Authors Note:

Hey sorry I haven't updated in a really long time. I am just so busy with two jobs and school that I don't have much time for anything else. In fact I actually write all the updates for my stories during class! So here is the next chapter, I hope you enjoy it and have a good day!

Chapter Three

The next day Sophia woke up to the sun shining through her bedroom window. She was about to turn over and go back to sleep, when she remembered what had happened to her the night before. Her eyes popped open and she jolted up from her bed hoping that the events of the night before had only been a dream. She didn't want to think about the fact that she now truly was a member of the pack and was tied to Wolf Lake. She also didn't want to think about what Luke had said to her. Those three little words that he had admitted to her only complicated the soap opera like drama that went on between them. She had been sitting in her bed clutching her aching head for only a few seconds when she heard what seemed like a hesitant knock on her bedroom door.

"Sophia honey, can I come in?" Matt Donner called from behind the door.

"Yes Daddy, come in." Sophia called as she reached over to her nightstand for her glasses. She put them on as her father walked into her room, and realized that the events of the previous night really had happened. She knew because of two things. First when she put her glasses on, instead of clearing up her vision, it had become obscured. And second when her father walked in, Sophia could tell he was acting differently. He wouldn't directly look at her and seemed like he was agitated. "Sophia honey, how are you feeling?" Matt asked as he walked into Sophia's room.

Sophia was about to answer when she looked at her father and noticed that he was acting strangely. The man who had been so strong for his daughter was now acting very different. He was fidgety and Sophia noticed that he seemed like he was trying to avoid looking at her. "I'm fine Daddy, but I was scared last night." She answered him and brought her knees up to her chest wrapping her arms around them. She watched her father pace for a few seconds and then finally said, "I'm sorry."

Matt quickly looked up at his daughter, and could see that while she seemed like a grown up young lady, she still was and would always be his little girl. "Oh sweetheart what are you sorry about?" He said as he walked over to her bed and wrapped his arms around her.

Sophia grabbed onto her Dad and fought back the tears that threatened to spill from her clenched shut eyelids. "I'm sorry I changed. I tried to fight it, I really did." She said and waited for her father's reply.

"No honey it is ok. I know I always told you it was not good to flip, but deep down I think I knew you were eventually going to. I'm just happy that you are ok."

"I'm fine, but I do have one question." Sophia asked as she looked at her father. "Last night the last thing I remember was that I was in a part of the forest I had never seen before. Luke was there and then I changed when this beautiful white wolf started running at me. After that everything goes blank. What happened and how did I get home?" She asked hoping that she could get the blank portions of her night back.

"Well Luke filled me in on most of what happened before I got to where you two were. I can only pretty much tell you what happened when I got to the scene." Matt said to his daughter. "Luke told me when you flipped him onto his car, you ran off into the forest. He sent Sean to get myself and Sherman, and he sent Presley to get his mother."

"He sent Presley! I wonder why she helped, she hates me enough as it is." Sophia interrupted him.

"All I know is I was doing some paperwork at the police station and Sean showed up running like he was afraid he was going to be hunted down. He told me I needed to get to where Luke's car was, and said that Luke sent him to get Sherman also. I tried to ask him what was going on, but he just told me to get to the forest and ran off towards Sherman's cabin. So I jumped into my cruiser and found Luke's car. Vivian showed up ten seconds later, and that's when we could hear and feel your pain along the public link of all the skinwalkers."

"You heard me along the link? How is that possible?" Sophia asked very confused as to why she would have been heard along the mental link before she had even flipped.

"I don't know, but it was at that point that Vivian and I realized what was happening to you. We both ran through the forest following yours and Luke's scents and eventually came upon you and Luke. Ruby must have been there to, but left before we arrived. I could smell her scent in the woods all around you. You though were lying on the ground next to Luke and it was evident that you had flipped. You had passed out at that point, and had already changed back to your human form. I brought you home and you have been asleep ever since. I was just coming upstairs when I heard you wake up." He finished his story, and sighed as he thought about all that had happened the night before.

"So you brought me home?" Sophia asked.

"Yes although I did have to convince Luke to let you go. I had to convince him that you would be safe with me." Matt replied with a hint of a smile crossing his face.

Sophia thought back for a second about what had happened the night before between Luke and herself, and knew that even though she was confused about being near him, she would have to be civil towards the young man who had helped her through the most important event in her life. "So Luke told you about how I threw him onto his car?"

"Yes and he told me about how he helped you get through the change."

"Well I guess I should go and thank him then after breakfast." Sophia said with a sigh.

"Ah Sophia honey, most likely you should go and thank him after dinner." Matt said.

"What are you talking about?"

"Sophia it is 4:30 in the afternoon already. You have been asleep all day."

"Really! Wow the flip must have really drained me. I don't think I have ever slept that long."

"You don't have to tell me. When you were a baby for the first nine months you would only sleep for two hours during the night and day. It drove your mother and me crazy." He said with a small laugh, as he thought back fondly of his wife. "Well I will let you wash up and get dressed. Hey how bout I run and get us some food from the diner?"

"That sounds great. I'll have a cheeseburger medium rare and a side of curly fries."

"Ok I'll be back in a half an hour." Matt said to his daughter and left with a smile. Thirty minutes later Matt returned and found his daughter waiting for him. "Dinner is served." He said as he walked into the house.

"Finally I'm starving." Sophia said as she jumped up from the living room couch. She dropped the book she had been reading on the floor, and grabbed the food from her father.

"Thank you Daddy. Was the dinner busy?"

"When I first got there no, but as I waited for our food people started to come in."

"They did?" She timidly asked her father. "Was he there?"

The sheriff didn't need to ask who his daughter was talking about. He knew now that Sophia had flipped he would have to accept the fact that she was interested in the young man that had only caused trouble and became a nuisance to him. Luke was now and most likely would be a constant part of Sophia's life from now on. "No he didn't show up while I was there. Hey sweetie, slow down before you choke." He answered as he watched Sophia stuff the cheeseburger he had brought her into her mouth.

Sophia only responded by taking another huge bite out of the burger and exaggerated her bites to the point that Matt could see the mashed up food in her mouth. She then started to laugh, and had to cover her mouth to keep the food from flying out onto the table. "Thanks again Dad, I'll see you later!" Sophia said as she finished up the last of her fries, and got up from the table.

"Hey wait where are you going?" Matt called as she got up from the table.

"I'm so full of energy that I can't sit still for much longer. I'm going to go out for a walk." She answered as she picked up her jean jacket that was hanging off the back of one of the kitchen chairs.

"I'm not so sure that is a good idea. Your abilities are new to you and I would hate for something to happen that you wouldn't be ready for." Matt replied suddenly very worried about his daughter.

"Come on Dad, don't worry. I'll be back within twenty minutes, what could possibly happen in that short amount of time?"

"Well I guess it will be all right." Matt said giving up trying to argue with Sophia. "I actually have some paperwork at the station that I need to get done. So I will go do that and probably won't be here when you get back. Please be careful."

"Ok Dad, I'll see you later. Don't work too hard." Sophia said with a smile and walked out the back door. She stopped long enough to put her jacket on and started off again into the forest. She walked and walked among the trees away from her house, and as she picked up all the sights and sounds of the forest she felt like she had never felt before during her walks through the trees. She felt at home and very comfortable within the woods. As she then started to run, the wind whipping past her body and through her hair, she felt the most free than she had ever felt before. She ran and ran for what seemed like miles until she finally stopped and realized where she was. Even though she had had no specific destination in mind when she had started her walk, she somehow had ended up outside of Lucas Cates' home. She looked up and saw the great stone balcony that she knew was built off of Luke's room. She was about to turn around and run off, when to her horror she heard her name being called.

"Sophia!" Luke asked very surprised that the girl he wanted to try and get close to was waiting right under his balcony. "What are you doing here?"

"I uh, was out for a walk and uh wanted to come by and thank you." Sophia stammered out.

"Thank me for what?"

"I wanted to thank you for helping me get through the change." She replied, slowly gaining confidence. "I don't know what would have happened if you hadn't been there to help. So, thank you."

"Oh you're welcome." Luke said and was suddenly nervous. He didn't understand why he was getting those feelings. He had always been able to work the female skinwalkers of Wolf Lake to do his whim, but with Sophia he felt inferior and like he lost his head.

"Well I just came to say thank you, I'm going to go now. Goodbye." Sophia said and started to turn around to leave.

"Wait, why don't you come on up and stay for awhile." Luke asked hoping he could convince Sophia to stay with him. "Come on. I'm sure you have questions about last night that you want answered. Come up and we can talk for awhile."

Sophia was about to refuse, when she thought of all the questions she wanted answers to. She looked up at Luke who was watching her from his balcony, and slowly said "All right I will stay for a little while. How do you want me to get up there?"

"Well my Mom is down in her office and I know she will question you if she hears you walk by the door. When I want to sneak in I usually just climb up the balcony. What do you think of that?"

"Are you kidding me Luke! I am afraid of heights; I wouldn't be able to make my way up there." Sophia protested.

"Don't worry there is an old set of stairs that is falling apart on the right side of the balcony. There are pieces of stone always falling off, but they are sturdy enough that you should be able to get up them."

Sophia walked around to the side of the balcony and sure enough there was a skinny staircase built into the balcony hidden from view. She started to go up the stairs and suddenly wished she had a mirror with her to check her hair and makeup. She knew she shouldn't care what other people thought about the way she looked, but she seemed to always be very self-conscious around Luke. When she finally got to the top of the stairs Luke was waiting for her. "Hi." She said awkwardly, not sure of what to do.

"Hi. So it's a little windy out here, do you want to go in the house or stay out here?"

Sophia thought about what Luke was asking, and realized if she went through the glass doors that were open to the house, she would be walking right into Luke's bedroom. "No that's ok. I'm a little hot from my run, and the wind feels good on my skin." Sophia made up the excuse hoping it would satisfy Luke and wouldn't cause him to try and persuade her to come into his room.

"Ok, thats fine. So what would you like to know about being a skinwalker?" Luke asked and had to swallow to hide the fact that he was nervous.

"Well first off, I suppose I should say thank you for helping me last night. It was very kind of you." Sophia said and paused for a second. "Ok so my first question would be how did you know where I was? I don't even remember how far or where I ran last night."

"Well after you threw me onto my car, I just ran into the woods after you and followed your scent."

"How could you smell me before I had gone through the change?"

"Ruby said it was because we had a special bond that allowed us to feel each other and pick up on each other's scents."

"Ruby was there? I thought I saw her in the forest with us when we were in that small clearing. But when that white wolf ran into me I realized that it wasn't her, and I thought that maybe I was seeing things." Sophia explained to Luke. "So if Ruby was actually there last night, where is she now?"

"When she heard your father and my mom coming she ran off so that she wouldn't be forced to go back to that scum that the pack calls her husband. It was nice to see her again, but knowing what a complete ass Tyler is I wouldn't want Ruby back for anything." Luke told Sophia with a sigh that showed how much he missed his sister. "So what else would you like to know?"

Sophia listened to what Luke was saying and was stuck on his comment about there being a bond between herself and Luke. She had always felt different around Luke, and had at one time thought there was something special between them, but she was amazed at the idea that she and Luke could possibly share the one thing that was considered sacred among mates. "I have just one more question." She said and slowly moved away from where she had been leaning against the wall towards Luke. When she was right in front of him she asked the questions that she knew would start a whole new chapter in her and Luke's saga. "Did you really mean what you said to me last night?"

Luke was watching Sophia's face as she asked that pivotal question; he knew his answer would affect their relationship for now or for any future to come. "Yes I meant it with all my heart." Luke said and put his hands around Sophia's face. "I love you and I want you to accept me as your mate. If you don't, I don't think I could live without you."

For the second time that day, Sophia could feel tears falling down her face. This time though she didn't try to hold them back. "Luke I love you too. I think I have been in love with you for a long time." She said through the tears that were now freely flowing down her face. Sophia then reached up and put her arms around Luke's neck and moved her head toward his. They kissed for the first time, and knew right away that they were meant to be together. The two young teenagers both could feel a spark pass between them and both of their wolven halves acting up. They stood kissing each other until Sophia stopped the blissful moment only to squeeze Luke in an even tighter hug that Luke had to admit chocked the breath out of him a little bit.

"Hey Sophia honey, calm down. You're going to choke the life out of me if you keep squeezing that hard." He said as she replied with a small laugh.

"Come on." Sophia said as she let go and grabbed Luke's right hand. She then started to pull Luke through the doors that led to his room and kissed him again as they walked closer and closer to his bed.

"Wait Sophia, what do you think you are doing?"

"What does it look like?" She responded and pulled him into another fiery kiss that made Luke just about loose all of his senses.

"Sophia come on, stop it. You're not acting like yourself at all."

"I don't feel like myself at all anymore. Luke, since I went through the change, I feel so different. I don't know how to describe it but I just feel good. I feel more confident and sure of myself. Sure of us." She said to Luke. "Luke I want to explore who I am now, and who I could be with you."

"But Sophia, if we are going to do this, I want it to be special. I don't want you to freeze up afterwards. I want you to be sure."

"I love you Luke and I am sure. I want you and I want to be with you."

Luke grabbed Sophia's face with his hands and kissed her knowing that he would never stop loving her. He planted a final kiss on her mouth and gently backed Sophia up until her legs hit the large canopy bed that sat in the middle of Luke's bedroom. Luke kissed Sophia again on the mouth before removing her jean jacket and letting it drop to the floor. He then started to trail kisses down Sophia's neck and shoulders, drinking in the infectious scent that radiated off her body. "You smell so good." He stated as he drank in Sophia, and struggled to get as close as possible to her.

"Make love to me." Sophia gasped and felt the longing for Luke that built up with every kiss he placed on her body.

Sophia then lay back on Luke's and was trembling as Luke resumed administering his dangerous kisses to her lips and shoulders. Luke continued for what seemed like hours before he stopped and stood up to take his shirt off. He was pulling the unwanted clothing over his head when he felt Sophia move against him. She had stood up after he had left her he was taking too long to get undressed. She was just starting to unzip Luke's pants when she felt Luke's hot breath upon her body. "We need to get you out of those clothes." Luke gasped as he felt Sophia's hands on his body.

Sophia lifted up her arms and let Luke pull off the t-shirt that she was wearing. When the restricting garment was over her head she knew that there would be no turning back now, even if she wanted to. She was to far drawn into the heat of the moment.

An hour later Luke and Sophia lay on Luke's bed trying to catch their breath. Their activity of choice for the past hour had left them both exhausted and feeling as though they couldn't even move. Sophia lay draped across Luke's chest with a perpetual smile plastered on her face. Luke wasn't devoid of a smile either. He lay there looking at the ceiling, and realized that he had never felt better. "You are an amazing women. You don't know how much I love you right now." Luke said to Sophia and kissed her gently on the lips.

"Just like a guy to get some and then say they love you for that. I guess from now on I'm just going to be your sex slave aren't I?" Sophia teased Luke. "Maybe I should leave and let you rest for the next time you summon me." Sophia joked and made a show of getting up out of the bed.

"Oh no way. You're not going anywhere." Luke protested and pulled Sophia back down onto the bed. He then started to tickle Sophia causing her to wind up in a fit of giggles that didn't stop for close to a minute. "You're wonderful you know that." Luke honestly told her once her fit had calmed down. "You make me fell so alive and so happy."

"Oh yeah? You weren't happy with all of the other girls you were with?" Sophia asked.

Luke knew that while Sophia had asked if any of the other girls he had been with had made him happy she was really talking about one specific blond. Presley. Luke knew that his involvement with the young female was and always would be a touchy subject for Sophia, but he hoped that after tonight he could put to rest all of Sophia's suspicions and doubts. "No none of the others ever made me as happy as you do, especially Presley. She was just a distraction to keep me from going crazy over you."

"Well I guess I will have to believe you after what we just did. Cause now that I have you, there's no way I am going to let that slut get her claws on you." Sophia confirmed and placed a kiss on Luke's mouth. "Oh well would you look at that. Look who's come by for a visit."

Luke turned his head to where Sophia was staring and low and behold there was Presley standing in the entrance to Luke's room, staring daggers at Sophia. "I'll take care of her." Luke said and gave Sophia a short kiss on the lips before getting up. Even though he had been naked plenty of times in front of Presley, he had a feeling that that Sophia would be upset if he didn't put any clothes on. So before he walked over to the doorway, he grabbed his boxers which were lying at the end of the bed. "All right Presley, what do you want?" He asked as he walked up to the young skinwalker.

"What is she doing here?" Presley spat out ignoring Luke's question.

"What does it look like? I didn't know you were that dumb." Luke answered her with an even voice.

"How could you be near that half breed? She is only going to pull down. God you reek of her!"

"If I choose to be with my mate Presley that is none of your business. You are not my mate and no longer are the alpha female." Luke warned her with a growl that was so deep in his throat that she could feel the power radiating off of his body.

"What do you mean I am not the alpha or your mate? I am the strongest of the young females' and I am destined to be your mate!" Presley screamed back at him trying to hide how worried she was starting to get.

"Not anymore Presley." Sophia said as she walked up next to Luke.

"What! No way…" Presley stammered out as she looked Sophia over. As soon as she panned over Sophia and took in her new scent, Presley started to really worry that her place in the pack and at Luke's side was in jeopardy. It was plain as day that Sophia had managed to flip, and was very powerful. A normal beta female would be submissive to Presley, afraid to risk getting on her bad side, but Sophia stood strong at Luke's side. Presley also noticed that she had changed in the way that she looked. Her hair was fuller and was streaked with auburn highlights that glittered when the moon hit them. Her body was leaner and Presley could see how the muscles in Sophia's arms and legs had adjusted to her new skinwalker body.

"Now what do you want Presley?" Luke asked again. "Sophia and I have things to do." He waited a second before steering Sophia back into the house.

"But wait!" Presley protested as Sophia and Luke walked back into Luke's room. "You can't just throw me aside for her!"

"Guess what, he did." Sophia turned around and said. "You have no reason to be here anymore, so get out." Sophia warned and made her eyes flash gold in warning. Luke then shut the glass doors to the balcony and made sure the curtains covered the windows so that no one could see through.

Presley watched as Luke shut the doors and knew that she was in trouble. If Luke was going to make the mistake of pushing her aside for that half breed who would only bring him down, she knew that there was going to be power struggles among the young skinwalkers to see who would be the next alpha. The logical choice to be the next alpha would of course be Ruby who was the white wolf, but she was too busy running away from her husband and pining away for her human police officer to be a proper leader. With Ruby gone, the hope for the pack rested in Luke's hands and now he had thrown it all away for Sophia. Presley knew that she couldn't give up that easily, and if need be would challenge Sophia for her place at Luke's side. But that would come another day, tonight she needed to think about how to keep people from finding out about Sophia and Luke, or the trouble would start before she could control it.