Nick POV
Jeremy was in hysterics, literally rolling around in his bed laughing so hard, that tears were coming out of his eyes. He thought it was absolutely hilarious that Nick’s Mate had turned out to be the knife wielding, bow toting she-wolf. Who had showed him up and was more than happy to piss him off at every turn.
Laughed even harder when he’d found out it was his Mate, who had taken claws to the Alpha’s own vehicle. The tears had rolled out of him him when he’d heard she’d yelled “Hell’s No.” and stormed out of the Alpha’s office and away from him. Especially when he could see how Nick was dressed, to impress. Which clearly it had not. Finally found a she-wolf who could resist his Goddess given good looks.
“When you’re done laughing at my expense.” Nick huffed at him. He’d known this was going to be the reaction, and Goddess help him, when Jeremy relayed it to the rest of his unit, and Nick knew the man well enough to know he was going to, the first chance he got.
Even if Nick Alpha ordered the man not to say a word, he would find some bloody loop whole to get out of it and inform them. He was a devious bastard with a streak for pure mischief.
“Might take more than a minute.” he laughed up at his Alpha.
Nick walked over to his Beta and put a boot into him, shoved him clean off the other side of the bed and heard him land on the floor, with a satisfied thud. His laughing finally stopped but he was still smiling up at him.
“I want you to watch her.”
“Why I’m tired boss, barely had any sleep a few hours. Just walk over there, you know where she lives. Knock on her door, introduce yourself properly, and for once in your life, suck it up, apologise for the insults you called her, your mate. Problem likely solved.”
“Some how I don’t think it is going to be that easy.” his mind recalled the way Alpha Corey and his unit had laughed, just like Jeremy had done actually.
“Ah” he watched Jeremy nod and then chuckle “you’re probably right...you’ve probably pissed off the Moon Goddess herself. By refusing all these years, to attend or hold her mating balls for your pack members...Now she’s seen fit to punish you. With a Mate whose just as stubborn, defiant and only does what they want...Hmm remind you of anyone in particular.” he snorted at Nick, when Nick turned angry eyes on him.
Nick knew what he meant, a mate with the same temperament as him. Difficult to say the least.
“She’ll come around.” he knew she would, she was female and he drop dead gorgeous no woman cold hold out on him for long.
“And if she doesn’t?” Jeremy said finding clothes to put on “there is such a thing you know. Rejection.”
Nick stared at his friend now, wide eyed. “Really! you think, she would reject me?”
“I don’t know Nick. I know nothing about her...Neither do you for that matter.”
“Will you trail her for the day, currently in her house sleeping I believe. Just set yourself up by the house, doze if you like but make sure Cal is on alert for her movements. I have to go and sort out my pack members, find out who mated off to other packs and who and how many will be joining ours. Get them organised and send them back to the pack ahead of us. It’ll be just you and I here after that, to deal with Lucinda.”
“Yeah, can’t you see I’m getting dressed here.” he raised an eyebrow at Nick and his tone implied are you blind.
Nick frowned at him, but just shook his head, “Thanks, link me if she does anything” he shrugged “you know…”
“You worried she’s got a boyfriend somewhere here boss?”
“What? No!..Well now I bloody do.” Nick had not even considered that, shit she might well have, high ranked warrior with a tiny human, curves in all the right places and a wolf that pretty. Shit it was more than likely. If she did, he would have to go. Right away, no one was touching his mate.
Jeremy started laughing all over again, as he watched it dawn on Nick that his Mate, might be fucking some other wolf out there. “I’ll watch her, go do your Alpha duties.”
“Thanks!...anything out of the ordinary.”
“Sure thing boss, but what’s out of the ordinary for us, might not be for her.”
Nick glared at his Beta and left the room. It was nearing lunch time and he should have squared away his pack members by now, but had been preoccupied pacing around in his suite most of the morning. He found his pack members, kicked a few of the lazy bastards out of their beds. Shocking their new mates and had them all report to the front of the pack house for inspection. He could see her house from here and Jeremy casually leaning against a tree, just off behind it.
13 members of his pack had mates now, they were all loved up and looking happy it seemed. He lost 6 females to other packs, 2 to Half Moon Pack itself, one warrior and one school teacher, 7 of the 10 males had found mates here at the ball, that was good.
Mated wolves were generally happy wolves. He noted the other Alpha’s all waiting around on him, to sort out some of his going to them. They didn’t seem all that annoyed, one of them, Alpha Frederick, who he knew, smiled right at him a knowing smile, and as he’d headed off, had nodded his head and hollered “Good luck Nicholas.”
It was clear the man knew of him finding his Mate and that, he was having a difficult time with it, at that. Who had spilled the beans he didn’t know, had to be Alpha Corey or his unit, no one else really knew. Jeremy may laugh a him and be itching to tell Kevin and Braidy, but he wouldn’t be so disrespectful, as to blab to other packs.
‘Boss, she’s leaving pack territory, eastern border. Wolfed right out of her house and headed off clear in her direction.’
‘What the hell’
‘Cal will stay with her, you’d better get out here and catch her.’
‘Yes.’ Nick agreed, he was mad now. What was she thinking, was she just going to run away and not deal with their Mate Bond. Neither one of them would be able to move on if she just left and neither of them broke the bond. Was she so dumb? did she not know how a bond worked?...Maybe being wolf-less for most of her life, she didn’t. Shit has she got no education at all!
He was stalking his way past the pack-house headed for the eastern border when Alpha Corey’s Delta Pete, called out to him “Alpha Nicholas, Alpha Corey needs a word.”
“It will have to wait, my Mate just bolted.”
“No she didn't, please come and speak with Alpha Corey.”
Nick stopped walking and looked at the Delta “She didn’t?”
“It’s very unlikely. Please Alpha Corey will explain.”
Nick sighed, her Alpha would have been alerted to her leaving pack territory in all likelihood. He would know her better and if they thought it was unlikely, then it probably was, he would have to take the chance. They did know her better. He tried to link to Jeremy but got nothing, already to far away. That didn’t bode well, meant he was running full tilt as was his Mate. Right into rogue territory at that. Did not make him happy in the least.
He walked into Alpha Corey’s office “we need to make this quick, I have to go and hunt my mate down it seems.”
“No need for that, she’ll come back.”
“And your certain because?”
“Her twin sisters are here. She’s probably a little on the emotional side right now. Besides I heard your Beta Jeremy went right after her.”
Nick nodded “He did. Where is she going?” he was curious there was literally nothing out there.
Alpha Corey sat there in his chair, seemingly debating what to tell him, what information was either relevant or what would placate him. “There’s an abandoned pack out east. She goes there sometimes to clear her head and think things through.”
“Across rogue territory.” Nick could only think of one abandoned pack out this way, he didn’t like it at all, horrid history. Why would anyone go there, to think, of all places. “And you just let her, a lone un-mated she-wolf, roam out there at will like that?”
“I heard you helped out the other night, on border patrol, you would have seen her wolf fight. I’m not concerned particularly and you know what Lucinda is like,” he smiled pointedly at Nick “do you think they can’t handle themselves? Because I assure you, she can, they can.”
“That is not the point. My Mate just left pack territory and ran off into rogue territory.”
“She has a history, something you should discuss with her. She’ll be safe and your Beta is tracking her. I’m sure he’s a capable man, yes?”
“Yes, very.” Nick acknowledged
“Then try to relax, just give her some space.”
“I’m not exactly known for my patience.” Nick reminded him.
Alpha Corey chuckled “Neither is she. You two will annoy the hell out of each other. Be fun to watch.”
“She’ll submit.” he shrugged.
“Can I put bets on that?” he laughed.
Nick frowned at him, this man was infuriating “Tell me about her. How old is she?”
“26.”
“26, you said she just got her wolf a few months ago.”
“She did. Aggressively exploded out of young Lucinda, let out a mighty howl, snarled at all of us like we were the enemy actually. Angry wolf right from get go. You don’t want to piss her off. And a real short fuse to match.”
Nick was frowning now even deeper “Aggressively exploded?”
“Yes son, took less than 2 minutes, first shift was akin to an alpha shifting for the first time.”
“Who are her parents, where are they?”
“Parents killed I believe.”
“You believe? She’s part of your pack, how can you not know the answer to that question?”
“Didn’t see it? Nobody here did.” he shrugged.
Nick didn’t like that answer. His pack was much larger, but he still knew all his pack members history, every pack member had a file with all their details in it. How else were you suppose to keep track of family linage, who was mated to who, pups born, lost family members to rogue attacks everything was in those files, and they were updated regularly.
Even those four young girls he had rescued, the day he’d come across Lucinda, had files, and the trauma they had suffered was documented, their medical files from his pack doctor included, due the trauma of the situation.
Trauma was not to be taken lightly, could cause all sorts of issues. Turn a she-wolf rogue if it was to much for them to handle, turn them mute or even make them completely isolate themselves from other pack members. Male wolves could become so aggressive they turn on other pack members, for seemingly no reason and could go rogue as well.
“You got a file on my Mate, I could read?” he asked hoping the man at least kept records.
“Yes, but not my place to give it to you.”
“What. I’m her Mate and an Alpha. You will give it to me.” he demanded.
To his amazement Alpha Corey shook his head, “Yes, you are an Alpha, as for her Mate? You haven’t claimed her and she has not accepted you, so that doesn’t count right now.”
Nick glared at him, this man was insane “I am her Mate, and I want that file.”
“You may have been gifted to her by the goddess son, but I didn’t see either of you accept each other, or have I missed something today?”
Nick was starting to loose it “I already told you I would be claiming her.”
“Mm, you did.” he nodded “but you haven’t, so without Lucinda’s permission I won’t give you her file. I already told you, she has a history and if she wants to tell you, she will. Its actually not for me to say.”
Even Rip was getting pissed off now, this man wasn’t going to talk, he’d only met the man 2 days ago and he in all appearances looked like the most laid back and relaxed, Alpha he had ever met. Yet here he was stubborn like an Alpha alright, his appearance was deceptive that was for sure. Nick had thought him to be a bit of a joke, a betting, gambling man, who just made fun of everything.
He felt Rip surface, he wanted to know about his mate too and was getting to the point of expressing his dislike and rage.
Alpha Corey’s hands lifted “now now, calm down son. I swore to her, I wouldn’t tell anyone. Now if I go telling you son. What good is my word?’
Nicks jaw tightened and was ticking “Why would you swear something like that?”
“Because I needed to, no on in this pack will readily give you her history and I mean No-one. Or I will punish them myself.”
That gained Nick’s undivided attention “Is it that bad?” he changed tactics.
Alpha Corey was no fool, stared right at him for a full minute “You’d have to be the judge of that, when she tells you, and that son will take trust.”
“She told you?” his anger was abating if she had trauma he would have to give some leeway.
“She had no choice at the time. That is all I will say on the subject. But try and relax. She will come back like I said, her twin sisters are here, she will never abandon them.”
“There is room in my car for both of them as well. I’ll just take them too.” he shrugged what was two more females to his pack.
“No actually you won’t be. The twins will be staying here.”
Nick frowned, it took less than 10 seconds for it to dawn on him “The Gamma’s twin girls, that’s who you’re talking about.”
“Yes and neither Gabby nor James are just going to hand over the girls to you. Not after your display the other night...not that that would matter.”
“Why are they with your Gamma and not Lucinda herself?”
“Again you might want to talk to her on that one.”
Nick was not getting anywhere with this man, what ever her story was, he was not going to part with it. Her history can’t be all that good, if no one was allowed to talk about it “Do you think she will go willingly with me?”
“I don’t know, to be honest” he shrugged “You handle her the wrong way, you might find yourself facing a formal rejection.”
Nick nor Rip were impressed at all now “She’s that stubborn?”
“Not usually, but can be at times.”
“I’ll just mark her then.” Nick shrugged and waved a hand dismissively, once his mark was on her she’d have no choice and the Mate Bond would grow and she would submit to him in a matter of days. If she still didn’t want to be his mate once she produced him an heir he would just reject her and set her free.
Rip growled at him at this thought. Nick ignored him.
He found Alpha Corey glaring at him now “You will not forcibly Mark or Mate her. I guarantee you she will kill you if you do. Marked or Mated it will make no difference to her and her wolf. If you do take her from here and she calls me and tells me you have forced her, I will come and collect her myself.” there was anger in every word he spoke.
“That would start a war!”
“Only if you’re still alive when I get there. And I will not come alone.”
Nick realised that Alpha Corey actually meant every word he said, the man was in full Alpha mode. Nick realised, he was suddenly treading on thin ice with the man.
“Okay, so I am getting her history is that bad...then why don’t we do this the Alpha way. Lets treat Lucinda as though she is your own daughter and organise and alliance between our two packs. That way you are assured of her safety. You can even put in, a no Marking or Mating by force clause.”
Nick watched as Alpha Corey sat back and really thought about it, long and hard it seemed, it was a good ten minutes of silence before he finally nodded “Alright, I actually think that might help you out, she’s not going to like it though.”
Nick nodded “yeah akin to being sold off I know, but I am her fated mate it’s not like I’m some Alpha who took a look at her wolf and has chosen her and she has no say in it. She knows the goddess picked me for her Mate as well. Got to be some room to move there right. I don’t much like it myself, would rather her just come willingly of course...it will just take time for her to come around to it right?”
“Hmm, maybe.” Alpha Corey nodded “I'll need some others in on this, do you mind.”
Nick shook his head “no lets get this sorted out, or start to at least.”
“It might take a day or two.”
“That’s fine.” Nick nodded. He knew alliances couldn’t be just worked out in minutes, this agreement might be about his mate, but he was going to get a proper alliance out of it as well, though this pack was 5 hours away it would be nice if he or his men, when out this way had somewhere safe to stay.