True mates Book Two of Ozark Wolves

After helping with the clean up. She watched the boys play football in the with the older males while she sipped a glass of iced tea. Never having drunk alcohol in her life. With Dana and Margarette. Alexandria felt at peace. For the first time. The comradery of the laughter and jokes and play arguing. "Are they always like this?" Alexandria asked as William tackled Rick hard and then slapped him a little on the face before helping him back up.

"Yes," Dana and Margarette said together.

Then Margarette added. "It is part of the tradition. While all of them are the same size and have the same strength. William has always been rougher. Pushing his brother's around. But do not even think about doing that too. He will put his foot in your face. Did that once to a poor human kid. William was picking on Rick at school. Another kid stepped in to get in on the action. The kid pushed Rick. William curb stomped the kid." Margarette had both pride and anger in her eyes at the telling. "Marcus and I had to pay a hefty medical bill for the kid. William had yard duty for a year." Margarette met Alexandria's eyes. "The instinct to protect is strong in him. But also to dominate. I was really sad that Maria mated. She was good for William in that regard. Helped him channel it more."

"Channel it?" Alexandria asked thinking of the video clip that William had shown her that morning. She shuddered.

"Marcus has a touch of it too. Though he knows better with my background what to do and not to do." Margarette said. "Life is never boring."

"I would rather not talk about what happens behind closed doors, Margarette," Dana chastised goodnaturedly. "Gregory and I are not as exploratory as your younger generation."

"The boys have not let me get near her until now." Margarette stated. "She needs to be prepared for their personalities. Though Quincy and Rick seem less intense. They are not. Just as intense and just as protective. They just channel theirs differently."

Alexandria absorbed this. William had her back. Quincy and Rick had her flanks. Protecting her from anything that could come at her. Each one watchful. Margarette was right. They were intense. Protective. Dominant in their own ways. But also sweet and caring like Marcus was to Margarette. She could see where she could be content with it. Falling into an easy pattern with them. "How would the sleeping arrangements work?" She asked aloud. Then blushed.

Margarette chuckled. "That is between you and them. I can offer advice on how to deal with them but on that particular one." Margarette shook her head. "Not with a ten foot pole." Dana even chuckled a little at the last part.

Now all four were headed back to the pack house. The intensity of them had not worn off during the physical activity of football. It seemed to have increased even. The three at her sides and back seemed on edge about something.

"Did I do something wrong?" She finally asked as they rounded the side of the wrap around porch to the front of the house.

"No," the three said in unison with equal amounts of shock in their voices. Then Quincy and Rick stepped in front of her while William pressed hard against her back. "Colin, Eugene, Philip." The three surrounding her said.

"Alphas we came to make sure all is well and you were prepared for Monday." Colin stepped forward with a smile on his worn face.

"We are. There are many questions that still need to answered. We are hoping Seth will be able to help us with a few of them tomorrow." William answered.

"Excellent." Eugene replied in his nasally voice.

"But has she decided yet?" Philip asked trying to see Alexandria past the huge Alphas in front of her.

"Not yet. We expect longer than it did with, Mother. The circumstances being different." Rick answered. "Mother was pushed into the decision."

"Keep us posted then. We have already begun asking for an adoptive family for her." Colin stated.

"From the looks we were getting during our walk earlier that will take some doing." Quincy responded. "Other than you three and our parents and grandparents no one has ventured by to make her acquaintance. This makes us uneasy. We have been praising our community for its welcoming nature and helpful hospitality. It would be a shame if the community should not follow the Alphas' examples now." His humor was gone and his voice had an edge she had not heard except from William.

"We will pass that along," Colin replied. The three older men stepped off the porch and nodded in respect to the Alphas. Three males relaxed when the older males disappeared down the street.

"Dammit." William cursed behind her.

"What was that about?" Alexandria asked as they led her to the door.

"A warning. They did the same when Mother first appeared." Quincy replied. "Nothing for you to worry about. But it does put things in better perspective for us."

"How am I not to worry about it?" Alexandria asked. She had been headed to the kitchen to put away the leftovers Margarette had insisted she bring. Mostly hamburgers. She rounded on the three on their way to the second floor.

"Because," Rick shrugged. "as long as you are in this house you are under our protection. The pack will get over it by Monday."

"I hate it when you talk in riddles. I am a big girl," Alexandria folded her arms under her breasts.

"Fine," William replied stepping down from his step to the floor. "The pack is pissed because we did not punish you for the attempt." Her arms dropped and she backed up a step. Fear in her eyes. His tone dropped a notch, "Not realizing that even if we wanted to, we cannot."

"That is what Monday is for." Quincy stepped down next to him.

"We have to decide how this goes. We cannot force you to do anything. As you are not part of the pack." Rick finished. He took his place next to Quincy. "But we have only been Alpha for five minutes. We could ask Father."

"We could. But then he did not bring it up. Nor did Mother. Are the expecting us to make a decision?" William looked to his brothers.

"Waiting for us?" Rick ventured.

"As her mates we will have to take it." William replied.

"What?" Alexandria asked trying to follow. She was beginning to get headache from their disjointed conversation.

William sighed and ran a hand through his black hair. "If you choose to stay. Which we hope you will. Then we have the option of taking the punishment for you. As your mates."

"Either way penance must be paid to appease the pack." Quincy added.

"What is the punishment?" She asked though she really did not want to know.

"Not going there." All three said and turned to head back up the stairs.

"I will ask Margarette in the morning. She invited me over for coffee before Seth gets here." Alexandria replied and continued to the kitchen grabbing the leftovers on the way.

"Absolutely not." William thundered.

"So public humiliation?" She guessed.

William looked at his brothers for help. They threw their hands up. "You wanted to give to her straight."

"For the attempt yes. A public beating is the punishment." William replied. "Since your a female more like a spanking."

"And the pack will be appeased?" She asked.

"Not a chance, sugar. There are so many reasons as to why that is not an option." William replied.

"It might do her good." Quincy put in.

"Yeah if you want her scared to death of us." Rick pointed out.

"I was thinking healthy dose of respect personally." Quincy countered.

"I am not as fragile as you think." She commented putting the items in the fridge before they reached room temperature.

"Physically no. But psychologically. Let's not mess with that. Your nightmare last night was all we needed to know." Rick said.

"Oh," she was all she could say. So she had not been dreaming. "I thought that was dream."

"No." All three replied.

"Enough of this. You two need a shower and I want to change." William said to his brothers. Then to Alexandria. "I got a spare set of earbuds. What do you like to listen to?"She looked at him blankly. Listen to? "Music?" He asked. She shook her head. She had never listened to anything but nursery rhymes.

"What do you do to relax?" Quincy asked confused.

Again she shook her head. "Sleep. Tend the little ones. Train. Sleep." She said.

"A cult." Rick said with a weak smile. "Alright, love. We have some eclectic tastes around here. Quincy?"

"Yeah I will hit the shower first." He marched up the stairs stopped at his chest of drawers and grabbed his night wear. Stopped and turned around. "We forgot night stuff for her."

"I will just wear what I did last night." Alexandria said. She started toward the steps. There was a collective groan from the males on the second floor.

"Another long night guys." William said and turned on the light to his drawing board. "When you are changed, Alexandria. Come down and we will try your taste in music." She paused on the steps. That was first time he had used her name. It purred off his tongue. She suppressed a shiver as she continued up the steps.

Rick watched her reaction carefully. Then grinned. "She is warming to us."

"I see that. It is mutual. I would still like to spank her ass for last night though." William replied. He drew a line and added a measurement. "Not publicly mind."

"And you think I don't?" Rick asked as he sat on his bed to remove his shoes. Then he sighed. "She's been through hell."

"Yes, I saw it in her eyes too." William conceded.

"Her adoration for us?" Quincy asked as he stepped out of the bathroom. Steam rising from the open door.

Rick threw a pillow at him. He caught it, grinning. "You left us some hot water I hope."

"I had to do something. I was about to explode." Quincy replied. "And yes. Mom and Dad put in a second heater last year." At Rick's raised eyebrows. "The second one is for the third floor."

"Makes sense." William replied. He made another calculation and put down the measurements on the blueprint he was working on.

Water running upstairs had Quincy heading back to the bathroom. Rick was fast and pulled his brother's towel down to distract him. "My turn. Yours will just have explode."

The spray from the shower felt good. The sound of the water hid her soft sobs. If she left she had nowhere to go and no money to get her there. If she stayed they would continue to speak about her amongst themselves like she was not even there. Would she be allowed to move in with her adoptive parents and say fuck off to the triplets all together? Assuming she got any.

She should just take the punishment on Monday and move on. It's not like she had never been beaten before. But by all three of them? Sniffed quietly. This was such a mess. Then there were the feelings. She was beginning to become attracted to them. No not beginning. She was attracted to them. Wanted them. To know their touch. See if they kissed the same. She washed her hair with a jasmine and coconut water shampoo and conditioner. Her soap was the same thing. It was softer than she was used to. Fragrant too. She had never been given anything than the cheapest stuff bought in bulk. It changed depending on the price.

Rick had stepped out of the shower just in time to see William and Quincy look abashed. "What?" He asked draining water from his ears.

"Did we make her cry?" William asked truly upset. Rick listened. There was a slight catch of a breath and sniff. Then nodded his head.

"If we didn't then it has all come down on her fast. I was hoping to make my trip with her on Monday." Rick replied. "Before it did."

The three walked to the third floor. It was as neat as when she had arrived. Nothing on the floor. Her new clothes spread neatly by the window that was open. Airing them out. William ran a hand through his hair in frustration. Quincy and Rick did the same. The door to the bathroom opened and out she stepped in another oversized torn t-shirt on her small frame. Hair dripping still. She looked at them and looked down at the floor. "What are you doing?" She asked as she crossed the room to her bed. She was exhausted. The sun had still yet to set but she did not feel like being sociable at the moment. They were just going to talk around her anyway.

"What did we do?" William asked outright. He did not want there to be resentment before they even got a chance.

"Well Quincy gets off the hook since he was in the shower at the time." Alexandria sighed. "I am exhausted. Can we not right now."

"Nope, sugar, now is perfect. Besides music will help you I think." William said. He was up the last step and at her side before she even felt him move. She jumped back as he grabbed her hand. She had a lamp in the other ready to strike. "Brothers."

"The decision has been made. The council is going to love this." Rick said. "I will go and text Colin." He turned and headed to the second floor. Quincy was at her side fast too and gently took the lamp from her.

"Easy, little one." Quincy said softly. In her ear. His hand slid up her arm to her shoulder. "We would never hurt you. Calm down." She shivered at the contact of his warm hand on her skin. William led her by the hand down the steps as Quincy gently massaged her shoulder from behind.