The Alpha's Young Mate

Rosalind's POV

Clayton, Ace, Emma, Nicole, my dad, and I are currently all standing in Clay's office. He sent the trackers out to search for whoever got inside the pack house without being noticed, while we are all discussing how the pack is going to be protected.

"We already have all the boarders guarded day and night, I don't understand how this could have happened.” Ace says looking at Clayton.

"They have to be in the pack.” Nicole says as she goes and sits down on the small couch in the office.

Clayton growls at the thought of that and looks at Nicole, "My delta already betrayed me, now another?" He pauses and looks to my father. My dad may not be the Beta anymore but he is more experienced with this stuff than Ace.

"Keep an eye on everyone in the pack - if they are doing anything suspicious take them to the rogue cages to torture and question them.” Clay says. My dad nods his head and leaves the room.

"They won't tell you anything if you torture them, why don't you follow them and keep a closer eye on them?" I say adding myself to the conversation. They all look at me.

"They'll just keep on then." Ace says to me. "It won't help us at all.” Ace points out.

The room goes silent for a few minutes, then Emma speaks, "She's right; spy on them until you know for sure.”

Clay looks at me and then to Ace, "We'll do that instead then, but whoever did it threatened either my sister, my mate or I, I want Nicole and Rose to have guards with them at all times to protect them."

I don't need no dumb protecting.

Nicole growls at that idea, "We don't need protection.”

Clay looks to Nicole, "I don't care. You are going to have a guard with you at all times," he pauses and looks at me while I cross my arms over my chest, “same with you Rose."

"Clay, I agree with Nicole. I'm going to shift tonight so I'm pretty sure I'll be able to handle myself.”

"I can't risk you getting hurt Rose.”

"Fine." I say as he walks over to me.

"Why don't you go enjoy your birthday Rose?"

I roll my eyes at him before walking out of his office with Nicole and Emma, while Clay stays in there with Ace so they can discuss it all.

It's now 10:30 pm and Clay is still in his dumb office. It makes me sad that he doesn't want to be with me on my birthday - and the night that I shift.

As everyone is enjoying themselves I sit on the ground looking at the Northern Woods.

I feel someone grab me and throw me over their shoulder.

I start to kick my feet and hit their back with my fists as I scream - but I stop when I hear Clay's voice.

"Calm down Princess." he chuckles as he carries me.

"Well sorry. But you don't just grab a person Clay."

He chuckles again and soon puts me down on the ground.

"Why'd you bring me to the streams?" I ask as I reconize the area without turning around to face the streams.

Clay just smiles at me.

"What? Why are you smiling?" I ask.

Clay shakes his head, "Turn around.”

I turn around and my mouth drops open as I see a blanket with a bunch of pillows laying on the ground along with candles lit all around it.

As I stand in awe as Clay grabs my hand and leads me to the blanket, we then both lay down on it and I look up at the full moon and stars. "Why'd you do this?" I ask after a moment of silence.

"For the past few days I've been so busy with my Alpha work that I haven't been spending much time with you." He pauses and I can then feel him looking at me.

"It's your birthday and the night your going to shift for the first time. I was going to come back this night from being away for five long years, but I needed to spend time with you so I came a week early, but instead I spent almost no time with you.”

It's been a week that he's been back, and the only time we've really spent together alone was when I was in the pack hospital - and I was unconscious most of that time, when we got in a food fight, and last night when we got into that argument.

I look over at him as we both lay on the blanket. The full moon lights his face up perfectly as I speak,

"Clay, promise you're never going to leave for that long ever again?”

"I promise." He says without thinking about what he was saying. Which means he was being honest and speaking his heart.

He smiles at me.

I love you, I thought but didn't say.

I smile back at him.

I start to feel dizzy all of a sudden and I sit up.

Clay sits up, "You're going to shift." He says.

What? Now? No, I want my mom and dad here with me for when [ first shift!

Clayton stands and helps me up, before walking over towards a more open spot near the streams.

He then kisses my cheek and steps back.

After a couple minutes a of silence everything hits me - all the smells around me become very strong, just about burning my nose with so many scents at once. My ears adjust to all the little noises and I soon feel my bones breaking and reforming differently.

I close my eyes as the pain devours me. I hear a voice in my head, “Hi Rose!

“Who is this?" I ask confused as I smell a mouth watering scent of brown sugar and pine trees.

I'm Katherine, your wolf." She says and I notice the pain is gone.

'I can smell our mate! Open your eyes!"

I open my eyes and come face to face with Clayton's wolf.

“Mate.’ Katherine chants over and over.

If I thought the mate mark was making me weak for his love I was so wrong - this mate bond is making me crave him.

“How do you feel?" Clay mind-links me.

His voice is like a melody playing in my head as I answer, Great." “Good. Your wolf needs excercise, let's go for your first run.’ He then turns and starts running.

I start running behind him, this is great. I feel so alive while adrenaline pumps through my veins.

Soon I pass him and he growls playfully. He then catches up to me and passes by.

Oh no you don't.

I speed it up and pass him as we race.

"You run as slow as a turtle." I tell him as I run perfectly fine until he tackles me to the ground.

We roll around and wrestle with one another.

I pin him down while I feel proud of myself.

“Can't pin this Luna down? You're such a weak man.’ I tell him as my proudness blinds me and he was able to knock me down, pinning me to the ground.

“Can't pin an Alpha down? You little weak girl." He teases me.

“When I train my wolf better I'll be able to pin you down." I say back through the mind-link as I growl playfully at him before he lets me up. “Good luck with that princess. he says to me as we start walking back to the streams.

“Clay, what color am 1?

“Black and brown, I've never seen a wolf as beautiful as yours."

“Very cheesy Clay." I laugh in my mind.

He shakes his head at me and we start running back to the streams. When we reach the streams we each get a drink of water from them and lay back down on the blanket. Clay's wolf snuggles with mine as I close my eyes, soon falling asleep.