Her Rogue Mate

Chapter 4

Abby watched the screen after Lucas left. She watched Joe struggle into a sitting position, wincing as pain etched itself across his face. Even through the grainy footage, she could see how hard he was breathing, his expression twisted with discomfort. She wondered how badly he was hurt.

She wanted to go to him. Wanted to press her hands to his chest and find the damage herself.

Lucas walked back into the room. Joe was still staring directly at the camera, and Abby found it difficult to look away, even knowing Lucas was watching her.

“What’s he doing?” Lucas asked, stepping close enough to look over her shoulder.

“Nothing. Just staring at the camera. I don’t think he noticed it until you spoke to me.”

“How did he seem when he sat up?”

“He’s hurt.”

Lucas nodded. “He tried to move a couple of times while we were talking, but he couldn’t get up. I’ll call the doctor to check on him.” His gaze shifted to her. “I need you to look into who he is.”

“Do you really think he was asked to be beta of his pack?”

Lucas scoffed. “If he was asked to be beta, why is he a rogue? Why would he walk away from that position?”

“You didn’t ask him that.”

She knew she was pushing it, but to her surprise, Lucas smiled slightly as he straightened.

“You have a point. Maybe I should have.” He crossed the room and punched the clinic extension into the phone on the wall, requesting a doctor for the prisoner in cell 2B. When he turned back to her, his expression sharpened. “Why did you come downstairs?”

Abby swallowed. “I just… I was worried you were going to hurt him.”

Lucas’s eyes narrowed. “Really? Have I ever hurt someone more than intended during an interrogation?”

She shook her head, unable to meet his gaze.

“So why did you really come downstairs?”

She rolled her bottom lip between her teeth. “I just didn’t like seeing him get hurt.”

“Why?”

She glanced up to find him watching her closely, his brow furrowed.

She shrugged, unsure how to explain something she didn't fully understand herself.

“Why was he interested in who you are?” Lucas asked after a moment.

“I don’t know.” She stared down at her hands.

“You’re a terrible liar,” he said mildly. “You should work on that.”

Her eyes drifted back to the monitor. Joe was trying to drag himself toward the mattress, each movement slow and labored. His soft groans of pain came through the speakers, tightening something in her chest.

“So why did you interrupt the interrogation?” Lucas pressed.

She looked at him, frowning. “Why do you think I interrupted you, Lucas?” The challenge in her voice was unmistakable.

He smirked. “That’s better. Answering a question with a question. Nice deflection.”

She rolled her eyes. “I’m going to start researching Joe Rutter.”

**

They worked in silence. The only sound was the muted audio from the monitor. Eventually, Joe managed to crawl onto the mattress. Not long after, a doctor entered the cell and examined him before ordering a stretcher and x-rays.

Uncovering Joe Rutter’s background was easier than Abby expected. Running his name through the council database returned a hit on his aunt, tied to a case from when Abby had still been a toddler. She read the reports with growing fascination.

Once she identified Joe’s pack, the rest fell into place, though his reasons for leaving remained frustratingly absent.

“Find anything?” Lucas asked after nearly an hour.

“Yes,” she said, not looking up. “I know where he came from.”

“Good.” Lucas stretched. “That was faster than I anticipated. I made a list of people to interview. Tell me what you’ve got.”

She turned her chair toward him, notes in hand. “Joseph Mark Rutter. Twenty-three years old. Former member of the Green River pack.”

“Why does that pack sound familiar?” Lucas frowned. “Go on.”

“He was the beta’s son.”

Lucas blinked. “So his claim about being offered the beta position might not be a lie.”

“Seems that way.” Abby glanced down at her notes. “He had an aunt, Cheree Rutter. She murdered the luna and kidnapped the alpha heir as an infant.”

“Are you serious?”

“Unfortunately, yes. She was in love with the alpha and obsessed. When she killed the luna, the alpha died from the loss of his mate. The beta, Ty Williams, took over as alpha and searched for the child, but never found him.”

She took a breath. “Five years later, the child turned up in the Red Moon pack, raised by their beta. The alpha of Red Moon had slaughtered a group of rogues after his mate was killed and found the baby afterward. He assumed he’d killed the child’s parents and hid the truth from the council by claiming the child was an orphan.”

Lucas shook his head slowly.

“But Cheree wasn’t dead,” Abby continued. “She convinced herself the baby was hers and gathered hundreds of rogues to attack the pack. That’s when the council stepped in. The rogues were driven out, and Cheree was killed.”

She flipped the page. “After that, the Green River alpha allowed the Red Moon beta to formally adopt the child. Two years ago, that child returned to Green River as an adult to take his place as alpha. Joe left the pack shortly after. There’s no official reason listed, but I’d guess it has something to do with his family connection to Cheree.”

“Holy shit.” Lucas rubbed his chin. “Who’s the alpha?”

“Evan Greene.”

Lucas’s eyes widened. “I know Evan. He used to be a head warrior here. He was practically guaranteed an advisor position before he left. He’s a beast. Best fighter I’ve ever seen.”

“Do you think he can tell us more about Joe?”

“Probably. Look up the pack’s number.”

“I already have it.”

Lucas smiled and pulled out his phone, putting the call on speaker between them.

“Hello?” a woman answered.

“My name is Lucas Watts. I’m the head investigator for the werewolf council. I’m trying to reach Alpha Evan Greene.”

“Oh.” She paused. “He’s at training right now. I can mindlink him, but he may want to wait until after lunch to call you back. Is there something I can help you with? I’m his mate and Luna, Kari.”

“Perhaps,” Lucas said, glancing at Abby. “I should let you know my trainee is here as well.”

“Okay.”

“We’re seeking information about Joseph Rutter.”

Silence stretched across the line, long enough that Abby wondered if the call had dropped.

“What do you need to know about Joe?” Kari finally asked, her voice fragile enough to make Abby’s chest ache.

“You know him?” Lucas said carefully.

“I grew up in this pack. I was the previous alpha’s daughter. Joe and I grew up together. We were… friends.”

The way she said friends made Abby’s stomach twist.

“Can you tell us why Joe left the pack?”

“That’s a long story,” Kari said with a heavy sigh. “I’d prefer my mate be present for that conversation.”

“That’s acceptable,” Lucas replied, though Abby caught the edge of impatience beneath his professionalism. He left his number and requested a return call as soon as possible.

A sound from the monitor drew Abby’s attention. She turned just in time to see a stretcher wheeled into the cell. Two guards carefully transferred Joe onto it. He groaned as they settled him, his face tightening in pain.

A sharp ache bloomed in Abby’s chest, and Marli whimpered softly.

I wish we could go to him, Marli whispered.

You know we can’t, Abby replied, eyes still fixed on the screen.

“When are you going to tell me what’s going on with you and him?” Lucas asked quietly.

She turned to find him watching her with unnerving focus.

“What are you talking about?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow.

He nodded slowly. “That was better. More believable. Still needs work.”