Lance:
I kept thinking that it would be awkward after we both woke up after making love.
But it wasn't.
Things went back to normal, and Ashley was pain free.
We had to go back home tomorrow unfortunately, but I promised myself I would protect Ashley from Damian.
He had already done enough damage to her, but I wouldn't allow it any longer.
He was a pathetic dumbass who deserved to rot in hell!
He would pay for what he did to Ashley, of that I would make sure.
As it turned out Damian had been here last night.
I could smell him outside, he hadn't stayed long.
But why had he been here ? Is what puzzled me.
I woke up early, I couldn't sleep.
Everything kept replaying in my head.
From how amazing last night had been to how delicious Ashley had tasted.
I was addicted and I knew it as soon as we first began.
I'd always had a thing for her, but now things were even more intense.
Not only had I given her her first kiss but I'd also taken her innocence.
Knowing how close we were growing up, I was almost certain that we would be Mates.
It killed me that once she turned 18 it turned out we weren't.
Ash was lucky, he'd found his Mate on the same day he turned of age.
But this was destiny , and so I had to let it run its course.
Of course I'd be there every step of the way , I'd always be there for Ashley.
I pledged as a young child that I would always keep her safe, and I failed.
Buy from now on I swore I would keep her out of harms way, even if that meant discouraging any guys to go for her.
I shook my head, clearing my head of these thoughts before going inside.
I hoped his smell went away by the time she awoke.
I made us some breakfast and she ate it in bed.
I was so glad that the shakes and fever had gone away, leaving her as perfect as ever.
Well one thing led to another and next thing you know were at it again for a second time.
We finally manage to make it out of bed by noon.
We stayed out by the lake the majority of the time, riding jet skis and going fishing on the boat.
It was fun just the two of us, I loved how carefree she became.
Unfortunately it was now time to go, and Ashley was pacing from wall to wall.
"Baby " I said for the hundredth time "I'm sure that jerk won't mess with you. In fact I'm positive, unless he wants that pretty little face of his deformed."
"No." She refused to look at me, and it hurt "I can't be I'm the same house as him. I can't stand it!"
"So let me get this straight ." I said now aggravated as I gently wrapped my arms around her waist. I smiled as she shivered beneath my touch "Your going to let some egotistical jerk, who isn't worried about you at all, drive you out of your house ? "
Her grey and blue eyes had a far away look as she bit her lip nervously.
I refrained from kissing those pretty little lips of hers.
"What happened to that feisty hard headed girl that I knew not even a few days ago , huh?" I said looking into her eyes, begging her to understand me.
"She died when her Mate rejected her." Her eyes became misty as tears fell from her eyes.
I crushed her to me, it was killing me seeing her suffer.
I would kill that bastard !
I forcefully made her look me in the eyes, her eyes watery.
"This is what he wants Ashley. To reduce you to nothing. To a pathetic weakling, one who can't get past this . Your gonna let him laugh in the corner while you slowly let your life crumble around you ?" I could see my words getting to her, as she blinked away her tears " Or are you going to show him that you can survive without him ? You can show him that he missed out on the best thing that could have happened to him ?"
Slowly but surely I saw the hard resolve in her eyes.
"No." She said with absolute conviction in her voice "I will make Damian Blackwood's regret ever messing with a Wayne. He will regret ever letting me go, but most of all hell regret ever even laying eyes on me."
"That's my girl !" I hugged her tightly, breathing in her lavender and rose smell.
"Let's show this dumbass what he's missing out on." Ashley smirked , her eyes hardened.
I grinned at her.
I loved this side to her, I hated seeing her crying.
But Damian would regret it.
He'll regret ever messing with Lance Mathews and his girl.
*********
We packed our bags laid them on the floor as we shifted.
I stared in awe at how beautiful her smaller white wolf looked in the moonlight.
She was a white wolf, just like her mother and her mother before her. Or so I heard. It was rare to be an all white wolf. Poachers were constantly in lookout for all white wolves. Their fur was sold for a substantial amount of money.
This was why Ashley was always careful about when she shifted .
I was brought back from the beauty of her fur shimmering in the moonlight as she bent to retrieve her duffel bag off the woods floor.
I had volunteered to carry it for her but she had refused.
Now as we gathered our stuff we ran the 30 minutes to the Pack house.
The Moonlight Woods Pack was a large territory and we had over 800 In the pack.
Back when my father, Don, was my age there had only 536 members.
As we made our way to the pack house I could sense Ash out in the woods running the perimeter.
"Its just us" I mind linked to him
" Nice of you to join us finally." He snickered to both of us "What have you two been up to?"
"Grow up Ash" Ashley growled but she couldn't help but wink those beautiful eyes at me.
I almost stumbled on my feet, as she leaned in for some support.
I his a grin as Ash finally caught up.
"Cameron and Sheila are also running perimeter tonight " He said bumping into Ashley playfully "I missed my twin"
"Right. Your too busy with Bailey to even notice me." She shot back with a smirk.
Ashton looked away hiding his face.
"Aww Ashy poo is embarrassed " Ashley teased, but only I saw the hardening in her eyes.
A pang went through me at her pain.
"Don't be embarrassed a Mate is the greatest thing"
"You'll find him soon" Ash was all serious now "And when you do nothing else will matter but them. "
Finally we made it to the pack house, and I saw the relief in her eyes.
I could read her so much better now, it was as if her emotions were now mine.
"She marked us" my wolf growled none too pleased "only our mate can mark us !"
At first I was confused but then it made sense.
While we had made love she had bitten me unconsciously.
"The mark will go away in a few weeks don't worry." I growled back annoyed. He just had to mention we weren't Mates again.
Yes I knew we weren't but I couldn't help but want her to be.
This actually happened a lot during parties, sometimes unmated wolves marked each other .
Shit, even males marked other males!
But eventually the mark would go away because they never actually "accepted" the mark.
That would happen here too, its a good thing I didn't mark her or I would find any way to make her accept the mark.
"Well my shift ends In a bit" Ashton said "You have a big day ahead of you sis. Get your rest."
"Will do" She replied before she sprinted away.
"Lance" I turned to see a serious Ashton "Whatever happened between you guys these past few days will have to end, shell find her Mate and you will too. Its time to stop mooning after her."
I growled at his tone but turned my back.
"In time you'll find out." Then I shifted before entering the house.
It would be a long week away from Ashley, but she needed this time away from Damian.
Ashley:
I tossed and turned all night , and by six a.m. I was exhausted.
I grabbed my duffel bag, and headed downstairs.
"Morning Munchkin." Mom smiled brightly as she threw a McDonald bag at me. "You'll have to eat in the truck."
I watched as dad gave mom a loving kiss and I turned pained.
I wanted that.
I walked out of the house before I started crying and climbed into the back seat of our black Escalade.
I was so exhausted all I could think of was sleep.
As soon as my head hit the cushion I was knocked out.
*****
I swear I could smell Damian.
I whimpered as the smell intensified. This dream seemed so real.
I felt tingles on my arm as he touched me.
I moaned in pleasure at the shocks, then soon they were gone.
"Wake up!" I jumped up in shock as his voice boomed in my ear.
I looked around and sure enough he was in the front seat.
The truck was parked.
"What the hell are you doing here ?" I demanded shocked and angry to have him so near.
His smell filled the truck, suffocating me.
"Apparently your parents made me your chauffer." He replied his voice bitter.
He refused to look at me, his eyes looking at anything but me.
Was I really that repulsive ?
I looked around trying to hide my misty eyes.
We were at a pale blue Pack house, wolves all around walking going about there duty.
"Where are we ?" I asked.
"Were on Basin Creek Territory." he said opening the door " The first of many packs well visit to find your Mate."
Before I could ask about the bitterness in his voice he shut his door and walked away.
I stared in outrage as girls swamped around him, flirting with him shamelessly.
I took a calming breath before getting out of the truck.
Mom and dad came to my side and ushered me up to an intimidating looking man.
He looked about 40, with shaggy black hair and dark eyes. His mouth was in a grim line as I came up to him.
He was attractive I had to admit, next to him stood a petite blonde with bright blue eyes.
"Ashley I like you to meet Alpha Blake, a long time friend of mine." Chris, my father said.
"You've grown up to be quiet a beautiful young women. Just like your mother." Alpha Blake smiled warmly shaking my head.
"Oh Blake." mom blushed as she rolled her eyes.
My father growled lowly wrapping his arm around moms waist possessively.
"And this is my lovely Mate Mirabelle." Blake introduced, wrapping his arm around her waist.
"Boys" Mom rolled her eyes but snuggled closer to dad.
I wanted that, my Mate to show me to the world with a proud gleam in there eyes.
"Nice to meet you again Ashley. How is Ashton ?" Mirabelle asked.
"He's great. He found his Mate not so long ago."
Soon after we went to the back yard where there were numerous tables with the whole pack .
They set up a brunch where me and Damian sat in the front where the whole pack would go up and shake our hands to see if we we're Mates.
Of course I knew no one here or in any other pack would be my Mate, as the Mate who rejected me was sitting next to me a cocky grin on his face.
I tried to ignore the way girls fluttered there eyes at him or sent him seductive looks.
I couldn't detect any anger or anything off of him as boys came up to me and kissed my hand.
I smiled at them, when in reality all I wanted to do was yank my hand away.
We stayed there till noon. Alpha Blake and Mirabelle waved us off.
I tried to convince mom and dad to let me ride for them but they insisted I drive with Damian.
"Honey just get to know each other. You never know you might end up liking him." Mom said, oblivious to the glare I was sending her "Plus you can talk about Mates. You may find yours soon."
I stormed away without another word and sat in shot gun.
Soon after Damian joined me.
"Well that was fun." He said casually.
"I bet." I muttered looking away.
It had hurt seeing him flirt right back with the other girls, knowing I was there.
He was a player and he would always be a player.
I had to wrap my mind around that.
But I wouldn't let him get to me. I would play his game right back.
It was Game on !
Damian:
I sneaked glances at Ashley while she was looking out the window brooding.
I know it hurt her seeing all the girls falling over me, even though frankly I had gotten used to it.
It didn't help that I went along and flirted with them, but I had to.
Ashley deserved someone a lot better than me, who didn't have ghosts in there closet.
It hurt not being able to touch her when that's all I wanted to do. Hold her and make sweet passionate love to my Mate.
I held back a growl as the image of her naked in Lances arms popped in my head.
That bastard !
He had taken advantage of Ashley while she was at her weakest , and took what rightfully belonged to me.
I took a calming breath, meanwhile still being so in tune to her every movement.
I couldn't be in the same car as her much longer or else I would throw myself at her.
Her lavender and rose smell was intoxicating and mouth watering.
I had a hard on and it was damn uncomfortable!
I looked at her again and my heart stopped. The sun was on her face illuminating those mysterious eyes and beautiful pink lips.
She was breath taking.
Like an angel sent down from heaven .
Too bad Fate had chosen her a crappy Mate.
I would love her forever but she had to move on.
She deserved the best Mate out other someone who could keep her safe. And I couldn't. Not after what I had done...
And that only killed me more inside.
Because I couldn't have her in my life, not the way I wanted.
And I never would be able to..