Damon's POV

Tomorrow is the day I finally get to leave this stinking hot Texas weather. It's been a long four years. I wipe my brow as sweat from the sun trickles down my forehead. I can't wait to see my best friends Jacob and Phoebe again. I wonder if Phoebe has found her mate? She was the lucky one out of the three of us, with her being of Beta blood and being a female, she didn't need to take off for training for 4 years unlike Jacob and I. She will be Beta of our pack once I take over. She had the luxury of staying back at our pack training under dad. I've secretly loved her all of our lives, but knowing I have a destined mate out there no matter who she is, I've tried not to.

Jacob is to be my Gamma his training is way over in Denmark with all the other Gammas. Taking in one last final look around at the place I've called home for the last four years, I slowly make my way back to my little hut to start packing.

Once I'm almost packed, a knock sounded on my door. Opening it I take in Alpha Kit and two others, one being an older male 6-foot, stocky build and greying hair with brown eyes the other a female. Wait isn't that the female from the bar 3 weeks ago? I question myself.

"Son" Alpha Kit called me while nervously fidgeting with his grey shirt "This here is Alpha Tom Brown from the Crystal Lake Pack, Sally's father."

I step out the door holding my hand out to shake his "Nice to meet you." I say.

Alpha Kit continues "It seems we have a problem."

"What's that" I ask curiosity getting the better of me. "You knocked my daughter up now she's your responsibility." Alpha Brown angrily spits out. I glance at Sally her head is dropped looking at the ground as she nervously plays with her fingers "How is she meant to be with her true destined mate now? It's either you claim her as your own or you will face serious consequences." He shouts angrily pointing his finger at me.

Recalling back to that night I remember Alpha Kit asking me to take her out in the back room as she went into heat while he dealt with all the males that were ransacking the joint to get to her. I can remember getting her to the safety of the room but then the door closed behind me locking us both in. Alpha Kit failed to mention at the time that the door was made of steel and it could only be opened from the outside. I can remember trying to kick the door down then nothing it's like a part of my memories have been wiped. I can also remember Alpha Kit waking me up sometime later and I was on the couch behind her only wearing my shirt from the night before, her still dressed in her slinky red dress. "How do you know it's mine?" I question. "Are you calling my daughter a slut sonny boy." he aggressively spits out. "No sir" I reply back "but with all due respect don't you think I would be able to recall sleeping with her? I mean sex is absolutely mind blowing I think but yet I can't for the life of me remember having any sort of physical activity with your daughter. Edmund", I call on my wolf "help me out here!" I desperately plead through the mind link "I'm sorry Damon but if I can't remember neither can you" shit I curse.

I take a glance at Sally who quickly looked up and gave her father a worried look before dropping her head back down. Sally has long blonde hair, blue eyes, hour glass figure and shapely legs that just went on for forever. She was an attractive girl but not the one for me even the idea alone repulsed me. If I do have to end up with her, I could have done a whole lot worse. But my real mate?...

I look back at Alpha Brown "It could be anyone's" I retorted. "But Damon" Alpha Kit spoke up "I woke you both from the couch the next morning you only wearing your shirt. Your jeans and shoes on the floor beside the couch." He gave me a look of pity. Recalling the rest of the events, Alpha Kit shook me awake I tried to sit up but something was in the way I looked, and the blonde was in front of me. I shoved her in the back waking her up instantly I recall her saying thanks for a fabulous night, picking her shoes up and smiling at Alpha Kit on her way out of the small room. "But don't you think that if I had made love to her all night that my scent would have been embedded into hers, hers all over me? Wouldn't you have found us shagging like rabbits in her heat induced state instead of waking us up? But then come to think of it I actually couldn't recall if her body was releasing Pheromones or not. But then I thought females were in heat longer than a few short hours? Oh God, wouldn't I have known? Why can't I remember as uncertainty started sinking in clouding my judgement.

"Like I said Damon man up. Stop trying to talk your way out of your responsibility. She's yours now. If she's not marked soon all hell will break loose. You have a nice mother Damon I would hate for anything to happen to her." he threatened. With that he spun on his heel and walked off.

"I'm sorry," Alpha Kit mumbled as he too turned and left.

With her still standing there still looking at the ground. I turn to her in disgust "well!" I snapped looking at her "what have you got to say for yourself?" I demanded.

She lifts her head up, tears glistening in her eyes and whispers to me "I'm so sorry Damon but the baby is yours." And then she drops her head back down again. "Well until it's in my arms and the blood work confirm the baby is mine don't expect me to mark you as mine until then as we both have mates to think about." I angrily reply. She burst into tears. Lowering my voice so I don't sound as harsh, "I will finish getting my stuff and I will bunk in my truck tonight. You can have the hut you will need to get a decent night's rest as we are leaving at 5 am. It's a twenty-hour drive home." With that I turned and made my way back into the hut to finish packing my stuff leaving her standing there on the door step. I was not spending a night in bed with her, It was easier to spend the night in my truck where I could think in silence without being couped up in the room with her. I don't think I would be able to sleep anyway.

How dare he threaten my mum. How dare he try and intimidate me like that. As if his threats scare me anyway our pack is a lot stronger than his, he does not scare me in the least but I have to do the right thing until I find out for sure if it's mine or not if it's not, I will skin her and her father alive. The thought then crossed my mind about my own mate. Why does life have to be so hard? "Our pup comes first." replied Edmund, "I will fight you on it and if that was our daughter what would you be doing?" my wolf asked me "breaking the fellow's neck" I responded "especially if he refused our daughter but most likely what Alpha Brown has just done to me; threaten him" I added "exactly" responded my wolf. Feeling defeated I blocked him out and gazed out my truck window at the night sky.

I woke her up from a deep slumber at 4.30 am and told her to shower and that I would wait for her in the truck. Not caring if she had eaten anything I headed for home once she had made herself comfortable in the passenger side.

Four hours into the trip that was full of silence I had to stop at a truck stop and fuel my tank. I gave Sally $20 dollars to get whatever she wanted. After paying for fuel and a coffee for me I jumped back in. Trying to be a bit nicer I asked her a few questions about herself so we ended up playing the 20-question game.

AGE hers 18 I'm 20

FAVOURITE COLOUR hers red mine blue

FOOD: She loves pasta mine is steak

COLOUR OF WOLF hers is dark brown with flecks of black mine is pure black with a patch on my forehead, and hazel eyes.

FAVOURITE BOOK she claimed not to have one mine is lord of the rings.

FAVOURITE MOVIE hers is legally blonde. I cringed Phoebe absolutely detested that movie. My favourite movie, was also Phoebes which is Jurassic Park we just loved that movie. I end up giving her a different answer and settled on Divergent.

INTERESTS hers was reading I thought that answer was a bit strange considering she didn't have a favourite book. Mine is Phoebe I thought to myself but answered with fighting.

I lost track of the questions after that as thoughts of Phoebe and the whole situation with Sally just didn't add up and the sound of her voice just grated on my nerves like finger nails being drawn down a chalk board. I shuddered in disgust not knowing what to do if I had to make her mine.

Another few hours later I rolled into a gas station to refill the tank and let Sally visit the restroom. After each of us getting something to eat we headed back to the truck. 12 hours to go I sigh happily.

By 6.00 pm I couldn't stand being in the truck any longer so I started searching for a place to stay. I finally came across a hotel and got us each separate rooms. "But shouldn't we be sharing?" Sally questioned. God no I couldn't think of doing anything more repulsive. I thought but the tears rolling down her face told me I had spoken the words aloud. "Well Sally I will be honest with you" I sigh running my hands through my hair. "My wolf wants you because you carry our pup for your sake, I hope that is true. Me, I couldn't care less, you weren't meant to happen, you shouldn't have even been there in your heat. How dumb are you?" I question her. Not getting a response I add "I think it best if we don't share any rooms until after my pup is born." She claimed she understood and was fine with it but I could tell she was angry. Who cares I thought going into my room and closing the door on her.

Finally, home. I pull up at the pack house and open my door. I step out of my truck and a mouth-watering scent of strawberries and cream hits my nose. My wolf howls 'mate' in my head and is laying on his back, tongue hanging out of his mouth panting, like he is drunk on her scent. I glance up and my world just stops. There she stood the most beautiful young woman I've ever seen. 5'8" slim build, wavy waist long dark brown hair the colour of chocolate, her lips are plump and pink, gazing into her big blue eyes was like getting lost in the depths of the ocean. I couldn't look away; I could look into them all day. She was utter perfection, she was Phoebe. Wow she had changed and grown in the last 4 years.

Before I knew it there, she was directly in front of me all I could get out was "mate." Tears were streaming down her cheeks but from the look on her face I knew that she was happy. She reached up and put her arms around my neck, I wrapped mine tightly around her waist bringing her in close to my body. She fit so nice against my body as if she was perfectly made for me. Her body was pure heaven against mine. I instantly hardened. 'Our pup' my wolf whimpered in my head. Reality came crashing down around me. I couldn't keep the guilt out of my eyes as I looked at her and said "I'm sorry Phoebe I had no idea you were going to be my destined mate. I have and will always love you." I hung my head low in shame, tears falling down my cheeks. I was emotionally devastated. My mate was so perfect, but I had a duty, an obligation that I had to fill.

My head snapped up the moment I heard Sally get out of the truck. There my mate stood her happy tears changing to ones of distraught. I had no other choice but to go to Sally and take her into the pack house. Leaving my mate standing there all alone and how I felt broken.

The day of my welcome home BBQ was one I would never forget, it's when I saw my Phoebe crumble to the ground in tears. I had felt her watching me. Each time her gaze landed upon me it sent pleasurable sensations running through my body. If only she would talk to me so I could tell her it's all an act. That it is her I want, that it's her that I need. But I can't act like I don't give an ounce of damn about Sally in front of my pack what would they think? I already feel their hateful gaze because they all love Phoebe. I just can't win. I will be glad when this miserable BBQ is over so I can shove Sally back up in her room not having to worry about her until the next function. Edmund hates me for my mistreatment of her, but I don't care. I'm doing the right thing and taking care of my pup; I just refuse at the moment to take care of her.