Shelby's POV

Months had passed since I left my pack and I had grown accustomed to life in Trevor's pack, I had transferred to a human school in a nearby town. I must admit that it hurt knowing that he was so close, but I refused to go to him. Trevor and I decided that in another week if he still had not come that I would become a member of his pack, that way I could train and maybe live a normal life here. I would even be able to work officially at the orphanage that I had been volunteering at. I was currently helping one of the children, Oliva, with her homework.

"Is everything ok, Sam?" I had to change my name to keep off the radar.

"Yes, sorry was I spacing out again?" I apologized.

"It is fine, I just like it when you spend time with me," Oliva smiled back. Oliva's parents had died in one of the neighboring packs, but the pack could not afford to hold anymore so Trevor and I decided to step in and help with some of those who did not have anywhere to go. "Are you and Alpha Trevor dating?" her brown eyes were so full of life.

"No, we are just good friends. What makes you think that we are dating?" I asked her.

"Well you are almost always together and the way he smiles is different when he is looking at you. He smiles at you the way my dad smiles at my mom," her eyes started to water, and I pulled her into a hug.

"Livy, it will all be ok," I told her.

"I just want my mommy and daddy back," she sobbed into my shoulder.

"I know, I want my mom back too. When I was younger, she was taken away from me and my father. If you have any more nightmares again tonight, just come to my room and I will chase the bad dreams away," I told her.

"Being with you makes me feel like my parents are safe, you feel warm and full of light," I had never heard such a young girl talk so grown up.

"Thank you," I smiled.

"Ready to go?" Trevor's voice came from the door. For the first time, I noticed what Olivia had pointed out to me just moments before. The smile he wore was bigger than the one he used for business. Before I knew it I was smiling too, his smile was contagious and my cheeks heated up thinking about dating Trevor. I nodded and walked to his side, leaving the orphanage. "How were things today?" Trevor asked me.

"It was good, she does not cry as much as she used to. She did ask if we were dating though," I laughed trying not to think about it too much.

"You say it like it would be so out there for us to date, sure we are friends, but you know how I feel about you. I have wanted to date you my whole life, I have only ever had eyes for you. I know that you are hurt that James never came for you but maybe one day you would consider me," Trevor said looking over to me with a softness in his eyes that I had never noticed before. It made his blue eyes look like the ocean, but this felt wrong. I knew that James was supposed to be my mate, I did not know what to do.

"I don't know Trevor, he could still come," I said looking at the ground. I was trying to convince myself more than anyone else that James would come for me. I wanted to love him, I had always wanted to love him, but I guess I do not mean as much as I thought to him.

"It has been months; I have not even gotten asked for help. Just please think about me as an option, I could make you happy if you would let me," he sounded desperate, I felt bad making him wait.

I could not find the words to say, so I just nodded, and we continued back to the packhouse in silence. I did not look up from the ground as we walked, how could I? My best friend just confessed his love for me, while I was still hoping that James would come to save me. As we walked up to the big white doors, I went toward the library and Trevor made his way back to his office. "See you at dinner," he mumbled before going.

Making my way toward a side office in the library I pulled all of the files that I would need, I had been in here every day since coming to the pack. I had to find this man to find my mother, I knew that I had to find her soon. I thought back to the last dream that I had of my mother, she looked weak and it broke my heart. I could not stand the thought of her being treated the way that she was, I needed to save her. I was flipping through the pictures of some of the more known trouble-making packs when I found him, the man who had the scar over his eye. John Stone. I knew that name, I jumped up and ran across the library to one of the mythology books on the shelves. There it was, John Stone was the only known child of Diabolus, the supposed father of evil whom the moon goddess fought at the beginning of time. "Oh My God," I said and dropped the book and ran out of the library, but once the doors closed, I did not know where to go. I sat there and thought for a minute 'if I run to Trevor, did I give up on James?' as soon as the thought crossed my mind, I sat down and leaned my head against the wall.

'Why are you still here?' I could hear my mothers' voice; I closed my eyes and I saw her. She was sitting in the same jail cell and soon I could feel myself there. It was cold, the floor felt like ice under my thighs. "Honey?"

"Mom?" I said with tears in my eyes, I ran to her and hugged her so tight. I was scared to let go in fear that she might disappear.

"What are you doing here Red?" She asked brushing some of my hair aside. Her arms looked so fragile.

"I don't know how I got here; I was just outside the library. In Trevor's pack..."

"Red, I know, I have been watching over you for a while. Look, I know that you are trying to help, but stop. I am fine, I am just trying to protect the pack and Amanda,"
"What about Amanda?" I asked.

"Well, you know about hybrids now, with your powers and Amanda's there is a prophecy. I do not have time to go into it because I need to get you out of here. John can not know you were ever here," just then we heard a man coming down the hall. "Ok listen to me carefully, I need you to focus on anywhere but here. Somewhere that you were happy, the stronger emotional connection to the place the better," She said. "Now, close your eyes and picture the place,"

I did as she told me, I thought about the one place where I felt happiest and at home. When I opened my eyes I was there, the one place that had told myself I did not want to go back to. I was at the lake where I had my first kiss, both the one I remember and the one that I had forgotten. I looked at the lake, I understand why this was where he first kissed me. We used to spend hours playing in this lake when we were younger. Our mothers would plan picnics out here just because they knew we loved to spend time here. We were having a picnic that day, the first time he kissed me, I was wearing a black swimsuit with a pair of jean shorts over the bottoms and a pink vest. James was wearing his black swim trunks that had flames on them, I laughed at the memory. I heard a gasp behind me and turned to see Amanda, she put a hand over her mouth to quiet the sob that escaped. "Amanda, I..." my voice trailed off not knowing what to say.

"Shelby? It has been months where have you been?" She asked with rage replacing the tears in her eyes.

"I can not tell you," I said not wanting to harm Trevor.

"I don't think you understand what you leaving did. James stepped back down, and his father is the Alpha again. James has been going crazy looking for you, HOW COULD YOU JUST LEAVE LIKE THAT?" She screamed.

"YOU TOOK AWAY MY MEMORIES AND LIED TO ME," I screamed back. "I love James, I have always loved James. Since we were children. You do not get to lecture me about leaving. What choice did I have? I needed space and to think," I paused regaining my composure. "How could you just do what you were told so blindly?"

"He threatened to kick out my family, Red. I was trying to protect them, I know that what I did was wrong," I had never seen her eyes so blue. "What was I supposed to do?" She whispered.

I did not say anything. How could he? What would James's Father gain from doing this? I could not figure it out, his mother and I always got along just fine. I probably looked like an idiot standing there staring at the ground but what else was I supposed to do. A voice interrupted my thoughts, her squeaky pitch made me want to stab myself.

"Well, well, well. What do we have here?" Sarah asked dragging her green eyes between Amanda and myself. "Long time no see bitch,"

"Leave it alone Sarah. She is part of our pack," Amanda tried to stand up to her.

"She was part of our pack, she left. As border patrol, it is our job to report all rouges to the Alpha family. I am sure James will be thrilled to see you; I have been keeping him company at night ever since you left. So, I hope you did not plan on becoming Luna because he has moved on to better," Her smile was sickening, but what made it worse was that I believed her.

"Don't listen to her," Amanda told me. "She is just trying to get under your skin,"

Unfortunately, I heard her too late. I had lunged at Sarah with all of my strength, I caught a glimpse of her smirk before her eyes glassed over. Shit, she was mind linking for help and I just gave her the perfect excuse. Before I knew what had happened, Darren and Thomas were pulling me off of her and putting me into handcuffs. Sitting me down by a tree, Thomas sat down next to me, I was not sure if he was guarding me or Sarah.

"I can't believe how stupid you were," He began his lecture. "Mandy mind linked me the second that she caught your scent. I was on my way to get James; we had a plan to get you back in the pack without spending time in jail. You just had to go and get into a fight didn't you," he sighed. "Now you get to deal with Alpha overkill,"

"I don't know what happened, she made a comment about sleeping with James and I lost it. I felt like I was possessed, I don't even remember moving," I looked to him for advice but all I got was an all-knowing smirk.

"So, the princess returns," Alpha said with a condescending tone. "Sarah has already debriefed me on what happened. Take her to the cells my family and I need to have a conversation on what to do with the mutt," He spat. "Oh, and take Amanda too, I heard she helped her come back in. I think that a night in the cells should teach her some manners,"

"Yes, Alpha," Thomas and Darren gritted their teeth. I knew better than to think they were angry on my behalf. They were mad about Amanda; I was too but it was my fault that she got into trouble.

"Let's go," Thomas helped me up. Alpha and Sarah headed back to the packhouse, while the four of us walked to the dungeons. "I can smell him on you," Thomas commented. I blushed when he gave me an accusing look. "You better hope that smell is gone before James sees you,"

"How long has Sarah been on border patrol?" I asked attempting to change the subject.

"A few months now," Darren replied. "Since we are asking questions, care to share with the class why you haven't been around in the past five months?" He narrowed his eyes at me.

"Drop it, Darren. You know what happened, it is my fault," Amanda said.

"It is not your fault," I said avoiding eye contact with them all. "I was just being stubborn, I thought that if James were truly my mate that he would have come to find me. I was wrong, I figured that out after the first month of being there. I found out some information about my mother and I have to go after her," I turned to look at all of them. "I am going to break out of jail tonight. If any of you stand in my way, I will not hesitate to take you down,"

"Look, I am all for helping you out," Thomas was the first to speak up. "All you have to do is ask for help,"

"Yea, if I am being honest, having you back could be one of the best things to have to happen. It gives us a chance to get the pack back from Alpha overkill. Ever since you left, he has become too strict and overbearing," Darren was the next to speak up.

"I could never ask you to go against the pack," I said trying to hold back the tears.

"Then don't ask," Amanda finally spoke up. "We are with you, until the end," She stretched out her hand. The guys put their hands on next and they looked over to me.

"I would join but," I raised up my hands that were in the cuffs, and everyone just laughed. This is it; this is the family that I have missed. We finished working out the details of the plan on our walk to the prison.

"How are we going to get vacation requests approved that fast?" I asked.

"Long story short, I met this hacker. He is amazing and could do it in seconds, and he gets out on probation tomorrow," Amanda said. "So, we will be able to get them approved as soon as we submit them," the sparkle in her eye told me that this would be a very interesting story for later.