AMARA.

"Then stay there but don’t sleep. Do you want me to take off your shorts? But I have to rip it apart if you don’t want to move."

"Yes, please," I replied in a soft voice.

Claws erupted from his nails before he ripped my shorts open. I felt the air on my ass as he tossed away the torn piece of cloth before his hand went up inside the back of my shirt.

"I will just unclasp your bra…"

I nodded my head again with my eyes closed as I tried to steady my breathing. The burn was still there, but having Jace around helped calm my senses.

"Shit.." I heard him mutter under his breath as his fingers fumbled on the clasp of my bra.

"Fuck. How on earth do I take this off?" His voice sounded annoyed, and I couldn’t help but smile despite the pain in my body.

I bent my arm and reached for my back, but before I could even touch my bra, I heard a piece of fabric rip, and I knew he had destroyed my favorite sea-blue undergarment. Same old Jace — sometimes he would get impatient.

I lifted my arms and wrapped them around his neck as I hugged him tighter. I just want to go to sleep now. "That’s my favorite," I mumbled against his skin.

"You need to tell me where to buy those, and I’ll buy you a new one. Damn those little clothes, why does anyone need to wear them anyway?"

"Hmmm…"

He untangled my arms from his neck before he held them and withdrew my body away from him. "How are you feeling? You look too pale?"

"I’m so tired and burning…"

"You need to fight it if you want to shift successfully."

"It’s painful."

"What happened to the brave girl I knew who could take down anyone in her way? A little pain and you’re giving up? Come on, Amara, you can do better."

I was about to answer him back when a screeching pain erupted again from my spine as if it were being pulled out of my body. I screamed at the top of my lungs before I sank my teeth into his arm, biting him hard.

"Mother fucker!" Jace growled, and it was the first time I heard him growl so loudly that it hurt my ears.

I snapped out of my senses as my eyes widened, fear flitting in them. My bite must have hurt too much because his eyes were dilating and his arm was too red with my bite mark. I was sure there were wounds as blood was visible in them.

"I’m…" I was not able to finish my words as my face twisted with pain, making me arch my body, and I stumbled backward.

"Amara!" He growled again while I tried to crawl away from him.

"Stop! Please make it stop! Goddess, please!" I pleaded through my cries and tears began trickling down my face as my body stiffened, but my elbows and knees were still buckling.

Jace crouched in front of me, his eyes dilating and his jaw clenching as he cupped my cheeks, his thumb brushing against the corner of my mouth. "You’re doing great, brave heart…"

I forced a smile when he used the term he would always call me when we were younger — when I kept climbing those tall trees even though I kept falling on my ass.

"I don’t know how to be brave tonight. It’s too painful, Jace."

"I’m here. Do you remember what I always told you when you got scratches and wounds?"

"The pain will go... away."

"Right. It will soon be over and you will forget about the pain."

I nodded my head as I bit my bottom lip a little too hard to suppress my cries.

"Does your gum itch?"

I nodded. "It’s painful now…"

"Open your mouth..."

I slowly parted my mouth and closed my eyes. The pain was still too much, but Jace’s hands on my cheeks were making me brave. He didn’t let go and continued to caress my cheeks until I could feel my saliva dripping but I couldn’t stop it.

I heard movement as his hands withdrew, and tears fell from my eyes, although they were closed.

Did he move back because my saliva was dripping? He was probably grossed out.

I heard a piece of fabric being torn. I snapped my eyes open and saw him with a piece of my shirt, and he gently wiped the drool off the side of my mouth. And it just made me cry harder.

"Hey, don’t cry. You’re making me feel so useless because I can’t help you." His sounded hurt.

If he only knew I was crying because I wasn’t expecting him to do this for me.

"I promise you, once you meet your wolf, the pain will be worth it. So just hang in there, brave heart." He rested his forehead against mine, his peppermint breath fanning against my face. "Zero and I, can’t wait to meet your wolf, Amara. I’m sure she’s as beautiful as you."

Then it happened.

A screeching pain erupted in multiple places in my body — my shoulders, stomach, spine, limbs, knees, elbows, everywhere. I just wanted it to end, so I let another torturous scream escape my throat before I heard my bones snapping one by one.

And the gums that had been painful and itchy for a while now began ripping — something was coming out.

My eyes darted back to Jace as he scooted backward without taking his gaze off me. The wide, smug grin on his face and the pride flitting in his eyes gave me the assurance I needed. I was doing things right.

Soon enough, my screaming filled the forest around us until it turned into a howl of triumph. Fur sprouted out of my skin, and my face elongated as fangs erupted from my gums.

Before I knew it, I had already shifted.

"Holy mother fucker! You’re a black wolf!" Jace exclaimed. His eyes rounded in awe, but he remained fixed on his spot.

My head tilted down to look at my paws.

He wasn’t lying. I am a black wolf. An Alpha wolf.

Ice.

My wolf’s name was Ice. How ironic was it when I was all black?

Ice whimpered and slumped her body to the ground, telling me that she wanted Jace to approach us, but since we couldn’t mindlink him, there was no way to let him know we wanted him to come to us.

This felt so strange. My wolf was so happy to be out and kept chattering in my head while I remained silent and still in awe of everything.

I have a wolf at sixteen.

Ice tilted her head up, and our eyes locked with Jace’s piercing blue eyes. He was no longer smiling, and the brooding Alpha that I see all the time was back.

Where was the nice Jace earlier, the one that cradled me in his arms?

‘Did we do something wrong, Ice?’ I asked my wolf, confused at the sudden change in his mood.

Ice didn’t answer and just whimpered.

And just like in a movie, Jace’s face slowly twitched into a warm smile as he spread his arms open as if welcoming me for a hug.

"Come here, brave heart. Don’t be lazy. Get up and practice walking…" His voice sounded excited, and it made Ice excited as well. She pushed her body up and bravely threaded her way to Jace, slipping and sliding twice before she was able to get her footing.

"There you go! You’re fucking beautiful! I wish I knew your name. But I guess I have to wait until Amara tells me." Jace’s face looked so happy that I had no idea if I should be happy as well or get jealous.

He liked my wolf, and I wonder when he will look at me that way.

My name is Amara Grace Mikaelson.

Firstborn Alpha Female. Sixteen years old. And yes, I’d been harboring a crush on the eighteen-year-old, soon-to-be Alpha, in front of me. I had no idea when I started noticing that the hugs I was giving him were no longer the brotherly hugs that I was used to, that he had been occupying my thoughts whenever I was alone, or that I hated all the females throwing themselves at him.

But I kept it all a secret and acted as if he meant nothing to me.

No one had to know. Especially not my best friend Catherine - Jace’s younger sister.

"Would you like to play? Run with me? Every young wolf needs to run after they shift for the first time…" Jace asked, his hand running and smoothing against my fur, and I was basking in the attention he was giving us, even if it was just to my wolf.

"How about you lick my face if it’s a yes, or push me away if it’s a no? So…" He smiled, and his deep dimples offset his chiseled jaw.

Could this male be more handsome than he already is?

My eyes widened when Ice raised her paws and pushed Jace’s shoulders so that he stumbled backward, but she didn’t let go and instead hovered over him.

‘What are you doing? I want to run with Zero!" I snapped at my wolf.

Oh, Goddess! First day, and I was already fighting with her.

Ice huffed in my head as if teasing me before her head leaned down and began licking his face.

Jace laughed heartily before he cupped her jaws while she continued licking his face. "Aren’t you a tease?"

Yup! That’s exactly what I was thinking.

And I couldn’t stop the smile that formed on my lips this time. Jace seldom smiled at me or anyone else, so it warmed my heart that he was smiling and laughing at the moment, even if he was sharing it with my wolf and not directly with me.

JACE.

Zero spent a long time running around and playing with Amara’s wolf, whose name we didn’t even know.

Amara and I came from different packs, which means mindlink doesn’t work between us and our wolves. Although Zero could sense her aura and her emotions, like the excitement she felt at the moment, there was no way to communicate with them.

But despite that, our wolves seemed to enjoy each other’s company so much that I didn’t even notice that we had run too far from her dormitory. I wanted to tell her to turn around, but I had no way to communicate with her, so Zero just followed her around.

We had been running for some time now when my mother’s words dug into my head.

‘Jace?’

‘Mom...’

‘It’s dinner time. Your dad will be here soon. Where did you go?’

‘I went for a run. I think I will miss dinner tonight. Can I make it up some other nights?’ I had no idea why I didn’t tell her about Amara’s shifting. Maybe a part of me just wanted to be the only one to know at this point.

‘Are you okay?’ She asked, her voice laced with worry.

‘I am. I just want to be alone for now. Tomorrow night, my mind won’t be mine alone anymore once the whole pack’s mindlinks are passed on to me.’

‘I understand. Be careful, okay? I will set aside food for you.’

‘Thanks, Mom.’

‘I love you, Alpha.’

‘I love you too.’ I smiled at the warmth of her voice before I cut off our mindlink.

My mother, Luna Clair Galhart, had never seen me pass the little boy that clung possessively onto her arms, and although it did suffocate me sometimes, I knew she meant well and had always my best interest at heart.

When Dad finally decided to retire from being an Alpha the moment I turned eighteen, Mom was against it. She thought I was still too young to have the responsibility of an Alpha. Not that she thought I was not capable — she just didn’t want to push and force me into taking responsibility if I didn’t want to. But I wanted this.

And good thing that Dad couldn’t be swayed.

He was banking on me, and it was now all up to me to prove to my mother that I was prepared to be one.

This Alpha title was the reason I spent my whole life trying to excel at everything I needed to do to prepare myself for this day, and I never allowed any females around me to throw me off track.

I have a loving mother and a smart younger sister. For the time being, having them as the only females in my life was enough — until I met my fated mate.

Zero stopped running all of a sudden, his paws firmly gripping the ground so he wouldn’t crash into Amara’s wolf as she was already slowing down.

We let her run in front of us so I could see the whole perimeter and make sure she was secured.

She must be tired as we’ve been running and playing for a long time now.

I immediately shifted back into my human form and walked around her until I ended up in front of her. I didn’t miss her wolf’s eyes as they lingered on my c*ck and I couldn’t help but chuckle before I crouched down to the ground.

"Eyes up here, kitten." I put my hand on her wolf’s jaw and tilted her head. "Are you tired? We’ve been running for a while now. You can rest."

I was not even done with my words when Amara shifted back into her human form.

Her eyes rounded before she slammed her body against mine, and it caught me off guard. Our bodies stumbled backward, but my reflexes were fast enough to secure her in my arms and catch our fall. Our bodies were pressed against each other, with her arms in between our chests.

"I’m naked." Her voice croaked.

She threw herself on me to prevent me from seeing her naked, but the problem was that my d*ck was also naked. And I wasn't sure it could remain flaccid in the position we were in.

I nodded my head before I closed my eyes, while she stayed still, laying on top of me. "I know there are clothes somewhere here. I’ll pick up one but I need to stand up."

She moved her body away from me, and I pushed myself off the ground without opening my eyes. I only had them open when I was already standing and was sure that she was out of my peripheral view.

I had no problem with nakedness. I’d seen females naked — on the few occasions that I’d been in bed with them and during ordinary days, when they had to shift or during training. I was sure it would be the same case for Amara, but I wanted her to be comfortable and not think I was taking advantage.

In time, she would get used to being naked around males as she had shifted already. And if she became an Alpha, it would be an inevitable thing to do.

I hissed at the thought of her being the only female and naked in a swarm of male warriors. She might be a future Alpha, but she was my little kitten. And I couldn’t believe she was growing up already.

I rounded the area until I was able to find a spot where clothes were left. There was only one set. It was a good thing that the shirt was too big for her, enough to cover up to her thighs.

I came back to where she was and found her sitting with her back against the tree and her legs pulled up against her chest. She rested her chin on her knees as she hugged them. It was great that she crossed her ankles, covering her private parts from my view.

"Here," I told her as I handed her the shirt. I was already wearing shorts.

"Thanks, Jace." I heard her mumble while I walked to the other side of the tree and rested under it while she put on her shirt.

"What’s your wolf’s name?" I asked.

"Ice…"

"Beautiful name. And she’s beautiful too."

"Prettier than me?" She inquired as she took a seat beside me.

I chuckled as I snaked an arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer to my side. "As pretty as you. No need to be jealous of your wolf."

She laid her head on my shoulder as she let out a soft cackle. "Well, Zero is more mesmerizing than you."

"Aha! Now that’s not fair! I tried to make you feel good, and you couldn’t return the favor." I snickered before my hand slid down to her waist and gently pressed my fingers against her soft skin. I knew she was ticklish on this part.

Her giggles rang in the air as she squirmed beside me. "Stop…"

But it only made me press my fingers harder onto her skin and begin tickling her while my other hand held her shoulder, keeping her from getting away from me as we laughed together.

Her body kept squirming and moving until her ass landed on my lap. My arms automatically wrapped around her waist and pulled her closer.

I stiffened when I realized what I was doing and the position we were in.

JACE.

I stiffened when I realized what I was doing and the position we were in.

Shit! I needed to stop.

I did not remove her from my lap, and she did not leave either, even after I stopped tickling her. Instead, she rested her back against my torso and slightly turned her body to the side so her cheek was resting on my shoulder, and her hair, which smelled of strawberries, pressed against my mouth.

We stayed still in this position until I heard her breathing slow down.

I let out a deep sigh before I spoke. "I should take you back to the dormitory."

"How far are we?"

"Thirty to forty minutes."

"I don’t think I can wait any longer. I want to sleep, and besides, the main doors are locked. I don’t want to ring the headmistress and be interrogated."

"You’re with me. She won’t argue with that, and besides, you shifted."

"I don’t want anyone to know I shifted."

"They will still smell your wolf."

"I should call Mom and let her know."

"They’re here tomorrow for my ceremony. You can tell them personally." I told her as I rested my head back against the tree, with my hands on the ground, gripping the dirt and earth. I wanted to keep my hands off of her.

I waited for her to reply, and when she didn’t, I tipped my head down to look at her.

She fell asleep. It was nothing unusual. Females usually pass out after they shifted.

Amara had lasted more than an hour running, which was already a record for females shifting for the first time, but then she was an Alpha Female.

‘And only sixteen.’ Zero growled in my head.

He was frustrated that he could not connect with Ice, so he kept snapping at me. But what choice did we have?

I adjusted Amara’s position and let her sleep comfortably in my arms. My stomach was growling. I didn’t have lunch or dinner, but I didn’t want to wake her up, so I sat still and closed my eyes. I would let her rest for a while.

"Jace…" A sweet voice woke me up from a deep slumber.

My eyes immediately snapped open, and my body jolted forward, making whoever was on my lap fall backward.

"Fuck!" I growled as I moved and tried to catch Amara, but she was already on the ground, laughing as she clutched her stomach.

My eyes went to her exposed thighs, and if she moved her arms up, I would see something I was not supposed to see.

Eyes on her face, Jace. I kept reminding myself.

My forehead creased as I leaned forward and pulled her abruptly up from the ground, and my grip might be so tight that she grimaced and scowled at me.

"Careful!" She snapped at me, tugging her arms away from my hold. "I forgot you were grumpy when you just woke up."

"You startled me," I told her as I brushed my hand over my hair. "We should head home."

"I can’t. It’s midnight."

"Packhouse is just a 10-minute run from here."

"Okay. I’ll shift back."

"Zero can take you on his back. Just hop on him. It’ll be faster than having Ice run with him."

"Grumpy old man." I heard her mutter under her breath, but I ignored her as I slipped the shorts off my body, folded them, and tossed them behind the bushes.

"Eyes up, Amara. Not on my ass." I told her with a voice devoid of any emotion.

"You have dimples on your ass." She giggled.

"I’d been told," I huffed as I crouched on the ground.

"Who told you? Your girlfriend, or girlfriends?" she asked, her voice mocking me.

Instead of answering, I shifted into my wolf.

Girlfriends? I never had one, and I would never have one.

The only one I would commit to is the one bestowed upon me by the Goddess. And I will wait for her, even if it takes forever.

Zero slumped his body down to the ground so it would be easier for Amara to climb.

"Of course, you will not answer." She huffed. "Mr. Alpha is always too nice not to talk about his females."

I could imagine her rolling her eyes as she climbed on the back of my wolf.

"You know you can tell me about your females. I can keep secrets, and maybe you can ask me about what a female wants in a relationship. Maybe I can help you." She kept talking as she leaned her body forward and wrapped her arms around Zero’s neck.

Amara.

Same old Amara. She would always dominate our conversations.

I smiled despite myself as Zero rose from the ground and prepared to run.

What made her think that a girl who just turned sixteen could give advice about females and relationships to an eighteen-year-old boy?

"I’m smarter than my age, just in case you forget." She added, and for a while, I thought she was hearing my thoughts.

But she was right, she was smarter than her age. I couldn’t argue with that.

---------------------

"You did not just walk in naked, with Amara almost naked beside you!" Austin’s voice rang around the entrance of the packhouse, and my hand immediately flew to the back of his head, slapping him before we ended up chuckling.

Austin was my cousin and would step in as the Gamma of the pack with me tomorrow night, or tonight, to be specific.

"Why the fuck are you still awake?" I asked, and my eyes darted to the big wall clock that read two o’clock in the morning.

"I just came home…" He winked at Amara, who had her arms crossed against her chest.

"You will have a ceremony tomorrow, and you went out partying?" Amara asked him.

"I have to be responsible starting tomorrow, so I went out and celebrated, which was the exact same thing you did. So you’re no good too." He smirked before turning serious and shifting his gaze between me and Amara. "So, did you two... cross the friendship line?"

"Fuck you. I’m not like you. I don’t bang everyone that wears a skirt." I scowled at him before taking Amara’s hand and tagging her along with me as we headed for the stairs on the back side going to the basement.

"Besides, I don’t wear skirts," Amara added, giggling.

I heard Austin laugh. "She just turned sixteen, Jace! Uncle Aeon will kill you."

Amara laughed beside me as we threaded down the stairs with our hands clasped together.

‘Amara shifted. She doesn’t want anyone to know yet. So stop spreading rumors, or I will cut your balls and give them as a gift to the last female you fucked.’

‘You’re fucking gross, man. But she shifted? At sixteen? Wow! She’s a fucking Alpha!’

‘Where have you been, man? Everyone knows she’s a fucking Alpha.’

‘I know. I just want to say it out loud. Anyway, I’m off to bed. I just want to remind you again, that she is sixteen years old, so if you have any thoughts of...’

‘Fuck off and sleep.’ I growled at him and cut off the mindlink at the same time we entered the laundry area in the basement.

"What are we doing here?" Amara asked.

"Here." I handed her the Tweety Bird pajamas that belong to Catherine. "So you can sleep better because I don’t know how many shifters have worn that shirt you’re wearing."

"Seriously? Is Catherine still wearing this? We went shopping last week for nicer nightwear."

"That will do for tonight. I had no plans on rummaging through my sister’s skimpy and sexy pajamas."

"Fair enough. So, can you turn around so I can change?"

"Nah, I’ll go and wait for you outside this room." I grabbed my sweatpants and walked out of the laundry area without waiting for her reply.

After I put on my pants, I went to the cupboard where extra toothbrushes and toothpaste were kept and took one set for her.

"Am I sleeping in your room?" She asked as I handed them to her.

I shook my head. "If we overslept, I’m sure it will not do us good."

"I used to sleep in your room."

"Yes, you did, when you were seven, and I’m ten. Not when you have boobs and periods already. The last thing I want is to have my balls cut off before I even find my mate."

She giggled softly before responding. "You’re no fun. I was just kidding. I can crawl into Catherine’s bed."

"You can take the guest room. She locks her room. Besides, if I’m grumpy when I wake up… You should know…"

"That Catherine is the devil when her sleep is interrupted." She finished the words, and we both ended up chuckling.

It had been a long time since I had a moment with Amara alone. And it felt good that being with her felt like there was no gap or missed time between us.

"Come now, kitten. You need to sleep. Or do you want to eat first? My stomach was growling the whole night."

"Of course eat! Is that even an option? I’m famished!" She playfully glared at me.

"Yup. Let’s go eat then!"

"Race you to the kitchen, rockstar!" She exclaimed, using the nickname she gave me when we were younger, before dashing off towards the stairs.

I couldn’t help but shake my head and cackle as I ran after her, but knowing fully well that I would just let her win this race like the old times.