Her Alpha Soulmate

Chapter 15: Paula POV

Chapter 15: Paula POV

From the moment I smelt her on Damon I knew what she had been through. Even before I laid eyes on the human who had my son in a tizzy I knew. Her smell wasn't just one of having been mated, it told her story. What pups like my son don't know is that there is a very distinct difference between the scent of a female who has been abused and one who hasn't. Damon doesn't recognize the difference because his mate's scent carries a similar potency to my own. Damon doesn't know that his own mother was once abused. I keep that part of my life buried.

I was sold and raped countless times. I was an Omega. No one cared about me. I eventually landed in a pack that used me as a house slave. I was 17. The Alpha's son would stare at me a lot but never spoke to me. That pack was where I received the best treatment compared to previous houses. On my 18th birthday I learned why. Samuel, the Alpha's son, was my mate. He vowed to never let anyone hurt me again.

The moment Clara arrived at our house I smelt her. She smelt of strawberries and sadness. I told my mate that Damon had finally brought his mate to meet us. He just glared. "I smell a human. She isn't human is she?" I nodded, "Yes, Mate, she is. She is a good girl. I can feel it." "Do you smell her?" He asked. Samuel knew the scent difference too. I nodded, "She has been hurt. We can't reject or abandon her. It would kill Damon." Samuel sighed, "Let's get this over with."

My mate isn't a bad man. He is just not sentimental or good at showing positive feelings to people who aren't me. He has always treated me kindly and gently. He never yells at me or hurts me. He has been my everything for 20 years.

I followed him out of his office to meet our future daughter-in-law. When we stepped outside we found them having a heated discussion and then suddenly they were embracing. That's my boy, I laughed to myself. He was finally growing up and learning how to make peace. He used to be an impulsive rowdy pup but I saw a lot of changes in him from the moment he met his mate.

Damon spoke nervously in front of his father that day while to my surprise his human mate spoke very confidently. She even shook our hands like we weren't beasts that could rip her apart. We knew she knew what we were. Marking came up in conversation. Clara didn't know what it was so I explained it after Samuel had retreated to the house. He didn't like chit chat. Apparently I was too blunt because it sent her into a panic. She looked at pup with a horrified face.

Clara looked so upset. It broken my heart. "You want to bite me? You promised to never hurt me!" She cried as she spoke to Damon. He put his hands on her shoulders and said, "Baby, it's not like that. It isn't violent. It's a tiny nip on your skin. It won't even bleed if I do it just right. I made a promise to never hurt you. You need to trust me on this." She looked at him with scrutiny and said, "Fine, mark me." We all stared in disbelief. "Pardon?" He asked. She looked as if she was challenging him. "Mark me, Damon. Prove to me I can trust what you say." My future daughter-in-law is so strong!

I got the incredible honor of watching my pup mark his mate. It was a beautiful mark. He did a good job of not hurting her. Later that day she and I had a talk. I could smell her arousal and she was acting skittish. I sensed her confusion and hurt.

"Clara, Sweetie, have you ever had the talk with an adult?" She stared at me. Her face dropped as she said, "No." I knew the answer before she spoke. "Did you know wolves can smell arousal?" Her eyes told me she didn't. "I...I..." I waved her anxiety away like it was a fly. "You and I are going to have a talk. I think it's very important you understand some things about mating and wolves." She nodded, looking scared. "Every wolf in close proximity can smell your arousal when you feel horny. I smelt it on you after Damon marked you earlier. I know this uncomfortable but I think you need to be aware of these things. We have strict rules in this pact about not mating outside a mate coupling but honestly that doesn't stop some wolves. And we have very strict zero tolerance policies about s****l abuse. If a wolf, even my own son, ever tries to force you you are to tell me and there will be no mercy. I started that when I became Luna." She stared up at me with her doe eyes. "I know what you've been through. I know your hurt more than you could ever realize." Tears welled up in her eyes and she ran over to me and embraced me. "I'm sorry you ever got hurt!" She was crying for me, my lost innocence. That brought tears to my eyes.

After a good talk and discussion about safe s*x I told her she could come to the pack house and even move in with us if she wanted to. She declined at the time saying she was underage and living with family.

I was shocked to learn a week later Damon had plucked his mate out of her home and moved her into his bedroom. I smelled her the moment I woke up that Saturday morning. It was 6AM when I stopped outside his door. They were both sleeping. I could hear their rhythmic breathing. Not even an hour later did I find two human boys banging on the front door. I recognized them as the Mason boys. They were friends of Damon's and Clara's cousins.

"Boys?" I asked as I opened the door. No one else was awake yet. I was in my robe drinking coffee. "Where is our cousin? Is she here?" The younger boy asked. I nodded, "She is asleep. What is the matter? Didn't y'all know she is here?" They shook their heads. "She never came home last night. We panicked when we woke up and realized she never came home," the older one said. I patted him on the shoulder. "Sit down at the table and I will be right back. I'm sure it was a miscommunication."

I made my way to Damon's bedroom door. I heard whispering. "Damon, stop that tickles." I rolled my eyes. These kids. I knocked at the door. Silence. Moments later my son answered the door. He was shirtless with pajama pants. This was not an unusual sight for early morning. "Good morning, Mama," he said, embarrassed. "Good morning, my beautiful boy. Why is your mate here and not at home in her bed?" He stiffened. "She is safer here," is all he would say before asking me to not make a big deal of it. "Damon, Honey, I love Clara and am fine with her being here but her family is worried." Suddenly Clara was at the door too. "Good morning. What did you say about my family?" I looked her over. She was fully dressed but looked flustered. "Your cousins are here. They panicked when you didn't go home last night." She looked at me with sad eyes and then looked at Damon. He sighed. "We have a lot to discuss. Give us a minute." The door closed and I walked out to the den where the boys waited.

Damon and Clara appeared a few minutes later in day clothes. The Mason boys ran to her and hugged her tight. After a squabble that sounded like pups or siblings we all sat down and Clara and Damon explained how she came to be in the pack house.

"Damon thinks I'm safest here," Clara said after telling me her whole story. Even her cousins looked surprised. I realized they may not have known everything that had taken place, especially the extent of the abuse. They had tears in their eyes when she recounted the s****l abuse.

After mulling it over briefly I nodded, "I agree. I think you are safest here in this house. I will talk to your guardian." The boys exchanged looks. "What?" I asked the human boys. "Our dad doesn't know about Clara and Damon or what you all are," the younger boy said. I was surprised. This was a mixed species community and Damon had been friends with them for a few years now. I assumed James Mason knew who and what we were.

"I guess I need to pay him a visit and explain the circumstances," I said. I immediately linked Samuel what was going on. "Get what she needs and do what needs to be done. We will protect our future Luna." I smiled. He was finally accepting Clara.