To say Faolan was content would be a huge understatement. Faolan was fantastic. After all these years of searching the Moon Goddess had finally shown him his mate. What's even better was that it was the beautiful mysterious Maggie that caught his interest the previous week. Both he and his wolf basked in the glow of being newly mated. He hoped that feeling would last.

Although he didn't know the reason why Faolan knew that Maggie was weary of other wolves. Even with how friendly she was with the local Alpha she had still refused to join his pack. It was something they were going to have to work. Hopefully one day their bond would be strong enough that she would tell him why she was a rogue for so long. 

After tending his mate, washing her mark and dressing her in some ill fitting clothes of his, Faolan spent the rest of the night stroking her arms and staring as she slept. His wolf summersaulted in his head every time the woman snuggled up to him and sighed in content. He knew Maggie would be upset when she woke but it seemed that deep down some part of her recognized him already. He hadn't wanted to mark her. He wanted to wait until he was sure she was aware what was happening but it seemed that her wolf thought differently and marked him instead.  Despite that he was proud to wear her mark. 

Faolan continued to hold her until the first rays of the sun streaked through the window. Then without disturbing his mate he climbed out of bed, slung some sweatpants on over him and walked down to the kitchen. His mate would be hungry when she awoke and he wanted to make breakfast for her before all the other members of the pack house awoke. He didn't want to share the news of his mate quite yet. For this one morning he wanted it to be just him and Maggie. He would feed her and then they would talk. When she was ready, he would introduce her to the rest of the packs. Until then he didn't want prying eyes spying into his business.

In the pack house kitchen Faolan was flipping pancakes. Pancakes were a safe bet he thought. As he was flipping his thoughts turned to his mate sleeping in his bed. She was sweet and perfect. He thought about the future they now had and all the possibilities it held. He was so lost in thought he didn't hear his Beta Theo enter the kitchen.

"Hey man. How'd it go last night?" The question started Faolan causing him to over flip which led to a pancake flying off the stove. Faolan turned smirking at his friend in annoyance. 

"Fuck man. Don't sneak up on me." Theo laughed back at him before suddenly freezing, his eyes opening wide. Faolan looked where his eyes were pointed and saw his gaze lined up with the mark on his shoulder. In his haste to get food for Maggie he hadn't bothered with his shirt leaving the mark out in the open for anyone to see. Faolan was suddenly embarrassed. He should have covered up before leaving his room. Awkwardly he looked back at his Beta. 

"Well I guess you know how last night went." Faolan searched Theo face for any sign or reaction of how he felt other than shocked.

"Is that was I think it is?" Theo called out in relief. 

"Uh...Yeah." Faolan didn't know what to say. For the first time he felt awkward in front of his friend. But it wasn't long before Theo's smiled spread across his face in excitement.

"Congratulations man! I knew it would happen eventually." Theo grabbed Faolan in a big manly handshake congratulating his Alpha. Theo knew more than anyone how much Faolan looked forward to finding his mate and grieved with him every time he came back from a run alone.  

"Who is the lucky girl? When do I get to meet her." Faolan understood the man was excited to meet the knew Luna but didn't want to overload her. 

"She's upstairs sleeping...I don't know when she will be ready to meet people." Faolan didn't want to put off his best friend but he also didn't want to overwhelm her. 

"No worries I totally get it." Theo alway understood him so well. "Can I at least know her name?" Faolan was grateful for Theo's understanding. He could trust his Beta to know who she was. 

"Yeah it's...uh.. it's actually Maggie. You now the manager from the Tavern?" Theo cocked his head making the connection and smiled as he eyes widened in understanding.

"No shit? Wow... no wonder you were so taken with her. Hey man...congratulations. I hope to two of you are happy. I know Erin is going to be thrilled to have another woman around. She'll be begging to come and meet her. I'm hoping the two get along." Erin was Theo's mate. Faolan always had a soft spot for the woman and was also hoping her and his mate would hit it off. 

Before Faolan could dwell on it more something tugged at his chest. The bond the bound him to Maggie tugged and thrashed. Something was wrong. Faolan pounded down the spatula in his hand and stalked out of the kitchen past his Beta back upstairs towards his room. He opened to door and stared at the empty bed in front of him. Shit.

"Maggie?" Faolan called out as he checked in the bathroom. The light was on but Maggie was not in there. On the counter laid the bandage Faolan had used to dress his mark on her. "Maggie?!?" Faolan was growing desperate. Idiot. he never should have left her alone. He stomped back into the bedroom and spotted the open door to the balcony. He ran out the door to the railing and looked down. Maggie's lavender scent wafted faintly around him. As he looked down he saw no sign of her. His mate had escaped and was on the loose. 

The iron railing gave way and bent as he clenched his fists around it. His wolf that was happily content now snarled and paced in his mind. Their mate left. Their mate just left without saying a word. Faolan was angry at her. She was the one who marked him. Why would she mark him and just leave? He walked back into the bedroom and grabbed the nightstand next to the bed before tossing it across the room. The wood shattered as it hit the wall. He was furious. His wolf was hurt, but most of all he was scared that after just finding his mate he had already lost her. 

....

It took a better part of an hour before Maggie made it back to her trailer. Without her clothes she had no money for a cab and even if she did, she would attract too much attention have minimal clothing and no shoes. By the time she reached her trailer she was exhausted from running. It would have been easier in her wolf form but she now knew she couldn't trust the bitch. One shift and she would run towards whoever the bitch let mark her. 

Once inside she ran towards her bed and lifted the mattress. Underneath was a black metal lock box which held her grab stash. She had been on the run long enough to know that one could need to leave at a moments notice. Because of that, Maggie always kept a stash of cash and fake ID's ready in case of a quick get away. She grabbed the lock box and stuffed it into a backpack. She quickly changed her clothes into something that fit her before grabbing other random items and stuffing them into her bag. Once the bag was full she grabbed the keys to her car and ran out the door. 

She was headed towards her driver door but only made it to the end of the porch before she had to stop. In front of her at the edge of the clearing was the last person she wanted to see. Bryce Foyer. Even after all these years he still haunted her nightmares. Bryce stood calmly facing her, his brown eyes scanning her from across the clearing. 

"Hello Riona." Nothing in his voice gave any hint to what he was feeling. Maggie knew she was doing nothing to hide the fear she felt. When she didn't respond to him he continued. "Interesting to find you here. I had every intention of skipping this year's gathering but Sabrina convinced be otherwise. Said the other packs would take it a sign of weakness. I'll have to thank her for it." 

Maggie tightened her hold on her bag ready to run. Maybe if she made it into the woods she could loose him. But Bryce as observant as ever saw the slight change in movement. 

"Don't even thing about it." He said. "I've enough men here to track you down. That's if you even manage to escape me." Talking it is then.

"What do you want Bryce?" Maggie didn't brother to keep the venom out of her voice.

"I want my mate." he simply said walking closer to her. Maggie couldn't believe his audacity. 

"You have your mate.  Go back to her and leave me be." Bryce grabbed her arm before Maggie could react and pulled her towards him. His fingers bruised her arm as the squeezed into her flesh. 

"I have been patient enough Riona! Your place is by me. Your fate is with me. Your-" Maggie punched him in the face and felt the bones in his nose break. Maggie was shocked. She had punched him plenty of times and he never even seemed to notice it before. Why did it hurt him now. Maggie stepped back staring at him while he cradled his nose with both hands. He stared up at her in fury. Bryce was scary enough when he was calm but Maggie knew when he let his emotions show she was at his breaking point. That was when he was at his most dangerous. 

"You fucking bitch!" Bryce grabbed her with both arms now and started pulling her away. Maggie dropped her bag and immediately started to struggle. She was much stronger after all these years but Bryce was Alpha and he easily overpowered her still. Maggie still would not give up without a fight. Slowly Bryce was making ground dragging her away form her trailer. This was it. She was headed back towards her hell hole. Who knew if she would ever make it out this time. 

Just as Maggie was about to resign to her fate Bryce was ripped from her and flung across the clearing. In his place stood a tall man with brown hair and broad muscled back. Maggie immediately smelled oranges and cedar. Her wolf stood to attention at the smell. 

"Maggie!" Maggie turned to see Candace running out of a car before she was pulled back by her father. How did she know to come find her? Maggie turned to look over the shoulder of the broad man to look at Bryce. He was crumpled on the ground groaning. Slowly he opened his eyes and looked at the man who stood between them. 

"Your...your majesty?" Gone was the cool and collected Bryce. This version of him seemed to stumble over his words. Wait...did he say majesty? The broad man stalked towards the fallen Alpha. Maggie's wolf couldn't help but appreciate the way his muscles moved. Once the man reached Bryce he grabbed him by the throat lifting him up and pinning him against the tree before roaring at him. The roar the man let out was primal and authoritative. It terrified Maggie to her core. 

"Your majesty. This is ridiculous. What reason do you have-" The man pulled Bryce away from the tree before slamming him back into it. This caused Bryce to sputter and gasp as the wind was knocked out of him

"Sorry...I'm....I'm sorry," Bryce began to sputter out in between gasping breaths.

"You are sorry for what?" and deep voice more wolf than man roared. Something in the undertones of that voice pulled at Maggie chest giving her a sense of familiarity. 

"I don't know my lord," Bryce continued to gasp. "What have I done to offend you?" Bryce's gasps stopped as the hand around his neck clenched cutting off his air. 

"You offend me by toughing my mate!" the voice roared. Bryce in shocked stared straight at Maggie. This must have upset the man for he roared again causing Bryce to startle and look down. If he kept this up the man was going kill Bryce. Just then Maggie herd the sound of a car door shutting before another voice shouted out. 

"Shit!" Maggie looked over to see Faolan friend rushing out of a car and running towards the scene. "Crap! Faolan. You have to put him down." Faolan? Was Faolan the one who marked her? 

"No!" Faolan roared. "He touched Maggie. He was grabbing her and taking her who knows where. He threatened my mate!" The hand around Bryce's throat began to grow claws and hair. If this really was Faolan he was beginning to lose it. 

"Faolan you're scarring her," the friend continued to try and reason with the beast. "Look at your mate Faolan. She need you right now." 

Faolan's head whipped around to face Maggie and she connected with those blue eyes. As they stared at each other she could feel the thrum of the bond they now shared hum in her chest. After a moment Faolan dropped Bryce with a thud and immediately started stalking towards Maggie. Once she was in reach Faolan grabbed her with both arms and pulled her to his chest plunging his nose into her neck scenting her heavily. Maggie was stunned by the sudden contact but was having trouble ignoring the warm hum that was singing in her chest. Her wolf which was anxious at the sight of Bryce instantly calmed in Faolan's embrace. 

When Faolan released her he stepped back only far enough to clasp her face with both hands before searching her entire body looking for damage. When there was no damage to be found Foalan grabbed Maggie and lifted her over his shoulder with a shriek as he carried her towards the fleet of cars that were parked next to her trailer. Maggie shrieked and yelled as she was carried struggling to be put down but Faolan just swat her upturned behind and yelled "quiet" to shut her up. 

Maggie felt herself jostled once more before she was deposited in the back of a black town car with the door was slammed shut. Maggie tried to open the door back open but found it locked to her. She slammed her hands against the glass as she watch Faolan walk away form her toward where the scene took place. His friend tried to meet him to talk but Faolan pushed him away stalking towards Bryce. The friend determined to stop him pulled on Faolan's shoulder. Faolan turned with a roar towards the other wolf before realizing who he pointed his anger towards and slowly calmed his rage. Maggie could see his friend talk to him for a few minutes but was unable to hear what he said thanks to the thick car windows. After a few moment Faolan shook his head said some words to his friend and looked back towards Maggie. 

Maggie pulled herself away form the window not comfortable with the eye contact. She slid to the other side of the car and tried to push it open only to find it too was locked. As Maggie looked back she could see Faolan walking back towards the car. She was still struggling to open the car door when the door behind her opened and Faolan folded into the back seat. Maggie braced herself a far from Faolan as she could manage in such a small space. Faolan didn't give her time to adjust before he pulled her into his lap. Maggie immediately struggled to get away from Faolan but with his arms wrapped around her she couldn't untangle herself. 

After a few moments of struggle Faolan sighed and moved his mouth to her neck before she felt a light pressure on her mark. At the touch Maggie instantly stilled. Once she was calm for a few moment Faolan released her mark and buried his nose on the mark instead inhaling her scent. 

"Maggie?" Faolan spoke into her shoulder using  a quiet calm voice as not to spook her. "Maggie I know you are scared but please don't fight me. Please don't run. I'm trying to be patient and give you time but I can't if you keep running from this." He pulled away from her and she was able to see his deep blue eyes. They were filled with concern and worry but also fear. Maggie was expecting him to be angry with her. she did run after all. She wasn't prepared to deal with this hurt version of the man and she didn't know how to respond. 

Faolan cupped her face with one hand staring at her for a few moments before kissing her forehead and pulling her to lay her head on his chest. Maggie listened as a man deposited himself in the driver's seat, turned on the car and begin to back out. 

Maggie continued to lay on Faolan's chest in his lap as the shadows passed over her face. When they reached a familiar intersection the car turned right instead of left bringing Maggie to sit up to attention. 

"We're going the wrong way," she said. "The pack house is left." She looked at the driver who turned out to be Faolan's friend. He continued to drive in their set direction ignoring the comment. Maggie turned to Faolan. Surely he would listen. "I'm telling you the pack house is the other direction." Faolan raised his hand to tuck some of her hair behind her ear. 

"I know," he simply replied. 

"Then why aren't we going then way?" replied a confused Maggie. Faolan sighed before answering

"Because we are not going back to the pack house."