Alpha Nicholas
Chapter 51 –

Bonnie

Today has been a nightmare! With everything that has happened, you would think that it has happened over several days, but nope, it has all happened in one very long ass day! How can so much happen in one day? How can I feel so many emotions in one day? I don't know the answers to those questions, but what I do know is that I am tired, emotional and, as much as I want the assholes that are locked up dealt with, I'm also ready to be done with the day, and thankfully for me, my mate seems to notice. "Lily, thank you for being so open with everyone here. What you told us today will not be told to anyone else. It will also not be discussed outside of this room either unless it is in my company or if permission is given by you. Do I make myself clear?" He shouts the last part making sure everyone in the room hears him loud and clear and, of course, they are all quick to nod their agreement and I don't miss the slight look of relief on Lily's face. She doesn't know everyone in here yet, neither of us does, and she was brave to share her story with all of them, so I can only imagine the relief she's feeling from having the Alpha's word.

"Thank you, Alpha Nicholas. Thank you everyone!" After a few minutes of chatter and the men reassuring her, Nick pulls everyone's attention back to him. "I know that we are all eager to get these matters dealt with, however, both Bonine and Lily have had a long day and I don't want either of them to overdo it, so I am going to call an end to today, and we will resume things were we have left them first thing in the morning."

Everyone nods their agreement and to be honest, I think most of them are slightly relieved. Of course, I don't doubt that they are all more than capable of going all night to do what's needed, but that doesn't mean that they ain't all worn out and ready for bed. "The night guards will be starting their shift in a few minutes. We'll double the number of guards, two for each pensioner and access to the cells will be limited to only those with permission. I will also arrange for another guard to bring down food. I don't want Suzzy anywhere near them."

After a few minutes of getting everything in place, the night guards arrive and are given the same instructions as we were and then we all head out of the cells. Of course, we are greeted with some lovely words from the prisoners, but we ignore them and let them stew as we leave the cells and walk away from the nightmare that is my life. Once we are outside, we say goodbye to everyone, including Nick's brothers, Sophie and Lily, and when it's just Nick and I left, a thought hits me. "Shit!"

"What's wrong, sweetheart?" I give Nick a confused look until I realize what I have done. "I said that out loud, didn't I?" He lets out a little chuckle as he nods. "You did. What's wrong? Talk to me." I shake my head, but if I don't answer him then I'm not sure how I can figure this out. "I was... am... well, I was just wondering... where am I going now? Do I have to go back to the hospital or would you like me to replace somewhere to stay in the local town?" The last thing I want to do right now is spend the night alone, but I don't see that I have any choice. I won't ask Lily to stay with me, nor will I ask my mate... I can't.

He gives me a strange look as if he's trying to figure me out before he shakes his head. "No, you don't need to go back to the hospital. I spoke to the doctor earlier, and he said you should be fine, but he would like to see you once a day for the next few days just to keep a check on you."

"Ok. I'll head into the town then. What time would you like me back here tomorrow?" My chest aches at the idea of leaving my mate, but it's just how things are right now. "You don't need to go into town. You can stay here at the pack house." As much as I like the idea of being close to him my head and heart are still at war with each other and I know that I need some time alone to try and figure things out. "Thank you for the offer, Nick. But I think I will stay in the local town tonight. I just... I need some time." The look on his face kills me, but I need to be fair to both of us right now, and to do that... to figure out what I'm going to do, I think I need to be on my own. He spends the next few minutes trying to convince me differently, but somehow I manage to remain firm on my decision. However, I do give him something when I allow one of his brothers to drive me instead of getting a cab. Without even knowing him fully, I already know that he's possessive and will be constantly worrying if he doesn't know that I got to town OK? "Again, thank you, Robbie, for taking me into the town. You didn't have to do it, but I appreciate it." He gives me a warm smile before quickly facing the road once more. "It's my pleasure, Bonnie. You may not realize it yet, but you are my sister now, and I will always be there for you." His words hit me hard in the chest. No one in my own family has ever been this kind or thoughtful to me, so to have Robbie be like this is a painful joy.

"Or you just drew the short straw?" I laugh trying to ignore the sting in my heart while he just looks confused. "Well, Shane is no doubt with Lily right now and Will is with Sophie, so that just leaves you." I watch as realization washes over his face and once again he laughs. "Now, while you are right on my brother's current locations, none of them would hesitate to give you a ride, believe me. I offered because I am the last man standing, but that doesn't mean that neither of us would be there for you at any time, Bon." The further we get from the pack house, the more that ache in my chest hurts, and if that wasn't enough, I've then got this dam man constantly pulling at my heartstrings with his kind words. "It is pretty crazy how three of your brothers have found their mates in such a short space of time. If it keeps going, then that means that you could replace your mate at any given second!" He keeps his eyes on the road, but I don't miss the smile that appears on his face. "I would love that, but I doubt we will get that lucky, but that's ok, if one of us has to wait I would rather it be me. I'm the youngest after all." This guy is a complete sweetheart.

"How the hell are you so goddamn sweet, yet your oldest brother is such a grumpy git!" We both laugh but he does slightly nod. "I'll give you that, he is a grump most of the time, but Nick has also been through a lot in his life, and in all honestly, I'm surprised he is as kind as he is. If I had been through half the shit that he has, I don't think I could be as kind. He may come across as grumpy, Bonine, but underneath he has a heart of gold." Hearing him speak so kindly about his brother warms my heart and only adds to the part of me that doesn't want to leave.

"Did you know that Nick basically raised all three of us younger brothers for almost three months?" His words drag me out of my wayward thoughts and leave me feeling confused. "He did what... how... why?"

"When he was 14, Shane was 12, Will was 10, and I was 8, our parents had to leave the pack for some emergency pack business. It was only for two nights and they decided to take us with them. To be honest with you, it was very rare that they didn't take us with them. They would take two of our nannies with us, and they would look after us while our parents attended to whatever pack business they had.

This time, instead of staying at the pack house, we were invited to stay in the Alpha's personal log cabin in the woods on his lands. Apparently, It would be better privacy for our family. However, it had been a trap and our parents along with the guards that had accompanied them, were kidnapped by a rival pack. It was three months before we finally managed to get them back and for anyone to know where we were, the longest three months of my life."

"Wow, I don't know what to say." What do you say to something like that? "But how did Nick look after you if you had two nannies?"

"Our usual nannies were away at another pack visiting family, so the nannies that we had were new but had come recommended. However, it turned out that that they were in with the rival pack. The night that our parents left for the pack house, Nick overheard the nannies talking about how they planned on killing us the following day. So that night, while they were sleeping, Nick killed them both in their sleep and hid us in the panic room that we found in the basement. No one came looking for the nannies. We were not sure why, but we were just grateful for it.

Of course, once our parents were rescued they came straight for us. It turns out that whoever had kidnapped them had also told our pack that they also had us, so no one had come looking for us before. Anyway, those three months were long and hard without our parents and yet every day and night Nick looked after us. He made sure we were fed, clean, and warm. I suffered night terrors every night, and he would lie with me and tell me stories until I fell asleep. He didn't have to do any of it, he could have crumbled, but he didn't, and I'll always be grateful to him for it, we all will.

I have no words and, thankfully, Robbie seems ok with letting me just process everything that he has just told me. "Why are you staying in town again?" His words throw me but also hit me like a ton of bricks. "I don't know... I really don't know. Robbie, I'm sorry to be a pain, but would you please take me back to the pack house with you?" He gives me the biggest smile as he nods and starts turning the car around. "With pleasure, Bonnie."