Chapter 12: Twelve.

Daniel had spent every night since that first in his mate's bed. He had never slept so well in his life. Waking up every morning with Sammy tucked against him was like an addiction. One he never wanted to give up.

Their days were spent together for the most part as well, with him leading the pack volunteers gladly. Then, their evenings were spent eating well, sometimes going out, and sometimes staying in and he was on cloud nine.

Every night he learned a new way to please her, both of them exploring the other's body like they were making their own personal map to the stars. Her responses to his touch were satisfying on a level he could never have imagined, he just couldn't get enough of her.

However, it had gotten to the point his wolf was desperate to mark her. The hickeys he left on her body, were no longer satisfying him. His wolf wanted something more permanent, and each time they were intimate his wolf was pushing further to the surface, fighting him for dominance to claim his soulmate, and becoming more and more possessive about her in the day to day as well.

He was going to have to tell Sammy the truth, and soon if his wolf was to be calmed. But, how could he when  their rules and laws state that since she is human he has to have known her for at least a month before making that decision; and Daniel had only known Sammy about a fortnight. Plus even after a month, what if she didn't take it well?

"You know, whatever has your mind occupied," Shane began, "You never used to bite your lip like that till you met Sammy." He teased.

"What? Am I?" Daniel asked startled by the interruptions to his thoughts.

He had been called into the Alpha's office this morning, instead of his usual volunteering work. His wolf was unsettled by everything, and was struggling within him to return to his mate.

"Yeah," Shane laughed awkwardly.

He was happy for his friend, but felt guilty about what he was about to do, and it showed in his voice.

"She makes you happy, it's a good thing to see," he continued.

Daniel knew Shane well, they were friends first, and Alpha and Beta second, and thus, he knew his friend was about to say something he wouldn't like.

"But?" Daniel asked, forcing the point.

Shane smirked at Daniel's foresight before answering him, "But, you have to rein in the time your spending at the sanctuary and her apartment, Daniel."

Daniel's face fell, anger simmering below the surface as his jaw tensed, and his wolf bucked to be set free.

"What the fuck?" He snapped, hurt and rage written across his face.

"Daniel, you are the beta of this pack, yet you're rarely here. You are still needed here as well. Not to mention, I know your wolf is becoming restless." Shane explained.

"Excuse me?" Daniel responded.

"I can sense him debating to challenge me even now, Daniel." Shane replied.

"I would never do that!" Daniel protested, feeling suddenly betrayed by his best friend's opinion of him.

"I know, Daniel, but your wolf wants to. And, I understand, the loyalty to the pack becomes blurred, when a mate bond is involved. But, that aside, I am sending you on patrol around the borders. It should take about a week. There have been rogues spotted in the North, I need you to evaluate the situation, and yes it is a command from your alpha. So, you will go." Shane began with no room for argument, before he added, "Also, the time apart should settle your wolf from marking her prematurely. I'm not an idiot, I've seen him fighting for control around her, and it's becoming more frequent. Abigail spotted you almost going after Gomez for licking Sammy's cheek yesterday," Shane justified himself, holding his hands up to stifle Daniel's response. "This is final, you know our rules. You cannot expose our kind within a month, and you know the punishments. So, you are going, and you're going now."

Daniel began to growl.

"UNLESS YOU WANT TO CHALLENGE ME?" Shane yelled, raising from his seat, aiming the threat at Daniel's wolf.

Daniel swallowed hard, pulling back control, before he nodded at Shane. Then he turned leaving the office behind. He barrelled through the pack house, erupting into his wolf form before his feet had hit the ground outside, and tearing his clothes to shreds. From there his anger fuelled him forward, carrying him further North, and further away from his soulmate and all on his Alpha's orders.

----

Six days later, Daniel had followed Shane's instructions to the letter; there were rogues in the area, but they weren't intending harm. They were members of their species who preferred to live as wolves rather than as humans, roaming from area to area and rarely using their human form. In short,they were a harmless bunch of nomads, and this had been a massive waste of time; time that could have been better spent with Sammy.

Now, he was finally back, he had run for twenty hours straight to get here, and was standing in front of her apartment door. He had been knocking on the door for fifteen minutes with no response desperate to see her.

"Sammy?" He called out again, his hand on the door handle, dangerously close to forcing it open, with each unanswered call. "Please, Sammy," he called again.

A door opened down the hall, catching his attention, he looked around to see a woman standing there with her arms crossed, and a small face peering out from behind her legs.

"Would you give it a rest!" She snapped, "She left an hour ago. If you're quick you'll catch her at the animal place, before she leaves. Now go away, some of us have kids to get to bed."

Daniel's face widened in panic.

Sammy was leaving.

He held it together long enough to throw a thank you and a garbled apology towards the woman, before he turned and ran.

He thought about shifting, but he wouldn't have clothes, so instead he drove. He wasn't particularly careful, and a twenty minute journey ended up taking him less than five minutes as his truck skidded into the Blue Valley Animal Sanctuary car park, spraying mud and dust everywhere.

Then he exhaled, there in front of him was Sammy's car. She was here, but there were packed bags in the back. His wolf finally stopped stirring, he had turned into a shadow, there but not really there, as the fear of losing his mate silenced him completely

He ran to the office door tugging at it, but it was locked up for the night and all the lights were out.

Then it hit him, before he could plan his next move, the smell of home.

"What the hell are you doing, Daniel?" Came the sound of a very pissed off Sammy.

It didn't matter how angry she was, the sound of her voice instantly calmed his nerves somewhat.

"Well?" She pushed for an answer.

Daniel turned to see Sammy with her arms crossed, glaring at him so strongly that he could physically taste her anger.

"I thought I'd missed you," he replied breathlessly, carefully closing the distance between them. "I'm sorry, I had to go upstate, and I..."

"Did someone die?" Sammy interrupted, putting Daniel on edge.

"What? No," He shook his head, his mind spinning with worry.

"Seriously injured?" She continued, straightaway with another question.

"No no, nothing like that," Daniel answered, hoping he sounded reassuring.

"Right, and you couldn't tell me you were leaving or where you were going before hand, because?" Sammy spat at him.

"It was an emergency, I'm sorry, I didn't want to go," Daniel pleaded, reaching out towards her, knowing if he could just hold her, he would be alright.

Sammy stepped back away from his grasp though, "What kind of emergency? And why didn't you just call?" She demanded an answer.

Daniel's mouth opened and closed soundlessly. He was bound not to tell her, no matter how much he longed to.

"I.. I.. I can't answer that, please you have to trust me," he begged, "I got back to you as soon as I could."

"Actually, no. I do not have to trust you. That ship has sailed, Daniel. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a long drive ahead." Sammy stated, wearing a mask of disdain, as she excused herself and went to walk away.

Daniel lunged for her, grabbing her arm as she turned to leave. But the words on his tongue dried up when he heard the venom in her voice.

"Get your hands off me, right now!" She hissed.

"Please," he begged, "I can't lose you,"

"Too late, Daniel, six days too late." Sammy spat back wrenching her arm free, and walking toward her car.

"Sammy, please, let me explain, please," he begged, willing to throw his pack loyalties and species laws to the side for her, as he chased after her.

Sammy stopped, stood between her car door and the driver's seat, like it was some kind of shield.

"No, Daniel. I don't want to know. Just stay away from me." She answered, sliding into the seat and closing the door.

She clicked the door lock quickly, learning from past experiences, then began to drive away not once looking back.

Daniel fell to the ground, feeling broken inside. He didn't understand how she could do this to him, how could she walk away?  But then, he couldn't see the tears that were cascading down her face as she drove, as they blurred some of her vision despite her attempts to wipe her face clean, on the sleeve of the hoody Daniel himself had left at her apartment the night before he left.

*Author's Note: I lost my dedication when doing corrections, sorry Tracey.*