Her Alpha Soulmate

Chapter 17: Clara POV

Chapter 17: Clara POV

Waking up next to my mate was the most amazing feeling. His warmth made me feel safe and whole. It was early, around 7AM. I laid there watching Damon sleep for several minutes before I touched his cheek and ran my thumb over it. His face was so beautiful. His eyes did not open but suddenly I felt his arms snaking around me to squeeze my body to his. Our body heat mixed and his fingers grazed the flesh that was uncovered by my camisole. "Damon, stop, that tickles," I giggled.

He leaned in to kiss my lips but we were interrupted by someone knocking at his bedroom door. Damon sighed and got off the bed. He was shirtless and only wearing blue pajama pants. I put his shirt on over my camisole so I'd be more covered up. I was wearing his green pajama pants. To my surprise it was his mother. She mentioned my family which is when I involved myself in their conversation. She informed me my cousins were here. Damon told her we had a lot to discuss and closed the door. We got dressed. The only clothes I had were the ones I had from the night before. I wore my jeans but Damon insisted that I continue to wear his t-shirt. I didn't mind because it smelled like him.

After explaining to Bobby, Billy, and Paula what happened Damon announced that I would be living at the pack house going forward. Paula was fine with it. She even linked Alpha about it and he came to the room to see us. To my surprise he was not upset either. Alpha Samuel even gave a small speech about how as future Luna I should be living with my pack. Knowing that even the Alpha acknowledged me and wanted me safe brought a tear to my eye. I felt accepted.

Before Luna Paula could go visit my uncle he called Billy's phone. I could hear him yelling. I didn't need werewolf hearing to know he was angry. Billy ended up handing the phone to Luna and Alpha who spoke to Uncle James on speaker phone. The whole conversation was awkward to listen to. The end result was my uncle coming to the pack house and leaving with my cousins after a long uncomfortable meeting. The good to come of it was he agreed to let me stay!

Sunday morning Damon took me to church again as promised. His parents and Jay attended too. They said we needed to be on our guard. The church was full by the time the doors closed. When I linked to Damon that the size of the crowd was making me anxious he linked back that a lot of pack members were here to listen to me sing. "They heard about how wonderful a singer their future Luna is and couldn't resist. Just hang in there. You got this," he linked, encouragingly. I did my best and managed to not sing off key despite my growing anxiety.

"You were wonderful, my Love," Damon said kissing my forehead after the service had ended. Many people came up to me and said similar compliments which made me blush. I wasn't used to such adoration or attention.

I was taking a moment alone to catch my breath when someone approached me from behind. "Simply marvelous," said an unfamiliar voice. I turned around and felt myself stiffen. The voice belonged to George. He was Brent's best friend. He rarely spoke when I was around back home so I wasn't familiar with his voice but his face was too unique to forget. He had pock marks on his cheeks and a crooked smile to match his unfortunate nose. He played football with Brent and it had been broken a few times.

I couldn't bring myself to speak. His very presence made me uncomfortable. The last time Brent raped me he threatened to let George do the same to me if I didn't submit. "Do as I say or I will share you with my Beta, George. He can f**k that pretty little ass of yours." I could still hear Brent's voice in my head as he said that to me. I remember shaking, begging him to not do that. That was when I started contemplating suicide. At the time I didn't know what a Beta was but now I understand that George too is a wolf and the equivalent of what Jay is rank-wise.

Before George could speak to me again Damon had sped to my side. "Who is this?" He asked, looking from me to George. I trembled, unable to find my voice. "I'm an old friend," George said, with a smirk. "I have a message. Alpha says his mate better be ready to come home. It won't be long before he loses patience and comes here again. It won't be as pretty if he has to come and fight for his mate." Damon grabbed and squeezed my hand. "You can tell your alpha he can f**k off!" George stared, unaffected by Damon's attitude. He eyed my stomach. I was wearing a flowy pink dress and a matching sweater. "How's the pup?" He asked, his brown eyes sparkling with mischief. Damon pushed me behind his body and said, "There is no pup! Tell your master to leave us alone! There is nothing here for him! She is my mate!" I was flattered by Damon's willingness to assert his dominance during his confrontation with George. It made me feel safe. George simply chuckled at Damon and looked to me again. "We will see each other soon, Little Luna." He left without another word.

The moment George was gone I collapsed on the grass outside the church. I began to hyperventilate and feel as if my lungs couldn't take in air. "Baby, baby, hey, I'm here. Are you okay?!" I could hear Damon calling for me. Then Alpha and Luna's voices were mixed in. I felt as if my body was on fire, my insides twisting and turning in all different directions. I felt like I was dying.

I was carried home and inspected by a doctor. Luna and Damon were in the room. Damon was forced out when my clothes started getting removed. Luna Paula stayed, holding my hand. I was in horrible pain and ny anxiety over a stranger seeing me naked made it worse. After the examination the doctor laid me in an ice bath. The relief was small but better than nothing.

As I laid in the bath I listened to the doctor talk to Luna. They weren't exactly whispering so I didn't feel guilty. "She appears to be in heat. Young Alpha hasn't mated her?" The doctor said to Luna. "Oh my, we aren't used to underage human mates in our pack house. I didn't consider this. And no, they have not mated yet." The doctor sighed, "Does Damon understand what this means for him and his mate?" I watched as Luna put her hand to her mouth. "We will find out." She looked to me and said, "Let's get her out of the bath. She won't be comfortable having this conversation in this state."

I allowed Paula and the doctor to pull me out of the ice. She dressed me while the doctor very kindly turned his back so I could have privacy. As soon as I was dry and covered up again the pain returned. It was like period cramps times a thousand. I felt feverish as the doctor called Damon into the room. "What's wrong?" He immediately demanded. Luna gestured for him to sit on the examination table with me. As soon as he sat down I clung to his arm. "Damon, it hurts. Am I dying?" He kissed my forehead. Suddenly he sniffed me. His eyes turned black. "Heat" he mumbled. He leaned forward, kissing my neck sloppily. He started climbing on top of me. I panicked and screamed for help. I wasn't used to him behaving like this. Luna pulled him away. "This isn't going to work," she said frustrated. The doctor called a muscular woman in to help him remove Damon. He did not go quietly.

"Clara, Sweetie, we need to talk," Paula said to me once we were alone again. I stared, "I'm scared. What is wrong with me?" She caressed my cheek and said, "Baby girl, what you're experiencing is what we werewolves call the heat. Once a she-wolf is marked it starts a biological clock for mating. We didn't think you as a young human would have to worry about this. I'm so sorry. If I'd known I would have had y'all wait to mark." I was so feverish I wasn't sure I understood. "What are you saying, Mama?" I felt delirious. Her smile and tone reminded me of my mother.

The doctor returned to the room as Luna held my hand and explained. "Honey, your body wants you and Damon to mate. The biological nature of it is to eventually get pregnant. If you two don't mate you'll feel this for a week every month. It will be like your human menstrual cycle. The difference will be that Damon and other unmated males won't be able to resist your scent. The doctor is mated so he isn't bothered by it." I felt my eyes bulge and my heart quicken. I was supposed to either have s*x or suffer this every month until I did? I felt myself begin to hyperventilate again. My body wasn't built for this! I cried on Luna's chest. She gestured to the doctor who stuck a needle in my arm. It made the pain disappear for a moment and then I felt my eyes get heavy. Darkness took over.