4: His Mate

Jade had been traveling in his wolf form since the sun crawled out of the horizon.

He travelled during the night and camped during the day, taking short naps in secluded areas before continuing his journey.

He had arrived at Northville that morning and was looking for a place to camp in the forest when he heard her scream for help.

The moment he heard it, memories of his mother's murder flashed in his mind. He hadn't been able to save his mother from being killed with the poisoned dagger. He hadn't been there to protect her.

Now was an opportunity for him to allay a bit of the guilt he was feeling.

With a vicious snarl, he shifted smoothly into his human form and raced through the trees, following the sound of the female's screams.

Suddenly her scent hit him and almost made him lose concentration. It was the smell of the wild forest. Not the forest around him, but something richer and sweeter. Something that called to the beast within him.

It couldn't be, he thought.

With renewed vigor, he charged through the surrounding bushes and pulled the young white haired girl into his arms just as her chaser tried to grab her.

He turned away from the path and stood on the other side, saving her from the maniac that was chasing her.

The moment his eyes met hers, he knew within himself that she was the one.

His mate.

The girl stared up at him in shock, her grey eyes captivating him totally. She appeared as stunned as he was, especially when the sparks of the mate bond coursed through them as their bodies made contact.

"Mine",Jade whispered huskily.

Kalista stared up at the handsome man who had just saved her. His hair was identical to hers, as white as snow, reaching below the collars of the cloak he wore.

His eyes were what hypnotized her. A rich honey brown that seemed to stare deep into her soul. His scent was maddening, a rich mixture of pine wood and leather. The strong arms that held her close bunched as he leaned in closer to her and whispered, his lips hovering over hers.

"Mine"

Who was this man?,she wondered, unable to break her gaze from his. Why did she feel such strong pull to him? And what were these delicious tingles that danced up her skin?

The short intimate moment between them was rudely cut short when Jade suddenly jerked his head upwards and his eyes glared at the man that had been chasing her.

"Do you know him?",he asked in a cold deep voice.

Kalista felt her heart flutter at the concern in his voice. He was still holding her close, with no sign of dropping her.

"I...",she moistened her lips and continued. "I don't. I was walking through the forest when he suddenly chased me"

Jade slowly set her down and pushed her behind him. He sniffed once and realized instantly that the man who chased her wasn't human.

He was a shifter.

The man stared right back at Jade with a scowl marring his hideous face. His lips curled up into a vicious smirk.

[Seeing you protect her this way only means one thing, Alpha Jade],he spoke through the mind link.

Jade's frown deepened. This man knew who he was.

[She is your mate],the man continued, and he grinned sickly. [This will only make me enjoy killing her]

[You will do no such thing],Jade growled. He calculated his moves. He couldn't shift in front of his mate and give away his real identity. He would have to attack in his human form, and that would slow him down.

The man seemed to know what he was thinking and his grin widened, making his face look more hideous. [You can't shift in front of your mate, Alpha Jade. You can't risk being discovered by the humans. We will meet again. Definitely]

The man's eyes rested briefly on Kalista and darkened. He would come back for her and kill her before she had a chance to tell Jade he had the Soul Gem.

With one last look thrown at Jade, he stepped back into the shadow of the trees and disappeared into the forest.

Jade finally became less tense when he couldn't feel any more danger from the strange man. He narrowed his eyes at the forest, wondering how the man knew him.

Did he have any connection to Hayden and the Soul Gem?

He slowly turned around and stared at the white haired girl behind him. She appeared in shock and he wasted no time in pulling her into his arms.

Kalista who had no idea of their communication through the mind link didn't resist and she let him pull her close. Now that she was safe, she felt her body trembling from the shock of what just happened. She had no idea why this handsome stranger protected her the way he did, but if it hadn't been for him, who knew what that man would have done to her?

"Are you okay? Did he hurt you?",Jade asked her softly, brushing a strand of her hair away from her face. His other hand rested around her waist.

Kalista shook her head, her face flaming red at Jade's closeness to her. She could feel the heat of his body and it did things to her, things she didn't understand.

"I'm fine",she said softly. "Thank you for saving me"

"Do you know why he wanted to attack you?",Jade asked her gently, caressing her waist to sooth her trembling.

Kalista leaned into his touch and let out a deep sigh. Her instincts warned her not to say a word about the strange gem and the glow that had disappeared into her body. She didn't know what it was, nor who the handsome stranger and her chaser was. Maybe it was something that would endanger her life. She couldn't tell anyone about it.

"I have no idea",she whispered. "I was walking towards the town square when he suddenly appeared and began to chase me"

"Did you see anything with him?",Jade asked next, keeping his voice casual so she wouldn't notice how tense he was.

Kalista immediately shook her head. There was no way she would tell him about the Gem.

"Nothing"

Jade nodded and without knowing it, he kissed her hair lightly.

Kalista felt her heart leap and she slowly pulled out of his embrace. She had been so content in his arms, feeling those delicious tingles dance up her body. The pull she felt towards him was so strong and it made her confused.

Jade noticed the way she tried to distance herself from him. He couldn't blame her. She didn't understand what she was to him yet.

"What's your name?",he asked her softly.

"Kalista"

"Kalista",Jade said her name and it sounded so right in his lips. As beautiful as her. He still couldn't believe his mate was standing before him. If it wasn't for the fact that he had to hide his identity as a shifter, he would have gladly told her what she meant to him. He couldn't wait to find the Soul Gem and return to Hayden so he could come back for her.

"I am Jade",he told her in return.

Kalista stared up at him and smiled shyly. He was just too handsome and it made her insides flair up like butterflies.

"Nice to meet you Jade",she said. Then she looked up at him curiously. "You don't seem like you're from Northville. Are you a traveller?"

Jade nodded slowly. He wanted to hold her again but he resisted the urge.

"Indeed, I am",he answered her with a charming smile, noticing the blush that bloomed on her face again. "I was heading towards the, uh...",he trailed off.

"Town square?",Kalista helped him out.

"Exactly",Jade quickly nodded, grateful for her help. "I was heading towards the town square when I heard your scream. I'm glad I arrived just in time"

Kalista smiled sweetly at him. "I was heading towards the town square myself. We could go together"

Jade was pleased. He wouldn't miss the opportunity of being in her presence. Maybe, just maybe, he could put off his quest for a few hours and enjoy his mate's company.

"I would love that",he said.

"You will need a place to stay too",Kalista continued and took his hand in hers. Her face flamed again when the sparks tingled her skin. "There... there is an Inn at the town square. It would be my pleasure to show you"

Jade stared at her intently as they began to walk. Kalista noticed his intense stare and she quickly looked away, another blush turning her ears red.

"Tell me, Kalista",Jade said in his deep smooth voice. "Are you always this nice to travellers?"

Kalista giggled softly and shook her head. "No",she replied with a smile. "But you saved me. The least I can do is to repay the favor somehow"

"Then I wouldn't mind saving you over and over again",Jade winked at her. He meant what he said because he wouldn't hesitate to protect his precious mate.

But Kalista thought he was teasing her and she just laughed softly. She looked up at him and noticed him staring at her with so much emotions in his eyes. It made her toes curl and she quickly looked away.

"Do you always stare at every girl you meet this way?",she asked playfully.

"No",Jade replied instantly and gently touched her cheek. "Only at the ones as beautiful as you"