty: Jax

    It''s been about a week, and Dakota still hasn''t woken up yet. I am still fighting with Layla, Jacob and Logan are ignoring me, Destiny has just been avoiding everything, my mother tries to visit me and keep me calm, and John and my mom are happy together. They are slowly working on their relationship and I can tell it will be way better than her previous one.


    I haven''t left the hospital room once since she was admitted last week. The only person who seemed to hate me was Sean. Granted, her father and my mother don''t hate me, but Layla does. She blames this whole thing on me and makes me feel like shit for something that I couldn''t stop.


    I was immediately given the title of Alpha, even though I didn''t go through the ceremony. I haven''t done a single thing since Dakota has been here. I sit in the chair and I stare at her for hours. I cry every now and then for a while before I drink water and end up passing out from exhaustion. The doctors are worried about me, and they want to wake Dakota up, but she has to do this on her own. They are worried about forcefully waking her up, as they don''t know what will happen.


    Dakota''s smaller wounds have healed up for the most part, but her belly was what was destroyed. That is still held together with stitches and her neck was also in bad shape. My father missed her vocal cords, but he had cut a small part of a major artery. That was why she had lost so much blood.


    I keep marking her as well. Once a week I mark her in the same spot to help her heal faster. I really hope I''m not wasting my time.


    Ryder can feel Buttercup become stronger. She''s strong enough to talk to Ryder and that''s how I''ve been updated on how Dakota has been doing. Butter says she herself has regained her strength, but Dakota is still very weak. She does try to communicate with me, however, but it never works. Dakota is too weak to reach out to me via mind link. I heard a knock on the door and sighed.


    "Come in, mom," My mother and John entered the room and she rubbed my back. John kissed Dakota''s head and sighed.


    "Well, have you heard any news?" Mother spoke up and I let out a shaky breath.


    "Buttercup has regained her strength. Dakota is still too weak to come forward and wake up. The doctors don''t know what would happen if they even attempted to wake her up, and everyone is still ignoring me and blaming me for this." John sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.


    "I can try talking to Layla and Destiny. Make them see that this wasn''t your fault. I''m sorry that everyone is giving you a hard time. You don''t deserve this." John patted my back.


    "Dakota is lucky to have you. You''re a perfect mate for her, and I couldn''t have asked for anyone better for her." I broke out in a sob after what John had told me. He put his hand on my shoulder and I put my hand on his forearm.


    "Thank you, John. I-I appreciate that." I stammered as I tried to talk without sobbing. My mother rubbed my back and kissed my hair.


    "Come on, love. You need to eat. You''ve barely eaten, nor had much to drink. We''re worried about you. We all care about you." I laughed dryly and stared at nothing.


    "The people that you say care about me, aren''t even here. They refuse to visit Dakota because I''m always here. So, in a way, they don''t care about Dakota much, do they?" John thought for a moment and sighed.


    "In a way, yes. They want to visit her but make no effort to even try if you are here." John spoke and my mother pitched in.


    "Yes, but Jacob and Logan haven''t made an effort to make sure Jax is okay either. Knowing them, they are probably trying to comfort their mates about Dakota''s condition. The girls probably don''t want them associating with Jax in fear of angering them and them threatening to leave them. Which, sounds horrible, but the one thing no one can lose is a mate." John rubbed the back of his neck and shifted from foot to foot. I sighed and put my head in my hands.


    "What if I can''t bring her back? What if she doesn''t wake up? It really will be all my fault." My mother sat on the arm of the chair and pulled me into her side.


    "Honey, this was not your fault. Your father chose his path, and he wasn''t going to be changing his mind. None of this wasn''t your fault, you couldn''t have stopped him." I got up from the chair and I growled in frustration.


    "If I had done more to protect her, she wouldn''t be like this! Layla has made that perfectly clear, so why the fuck should I believe you?" I felt Ryder come to the surface and my mother was shocked.


    "She has gotten under your skin that much?" My mother shed a tear and turned to her new mate.


    "You definitely need to talk to Layla. She won''t listen to anyone else. I love you and your family, but I will not allow anyone to ruin my son. I hope you understand that." My mother shed her tears as she left the room. John sighed and gripped his hair slightly.


    "What do I do? Layla hasn''t home, neither has Dakota. Sean and Riley have been spending more time together at the house, and the pack members will visit every once in a while. Since your father has passed, they are more comfortable in the packhouse and have stopped visiting. How am I supposed to talk to Layla when she won''t even make an effort to listen?" I thought for a moment as I looked at Dakota. I clapped my hands together and turned back to face John.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there.


    "I have an idea." I smiled and John sat down to listen to my plan.


    "Well, out with it!" John smiled and I let out a breath before we started talking.


    "The only way she will come in here is if Dakota is awake." John nodded and I smiled again.


    "Tell her to get her ass over here, because her sister is now ''awake''." I put air quotes around awake and he thought for a moment before standing up.


    "If she thinks she is awake, she''ll come rushing over and we could lock them in here and force them to listen," John spoke and I nodded once. John pulled out his phone and texted Layla that he has news about Dakota. He then called her and she answered on the first ring.


    "Is she okay?" Layla got out as we heard her running. John sighed as he gave me a worried look.


    "Dakota''s awake,"


    It''s been about a week, and Dakota still hasn''t woken up yet. I am still fighting with Layla, Jacob and Logan are ignoring me, Destiny has just been avoiding everything, my mother tries to visit me and keep me calm, and John and my mom are happy together. They are slowly working on their relationship and I can tell it will be way better than her previous one.


    I haven''t left the hospital room once since she was admitted last week. The only person who seemed to not hate me was Sean. Granted, her father and my mother don''t hate me, but Layla does. She blames this whole thing on me and makes me feel like shit for something that I couldn''t stop.


    I was immediately given the title of Alpha, even though I didn''t go through the ceremony. I haven''t done a single thing since Dakota has been here. I sit in the chair and I stare at her for hours. I cry every now and then for a while before I drink water and end up passing out from exhaustion. The doctors are worried about me, and they want to wake Dakota up, but she has to do this on her own. They are worried about forcefully waking her up, as they don''t know what will happen.


    Dakota''s smaller wounds have healed up for the most part, but her belly was what was destroyed. That is still held together with stitches and her neck was also in bad shape. My father missed her vocal cords, but he had cut a small part of a major artery. That was why she had lost so much blood.


    I keep marking her as well. Once or sometimes even twice a day I mark her in the same spot to help her heal faster. I really hope I''m not wasting my time.


    Ryder can feel Buttercup become stronger. She''s strong enough to talk to Ryder and that''s how I''ve been updated on how Dakota has been doing. Butter says she herself has regained her strength, but Dakota is still very weak. She does try to communicate with me, however, but it never works. Dakota is too weak to reach out to me via mind link. I heard a knock on the door and sighed.


    "Come in, mom," My mother and John entered the room and she rubbed my back. John kissed Dakota''s head and sighed.


    "Well, have you heard any news?" Mother spoke up and I let out a shaky breath.


    "Buttercup has regained her strength. Dakota is still too weak to come forward and wake up. The doctors don''t know what would happen if they even attempted to wake her up, and everyone is still ignoring me and blaming me for this." John sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.


    "I can try talking to Layla and Destiny. Make them see that this wasn''t your fault. I''m sorry that everyone is giving you a hard time. You don''t deserve this." John patted my back.


    "Dakota is lucky to have you. You''re a perfect mate for her, and I couldn''t have asked for anyone better for her." I broke out in a sob after what John had told me. He put his hand on my shoulder and I put my hand on his forearm.


    "Thank you, John. I-I appreciate that." I stammered as I tried to talk without sobbing. My mother rubbed my back and kissed my hair.


    "Come on, love. You need to eat. You''ve barely eaten, nor had much to drink. We''re worried about you. We all care about you." I laughed dryly and stared at nothing.


    "The people that you say care about me, aren''t even here. They refuse to visit Dakota because I''m always here. So, in a way, they don''t care about Dakota much, do they?" John thought for a moment and sighed.


    "In a way, yes. They want to visit her but make no effort to even try if you are here." John spoke and my mother pitched in.


    "Yes, but Jacob and Logan haven''t made an effort to make sure Jax is okay either. Knowing them, they are probably trying to comfort their mates about Dakota''s condition. The girls probably don''t want them associating with Jax in fear of angering them and them threatening to leave them. Which, sounds horrible, but the one thing no one can lose is a mate." John rubbed the back of his neck and shifted from foot to foot. I sighed and put my head in my hands.


    "What if I can''t bring her back? What if she doesn''t wake up? It really will be all my fault." My mother sat on the arm of the chair and pulled me into her side.


    "Honey, this was not your fault. Your father chose his path, and he wasn''t going to be changing his mind. None of this wasn''t your fault, you couldn''t have stopped him." I got up from the chair and I growled in frustration.


    "If I had done more to protect her, she wouldn''t be like this! Layla has made that perfectly clear, so why the fuck should I believe you?" I felt Ryder come to the surface and my mother was shocked.


    "She has gotten under your skin that much?" My mother shed a tear and turned to her new mate.


    "You definitely need to talk to Layla. She won''t listen to anyone else. I love you and your family, but I will not allow anyone to ruin my son. I hope you understand that." My mother shed her tears as she left the room. John sighed and gripped his hair slightly.


    "What do I do? Layla hasn''t been home, neither has Destiny. Sean and Riley have been spending more time together at the house, and the pack members will visit every once in a while. Since your father has passed, they are more comfortable in the packhouse and have stopped visiting. How am I supposed to talk to Layla when she won''t even make an effort to listen?" I thought for a moment as I looked at Dakota. I clapped my hands together and turned back to face John.


    "I have an idea." I smiled and John sat down to listen to my plan.


    "Well, out with it!" John smiled and I let out a breath before we started talking.


    "The only way she will come in here is if Dakota is awake." John nodded and I smiled again.


    "Tell her to get her ass over here, because her sister is now ''awake''." I put air quotes around awake and he thought for a moment before standing up.


    "If she thinks she is awake, they''ll come rushing over and we could lock them in here and force them to listen," John spoke and I nodded once. John pulled out his phone and texted Layla that he has news about Dakota. He then called her and she answered on the first ring.


    "Is she okay?" Layla got out as we heard her running. John sighed as he gave me a worried look.


    "Dakota''s awake,"

 Chapter Twenty-One: Layla

    I couldn''t believe it. Dakota was awake. I didn''t think she would ever wake up, and I''m glad she did. I can explain to her how I think Jax is a horrible mate for her, and that she should reject him and find a better one. Yeah, he would die, but I doubt she would. I mean, that only happens with werewolves, right? We are werecats; way more superior than the wolves. No disrespect to Jacob, Logan, or Riley though. They are great.


    I ran to Destiny and Logan''s bedroom and pounded on the door.


    "Dakota woke up! Come on!" I then ran to the game room and found Jacob playing with his friends.


    "Jacob! Dakota woke up! Come on, we have to go!" I yelled as I grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the game.


    "That''s great news!" I nodded and smiled.


    "Yeah! Now Dakota can reject Jax for him being a horrible mate!" I smiled and Jacob looked at me in disgust.


    "What?" Destiny and Logan spoke up from behind me and I slowly lost my smile.


    "Guys, this isclearlyall Jax''s fault. If he had protected her more, she wouldn''t have almost died!" I grew angry and Logan scoffed.


    "Get this through your thick fucking skull, Dakota and Jackson made an agreement. A LAW ABIDING agreement. It was a battle over Jax. Jax LEGALLY could not do anything. And if he did interfere, Jackson would have won by default and he would have killed Dakota on the spot, therefore killing Jax. I don''t know who the fuck you think you are, talking about how my Alpha is not a good mate to Dakota, but you have not been more fucking wrong. And I can guarantee that if you keep talking shit about OUR Alpha, there will be consequences. Such as, you can be banished and you would be taking Jacob away from his family. From people who have loved him for all his life. You could even be killed for your actions, therefore killing Jacob in the process. So, if you want to fucking live," Logan got closer and growled before speaking again. "Shut the fuck up and learn your place." Logan grabbed Destiny''s hand and she looked shocked. I scoffed and turned back to Jacob. He shook his head and looked so disappointed. I grew angry and huffed.You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.


    "Great job, you didn''t even stand up for me." I folded my arms over my chest and he growled in anger.


    "He''s right. You need to learn our laws and realize that you are wrong. Mate or not, you will always have to respect that we have laws that we must abide by. And if you break them, you are either called a rogue or killed. End of story. Now, I''m going to see Jax. I don''t give a fuck if you come with me. I''ve idiotically listened to you because you''ve threatened to leave me if I saw him. I was afraid of losing my mate, but I''ve realized that losing my friends and the respect of my fellow pack members is way more important than trying to constantly please you." I sucked in a sharp breath and tried to speak.


    "I''m not fucking finished," Jacob growled out and I flinched.


    "I have so much respect for Jax because he is a great leader and he makes a great mate for Dakota. He loves her so much and someone has to be fucking stupid to not see that." I saw the rage in his eyes and noticed his wolf Adam came forward. Even he was angry with me?


    "I will not have any disrespect shown to my Alpha. Cause like it or not, you are replaceable if I so choose, or if I am blessed with a second chance mate. I love you, but I don''t know what the fuck happened to you. You are showing me your true colors, and I don''t know if I like it. Either straighten up or fucking leave." Jacob stormed out of the packhouse and I started to tear up. Why did he get so angry? I only stated a fact. Jax is a horrible mate and Alpha. He isn''t much better than Jackson. I took in a deep breath and I made my way to the hospital. I don''t care if Jax is there, I want to see my sister.


    I do hope she will come to her senses and leave Jax.


    She deserves so much better.

 Chapter Twenty-Two: Dakota

    I couldn''t move, and I couldn''t see, but I definitely could hear.


    And what I was hearing, pissed me off to my very core.


    I have heardeverysingle thing Jax, Mary, and my father have been discussing. Hearing about all of the fighting that''s been going on. Especially from my sister! How she refuses to visit me because Jax is here! And how she has the fucking nerve to say that she wants me to reject Jax! I heard that from Logan and Destiny. They came into my room a few minutes ago. They quickly told Jax, Mary, and my father of what Layla had the nerve to say. I felt Logan''s anger and I grew confused. A few days ago, I wasn''t able to feel aura''s. I wasn''t strong enough.


    ''Hey, Butter?''


    ''Yes?''


    ''If I can feel their aura''s, can I expel mine so they can feel mine?''Buttercup thought for a moment before replying.


    ''You can try?''She seemed unsure and I sighed.


    ''I''ll try in a minute. This wore me out a little bit.''Butter cut me off and I let out a dry chuckle. She desperately wants me to wake up and honestly, I agree. I want to be able to hold Jax and confirm with him that all of this was truly not his fault. I heard the door slam open and I could feel Jacob''s pure rage.


    "Jacob!" I heard Jax run over to his friend and I heard Jacob huff in reply.


    "I know what Layla said, Jacob." I could feel Jacob''s fear.


    "I told her. I told her not to say dumb shit. I told her it could get both of us killed for disrespecting you. I left her at the packhouse because I was tired of her forcing us to stay away from Dakota and you. And I still love her, but I couldn''t handle the bullshit coming from her mouth." I heard Jacob start to cry and I heard Jax hug him.


    "It''s alright. She''s just angry her sister got hurt. We all are. But she does need to listen and understand I couldn''t legally do anything." Jax sighed and sat back in his seat next to my bed. God, I would do anything to just hold him again. Jax grabbed my hand and took in a sharp intake of breath.


    "Jax? Everything alright?" Destiny questioned and Jax started to cry and laugh.


    "I can feel the sparks. I think she might actually wake up soon." Jax laughed and kissed my hand several times. I felt the happiness and sparks flow through me and Jax sobbed.


    "I haven''t been able to feel the bond that much. She was so weak that I couldn''t feel anything. I knew she was alive, and that''s why I haven''t died yet." Jax ran his fingers over my hair and I hummed. I haven''t been able to feel anything lately either until now.


    "Are you able to mind link her?" Mary spoke up and I felt Jax perk up.


    ''Dakota? Love? Can you hear me?''I broke out in a sob and spoke.


    ''Yes, I can!''Jax started to sob while moving.


    "She can talk to me again!" Jax refused to let go of my arm and I felt something wet on my cheeks.


    "She''s crying," My father spoke and I felt Jax wipe away my tears.


    "Someone, get a nurse!" Jax spoke in his Alpha tone and I felt Logan''s presence leave the room and come back in a few seconds later. A nurse came up to me and started taking my vitals. Jax still had a hold on my hand and I decided I would try and move.


    I tried as hard as I could to try and move my finger. I felt a spark touch my fingertip when I successfully touched my mate.


    "She touched me," Jax was quick to sit up and tell everyone.


    "She moved?" I heard the nurse speak and I felt Jax''s body move from furiously nodding?


    "Yes, I swear she did." Jax was sounding desperate and I felt my heart swell from the happiness I felt from almost being able to wake up. I moved some of my fingers again and I heard a gasp come from Destiny.The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    "She''s moving!" Everyone cheered and I smiled. I continued to shed happy tears as I tried moving other parts of my body.


    "Wait, she''s moving? Is she waking up?" I heard Sean run in and I could smell Riley was right behind him.


    "Yeah, she''s regained a lot of strength and is trying to wake herself up!"


    "She''s trying to smile!" Mary piped in and I was glad I was surrounded by people I love. Minus one. I felt an angry presence and could only assume it was my sister.


    "What the fuck is going on? I thought you guys said she was awake?" I heard the door slam and I heard the lock turn.


    "What the fuck? What is going on?" I felt the anger rolling off of everyone, and I think they could all feel my anger rolling off me in waves.


    "Dakota is waking up. But you need to sit down and listen because your head is so far up your ass, you don''t know what the fuck you''re talking about anymore." My father spoke up and I heard Layla growl and try to speak.


    "Did I fucking stutter?" My father bellowed and even I grew a little scared. I heard Layla huff as she sat in a chair. While they were distracted by Layla, I was trying to wake myself up.


    "Now, listen up Layla. I don''t know where in your right fucking mind you thought that you could say all of those things. Let alone what made you fucking think those things. You need to understand that Dakota made her decision to fight Jackson. You need to understand that Jax LEGALLY could not do shit. And if he did, it would have gotten both of them killed. The laws of Werewolves are sacred, Layla. And you need to fucking respect them." My father was lecturing her and I could feel her anger rolling off her in waves.


    "No! You''re wrong! Jax is a horrible mate to Dakota, and I want her to reject him. Because unlike werewolves, we can''t die if we lose our mate." I could hear the cockiness in her voice and Sean laughed.


    "You dumb fucking bitch!" Layla gasped in shock.


    "What did you just say?" Sean had stopped laughing and I heard his voice become stone cold.


    "You dumb fucking bitch. We are exactly like werewolves. We WILL die if we reject and or lose our mates, we don''t get new ones unless the goddess deems us worthy of a new one, and you must be so idiotic to think Dakota would leave Jax!"


    Damn right on that one.


    "He is the Alpha and she is the Luna. The pack would not survive without either of them. And even though Jax has siblings, as well as his mother, the siblings wouldn''t be ready to take over if Mary decides not to. So, get your fucking head out of your ass and accept the fact that Jax didn''t do shit wrong, and that it was a fair fucking fight!" I heard a slap resonate throughout the room and I heard Sean growl. I felt anger myself and let Butter come to the surface. She let out her own growl, and I actually heard it bounce off the walls. I felt eyes all over me and Jax chuckled.


    "Congratulations, Layla! I hope you are happy. Butter has taken over and will forcefully wake Dakota up whether she is ready to or not. You really want to feel the wrath of Dakota and her cat?"I heard Layla shift from one foot to the other. I felt Buttercup forcefully moving my fingers and I heard her snarling.


    She was out for blood, and even if it''s family''s blood, she was going to have it.


    ''She''s going to try and teach Layla a lesson.''I reached out to Jax and he started laughing.


    "You fucked up, Layla. Butter wants to teach you a lesson." Layla scoffed.


    "You don''t know that! She could be trying to come out to hurt you for not helping her!" That was all it took Butter to come out.


    "Learn your fucking place!" Butter roared at Layla and I could finally see. I saw red through Butter''s eyes. I felt my wounds immediately heal from my newfound strength. Layla looked scared shitless.


    "No! If anyone needs to learn their place it''s Jax! He didn''t do anything to help you! You need to leave him!" Layla stood her ground and Butter ended up shifting on the bed. She roared as loud and as deep as she could at Layla and it had everyone but my father bowing their heads.


    ''We will NEVER leave Jax! He has loved me this entire time since we''ve been asleep! Who was the one keeping our family away from us? It was YOU! You have shown that you don''t love us and that you want us to suffer. You don''t want us to be happy, and you haven''t shown that you love us and wanted us to be happy. I will not tolerate you disrespecting me and my mate!''Butter and I screamed at Layla through the mind link and she started to tear up.


    "It''s his fault..." Layla muttered sadly. Butter growled at her again.


    ''No, it''s not. Don''t ever think that again. He has been nothing but loving towards us and taking care of us. He has marked us about twice a day to speed up the healing process, and it finally worked. What did you do? Nothing. You kept our family away from us, people who actually cared about our wellbeing, while you just bitched because you don''t like the fact that Jax legally couldn''t do anything to help us. We didn''t want him to help us, so I suggest you fuck off and rethink your fucking life and your fucking idiotic ideas. You can come back to us when you aren''t acting fucking stupid.''Layla had burst into a full sob fest and ran out of the room. Butter gave me back control and I started to sway.


    I guess I wasn''t as strong as I thought I was.


    "Dakota? Are you okay?" Jax asked as he was at my side in a split second. I had started to shift back and Jax immediately took off his shirt and put it over my body after I shifted back. I felt my body go limp and I groaned.


    "Dakota? What''s going on?" Jax was worried and I could feel my eyes drooping.


    "Butter and Dakota used all of their strength combined to wake up, as well as stand up to Layla. She''s now weak and will probably pass out." Sean said and as soon as he did, I did indeed pass out.

 Chapter Twenty-Three: Jax

    I was patiently waiting for Dakota to wake back up. I wasn''t nearly as worried as I had been for the past week since I knew she was okay. Even if she did pass out from exhaustion. Everyone had mainly gone home except for Sean. They all agreed they would come by bright and early tomorrow morning to visit us again. I was happy that things were going back to normal. I was also glad to hear that Jacob and Logan didn''t hate me, but it devastated me to hear that they were being forced by Layla to stay away. I hope what we all said gets through her thick skull and she learns that I''m not going anywhere. I sigh as I lean back in my chair. Sean looks like he''s been deep in thought for a while now.


    "Everything alright, Sean?" Sean looked up at me and sighed.


    "This whole situation man. It was just, so much bullshit that didn''t need to happen. I don''t even know why it happened." Sean sighed and rubbed his face. I frowned slightly.


    "Yeah, I agree. I don''t even know why Layla had thought what she did. Even then, she didn''t have to get so hostile. If she was concerned, she could have come up to me and asked me questions like a regular person. She seemed okay with the fact that weeks ago she challenged my father to a fight. She didn''t say a single thing on the topic. Does she always lash out like that?" Sean groaned slightly.


    "No, she is never like this, which is why I am so confused. She has never acted like this before in her life, and I don''t know what made her act like this." Sean moved around in his seat and leaned against the arm of the chair. I sighed and tried to think of things to talk about with Sean, as we weren''t that close.


    "So, how are you and Riley?" Sean smiled and perked up. I gave him a small smirk and let out a chuckle. Sean smiled and shook his head.


    "We''re great. I''m glad she changed her mind and decided to be with me. I love her with everything in me and she loves me in return. We work well together." Sean smiled and I gave him a small smile in return.


    "I''m glad you two were able to work things out. You two deserve one another."


    "Thank you, Jax. I appreciate that coming from you." Sean groaned and stood up to stretch. After a moment he walked over to Dakota''s bed and kissed her head. He wiped some of her hair back and sighed.


    "Okay, well, I''m going to go home now. Will you let me know when she wakes up?"


    "Yeah, of course. I''ll let everyone know when she wakes up." Sean smiled.


    "Thanks, man. I''ll see you later Jax." Sean waved and I gave a short wave back and leaned back in my chair. I heard my stomach rumble and I groaned. I pressed the call nurse button and the nurse from earlier came in.


    "Yes, Alpha?"


    "I was wondering if I could get some food since I haven''t eaten in a week." The nurse''s eyes went wide and nodded furiously and ran away. I let out a dry chuckle and sighed. After a few more moments, the nurse came back with a tray of food.


    "Here you go, Alpha. Let me know if you need anything else." She bowed and I nodded my head. I slowly ate my food and drank the water they gave me. They had given me chicken, two biscuits, some vegetables and a pitcher of water along with a cup. I watched Dakota intently to see if she would do anything. I know I should be less worried since I know she is going to wake up again, but I can''t help but feel paranoid.


    I have a bad feeling that something bad is going to happen to Dakota. I know it''s mostly just paranoia, and that nothing will happen, but I can''t help but worry about her. Butter forcefully woke her up, and we don''t know if she was ready to wake up on her own just yet. She doesn''t feel like she will be going into another coma, so I know I don''t have to worry about that. I sighed as I leaned back in my seat after finishing my food. I laid my head on the back of the chair when I heard my stomach rumble again. I groaned as I realized I was still hungry. I had pressed the call nurse button once again and the same nurse came in.


    "Yes, Alpha?"


    "I''m still hungry, so I''m going to go and get more food myself. Do you mind watching over Dakota while I''m gone?" The nurse gave a small smile and bowed.


    "Of course, Alpha. Take all the time you need." I gave a curt nod and walked out of the room. I haven''t walked outside of this room for a week. I let the scent of the food guide me to the cafeteria. When I got there I grabbed a tray and started walking through the line. I grabbed more chicken, a loaf of bread, some pulled pork, and a small salad. I had also grabbed two bottles of water. I walked over to the cashier and the man sat up immediately. I waved him down and shook my head.This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    "There''s no need for that Cameron. I''m just getting some food." I smiled at him and he gave me one in return.


    "So, I heard the good news about Luna Dakota! I''m glad she''s okay." Cameron started ringing me up and I gave him a wide smile.


    "Yeah. Her cat forced her to wake though, so she passed out from exhaustion. She''ll be fine though."


    "That''s good, Alpha. Kiera and I can''t wait to meet her at the Luna Ceremony." I chuckled and smiled as I paid for my food.


    "I will make sure you guys meet her. And bring Micah with you." Cameron smiled and laughed as Micah, his five-year-old son,  ran up to him with his backpack on.


    "We will, Alpha. Have a good day!" Cameron laughed as he picked up his son. I chuckled and took my tray to a table. I planned on eating quickly so that I could get back to Dakota. I watched as nurses started running towards the front door. Someone was being brought in on a gurney. I watched in concern to see who it was. I didn''t recognize this pack member but would make sure to check up on them later.


    "Code Blue!" Nurses and doctors bomb-rushed the pack member and I started to get a little worried. I hope they end up okay. I start to drink my water but spit it back out when I see the nurse that was supposed to be watching Dakota. I let out a growl that was loud enough for her to hear. She turned pale and started to sweat.


    "Alpha, please. This is my job. Your mate is fine!" She yelled as she ran away with the gurney. I growled again and left the tray behind. As I walked into the hall, I felt a sharp pain land on my head. I groaned in pain and held my head. Another nurse ran up to me.


    "Alpha, what''s wrong?" I let out a roar as I realized it wasn''t my pain.


    "Dakota!" I ran through the hospital trying to get back to her room. I ran into Sean and my mother on the way to Dakota¡¯s room.


    ¡°I have a gut feeling, what happened?¡± Sean was on edge, as was my mother.


    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I went to go get food and a nurse agreed to watch her. I just saw her respond to a code blue, but I felt a sharp pain on my head and I don¡¯t think Dakota is safe anymore.¡± I explained as I continued to run to Dakota¡¯s room. I burst through the door and inhaled. I couldn¡¯t smell anyone¡¯s scent, but Dakota was bleeding from her head. I roared in anger and a doctor came rushing in. He put his hands on his head and his mouth was agape. He quickly ran over to Dakota and started cleaning her wound.


    ¡°How the fuck did this happen?¡± I felt Ryder very close to the surface and the doctor hesitated.


    ¡°Alpha, I don¡¯t know. I turned away for two seconds to quickly sign a form. I didn¡¯t smell anything new I would have known!¡± I started to shake and my mother came up and put her hand on my shoulder.


    ¡°Jax, there¡¯s no time to get upset right now. You need to figure out who did this. Doctor, will she be okay?¡± The doctor sighed and looked her over.


    ¡°She has blunt force trauma to the head. Alpha, do you feel her being far away?¡± I took in a breath and let it out. I concentrated on if she was far away, and after a few more moments I sighed in relief.


    ¡°No,¡± The doctor nodded and continued talking.


    ¡°She might have a concussion when she wakes up. Just let us know when she wakes up Alpha. I¡¯m truly sorry,¡± He bowed and quickly left the room. I growled and looked over to Sean.


    ¡°Get in contact with your father. I¡¯ll contact Logan and Jacob.¡± Sean nodded and I linked Jacob and Logan.


    ¡®Jacob, Loga, get your asses here now.¡¯


    ¡®What happened? Is Dakota fine?¡¯ Logan asked.


    ¡®No. I left a nurse in charge of watching her and she left when there was a code blue. Someone tried to kill Dakota.¡¯


    I looked over at Sean and he got off of the phone with John.


    ¡°He¡¯s coming. He¡¯s not happy.¡± I sighed and nodded.


    About ten minutes later everyone was back in the room. Layla was standing toward the back on the room with her head down. Jacob was ignoring her and I sighed slightly to myself. She needs to go through the consequences of saying those horrible things.


    ¡°Someone tried to kill Dakota. I need to figure out who it was. Jacob, you¡¯ll check security cameras. Logan, I know it¡¯s hard but can you track a scent in here?¡± Logan sniffed the air and sighed.


    ¡°No, but it does smell like someone used a scent covering spray. It¡¯ll be near impossible figuring out who did this.¡± I growled in anger and Destiny spoke up.


    ¡°How did this even happen?¡± I pinched the bridge of my nose.


    ¡°A nurse disobeyed an order and left Dakota without anyone watching her.¡±


    ¡°Where were you?¡± Layla spoke up but didn¡¯t look me in the eyes.


    ¡°Getting food for the first time in about a week,¡± I stated bluntly and I knew she wanted to say something.


    ¡°What? Want to say something about how I finally left the room and that¡¯s when she got hurt? Try me, Layla.¡± I growled out and I felt her anger.


    ¡°You couldn¡¯t have had food brought up here?¡± I groaned and rubbed my face.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t fucking moved in a week, Layla. I thought it would be best for my health if I fucking moved.¡± I felt the tension in the air and Layla huffed. I heard a groan come from Dakota and I stood up and held her hand. She gasped and quickly opened her eyes. I saw confusion, some happiness, and fear.


    ¡°Where am I?¡± I felt my heart drop. No. Not now.


    ¡°Dakota, you¡¯re in the pack hospital,¡± I spoke and she looked at me weirdly.


    ¡°Pack hospital? What the hell is that?¡± I lost my breath and my mouth was agape. She slowly moved her hand away from mine and I felt my heartbreak.


    ¡°Dakota, how old are you?¡± Sean asked.


    ¡°Sixteen, you know this. More importantly,¡± She glanced at me.


    ¡°Who are you?¡±