The Alpha's Daughter

A slap in the face...literally

Jeremy was waiting for us at the bottom of the stairs. Shane growled when he saw this.

"Now now, you've had your two hours, now I get mine."

I groaned inwardly. This will be fun.

'Don't let him touch you,' Shane growled through the link. 'Please.' He added as an afterthought.

I rested a hand on his arm, ignoring the low growl coming from Jeremy. "I'm yours," I told him. Not only only to calm his wolf, but to reassure Shane.

He visibly relaxed for a moment, before tensing again when Jeremy stepped forward. "Times up Shane. You'll see her tomorrow. Come on Lilly."

I sighed and reluctantly followed him, but was internally itching to run back to Shane.

Jeremy took me to the room I'd considered as my prison for the last...how many days? I'd have to ask Shane about it once this was all over.

"You smell like him." Jeremy stated.

I snorted. "Well duh."

He growled at me. "What did you do with him?"

"None of your damn business," I replied shortly.

Jeremy gripped my arm and pulled me to him, so close his nose was almost touching mine.

I cringed at his nearness, but he tightened his hold.

"YOU are my business, you are my mate!" He roared.

"I. Am not. Your mate!" I screamed back.

He reared and soon there was a stinging pain on my cheek where his hand had just slapped it. I closed down my mind link with Shane, praying he hadn't caught any of that. My eyes watered because of the pain of it, but I schooled my expression.

Next thing I knew, the door flew open and an enraged Shane came storming through.

He rushed to my side, and when he saw what I assumed to be a red hand print on my face and the bruising of finger marks on my arm, he quickly kissed my forehead and turned to Jeremy.

"You have violated the challenge rules. You have shamed our race as no male would ever lay a finger on his mate in anger. The rules forbidding me to see her are void. You may take your leave. We will have this out tomorrow." He ground out.

Jeremy looked at me in shock. "I meant no harm-" He began, but was cut off by Logan and Jenna coming up the stairs, followed by Camron and Megan. I gave them a knowing smile.

"You will leave us now," Logan said. "You have cause harm to the one you are meant to be fighting to protect tomorrow, meaning she is not your true mate. You can choose to continue with the challenge or withdraw."

Jeremy looked at him. "I will not withdraw my challenge. I will not give her up."

"Well then," I said. "Know this: tomorrow, I will be rooting for team Shane, and when he rips you apart, limb from limb, I will cheer happily as I watch the light fade your eyes."

A little blood thirsty maybe? Of course. No one messes with me or my mate.

Jeremy growled at my words before storming out of the room. All the males visibly relaxed.

I turned to the two pairs at the door. "So?"

Jenna smiled and leaned into Logan's embrace. Camron took Megan's hand in his.

"Looks like we have a few bonding ceremonies to go to," Shane said to me, wrapping his arm around my waist.

The girls looked down at their feet nervously but both boys grinned widely.

We walked down the hall to one of the smaller dining rooms and sat down and met with my other friends, who greeted me with hugs.

"We need to talk about what is happening tomorrow." Shane said.

"Logan, as you are Beta, you are permitted to be there." Logan nodded. "Camron, as you are next, you will also be there. Chris and Nathan, you will go too."

All three showed their agreement.

"What about the females?" Nathan asked.

"What about the females my ass," Becca snorted. "We're going too."

Every one of the males snarled. Each mate stared at each other, obviously conversing using their mind links. Again, they started snarling.

"Enough!" Shane commanded. They quietened down.

"Becca, as much as I admire your determination and loyalty to my mate, you will not be there. Neither will any of the females. The reason being you will distract your mates, and I cannot have their attention distracted from my Luna. They are there to protect her, and they cannot do so if they are constantly watching you."

"Well what can we do?" Megan asked.

Shane thought about it for a moment then looked up. "Jeremy doesn't have a pack left, but his father still lives. He is calling him and a few of his friends to be present with him at the challenge. If anything goes wrong tomorrow, we may have to fight off a retaliation from their pack. In this case, Chris, you will be responsible for getting Lilly away from the challenge ground."

"Where will I be taking her?" Chris asked.

Lindsey snapped her fingers. "We'll be waiting in cars down the road to collect her!"

Shane nodded. "Exactly. Then take her to the airport, I will have other wolves escort you, then fly back to Northern Ireland where the Northern Pack will keep her safe."

"Where will you be in this?" I asked wearily.

Shane sighed. "These precautions will only be taken if I do not make it."

"No. I'm not leaving you," I started to protest, but he stopped me.

"Listen to me, you will go with them. If I cannot protect you anymore than that, then this is what you will do. I love you Lilly, and if it means dying for you, then so be it."

A tear escaped my eye as I watched the man I loved tell me he was willing to die for me. I pulled him towards me, and despite the others in the room, I kissed him.

Through our bond, I poured all the love I felt for him into it, I showed him how he made me feel, and the effect he had on me every time he touched me.

In return, he showed me how much he loved me, how he felt the first time he saw me, and how worried he was when I was gone.

Throughout it all, he promised to love me, to care for me and to protect me. He was all I'd ever wanted and more.

When we broke apart, the room was empty, the others had left to give us privacy.

Later on, as we sat in one of the many spare bedrooms in the mansion, we lay holding each other and comforting one another through touch until sleep took us.