Her Rogue Mate

Chapter 6

Abby watched Lucas leave the cell. Joe lay back on the mattress, his eyes closed. She found herself watching the steady rise and fall of his chest, counting his breaths, until the door opened behind her.

Lucas frowned as he stepped into the room.

“I need to call Celia,” he muttered, referring to his mate. “Go get some lunch. Take your phone. I’ll text you if the alpha from Green River calls.”

Abby nodded, giving the monitor one last look before grabbing her cell phone and heading out. Most werewolves didn’t rely on phones much, but at the council they were necessary. Packs used mindlinks to communicate, but the council didn't operate like a pack. Abby knew the basics of pack structure, but having never lived in one herself, she didn’t truly understand what that connection felt like.

She had grown up on this compound, or close enough to it. Both of her parents had worked here, and her father still did. She’d lived in a comfortable house just outside the gates and attended the same school as the other children of council workers. This place was all she had ever known.

She briefly considered going back to her room for lunch, but there wasn’t much there to eat. Lucas always sent her out around this time anyway. He called Celia every day at lunch, without fail. Abby knew nothing about Lucas’s mate beyond her name. As far as she was aware, no one had ever met her. There were plenty of rumors, but Abby never asked. Lucas was not the type to share details about his personal life.

She walked into the central courtyard, heading toward the Commander’s Headquarters. The cafeteria was located in the basement, one of two dining areas on the compound. Warriors were required to eat in the North Barracks dining hall, but anyone working in the inner buildings could eat here.

The wind cut through the courtyard, cool and sharp, making Abby wish she’d brought a jacket. Leaves swirled around her feet, bright yellow and orange, some spinning together in small gusts of wind. She stopped for a moment to watch them, her thoughts drifting back to the man in the cells.

Her mate.

She was so lost in thought that she didn’t hear Norah until a hand landed on her shoulder.

“I’ve been yelling for you to stop,” Norah huffed, clearly having jogged to catch up. “Where is your head right now?”

“Sorry,” Abby said, forcing a small smile. “We got a new case today. I guess I’m just distracted.”

“I bet.” Norah shook her head. “It’s all anyone at the hospital is talking about. They brought the warriors’ bodies in this morning for analysis. Winnie said I can assist.”

“That’s great,” Abby said, smiling at her friend’s obvious excitement.

Norah had long black hair, dark eyes nearly the color of midnight, bronzed skin, and freckles scattered across her nose. She was training as a forensic analyst at the hospital, where she’d worked since graduating from the Werewolf Academy three years ago alongside Abby. They’d been inseparable since meeting there. Norah had wanted to escape her small northern pack. Abby had wanted to stay right where she was.

“I’m heading to lunch,” Abby said, turning to walk again. “Want to come?”

“Don’t have to ask me twice,” Norah said, grinning as she fell into step beside her.

They crossed the grounds, Norah filling the space with the latest hospital drama. There was always someone sleeping with someone they shouldn’t, always some kind of mess brewing. Lucas had warned Abby more than once to keep her distance from hospital staff, but she ignored him when it came to Norah.

Inside the Commander’s Headquarters, they took the stairs down to the cafeteria. After waiting in line, they grabbed sandwiches and fruit and found a booth near the back. The cafeteria stretched across the entire basement, filled with round tables, long communal ones, and booths lining the walls. The lunch crowd was thickening, but their spot afforded a bit of privacy.

“So,” Norah said, taking a bite of her sandwich, “tell me about the case.”

“They found a rogue near the warriors,” Abby said. “He was wounded and unconscious.”

“Is it the same one they wheeled in this morning for x-rays?”

Abby nodded. “Lucas interrogated him earlier. Broke a few ribs when he threw him into a wall.”

“He’s disgusting,” Norah said, wrinkling her nose. “I’ve seen rogues before, but this one was next level. Filthy. Hair all matted. And the smell.” She shuddered.

Abby focused on keeping her expression neutral. She didn’t like hearing Joe described that way, but she knew it was only because he was her mate. Nothing Norah said was technically wrong. Abby just couldn’t stop how deeply it affected her.

“Did you learn anything from him?” Norah asked when Abby didn’t respond.

“You know I can’t talk about that,” Abby said quietly, staring down at her plate.

“I know, I know.” Norah glanced around the cafeteria, then sighed. “One of the warriors had a mate. They just had a pup two weeks ago. I can’t imagine what she’s going through.”

Abby’s chest tightened. “I know.”

Norah studied her. “Are you okay?”

Abby looked up.

“You seem… off,” Norah said gently. “Like something’s bothering you.”

Abby shrugged, words tangling in her throat. She wanted to tell Norah everything. But she knew Norah would react logically. Reasonably. She would insist Abby disclose her mate to the council.

She could already imagine the look on her father’s face.

“What would you do,” Abby said slowly, “if your mate wasn’t what you expected?”

Norah tilted her head. “What do you mean?”

“Like,” Abby said, choosing her words carefully, “you find your mate, but he turns out to be someone you can’t be with. Someone… terrible.”

Norah frowned. “I’d reject him, I guess. I wouldn’t want to be tied to someone awful.”

“But he’s your mate,” Abby pressed. “There’s the bond. The pull. The Goddess chose him for you.”

“I’d probably be furious with the Goddess for giving me a shitty mate,” Norah said bluntly.

“What would you do?” Abby asked softly.

Norah’s eyes narrowed. “Where is this coming from, Abs? Did you find your mate?”

“No,” Abby said quickly. “Just… an old case file I was reading. It got me thinking.”

Norah studied her for a moment, then sighed. “Maybe you should stop reading case files late at night. That can’t be good for you.”

“Yeah,” Abby murmured, sinking back into the booth. “You’re probably right.”

She was about to change the subject when her phone chirped in her pocket. She pulled it out and saw the message from Lucas. The Green River alpha was calling.

Abby stood abruptly. “I have to go.”