---Damon's POV---

As soon as I saw Paige drag my mate away fromthe canteen, rage was building inside me. How dare she lay her hands on mymate! And why would Adrianna allow it? I quickly followed them; slightlytrailing behind when I was trapped between the students that were lining up toget their food. 

I pushed my way through and followed the sweetscent of my mate until I stopped in the middle of an abandoned hallway. Wherewere they? The soft murmur of voices led me to a classroom and I could justhear Paige ask my mate "-your mate? Who is it?"

Kicking the door open, I saw Paige holdingAdrianna's shoulder while my mate looked scared. They both turned around at thecommotion that I had caused and I snarled, "That would be me," before I slammedthe door shut.

If I still had my wolf, I would have torn thatgirl to pieces by now for touching and distressing my mate. But I still had mywolf reflexes and strengths, so I lunged for the threat in front of my mate,wanting to grasp her throat and push her against the wall. 

Instead, Paige twirled around me and I felt akick at the back of my knee, making it buckle under me. I felt her pressagainst my back while she pulled me to the ground, clamping her arms around mythroat in a headlock.

Wait... How the HELL can a HUMAN girl justovercome a hunter on her own? 

I growled loudly while I tried to pry her handsoff of me but she just leant backwards, using gravity in her advantage and thus creating a very efficient chokehold. Adriannawhimpered softly but it was Paige who surprised me.

"Calm down Adrianna, stress will do your pupsno good. I'll let go of your mate when he's calmed down." I felt her move herarms ever so slightly against my throat while she said; "I'm going to releaseyou now. I expect you to behave yourself and let me explain the situationbefore you try to rip my throat out." 

Her arms disappeared as quickly as they cameand I slowly stood up, rubbing my hand over my throat while I stared at her.What was she? She couldn't be human, right?

---Adrianna's POV--- 

My heart slowed its crazy rhythm when I sawDamon standing up without a scratch. Even his throat looked fine to me. My handhad unconsciously trailed to my slightly enlarged stomach, drawing circlesaround my belly button. Damon quickly made his way towards me and engulfed mein a loving, warm hug.

I couldn't give a damn that I was supposed tohate him; he saved me. He saved me from his brethren when they captured meafter I came back from the night with Jacob, only so they could torture me fortheir amusement. 

The memories came back while Damon brushed overmy arms, comforting me. He had killed all of the hunters present when he hadlocked eyes with me and realized we were mates. We marked each other at thatmoment, but we had to conceal each other's scents.

We both knew that Kale would use the bondbetween us to get what he wanted. But he found out about us and he used meagainst Damon, forcing him to abduct the Alpha's daughter. We had to slip himsome pack-information as well but we managed to keep that as little aspossible.

Still, betraying the pack in any way made the inner wolf sick and it had been on Damon's mind, especially with the health of the unborn pups on the line. Which is why Kale had ordered me to get close to Jacob, to try and gain his favor. Luckily for us, Kale had no idea of Damon and I's pups, as far as we knew.

I sighed while I looked at Paige, who waslooking at our embrace with longing in her eyes before she shook her head."So," she said, stretching the word while she took a moment to think.

"You're mates?" she asked while she pointed atus. I nodded my head and Paige smiled lightly before she asked "And you're bothhappy with that?" Damon slightly moved forwards while he snarled, "Of course weare happy with each other! What kind of stupid question is that?"

Paige shrugged while she said "Well, Jacobwasn't happy with me so it seemed like a fair question to me." I bit my lipwhile my eyes glazed over. I had driven the two of them apart with my actions.I wanted to bring them back together but I didn't know how to possibly mend the bond that my actions had torn viciously.

Though, I did realize that Jacob had rejected Paige before I had been in the picture. Our drunken night had been just that; a drunken mistake that was never meant to happen. And after I had mated Damon, nothing like that would ever happen again.

"Anyway, getting off track here." Paige saidwhile she waved her hand dismissively. She pointed at us, face completely serious as she spoke" You two are going tothe packhouse, pronto." She turned her gaze to Damon and asked, "Do you loveyour mate?" I looked up at my mate and grasped his arm to prevent him fromattacking Paige.

Damon just bared his teeth to her before henodded. Paige just smiled her signature careless smile before she looked at me."Do you trust me?" I looked at her curiously, wondering what she was planningto do. Finally I nodded while I narrowed my eyes at her. 

"Well then, go to the packhouse." Her eyesflashed to my mate before she said "With Damon."

"Are you INSANE? They will kill me before Imake it there!" Damon yelled angrily. Paige just smiled and said "No theywon't. I've just told the Alpha that both of you are under my protection. Did you honestly think the Alpha would've cast you both out for being mates?"

Paige walked to the door and opened it beforeshe turned towards us with a smile on her face "Trust me, nobody from in ourpack will mess with you." And then she stepped out, leaving us in a dazed andconfused state of mind.

---Paige's POV--- 

As soon as I walked in the forest to safeguardDamon and Adrianna's passage towards the pack, I heard Luke call the rest ofthe pack. "Pack meeting in two hours."I smiled while I changed to my cougar and waited for the two to arrive.

I saw Damon rushing by with Adrianna in hisarms and I ran with him, while I gave Adrianna a head's up so that her matewouldn't attack me. He just looked at me strangely but kept running with mebesides him until we arrived at the pack house. Unfortunately, the rest of thepack had already gathered.

  "What the hell is the Hunter doing here? Hey, you bastard! Put the she-wolf down, now!"

Several people ran forwards but I jumped overDamon with a snarl and shifted into my wolf. Spreading my paws out, I let out agrowl that tore through my throat and left several pack members whimpering. 

"Damon is Adrianna's mate; harm him and you harm her. You harm her andyou will harm her pups." My fur was standing upright while a threatening growl rumbled through mychest and I knew that my eyes were burning with determination and anger. "Harm the pups and I will. KILL. YOU."

Damon was looking at the exchange with wideeyes before it dawned him. He stared at me and said, "You're a soul shifter,aren't you? But I thought those were extinct." I turned to him and shifted backin my human-form, an amused smile on my face when Damon covered his eyes withhis hand. 

"I appreciate that you're willing to protect my virtue but there's no need; I'm decent." I smirked at him while he drew his handback and slowly put Adrianna down on the ground. He was looking at the rest ofthe pack and I rolled my eyes. "To answer your question; yes, I am the lastsoul shifter alive." I poked him in the chest while saying "And you are joiningthe pack."

I felt that typical,hungry shiver run through me when someone spoke up behind me. "How can we trusta hunter to become one of us?" I turned towards Jacob and reasoned, "He's hermate Jacob. Mates tend to care for each other! Besides, hunters were a part ofthe pack, once. He can be a part of it again."

Jacob snorted whilehe stepped forwards, raising his voice slightly while he filled it with his Alpha-tone."I don't want it. You can't bring them into the pack." I narrowed my eyes athim while his command wrapped around me and tried to bring me down. Taking adeep breath, I shot my head up and glared at him while I laced MY voice withpower.

"As a matter of afact, I can. I am your mate AND my race holds power over yours." Jacob'sconfident smirk disappeared, followed by a scowl. I nodded at Luke while saying"If you doubt my word, feel free to ask your Alpha." For a moment, I thoughtJacob would turn to his father but he just shook his head. 

"I believe you but Idon't want to endanger the pack." He let out a big sigh before he tore hisshirt of and looked me in the eye. "So, I'm guessing, since neither of us wantsto submit, that this will be our second dominance-fight?"

I looked at him, slightly confused for a momentbefore I grinned and quickly shifted on the spot before I stretched my wolflegs. I looked up at Jacob's wolf and lowered myself in an invitation to play,which seemed to slightly confuse his wolf. 

Speeding towards him, I could hear several packmembers shout out for us. Jacob lunged at me and I spun around him, nipping histail when I landed behind him. I danced back when he snapped towards me and Ishowed him my wolfy grin. He shook his fur before he did a double take and thenlowered through his legs.

He jumped over me, trying to position himselfon my back but I skidded to the side before I jumped in and snapped his earbetween my jaws, forcing a howl of pain out of him. I chuckled slightly while Isend "You should use these for listening.It's quite handy, you know?" 

I let go when he snarled and tried to bite mypaw. Rolling my eyes at him, I poked my nose against his ribs and then lookedat Adrianna and Damon, who were staring in each other's eyes quite fondly.Jacob lowered his tail slightly while he cocked his head to the side.

Jacob's nostrils flared before he shook his head, eyes slightly dazed for an unknown reason. He sniffed the air and sneezed twice in a row before I decided to make use of his distracted state.

Smiling internally, I jumped him and pushed himon his back while I stood over him. He looked up at me with surprise andsubconsciously, he pulled his ears flat and lowered his tail slightly. Ismirked at him and said "I win."before I licked his muzzle and jumped away. 

Jacob's shocked expression was priceless and Ilet out a laugh, while I turned to the Alphas who were watching us. Jacksonshared a look with Luke before he smiled "It seems that we were right Luke." Lukenodded slightly while he looked back at our confused gazes, nostrils twitching slightly.

"Your parents have told us that you wouldbecome eighteen in a few weeks?" Luke said, finishing his sentence like a question. Inodded my head and he continued, "Well, because of what you are and that youare mated to my son... you're, err..."

Jackson smirked slightly before he said, "YouPaige, are getting ready for mating season." I stared at him in shock before Ishook my fur out and glanced towards Jacob behind me. 

His wolf was clearly struggling to take over, nose lifted in the air and sniffing out the small doses of pheromones I was slowly exuding. The struggle in Jacob's eyes was clear as his wolf inhaled my scent to the point where it was slightly shaking, a thick trail of saliva threatening to droop down from his jaws.

Oh, boy. I wish I could just stay seventeen for a bitlonger...