---Paige's POV---

A shifter and a pack of wolves are standing in a yard... classical beginning of a joke, right? But the way that most of the pack, my pack, were staring at me, made me anything but comfortable.

Of course my adoptive family and the Alpha knew, but that was it. Alexis laid down on my back while I remained a cougar and made my way over to my family. I couldn't stop purring with Alex, who was feeling at my shoulder blades rising and falling with each step I took. She giggled with delight before she hopped off and ran towards Luke.

I looked to my left when I felt a nudge against my shoulder; Nick was walking besides me with a curious expression in his eyes. It caused me to roll my eyes at him while I said, "I couldn't let the rogue's kill the kids.... Shifter-law, remember?" Understanding flooded his eyes before he glanced back at the shocked pack and then to me.

"So..." he said, stretching the word, "Any ideas on how you are going to explain all this?" Nick looked at my form before he playfully nudged me with his shoulder. I swished my tail before I let out a sound between a purr and a growl. "I'm going to tell the truth, but first things first."

"Alpha?" I asked while I linked my mind with Luke's. He slightly turned towards me, a smile playing on his lips. "Can you order them to not mention my existence around school or public places? I mean, it's just-"Luke cut me off with a smile, stating, "I know and I have already. As soon as you darted out towards the rogues, I gave them a command."

I twitched my nose while my whiskers shivered slightly in amusement. Our walk led us right to Isabella, who quickly tucked Alexis in a warm embrace. Jacob was standing next to her, still not recovered from the revelation. Although his eyes weren't bulging out of their sockets any more, his mouth was still slightly open and he looked sickly.

Shifting back to my human form, I smirked to Alexis, who gave me a toothy smile in return. I suddenly felt nervous when I noticed that everyone's attention was turned to me. Swallowing loudly, I looked around at the people that gathered around me.

"You may want to sit down, this will be a long story." I spoke with a soft voice, shifting my weight between my feet. In a sudden chaos of movement, everyone gathered round, formed a big circle around me and plopped down. I was greeted with a sea of curious face, all staring at me.

I groaned quietly before I waved Luke over; he could better do most of the talking. I felt like I would be getting sick if I would have to tell the pack. Before Luke could start however, Alpha Jackson walked towards me and lowered his head slightly, showing me the respect from one Alpha to another.

"It's nice to meet the last of your kind." He smiled towards me and after a few seconds I returned the smile. Jackson turned around, raising his eyebrow in a questioning manner while he asked "Alpha Luke?" I shot glances between them, trying to find out what was going on. Luke just smiled and lightly nodded his head, what made Jackson turn and address the people. "I think I can tell what's going on here."

He glanced at his son, Zack, who was standing close to Jacob with his mouth hanging wide open, looking at me before he gulped loudly. I smiled amused and felt Nick's question in his mind. "That 'll teach him to call me a human bitch." I smirked and I noticed Nick from the corner of my eye, biting down on his lip to contain his laughter.

I cleared my throat slightly, drawing the attention to me. "As Alpha Luke told you before, I am not human." I started walking in the small circle that was left, feeling the nerves in my stomach while everyone's eyes were following me. "And I wish to press on the order he has carried out a few seconds ago; if the hunters find out what I am then they will come after me and indirectly, they'll come for the pack as well."

Glancing around, I noticed Jacob's expression while he kept his eyes on me. He had a torn look on his face, almost as if he wanted to stand beside me but chose not to. I sighed; whatever his reasons for acting so strangely, I wouldn't let it come to me.

I stopped in the center of the circle and took a deep breath while I stared at my feet. "I am the last soul shifter alive." My declaration caused several shocked gasps, many looked at me with awe while some kept the same confused expression.

I waved at the people while I sat down next to Alexis and Jacob. "Can you explain them, Alpha Jackson?" I asked politely. He nodded quickly before he turned towards the crowd and began his story.

He spoke of the first shifter, how a human had learnt so much about animals that he could turn into one, if he had the gift. Then he surprised me by explaining everyone what hunters are and what roll shifters played in their creation.

The wolves and the witches called upon the soul shifters. They wanted to stop a bloodthirsty pack of werewolves, who wanted to rule over mankind. After several gatherings, the soul-shifters had agreed to make a pact with the werewolves and their allies; witches and vampires.

When the pack was captured, the soul-shifters would use their talent to see the soul through the eyes to locate those with a tainted soul. Those wolves were singled out and the magic of the witches and vampires combined broke the bond between the evil pack members, now known as hunters, and their inner wolf.

"But now," Jackson finished," Hunters have managed to kill all of the remaining soul-shifters...all but one." His gaze, like so many others, fell on me while I sighed loudly. I looked up when somebody spoke up.

"Did you knew about us when you first arrived here?" a male spoke up and I slightly cocked my head to the side. "Partially; I have been told about werewolves but I didn't knew right away when I arrived here. But I knew for certain after the first day." I replied the man with a smile.

Nick had a slightly shocked expression while his arms fell down from their crossed position. "You knew after day one? What convinced you?" he asked when I nodded. I smirked at him before I pointed at him and Jacob. "You two actually."

Jacob glanced at Nick with a confused look before he looked back at me. I rolled my eyes and asked "Remember that I went out for a walk and was attacked by a cougar?" I placed air quotes around the last bit and I saw Nick frown.

"You mean you scared us all for nothing?" he said with disbelief in his voice. I waved my hand when he wanted to say more and I spoke up." It wasn't a cougar attack, actually," I pointed towards Jacob while I finished my sentence, "He attacked me."

---Jacob's POV---

My mouth dropped open at that accusation; I never laid a finger on her! I started to defend myself but she interrupted the buzz that was going to the crowd. "Care to say what you did after you went off to Jacob?" she asked Nick.

Nick frowned slightly. "We raced towards the cliffs and I informed Jacob about the pack, since he had been to Rio for a while." Paige nodded at Nick before she looked at me. It took me a moment before I realized that she wanted me to continue.

I cleared my throat quickly and said, "Well, like Nick said, we were talking about the pack and about your arrival in the pack. Nick stopped me when he noticed a cougar..." I trailed off. Why was this so important?

Paige smirked at me with an amused glance over her eyes. "And you got ticked off with the animal, went wolf and chased the poor thing in a tree." She said. Nick nodded while he poked her in the ribs. "Exactly what happened!" then confusion sank in. "Wait, how did you know that?" he asked, his tone softer after each word.

Paige answered by standing up and right in front of us, she shifted into a cougar. And now that she had mentioned it, it was a very familiar one too. I smacked the palm of my hand against my face while I groaned. "Please don't tell me that the first time I met my mate, I chased her up a tree!"

Paige turned her greenish eyes on me and she let out a throaty chuckle before she nodded. I flopped myself on the ground with another groan while my cheeks were burning with embarrassment. I looked up at Paige when she sat back down with me and when I blinked; I was looking at the human Paige.

"If you think it's bad to chase someone up a tree, how do you think I felt?" she joked and I chuckled slightly, followed by others. I pushed myself back up, allowing our arms to brush against each other and I was pleased when a shiver ran over her.

"Well, that's a story to tell to the folks back home." Alpha Jackson smirked while he glanced at Paige. Paige smiled at him before she stood back up. It was close to the evening by now and we both looked up when Coach Drake called out.

"Don't think you can get out from training just because you aren't human, missy." He hollered and jabbed his finger to the center of the yard. Strangely, neither father nor Alpha Jackson seemed to protest. Jackson and Zack followed us to the center, where we took our places.

Paige smiled innocently before she turned her head to the Alphas. "No more holding back?" she asked, a hopeful sparkle in her eyes. Dad smiled at her before he gestured to me with his head. "He's all yours."

I gulped slightly when she practically bounced on the spot, grinning like a small kid. Was she holding back in the other training sessions? I took a defensive stance when she turned towards me. She moved in a flash and kicked me in the gut. I sucked in a breath before I lunged at her.

Paige giggled a little while she dodged my blows; she knew that she was faster than me. It was not much, but enough for her to avoid being hit. But I was guessing that she wasn't as strong as a wolf; her punches were hurtful but that was it. When she dodged my next blow, I decided to try and pin her down.

The first try resulted in a punch to the face and another one to the ribs. Every time I lunged at her, she would jump to the side just in time and attack me right after.

So when I took my next swing, I ran with her and hurled her to the ground. She struggled in my hold and caused some bruises on my wrists but I managed to hold her down. Paige looked at me and hissed; showing her teeth at me while her pupil shrank to a small slip.

"Get off me!" she hissed while she struggled against my hold but I shook my head. "No, I-" I wanted to say but she interrupted me, snarling before she shifted in her wolf. I could feel her anger, her hurt, being focused on me but I couldn't let her go. I clamped on hand on her muzzle while I pushed her hips down with the other.

She kicked up dust when she bucked her hips and tried to get me off, her snarling and growling slightly smothered by my hand. Suddenly I snapped and yelled, "I'M SORRY!" My sudden outburst was followed with a shocked silence as the whole pack looked at us.

Paige's movements fell still while she took deep breaths, her eye rolled towards me with shock and confusion. I didn't know where I got the courage from but I owned her an explanation. "I'm sorry for treating you the way I did. I was arrogant to think that I needed a stronger mate then you Paige." I heard several gasps from the crowd around us; not everyone knew that Paige was my mate.

"I dated those girls, trying to forget you. But even when I was with them, you were still in my mind. And when those hunters attacked you, I realized what I would lose... that I would lose you."

Paige huffed and closed her eyes; her breathing was slowing down to a normal level. I reluctantly let go of her while I muttered "I will make it up to you. I'll be the mate you deserve."

As soon as my hands were clear of her body, she lunged up and darted away. I stared at her while a lump formed on my throat. It wasn't going to be easy to win her back, to let her trust me. But I would fight for her.

---Paige's POV---

I ran for a few hours after Jacob's confession before I turned back towards home. I had to go to school tomorrow and I needed some sleep. This whole day had exhausted me. I walked around the village, finding my way to the house while I stayed in the cover of the forest. When I noticed my open window, I shifted into my Tyto owl.

The wind rushed under my feathers, giving me leverage and altitude while I soared through the sky on silent wings. After a few flaps, I flew through my window and landed on the wooden frame of my bed. The complete silence that surrounded me made me feel like I was a spirit that had decided to float into the room. Nick was in my room, staring at me in shock.

"Paige?" he muttered, his voice had a hesitant tone to it. I flapped my wings a few times before I hopped on my bed and shifted back. A few stray feathers danced in the air, slowly drifting down while Nick looked from them to me. Then he turned his shocked expression towards me.

"You can FLY?" he almost shouted out, like I had committed high treason. I rolled my eyes playfully and he shoved me, making me land on my back. Thankfully I landed on my bed, so it was a soft crash. "Yep." I said, popping the p.

"Awesome!" Nick exclaimed, looking at the sky with longing in his eyes. "Wish I could do that." He muttered. I playfully brushed through his hair while I said, "Sorry bro, we can't all be as awesome as me." Nick snorted at me while he rolled his eyes. I thought I heard him mutter "Show off."

I pushed him of my bed and laughed at his irritated scowl before I said "Come on, school's tomorrow and I want to sleep." I pointed at my door and playfully growled. "Out!" He flung a pillow to my head and scurried off before I could throw it back. Falling down on my pillow, I had a feeling that tomorrow would be different.

____

I groaned when the bell rang. Finally saved from the Math's teacher! Without a second thought, I threw by stuff in my bag and rushed out the door, heading towards the canteen.

While I was walking, I pondered a bit over the pack reactions yesterday; Nick was proud that I stood up and told the pack what I was, Isabella smiled when I gave her the loose feathers this morning (She liked all kinds of birds) and Jacob was still his strange self.

The most intriguing reaction was Adrianna's; she seemed shocked that Jacob was my mate, she had paled visibly when I had explained her that even if I wanted Jacob as my mate, I couldn't because of the Shifter-law. So I had wished her all the luck of the world this morning's lesson before I walked off.

I couldn't harm her or Jacob; it was just impossible to me. It would harm the child's welfare if I would knock some sense in Jacob because Adrianna would stress herself, seeing the father of her child in pain.

Shock spread through me when I realized something. No...the only way that could be possible, was when-

I snapped out of my thoughts and literally ran towards the canteen, straight towards our table. My eyes wandered over the people there until I found my goal. I walked towards the chair and wrapped my hand around her wrist. Adrianna looked up to me and I bend over to her ear to hiss, "We need to talk. NOW."

Fear spread over her face before she covered it and she nodded. I almost dragged her away from the table and walked us to a deserted classroom, where I pushed her in before I followed her.

"What is-" Adrianna started but I snarled, showing her my elongated teeth wile my pupils had shrunk to eclipse dots. "Answer my question first." I snarled while I started pacing in front of her. I glared at her and said "And you better speak the truth, because I already know."

Adrianna paled slightly but she nodded and I asked her the question that was burning every other thought away.

"Is Jacob really the father of your child?" I stopped my pacing and crouched down slightly so I could look her straight in the eye. "And no lies." I said when she opened her mouth.

Adrianna's lip shivered slightly before she shook her head. I let out a sigh of relief before I asked in a nicer tone, "Why didn't you tell us? You were stealing my mate away-for what?"

She sighed while she brushed her hand through her hair. "It's not like that, I swear. I was just protecting my mate." She shook her head, tears glistening in her eyes. "The pack will never accept him and if they find out, we will be dead, or worse."

I walked up to her and patted her shoulder, speaking in a soothing tone. "Why wouldn't the pack accept your mate? Who is it?" I was getting rather curious with this mystery mate. The sound of a door flying open rang through the classroom and I turned towards an angry Damon.

"That would be me," he snarled before he threw the door shut behind him. I looked shocked between them while that statement seeped through.

A werewolf mated with a hunter. Where's the irony in that, huh?