Five years ago
Sydney, Australia

"Hey gorgeous, you look like you need a drink." Nathan said as he moved in way to close to the blonde as would be considered polite. "Why don't you let me buy you something. Trade you a dance for it," he leered at her. He was drunk and on the prowl and the beachside bar was filled with human women just waiting to see his prowess. The second son of the alpha had run to the human world to drown his sorrows. His mother had died the year before of wasting sickness. The only illness that can take a werewolf down.

His mother was the only one who truly cared for him. At least that's what it felt like. His father always gave all his time and attention to his older brother. He was going to be Alpha one day so he got all the love. His mother had tried her best to compensate for her husband but the fact remained that Nathan was a second son.

Sometimes second sons are chosen as the beta, if they were close to their brother but that was not the case here. It wasn't that there was some great fallout they just didn't vibe. Nathan was always too carefree for his brother and he resented him for it.

"No thanks, I've got a drink." The blonde said and turned back to face away from him. A clear dismissal and signal of disinterest but Nathan was drunk and didn't see it as that. He saw it as a challenge.

"Come on baby, don't be like that." He put an arm around her. He knew if he could just get her a drink everything would be fine. She shrugged off his arm and stepped away.

"I said 'no' asshole." As she tried to leave Nathan grabbed her arm, pulling her back to him.

"That was uncalled for. I'm just trying to be nice." She tried to pull her arm away and he let out a growl.

"Let me go! You're hurting me!"

Out of nowhere a fist collided with his face. Surprised someone got the drop on him he stumbled and  fell, letting go of the girls arm. "She said 'no' dipshit! I don't know how it is where you come from, but here no means no. So stop being a creep and take the L."

He looked up, surprised that the person who put him on the ground was a woman. Long and lean with auburn hair she was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She turned to the blonde and asked if she was okay. With a backwards glance at him, where he was still on the ground, she gently led the blonde away.

He felt some hands close around his arms as he was pulled to his feet. "I think it's time for you to go," a deep voice said. He was taken to the door and unceremoniously tossed out.

"I could have taken them," he thought to himself. "But I think I'm ready for bed." He stumbled down the beach aways before passing out there.

Present day
Moon Wind Pack

A knock pulled him from his memory as Allen stuck his head in. "Allen, what'd you find?"

"Well it's not great boss." he said as he took a seat in the chair in front of his desk. "From what I can piece together, Paige's father had some type of an affair before he found his mate. Her mother was a human woman. Apparently, Michael didn't even know about Paige until she was four, when her mother reached out to him. She was dying and had no family so she wanted Michael to take her. You can guess what happened next. At this point Michael already had a son by his mate but he took her in anyway and Sandra took to her right away. Paige was raised as one of the family, though that didn't stop the bullying from the rest of the pack."

Nathan stiffened. Paige had told him all those years ago that she didn't fit in with where she came from but he never thought for a moment it could be something like this. He thought it was just your run of the mill, ugly duckling situation. Not pack alienation. Wolf packs can be brutal to ones they deem outsider. Allen continued. "When she failed to shift, the bullying increased. She convinced her parents to let her go to a human university and she's been gone ever since."

Nathan's heart broke for his mate. "The people who hurt her should be punished. No one hurts our mate!" Malcom said in his mind. Nathan was inclined to agree with him.

"Why has she come back now?"

"Her brother, Micah, found his mate and is completing the binding this weekend." That made sense. Paige was fierce when it came to her family. If anything could bring her back to a place he was sure had tormented her, it was a once in a lifetime family thing.

"What has she been doing in the human world?" He asked.

"I did a quick google search, again there wasn't much. There were a few articles with her name in them, looks like they were quoting her about something. From what I can tell she's about to receive a PhD from a university in London." Nathan smiled at that. London and a PhD were her goals for after she finished traveling. He was glad she still went after it.

"What are you going to do?" Allen asked, "Patrick told me she's your mate but she seemed pretty pissed at you earlier."

"I'm not sure. I guess the first step is to get her to talk to me."

"From the look she was giving you this morning, that's going to be a bit of a challenge."

"I know, I'll have to figure something out. I lost her once, I won't do it again. Especially now that I know she's my mate."

Nathan finished up work as quickly as possible. He was going to go to her and make her listen. He didn't know how but he was. When he told his Beta and Gamma he was going to her house they insisted they come with him. Patrick was worried she'd attack him again; Allen just wanted to come for the entertainment.

When they knocked on the door, Michael opened it and let his shoulders droop a little, as if he feared this might be coming. "Alpha, what can I do for you?"

"I've come to speak to your daughter."

"Of course sir." He stepped back and let them all into the house. "Sir, I've heard what she did to you at the pack house and please let me apologize on her behalf. She's been living with the humans for to long and has forgotten how we do things here. She'll be leaving soon, please don't-" Nathan held up a hand cutting him off.

"It's alright. I just need to speak with her. Can you get her for me?" Michael pursed his lips.

"She's not here, at the moment. Perhaps I can pass along a message and she can come see you." Nathan doubted that a message would do much to make her come see him. Perhaps he could go find her, where ever she's gone.

"Where has she gone?"

"She's hiking, sir."

"Alone?" His alarm bells were ringing. His mate was hiking alone in the mountains without her wolf. What if something happens to her?

"Yes sir." Michael said, sensing his alarm, he said. "But not to worry. My daughter may be human but she knows how to carry herself in the wild."

"Do you know when she'll be back?"

"We-" he started.

"She'll be back any moment." Sandra said, entering the hall from the kitchen. She must have been listening. "She sent me a text this morning saying she'd be back before dinner. Perhaps you'd like to wait." She gestured to the living room. Her eyes glazed over for a brief moment. He assumed they were talking to each other through the mind link, or arguing, if he went by the look on Michael's face.

"Thank you," he said. "We'd love to wait." They all entered the living room and sat.

Awkwardness permeated the room. Nathan regretted the fact that he hadn't gotten to know his newer pack members since they'd joined his pack. There was so much to do after Summit Pack was wiped out that things had fallen to the side. He tensed when he heard the side door open.

"Mom?" A male voice called. It must be Micah, her brother. He let his body relax, just a bit. "I couldn't find her anywhere. I think she must have gone up to Moon Mist point. That's where she," he stopped as he rounded the corner and saw them. "Alpha, I'm so sorry, I didn't know you were here."

"No apologies needed. The 'her' you can't find is your sister I presume." Micah gave a subtle look to his parents. Nathan saw, out of the corner of his eye, a brief nod from Michael. They were keeping something from him. They had to be honest with the Alpha but they didn't have to give him the whole truth. He could use his command with them but he hated using it on anyone. He decided to let it go for now. Micah looked back to the Alpha.

"Yes sir."

"You are worried about her." He said it as a statement not a question.

"No sir," Micah said. "It's just-"

"Micah." His father cut in, clearly not wanting anymore to be said.

"It's just what?" Nathan asked, his tone clear lying to him would be unwise. It wasn't quite his command voice but it was close to it. Micah took a large breathe before replying.

"It's just, sir she only went to Moon Mist peak when she was upset about something." Nathan had to use all of his self control to not let the guilt show on his face. She was upset over him. "The path she takes up Moon Mist peak isn't an easy one, it's too small for most wolves to follow and-" he paused like he needed to gather courage for what to say next. "Sometimes when she's upset enough she doesn't always pay attention to her surroundings and I heard what happened this morning and-" he let the thought trail off.

"Not to worry." Said her mother said brightly. "She's perfectly alright. She'll be home any minute. A mother always knows these things."

"But you're not her mother." His gamma blurted out. Nathan cut a hard glance at him in warning. Sandra fixed her gaze on him with a steely glare. Allen seemed to shrink under it.

"I might not have given birth to her," she said, "But she is my daughter in every way that matters. She is just fine and will be back any time now." Allen looked away under the weight of her gaze. Nathan smiled to himself, her could see where Paige got her ferocity from. "Excuse me." She said, "I must go check on dinner."

They sat quietly for awhile. Michael looked as if he was barely holding himself together. Nathan didn't know if it was from worry for his daughter or embarrassment from her actions. Nathan linked to his officers, "One of you say something. I can't stand this silence." Allen cleared his throat.

"So Micah, your binding completion is this weekend. Are you excited?" Micah's face lit up.

"Oh yes sir. I can't wait."

"This week must be difficult for you huh?"

"Yes, I feel like a part of my soul is missing. But it's only a few more days until I see her again."

"I remember those days." Allen said with a smile. "That final week felt like it was never going to end. But the outcome makes it all worth it."

"Yes sir." Micah said with a smile on his face.

"Tell me about your mate." That was all the boy needed. He was off telling them all about her. Nathan couldn't keep his mind on it though. He was filled with worry for his mate.

"We should be looking for her ourselves." Malcom said to him. "She is our mate and she shouldn't be out there alone. You heard what the boy said. She isn't safe."

"You remember how independent she was. Her rants about the authoritarian patriarchy of her upbringing?" He thought back, "She will not appreciate us going after her like that. This alone will make her upset. If we go after her it will just push her further away."

Malcom grumbled but knew he was right.