Luna Amelia

Rule Her Out

Chapter Four

*Westleyan*

I can’t even process the fact that she’s actually gone. She took off running and just disappeared. I don’t even know who she was. I’m pacing out front of the pack house, lost in thought. My guards have taken down all of the rogues that they could get their hands on, though one or two escaped. It may have been my imagination but it almost seemed like they were there for my mate. I mean, the rogue did say that he was there for someone and then headed straight for her. That can’t be a coincidence.

“We need a better strategy for when we’re faced with attacks like this,” Antione is telling an older gentleman, both of them walking towards me, Jarron strolling behind at a slower pace. 

“You do. How did those rogues even make it past security?” The man asks.

“What’s going on?” I ask them, forcing myself to stop freaking out for a moment. 

“Alpha,” Antione addresses me, gesturing towards the man. “This is Alpha Vesta of the Cold Stone Pack. Their security team is top notch. I was just telling him that we need better strategies for situations like this.”

“Absolutely,” I agree, shaking his hand. “What makes Cold Stone security stand out from the rest?” I ask.

“Tactical analysis. My Zeta and I are well-read and up to date on combat, the latest fighting techniques, strategic placement, the whole nine yards.”

“We could really use his skill set at the emergency meeting tonight,” Antione suggests. 

I nod. “We would love it if you’d be able to stay and attend the meeting to share some of your knowledge on tactical analysis.” 

“Anything to help out a neighbor pack,” he tells me. “If you’ll excuse me, I do have to call my mate and daughter to let them know that I’m okay.”

“Of course,” I say, watching him walk away to call his mate. 

If only it were that easy for me. 

“Something wrong, West?” Jarron asks, noticing the pained look on my face. 

Alpha Vesta is back in a flash, looking between my Beta and I. 

“Am I interrupting?” He asks. 

“No,” I assure him, taking a deep breath, willing myself to tell them without losing it. “I found my mate tonight.”

“What?!” Jarron exclaims. “That’s amazing!”

“Yeah, that’s great!” Antione agrees. 

“But something about it isn’t so great,” Alpha Vesta guesses. 

“I think she may have been who the rogues were after. I stopped one from hurting her, but when I got him down she took off. She just left. I don’t even know her name.”

“Well, she was invited to the party, right?” Jarron asks. “I’ll go through the guest list and narrow things down. We’ll find her,” he assures me, but I don’t know that it will be that easy. 

“You said the bar?” Antione asks me now. 

“Yeah?”

“What did she look like?” He asks and I narrow my eyes at him. He leads me away from Jarron and Alpha Vesta, both of them watching us with confusion. “Was she this brown haired girl wearing a tight white dress?”

“She may have been wearing a white dress. It all happened so fast. I know she had green eyes, curly brown hair, and these full lips…” I trail off, my description probably not helping him any. “Why are you asking anyway?”

“So, I was chatting up this hot brunette she-wolf at the bar earlier. Amazing body, wearing this low-cut white dress that hugged every curve, you know? She wasn’t having any of it and then that f**k-off Scott comes and interrupts us and she tells us she’s taken, which was kind of obvious, but I thought maybe that was your mate?”

“Did you get her name?”

“No, we didn’t push her on it. We didn’t want to come off as d***s at an Alpha of the Year party, especially when I’m from the winning pack. But she definitely has Alpha blood in her, I think. Just the way she carried herself. That and the dress looked expensive as hell.”

I nod, rubbing a hand over my chin. Does this help any? Will any of this information make it easier to find my mate? And then something that he said hits me like a ton of bricks.

“What do you mean it was obvious that she’s taken?!” I growl. I notice Jarron and Alpha Vesta’s heads snap in our direction, but I don’t care. 

Antione’s face turns red and I can tell that he’s nervous. He clears his throat. “There was definitely the scent of a man all over her…” he trails off.

“What else?” I demand, knowing he’s hiding something. 

“There may have been a bite mark right above her breasts.”

I can’t contain the snarls that spill from my lips. I don’t even know this girls name, but the thought of another man touching what belongs to me has me in a murderous rage. 

“Calm down!” Antione urges. “It’s not exactly like you didn’t have someone all over you.” He shrugs. 

“You know NOTHING about what I’ve done with her!” I thunder for the second time that day. I can barely hold Hades back, the need to put him in his place too strong. Why do people think that I’ve had s*x with Delilah? That’s a big “no-no” in the werewolf world. Sure, there’s ways around it, and some people just flat out don’t care, but you’re meant to save yourself for your mate. And now I feel sick and naïve wondering if my mate has given herself to someone else. 

Jarron runs over immediately, recognizing my fury. Antione backs slowly away from me. Jarron places his hand firmly on my shoulder. 

“Calm down, Alpha. I’ll go get to work on finding her now. Don’t take your anger out on Antione. He doesn’t even know the facts. You need to talk this out with her and I promise you’ll get that chance.”

My Zeta is lucky that my Beta knows how to calm Hades, because even though it may have been irrational, I was prepared to rip him limb from limb just because he was the bearer of the bad news. 

I nod. “I think it’s time for the meeting,” I manage to spit out between clenched teeth. 

Alpha Vesta walks with me silently, seemingly assessing the situation. 

“Want any advice from an old man who’s been mated for almost thirty years?”

I chuckle dryly. “Sure, why not?”

“In the grand scheme of things, who she may or may not have been with isn’t really all that important. I won’t say that it makes it sting any less, but when she’s in you’re arms the love that you’ll feel is so consuming that you won’t even think about that. I’m surprised she left, but if she were who the rogues were after it makes sense. I won’t be surprised if she comes back for you tomorrow.”

“When I saw her, I’d already shifted. I’m not sure she even knew who I was.”

He rubs a hand over his chin. “The Moon Goddess didn’t just dangle her in front of you for no reason,” he assures me. “She’ll be back in your life before you know it. Just don’t make assumptions about her before you properly meet her, okay?”

I sigh. He’s right. I’ve jumped to conclusions about my mate when I don’t even know for sure if she’s the girl Antione was coming onto.

“Thank you. I appreciate the advice,” I say sincerely as we continue walking. “You’re welcome to stay at the guest house tonight instead of traveling back so late. You can have your mate and daughter retrieve you, and join us for lunch, as a way to say thank you for your service to our pack.”

He laughs and claps me on the back. “You’ve got yourself a deal—I never say no to a free meal. Besides, my daughter was at the party, might as well rule her out,” he continues laughing as he shrugs. 

I idly wonder why he’s eager to rule her out. The way he said it makes me think she may not be a good mate to hope for. I don’t have too much time to ponder this as we approach the meeting hall. Let’s get this started.