"You want to move out?" Calvin pushes himself off the hood of his Corvette and peeks over the hood of my car. Everything seems to working correctly.

"I never said that," the back of my hand sweeps over my forehead. The car is in great condition then what the hell is wrong with it?

"I don't think its the car that's having problems I think it's you," the crunch of Calvin biting into his apple irritates me to the point of wanting to slam the hood right on his now slimy fingers gripping my clean car.

Inhale slowly as I close my eyes I let my mind wander.

You need to stop thinking about her. She is taking over your dreams and every waking thought.

I know and I'm okay with that.

Oddly enough so am I!

My eyes open as my body relaxes, "You know what? Maybe you're right."

Calvin freezes and his eyes grow big, "who are you and where is the Derek that I know?" As he speaks his green apple slips through his fingers and tumbles to the ground rolling underneath my car.

"I'm right here," I half shrug and push his fingers away before closing the hood of my car.

"Yeah but you're not the same person are you?"

"Don't you have something better to do than be here bugging me? Go play some catch with that little demon." His poker face flashes through his features.

"Damon," he hisses, "is spending time with his father."

This catches me off guard.

"You let your mate meet with an ex lover?" Calvin must see the genuine curiosity in my eyes because he does not snap at me.

"Well yeah, Jasmine knows that I trust her and to be honest if the shoe was on the other foot I would want to see my child even though their mother and I weren't mates."

"That's big of you," I sigh.

"You wouldn't do the same?" My body tenses up, "if Jamie had someone else's baby you wouldn't let the other man see his child?"

"You better drop this conversation before I drop you," I sneer but it's too late.

The image is embedded in my mind. The morning sun bursting through the window as Jamie lays on her bed. The sunlight gleaming off her beautiful eyes as she soaks in the warmth. A child curls up closer to her and to my utter disappointment a male lays next to them.

His face is a blur but from his form I know he is not me. Jamie smiles at him as the child looks up at her and their voice chimes through, "momma."

"Chill man, you went there first," he retorts and I mentally count to ten.

"I did." I admit as a sigh escapes my lips. My wolf works on relaxing and removing the visible claws from my mind.

"I should probably head home," Calvin pauses for a moment, "Yup, Damon wants me to help him with his homework."

Calvin has taken complete responsibility over that child. He looks at him as if he were his own son. The boy calls him daddy for Pete's sakes.

Would I be able to do that as well? Would I be able to accept Jamie having someone else's baby?

If you want to be happy you have to be prepared to accept that you will have to lay in the grave you dug.

"I need to change my way of thinking before I can really change myself."

~A Year Later~

The sun beats down on my exposed back as I plow through the dirt. 

Salvador grunts next to me as he pours the seed into the appropriate holes. 

Lady Marley, the elder woman, stares at us from the distance as I wipe off the sweat from my forehead and look up at the sun. There is no chance for a cloud to cover us from the harsh rays. 

"Derek," she barely whispers but I can hear her easily.

"Finish up these next few rows and we'll be done," I tell Salvador and he grunts at me. A man of few words he has become a good friend of mine here in the village. 

Lady Marley is waiting for me as I rush to her side. With a small bow I give her my full attention, "There are a few foolish wolves that need some training."

"I'm on it," I smile at her and she nods her head. Since I came into town I have looked up to her like a mother. Wise and devoted to making a better man than I ever was.

A year ago I went to Mathew. He heard what I had to say about the villages needs and send Calvin down here to try to figure out what he could do. I asked if I could come down instead. He agreed. 

It has been a year and I worked close to Lady Marley. I helped her with small tasks at first. She needed to know if she could trust me.

I helped her with her house chores. Handy work. Then when I passed her test, and missed a few of her flying wrenches I moved into town. 

Here I trained the young wolves. Jamie ran into me a few times around town. Her cold demeanor cut me deeply. I worked with the townspeople on making rounds and securing the land. Protected families as they hunted. 

Hansel still hates me but he has grown to trust me. 

Jamie keeps me at arms length.

I have survived my worse nightmare as a town festival as Jamie showed up with a date. She seemed lost in thought and uninterested in her date as they walked around. There was nothing that interested me at the carnival, expect for Jamie, and I did not want to start a fight so I went home.

Jamie has not been on a date since then and I could not be happier.

Training is over as a few of the young wolves horse around before me.

"Derek," a young male yells, "look at this." I stare as he grabs his opponent by the waist when someone else catches my attention. Jamie leans by a tree and her eyes lock on mine.

I give her a small smile and she turns around and walks away. 

She has been looking at you for weeks. Seems as if she has something on her mind.

What  do you want me to do?

Go after the girl!

"Did you see?" The boy asks as I glance down. He has the other boy pinned to the ground.

"You did great," I rush away from them and follow her scent. 

"He wasn't even looking," the boy complained as I push myself through the trees.

Jamie is making her way to her house when I finally spot her.

"Jamie," her name sounds so foreign on my lips. I have not said her name out loud in a year. 

She stops in her tracks but refuses to look back at me.

"My wolf seems to think that you have something to tell me," I stop a few yards away from her.

"Oh does he now," she turns on her heels and I nod at her.

"He does," I have no idea where to look. My eyes want to look deep into hers but my mind knows that I cannot bring myself to do it.

"I wanted to say thank you," she says making my eyes rise to meet hers.

"Thank you?" 

"Yes," she sighs, "I know that you are the one that has been helping out with the upkeep of the house. The roof was ready to collapse last month and now it is sturdy. My car needed a lot of work and now it drives as if it were new."

Working close with Hansel I know when they are home and I wanted her to be taken care of. Even if she did not know it was me doing these things.

"What gave me away?" I asked. I can feel the heat rise up my neck.

"Your scent," she smiles. "You can rub as much pine over the places you were and I can sniff you out easily."

"Oh, well then you're welcome." She stands there quiet and I do not want to over stay my welcome so I bow my head and turn away from her.

Walking away Jamie rushes towards me, "Derek."

I stop in my tracks and allow her to catch up. She walks around me and I stare at her, "Yes?"

"I was wondering if..." she stops. There is hesitant pause I raise an eyebrow.

"If?"

"You would like to come to dinner tomorrow?" 

"Oh, I can't!" Curse you plans!

She gasps and her shoulders drop, "I wanted to repay you but I guess you have more important plans."

"Important plans." I mull it over and I know that I would get my ass kicked for canceling. "I can't disappoint her."

"Her," the sound of her heart breaking is clear in her voice.

She thinks I have someone else in my life. Oh baby, it is just you.

"Melany would have my head if I missed her birthday," she blinks away the sadness in her eyes.

"Melany Hunter?" The relief that washes over her face makes my heart ache.

"She would love to meet you," I bite my lip ready for her to reject the idea.

"Meet me? But I am no one..."

"No one? Jamie, she would be excited to meet the girl that made me change for the better. I was a thorn at her side and now that we are on good terms she wants to know who did this."

Jamie stays quiet for a moment, "I would love to meet one of the greatest alphas with you."

My heart swells at her words. I might have taken the first step towards regaining my mate...

At this moment losing the crown, my pack, and title means nothing...as long as I have a chance with her.

The End.