Page 17 of Beyond the Grasslands

“I meant no disrespect toward her.”

Warren shrugged his shoulders. “If I were in her shoes and my own mate didn’t have the time or presence of mind to deliver a message about our mating directly to me, I would also refuse them. It’s time to put aside your worries and go apologize to your mate.”

“I already offered my apologies.”

“You did that when she wasn’t yet conscious, if I recall.”

I huffed and turned my back on Warren once more. “What if I go and she denies me?”

“Then at least you will get it over with and can prepare yourself and your pack for the future. If nothing else, our pack deserves to know their fate. I’m not sure if you noticed, but they’re all anxiously waiting on news and no one truly feels secure right now. Your mate hasn’t been seen since she was brought back, and rumors from the staff who have had access to her is that she does not trust the pack at all. She even refused food from the staff, claiming they might have poisoned her.”

“Why was I not made aware?”

“I think those staff members were probably frightened that you would think they had done something to warrant that reaction from Nika. The pack only knows rumors and speculation. They aren’t aware of what really happened to your mate and I think that is part of the problem. We need to address what happened, and explain what the traitors of this pack have done.”

“I didn’t want to address the pack until the investigations were concluded, but I suppose there’s no getting around that.”

“There’s also no getting around your mate. You have to speak to her directly and I’m going out on a limb to state that I think it should be sooner rather than later. She knows your wolf has shared your bed with her every night, though I don’t think she fully realizes it is truly your bed she has been sleeping in.”

I offered a quick nod and a heavy sigh. “Time to be the Alpha.”

Warren shook his head. “Time to be the man who is meant to be her mate. She needs him more than she needs the Alpha of this pack.”

“When did you become so wise?”

He gave a very unaffected shrug and smirked at me. “I’ve always been better than most.”

It was difficult not to roll my eyes at my friend. “Is she in my room?”

“She has not left your suite since you brought her back to the pack.”

“I thought as much.”

It hurt me to know that my mate didn’t feel secure enough in my pack to leave the room. Essentially she had gone from one prison to another over the majority of the past year and it pained me to think that part of that time was when she was supposed to be under my care. How could she want to see me when I had failed her so spectacularly?”

After speaking with Warren, I left my office, locked up, and headed upstairs to my rooms where my mate had locked herself away from me and the rest of the pack. Actually, only part of that was completely true. I didn’t know if she had locked herself away from me. Truthfully, if she was aware of my nightly visits, then it meant she hadn’t freaked out, or called to have me removed, so maybe there was hope.

By the time I got to the room, Janella had just come out and quietly shut the door. She seemed startled when she turned around and saw me approach.

“Janella.”

“Alpha,” she answered back.

“I would like to speak to you soon about my cousin.”

“Your cousin?” The girl played stupid for my benefit, but she knew damn well that Viktor was my kin. I gave her a knowing look. “I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“Nevertheless, I want to know what has happened between the two of you and why my cousin is never present with the pack.”

Her eyes narrowed and when she answered, her voice carried a viciousness I didn’t think she was capable of. “That is something that you will have to ask him as he has made it very clear that he has more important things to handle than some silly girl with mate dreams.” Janella stomped off and I watchedher go. If my cousin had been dumb enough to reject his moon-blessed mate after everything he knew Nika and I had been through, then he had more than a talk coming to him. He had an ass whooping coming to him too.

I watched until Janella was gone from sight before I knocked on the door. “Come in,” My mate called out from the other side. I hesitated a moment and then finally pushed the door open to see Nika staring at me from the overstuffed chair that sat in front of the window. She had been looking down on the pack. I wondered if she longed to join them again, or if she now feared any interaction with them.

“Nika,” I started and then realized I had no words. Her beauty captivated me instead. It had been too long since I’d been able to take her in fully.

“That is still my name, last I checked.” Her smart ass reply should have been a roadblock thrown between us, instead it offered the comfort I needed to move closer.

“I deserved that, and so much more.” She shook her head as I took another step closer.

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