Chapter 10: Need That Information

-Rogan-

Never before had we ever demanded more from each other than sex, and now Mel almost made it sound like she wanted to be an option.

“I’m just asking,” she said, and made it seem like it was no big deal if I just chose someone else.

“Because, this way, our pack will grow and become stronger. I will have more people to lead.”

“And more responsibility.”

“It’s my choice,” I said.

“I know,” she said and looked away. “I just hope you won’t regret it in the future.”

***

Eric was sitting in front of me, just waiting for me to begin the meeting, but I was rather dizzy this morning. I hadn’t been able to sleep the whole night, just thinking about the little hunter, and how I should be with her, or better yet, her with me in my bed, and preferably naked … Fuck! How was the bond affecting me so fast? I knew alphas got a lot more possessive than others, but I didn’t think it would be like this. I never thought I would lose my damn mind after a few days and having only very short conversations with her, but I was.

I was losing my fucking mind!

My wolf wasn’t making it easier. He was using every opportunity to make me agree to give the little hunter a chance to change.

*She is our mate!*

Yes, as he loved to remind me, could he not shut up? Just for a moment.

“Rogan?”

Eric finally snapped me out of my thoughts, and I shook my head, coughing a little uncomfortably.

“Sorry, yes.”

“Are you alright?” he asked.

I nodded, giving him a small smile.

“Just … a little tired,” I said, and that was not a lie.

Thanks to my wolf constantly wanting the little hunter with us, it made it impossible for me to really get any sleep the whole damn night.

“I hear you had some trouble with the hunter.”

I nodded.

“She almost killed a nurse and ran away.”

Eric shook his head, looking annoyed.

“This is one is trained,” he said.

I nodded. I had come to the same conclusion. Not that they weren’t all trained, but this one was smart.

“She even tried to fight me.”

Eric looked almost shocked.

“What?”

“She knew she couldn’t outrun me, which means she had an understanding of both me and the situation. She saw only one option. Fighting me.”

“Brave … or stupid,” he said.

I would say brave actually. She knew she would lose, but she refused to go down without a fight. That took courage.

“Have you gotten anything out of her yet?” he asked.

I shook my head.

“I’m waiting.”

“For what? Someone to do it for you?”

I narrowed my eyes a little, and I knew he could see I was not pleased with his choice of words, but I understood he was angry too. The attack had been at his house, where his only child was. He was very protective of her.

“I’m waiting for her body to heal,” I said.

“Why?”

“Because she will last longer then.”

*Lies. You don’t want to hurt her. You’re dragging it out.*

I tried blocking my wolf out, so I could focus on Eric in front of me.

“Don’t.”

“What?” I asked.

“Wait,” he said.

“I have to. She might just die before I even get to the important questions,” I said. “She barely survived the surgery.”

“I don’t want to wait,” he said. “I want answers. I want this done.”

I knew why Eric wanted answers from her. It would mean we wouldn’t have to use the ceremony to lure others out, but if the little hunter died before I had gotten the answers I needed, then I would still have to use the ceremony.

“I want my daughter to have a long life,” he said.

“I understand.”

“Those hunters need to be eliminated.

“And I will make sure of it,” I told him.

“How? Have you gotten a name out of her even?”

I shook my head.

“No …”

“What do you know?” he asked.

“She is twenty-four and is called 110.”

“What groundbreaking information,” Eric just said sarcastically. “I mean real information.”

“I told you I need time.”

“Can’t you do it?” he asked.

“Of course, I can!” I yelled.

Yet Eric didn’t seem pleased.

“I want our packs to be one,” he said. “But I need to make sure you can do what is necessary to protect my daughter.”

I leaned back in my seat, feeling rather annoyed now. I didn’t like to think of torturing my mate. No one, but psychopaths wanted to do that, yet I had been put in a difficult situation, and I needed to figure out a way to do this without losing myself.

“I will talk to her,” I said.

“Not talk,” he warned. “You will get that information out not by asking nicely.”

I understood what he was saying, and even if I hated myself for doing it, I nodded.

“She is all I have, Rogan. You would understand if you had kids yourself,” he said.

I sighed and looked away. Kids had not been on my mind, since we lived in a world where hunters could easily kill them or make them orphans. I knew what that was like, but as an alpha I also needed someone to give the pack to after I either died or stepped down.

“I will keep her safe.”

“Good. Then get that information out of the hunter. I won’t have a ceremony until then,” he warned me.

I nodded.

“Then you should start preparing,” I told him, as he stood up.

Eric looked at me confused.

“Because I will have it soon.”

This time he looked pleased and nodded in a satisfied way.

“If she is able to run, she has recovered faster than you think.”

I didn’t agree with that. Adrenalin could do many things, but I stood up anyway, and walked over to the door with him, holding it open, so he could step out of my office.

“She is just one hunter,” Eric said, as he stopped to look at me.

“I know.”

“You haven’t lost your touch, have you?” he asked.

“Why would you think that?”

“People change,” he said. “I changed a lot meeting my mate.”

“You did?” I asked, now intrigued because I wanted to know how I could stop changing.

I wanted to be able to truly reject the little hunter who already believed I had.

“For the better, of course. I was … wild and careless, and I didn’t care much about who got hurt for me to have fun. I know that sounds awful, but I don’t mean truly hurt. I just didn’t care about others’ feelings. That changed when I met my mate.”

“Could you stop it?” I asked. “The changing.”

He smiled and shook his head.

“Of course not. Our mates are meant to change us, so we can become what they need,” he said and then patted me on my shoulder a few times. “But I’m sure you and Julianna will be a good team.”

I just nodded, and he left the office, while I stayed there for a moment, knowing I had a job to do, and I couldn’t cower out this time.