True mates Book Two of Ozark Wolves

William caught the pillow for the third time in an hour. Quincy wasn't even aiming. He hit Rick who snorted and rolled over. Quincy sighed and all was quiet. He closed his eyes, relaxing his body one muscle at a time.

Alexandria squeaked and sat straight up in bed. She was on her covers. Shoes were off and put with her sandals. She was still dressed and so far as she could tell unmolested. What had woken her? Weight. Weight and pain. She looked across the bed but she was definitely alone.

"We are looking at a very long day, sugar. What is wrong?" William whispered from the top of the stairs.

"Nightmare, sorry to have woken you." Alexandria whispered back and picked up her nightshirt from the foot of the bed to pad to the bathroom. She was awake so she might as well change. "I do not remember coming to bed."

"You fell asleep on the couch." William smiled his teeth flashed in the dark. "Rick carried you. Your laptop and IPOD are charging on the desk." He gestured in the direction. She looked down at herself and then at him. Anger flashed in his eyes then he shook his head. "No. I prefer you not in hysterics."

"I did not know I was prone to those." Alexandria replied as she stepped toward the bathroom.

"I would rather not find out." William retorted and turned to head back his bed.

"Thank you," She whispered.

He stopped and turned to look at her. "For what, Alexandria?"

"For not." She replied. "And for everything else." She let out a heavy sigh. "I am beginning to understand. And I want you to know that I am grateful."

"You are our mate, Alexandria. Everything we have is yours. Taking care of you. Making you happy. That makes us happy, really." William almost blushed a little at that. Not used to the softer emotions.

"I just never had that before." Alexandria replied. "Our basic needs were met but nothing like this."

"Get used to it, sugar," William replied and finished his descent to the landing. Crawled under his covers and stared at the ceiling. He was never going to sleep again.

Alexandria finished changing. Thinking how sexy he looked in his underwear. Tousled dark hair. His eyes seemed to glow too. The way the muscles in his back worked as he walked back down the stairs. And his butt was so cute. He had not been wearing his robe this time. She compared him to the other two. Not a stitch of fat on them. Hard muscle and lean hips. Strong legs and arms. She was uncertain about what lay beneath the tight briefs they wore. Her mind tried to replay the memory but she beat it back. She did not want that. She would grab her IPOD on her way back to bed. The melodies seemed to sooth her.

William heard the door open above and her soft steps to the computer desk then to her bed. He smiled a little and closed his eyes to once again concentrate on relaxing his body. Rick rolled to his back and started snoring and Quincy having enough got up, him punched in the stomach and spared a glance at William. "She woke up. The squeak woke me but I heard you get up." He glanced up at the overhang and then to William. "She alright?"

"Yeah. Changed and grabbed her IPOD. She should sleep soundly. Good night, Quincy." William rolled to his side and closed his eyes. Praying to the moon for at least an hour of rest. He would catch a nap after the council meeting. While Rick had Alexandria in town. He needed to shoot a reminder message to Rick to get her some real pajamas. Preferably some with bottoms. Knowing she wore nothing under that shirt was doing nothing for his peace of mind.

"Will?" Quincy said after a minute.

"Yes, Quin?" William replied.

"You know this standard you live by?" Quincy asked. William gave a grunt. "It is a fucking bitch."

"I know." William replied. "Shut up and go to sleep or go take a shower but let me at least get an hour's sleep before we get our teeth knocked in. I want to at least see the punch coming."

Alexandria was flipping through songs trying to find a good one and heard the conversation. Teeth knock in? What was he referring to? Were they going to fight someone? She pulled her earbuds out and listened.

"It won't be that bad. Joseph will throw a few punches. The council and the pack will be satisfied and then we can work on the rest," Quincy chuckled. "You just don't like being on the receiving end."

She crept to the landing. William put his finger to his lips and listened. "Alexandria?" She closed her eyes and then crept down the stairs. Cursing herself. She should have just stayed in bed.

"What are you talking about?" She asked when she could poke her head under the overhang to see them.

Quincy grinned, "Your punishment, honey. The council agreed that we will step in as surrogates. Joseph will throw a few punches at each of us and we all will move on."

"Unless it is John. He is head of the pack security." William replied. "To be honest. Joseph has softer hands. John's are mean from all that time at the bar he works at."

"Either way it will be fine," Quincy replied. "Go on back to bed. And, honey. You should have reminded me to get you pajamas. With bottoms. That shirt is killing us." The unadulterated lust in his eyes had her scurrying back up the stairs holding her hem down. Quincy chuckled dodged a pillow from William and went to the bathroom to take that shower. Cold as ice. Then hot as lava.

He stepped out of the shower. William turned on his bed but said nothing. So he had found sleep, good. He looked at the clock on the night table next to his bed. One more hour till they needed to find breakfast and decide what to do with Alexandria during the meeting. She needed to be kept with someone who would be able to hold her back and still be someone they trusted. Mom and Dad.

Alexandria felt sick. For over an hour now she had felt nauseous. Her swept over the beautifully kept library walls. Everything in in a place. All the books neatly labeled and presentable. The one computer for the use of anyone who did not own on at a desk in the middle of the rather spacious room. She sat a desk not far from Margarette. She did not seem to be doing to well herself.

"How long do these things usually take?" Alexandria finally asked.

"Depends, Alexandria." Margarette replied. "The majority of it should already be done. But they said not to release you until Rick came to get you." That was the second time Margarette had used Alexandria's name.

William, Rick, and Quincy were not doing so well. The council and the pack had agreed that due to the circumstances of the mental health in question of the perpetrator that the mates would step in on her behalf. But it was not only to be Joseph or John. It was Joseph, John, and Bryant. The three Alphas agreed with hard eyes and locked jaws. Fifteen blows each.

"Then why the do I feel so sick?" Alexandria asked her hand on her stomach and then the other to her mouth. She got up and ran to the bathroom. Margarette on her heels to hold her hair.

"Because the bond is strong. Which is why they wanted you here." Margarette answered between spasms. She felt ill too. But not exactly in the same way. The bond between mother and pup was different than mates.

"They could have warned me," Alexandria replied. She took the paper towel that Margarette handed her with a nod. "I wouldn't have eaten so much at breakfast."

"Do you not feel the bond between you growing?" Margarette asked. "How relaxed you are becoming with them. How easy it is to match their personalities."

"Well yes, but I thought that was familiarity?" Alexandria responded surprised. Bond? They had said something about it last night. That the bond was solidifying.

Margarette smiled sympathetically as another wave of nausea hit the girl. She texted Marcus who was with the council and the members of the pack who could afford to be present.

"Fifteen." Joseph rang put as he threw another punch into William's kidney. Joseph gave a curt nod to his Alpha and then to the council and walked away to soothe his knuckles and his wolf. He had not enjoyed that one bit. Perhaps six years ago when William had been in full asshole mode but this was different. He was his Alpha.

William stepped gingerly to his father's side. "How is Mom?"

"Your mother is fine." Marcus replied though concern rang in his voice. "Alexandria is ill."

"What do you mean?" William asked straightening his posture to work the sore muscles. That last kidney shot had rebounded through his spine.

"I mean she got ill. Seems to be doing a little better now though." Marcus looked to his son. "I know I do not really have to ask, but..."

"No." William replied with a hard edge to his voice. "I want the ritual first. And for her consent. The former before the latter." Marcus nodded as Quincy took his place with John.

"Same as your brother?" John asked before beginning. Quincy nodded and relaxed as John punched him in the spleen. Calling the number.

Alexandria felt like she had after her last rite. Beaten, bruised, and sick as...well a dog. For forty minutes she alternated between pain and sickness. Margarette brought her water to help keep something for her to vomit back up. She was weak now. Shaky and miserable. She felt awful for what her mates were going through. All because they did not want her to be scared of them. Because they did not want to deal out the punishment themselves.

She looked at Margarette who was calmly entering data into her computer system. "I am sorry." She said softly. Her throat raw from vomiting.

"For what?" Rick asked from the door of the library. He had gone home. Changed and was ready for his trip with her.

"For what you just went through," she replied. She went to stand but her legs were not ready to hold her so she just flopped back down on the seat.

"Forget me. Bryant hits like a girl." Rick smiled. "You look like hell." He handed her toothpaste and toothbrush over. "Thought you might want these. Dad said you were ill."

"Yeah. It stopped but everything I ate is in the sewer." Alexandria replied with a grateful smile. "Thank you." She forced herself to stand and walk slowly to the bathroom again. As soon as the heavy door closed behind her Margarette grinned.

"She loves you and does not even know it." She rose from her chair and pulled Rick into a motherly hug. "I am proud of my boys. Your father told me you all took it well."

"Yeah well the alternative was not appropriate." Rick sighed. "And no I am not going to get my hopes up for that just yet. But thank you for the encouragement." He kissed her cheek and let her go as the door to the bathroom reopened. "Ready, love?" He asked. She looked like hell. Pale under her olive complexion.

"Yes." Alexandria replied and stuck her toothbrush and toothpaste in the back pocket of her jeans since she did not have a purse. Rick noticed and held out his hand for them.

"I will put those in the glove compartment. We will stop at the purse store and get you a decent bag and wallet." He held out his arm to her. Which she gratefully took. Her body still feeling like hell. They waved goodbye to Margarette and headed up the ra