After safely making it back home my father took us to his study where he and mom wasted no time laying into me. My mother never curses so when she does it hurts to hear, for a good thirty minutes she alternated between cursing me for my stupidity and hugging me; glad that I was okay. After mom finished dad took his turn reprimanding me which consisted of the same thing but without the hugging. When I asked how they knew where I was, they told me it was Lucas who figured it out. Turns out the wolf I didn't recognize next to Lucas earlier was Daniella. Apparently, they're mates and recognized each other the moment Lucas walked into the restaurant. Not wanting to waste any time telling everyone the good news he hurried home with Daniella in wolf form. After a while he realized I still hadn't come home and tried calling me. When I didn't answer he called Alice and Cora, but they told him they hadn't heard from me either. That's when he remembered our argument about Cole's party and put two and two together, after telling mom and dad everything they left to come get me.

                 As happy as I was for Lucas and Daniella, and the pack coming to rescue me, I couldn't get what happened out of my mind. After everything was said and done I told dad I needed to speak to him privately. Seeing the serious look on my face he asked everyone to leave except for mom because he tells her everything anyway. After everyone else left the room I told him what happened and showed him the recording. I left out the parts about me and the female alpha in the bedroom. A look of utter shock was on my father's face by the time he finished watching the recording.

"Who is she?" I asked.

With a grim look on his face he passes the recording to mom and answers, "Alpha Keira of the Thorn-apple pack." He turns to me. "I don't know much about her, from what I've been told she's about your age and she's only been alpha for a little over a year."

Keira, just hearing her name sends a shiver down my spine. I see my mother put a hand over her mouth as she watches the video.

"This is not good." My father states as he moves to sit behind his large wooden desk. "Demetri is not going to let this go. If he's still alive come Saturday, he'll probably lie about what happened tonight and petition the council for help against the Thorn-apple pack during the community meeting."

"Will he get it?" I ask nervously, not sure why I was getting worried for her sake.

"Hard to say." My father responds.

Mom, finally done with the video explains to me. "The female gave Cole plenty of chances to back off, but he didn't he continued to attack and insult her. No alpha can blame her for her actions, if we present this video as evidence it could justify her actions and his death." My mother paused for a moment before continuing. "But that in itself could be a problem, they're going to question where the video came from and why you where there in the first place."

"I'll just tell them the truth, Cole invited me. I even have witnesses Alice, Cora, even one of Cole's flunkies was there; they all heard him invite me."

My father slowly shook his head, "Everyone knows Alice and Cora are heavily connected to our pack and I wouldn't be surprised if Demetri somehow got the poor boy to lie for him. Hell, I wouldn't put it pass the slime ball to accuse us of having orchestrated the whole thing."

I realized my father was right if not handled properly this could end up a total shit storm for both our packs. 

A look of realization crosses my mother's face. "If the fear is them thinking we colluded with the Thorn-apple pack, let's do just that." I look at my mother confused. "Think about it Mattias, if we want to prove her case we need her on our side."

I was still confused, but my father seemed to understand. "Your right, your absolutely right, Goddess I love you." He pulls mom into his lap and kisses her.

I look at them both still lost. "Can one of you please explain it to me?"

Mom breaks the kiss with dad and gives me a stern look. "It's nothing you need to worry about. You need to go to bed, you have school in the morning." She points me to the door.

"School seriously!? Your worried about school after everything that's happened tonight?" I couldn't believe this.

"Yep, now GO." She points towards the door again.

I let out an exasperated sigh as I get up and go to my room. After a quick shower I crawl into bed and let the exhaustion of the whole ordeal take over.

I was still exhausted when we pulled into school. Walking in I could see all the wolves were on edge, had the news already spread? Lucas and Noel were also on edge, but for different reasons. Lucas was on edge because Daniella had to leave this morning and check in with her pack, while Noel was anxious about running into Gina after spending yesterday with her friend Julie.

As we walk down the halls I hear Lucas blurt out, "Oh shit." and turns to me. "I forgot to tell you to call Alice and Cora last night. They blew up my phone trying to find out if you were okay. They almost walked out of their jobs to come help last night but I convinced them not to."

"Crap, their gonna be pissed." As if on cue I feel a hand smack me upside the head.

"Damn right we are! How could you be so stupid!" Cora yells at me from behind.

Lucas and Noel leave to their classes, not wanting to get in the middle of this.

"Ow." I rub the back of my head as I turn to her. "Yeah I know, not my brightest moment."

I feel another hand smack me upside the head. "Ouch." I turn to see Alice.

"Goddess, of all the stupidest fucking things you..." Alice didn't even finish her sentence she just slowly shook her head at me.

"I know, I know, I messed up. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry." I apologize to both of them.

Tears start to swell up in Cora's eyes and she lets out a sob as she pulls me into a hug, "Goddess, I'm happy you're okay."

Oh geez, her crying is getting me all misty eyed. I let go of Cora and go to hug Alice, but she raises her finger at me with a stern look on her face.

"I promise, never again." I tell her.

Satisfied she then pulls me into a hug tighter than Cora's. As we walked towards our classes I ask them what they've heard.

"Not much." Says Alice. "Only that early this morning Demetri and a little over half his pack were kicked out of their territory."

Huh, she let Demetri go? And why would she only keep a portion of his pack and not keep or kick out all of them? Hmmm, this has gotta be part of mom and dad's plan.

Cora chimes in, "Also, a few of the new wolves have been asking about you."

"Me? What about me?"

"Simple stuff like who you are and what pack you belong to."

Shit, was it Keira?

Cora continued, "There's also a rumor going around that Cole is dead, but nobody from the Bloodfang pack has shown up today, so we're not sure."

"That's no rumor, I was there I saw it happen."

"What!?" They both turn to me wide eyed.

"Yeah, I..."

That's when I feel it, the humming sensation from before, the hairs on the back of my neck begin to stand. I slowly turn around and standing only a few feet away from me was Keira. She was wearing a white baggy sweater that hung over her left shoulder with a black tank top underneath. Dark blue jeans cover her long legs and black boots now cover her once bare feet. Now, standing so close, I notice that she's almost as tall as Lucas maybe even taller, forcing me to tilt my head up to look at her face. But she wasn't looking at me, her angry gaze was alternating between Alice and Cora, who I hadn't noticed until now were slowly inching themselves between me and Keira. Readying themselves to protect me. Everyone around us noticed something was going on and were now staring at us.

"LEAVE!" Keira barked out, her eyes never leaving Alice or Cora.

Everyone quickly started to leave the hall some even tripping over themselves, even on an instinctual level the humans knew not to disobey. The hall quickly emptied leaving the four of us alone.

"Get away from him." Keira spoke in a low menacing voice.

But Alice and Cora didn't move, instead they let out their auras and braced themselves for a fight. Keira's eyes narrowed, letting out a low growl as she released her aura as well. In a fight, auras can be used to pressure an opponent and throw them off balance. Sort of like a battle of wills but with physical consequences. I see Keira begin to lean forward ready to attack.

I had stop them! They didn't know who Keira was or how powerful she is, Alice and Cora don't stand a chance.

"Stop!" I call out as I push past both Alice and Cora. "They're my bodyguards."

Alice and Cora both pull me back behind them, placing themselves between me and Keira again.

Keira looks at me and considers me a moment before looking back to Alice and Cora, a curious expression now on her face. She slowly leans back and releases her aura; but the girls stay at the ready not releasing their auras or standing down.

"Guys it's okay." Alice and Cora both glance at me unsure, but slowly comply releasing their auras and backing down. But they refused to move from in front of me, their eyes still focused on Keira watching her for any signs of hostility.

Keira continued to eye them both carefully before finally giving them a slight nod, as if giving them her approval. She looks to me again with some type of emotion I couldn't quite decipher in her eyes. She turns to walk away; and sudden feeling of loss overwhelms me.

Pushing my way past the girls again I call out. "Wait!"

Keira stops and turns to me, but I can't think of what to say. Goddess what's wrong with me why am I acting this way? She raises an eyebrow waiting for me to say something.

"M-my phone, you still have my phone." You're an idiot, I tell myself.

Surprisingly, Keira reaches into her back pocket and pulls out my phone, holding it out to me. I take a few steps toward her and reach out to grab it when she suddenly pulls it back.

She gives me a playful smile that takes my breath away. "You want it? Come find me after class."

She turns and walks away as the last bell rings, the sway of her hips leaving me wondering where the hell is her first period is?

I found myself looking at the clock all period long, class seemed to drag on longer than usual. When the bell finally did ring I all but ran out of the room and headed to the girls' classroom which was two halls down from mine. After Keira had left; the girls grilled me on who she was and what all that was about. I told them who Keira was, but as for what just happened, I had no idea. What did she want, I mean besides obvious, what was she hoping to gain by coming after me? The girls and I decided to find out and are going to go look for her after class.

I'm almost to the girls' class when I'm suddenly pulled out of the hall and into an empty classroom.

Keira!?

Her mouth is on mine before I could utter a sound, her tongue pushes into my mouth causing me to moan. Her arms wrap around my waist pulling me closer, my arms instinctively wrap around her neck. A small voice in the back of my head tells me this isn't how it goes, but I ignore it, my whole-body was humming with pleasure. The kiss is so intense I feel my legs give way, but she keeps me up with her arms, her tongue continuing to explore every inch of my mouth. The same voice from earlier yells at me to get a grip, you don't even know her. Returning to my senses, I try pushing her away with little success until she finally lets me. When the kiss finally does break I'm left panting, desperately trying to catch my breath.

"Keira." I finally manage to gasp out.

"Caden." She smiles.

Unlike me she seems perfectly fine and continues to trace small kisses along my jaw.

"Stop." I finally manage to ground out. "Why are you after me, what's your game?"

She chuckles, "Game?" Her lips hover over mine. "Your mine, I don't need a reason." Her tone is so blasé, as if she's stating a fact.

Her response annoys me, I didn't like the idea of someone claiming me as their own personal toy.

I narrow my eyes at her. "I don't belong to anyone, now where's my phone?" I cross my arms over my chest hoping to form some type of barrier between us.

She smiles amused by my response, she pulls my phone from her back pocket and hands it to me. As she continues to stare at me with her light blues, I feel myself starting to get lost in them so I look away in nervous embarrassment and squeak out a thank you.

Goddess, what's wrong with me. Why am I such a hot mess around her, I'm acting like mom whenever she and dad get all lovey-dovey.

She sighs, "I wish I could take you home now, but we'll have to wait until this whole Bloodfang thing is taken care of." She lets out a small laugh. "You should've seen the look on my packs face when I told them you'd be moving in, priceless."

Whoa, what? Take me home, move in? What is she talking about?

"Don't worry, they're all excited to meet you." She must have mistook my confusion for worry.

What the! Does she seriously think she owns me!?

"H-H-Hold on, I'm not moving anywhere." She's taken aback by my response, as if not even considering I would object. "Look, I'm not going to deny there's this thing between us, but I don't even know you."

She looks at me her expression now serious. "For now, you don't need to know me, just obey me."

My jaw drops, I flash back to my argument with Lucas the other day when he tried bossing me around too, now I was pissed.

"You are NOT my alpha! So you can't tell me what to do!" I yell at her angrily.

I push pass her and head towards the door, but she grabs me and pushes my back against the wall. Slamming her hands against the wall on either side of my head caging me in. Angry at my defiance her light blue eyes were now beginning to glow; a low growl escaping through her now clenched teeth. My eyes widen with fear, like an idiot I had forgotten who and what she was; how dangerous she is.

"WATCH. YOUR. TONE." The pressure from her aura was intense, but I refuse to back down and stare back at her defiantly.

Her angry eyes suddenly become clouded with desire and her mouth spreads into a Cheshire grin revealing her now elongated canines; the sudden change in her demeanor causes me to lose a little bit of my confidence.

"I'm going to enjoy fucking that attitude right out of you."

My eyes widen in shock and my throat dries at her words. As she slowly leans toward me, my heart begins to race in a mixture of fear and excitement. Suddenly she stops, her eyes are no longer focused on me. I know that look, someone is talking to her through a mental link. After a moment she lets out a groan of frustration and then focuses back on me.

"I have to go, but we'll finish this later." She puts her arms down and walks toward the door. "I'll save you a seat at lunch." She opens the door and looks back at me. "And don't even think about running."

She walks out leaving me alone in the empty classroom. Once she's gone my whole body gives out and I sag against the wall dropping to the floor. My whole body begins to tremble, I'm not sure if it's from fear, excitement, or both.

What the fuck is happening to me? I've never let anyone human or werewolf get to me like this. After a few moments my body calms down and I remember Alice and Cora. Still not able to stand I decide to text them.

Ran into Keira, everything's fine, got phone back.

Stuck in bathroom, see you at lunch.

After a moment of probably trying to decide if the message was really from me, they replied ok. Relieved I wasn't going to have to explained what just happened, I just sit there trying to figure out what the hell just happened.

By the time I finally felt like myself again it was already time for lunch. When I get to the cafeteria I see Lucas and Noel at their usual table and Marisol was sitting with Quill, but I saw no sign of Alice, Cora, or Peter.

They must not be here yet.

As I continue to look around I see Keira, sitting at a table not too far from where I usually sit, looking straight at me. She motions to me with her head to sit in the empty seat beside her. But determined to show her she's not the boss of me I raise my chin at her and proceed to sit at Lucas and Noel's table, too scared to sit by myself. Unfortunately, Lucas and Noel have me to sit on their side of the table which is the same side facing a now annoyed looking Keira.

Shit.

Not ready to face her I take out my lunch and keep my head down. After staring and picking at my food for a few minutes I decide to take a peek up at Keira, and like I thought she's still staring straight at me. Even as three other people who I assume are from her pack join her, she never takes her eyes off me. She didn't look angry anymore, but I couldn't decide if that's a good or bad thing, so I decide to just keep my head down.

"Soooo, you gonna tell me what's going on?" Noel asks me.

"Whadda you mean?" I pretend not to know what he's talking about as I continue picking at my food.

"I mean the chick who hasn't stop staring at you since you walked in the room." Noel didn't buy it for a second.

Shrugging my shoulders, I lie. "I don't know."

Noel looks at Keira then back to me. "But isn't that the same girl from the clearing last night?"

"Yeah." I shift uncomfortably in my seat.

"And isn't she the alpha who-?"

"You do know she's listening, right?" I interrupt him.

"With the way she keeps staring at you, I kinda figured. Doesn't make me any less curious, so what's the deal?"

I really didn't feel like explaining this when I don't even know what THIS is. I look over to Lucas for some help, but he isn't even paying attention. He's off in la la land probably thinking about Daniella.

"She's probably just curious, like all the other wolves who find out about me." I tell him.

"Then why are you so scared?" He asks.

My head snaps to Noel. "What!? I am not scared!"

Noel looks at me in disbelief. "Bruh, who are you kidding?

Hearing a familiar chuckle, I look toward Keira and see a self-satisfied smirk playing across her full pink lips, she was enjoying this. I feel my face go red and put my head back down, angry at myself for not controlling my emotions better. Thankfully Noel didn't push me any further on the subject. Alice and Cora eventually showed up with Peter and joined us for lunch. I was glad for the distraction

For the rest of the day I didn't see Keira, but every so often I would feel her watching me. At the end of the day as the girls walked me to the parking lot I began to think about her. Trying to figure out why she wants me, but couldn't come up with anything. Then an impossible thought crosses my mind.

Could she be my...mate? I quickly shake the notion out of my head, no that's impossible, isn't?

When we reach the parking lot I see Lucas and Noel waiting outside the car and a few yards away from them was Keira, standing next to a white sports car, waiting for me. My heart began to race as we got closer, I had a sudden need to go and talk to her. Show her that she didn't scare me, that she couldn't control me, and if she wanted me it would have to be on equal terms.

"You guys go wait by the car." I told the girls

"Cadeeen." Alice calls out to me in a warning tone.

I give her a reassuring look and continue walking over to Keira. Even without Lucas, Noel, and the girls close by, there were still plenty of people around. She's not going to try anything with so many potential witnesses. I stop a few feet away from Keira and knowing everyone would be listening I speak in a low voice so only she would be able to hear me.

"I'm not afraid of you and I won't be pushed around." She didn't respond, she just stood there straight-faced. "But I do want to get to know you, as equals." I reach out my hand to her for a handshake.

She looks at my hand and then laughs. I start to let my hand drop when she finally reaches out and grabs it, but instead of a handshake she pulls me in close and smashes her mouth against mine in front of everyone.

Goddess, she tasted even better than before, but I can't think of that now, everyone's watching us. I turn my head breaking the kiss, already breathing heavy.

"We are not equals and I don't tolerate disobedience." She says to me, matching my low voice. She grabs my chin and turns me to look at her. "Remember that and remember that the next time I get you alone I'm going to take care of that attitude of yours." She was serious, not a trace of a smile on her face. Her declaration sends a shiver down my spine.

She releases me causing me to fall back on my butt. She then turns, gets into the white sports car, and drives off. As I sit there stunned, I glance around the parking lot and see almost everyone was staring at me. I look behind me to Lucas, Noel, and the girls I see all of them with their jaws practically on the floor, a million different questions in each of their eyes.

"Shit."

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