Ok so I messed up. Damon does not have a girlfriend who isn't his mate. His girlfriend is his mate. Just clearing that up.

One week later

:Ellana:

It's been awhile, and Annie knows about everything. Well, not everything. That would take a long time. But, a lot. She was really pissed at me for not telling her. After all, I'm her best friend. But, she understands the seriousness in the situation. And for that, I'm glad. I took her out shopping and bought her food, and now she has cheered up a little.

I smell Annie outside my bedroom door. 

"What is it?" I ask.

She opens my door and plops down onto my bed, shoving her face into my covers.

I smirk and snort. Typical. I always snort. "What?"

She looks up at me, her lips swollen, and her face tinted pink.

"Oh... What happened?"

Her lip quivers, so I pull her into a hug, as a little kid would hug a teddy bear. She cries silently, and I can feel my damp shirt.

But I just hold her close. I am going to fucking kill him if he hurt her. Though, I can't imagine he would. He's so nice, she's really sweet. I can't imagine them fighting.

Ann pulls away from me, and rests her head in my lap after I close the door and sit down with my back on the headboard. 

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" I ask quietly, stroking her gorgeous hair.

She shakes her head and sniffs. "I dunno..."

"It's okay, Ann. I'm here."

"We- we..." She takes a sharp inhale. "It was all my fault." She sobs again.

I bend over and hug her. 

"I was in my r-room. He-" She takes a deep breath. "He came in. Looking for me. An-and."

"What happened after that?"

"We went outside. I said something. I regret it. I said I might... Not be able to deal... With having a mate. He didn't like that."

"Did he hurt you?"

"N-no."

I frown. "Promise?"

She nods before taking in a shaky breath.

Kace, get your filthy ass into my bedroom right away. 

I'm busy. 

How dare you make your mate cry and not check on her, you dumb fuck. 

Fine. 

Your face isn't going to be fine when you get here.

Then Aubrey says, When was it ever. Let's be real.

Pretty soon, I can smell Kace.

"Kace is coming."

Annie shakes her head profusely.

"Yes, you need to talk with him. I'll be here, if you want."

"Please." 

I loop my arm through her's, and we await Kace's arrival.

And, sure enough, a few moments later, my door is opened.

He clenches his jaw, leaning against my door.

"Kace. I believe you and Annie need to talk. I found out that when she told you she didn't know if she could be your mate, you ran off."

His gaze is set firm.

"I will not tolerate my best friend receiving behaviour like that."

Man, you sound ancient.

"We fucking had sex! And she just says she can't be with me!" Kace yells, throwing his hands into the air.

"Well, that's her desicion. She is new to this stuff, remember. You can't just expect her to accept everything."

As if his jaw wasn't clenched enough, he tightened it.

"Kace," Annie's small voice startles the both of us. "I-I'm sorry."

It's then that he notices her tears. Like he didn't care enough earlier. "Shit, did I make you cry?" He runs over to her, kneeling at her side.

She doesn't answer, but more tears run freely down her face.

I look over at her, and she smiles weakly at me, mouthing, "Thanks."

I nod when Kace scoops her up, walking out of my room. "I'm so sorry, baby. I'm sorry..."

*

I finish packing my backpack when I hear our alpha's voice through the pack link. 

I need all warriors out here, pronto. We have a pack declaring war. Raina Vines, my Third In Command, I need you and your daughter Ellana.

I scrunch up my face in confusion. Why does he need me? It's not like I can do anything. Nonetheless, I grab my shoes and go outside to where the scene unfolds in front of my wide eyes. 

I see his brown wolf from across the however much land is in between us. I can just so make out the wolfy grin he had on.

The alpha.

My alpha.

My new alpha.

His gaze sends shivers down my spine. No no no. Not right now. I'm supposed to go back to college today. I'm supposed to leave him, even though he insisted I can't hide from him.

Dammit.

The majority of the men in our pack stand behind Alpha, already shifted. Same with my mate's pack, also.

My mate begins. "Let me have the pack."

Alpha narrows his eyes, letting out a warning growl.

"Or I get your Third In Command's daughter." 

How he knows who my mother is, I don't know.

"It's your choice."

My mom looks to me.

The man, who I'm supposed to call Mate, continues. "Well, actually, it's sorta my choice. It's just your decision." He stops to think. "Wait, wait, wait. Hold up." He mumbles, "Maybe I did get it right the first time." The he acts it out silently to himself. "Either way, I get your daughter. It's my decision, really. But then, it's your choice..."

My mother switches her weight, and Alpha's getting impatient.

"M'kay, I don't know what one is correct. I never excelled in school very much... So, just choose already! Ten seconds!"

"Mom, Alpha." I slightly bow my head at him. "I can go."

Tears are brimming in her eyes, and she shakes her head.

"Nine!"

"Mom... I'll be fine," I assure her.

"Eight!"

"Trust me." I hug her.

"Seven!"

"I'll come back... eventually. Just make up an excuse for my college, okay?"

"Six!"

"I love you, Mom. Stay strong." I hug Damon and Kace. 

"Five!"

And Damon holds my mom close, because she'll come after me.

"Four!"

She falls limp in his arms, her sobs barely heard. I wave good bye to the crowd around me.

"Three!"

I won't let the tears fall. Not now.

Annie rushes to me, gives me a hug, and backs up.

"Uh... Two?!"

"Bye, Ellie," she wipes a tear.

"Goodbye, Annabeth. I'll see you soon. Stay with Kace."

"One..!"

I turn around. "I'll go!"

He gives Alpha a smug smirk. "Good. And I'll pay a visit to this lonely pack later."

I walk away, not daring to look back, but I wince when I can hear my mom crying, loud and clear.

I reach him. He holds out his hand, but I brush past him.

"You are a monster," I say.

"For going easy on your family?"

"No."

He catches up to me. "Did I hear your name is Ellie?"

"People I love and respect call me that."

"So... I guess I can call you that in the future?"

"Not a chance."

He wraps an arm around my shoulders, but it's quickly brushed off.

"Listen, you're going to submit to me, eventually."

"And if I don't?"

"I have cells," he says nonchalantly, inspecting the trees above.

"Cells?"

"They have silver bars. You're not leaving."

I shiver. I've had experience with silver. It's not fun.

"We'll see about that."

"No, really. I put my dad's beta in there once, and he died trying to get out. Or somebody poured sliver down his throat." He shrugs. "Either way."

"No mind link?"

"As if. There's no mind linking in there, unless you're in there with your own pack members. The walls protect from it."

"And your dad didn't look for his beta?"

He snorts. "As if I'd let him." He subconsciously kicks at a stick, but then trips a little. He gains his composure a little later, and blush creeps up his neck, and his cheeks turn bright red. "Ahem. I have the key, anyway. The key's silver, too. So is the door."

"So, what happened to your dad, if you're now alpha?"

He looks at me as if I'm dumb.

Girl, he killed him, what else? 

Ohhh. 

"Oh."

He nods. "I also killed his mate."

I stop in my tracks. "You killed your own mother?!"

"Hell, no. I'm not that awful. My father did that job. Jesus Christ. My mother died at the hands of my father. He got a second chance at a mate. Him and his mate were both abusive. That's why I killed them. His beta was abusive, too. I'm really not as badass as people make me out to be," he muses, tripping on a rock.

"Oh, I'm sorry!"

He shakes his head. "No prob."

"I was talking to the rock you almost killed."

He rolls his eyes.

"I'm kidding. I really am sorry, though. I didn't know."

He snorts and yet again fails to maintain his balance, and panic fills his eyes for a fleeting moment. "Holy mother of fucks! What the hell? I swear to God, the Moon Goddess is out for me. Anyway, don't be sorry. I don't like pity. Just be thankful you never have to meet the dick heads."

"So, those rumors about you killing ruthlessly are all fake?"

"Those aren't rumors," he grumbles.

Well, Aubrey, he might not be that bad. See? 

Um, excuse me? We both thought he was awful. 

I roll my eyes. He's not the worst, though. 

You've barely met him! Don't make assumptions!

"Having a mental war with yourself?"

I confirm, "My wolf."

He nods in understanding. "Mine's annoying... Like there, for example. He said he's not annoying. Like, psht, yeah right."

"I bet you he's not as bad as Aubrey."

Bitch.

"Aubrey, huh? Not a bad name..."

I realize my mistake, but it's too late to take it back.

What do you mean 'mistake'? My name is beau-

I block her out.

"So, then? Do I get your name?"

My mate shakes his head. "Not until I get yours, Ellie."

I growl at him, and he growls right back at me, authority clear in his voice, daring me to challenge him.

I cross my arms. "Fine, then. What's your wolf's name?"

He chokes on air. "Not... important..." he wheezes, holding onto a tree for support.