The Alpha Queens Broken Mate

VII

Uitwaaien: [ to take a break to clean one's head; lit. "to walk int he wind" ]

Dominique's POV

I run for hours on end, entering and exiting the border, trying to find my mates scent but end up only smelling rogue which only infuriated me further. Running back into the territory I make my way to the training square where I have a few fights with a number of warriors before I calm down to a reasonable level and go back to the pack house. 

When I return the Romans pack house it's dark and no one is outside except for the warriors guarding the territory, I'm glad I had a spare pair of clothes in the car or I would be walking around naked due to not undressing before shifting, so as I pull the red sweater over my white singlet I enter the house and go straight to the kitchen where I hear voices. 

On entry I see Roman, his mate I know know as Marilyn, Jay and another man holding a sleeping child, Jays head immediately shifts in my direction as I walk through the threshold of the kitchen, I give him a small nod before walking closer and gaining everyone else attention. Before anyone could say a word to me I speak, "I want to help find her." 

"Who are you?" The unknown man asks as he turns towards me. 

"Dominique," I say my shoulders square and my chin up. "And you are?"

"Asher," he responds with a respectful nod of his head as the pup in his arms stirs. 

"Papa," She yawns before her eyes catch mine and she falls silent, I smile at her cheekily before winking making her giggle and reach for me. Asher holds her tighter as she does so making the small pup look confused at her so called 'papa.' "Who da?" She asks as she points to me, a cute 'angry face' being pointed towards her father for not letting her come to me. My mind immediately think of Zilphia at her expression which brought a soft smile to my face, the two girls would definitely get along. 

"My name is Dominique, but you can call me Niqie," I say giving her another smile, she returns my smile. 

"My name Amber, but Aunty Weign call me Ambie," she says as she moves her hand out for a handshake, I place my larger hand in her tiny one before giving it a small shake. "Wait, papa.. where Aunty?" She asks, her grows furrowed as she moves her to Asher. 

"Aunty's gone for a little holiday, baby, but she'll be back soon, okay?" He responds as he kisses her cheek lovingly, she nods in response before reaching for me again. 

"Can go to Niqie?" She asks, giving Asher a little pout when he gives her a 'no' look before his face softens and she's handed over to me, I hold her on my hip as she reaches up and touches the side of my head where the shaved portion of my hair is. "You a girw?" She asks as she feels the shorn hair, I nod in response making her brows furrow. "But your hair short like papa's." 

"I know, but I'm a girl, I just like my hair short," I explain as she scrunches up her nose before nodding and continuing to touch my hair, I laugh at her innocence before going back to the rest of the people in the kitchen. 

"You're lucky, she doesn't talk to many people," Roman says as he looks at me and the pup in awe. "She still has her moments with me." He laughs before folding his arms around his mates waist. 

At that moment a woman rushes back in, her long black hair braided and laying down her front and a grey sweater tucked into black ripped jeans, she stops suddenly at the sight of me before her eyes fall on Amber, who immediately reaches for the girl. "Mama," she yawns, I let her mama take her before putting my hands into my sweat pant pockets. 

Once Amber is in her arms she immediately steps behind Asher shyly before a feeling of pain shoots through my body making her double over before dropping to my knees, I cry out as the pain intensified before fading to a small buzz, Jay is immediately at my side while Asher comforts a crying Amber. "What's wrong, Dom?" He asks as his hand grips my shoulder, I go to try and straighten up but more pain erupts through me making me go back to my hunched position. 

"Her wolf has created a bond just by seeing Reign, whatever they do to her you will feel a small part of it as she doesn't know a bond has been formed so she won't know to shut it off," Marolyn, Roman's mate says as she walks over to me and kneels in front of me and takes my face in her hands. "This is wonderful," she whispers. "Since a bond has been made, your senses for her will be stronger meaning if we get close enough your wolf will know."

"Cool, but i'm right now in a bit of pain which means that your daughter is too and my wolf is going to be let loose in a few seconds from this knowledge," I growl as the pain becomes worse, I yell as more pain ripples through me before i fall unconscious. 

When I wake up i'm in a hospital room, the lights bright and irritating almost as irritating as the needle in the crease of my elbow, I turn my head to the left and am met with Jay typing away on his laptop. His head immediately whips up at the sound of me pushing down my blankets, "How long was I out?" I ask, sitting up. 

"Two days," he replies, going back to typing. "They had to tie you down at one point because you were clawing at your neck." 

"We love that," I say, my voice dripping with sarcasm. 

"Yes, yes we do," he replies back with just as much sarcasm before clicking something on his computer and closing it. "Once you're stable we're going to follow the trail that cut off by that river," he says before standing up and walking towards me. "The doctor says a day or two will do help but said you can leave when you want." 

"I'll stay until the doctor gets back then we'll leave," I say standing and thanking the moon goddess that I was still in my clothes instead of a hospital gown. 

"Are you sure?" he asks before we get interrupted by the doctor walking in. 

"Hello Alpha Dominique, it's nice to finally see you awake," he says before walking to the foot of the bed and taking the clip board hung from it. "You can leave as soon as you feel like it, but your body was fine seconds after you passed out so just be prepared for anything." he says before signing something on the clipboard and leaving the room. 

On the walk back to my mates pack house, I take in the people and things around me, the many shops closing as stars fill the sky, my eyes immediately snag on a book store with a 24HR sticker on the front. I look in the window and find the packs Luna huddled on a bean bag with a picture book in her hands, tears streaming down her face, I tell Jay to go back to the house as I approach the book store. 

The bell on the top of the door rings as I enter, but she doesn't move, the elderly lady at the counter smiles before turning back to the book in her hands. I slowly approach Roman's mate as not to startle her, I gently sit on the floor next to her before waiting for her to finish her book. 

"She loves this book," she whispers, startling me slightly, but I knew who she was talking about immediately. "Even though it only has three words in the whole book she used to read it over and over again for hours until she fell asleep, she kept doing it when she was older too, every night when she couldn't sleep she'd write is a note and leave to come here and read the book over and over until she fell asleep right here. Roman and I would get a call the next morning to let us know she was still asleep here."

"She sounds wonderful," I whisper imagining my mate curled up in this spot, taking in a deep breath I can just smell her fading scent. "I can't wait to meet her." I kept my voice soft as I spoke, not wanting to upset her. 

"My name is Marolyn," she whispers as she closes the book. "I noticed I hadn't introduced myself." she continues as she puts the book back, we shake hands, small grins of our faces. "She's beautiful you know, even better than the pictures we take, her eyes are mismatched, one blue and one green like her grandmother and her hair reaches her mid back in blonde waves that go fuzzy when she brushes it, she loves Chinese food but hates spices," she goes on making my wolf purr at the knowledge I'm getting about my practically unknown mate. "She's very good with children and especially loves Amber, those two are inseparable." She hiccups as she pulls out a crinkled photo of a girl with the description she had been explaining. "That's her." 

"She's gorgeous," I whisper as I gingerly take the photo from her hands and admire the girl in it. "So beautiful." I praise to no one in particular, the photos must have been taken a while ago as Reign looked no older than 15 in the photo. 

"That she is, she's so caring and soft as well, everyone in the pack loves her, I don't know why anyone would hurt her," she continues as she takes the photo back and moves to stand. "I am going back to the pack house now, would you like to join me?" She asks, I nod in response before standing and letting her lead me out of the book store and back to the house where she goes to her room and I to mine to get ready for bed.

As I lay amongst the soft sheets, my mind races, with possibilities, what if we never find her? What if we do find her and she ends up rejecting me? What if she's dead? I shiver at the last one, hating the thought, so I push it to the back of my mind, a soft knock is heard on my door as I sit up in the sheets to flick the light on my bedside table on. 

"Come in," I say, brushing a hand through my hair, the door opens slightly and the guy from earlier, Asher, poke his head on. 

"Can't sleep either?" He asks, like we've known each other for years, I shake my head softly my brows furrowing in confusion, why would he knock of my door. "Do you want to come for a walk?" 

"Sure," I say, getting out of bed and following Asher outside. 

"I can't sleep without her here," he says quietly. 

"You guys are close?" I ask, confused as to why he couldn't sleep. 

"She's my best friend," he answers as we walk to no place in particular. "I've known her since she was born."

"Wow, that's a long time," i respond, the air around not uncomfortable but not calm either. 

"This is awkward," he laughs, brushing his hair back. "Um, just.. I know that when she gets backs he's going to be a bit out of it, I saw the video and I know her. She's going to be very stand off-ish, so I just want to warn you." He continues, his voice sad and slightly protective. 

"I figured, I just hope she's okay," I say as we walk around the training field. 

"So do I," he whispers, before we fall into a somewhat comfortable silence, neither of us making noise. 

We walked around I silence for about an hour and a half before Asher retired back to the pack house and I went to the book store Marilyn and I were in earlier, I greet the kind elderly woman at the counter before going to the isle where I found the Luna. I slowly take a seat on the bean bag by the shelf and run my fingers over the books spines before pulling out the book Marilyn was holding earlier, I breathe in slightly when I open the book, the sweet smell of my mate lingering on the pages. I silently look through the pages, laughing quietly at how simple the book really is, after in finish looking through it I put it back in its spot and walk through the bookstore in search of a book I could but to being back to Zilphia when I return home. 

"Do you need any help, sweetie?" The lady from before asks, startling me as I didn't see her. 

"Um.. yes, I'm looking for a picture book for my five year old niece," I explain, she nods, smiling at me softly. 

"Has she by any chance got Alice the Fairy by David Shannon?" She ask, I shake my head, having no idea what the book is. She smiles at me sweetly before guiding me down a isle before stopping and grabbing a book from the bottom of the shelf, "This book is so cute, I read in to my grand children and they love it." She says, handing the book over to me. 

"Thank you," I say, looking down at the cover and smiling. 

"You're Reigns supposed mate, aren't you?" She asks, I nod softly, flicking my gaze up to her. "Then thank the moon goddess, she chose very well, you're very beautiful." I laugh at that, not used to ever being complimented. 

"Thank you, and as are you," I respond, smiling at her. 

"I hope she comes home soon, I'm not sure how long Marilyn has left before she loses it," she says, her voice sorrowful. 

"I hope so too," I whisper in response before changing the topic. "I'll take this one, my niece will love it." She smiles softly again before we go to the register and I pay for the book before bidding farewell, finally feeling tired. 

As soon as I make it to my guest room I put another layer of deodorant on before laying under the sheets and falling into a light slumber.