Her Rogue Mate

Chapter 2

They headed back toward forensics after going over the notes, which hadn’t offered much insight. Eli Clark and Lincoln Rodgers had been patrol partners for only three months. Eli was twenty, fresh out of the academy in May. He hadn’t even left the compound on assignment yet. Lincoln was twenty-two and had been with the council just over a year. He’d gone out on assignment to New Sky but returned early when his mate was close to giving birth.

Abby’s voice had cracked when she told Lucas that Lincoln’s pup had been born just two weeks ago. She couldn’t stop thinking about his mate and how she must be holding up.

Everyone knew that losing a mate could kill a wolf if they weren’t strong enough. Werewolves were considered fortunate in the supernatural world because each of them was gifted a mate by the Moon Goddess. Finding that mate was like finding the missing half of your soul. The pull was inescapable, the bond unlike anything else. Losing a mate, whether through death or rejection, shattered a wolf in ways most never fully recovered from.

Abby wouldn’t know. She hadn’t found her mate yet. Still, that didn’t stop her from aching for Lincoln’s mate, Olivia. From what Abby had read, Olivia was a few years older than Lincoln and had worked in Guest Services for years before he arrived at the compound.

They took the elevator down to the hospital’s lower level, where forensics was housed. Abby scanned the room and spotted Norah in the back corner. Norah smiled and gave her a quick wave before turning back to her computer.

“Who’s running forensics on the rogue case?” Lucas asked the receptionist. The woman was older, with square-rimmed glasses and a sharp, pointed nose.

“Winnie Alvarez,” she replied without looking up.

“And where can I find her?”

The woman gestured vaguely toward the back of the room.

“Thanks,” Lucas muttered. He stopped a passing tech, who pointed out Winnie. She stood at one of the tables, short black hair framing her face, olive skin and dark eyes focused on the paperwork spread in front of her.

Winnie glanced up as they approached. “Lucas Watts. I figured you’d show up.”

“What’ve you got for me, Win?” Lucas leaned a hip against the table and scanned her notes.

“Not much yet,” she said. “My techs processed the scene all night. There’s a lot to untangle. Several different blood types. Fur from at least four different wolves.” She sighed. “It’s going to take days before I have anything solid.”

“The commander said this case is a priority.”

“I’m sure he did.” Winnie rolled her eyes, then seemed to remember herself and glanced at Abby.

Abby pretended she hadn’t noticed.

“I’ll call when I have something useful,” Winnie said, already turning back to her work. “It’s way too early for answers, and you know that.”

“I can hope,” Lucas said, one corner of his mouth lifting.

“You can,” Winnie replied. “Now go away. I’ve got work to do.”

They headed back out.

“That was pointless,” Abby muttered, folding her arms against the cool October air.

“Was it?” Lucas asked. “She didn’t say anything important?”

Abby replayed Winnie’s words in her head. “Fur from four different wolves.”

Lucas nodded. “Exactly. We only know about three. That confirms it wasn’t just the rogue.”

“He’s the one they left behind?”

“That’s my guess. They probably thought he was dead when he didn’t shift.”

They took the elevator to the fourth floor. Abby went straight to her desk and the monitor displaying the cell feed. The man was sitting upright on the thin mattress, his back pressed to the wall. His hair hung over his face.

“He’s awake,” Lucas said.

Marli chose that moment to let out a soft, unsettled whine.

“I’m going down there,” Lucas said, rolling his sleeves up. “You stay here and monitor. If I give the signal, come down.”

Abby nodded. She knew the routine. They’d done this plenty of times. She also knew Lucas didn’t trust her to handle anything beyond observation.

He’s an asshole, Marli muttered.

He’s the best, Abby replied.

He can be both, Marli shot back.

Abby leaned forward as Lucas entered the cell, unlocking the door with the guard’s key. She turned the volume up, listening as his footsteps echoed across the concrete floor.

“You’re awake,” Lucas said.

“Good eye, Captain Obvious,” the man rasped. “Where am I?”

“You’re at the main headquarters of the Werewolf Council,” Lucas replied. “Do you know why?”

“Did I win something?” The man didn’t look up. There was no humor in his voice.

“Two council warriors were killed last night.”

“That’s unfortunate.”

Lucas dropped into a crouch in front of him. Abby turned the volume up further, catching the edge in his voice. “Unfortunate? One of them had a mate and a newborn pup. You were found injured and unconscious at the scene.”

Silence followed.

“You think I did it?” the man asked finally. He didn’t sound shocked. Just tired.

“Did you?”

“I don’t remember anything.”

Lucas moved so fast Abby almost missed it. He grabbed the man’s arm, yanked him off the mattress, and hurled him across the cell. The man hit the floor hard, the sound sickening. He groaned and curled slightly on his side.

“Let’s try that again!” Lucas roared.

The feedback squealed through the speaker and Abby quickly turned the volume down. Lucas crossed the cell in two strides, fisting his hand in the man’s hair and dragging him upright. The man clawed at Lucas’s wrists, crying out.

“What happened to the warriors?” Lucas demanded.

“I don’t f*****g know!” the man shouted back.

Abby knew it was the wrong answer before Lucas threw him again. His body slammed into the cinder block wall before crumpling to the floor.

Make him stop, Marli pleaded.

Why? Abby asked, her eyes locked on the screen.

I don’t like this. He’s going to hurt him. Don’t let Lucas hurt him.

Abby tried to shut Marli out as Lucas loomed over the man, who was barely moving now.

“Want to try again?” Lucas asked coldly.

“I don’t have another answer,” the man groaned, rolling onto his back. “I don’t remember. I’m not lying.”

Abby couldn’t explain it, but she believed him. Something deep in her gut told her he was telling the truth.

“We can keep doing this,” Lucas said casually. “Or we can move this to an interrogation room.”

Abby’s stomach twisted. Interrogation room was just another word for torture. The Werewolf Council had no qualms against torture to gain needed information. Normally she pushed that reality aside. But imagining this man under Lucas’s full attention made her feel sick.

Please stop him, Marli begged.

Abby shoved back from the desk and bolted. She ran down the stairs two at a time, past the guards, straight into the cell area.

The smell hit her first.

The cells were usually damp and stale, but this was different. Cedarwood flooded her senses, rich and overwhelming. Her gaze snapped to the man on the floor. His black hair brushed his chin, his beard thick and unkempt. Bruises bloomed across his bare chest as it rose and fell with labored breaths.

His dark gray eyes locked onto hers.

Mate, Marli howled.