True mates Book Two of Ozark Wolves
Chapter 40: The Gardens

Rick was relaxed and calm his hand laced in Alexandria's on the seat between them. This was going to be great. Hopefully she found something here she liked as well. Since she seemed to love the Mexican place he had taken her to before. He parked close to the entrance to the gardens. Pulled the picnic basket out and helped her from the car. Together arm in arm they walked to the little building where he had to pay to get into the place. The only part of the Botanical gardens that was not free.

"Rick?" The girl behind the window of the building exclaimed. He smiled at her trying to place her. Blonde and blue eyed. A little taller than Alexandria. Fit and trim. Oh no. His smile turned to uncertainty. She had jumped off her seat and was headed out of the building. She stopped dead when she saw Alexandria. A possessive hold on Rick's arm.

"Is there a female within a hundred miles of this town that does know you or Quincy?" Alexandria asked amused by his expression. "Hi," Alexandria greeted the poor flummoxed girl. Human interesting. They had not dated wolves except William but he had claimed that had been purely for sex and nothing more.

"Hello." the girl said and approached cautiously. Alexandria let her left hand slip and the light caught her beautiful ring the brothers had given her two nights ago. A look of pure heartbreak was on the girl's face. "So that is why I have not heard from you all week?"

"There is no rational explanation." Rick started.

"Rick and his family spent time on the east coast a few years ago. We hit it off really good but I was not ready to leave my home. We lost touch and then my father died so I decided to move out here and reconnect. And we did. Amazingly so. He had not told me he was seeing someone else at the time." Alexandria said. "I truly am sorry."

The first vestiges of shock had worn off the girl and she smiled. "I was actually going to tell you that I too found someone and that being with you was nice and you are sweet that it was not going to work out." the girl said and turned on her heel to head back in the building.

Rick let out a sigh of relief though he knew Heather was lying to save face. "I am sorry, love." Rick said softly to Alexandria.

"Make it up to me later, darling." Alexandria said in his ear. And his blood pressure skyrocketed.

"Absolutely." He said with a grin. Heather did not even look at him as he purchased the tickets. But he felt the daggers going into his back as he led Alexandria inside the walled off part of the gardens. Alexandria's smile and sigh of contentment was all he needed to know that he had chosen well.

"You should have at least called her or messaged her to let her know what was up." Alexandria said in a low tone. "It would have been polite."

"I completely forgot she even existed." Rick admitted. It was true. Her scent last Friday night had completely banished any memory he had of Heather. "Nice explanation though."

"One of the books Quincy bought me." Alexandria smiled and his heart turned over. Was there anything about her that did not set his blood on fire or make his heart race? He had seen this with his brothers as well. Everything about her was amazing and beautiful.

They walked the paths and she tried the calming gardens. She enjoyed that. The soothing rush of the rake through the sand. Then they fed the koi fish and the turtles. Laughing and gasping as the pretty colors of the fish. She had never seen one in real life before. She even got startled when a baby turtle crossed her shoe. He laughed so hard he had to double over at her reaction of kicking the poor little turtle into the water fifty feet away. Her look of indignation at his laughter only added to his mirth.

He calmed down enough for them to walk to a little Japanese gazebo and had lunch. Her stomach having already digested the delicious pancakes from earlier. She ate three sandwiches. Drank two bottles of water and was rummaging through the chips. He recalled that a female on the cusp of her time would be hungrier. The calories needed for the healing process. That would explain why she was so skinny. In the facility she had come from the children were kept on a strict diet even after puberty. Could also explain her stature. All females were generally between five feet six inches and five feet ten inches with the exceptions like their mother who was over six feet.

She sat eating her fill and watching the bids and squirrels, the ducks and even a red tailed hawk. The place was calming. She could see why he liked it. "Thank you for bringing me here. I needed this." She said softly. Then she met his eyes. The brothers did have such beautiful eyes. She could drown in the bright depth of yellow green. "I am sorry for last night."

He was about to start his own confession when she spoke. The words confused him. "There is nothing to apologize for." He said just as softly. "I love you. There is nothing I would not do for you." There he said it. His soul lifted and his wolf was now content.

"I love you too." She said and she rested her head on his shoulder. "I felt like I put you on the spot."

"Nope. I was very happy, if a little uncomfortable all night." Rick put his arm around her to pull her closer. Needing to feel her softness against him.

"That male has passed by us six times since we got here." Alexandria said as a lone male passed by their spot in the gazebo he seemed to be paying them no mind but Alexandria knew he was watching them.

"Yes, that is Grandpa Terrence. I messaged him that we were going to be in town. He is Mom's father." Rick explained then waved to the male. The male waved back and walked back to them.

Alexandria's hackles raised and squeezed herself even closer to Rick. Terrence walked with a hulking gait that could only be described as dangerous. The wind blew her way along with his scent, metal and violence.

"Hello, Rick." Terrence said as he entered the gazebo. "Alexandria." He nodded to her. Rick fished a sandwich he had hidden and a bottle of water from behind him. Handing them to Terrence.

"Thought you might be hungry, Terrence." Rick said with a grin. Terrence did not take to grandfather well.

"Thank you, Rick." Terrence grinned back and took the sandwich and water and a seat on the other side of the gazebo.

"What did you replace out?" Rick asked not wanting to waste time.

Terrence chuckled. "Just like your mother," the older male shook his head military cut hair that had just a faint redness to it. "I tracked them down and you were right to call me in. These three are nasty. But the emails you three got are odd. Chaz sent me his info this morning. They did not come from your house but it was from within your pack. Someone is trying to stir the pot." He nodded to Alexandria. He went on to explain that the other packs have already pulled rank and curfew for their females as two have been reported attacked. Viciously.

"Why have we not heard anything?" Rick asked curiously.

"Each attack had a warning, Rick."Terrence shook his head. "So you would not be informed." He sighed. "This will have to be the end of these until they are caught. If you leave the lands it has to be together and armed to the teeth." He looked regretfully at Alexandria. "I am sorry to ruin your day with bad news, child. I will be meeting with Marcus, John, and Joseph tonight. You three need to replace out who has a bone to pick and get rid of it. Quickly. The three are in town. But until they do something no one can touch them."

"Jim and the others on the force?" Rick asked his mind going over every avenue they had to keep the three under surveillance.

"Yep already met with them." Terrence said and got to his feet. "Thankfully your mother does not know and I hope Marcus will keep it that way."

Rick grinned. "I doubt it especially since she is moving to the city this weekend." Terrence groaned.

"Your new house," he ran a hand through his over his buzzed head in frustration. "You may not need to worry about this. Her house in the city is a fucking fortress. And with Kenneth's Dojo. They try to take your parents on to get to you they are looking at digging their own graves."

"Let's hope they are not that stupid. We will be disappointed." Rick said his voice low with menace. "One in particular."

All through their conversation Alexandria became more and more uneasy. Here. They were here. To kill her mates and take her back. To force her to their will. She sat in shock. In terror.

"Well now you know what I do. Nice meeting you, Alexandria." Terrence rose and left the gazebo. Rick picked up the basket. Stood and pulled her up.

"I expected nothing less. This changes nothing except date days until the threat is dealt with." Rick said with a smile. He met her eyes. "Don't worry, love. It will be fine."

"I would almost call you arrogant right now," she hissed. "Those three are rabid dogs."

"And what are we, well trained Pomeranians?" Rick laughed. "It is not arrogance if you know for a fact you are better. And we do."

They returned to the car and got home by one. Quincy and William were just putting the the wares from the kitchen in a moving truck marked for Goodwill. Both were sweating. Alexandria caught their heavy scents and her body went into full liquid. She kissed ever so softly on the way into the house Rick hot on her heels. She was still worried and her sense of dread at the news had not gone away. Rick followed her upstairs. William and Quincy right behind him. The look in her eyes had them concerned.

She was sitting on the edge of the bed the same way she had in the chair the other night. William pushed past Rick. "What is wrong, sugar." William asked taking her in his arms and lifting her to his lap. She said nothing but raised her eyes questioningly to Rick.

"I called Terrence." Rick confessed. William's brows furrowed with disgust and Quincy looked amused. Grandpa Terrence was the one thing the three of them could not really agree on. "He can get into places unnoticed. Ford and Carter have given us nothing." Rick said in his defense. "And it worked. He not only managed to replace the bastards but tracked them. They are in Springfield laying low."

Alexandria felt William's hold on her tighten a little. She had rested her head against his chest. Listening to his heart. "Is that all?"

"No." Rick said. He went and grabbed his laptop. "We should each have received Chaz's report. Terrence already spoke to him this morning." He pulled up the email. "Those emails we received were from within the residential area here." Now that he thought about it that made sense since Alexandria had not received them. Then it all clicked. He was both sick and furious. "Malcolm set you up twice." His voice was dark with anger. "Think about it." He looked up to them. William's and Quincy's looks went black as a thunder cloud. Give the sadistic triplets a taste of what they had wanted for years. Promise her to them if they complete the mission. "I truly do not think Malcolm counted on her being our true mate."

"Did Chaz pinpoint the place?" Quincy asked as he stepped closer to Rick to look at the screen over his shoulder. Alexandria closed her eyes tight pushing the memories and pain from her mind. She did not need to break down. She needed to be strong.

"No." Rick said harshly. "Who would put the pack in jeopardy? Who would have anything to gain?" All three males thought hard trying to understand this. Someone in their own pack had betrayed them, wanted to see the future of the pack destroyed. All three came to the conclusion. "Mom."

"Mom knows all the dirt on everyone." Quincy smiled. "Any idea where she is right now?"

"The library." William said. "We will touch base with her tomorrow." He looked down at Alexandria. She was tense and her eyes were squeezed tightly shut. Her head was pressed hard to his chest her ear just over his heart. He slowed it down for her. Breathing deep to calm himself. He probably needed a shower but she was not complaining. He nodded to Rick and Quincy who were watching him with questioning looks. Rick put his laptop down on the floor where he was standing. Quincy was already on his way to the bed.

Alexandria knew that if she opened her eyes she would become in consolable. All the fear and anxiety she had pushed deep would come to the surface. She concentrated on the brothers' scents. On the heat of their bodies close to hers. Their collective heartbeats. The strength next to her. Around her. William's arms stayed around her while Rick's and Quincy's hands massaged her with strong fingers. Gentle and soothing. She began to relax little by little. Exhaustion from being out earlier setting in. William had been right that she would want a nap. She felt herself drifting.

William felt her relax and start to go limp against him. He breathed deep and even to help her. Rick and Quincy also felt her start to relax under their fingers. "We will protect you, Alexandria." William whispered. "You have nothing to worry about." He stood cradling her in his arms. Turned and laid her down on the bed. Alexandria whimpered. "Quincy will stay up here with you, sugar." William told her. Then leaned over to kiss her cheek. "I love you." He said and walked away. His anger beyond anything he had ever felt.

Rick kissed her as well with his own profession of love and followed William down the stairs. Knowing that William was going to punch the hell out of him when they got outside to finish loading the truck.

Quincy stretched out on the bed next to Alexandria. One of his arms around the other under her head. Pulling her as close as he could get. "Rest, honey." He said softly in her ear. "Rick and William are downstairs. I got you." Almost the same words said to her last night by Rick. "I love you." She relaxed completely against his chest. Her back to his front.

Her even breathing and soft heartbeat told him she was asleep. He could use a nap too, but his mind was going over all the ways he wanted to inflict as much pain and torture as she had gone through. All three brothers knew she pushed the feelings down. Knew she fought the memories constantly. Had seen it in her eyes more than once.