Kendrick

Frustration boiled in me. Felicity has been avoiding me for too long now. I can partly understand as to why she is ignoring me, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. Every time I think I am getting closer to her, to being in the same room with her, she's gone out another way. Away from me. I just want to see her beautiful face again.

I'm walking in the forest, not really paying attention to my surroundings, or what's going on around me. Suddenly, a hand holds me in place, I look up to see one of my border patrols, holding me back with a hand pressed against my chest. "What, what are you doing, Doug?" I stutter in surprise at his actions. He's never done something like this before.

"I'm sorry, Alpha, but I don't think you want to walk further. You might not like what you see."

"Well, you don't get to decide that for me," I say in outrage. I flick the hand that was holding me back off me with one hand.

"I know, Alpha, but with all that has gone on with your mate, I'm just worried that you might react in a way you'll regret. The whole pack knows she's been avoiding you like the plague." I look into his eyes and see genuine concern, but I know that anything that involves my mate I need to know about, even if I don't like it.

Doug sees the resolve in my eyes, and without me needing to say so, he steps back and lets me pass. Knowing I need to see what's going on. I quickened my pace, and I quickly understood why Doug cautioned me. A man I do not know is kissing my mate while his hand is touching a place on her body that I alone should have permission to.

My mouth is moving before I can even stop it. "GET. OFF. MY. MATE!" The man froze all movement, but that was it. It was my mate who turned her face towards me.

I risked a glance away from this intruder to look at my mate to make sure she was okay. The fear that was once in her eyes faded away as our eyes made contact. The anger in me faded as I felt reassured that she was fine and unharmed. "What are you doing on my property wolf, molesting MY MATE! Who are you and what do you want? I suggest you think and answer wisely."

Nothing happened for a few moments, but once my voice and words registered in his ears, it's like I hit fast forward to this situation. The man jumped back so quickly he almost fell flat on his back but caught himself against a tree. I would have laughed if not for the fury electrifying my veins. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the corners of Felicity's mouth twitch.

"Oh! I-I- didn't-" That was all that came from him. I could see the realization of what he had done flicker through his eyes.

"Felicity, please come to me." I extend my hand to her, and she quickly walked over, taking my hand and standing beside me. "Well, I'm waiting for an answer, wolf. I know you are from her old pack. The scent is familiar, but I don't see why you are here. Without permission from the Alpha, who also happens to have found you with your hand down his mate's pants. I suggest you speak quickly because the longer you take to answer, the worse the case will be for you."

He glances appealingly towards my mate, looking for help, "don"t look at her, look at me! I demand an explanation!"

Felicity begins to laugh uncontrollably and seems unable to stop as she rests her hands against her knees after releasing herself from my grasp while simultaneously looking at the man who now stands decidedly uncomfortable, I can't help but begin to crack a smile at the sound of my mate's laugh. It's as if all is right in the world as long as I can hear that sound forever. "Ke-Kendrick, don't be too hard on Lance. Lance, I suppose in your rush over here, you didn't stop to hear that I didn't leave the pack because of Warren and Lana. I left because I found my mate in Lana's cousin, Kendrick." She directs her hand towards me.

The realization flickers in his eyes. "I'm so sorry! I didn't know!" I thought Felicity just left for another random Alpha, so I thought I could come here to resume our usual arrangement. It was never anything more than sex between us. Please don't kill me. If I had known you were her mate, I would never have come. We always enjoyed our time together, even while she was with Warren."

My mind freezes on part of his statement, and I can see from the look on my mate's face that that little secret is something she is not proud of.

"Man, hearing my dirty laundry tossed around like that is really not pleasant." I growl at the thought of my mate upset and for this Lance guy to speak so casually about my mate and her sexual escapades. Not that it entirely bothers me because I know the reasons behind it, but I don't want her to feel bad about herself again. Especially after everything that's happened.

"Watch your tongue! Do you have any idea what my mate has been through!" A gentle hand calms my temper to a light simmer.

"It's okay Kendrick, its just another thing I need to face. I was never faithful to Warren, as much as I hate to say it out loud. Lance, you've been gone for a while, so I guess you really missed out on a lot this little while?" He shakes his head in confusion, showing he hasn't heard anything.

"What exactly did I miss? What's going on?" He gives us both a nervous look, but when he looks at me, there is a protective clean in his eyes that tells me that he's threatening me if I've done something. I smile back at him, as much as this man has pretended not to care for Felicity at all. To me, it is plain as day he does. He clearly feels something for her. The specifics are not clear, but I feel reassured that he won't do something about them. I can't explain how I know this, but I do. My gut tells me to trust this wolf.

"Hey. Don't look at my mate like that! Come Lance, walk with us, and I'll explain everything to you," she calls to him. We turn simultaneously, so I'm still holding her right hand. He strolls up to us but still looks at me warily, as if he's expecting me to attack him. For fun, I smile with all of my teeth, and he flinches back a step. I learned a long time ago how intimidating I look when I do this. Now I do it for a little fun. I've been told I look a bit like a shark that's about to attack its prey.

Felicity nudges me in the ribs, a silent warning to cut it out. She didn't even look at me, but I understood her warning.

As we walk, my mate opens up to Lance about her past, what happened with Lance, her father, the rogues, and me. As she got to that part, Lance gave me the most threatening stare I have ever seen an unranked wolf make at a superior. I ignored it but filed it away for later. He met my eyes for all of five seconds, but even for that long, it was impressive. Gears started turning in my head, but I pushed it aside for now.

If it weren't for the feeling of my mate's hand in my own, the smell of her scent permeating the air around us, I wouldn't have been able to contain my growls throughout the telling of her story.

Not once during all of this did she look up from the ground. Her hand tightened sharply in mine as she finally asked Lance, "So, what do you think? I know it's a lot to take in, with all its painful and colorful twists and turns, but I felt like I should tell you. After all, you were a part of it."

She finally looks up at Lance, and so do I. He was completely silent. He was looking in our direction, but it was as if he wasn't seeing us. Felicity let go of my hand to wipe away the tears from her face, and that's when he unfreezes. Before either of us could move, he approached her quickly and threw his arms tightly around her.

That's when she burst in sobs. He held her in his arms, whispering to her. He told her none of it was her fault, that she was safe, and had a wonderful mate who was here to protect her from all future dangers and to help her overcome her past demons if she let me. She leaned her head on his shoulder as he apologized to her for not realizing what was going on and being an active part in actions he knew she regretted.

As much as I wanted to snatch her away from the embrace, I knew she needed this. Jealousy was not important right now. It was as he told her that for the rest of his life, he would make it up to her. To always protect her and be the friend she always needed, but never truly had until now. It seems my mate has developed the uncanny ability to stir up protective and loyal instincts in those around her. Especially when she let's people in.

It amazes me how people respond to her, and I know it surprises her, too. She was always seen by others but never truly known. Never really had people care for her so deeply.

Lance finally let her go, nudging her towards me, and I took her into my arms, pressing her back to my front. I lean my head against the top of her head, pressing a kiss there.

We watch as Lance rubs his palms across his thighs. "Look, Felicity, I've already said it, but I want to say it again. I am so, so sorry for how I've treated you. Looking back on how I've acted, the things I've said to you. As I listened to your story, I had flashbacks of us together, and I am so ashamed that I didn't care enough to notice the difficulties you were having."

"Felicity, I was so absorbed in my own needs and wants that I didn't care about you at all." He rubs his fingers through his hair in agitation, "I mean, look at me! What am I doing here? Running after a girl that's not even mine. And her mate catching us in the worst possible position." He shakes his head in bafflement.

"Kendrick, you are a much better man than I could ever be. I would have killed any man for what I did to you back there, what you had to see, and yet here I stand." He spreads his hands out, looking down at himself. "I am disgusted with myself. Maybe this is why I'm still mateless."

Lance abruptly turns and punches the closest tree to him. Frustration and unexpected self hatred winning out. Felicity tries to move forward, but I stop her and whisper in her hair, "shh. Let him speak, just watch."

It's after I say that that things really begin to burst forth out of Lance. All his confessions coming out.

"This entire time, Felicity, I've been sleeping with you to get back at Warren. That smug ass has been the bane of my existence. This may sound stupid, but I've always hated him for the very reason he's the alpha's son. Do you have any idea what that's like for me? To watch as everyone moons over him. The way his parents have always been to every one of his school events, care to listen to his opinions and how responsible he is, and willing to be our next Alpha.

All I've ever heard from girls is how handsome he is, how they all wish he was their mate. All the guys are talking about how they wish they were like him, saying what a great guy he is. I'm sick and tired of hearing, seeing, and living under his shadow. It's so stupid to envy him, and he's always had everything handed to him. Things always came easy for him, and he never had to work for it." He spits on the ground in self-disgust.

"I hate watching as he gets everything he's wanted, and so when I realized I could have you and he would never know, I took painful enjoyment of it. I've never lived with anyone caring for me, not my parents, my siblings, and not my friends who are the most shallow people I know. I wanted you as a way to get back at him for everything I never had." He begins to pace and pull at his hair, anxiously pacing before me.

"I was always alone. So alone. Instead of facing it, I found a bad excuse to ignore the pain and began to hate Warren. I see it now. It was all the angry and sadness building up. Each time growing up I was left alone on my own. My parents and older siblings are mostly strangers to me, and yet they always act like we're the perfect family, but we're not. I've always been the black sheep.

Behind him in the woods, I see two patrols moving forward but staying a distance where Lance can't hear them but I shake my hand letting them know it's unnecessary and they silently step back out of sight without a sound.

I finally try to put a stop to this downward spiral Lance has started on. "Lance, look at me. It's okay, everything will be fine now. We both used each other for our own reasons, reasons we did not want to face. But we both can let go of the anger, self-hatred, and disgust we have for ourselves, and it is time to finally live our own lives."

"You'll find your mate soon. Just be patient. She'll come when the timing is right. At least now that you've let out all your hateful emotions, you can now face her with a healing heart, ready for the next step of life. I know this will happen to you. I can feel it in my bones."

Slowly, Felicity left my arms and walked up to him again, and gave him a hug. Now it was his turn to shed some tears. His were silent and surprisingly calm, but the painful release was there all the time.

It seems like my mate is turning into an emotional helper and advisor. She'll make a great and caring leader over time.

Finally, they split apart from their hug, and both look to me. Felicity's eyes looked at me beseechibgly.

"Lance, by the look on my mate's face, I can see what she wants me to do. So, would you like to stay with us for a time? And if you're interested, you can join our pack, I know Felicity would love for you to stay." I say with a kind smile, letting him know I'm serious.

"Thank you for the offer. I think I will stay here for a couple of days. I will consider your second offer as well but right now all I can say there is there is a good possibility that will happen."

Together, we all returned to the house. My mind on a hundred things at once. I
A plan formulating in my mind and my fondness for the idea growing with each step that brings us closer to our home.

I will bring it up to Felicity when I finally have a moment alone with her. After being together, I can not accept going back to being alone. I need her more than I ever realized.