Amanda's POV:

"Did you feel that? Something is wrong with Shelby. I have to find her," I said looking at Eric. "I am sorry, I can not let her be alone with this," I turned and started walking quickly back toward the office area. I was one hallway away when I bumped into Shelby.

"I need to talk to you. I think there is something wrong with me," Shelby said.

"What is going on?" I asked hoping that her powers were not about to act up.

"My wolf just made me kiss James and when I looked into his eyes after the kiss, she said that he was my mate. I am not old enough for this to happen. What is wrong with me?"

"Nothing is wrong with you. Due to your angel side, you can sense your mate earlier than normal. In addition to your Nobel bloodline, it is no surprise that you can sense it earlier, James had the same effect. Shit," I said, James is going to kill me. "Forget what I just said,"

"Nobel bloodline? Amanda, what are you talking about?" Shelby pressed on.

"I need you to trust me. I can not answer your questions just yet, but I can prove that James is your mate. Just give me your hands," I knew that she would trust me, and I could expose my powers to her a little at a time.

"Ok," Shelby put her hands in mine.

"Just breathe, let me do the work. Never tell James that I did this," I let out a breath as she nodded. "Close your eyes," I had only done this once before and it was to suppress someone's mystical half. Closing my eyes, I took Shelby on a little trip through her own mind. "Ok open your eyes," I told her.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"We are in your memory," I answered.

"This was the night of my first shift, but I am about a mile from here. This is where I shifted at midnight, James came down this path. What are you showing me?"

"Something you have needed to see for a while," I said.

James was walking through the woods on his phone. "I know, I am going to tell her now. I can not take it anymore. I love her, it has always been her," James said into the phone.

"I know James but remember I do not know what transformation she is going to go through now. Please be careful with her," Amanda's voice came through the phone.

Shelby looked at me and she was hurt but understood.

"I could not tell you; I have been working with him for two years. It was a secret project; I knew that you were not a normal wolf. I am sorry I did not tell you," I said. "Please just keep watching here you come,"

Shelby and I both looked in the direction we heard her past self-stumbling. I heard one of her bones snap and James hung up the phone and rushed toward her.

"Shelby, are you ok?" James asked, but Shelby's figure just collapsed, and he just caught her. "Shelby you have to be ok, we will get through this together just breathe," James stated to coach Shelby through her transformation. In the middle of her shift, James was pushing her hair back and he took a deep breath and said "I love you, Shelby, you are intelligent, and you work hard, not to mention you are stunning. The way your green eyes light up when you beat me in training. I could never put you in the same danger that I will have to put Thomas in. He understands the position and to be frank he is stronger than you are. He can protect himself better than you can," when he finished Shelby was her beautiful white wolf.

"James had called me saying that he believed something was wrong with you and needed to go investigate. I told him to wait for me but as you can see, he did not. He told you everything when you needed to hear it. You do not remember it due to the spilled control during the first shift. James told me everything the next morning. I was sworn to secrecy," I said.

"Ok," was all Shelby said.

I grabbed her hand and took us out her memories. "I am sorry," I said once more.

"I just have a lot to process," Shelby said.

"I will answer any question you want at the next training session but most of your questions are not for me to answer," I explained.

"I have one you can answer now. Was it all real?" Shelby said.

"Everything, I swear," I said.

"Ok. Just had to make sure I just got reprimanded for punching Sara for a good reason," Shelby smiled.

"Thank you for that,"

"Your hands were tied, I had to help out," Shelby said. "Now we have a party to get to,"

Shelby and I walked back to the party together just as the traditional dances were starting. The Alpha and Luna were waltzing on the dance floor, I suspected James and shelby would soon be joining them.

James's POV:

I watched as my parents took the dance floor with their officers, Thomas' parents, Darren's parents. I searched the crowd for Shelby, we were supposed to be taking the floor soon with all of my officers which would be symbolic of the transfer of power. The real shift in power would occur later tonight. When my eyes caught Shelby, it was like the first time I recognized her as my mate, she looked stunning. I walked up to her and Amanda who would have to take the floor with Eric as my top warrior. "Do you mind if I borrow her for a couple of minutes?" I asked Amanda.

"She is all yours," Amanda said, as she twirled Shelby into my open hand.

With a light giggle from Shelby, she took my hand and I led her to the dance floor. As soon as we were within view of our classmates many of them stared and could not believe that we were dancing together. The ceremony is very sacred and meant to be a dance between mates, especially for the new Alpha to introduce his Luna. If the future Alpha had yet to find his mate he would dance with his mother or close friend, but I was lucky enough to find her. My own fiery redheaded mate, she had my eye even before I knew she was mine; I had always had a crush on her and admired her, but she was to be my beta. I was thrilled when I found out that she was my mate, I wanted to tell her right away, but I had to wait because she was much younger than me. Over the summer Shelby and Amanda had tested out of several classes putting them on course to graduate with me.

When we were on the dance floor, she gave me a little curtsy and I bowed my head offering her my hand to dance. Shelby took it and I pulled her close for our first dance.

"Are you a little nervous?" Shelby asked me looking nervously at all of the people watching us.

"I have gotten used to being in front of everyone. I feel better with you in my view," I looked at her. I had never seen her nervous before. It was kinda cute.

"How do I make you feel better?" She asked.

"Just the way you are, you are brave all the time even when you are scared. You try to stay levelheaded all the time. I love everything about you. I could go on for days about how amazing you are," I admired her.

"How can you say things like that?"

"I have known that I was in love with you since freshman year, there was always something about you that I found undeniably attractive. When I found out you were my mate the next year I was ecstatic, but I wanted you to have a somewhat normal high school time. I made the decision not to tell you and it was the hardest thing ever. All of their faces, remind me that I have the most beautiful girl in the world as my dancing partner,"

"I know what you said the night of my shift. Why would you do it then?"

"Amanda showed you, didn't she? I don't know. I could not hold it back anymore and you weren't going to remember it, so it seemed harmless,"

"Ok,"

The song had ended and a new one has begun so more couples were taken to the floor. As custom Shelby and I continued dancing, one more song then we could go sit.

"Are you feeling ok?" I asked, seeing her looking around.

"Yes, I just do not know how to feel about everything. I mean you are you and I never thought you would be my mate. We are opposites, you never took training seriously and I would beat you all the time even with your added advantage of alpha blood. I do not understand how you are supposed to be my perfect match,"

"Yes, you do," I said. "If you did not you would not have agreed to dance with me, and you would not be letting me kiss you whenever I want. Admit it, Scarlet, you love me at least a little" She fell completely silent.

The music faded out and Shelby curtsied, and I bowed. "Excuse me," She said and walked over to Amanda. Thomas and Eric walked over to a table with me, while the party continued, we all grew a little concerned.

Eric was the first to break the silence, "Does this mean that she has recognized you as her mate?"

"Part of her has,"
"What does this mean?" Thomas asked.

"Either Amanda is losing her touch or Shelby is a lot stronger than we anticipated. Either way, all we can do is wait," I said as the formal party dragged on.

"Ready to go to the actual party? I hear that the bonfire is almost all set up and the parents are all getting ready to leave and the beer is all stocked up," Eric said.

"For a teacher, you really like to party," Darren said joining the conversation.

"Hey with everything that is going to go down we could all use a little party to take our minds off things and being a teacher is only to keep an eye on all of you," Eric said.

"Let's go, this party isn't going to start itself," I said ready to get out of this suit. "I'm going to change, I will see y'all out there," I got up and headed to my room. When I opened the door, I found Sara sitting on my bed waiting. "Sara,"

"Hey Baby," Sara said.

"Why are you here?"

"You punished Shelby, I figured it was only fair that I got the same option,"

"Get out. You get to deal with my father, I feel I made it pretty clear I no longer want to see you,"

"That's not fair, James. Shelby got the easy way out and I have to deal with your father. You are the Alpha now, so it is only fair that you punish me like you want to, I know you have a soft spot for me, and you won't get anywhere with Shelby. She hates you. I on the other hand would do anything and everything you asked of me," Sara said running her finger across my chest.

I swatted her finger away from me, "Stop, I want Shelby, she is my mate and I know that she will love me. And not for the power that I could give her like you unless you want Shelby to wipe the floor with your face again I suggest that you do as you are told and stay away from me," This did not stop her from pressing her lips against mine and I gave in. I could not deny the desire of having one more meaningless time with the girl in front of me, it would be a while before Shelby would sleep with me and a man has needs.