Page 17

I feel a light touch on my shoulder. The touch seems to be drawing weird patterns on me.

My eyes slowly flutter open and I look up to see Ryder smiling down at me softly.

"Morning love." he says. I smile at him and lay my head back down on his chest, "Morning.

" I breathe. I let my eyes fall closed and Ryder's chest moves when he lets out a soft chuckle, "I'm sorry I woke you. " he apologizes.

I open my eyes again and smile, "It's fine," I look at the clock beside the bed, "I need to get up anyways." I say and grab his hand that was laying on his stomach. I run my fingertips up and down his palm and intertwine them. I just play with our hands while Ryder strokes my hair.

"What are you thinking about?" Ryder asks. I glance at him and then back to our hands, "Nothing really." I say. I tilt my head upwards and smile at him, "What are you thinking about?" I ask. Ryder's lips twitch into a small smile, "You." He says.

I roll my eyes but smile anyways. I lean forward and kiss his cheek, "You are too cheesy for your own good." I laugh softly. Ryder smiles at me, "It made you smile so I'm okay with that." He tells me. I shake my head and him and place a soft kiss on his lips. The kiss is soft and slow.

I pull back and I smile a little. I push the hair that fell on his forehead to the side and then my fingertips traced his the features of his face.

Ryder watches me as I go over his face gently.

When I finish I look at him in the eyes.

Ryder picks up my hand and kisses my palm and then leans down and kisses me.

He pulls back with a small smile of his face.

"How did I get so lucky to get you?" He whispers.

I smile, "It was fate...literally." I say and laugh a little at the end.

I see Ryder's eyes glaze over and then a moment later he focuses again and sighs.

"I hate to do this but we have to get up, we need to train today with the pack.

" He tells me. I shake my head and smile, "Then let's go. " I say and slide out of the bed.

I go the closet and grab a pair of black spandex pants that went to my knees and and a gray longs sleeve shirt. I went to the bathroom and did my business, which included getting dressed, using the bathroom, brushing my teeth, and putting my hair up in a high ponytail.

When I finished I walk back out to see Ryder dressed wearing a tight fitted black and blue sports tank and black gym shorts.

My wolf growls approvingly in my head and I roll my eyes, 'Not now you horny animal.

' I scold her. 'I will look as much as I please thank you, he's not just your mate you know.

' She sasses back. 'I never said he wasn't Jasmine.

' I tell her and with a huff under my breath I walk over to Ryder.

"You ready?" He asks. I nod and we talk the elevator down the the first floor.

We go to the backyard and Ryder looks over at me, "We train in a clearing about 2 miles away.

Do you want to shift and run or stay in human form and run?

" I bend down and stretch my legs. I look up at him and smirk, "Human. "

"Race ya?" I challenge. Amusement shines in Ryder's eyes, "You want to race me?

" He questions. I tilt my head to the side and smirk, "Unless you don't want to because you are scared to lose.

"I tease. Ryder narrows his eyes but the amusement still dances in them, "Alright then, you're on.

" We walk to the edge of the woods and get in the ready position, Ryder glances at me and then looks straight ahead, "Ready.

..Set...Go!" he yells and then we sprint off.

Ryder is already in front of me by a few feet and he looks back a second before laughing, "You're losing!

" he taunts. I shake my head and glare at the back of his head playfully.

'We'll see about that.' My wolf says and I push my legs harder.

I am now side by side with Ryder. I look at him a smirk, "What was that?

" I ask. He just rolls his eyes and tries to run faster.

I smirk and use all the speed I have to zoom past him and a few yards later I skid into a clearing full of pack members.

I breathe deeply and do a finger wave at all the questioning eyes.

A few seconds later Ryder bursts through the trees and stops next to me.

He pants a little and shakes his head at me in disbelief, "How?

" he asks. I smile cheekily, "This is a lesson learned Alpha, don't be cocky. " I say and wink at him.

I remember the audience we have and turn to them with a small smile.

Ryder notices this too and clears his throat.

He walks to the front of the group where Evan and Sean are waiting and I stand off to the side until I notice Krista standing in the back next to Jason and Cameron is with them.

I jog over to them and Krista smiles and gives me a short hug, "Hey Jade.

" She greets. "Hey." I say and hug my brothers quickly.

Suddenly Ryder's deep and husky voice raises over the entire pack, well most of it anyways.

"Okay today we will be training in human form.

We will start with basic hand to hand combat.

Your human has to be as strong as your wolf.

" he says. Ryder then proceeds to show us the basic combat with Evan and Sean.

"Alright everyone now find a partner." I look at Krista and she looks at me but an arm wraps around my waist at the same time Krista is pulled back by Jason.

I look up at Ryder and raise an eyebrow, "Yes?

" I question. "We are partners." he tells me.

I roll my eyes, "Of course we are." Ryder leads me over to an empty space, "Alright first I am going to throw punches and just block them.

" I nod and he throws the first punch. I block it easy, way too easily.

He throws one at my stomach that I block and then another at my face which yet again I block.

When he throws another punch, instead of blocking it, I grab his fist.

I narrow my eyes at him, "Stop it." I tell him.

"Stop what?" he asks. I let go of his fist, "Stop going easy on me Ryder.

I know damn well you throw harder and faster punches.

" I explain. Ryder sighs, "I'm not going to hurt you Jade.

" he says. "Ryder throw a punch at me, a real one.

Not one that makes a 6 year old look like a pro boxer.

" I say. "Jade no." he says this time a little more sternly.

I glare at him, "If I were to get attacked and no one was around, I can tell you that the attackers aren't going to take it easy on me.

" I tell him. Ryder thinks this over for a moment and then all of a sudden a fist is swinging right towards my face.

I swiftly dodge the fist and block the one heading for my stomach.

Ryder kicks his legs out to try to make me fall but I jump up.

"That's more like it." I say and roll my shoulders.

Ryder continues throwing punch after punch and kick after kick.

I dodge and block them. I throw my fist for his face but at the last minute I throw my other one it hits him square in the stomach.

Ryder grabs my wrist and twists my arm behind me, his chest now pressed against my back.

"Nice try babe." he whispers in my ear.

I roll my eyes, "It ain't over yet honey.

" I say and slam my foot down on his, making him loosen his grip.

I pull away and twists his arms behind him.

I kick the back of his legs and he falls on his knees, I stand behind him.

I lean down and whisper in his ear, "Nice try babe.

" I let go at Ryder and he stands up. He looks at me and then nods. "Good. Again."

We continue training for over an hour before he calls a five minute break.

I walk back over to Krista while Ryder goes to talk to one of the pack members.

"Hello again." I say. She smiles at me and then smirks, "Looks like someone was having an intense moment with the Alpha.

" She teases. I slap her arm and she laughs, "Oh don't be laughing so much, don't think I didn't see you have a moment with your own Alpha.

" I taunt and her cheeks flush red. "Okay point taken. "

Krista looks behind me and growls lowly. I furrow my eyebrows and turn around to see what had upset her so quickly. When I did see, all I saw was red.

Stacy was pressing herself up against Ryder while wearing short pink shorts and and very small sports bra.

She was twirling her hair with one hand and the other was on Ryder's chest. Ryder glared down at her and pushed her hand away.

I listened in on what they were saying, "Come on baby don't be this way.

You don't need her. You've got me." She tries to say seductively which I cringe very hard at.

"Get the hell away from me Stacy. You are a just a slut and I regret ever even looking at you.

I have an amazing mate and you have one too somewhere.

Now leave me alone." Ryder says to her with disgusts.

Stacy places her hand back on Ryder's chest and rubs her hand along his chest, "You don't mean that baby. " she purrs.

That is it.

In a second I am beside her and I rip her hand off my mate and my hand is around her throat.

I growl furiously, "How many times do I have to tell you to get it through your thick ass skull?

Leave. My. Mate. Alone." I growl out every word and squeeze her neck tighter.

Stacy claws at my hands but I throw a punch right to her nose.

Stacy shrieks and falls to the ground when I let her go.

Blood falls freely from her nose and her upper, and now busted, lip. I pick her up again and punch her again. She falls yet again but she suddenly shifts in a petite brown wolf and growls at me.

Stacy lunges at me but I side step her and grab her tail.

She turns to snap at my hand but I use my other to punch her in the snout.

She falls to the ground but gets back up.

'Let me out. Now.' Jasmine growls and I don't even think twice before shifting.

My wolf is like 4 times bigger than hers, she is smaller than a normal wolf.

I growl deeply and walk slowly towards her, snarling the whole time.

I let out a deep growl filled with power and I see her wolf twitch, her human was resisting to submit.

I growl louder and finally she submits to me.

I look down at her with my silver eyes and bare my teeth at her.

I shift back and squat down next to her wolf and whisper in her ear, low enough for only her to hear.

"If I ever catch you near my mate again, I will make you wish I had killed you right here right now.

This is your final warning." I say and stand back up.

I finally look around to only see a few people still here.

Two pack warriors, Sean, Evan, my brothers, Krista, and Ryder.

Everyone else was gone. I look at the warriors, "Take her back to the castle, make sure shifts back and changes, then escort her to the pack doctor please.

" I tell them and they nod before walking away with a limping Stacy.

I look back at everyone else, they are all looking at me.

..but not me. I look down to see I am black shorts and a purple tank top.

Exposing my wrist and shoulder tattoo along with part of my thigh tattoo. Damn...