Good Mate, Bad Mate

10 - Rogues Attack

Bethany POV

    I spent the rest of the week at the pack clinic during the day.  At night, Carly and I either spent our time with my family, or lounging around in the suite.

    I was purposely trying to avoid Devon.  It was obvious he really liked me, but I didn't want to break his heart when I found my mate.  That just didn't sit right with me.  Although, I had every intention of returning in five years, if neither of us found our mates by then.

    It was nice spending time with Aunt Coralanna and Luna Sasha.  Between the two of them, I gained a lot of knowledge, especially when it came to my Healing Ability.  

    I already knew quite a bit about the ability, but my aunt had used her ability a lot, and was able to fill the gaps in my knowledge.  Luna Sasha taught me a lot about surgeries and procedures, that my father didn't get a chance to explain to me before I left home.

    Once the weekend came around, we visited the weeping willow tree with my aunt and cousins again.  My aunt packed up a couple picnic baskets full of food to eat for lunch.  I carried one of them for Aunt Coralanna, while Carly carried a few blankets for everybody to sit.   

    Once we reached the meadow, Carly laid the blankets out, then we all sat down.  I helped my aunt pull the containers of food out of the baskets, then we all sat together and ate.  We enjoyed peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cheese puffs, cucumber slices, watermelon chunks, baby carrots, and strawberries.

    We had a good time hanging out with my family.  My cousins could be very entertaining.  Sometimes they would be goofy on purpose just to make us laugh.  They were all very sweet, just like my aunt, and the more time I spent with them, the closer we became.  Especially Jasmine and Alexandria.  I knew I was going to miss them when I left.  Regardless of whether I left with my mate, or to search for him.

    When it started getting closer to dinnertime, we headed back toward the pack house.  This time, Jasmine carried the picnic basket, and Alexandria carried the blankets.  Once we reached the tree line, my aunt and cousins walked toward their house, while Carly and I walked to the pack house.

    Unexpectedly, Devon sprinted off the porch, then threw me over his shoulder, and ran into the forest with me yelling at him to put me down.  Of course, he didn't until we were deep in the forest, then he set me down and anxiously asked, "Why have you been avoiding me?"

    "I have been busy helping at the pack clinic.  I've been studying and practicing medicine since I was a toddler," I quickly explained.

    "So, you're telling me that you haven't been avoiding me?" he curiously asked.

    "Maybe a little, but you have my attention now, so what's up?" I nonchalantly asked in return.

    Devon cleared his throat, then timidly replied, "I just wanted to make sure we are still good.  I was starting to think you didn't like me or something."

    I flashed him a small smile, then I responded, "That's the problem, I like you more than I should at this point in my life.  I can't allow myself to fall for somebody who isn't mine.  You and I both have mates out there, and we owe it to ourselves to at least try to find them."

    Devon sighed in frustration, before he calmly replied, "I understand what you're saying, but that doesn't mean we can't hang out as friends."

    "That is correct, but only if you aren't going to do things like kissing me, or snatching me up and running into the forest to speak privately," I stated in all seriousness.

    "I can handle that, if you are going to stop avoiding me like I'm the plague," he mumbled in response.

    Instantly, I giggled before I replied, "Okay, friend, can we go back to the pack house.  Carly is probably getting worried."  

    Speaking of Carly, I really need to get the mind link spell from my aunt, I thought to myself.  I forgot to grab my copy of the spell book, before I left home in a hurry.

    Devon chuckled as he grabbed ahold of my hand, then he led me back to the pack house.  Before we broke through the tree line, he made sure to let go of my hand, so other's wouldn't get the wrong idea.  As we neared the pack house, I nonchalantly stated, "Thanks for the advice, future Alpha.  See you around."

    "Anytime, Bethany.  Have a good night," he replied with a hint of playfulness.

    I flashed him a smile, then sprinted into the house, and up to the suite.  As soon as I stepped through the door, Carly curiously asked, "What was that all about?"

    "We just needed to set the record straight.  Devon needed to know I wasn't mad at him for some reason, and I needed him to know that we could only be friends," I nonchalantly explained, then walked to the kitchen .

    It was almost dinnertime, and I didn't feel like leaving again, so I decided to bake a supreme pizza.  I didn't like half of the stuff on the pizza, but I did like they way the different flavors mixed together.  Once the oven heated up, it didn't take long to cook the pizza, then we were both sitting at the table eating with big smiles on our faces.

Matthew POV

    I was in my room packing a suitcase for our trip to the Silver Moon Pack, when the pack's mind link opened up.  All I could hear was total chaos.  Warriors were yelling, while growling and fighting could be heard, then Alpha Lance's voice boomed through the link, 'Rogues, take cover or get out here and help.'

    Instantly, I dropped the clothes that were in my hands, then sprinted out of my room.  As soon as I got outside, I looked around for any wounded pack members, but all I saw was she-wolves, pups, and elderly wolves running toward the pack house, to seek shelter in the safe room.

    It felt like I was standing in front of the pack house for hours, waiting to help the injured, when suddenly a few warriors stepped out from the tree line carrying a few of the badly wounded warriors.  Courtney had joined me outside, and we both ran to see what we were dealing with.

    Right away, I noticed they were carrying the Beta of our pack, and one of the other warriors.  They both had deep claw marks covering their bodies.  Our Beta had a chunk of flesh missing from his left side, and the other warrior was missing a chunk out of his thigh.  

    As soon as we got them to the clinic, I had Courtney mend the warrior, while I put my focus on Beta Gary.  Gary was a friend of mine from childhood, and I couldn't bare to watch him die in front of my eyes.  I worked quick to clean his wounds, then stitched him up.  I hooked him up to an iv and a heart monitor, then stayed by his side, until more wounded warriors were brought in.

    Before long, Courtney and I were completely overwhelmed by the sheer volume of wounded warriors, and somehow, our other pack doctor was wounded.  Luckily we had a few more nurses, and that helped, but the scene in front of us, was horrible.

    I couldn't believe we suffered from such a brutal attack.  We ended up with thirty-two badly injured warriors, and another twenty-nine warriors that needed a few stitches.  

    I spent three whole days in the pack clinic, not leaving at all, and barely eating or sleeping.  Courtney would occasionally make me eat a little bit, or lay down on one of the cots in the clinic to rest my eyes. 

    Out of the thirty-two warriors with the worst injuries, five of them didn't survive.  It was heartbreaking to see the aftermath of the battle, but I was thankful to the Moon Goddess for not taking Beta Gary from us.  Because of his Beta blood line, his wolf was stronger, and able to help heal him faster than the other warriors.  

    The other pack doctor was one of the five that didn't survive.  He was much older than I was, and his injuries were too critical to save him.  I tried every thing I could, but nothing helped.  His death hit me the hardest.  He was my mentor, and I looked up to him.  I knew I still had a lot to learn, and now I didn't have my mentor to teach me.

    This attack changed everything.  I was getting ready to leave, in hopes of getting answers about my other mate, but that was no longer an option at that point in time.  

    My fellow pack members needed me to be there, taking care of our wounded warriors.  Not only that, what would they do if we got attacked again, and there was no doctor to take care of the injured.  

    It wasn't until there were only a few injured warriors still healing at the clinic, that I finally went back to my room.  I was exhausted and to be honest, quite pissed about the situation. 

    I wanted so badly to get those answers and now I couldn't.  There was no telling when I would be able to take a trip, and that bothered me to no ends.

    When I got into my room, I saw my half packed suitcase sitting on the bed, where I left it three days ago.  A frustrated growl rumbled from my chest, as I grabbed the suitcase, then angrily threw it across my room.  Luckily I was by myself, so nobody else saw my fit of rage.

    I took a few deep breaths, then stalked to my shower, hoping it would calm me down enough to fall asleep.  More than anything, I needed a good night's sleep.  I made the water as hot as my skin could handle, then I let the hot water ease my tense muscles.  I wasn't a warrior, per se, but I still trained with them, so I would stay fit and ready if I was ever needed on the battlefield or randomly attacked.

    After I finished my shower, and pulled on a pair of dark blue sweatpants, I fell face first onto my bed.  I didn't bother pulling my blanket over my body or anything.  I was so exhausted, I sank into a deep sleep, as soon as my body hit the soft bed.

Darren POV

    Gavin and I made it though the rest of the week and the weekend, without losing our cool.  It was taking everything we had to not snap on our parents for being so frustrating.  We only had four full days left before we would start our journey to the Forest Pack.  

    Because of the long distance between our packs, we planned to travel most of the trip on Friday, then stop and rest around eight in the evening.  We would spend the next morning getting ready for the celebration, then finish the remainder of the drive.  

    I was nervous, yet excited at the same time.  I wasn't necessarily excited about meeting my mate because I wanted to meet her.  I was excited to finally get the title of Alpha, that already belonged to me.  

    I was nervous, because I didn't want to be mated to a weak, worthless she-wolf.  I wanted a strong she-wolf to be my Luna.  Somebody who would help lead our pack, while letting me do whatever I wanted, with whomever I wanted.

    Gavin and I were spending most of our nights hanging out at the cave.  It was the only way we could get any peace.  Most nights we waited until after dinner to make our way there, but I didn't mind, as long as my dad kept his opinions about my life choices to himself.  Our cooks always made the most delicious food, so I tolerated the constant nagging the best I could.  

    After dinner, I would sometimes follow Valerie to her room and get my release before I went to the cave.  However, I had not been visiting her as often as I was.  Ever since I saw her with that warrior, I just haven't had as much interest in her.  Instead, I had been getting my release from the other she-wolves in the pack more often.

    I could tell it bothered Valerie, but she needed to get used to not having as many of those intimate moments with me anyway.  I still planned to have the occasional roll in the sack with the sexy she-wolf, even after I found my mate, just not as often.  That was one of those things, my mate would have to accept.  I have needs and I liked to mix it up.  That's just how I operated.

    Dealing with our parent's bullshit, and spending a lot of time together at the cave, made me and Gavin's friendship even stronger than it already was.  I could tell he was excited to meet his actual mate, but he tried to hide that from me.  

    I was curious to see if he would turn into a love sick wolf when he finally found her.  Gavin was always saying he wasn't going to change his ways either, but I had a feeling that would not be the case.  He actually had a big heart, unlike me.  He would go out of his way, to do nice things for the she-wolves he got pleasure from.  

    That was not something I was willing to do, and my mate would also have to accept that.  She wouldn't have a choice in the matter, because once I found her, I wouldn't be able to let her go without taking the chance of causing myself to lose it.  Once we were fully marked and mated, I wouldn't chance our mate bond breaking, even if it meant locking her up, and killing anybody who tries to help her leave me.  

    My pack needs a strong Alpha.  Not some broken wolf that can't get over the loss of their mate.  I've heard too many stories of Alpha's either dying from the heartbreak, or going insane after they lose their Luna.  I wasn't about to risk that happening to me.