Warrior Princess

Chapter 7

Kasens POV

Fuck this is not what I wanted to happen. I don’t want a mate; I don’t need a mate.

I hear Atlas whimper at my thoughts. “Don’t you DARE do what I think you’re going to do” he yelled at me.

“Oh yeah? Just watch me.” I snicker thinking I’ve won this battle, but much to my dismay he retorts.

“If you reject her, I will abandon you like you did her. You will no longer have me. Some alpha you’d be then.”

He wouldn’t, would he? That explains the amazing scent, she’s my mate.

I can see the Doctor and Josh freeze, assessing me. That’s when they realize it as well. The doctor piped in, “Well, that would explain why your wolf is protective of her beta. It looks like this young lass here is your Luna, our queen.”

Like hell she is, and why the f**k is josh so protective of MY mate?

“Thought you said you didn’t want her asshole?” I block out atlas and decide to diffuse the situation.

“She is not my mate. She is NOT your queen. I don’t want a mate. I simply came here to check on her progress. GOD DAMMIT.” I punched the wall and started running my fists through my hair. I need to get out of here. And then Josh Growled at me. Atlas may agree with him being protective of this mutt, but he can’t stand disrespect. I feel Atlas try to take control. I can tell my eyes are flickering between black and their usual blue.

“I’m only going to say this once Josh because you are my friend and I respect you, but if you growl at me again. I will rip you to shreds.” I grit my teeth knowing I'm fighting my inner wolf. He bows his head and extends his neck in apology and submission.

The tension in this room could be cut by a knife. Then we hear the rogues monitors start going haywire. This perks up Atlas and everyone snaps their heads towards her. The doctor kicked us all out and I gladly leave the room. Atlas whimpers at the distance I’ve put between him and the goddesses’ mistake.

Don’t get me wrong she is beautiful, but I don’t want a mate. I will never want a mate. She deserves at least a chance to find someone who will want her.

Josh attempts to speak to me, but I just turn on my heels and walk away. This day has gone to absolute s**t. I need a run.

I leave the hospital and head towards the tree line. I strip my clothes and stash them away and shift into my black wolf and bolt ahead.

I run for what felt like hours. Atlas hunted a few rabbits and chased a few squirrels through the forest. We get to the lake where Josh said he encountered the rogues. I see the remains of the torn-up wolf, and the blood and fur everywhere. I can smell some of it is hers, and then I spot the dagger that josh tossed away after pulling it from her body. Atlas growls at it and we dig our paws into the dirt to bury it. Silver weapons are an abomination.

I feel so many emotions in this spot. Upset that my wants and plans are being thrown out of whack, proud at the sight before me that proves my mate is strong and capable to take care of herself, sad because I know I’m about to break her heart, frustration, confusion.

Who is this shewolf? I throw my head back and give a lighthearted howl. Sniffing the air, I pick up a faint smell of her and follow it. Maybe it will lead me to where she stays, and I can get some more information on her.

I get to the edge of the woods and spot a hole carved into a tree. There is a phone, clothes, and keys there. I shift and go through the items. The Phone is dead, as to be expected, but looking at the clothes it looks like a work uniform for a diner that’s not to far from here. I go to one of our local drop boxes of supplies that we keep clothes in. I get dressed and head to the diner.

“Table for 1?” the server asks as I step through the door.

“No, I found these keys and phone on the side of the road and it led me here. Do you know who’s these are?”

She takes the items and looks at them. “yeah that’s the new girls’ stuff, she’s been here about a month now, but I can’t remember her name. I do know she lives at the apartments just up the street. I’ve had to pick her up for work a few times. Poor thing doesn’t have a car or anything.” She gives me her address and I guess I’m doing this.

Using her keys to unlock her door. She lives here? There’s absolutely nothing. No furniture no pictures, nothing. I see a sleeping bag on the floor with a pillow and a duffle bag full of clothes. I gather everything of hers to take with me. She’s going to want it when she wakes up. Why am I doing this?

I take a look around to make sure I haven’t missed anything when I spy a phone charger. That’s right her phone!

I plug it up and turn it on. It's bombarded with text messages from someone named Jake. Scrolling through the feed it's always good morning and good night she never responds. I shouldn’t be going through her phone, but I need to find information about this rogue. I see other messages from her parents, an unknown number saying his name is Carson. All of the messages pretty much saying the same thing. “We can explain.” “Please come home.” “I'm sorry.”

Closing her messages I look at her other apps and notice her 67 missed calls. Checking her voicemail, I see one from Alpha Aaron Marks. He's the Alpha of the Blue Ridge Mountain pack? That’s all the way in Roanoke Virginia. She’s quite far away from home. I listen to the voice mail of him asking her to come home that her family is worried about her. What happened to this girl to make her leave? I checked her call log she hasn’t had a single out going call in over 2 years, and not a sent text since either.

I throw her phone in the bag with her clothes and leave to head back to the palace. I have more digging to do and I don’t even know her name.

I get back to the tree line, shift and head back. Once I cross into the royal pack's territory I link both Josh and Marcus to come to my office. I take the items I've gathered and place them on my desk and wait. They knock. "come in." they sit on the leather sofa.

"Evening gentleman. The rogue that was brought in, I want more information on her. I followed her scent to the scene where she was found and then followed it to where she lives. The only thing in her house was a blanket and clothes. No other furniture or belongings. This is her phone. Do as much digging as you can I want to know everything there is to know about her." They boy their heads, gather the items and we all get to work on research.

"Josh give me the number for the alpha that left a voicemail in that phone, I think thats the pack she belonged to before she went rogue." He gives me the information and they continue their research while I dialed Alpha Aaron Marks number.

"Alpha Carson Marks speaking."

There was a Carson texting her. Must be the son. I usually enjoy this part when people find out the alpha king is speaking to them. Let's see how he reacts.

"Hello, this is Alpha King Kasen Edwards speaking I was hoping to speak with an Alpha Aaron Marks." I hear shuffling through the line. Hmph, he doesn't seem to phased. Good, I like that.

"Your highness, good evening, Alpha Aaron Marks speaking. What can I do for you?"

I place my phone on speaker phone and inform him I have my royal beta and royal gamma present and that we have a few questions for him. "We had a rogue enter our pack lands a couple of days ago. She is roughly 20 years old, 5'3, long brown hair. We don't know her name. She is..."

He interrupts me with haste. "does she have a scar above her left eyebrow? A tattoo of a wolf on her thigh? Or tattoo sleeve on her left arm? Green eyes?"

I don't bother correcting him when beta Josh speaks. "Yes to all of those."

The alpha gasps. "We sent out so many missing persons reports, she's been missing for 2 years. Her name is Samantha. How did she get all the way to you?" 2 years. She's been living like that for 2 years. "When can we come and get her?"

Atlas growls at the thought of her leaving, but I know it's what's best.

"How soon can you get here?" Josh elbows me in the ribs and I glare at him.

"Her family and my self will be on the first flight out."

I agree and tell him she's at the hospital and that she was stabbed with a silver dagger and has been unconscious since. You can tell he is effected by the news but disconnects the line. As I hang up I am met with a confused look from Marcus and Josh's furious stare.

"We are not doing this Josh. Let it go."

I dismiss Marcus since he has a mate and child at home. Yeah, I’m not completely cold hearted. Josh and I need to have a conversation.

“Sit back down, Beta.” using his official title lets him know I’m serious and I’m no longer in a joking mood. He does as he’s asked, and I take that as a sign to continue. “She needs to go home. She deserves more than I can give her. What I went through 2 years ago changed me. There is no room in my heart for a mate or any other relationship.”

“But what about the pack? The pack is stronger with your mate by your side. She is a person she deserves her MATE. That’s why the goddess paired you. I lost my mate man. That was the worst pain I had ever felt, and I don’t know if I will ever get a second chance mate. You have the perfect opportunity right in front of your face and you’re too blind and stubborn to see it” he pauses taking the time to think about his words. “Have you ever thought that maybe she could be the one to heal you? Or that she has gone through things that she needs her other half to help heal her too? You can’t be so careless when it comes to this. She saved my life without even knowing anything other than my name and title. She was willing to risk her life for a complete stranger. So how do you know she won’t be willing to give her all to help save her mate?”

I ponder on his words. I don’t really have anything else to say. Josh is my best friend he knows what I'm feeling, what I'm going through. “What if I let her in and she can’t help? What if I open myself to her, and she turns out to be another Marcy?”

He grabs my shoulder and looks me in the eyes. “Brother that is a chance you have to be willing to make. From the few minutes I spent with her she didn’t seem malicious or like a b***h. Granted we only spent a few minutes together before it all went to s**t, but that’s not the point. You never know unless you try. All I can say is it is different with mates. But the choice has to be yours.”

He gets up and leaves me to my thoughts. I don’t know what I'm going to do. I don’t want to be put in a position to be hurt again. I have a pack to think about, my heart to think about. I don’t want to load all of my baggage onto her. That’s not fair for her. As much as I would have loved to keep a mate back in the past and as much as I want to be a big, strong, fearless king, I am terrified of getting hurt again.