Page 44 of His Runaway Mate

“He can’t tell me what to do,” she says, looking at me. “Can he?”

“When it comes to sartorial matters, Fescue has full rein,” I inform her. “He has for a very long time, and will for a very long time to come.”

She looks at me, then at Fescue, then back at me. It is hard to take her seriously when she’s choosing to look like she’s between brunch and aerobics, but she is my mate.

“I want more suits like these for my friends,” she says. “Tell me you have jackets in the teal and pink.”

“Come with me,” Fescue says. “We will collect your pack and find something appropriate for all of you to wear.”

“Okay,” she says. “I’m in. Because I want to see the wardrobe.”

CHAPTER 10

Nicky

Once I’m finally dressed and the power struggle with Fescue is over for the moment, I get to see my friends again, and that makes me happier than I can say. I am worried about the pack we are still missing, but I am hoping that being in the very heart of Rex’s reserve we might be able to find out some information. This is all connected, I’m sure of it. How could it not be?

The boys and Laura are also happy, especially when they realize we’ve all got matching vintage tracksuits. The moment I saw the one I have on, I knew we were going to use them as inspiration for our fashion line. People will not be able to resist these. They’re so cool. So retro.

“Why don’t we make some videos in the forest,” Laura suggests. “There’s so many cool places and I have so many ideas.”

“We have to do the baseball scene from Twilight, but with tracksuits,” Tom grins.

“Yes. How long have you been tracksuit?” Simon laughs at his own nonsense.

I am starting to feel like myself again, which is good. I was worried I was going to lose control completely and shift against my will when Rex mated me, but if anything the desire has actually calmed down. His cock has magic properties, maybe. I won’t be telling him that.

Before we get turned loose on the reserve, we have to be given an orientation tour. A nice young she-wolf from Rex’s pack shows us around the various buildings. There’s the alpha’s abode, which is where I was last night, and where the others were bunked down below with his guard. Then there are more buildings spaced out among the trees. Some of them are occupied by the Regent pack, others are large guest accommodations for visiting pack contingents. Some of them can sleep up to a hundred wolves, so I’m told.

We traipse about after Rachel, that’s her name, like a small group of well-behaved tourists. If she knows who I am in the context of the alpha’s bedchamber, she doesn’t let on. She’s smiley, bouncy, and very pleasant. Simon and Tom are both making eyes at her, which she entertains with good grace while flashing the signet ring on her right middle finger that marks her as claimed, if not yet married.

“You two are making such fools of yourselves,” I grin when she finally leaves us to our own devices.

“She’s cute!” Simon defends himself.

“She is,” I agree. “You guys would make cute pups.”

“She’s claimed,” Cal points out. He already has a girl back home, and I know he isn’t looking to get into trouble here. Ellie, his girlfriend, is short, vivacious, and absolutely feral if anybody so much as looks at any of the six feet something of her blond hunk of a man.

“Yeah, claimed isn’t the same as married,” Simon says.

“Don’t start shit,” Laura says. “We’re here to… uhm, make sure the boss stays sane and maybe find our other guys. What if they’ve been brought here too? There’s so much space for them.”

She has a really fucking good point. All the hair on the back of my neck stands up as I consider that might be true. Rex Regent might very well have had our pack members taken here to use as leverage. He said he didn’t, but how am I supposed to know that is the truth?

We walk through the woods, formulating a plan. I won’t be able to do much of the searching. My role is going to be keeping Rex distracted. The others, though, they can check out all the other buildings. Big and small. They can be shooting content and sneaking around at the same time.

“Quiet,” I say as we hear voices coming toward us. It’s important we are not overheard. We have to keep our wits about us.

Another small band of wolves is coming down the trail. There are four of them, all tall, all blond. We know instantly we are dealing with a Minnesota pack.

There are three guys and one girl. She’s petite, cute, and the only one who smiles. The three males regard all of us with suspicion as they deliberately block the path, forcing us all into a social interaction. They are wearing crisp white shirts and pants with colored ball caps. Looks like they’re on some kind of… I don’t know, conference thing? Hard to tell.

“Nice tracksuits,” the tallest one with the longest hair says. I swear to god I had no idea how many sassy fashion wolves were out here in the wild. I’m starting to think I couldn’t throw a Chapstick without hitting one.

“What did you say to us?” Simon steps forward. His dark hair falls into his eyes and he tosses it out. Cal moves up behind me. Sam snugs closer to Laura and me. These men know how to protect their own, and they know that we are facing hostile entities.

“We said you look like Euro Trash,” the same blond says.