Wolfdale

SEVEN (Ruby P.O.V)

I didn't run into Iselen by accident, Grey told me that she was walking towards my building the moment she left the studio. I may have suggested the idea of giving her the day off and it's also possible that Rose and I may have spent our morning picking out the perfect clothes for this encounter. We both enjoyed seeing her blushing when she finally spotted me behind her although at first she seemed lost looking around at the square and she still seems lost... a lost and scared girl. Something weird is going on here: she was clearly nervous when she met Mark, more than usual... I realized when I introduced her to other members of my pack, she's not shy by nature but kind and talkative, so what was bothering her about him was the fact that he's the Chief Inspector. It's pretty obvious that she doesn't like to answer personal questions, she's been fidgeting on her chair for a while... since the moment I started questioning her, to be precise. And it's pretty obvious that she's been through a lot lately, I only have to look at her clothes and the way she's behaving, all nervous because she's afraid of making a huge mistake in this restaurant, that's a good place, but it's far from being the most luxurious of the city. The signals I've been getting from her are exactly the same signals Connor, the wolf of Greyson, got three days ago: she looks fragile... and I don't mean skinny... we can fix that with some chicken burgers. What worries me is that she looks scared.

"Calm down, Rose," I whisper in my mind when I feel my wolf on alert. She doesn't like the idea of something threatening our mate and her protective instinct is triggered immediately. It's curious, I always thought that Rose was a calmed and rational wolf, even if she's a diva sometimes, but since the moment we found our mate she's been pacing nervously... well, except when I held Iselen's hand to guide her here, that's when she started purring like a cat.

"I'm not a kitty and I don't purr!" She yells furiously in my mind. "I was happy because we were touching her. I don't like her living without us. I trust Kennedy, Connor and Alice and also their humans but I just can't bear the thought of our girl sleeping in another place, alone and unprotected."

"Easy Rose! Nobody is going to hurt her. The whole pack would give their lives for her and you now it. We're going to find out what she's worried about and we'll fix it, okay? Soon she'll be living with us and we'll treat her like the princess she's..."

"Queen," she corrects me quickly. "She's our Queen, princess isn't enough. She doesn't seem willing to talk to you. What are you going to do?" I heave a deep sigh, I was hoping it wouldn't come to this but I have no choice: I'm going to take advantage of our bond. "Ruby!" Rose yells outraged in my head.

"I'm sorry my friend. This is the only solution, there is no other. I need to know what's happening in order to help her. She's human and she's not aware of the energy that binds us together as a wolf would be but there's something inside her that forces her to come to me, to trust me and give in to me instinctively. I'm going to take advantage of the attraction she feels for me to force her to talk about it. I know it's not right... and I promise that one day I'll explain this to her and I'll apologize, okay?" Rose nods without saying a word, she doesn't like this but clearly she doesn't have any better idea.

I stare at my mate sitting across the table, nibbling nervously a grissini while thinking how to avoid my question. "I'm sorry, honey," I think taking my jacket off slowly. The T-shirt I'm wearing under the jacket has a low neckline and very short sleeves so I'm exposing lot of skin right now, I can hear my girl swallowing hard, her heart is racing and her skin gets hotter. Her arousal scent is driving me crazy. Nothing gets past my wolf's senses. I lean my elbows on the table and bend forward, her cheeks are redder than a beet... yes babe, I'm not wearing a bra.

"Iselen, listen... I'm used to people coming and telling me their troubles. This is part of my job, you know. I give great advice and I always find a solution for their problems, that's the reason why I'm the Mayor. Now you're a citizen of Wolfdale and your well-being and safety are my responsibility. If there's something I can do to help you... please, tell me..." I tilt my head to one side and smile. My mate holds her breath and she sighs closing her eyes.