Alpha Nicholas "What in the ever-loving fuck is going on around here? There have been more mates found in the last few days than there have been in the last few months. Is there something in the water or what?" Robbie grunts as he walks out of the guard room having overheard the newest mates that have found each other. A few chuckles can be heard from around the room, but Tony just remains still as he stares at his mate who is still in a cell. "There has to be." Colt grunts, not seeming happy about the situation, but I guess that's because he's a massive man hoe and the last I knew he was in no rush to find his mate. Don't get me wrong, a week ago I would have agreed with him, but now I just think he's an idiot for thinking that way, because there's no better feeling than meeting your mate. Robbie doesn't say anything back to him, but he doesn't need to. I think most of us in this room know how much he wants to find his mate. I walk over to him and slap him on the shoulder. "Your time will come, Brother. Hopefully sooner rather than later." He nods but doesn't say anything, instead, he walks over to Tony and gives him his congratulations before stepping back into the guard room. Poor bastard, I wish I could help him. "Nicky!" Tony calling me drags my attention back to him. For a moment, I had forgotten about his current situation, and now I feel like a major dick. I head his way pulling Bonnie behind me and come to a stop in front of the cell that his mate is still in. "I know we need to ask her questions... but can we do it with her out of this cell? I can't bear the sight any longer." He sounds like he's in physical pain and I hate it. I look inside the cell to find Rosie standing just a few feet away, but she's looking at the floor and I don't miss the slight shake of her body. Is she scared or hurt? "Rosie, can you look at me?" she doesn't make a move to look my way so I go to take a step closer to the cell door, only to be pulled back by Bonnie. I look over my shoulder at her and watch as she nods her head in Tony's direction. She's telling me to let Tony speak to her and she's right, it's our best chance right now. I go to gently nudge Tony but I guess he's already thought the same as before I can even speak he's walking closer to the cell door. "Rosie, sweetheart. Can you look at me please?" It takes a few seconds but finally, she slowly lifts her head keeping her eyes on him. "I'm scared," She whispers, her voice laced with fear as it shakes while she talks. "I know you are, but you don't need to be. We just need to talk to you, that's all. Right, Alpha?" Tony looks to me for reassurance, but I'm not sure how much I can give him. Don't get me wrong, I want to give him all the reassurance that he needs, but I can't look at this on a personal level. I have to look at it from all angles as an Alpha, as well as his best friend. "I give you my word that you won't be hurt, not unless you give us a reason to." Rosie lets out a small gasp as Tony's head shoots to his side to look at me, but he doesn't look mad. If anything, he looks torn, and I think it's because he knows where I need to stand on this matter and, no matter what underneath, he knows that I'm right. Still, I hate having to say it so I try to lighten my words a little with a truth that I deeply believe. "However, I do believe that we won't have a reason to hurt you, Rosie, will we?" She looks straight at me for the first time since Tony arrived here and she nods. "I promise, Alpha, I'm not here to cause any trouble." I watch her as she talks and her words and body language tell me she's being honest. And while I will give her the benefit of the doubt, I will still be watching her every move once she's out of that cell. "We'll give you a moment, and then we will head for the pack house. This conversation will be done in private." "Thank you, Alpha." They both say at the same time, making me smile. I take Bonnie's hand and pull her into the guard room while anyone that was out there with us soon follows. We can give them a moment alone, but we still have the cameras in here so we can keep enough of an eye on them to make sure that everything is ok without invading their privacy too much. "This is insane," I grunt as I take a seat and pull Bonnie onto my lap. She tenses up a little but quickly relaxes and I'm fucking glad for it. I understand that it may take some time for her to always be relaxed around me due to her past, but the fact that she's trying is more than I could have hoped for so soon. Warrior Tony I thank Nick for giving us a few minutes alone and taking everyone with him, then I listen as the hallway empties, but I don't look at them, I can't because I can't take my eyes off my mate. She looks so small and frail and, above all else, she looks scared. While I may not know much about what's going on, what I do know is that I'm going to find out everything, starting with why she looks scared. Is she scared of me and my pack or something else? She came here to us, so I don't think she's scared of us, but maybe she's regretting coming here now. As for her being my mate... Well, that has blown my mind. One, because she was my first mate's little sister and two, well, if I'm being honest, I didn't think I would get a second chance mate. Yes, they happen, and it appears in this pack that it's happening a lot but even then, I still never let myself think that I would be lucky enough to have one, and now that I do, my mind feels like it's been blown apart. I'm scared and anxious and honestly a little taken aback that it's Rosie. She can't be any more than 21... "I'm sorry." She looks straight at me as she speaks, her voice so gentle and sweet that it warms my insides up. "Why?" I take another step and take hold of the bars of the cell. "I'm sorry that I came here. I didn't think about it... I just came here and... and I don't know what I was expecting... I shouldn't have... I was alone and scared, and then I found out about you and I just came here without thinking. I'm sorry, I'll go, and you won't hear from me again." Zero instantly growls when she talks about leaving but I manage to calm him down by threatening to block him out if he doesn't cool it. I put my attention back on my mate and watch as she breathes heavily, and I'm pretty sure she's got herself so worked up that she's having a panic attack or close to it anyway. I hold out my hand through the bars of the cell and want to jump for joy when she reaches out and takes my hand. Her skin is so soft and her hands so small that it makes me want to take her into my arms and never let her go while the tingles that run up my arm from the spark of our bond makes everything feel scary as fuck. "Sweetheart, breathe for me. Whatever has happened we will figure it out, ok?" I watch as her breathing eases a little and the smallest of smiles grace her beautiful face. "Tony, something is off." Zero's voice suddenly bounces around in my head as he sounds anxious, which isn't normal for him. He is rarely anxious. "What's wrong?" He lets out a small whine, and I'm instantly worried. "Sniff, Tony." His short answer is annoying, but I trust him so that's exactly what I do, and immediately I realize that something isn't right. After several seconds of sniffing, I figure out what it is and I'm shocked. "It doesn't change anything, Tony. She is still our mate and I want to keep her. It doesn't matter to me" This situation has to be hard for him and the fact that straight away he has shown that it doesn't matter to him just shows how much of a good wolf he is. If I'm being honest, it doesn't matter to me either, but it's a bigger deal for Tony than it is for me. I can still have my mate, but he can't. "You know, don't you?" Her angel voice brings me out of my head and the worry on her face hits my heart. "It's ok, I'll go. I understand, truly I do." Is this girl insane? "Yes, I know, but it doesn't matter. It doesn't change anything." She gives me a disbelieving look while I hope that the look on my face shows her that I mean every word. "Tony, I don't have a wolf. I'm wolfless, I'm only human. I can't be the wolf that I need to be to become someone's mate." I gently pull on her hand, and thankfully she allows me to pull her until she is against the cell bars and just inches away from me. "Rosie, I don't know what's going to happen, at least not until we have spoken, but I can tell you that you being wolfless will not have any impact on any decisions mate. I hope you can both understand and believe me." She gives me a bigger smile and I feel relieved when I feel her relax a little more. I don't know