Heya,

Early update because CookieMonster351 asked me to update so nicely ;) I couldn't say no!

Enjoy everyone,

Vote and comment ;)

Robin

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Jake walked me to my next class with a thoughtful look on his face. He didn't really appear to notice where we were going and was just following me.

I thought it was really stupid that I had to be walked to and from class by either Missy or Jake and that they all acted as if Jaden was there to protect me alone. After all it wasn't me that Thornten was after was it? Deidre came to warn us about protecting Jake!

They should be protecting him! Not me...

We'd just passed the bathrooms and the emergency exit when something slammed into me, hard. Pain exploded low in my back and on the left side of my body while a dull ache started in my head that made thinking straight near impossible.

Someone was holding me tightly pressed up against the wall, right next to the fire exit. There were sounds of fighting going on, although while I struggled against the one holding me it sounded more and more like someone getting beaten...

My stomach clenched painfully in sympathy for Jake.

No one was saying anything so when the person holding me suddenly barked an order it rung painfully in my ears. 'There's someone coming, lets get out of here!'

Immediately the hands holding the back of my neck tightened and I was pulled away from the wall and then pushed out of the emergency exit. I stumbled across the uneven ground outside and fell to my knees painfully.

I was pretty sure my jeans tore on the knees from the impact, taking along some of the skin as well.

Behind me the door slammed and then Jake was tossed down beside me. He just collapsed to the ground and didn't move, his face bloody.

Shocked I stared at it for a moment and then I scrambled to my feet in anger. 'What the hell do you want from us!' I yelled as I turned to face our attackers.

There were four boys, I recognized them from several of my classes but I didn't know any of their names. I did know that they all hung out with Devon a lot, sure enough he was the last to step outside with a satisfied look on his face.

'Hello Amelia my love,' he said with a smirk. 'Forgive my men for being so rough, but we had to get your attention somehow... Since you've been avoiding me.'

I felt a shiver run down my spine, I wanted nothing more then to just turn and run away as fast as possible but I couldn't just leave Jake. At least now I knew it wasn't Thornten trying to kill Jake...

'Stay away from me you asshole! I don't want anything to do with you!' I told him, my heart was beating wildly in my throat now. I kept seeing that dark brown wolf from my dreams, snarling and bloody.

Devon made a movement with his hand and suddenly the four other guys spread out and started circling around me so that I couldn't get away. So much for that plan... Although it had never really been an option it still sucked knowing there was no way out now.

'You are going to be mine,' Devon said with a satisfied look on his face. He was slowly closing in on me and his eyes reflected the wolf inside only, there was no trace of the boy I'd first met at that party.

Trying to sound braver then I was I scoffed: 'No I'm not. I'm not someone's property and I never will be.'

A shrewd expression appeared on his features and he nodded, 'So you admit yourself that Nathaniel has no claim over you?'

Damn... I swallowed convulsively and then realized that I could just call him. I focused hard and tried to send Nathaniel a thought, telling him that Devon had cornered me and that Jake was hurt. Badly.

A sharp pain shot through my head that made me double over. Son of a bitch that hurt! Tears sprung to my eyes and I clenched my hands to my temples in a vain effort to ease the pain.

'He can't hear you my love... Hurts doesn't it?' Devon said. He reached out a hand to grab my face and I jerked back fast. 'Go to hell!' I brought my leg up and kicked him against his shin as hard as I could.

Smart move Amelia... Piss off the rabid wolf even more, nice work!

My kick only seemed to enrage Devon because he snarled and then slapped me hard enough to send me sprawling to the ground. I collapsed right next to Jake and for a moment I didn't feel anything while I heard a ringing sound in my ears.

Then pain set my cheek ablaze and the metallic taste of blood flooded my mouth from where the inside of my cheek had been cut on my own teeth from the force of the hit. It felt as if my lip was bleeding too.

'You bitch! Don't you dare talk to me that way!' Devon was ranting as he loomed over me.

I moved to get up and away from him but then I realized that Jake was conscious and his lips were moving as if he was trying to say something. I had to lean closer to him to catch what he was saying.

'Call Jaden.'

I felt like the biggest idiot for not having tried that sooner...

The small silver whistle was still in my pocket where I'd put it that morning when he gave it to me and I fumbled to get it out.

Devon wouldn't have it though because he suddenly grabbed my hair and jerked me to my feet. I couldn't stop myself from screaming out in pain at the sensation. The whistle flew from my hand to land a few feet away from me with it a ballpoint.

'Do you understand? You show me respect, I'm the Alpha here!' Devon snarled in my face. His eyes lit up with insanity.

I spat in his face.

With an inhuman growl he lifted me up by my shirt and tossed me away from him with such force that I felt like a rag-doll. My head bounced painfully on the stones and my already sore back and side from earlier burst into searing pain again.

For a short while all I could see was black and flashing white as my vision spun. That was one serious blow to my head... There was no doubt about it that my brain was now badly concussed.

Devon and the others too were all talking or more like growling at each other and me but I couldn't comprehend what they were saying.

There was only one thing I was focused on now: the silver whistle only a foot away from my outstretched hand. I had to get it.

Pain blossomed to life in my wrist when a large, booted foot stepped down on it harshly. 'What do you think you're doing?'

It wasn't Devon but one of his friends and I glared up at him, breathing through my clenched teeth to keep the pain at bay. 'None of your business!' I snapped as I jerked my free hand up and stabbed him in his thigh with the ballpoint I'd lost along with the whistle, the object just within reach my only weapon.

He bellowed out in rage and stumbled back as he clutched at the injury, blood was pouring out of the hole in his jeans. Even more gruesome: hair was sprouting out all over his body, which was sort of buckling in on itself. Changing shape.

My mind dismissed that as impossible and instead I finally grabbed the whistle.

'What is that! Stop her!' Devon yelled and more hands reached out to grab me just as I put the thing to my mouth and blew on it as hard as I could. The action brought a searing pain to my chest.

There was no sound though and shocked I stared at the whistle... Oh god no it wasn't working!

But the rest of the guys including Devon all screamed out and turned around to focus on something I couldn't see yet from my position on the ground. Feeling vulnerable I scrambled to my feet and that's when I saw it.

A huge, and I really mean HUGE, black panther came skidding around the corner and careened straight into Devon. It's jaws snapping and growling.

It was without a doubt a magnificent creature, with glowing black fur dotted with even darker black rosettes. It's body was rippling with muscles in such a way that it's movements almost looked fluid and graceful.

Around me all the guys shifted, fur exploding outwards and clothes shredding in the process. Then suddenly I was surrounded by four wolves and a panther. Only the guy I'd stabbed seemed to be unable to maintain a definite shape. He seemed to be caught in some sort of grotesque form not quite human and definitely not wolf.

One of the wolves was a brown one, he looked exactly like the one from my dreams. I just knew that was Devon.

I knew I should be utterly terrified but I felt really calm inside. My heartbeat was even slowing down to normal although it had been beating in my throat moments before. Even the pain seemed to fade to a minimum, enough for me to get completely to my feet and grab a thick branch as a club tightly in my hands.

I watched how the panther fought with the four wolves looking for an opening to use my weapon. It was clear that despite the fact that he was alone against four, he was wiping the floor with them.

The wolves seemed unable to touch him as he dodged all their attacks and spun and leaped around them, dealing raking blows with his massive claws. Several of the wolves were bleeding from large gashes.

Then finally one of them made the mistake of darting too close to me, his back towards me so he didn't see it coming. I whacked the gray wolf on the head as hard as I could with my branch. The creature instantly collapsed.

When I looked up it was to see the other three, including Devon, were all scrambling away. Running in the direction of the forest as fast as they could while injured. The panther didn't pursue them.

Instead the huge cat turned around to look at me with intense golden eyes that shone with an intelligence that belied it's animal appearance.

'Jaden?' I asked hesitantly. I dropped the branch and reached out to him with my uninjured hand. My right wrist had started with a beating kind of pain in time with my own heartbeats and I just knew that it was broken.

The cat approached me slowly, careful but at the last moment he walked straight passed me to growl at the remaining two wolves. The one I'd knocked out was scrambling to his feet and the other one caught mid shift was sort ambling away towards the forest as well.

They both looked at Jaden with panic in their eyes and then hurried away as fast as they could to disappear between the dense shrubbery and trees. Not a moment too soon for them either, only seconds later the emergency exit burst open and Nathaniel rushed outside.

His eyes were so black that the whites seemed to be shot through with tiny black veins. He looked like vengeance embodied as he stared at us, quickly assessing the situation.

Missy appeared behind Nathaniel and on my side the black panther shrunk until a tall man stood in it's place. Jaden was wearing not a single stitch on his body with faint golden hairs scattered across his chest and trailing down lower.

I kept my eyes focused solely on Nathaniel even though a part of me couldn't deny the fact that Jaden was one sexy man...

Nathaniel met my eyes and more black bled out from his irises to stain the white black. His coffee colored hair stirred in an unseen breeze but the eery light that seemed to accompany his power was absent this time.

I shivered, feeling all the pain assault me at once. My wrist was definitely broken and several ribs had to be bruised from when Devon tossed me. I wouldn't be surprised if I had a concussion as well.

My knees buckled and then stung as they hit the ground, again. If they hadn't been skinned before they certainly were now but I couldn't keep myself upright anymore. Now that the fight was over all the energy was gone.

From the corner of my eye I saw Missy dart out of the door and straight to Jake, bending over him to help him up and check his injuries. The concern on her face was strong and it was clear that she absolutely adored her older brother.

But all I saw was Nathaniel striding over to me in long confident steps. He was with me in the blink of an eye, reaching out to gather me in his arms. His face still dark and drawn, ascetic, the face of a man Seratin called 'My Lord.'

I tried to dodge his hands even though my body was screaming for his embrace... Actually not just my body was craving his touch, all of me wanted and needed it. My heart was beating wildly in my throat now and it wasn't from the pain.

Nathaniel dropped his hands, a frown marring his otherwise perfect features. 'You would deny me this? Even now?' he asked. His words were perfectly enunciated, devoid of ANY accent. His eyes bled even darker.

I should have been scared of that but I knew Nathaniel would never hurt me, not even if I told him I never wished to be with him. Instead my body was responding with tingles and a warmth in the pit of my stomach. My skin feeling too tight because I was so close to him yet refusing to let him touch me.

'Will you protect Deidre?' I asked through clenched teeth. My body might be responding to his but it didn't dull the pain.

Nathaniel let out a fierce growl that shook my entire body. I was trembling and I felt a wetness on my face that told me I was crying now. Maybe the wetness on my chin was blood from my split lip though. I really must be a terrible sight.

'Will you Nathaniel?' I asked again, my voice no more then a hoarse whisper.

The last bit of white bled to black as he stared at me, light was slowly flaring to life underneath his skin. His powers rising more visibly to the surface then before.

'Amelia,' he said, it sounded harsh and stern. Angry. He was already reaching out for me again and I flinched as I tried to move out of reach, but my muscles didn't respond to my commands.

Suddenly he really was holding me, having moved so fast that I hadn't even seen it. There was just no way I could have moved away in time.

It was a struggle to hold my self rigid and not give in to him now. It hurt so bad everywhere... I really wanted to hide in his arms and sleep until I was all better again. But I couldn't give up the fight, I had to make him protect Deidre.

Nathaniel breathed out against my hair, 'If you allow me to take care of you, the way I want to. I'll extend my protection towards HER as well.'

At those words I let out a long tired breath and collapsed completely into him and he gathered me closer to him. Cradled tightly against his chest I finally felt safe. Neither Devon or any of his stupid followers could hurt me now.

'Make the arrangements now,' I whispered.

'Promise me you'll allow me to protect you my way? No fighting, no complaining?' Nathaniel shot back at me even as he smoothed his large hands across my bruised ribs and black and blue side and lower back.

The pain seemed to disappear almost immediately, pushed out by a warmth that originated from his hands. Instantly my breathing eased.

'If Jake and I get a say in Deidre's protection then yes... I promise,' I bargained, pressing myself more tightly into him.

'Deal,' Nathaniel whispered. One hand reached up to cup my face, the warmth from his hands pushed away the pain in my cheek and lip immediately. His eyes were back to their stormy gray as he pressed his lips to mine in a tender kiss.

We sat like that for a while until my breathing had eased completely and my tears had somewhat dried. Now only the pain in my wrist and knees remained and that I could definitely deal with it. In Nathaniel's arms I could handle that.

Only then did Nathaniel stand up, lifting me to my feet slowly to make sure my legs would support my weight on their own. He didn't let go though, instead he crushed me tightly into his side while he looked around to see what happened to the rest.

'For God's sake Jay put on some clothes!' was the first thing out of his mouth. But it sounded like he was faintly amused about it.

'As you wish my Lord,' Jaden said in that intense low voice of his. For some reason it made me think of Eliza... I bet she would describe his voice as 'orgasmic.'

Since Nathaniel had made sure his body was between me and Jaden I couldn't see what he did but a short moment later I heard him say: 'There, you happy now?'

'Missy how's Jake?' Nathaniel asked, ignoring the panther completely. He was using his business voice and I just knew that he was plotting in his head about what to do next and how to retaliate against the wolves.

'He's alright... He could use some of your Mojo though,' Missy said as she moved back a little to show us how battered and bruised Jake's face was.

'Can he stand? And does he look like he's just been in a fight with a few boys? Not werewolves?' my mate was asking even as he skimmed his own eyes over Jake's prone form. It was obvious he'd passed out again.

Missy nodded slowly, 'I see... Yeah I think that would work out.'

'Jaden, please tell me Samuel is where I told him to be? Get him to bring Deidre to the house and make yourself invisible, I need to 'report' to the humans.' Nathaniel barked at Jaden, then rapidly he spewed out even more orders.

Before the black panther left he said: 'I like her Nate... She's got spirit, took out two wolves all by herself. Don't know what she did to one of em' but he was stuck between shapes. Remind me to never cross her!'

Then he sauntered away as if nothing had happened. As he reached the corner of the building he turned around to call over his shoulder: 'You better use your 'Mojo' on her wrist too, pretty sure it's broken. I heard it crack.'

'Your wrist is broken?' Nathaniel pushed me away from his body so he could look at my wrist. 'Why didn't you say so?' Concern creased his forehead as he reached out to envelope the painful and slightly swollen joint with his hand.

'Wait,' I stopped him. 'Isn't it more plausible if I'm hurt too? You can heal it as soon as we get into the car to go home...'

'Amelia! I'm not letting you walk around with a broken wrist if I can help it!' he growled angrily. I felt instantly bad for him. He'd been forced to wait to hold me even when I was a mess because I insisted on making a deal first and I just knew that he felt guilty that he hadn't been in time to save me.

Missy backed me up: 'Think about it Nate, you want to be able to have us all stay home for the rest of the week. Principal might not buy it if she's not hurt... It'll only be for about thirty minutes tops.'

Which turned out to be a correct estimate. Nathaniel healed Jake enough that he regained consciousness and could walk. That way he could tell the principal himself how we'd been ambushed by Devon and his friends.

Missy darted back inside to get the Principal and returned in no time with the school nurse and several other teachers besides the man. The nurse cleaned up Jake as best as she could and gave me ice for my wrist as well as cleaned out the scrapes on my knees.

I was to go to the hospital to get x-rays and then a cast probably but first I gave a statement to the principal who immediately agreed with Nathaniel that he take us all home for the rest of the week. I wasn't sure if Nathaniel used his 'super' powers to accomplish that or not but I really didn't care.

Thirty minutes later I found myself seated in the passenger's seat of Nathaniel's car as he drove me back to the Flynn residence. While Jaden took Jake and Missy in the SUV. Just before we left I knew Nathaniel had reached into the car and healed the rest of Jake's injuries.