True mates Book Two of Ozark Wolves
Chapter 17: William's Resolution

William threw his phone down on the floorboard of his car as he drove on the freeway to that led around Springfield. He was heading north with no real destination in mind. Just needing to drive and think. His emotions were in a tangled knot. Anger at what his mother had revealed about the life Alexandria had before she had left. Though his mother had not gone into detail. The implications were clear.

He had called Kenneth as soon as he had been on the highway to Springfield. Though his grandfather did not want to give him details either. He hinted. And that was all William had needed. The overwhelming evidence was mounting. And he wanted to kill something. To beat the shit out of whoever had hurt his mate. He hated feeling like this. Hated that it was so much harder for him to control his emotions. His brothers covered their feelings with humor and play. He took things more seriously. But what was it that he was really pissed about?

He considered that question as he took the exit to the I-44 that led to Kansas City. The speed was consistent on that highway. He would not have to worry about speed traps. He returned his thoughts to the question. What was really bothering him? He really had not been upset that Quincy was taking Alexandria to steak. He should have thought of that yesterday. But her reactions and skittishness had been driving him batty. Yeah, because you scared the shit out of her, asshole. He chastised himself. Then he remembered the trust in her eyes this morning. When she had woken with her head in his lap. No fear. No trepidation. Then again she had taken a long time to get ready to go to their parents' house. When she had finally come down and saw them the fear had come back. Why?

She had seen the attraction in their eyes. The want for her. He growled and shifted gears then pressed harder on the gas pedal. The car's engine roared louder and it kicked forward a little at the speed increase. She did not seriously think that they would force her? The fear in her eyes had said yes. The idea sickened him. They had all told her that everything was on her terms. He would do better on Tuesday. He had scared her by showing her that she did not stand a chance in a fight against them. Now she had to be shown she did not need to fight them. Quincy was already starting that. Rick would confirm it tomorrow and he would solidify it concretely on Tuesday.

He smiled when he remembered her shy smile this morning. He slowed the car down and changed lanes to turn around. He felt better now. His emotions back under control. His mind already turning with the possibilities of things to do with her. The zoo. The outdoor store. The lakes. The choices were endless. Teaching her to fish and drive a boat. Getting her set up to start her GED and enroll for college. What major would she pick? He wanted to see her grow not just for the sake of the pack but for herself. His mother was right. She was an omega so she needed to be nurtured. Guided. Taught. He pulled into the lane so he could grab his phone off the floorboard and set the phone to talk to text so he could see what his brothers thought of an outing to the lake on Tuesday instead of it being just his day. The merged onto the southbound highway back to Springfield.

Quincy's phone vibrated as he and Alexandria were starting their salads while waiting for the entree. He picked it up and smiled. "William has calmed as I said he would." He read the message. "Feel up for a day at the lake on Tuesday?"

"Lake?" She asked. "I suppose. I do not know how to swim though." She said feeling like a child. Why did they always have to make her feel like a child.

"No problem. We usually just take the boat out anyway. Do a little fishing. Life vests are a must." He replied and then typed. Osage Restaurant. Reservations. She will love it. Rick responded with his usual thumbs up. William said that he would make the call when he got to Springfield. Then asked if he would be out of line to buy her a laptop and an IPOD. Quincy responded with all three of them should pitch in for that. Rick again with thumbs up. William's response was a GRRR. Then meet me at Best Buy. Quincy sighed.

"What?" Alexandria asked looking worried.

"William is going to be the death of us all." He smiled and put the phone down after typing that he would let William know when they were done eating. Her expression changed to confusion. "He has decided that you need a laptop and IPOD today. He wants us to meet him at Best Buy. Rick too."

"Whatever for?" She asked never having used a computer in her life. Much less the other item he mentioned.

"He wants to see you succeed regardless of what you choose. The laptop can be used for your high school equivalency courses and online college. The IPOD is so we can continue to talk about you and you won't know it." He sighed. "I know that is what upset you last night. I am sorry for that. It is a habit of ours. You can interject yourself into the conversation you know." He smiled. "We really do not bite." He took a bite of his salad. "We all want to see you do well, by the way.

College? What the hell did she need college for if she chose to stay with them? An object for their pleasure was what she would become. She swallowed a sip of water and asked softly, "Why educate me?"

"Because it is right." Quincy replied carefully. She sat back confusion again on her face. "Because you deserve one." He tried again. She still did not seem to be buying it. "Because we do not expect you to be a stay at home. Hell our mother made it perfectly clear to our father that she was not Suzy Homemaker. Had actually been upset when she got pregnant so soon after our parents mated." This shocked Alexandria. Margarette was kind but firm with the triplets. Understanding and soft but there was always the edge of 'behave yourselves or else'. He laughed at her expression of disbelief. "She loves us of course. The upset lasted like ten seconds. But yeah she had not planned on having kids."

"And me?" She asked softly.

"Cross that bridge when we get there." He shrugged. "I for one am not quite ready to be a father. To put the keys to my Mustang up for a family car." He chuckled. "I do not think any of us are really. Being fresh home from college. We have careers to start and then just starting the leadership in the community." He amended his speech as the server brought their entrees. "We have not really discussed the idea. I don't think any of us had really thought about it."

"But July?" She asked confused. Would they not want to then? She was sure that she was going to say yes. If no other reason than at least she would not be alone and on the streets. Living out of her car. An easy target. She would be protected here. In fact this would be the first time she had ever been. Father had not protected her. Claimed he cared but had not protected her. Had even gotten angry when she had gone to him.

"Don't worry so much about the future. It will all align as it should." Quincy said easily. "The present is what counts." His phone vibrated again and he looked at it. "Jesus he is relentless when he decides something." Quincy complained good naturedly. "Eat slowly and savor every bite. I want him crazy with impatience. Asshole." He chuckled. She raised her eyebrow at him. The look made him pause and suck in a breath. Damn but that look was sexy with those eyes of hers. He looked down at his plate to collect himself. "Rick and I delight in making his head explode. You will too once you realize he would never do anything to hurt you. Not even a little. He really is a soft puppy under that hard exterior."

"And that temper?" She asked with a tentative smile. She was not so sure about all that. He was so intense. His gaze, his posture, his touch. Like every emotion was on the highest setting.

Quincy choked on his laughter again. He took a drink of his water and shook his head. "Yes it is a constant pain in the ass. But he manages it. Well most of the time. I am sure you noticed the holes in the wall level with the second floor of the house?" He waited for her to answer. She nodded since her mouth was full of the melt in your mouth meat. "His drawing pencils. He is a nightmare with throwing stars and knives." She stopped chewing. He chuckled again. "How is the steak?" She nodded with a smile. "Good."

He let the conversation ease so she could enjoy her meal. She cut her steak into small bites and took her time to savor each one as he had said. It was cute but unsettling. She was an intelligent young woman. Had no issues speaking her mind. He shook his head with another small smile and continued his own meal. His phone was going off every few seconds by the time he paid and took her hand to lead her back out to his car.

He swore as he pulled his phone back out of his pocket. He read the texts all from William. Are you done yet? Where are you? Answer or I will beat you with your staff. He let Alexandria into the passenger side and around to the driver side.

The arrived at Best Buy in no time. Quincy parking between his brother's cars. Alexandria's jaw dropped at the shiny silver 1969 Dodge Challenger. Rick was leaning on the hood with a grin of pride at her expression. "Yeah this one's mine." He said as he opened her door when Quincy put his car in park. He held out his hand to her. "William just went inside a minute ago."

"This really isn't fair. He wants a day altogether on Tuesday. This could have waited." Quincy sighed.

"You know how he is though," Rick replied with a chuckle. He looped her arm through his and Quincy took the arm.

"What was he doing in Springfield anyway?" Quincy asked. "I figured he would be taking the opportunity to work more on the blueprint." The automatic doors opened and they were blasted with air conditioning.

"He was actually driving like a bat out of hell to Kansas City. As he is prone to do when he is upset." He said for Alexandria's benefit. "I guess whatever was bothering him got reasoned out and then he wanted to come here." Rick shrugged. "I was just putting the final touches on my website anyway."

"What had him so upset?" Alexandria asked concerned. She was concerned? Yeah she was. She did not like the idea of him driving recklessly.

The brothers shared a look and then looked down at her. "Not the place, not the time." They said together. William was talking to a cute brunette with a polo shirt that said Best Buy on it. The woman laughed and touched William's arm. Alexandria saw red. Possessive jealousy flooded her system. Her wolf growled and snapped her teeth. Ears laid back. Quincy and Rick felt her tense and dropped their arms from her. Their wolves watching her curiously. She marched straight to William and raised up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.

"Hello, dear." She said in his ear and turned to the brunette who looked shocked to see not only her but two more versions of the hot man in front of her. "Sorry we are late. Quincy did not want to rush through lunch." She added. Then turned to the woman with her head on his shoulder and an evil look in her eyes. "Hello."

"Uh, hi." The woman stammered. Quincy and Rick had reached William and Alexandria and stood behind them. "So laptops." She moved fast to calm her blood pressure. "We have a huge assortment right now. Gaming, basic, and high functioning." She almost slipped on the word functioning. She took a deep breath to calm herself more.

William was stumped by Alexandria's response to the brunette. He had been about to pull his arm away from the woman's hand. Her touch had not been pleasant. There was no fear as there had been earlier. Touching him voluntarily. Even kissing his cheek. Pleasure and peace had hit his blood stream at her touch. His wolf had been pleased. Praising her for her response with a nuzzle. "At least a Terabyte of memory." William replied when the woman had stopped to breathe. Then turned to Rick with a questioning look. Rick added in the rest of the specs Alexandria would need. Stepping next to Alexandria's other side.

The confusion, and then understanding, and finally disappointment filled the woman's eyes. How in the hell did something that looked like a child get three of the most gorgeous men she had ever seen? The world was not fair. "The best for those is this one." She pulled out a laptop and handed it to Rick who seemed to know the most about technology. Intelligent and super hot.

Alexandria watched the brunette carefully. Touch one of my mates again, bitch. Her wolf challenged. William's arm hand touched the small of her back comforting and calming. His and his brothers' wolves nuzzling to calm her. "Down girl." William said in a low voice to the top of her head. "She is just a human." Rick took the box from the sales clerk. Avoiding her touch. He read components of the system. He nodded and said it would do. Anti-virus. Microsoft programs.

"Did you want a full set of headphones or earbuds?" Rick asked Alexandria. Who shrugged uncertain. "You used earbuds last night." Rick explained.

"Oh yes I liked those." Alexandria smiled. Remembering the music. He nodded to the sales clerk and they followed her to that section.

"What else did you say you wanted?" The brunette asked after Alexandria selected a pair of white ones with yellow flowers.

"IPOD," William replied. "She likes music."

"Can't I just use the laptop for music?" Alexandria asked confused.

"Yes, but you can't take the laptop for walks or out on the boat." William explained. Alexandria nodded her understanding and turned her attention back to the woman. Who's mouth had fallen open. A boat. They were loaded too? Of course they were. Intelligent, loaded, handsome, triplets. She mentally slapped herself to focus.

She held up the latest technology of that sort. It was small and lightweight but had 64 Gigabytes of memory. "How much music will you be downloading?"

"I have no idea but that should do it. Thank you." Alexandria said. "Does it come in yellow?"

"No. White or black." The clerk said confused again. "But you can put stickers and decals on it. Those are over there." She pointed to the display at the end of the aisle. This really had to be a child to purchase those.

"White is fine." Alexandria replied handing the box to Quincy and walked to the display. She did not see anything that really spoke to her. There were yellow faces in different expressions. The top read Emoji Stickers. But that was all there was. She was disappointed.

"We can stop at Walmart their sticker selection is bigger." Quincy said at her back. She nodded and returned to the other brothers. Who had followed her with their eyes. She took William's hand and squeezed it.

"Good to go, sugar?" He asked. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Yes, dear. Thank you." She replied. The intensity in his eyes was almost too much for her. She dropped her eyes again and he fell into step behind the clerk and Rick who had the laptop and program disks. She was quite pleased until the total was read. Almost two grand. Dread and horror filled her. Her wolf's tail lowered and she hunkered down.

Quincy put his hand on her shoulder gently and Rick took her hand as William squeezed her other hand. "We are splitting that three ways." He informed the clerk. She smiled and took William's payment first. He pulled Alexandria to the side so Quincy could run his card, then Rick. Rick got the receipt and the items. Then all four exited the store.

"I will take the laptop home and get the programs loaded." Rick said softly after he kissed her forehead at the passenger door of Quincy's car. He breathed in her scent. "When you get home I will show you how to use it." He dropped her hand and walked to his car.

William was still next to her. Had not let her go even at Quincy's car. The intense emotions that were running through him made it difficult to part with her. Affection was the highest. She had gotten jealous over a human. The bond was becoming stronger. He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it gently. "Sorry I cut into your time with Quincy. I am a push asshole." He said though there was no apology in his voice. He opened the door to the Quincy's car for her. Then helped her inside. Not really wanting to let her go.

"Yes you are." Quincy said with a grin. "But the look on that brunette's face at the sight of Alexandria was priceless. Well played, honey."