Chapter 3 Chapter 3

Mario continued his utter silence until we were in the car. As he drove me back to the pack house, he asked, “How bad is it?”

Of course, he would’ve picked up on my strange reactions to Michael Howe. I doubt that I could keep any secret could while in his presence. “Oh, it’s probably as bad as it could get,” I said in a nonchalant tone. Looking out the dark window because I couldn’t face him as I said it. “He’s it. He’s the one I’ve been waiting for. Michael Howe, the most hated werewolf in the United States, is my… mate.”

“That’s pretty bad,” he said, stating the obvious. “I was afraid it was going to be something like that.”

“What am I going to do? Because I’ll tell you, Mario, I’m feeling pretty damn clueless right now.” Panic latched onto my brain.

“There’s only two things you can do, Alice. Reject him and take another man, probably Flinn, as your mate or you accept him,.”.

“As if it’s that simple,” I told him. I’m not sure, but I think I almost saw him smile.

“It is just that simple. Rejection would be the most attractive option, and I couldn’t blame you for choosing it. The boy is quite a piece of work. Accepting him would bring you a lot of criticism. His family has hurt a lot of people, but as you said before, he’s not his father. He’s only actually responsible for hurting the girl from Blue Crescent. But have no doubts, Alice, that boy is a purebred alpha. He’s quick and strong. The way he broke free not once but twice from the enforcers was impressive. If his issues resolved, he could be just what this pack needs.”

“So you think I should accept him?” I asked, looking from the darkness of the window to Mario.

“Nope.”

“But you just said…” I argued.

“I just said the facts. Only you know if accepting or rejecting him is the correct choice for you. Either option is going to be difficult.”

I crossed my arms with a petulant huff, slumping into the car seat, earning a small chuckle from him. I hated it when he said things like that. He was wrong. I had no clue which choice was the right one.  We pulled up to the pack house. Several of the windows glowed with light which meant that the place was full. For whatever reason and at any time, the pack was welcome to come stay at the house as long as there was room.

I like that my pack had a place to stay. I really did. I just didn’t like not being able to have some peace and quiet, away from everything, like I needed tonight. I held in the sigh that tried to escape as I climbed out of the car. “I’ll see you tomorrow Mario.”

“I’ll be here at eight, and we can plan on how we want to approach the rogues,” he replied then added, “If you wish, Alpha.”

I smiled, appreciating that he attempted to make it sound like a request.  “Thank you and I do.”

I turned to look up at the large house as I heard Mario back out of the driveway. I let the sigh I had been holding in out. Slumping my shoulders for a few moments then straightening them, I walked into the house.  All eyes fell on me as soon as I opened the door. Putting on my best confident, but friendly, smile I walked in. “Good evening everyone,’ I greeted them.

“There’s nothing to worry about anymore tonight,” I attempted to assure them. “We’ve run off the rogues are, and a few are in my custody for questioning. I’m confident that this situation with the rogues is near its end.”

I got mixed reactions. Some looked relieved. Some tried to hide their doubt with smiles and nods. Others let the doubt show on their face like a lighthouse’s beam in a thunderstorm. They were the older generation of the pack. The ones that felt a pack should be lead by a mature, mated couple. The fact that I had given up my entire life to fill in the gigantic hole left by my parents seemed lost on them. I wasn’t good enough and possibly I never will be.

I gave everyone one last smile before heading to my room. I had insisted that mine is on the ground floor. I didn’t care for all the fancy architectural modifications. I didn’t care that it would take an earthquake of biblical proportions to bring the house down. I didn’t like earthquakes, and I didn’t want to sleep anywhere but the ground floor. I sighed and slumped again as I closed the door to my room.

Leaning against the hard piece of polished wood, I wished I had enough stability to get an actual job. An actual job that allowed me an actual place of my own. As things stood now, being luna took up too much of my time and my free time was never the same hours of the day. I wouldn’t begin to be able to hold a steady job. With one last sigh, I pushed off of the door and into the bathroom for a shower.

My thoughts drifted to Michael as the warm water ran over me and easing the tension in my muscles. Could he possible fall under the age old cliche of misunderstood bad boy? Could it be that easy? Could the goddess be finally giving me a break? It would be just so awesome if I went to talk to him tomorrow and discover Michael is actually a good guy. One who’s willing to help take care of my pack. I wanted it to be true. So bad it made my heart ache.

I made a rude snort as I started to wash my hair. Who was I kidding? No way was it going to be that easy! Michael was a little bastard. End of story. All that remained to be seen is if he was a little bastard that could help me. I finished my shower, dried off, and went to bed. Hopefully, I’d get some sleep tonight. I needed it if I was going to deal with the rogues and Howe in the morning.

Of course, as luck has it, I didn’t sleep much. Coffee and a huge stack of pancakes with strawberries, whip cream, and syrup were able to chase away most of the spiderwebs caused by lack of sleep.  “Are they ready?” I asked Koreyon as I climbed the steps to the holding cells.

“Yes, Luna. I don’t think 3-B has tamed the rogue much.”

“Then he stays there until I know what I want to know,” I ordered, walking into the building. Mario was silently following me. With his discrete nudges, I found my way to small, bland room used for interrogations. “Bring me the first,” I ordered, sitting down in a folding chair.

Mario leaned over and whispered in my ear, “Who are they working for? What was the plan, and what is their numbers?”

I nodded and repeated the questions in my head. Nervousness made my palms sweat, and my hands tremble. I’d never done anything like this before, and I knew I couldn’t mess it up. I knew that my pack would be looking for me to get these answers. Answers that we needed to stop the rogue attacks along my borders.

“Breathe,” Mario whispered to me and gave me a look that said he had total faith in me.

He meant it to be reassuring, but it only made me even more nervous. I wiped my palms on my pants leg and took a slow deep breath as the door opened. I leaned back in my chair, forcing myself to look relaxed. Koreyon led the first rogue into the room and pushed him into the folding chair across from me.

He was one of the younger one, maybe only a few years older than me, and he was afraid. I could hear his heart pounding in his chest. I could smell the sweat and fear pouring out of his body. I wasn’t sure what kind of person it made me, but his fear helped me relax.

“There are a lot of alphas who detests rogues, even to the point they execute all that dare cross their lands. I’m not one of these alphas. I don’t believe all rogues are deviants, and I support every wolf’s right to live as they choose. However, that doesn’t mean I won’t tear apart anyone who threatened my pack. You have attacked my pack and threatened their lives,” I began, leaning forward to glare at him. The rogue held my gaze for a split second before lowering his to the table.

“You did that, but seeing as I’m so pro-choice. I will give you one last chance to make a smart one. Answer my questions and I’ll allow you to leave my territory unharmed.” I gave him a moment to think about it before I started to ask my questions. “Who ordered you to come into my territory?”

He didn’t say anything at first. Just hung his head, looking at his clasped hands. “I don’t know who they were,” he said after a while. “I was in a bar. A usual hot spot for us rogues. I was with a couple of friends when some wolf none of us have ever seen offered us a lot of money to come here and cause trouble. That’s all he said. It was a lot of money, and I was in a hard spot so I didn’t dare to ask.That’s it.”

I smelled the truth on him, and it led me nowhere which only pissed me off. “Alright. You can go, but if I catch you in my territory again I won’t be as forgiving,” I said to him then leaned back in the chair. “Fingerprint him then send him on his way. Bring in the next one,” I said, knowing Koreyon was watching and listening. Sure enough, as soon as I spoke two enforcers came into the room.

“Thank you, Luna,” the rogue said as the men dragged out of the room.

Next was other rogue that had been with the younger one. He was a bit older and a little scruffier. Like keeping his hair cut and his beard trimmed was the last thing on his to-do list. He licked his cracked lips as the dropped in the chair the other rogue had been in before. He glanced between Mario and me suspiciously. This one wasn’t as scared as the rogue before him had been.

I had a feeling he wasn’t going to be as easy as the first one as I repeated the same offer to him. Talk and go free, or don’t. The rogue narrowed his eyes at me with a snide snicker. “You want me to believe that you’re just going to let me walk out of here? That green boy that came in before me may swallow that bullshit. Honey, you’re not the first top dog I’ve had to suffer. I won’t fall the whole compassion speel.”

“It’s not a speel or bullshit,” I said, leaning forward again and rested my arms on the table. “It’s not even compassion. It will make my life a whole lot easier to send you on your way than keep you here as a prisoner. I’m not going to kill you because I’m not a murder. I don’t take life unless I have to. All I ask is that you make my life easier and tell what and who brought you to my territory tonight.”

I almost held my breath as I watched him consider my offer. “No,” he barked, leaning back in his chair. “I’ll never trust you alphas! All you care about is yourselves and your power. You’d never let me go. Not after I came into your territory like I did. Take me back to my cell or do whatever you’re going to do to me.”

I tried to keep the disappointment from my face as I called enforcers back into the room. “Return him to his cell, and bring in 3-B,” I told them and watched as they lead the rogue out of the room. I’d have to figure out what to do with him later. I’d most likely silver him and put him to work for a week or two then free him.

The interrogation of the rogue from 3-B went pretty much as I expected. He was rude, uncooperative, and at one point had jumped to his feet to attack me. Mario put him down before the rogue could even make a gesture in my direction, but I failed and lost face. I had jumped out of my chair, taking a step back with a spark of shocked, surprise. A weak response. A prey’s response.

The bastard cackled with delight as the enforcers dragged him out of the room. “Good, Luna?” Mario asked, angling his face so none of the others could see his concern.

With guilt and anger at myself I straightened my jacket, “Fine,” I snapped. “This is a waste of time. I need to speak with Howe.”

“Yes, Luna,” Mario said, following me out.