Alpha Nicholas
Chapter 16 –

Bonnie "MATE!"

Excuse me... The moment I hear that word coming from Lily my head snaps in her direction. I'm in so much shock that I can't seem to say a word but then I realize that I've only heard her say the word and no one else. "I don't understand..." Gamma James takes the words right out of my mouth and I'm pretty sure everyone else's too. "Mate! Where is my mate?" Lilly's wolf Rain is pissed but I get it.

"Well, it ain't me," James says.

"Nor me. Although that is a shame" Will grunts.

"Not me." My mate says making me want to roll my eyes.

"Aint me either." The guy who hauled Lily in says.

"I don't get it. I can smell my mate and feel slight tingles running through my body but I know he isn't here." Poor Lilly sounds confused and sad as she starts walking over to the other side of the room seeming to zone out. "What the hell is going on?" James grunts. Before anyone else can say another word a loud growl echoes from the hallway and just seconds later the door is once away swung open and an angry-looking Beta Shane comes storming in.

"Where is she?" He looks pissed and I'm pretty sure his wolf has got some control of him. Wait... is he? "My mate. I can smell her but I can't replace-" His head snaps in the direction of Lilly before he finishes speaking and "MATE!" echos around the room as they both growl at the same time.

"I can't believe I've finally found you." He looks in awe of Lilly and insanely in love with her already as he slowly walks towards her seeming afraid to move too fast in case he scares her. As for Lily, she has a strange look on her face. She appears happy to have met him but there is something else there, I'm sure quite sure what it is but I can sense something is off.

Everyone in the room remains silent as we watch Lily and Beta Shane replace out they are mates and aside from our current situation, this is a pretty incredible moment to witness. I've never been this close when mates have been found before, it's quite fascinating. Of course, watching this scene, and seeing how beta Shane instantly wants his mate also makes this moment bittersweet for me.

I look to my left and notice Alpha Nicholas staring at me but I can't pay it any attention and instead focus back on my best friend as she talks with her mate. I don't know a great deal about Beta Shane but it's clear that he wants her and I can feel deep down that he's going to be good for her. Clearly, he's nothing like his older brother.

"Wait, why are you here? Has something happened?" Shane wraps his arm around Lily and turns to face his Alpha brother and I can't keep the smile of my face when I watch my best friend lean into her mate. She's going to be ok, she's going to have a good life with her mate I can feel it.

Alpha Nicholas goes on to tell them about us out in the woods and being dragged back including Lily's little attempt to escape and I almost laugh at the expression on Beta Shanes's face at his mate's antics, and I don't miss the growl that leaves his mouth at the mention of another male carrying his mate.

Everyone looks at the door to replace the warrior looking a little white as he holds his hands up in the air "I was just doing my job, Beta, Shane. I also had no idea that she was your mate." He almost stumbles over his words causing both Gamma Will and the other brother to burst out laughing. Wait... what role does the youngest brother have in the pack?

"He hasn't done anything wrong, brother and you know it so chill your ass while we replace out what's going on." Alpha grunts which in turn makes Beta Shane grunt and reluctantly nod. "Fine! but he touches her again and I'll chop his balls off!" his words have everyone laughing while the Warrior nods his head with a slight smirk on his face. "Noted, Beta."

I watch as everyone silently starts to take seats and I'm guided to a chair next to Lily as reality sets back in. They are going to want to know everything. Why we were in the forest? Why we were trying to leave? We can tell them the story that we told the warriors but they aren't going to believe us. One we have backpacks with us and two, now that Beta Shane is Lily's mate, he will know that she's lying. There's also the fact that she won't want to lie to him either and she's going to want to tell him her story, as her mate he deserves to know and I get that but for me, this is going to be the end of everything.

While the men start talking Lily turns to face me and just the look on her face tells me that she knows exactly what I'm thinking, she knows me too well not to. She takes my hand giving it a gentle squeeze then leans down to whisper. "I've got you. Just follow me." I don't know what she's got planned but I trust her.

"So would you ladies like to tell us why you were out in the forest tonight? And before you try to tell us any lies please remember that Shane is now mated with you Lily and he'll know if you are lying." Nicholas turns his head and looks straight at me and I know exactly what he is thinking, as my mate he'll also know if I'm lying.

How can he sit there so calmly? Can't he feel the pull between us? Can't he feel the tingles running through his veins like I can? Doesn't his heart beat so fast that he fears a heart attack like I do? I watch as his eyes flash to an almost golden color for a moment before back to his normal dark brown. I'm pretty sure his wolf was peeking through because Lexi is whining like hell in my head.

"I don't want to lie to my mate but some of my story is personal and if it is ok with you, I'd like to share it with my mate privately, at least for the time being. However, I will be as honest as I can be." Nicholas appears satisfied with her answer but then his eyes land on me and I just pray that I'm convincing enough. "The same goes for me." He nods before turning his attention back to Lily which I'm grateful for because if he asked me to go first I wouldn't even know where to start.

"So first of all, my name is Lily-Mae Carlo, and I am 18 years old. I was 18 two days ago." I see Shane's eyes flash when she says she is 18 but it soon passes, I'm guessing he is older than her. "When I was 4 my dad moved my mom and me to our current pack, and while all of the pack believed that it was because my mom wanted a fresh start, it was not. Before we moved my dad was insanely verbally and mentally abusive towards my mom and me but after we moved he also became physically abusive." The next few seconds are filled with snarls and growls from all of the men in the room, Shane more than anyone but I get it. "He moved you to a new pack so he could abuse you where people didn't know you... where you didn't have any family?" Nicholas asks. He's worked that out quickly which doesn't bold well for when I have to talk. "He did. My mom... She died a few years ago. He told me it was a Rogue attack but I suspect it was him. After her death, his abuses only got worse."

"So that's why you were running? You were trying to get away from your dad?" She nods at her mate's words as he pulls her in closer to him. "The plan was to leave the day of my 18th birthday but then we were informed about the new law on everyone attending the Blue Moon Ball and decided to use the ball as our escape point."

The silence in the room is deafening but then the dreaded moment comes when my mate's attention turns to me. "So where do you come into this?" Fuck! Thankfully, Lily steps in before I can mess things up. "I met Bonnie the first day of pre-school and we have been best friends ever since. She knows all about my life and has always been my biggest supporter and a shoulder to cry on whenever I have needed it. She isn't very close with her family so when I told her my plan to leave she decided to come with me." I love this girl. She's not so much lied but just reworded the truth a little and made it sound believable without my own sorry life being dragged into it. "I know I have no right to ask for a favor, but if this could be kept quiet from our families it would be greatly appreciated. We didn't get away but them knowing will just cause trouble that neither of us needs." Lily's practically pleading but in my head so am I. "Ok. We will keep this quiet for now, but I may have more questions for you at some point." Lily nods happy with his answer but I'm still tense, still waiting for more to go wrong.

After another few minutes of everyone talking, Nicholas lets everyone go to get some sleep. It's almost 2 am and everyone is dead on their feet. Shit! how the hell am I going to explain getting back to the room so late my dad? "Bonnie. I would like to talk to you, please. Come take a seat." Shit!