The Bounty Hunter's Mate

Mrs. Wagner

LEXI POV

That man pissed me off so bad. And he smelled amazing. My hormones were all over the place and that pissed me off too.

“Get ahold of yourself, Kya” I hissed to my wolf.

Our mate is quite stubborn, just like you, she replied. We will be a good match.

“There will be no match. No mate. Nothing.” I growled back at her. “Do you understand? No.”

Perhaps. Was all that she said. I knew that about her. She was nothing if not tenacious. We were a good match, too.

I made good time back to the front gate and pulled off to the right into the parking lot of the hotel that was there. “Stay here.” I told Hagrid. He wouldn’t have approved, and I didn’t want to fight him, too. He just raised an eyebrow at me and leaned his chair back even further.

I marched up to the front desk and slapped my credit card on the counter. “Two rooms for tonight only, please.”

The gentleman at the front desk smiled at me. “I’m sorry, Luna, but Alpha Luke called and said that he has prepared the Luna Suite for you and that you are welcome there. He has asked us not to accommodate your room request.”

I sighed. “I prefer not to stay at the Packhouse and I’d prefer not to drive back into the city tonight. I understand that he has asked you not to give me a room, but he did not order you. I will pay double.” As soon as the words left my mouth I realized I made a mistake. He was definitely loyal to his Alpha and I could see it on his face.

“I’m sorry, Luna. I’m afraid we will not be able to accommodate you.” He gave me a tight smile.

I picked up my credit card and turned to leave. “My name is Lexi, not Luna.”

I was in a bad mood when I got into the car, slamming the door. Hagrid looked over at me. “Making friends?”

I kept silent but he was right. I was here trying to make friends and get information on the whereabouts of Kevin, not try to ostracize myself by speaking against their Alpha. I also realized that I needed to interview Luke still, and that he would probably be my best source of information on Kevin’s whereabouts. As much as I hated the idea, I needed to gain some favor with him and spending the night in the Luna’s Suite was probably going to be the smartest move I could make.

I drove into the village and stopped at the florist shop. I went inside spoke with the clerk while Hagrid took the five minutes to exorcize himself from the car. I purchased a tasteful bouquet and joined Hagrid on the sidewalk.

“Clerk said Kevin’s mom lives three blocks from here. Let’s walk.”

Hagrid grunted in the affirmative and walked slightly behind me to my right. This is how it always was. There was little to no chance I would be grabbed off this sidewalk in this village but Hagrid was on duty.

We found the house with no troubles, and I knocked lightly at the door. Hagrid stood back in the shadows. We found it was better if he didn’t try to come into most of these places with me but he was always close by if necessary. He just looked scary and he didn’t have a very calming affect.

The door was opened by a beaming woman, medium height and beautiful salt and pepper hair cut in a very short Demi Moore circa Ghost cut. It was very flattering on her. She threw her door wide. “Come in!”

I was a little taken aback. Most people aren’t that happy to see me. It usually takes a combination of charm, threats and money to make people want to talk to me. This was a pleasant change of pace.

“Mrs. Wagner? My name is Lexi. I’m trying to find your son.”

“I know who you are and what you want.” She was still smiling at me and she pointed me to a kitchen table set with two tea cups and a steaming pot in a cozy. “Alpha called and asked me to cooperate and be nice. After all, you’re going to be our new Luna!”

Damn him. If possible I hated Luke even more right now. I smiled with gritted teeth.

“These are for you.” I handed over the flowers while she exclaimed over them. I took my seat at the table and cradled my cup in my hands while she fussed with the flowers, filling a jar with water and arranging them.

I looked around at the home. It was very simply furnished but each piece was quality and most likely expensive. The woman had good taste. Things were done in blues and white and it gave a very fresh vibe. The kitchen window was open letting in the cool fall air and pretty eyelet curtains fluttered in the breeze. I could see that she was in the process of making pastries but the bowls were covered with clean towels and the flour had been tidily wiped away. I could see a small dusting under the counter by the sink.

From the kitchen I could see into the living room. The blonde hardwood floors brightened the space and the denim blue couch dominated it. From my vantage point I didn’t see a television but I doubted that there was one down here. I would bet she had one in the bedroom and no where else in the house. This was the house of a widow who did not have grandchildren yet.

“I don’t know where Kevin is.” She slid into the chair opposite me. “That’s what you were going to ask, right?”

I turned my attention back to her. “Yes, ma’am. I was. Do you know where he might be?”

She shrugged her shoulders. “I don’t know. He has lots of friends he went to school with that he might be staying with, but I really don’t think so. He doesn’t like to ask for help. He’s trying to figure out what happened to Ella, his mate. He didn’t kill her, you know.”

I smiled gently at her. “I’ve heard that. What do you think happened?”

She looked unhappy. “I don’t know. Her dad was a diplomat so maybe he had enemies or something. Maybe they were just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Kevin was supposed to be there. Did you know that? The only reason he wasn’t is because he borrowed my car and it got a flat tire on that road that leads out of the pack. They keep it in bad shape so the humans don’t keep coming in.” She wiped a tear from her eye. “I could have lost him, too, that night. Thank Goddess for the flat tire.”

I spent another half hour with her, obtaining a list of school friends he might be staying with. I suspected none of these would pan out because she was way too helpful. I closed my notebook and stood up.

“Mrs. Wagner, I hope you realize that I’m trying to help your son. It would be better for me to bring him in instead of someone else. I don’t want to hurt him. Someone else might not have the same motive as me.”

I slid my mug over to her and she stood to put them in the sink. “Thank you for your help, Mrs. Wagner.”

“Of course, dear,” she said. She looked at the clock. “You should probably head back to the Packhouse. Luke called and wanted me to tell you that dinner is at six. You should have just enough time to get ready.”