Protecting Jasmine

Jessica Pov (Jasmines Mom) 

To say I'm pretty happy Jasmine's eyes didn’t glow on her 13th birthday is an understatement. Her eyes would have either been orange or purple, and I would take the chance of them turning purple, as I knew I would lose her if I did. Purple eyes meant they would investigate Daniel and me. I have done so much to protect my baby girl that I would lose my mind if I ended up losing her. She is so special. She has no idea just how special she is. 

“You're going to have to tell her someday”, my wolf Lana says.  

“I know, but I will protect her as much as I can until then,” I told her.

“No, we will protect our pup together,” Lana says, and I smile. Lana is my best friend, and I don't know what I would do without her. 

Daniel was upset that her eyes didn't turn orange. He loves Jasmine, just as much as he loves me given our situation, but I knew he was hoping she would only be a beta, so she would always be safe given we were married into the beta line. I met Daniel when I was 19 years old. I was running away from my old pack and my true mate as something terrible had happened there. My true mate gave his life to give me and Jasmine a chance to escape. Jasmine was only 6 months old at the time. Daniel took me in after I explained what had happened. His true mate had died while giving birth to Darnell. Daniel and I fell for each other in my time of grief, and I ended up becoming his chosen mate. Darnell was almost 2 at the time, so there isn't much he remembers. He knows I am not his mother, but I'm the only mother figure he has ever known. He even took to loving Jasmine as his sister, but lately, I see that they have grown apart. It upsets me to see them do so, as I consider Darnell to be my son. 

The pack loved Jasmine from the moment she arrived. She has such a likable and innocent energy around her. I know she will one day make me proud. The only thing about Jasmine is that she isn't aware of who she is. She isn't aware that Daniel isn't her real dad, or that Darnell isn't her real brother. I am scared that she will come to resent me when she finds out, but I want to keep my little girl as little as I can for a long time. She is 15 now, but she is still my little girl. 

I decided to sit at my desk and write a letter to her. I wrote the letter explaining everything, and tears poured from my eyes as I did. Having to relive that fateful day was enough to make anyone go crazy. As I finished writing the letter, I smelled the smell of apples. I knew it was Daniel coming behind me. Even though he wasn't my true mate, I had grown accustomed to his apple smell. It was a beautiful scent I have loved inhaling for years now. He put his arms around me from behind and nuzzled his face around my neck. 

“My love, what are you doing,” he said, and I smiled. My love is a nickname he always called me. 

“I am writing Jasmine a letter about her history. She can read it on her 18th birthday”, I told him. He stands over me and reads. 

“No need to rush and tell her now, we will keep her protected as long as we can,” he says, grabbing the letter and putting it in his pocket. I stood up and wrapped my hands around his neck, kissing him. 

“I know babe, I just don't want her to hate us for keeping this from her. She deserves so much more. I know you were hoping she would be a beta too. “I told him, and his face fell a little. Even though Jasmine isn't him, he has accepted and loves her as his. He always wants her safe. 

“She won't hate you or me. She is exactly everything we have raised her to be. Sweet, caring, and compassionate. When the time comes, she will be ready to accept her destiny, and we will be there for her to do so”, he tells me, and kisses me all over my face and I giggle. What had I ever done to deserve this man? 

Suddenly, someone links us. 

“Betas, rouges spotted near the pack grounds. They seemed to be looking for someone. Five of our soldiers are dead so far”, the soldier says. 

“The kids,” we say together, and we are out of the room instantly. As we ran, I saw Darnell in the kitchen. 

“Darnell, where is Jasmine”, Daniel asks. He shrugs his shoulders as he sits down with an apple. Daniel knocks the apple out of his hands. 

“What the hell dad,” he says angrily. Daniel jerks him up by his shirt. 

“I don't have time for this. Where is your fucking sister”, he commands? 

“Last time I saw her, her and that omega she is with was headed to the forest,” he says, annoyed. 

“Stay here and don't come out of the packhouse” Daniel commanded, before we ran towards the forest. I saw Sabrina's mom, Lori, running there. 

“Rouges on the loose. Sabrina and Jasmine in the woods,” I want to her while running by. I hear her running behind me right after and her husband Adam soon follows. She must have mind linked him. 

“Jasmine” 

“Sabrina”. We yelled, trying to find them, but we didn't hear anything. We searched the forest for a few minutes running but we hadn't seen them. We started to turn around and go back to the packhouse to look for them when we heard two screams. I knew her voice from anywhere. 

We ran to one side of the forest deep in the back and saw our girls surrounded by 5 wolves. I growl and shift into my wolf mid-air. They back away from our girls as we face them. I can see their wolves looking at mine in recognition. I am a white wolf, though not the one from the prophecy. That honor goes to my baby girl. 

Jasmine and Sabrina run and gather behind Daniel and me. Sabrina is picked up by her mom and set down on her dad's back, who has shifted into his wolf. As the beta female of the pack, I have learned when to calculate the odds of a battle. Sabrina’s parents were not warriors. Our children are important at this moment, Jasmine especially. I looked at Daniel and he nodded with understanding. He takes the letter I've written from his pocket and whispers to Lori, who takes the letter. I nodded to her and looked at Jasmine, whose eyes were watered down. 

“Be safe, my daughter. We will forever love you” I say in my mind, though I know she can’t hear me, I can tell she understands me. Adam shifts. His wolf is big enough to run them all back, considering he is only an omega. She nods and gets on Adams' back with Sabrina. Lori hops on Adam behind the girls and they head back to the packhouse. I know Adam has linked the warriors before then, but I know we will be dead before they get here. A tear falls from my eye as I watch them with one last glance before turning back to the wolves in front of me. 

“I love you mom”, I hear the wind whisper, and I know it's Jasmine. I get closer to Daniel.

“I love you Daniel” linked him. 

“I will see you soon, my love,” He linked me back. We stand side by side as the wolf’s attack, ready to face our end together.