--Alarik--

"That is completely ridiculous. You can't stand for this. This is not the time to be bringing it up!" I heard my mother shouting from somewhere in the house. 

As I walked closer I heard another familiar voice but I wasn't sure where it came from. I could only faintly hear the words, whoever it was clearly wasn't as worked up as my mother. 

"I understand this is a hard time. We're just trying to do what's best for everyone here."

"How in the hell is coming in here and demanding what you are in any way best for everyone?" My mother was getting even more worked up now. I knew whenever I got her to this level it was time to settle down because if I pushed her further I knew I wouldn't like what I saw. 

"Debra, now calm down. This is something we will have to consider at some point if things stay as they are. You know it's a possibility." My father this time. Apparently he had the same thought as me. 

I was standing on our front porch now, too nervous to actually walk in, just standing out here listening to the turmoil going on inside the house, matching what was going on inside me. 

"I'm just saying that we consider moving forward with the possibility." That same calm and slightly familiar voice. 

I decided to step in before my mother had the chance to get worked up again. I knew anything that voice was going to propose to, would not be in the good graces of my mother. 

I heard her quick footsteps coming toward me and peek her head through the doorway. She was trying to push a smile on her face, but it was too forced. 

"Alarik dear, I need to ask you a question."

"Mom, all I really want to do right now is just go to my room and be alone."

"I know you do, but this is very important. I need you to think carefully, and I need your answer to be even more careful." Her voice was just barely above a whisper and I didn't dare speak louder than her. 

I didn't like the sound of this. I just wanted to walk past her and go up to my room, but her warnings had me frozen in place. 

"Have you been in contact with Allison?"

My heart started to pound a little faster. What was this about? Were they wanting to know if I could have her tell me where she was at through the bond? Was she asking because she wanted to know how she was? 

"I-"

"Think carefully."

"I have been once."

My mom seemed to relax slightly. 

"It was only for a split second and it was nearly a week ago."

She tensed again. "What did you get from her?"

"Pain, lots of pain. And blood. Then it went dark."

My mom cursed under her breath and I knew this wasn't good. She didn't make a habit out of casual swearing and any time she did, I was nervous for what was to come. 

"Is that him Debra? Because if it is, he's going to want to be in here for this." My father yelling out.

"I know, I'm bringing him in."

She turned back to me, and I couldn't quite tell what I was seeing in her eyes, but it wasn't anything good. Was it worry? "You're going to have to tell the truth if they ask. You already know this. You won't be able to pull off a lie. Just try to lead them away from any questions that may prove valuable in their favor."

I wanted to ask what she meant, who it was that I couldn't lie to. I knew I couldn't lie to my father, but there weren't very many people you couldn't pull off lies with. I mean if you were experienced then you could hide them from almost any werewolf, unless they were experienced as well. 

When I stepped into the room it all made sense. There sat Hazel's father, Hazel perched on a stool right beside him looking like the perfect daughter. 

A cold anger went through me. I knew exactly what they were here for. 

The Alpha turned his gaze on me and it was empty. He didn't look happy, angry, anything. It was flat. I wasn't sure how to take that, but it had me wanting to run, and find out what was going on with him at the same time. 

"Son," he said nodding. I just nodded back. 

I looked over to my father who was fidgeting in his spot. He was clearly uncomfortable with what was going on as well. That or he was uncomfortable with how my mother was feeling at the moment. She stood next to him, back straight eyes narrowed and looking straight toward the Alpha standing in front of me. 

"I have a few questions I'd like you to answer."

My mom's warning was starting to make sense now. I needed to direct him away from asking the questions that would work to their advantage. I had some practice in doing this, but suddenly everything vanished. I couldn't make a coherent thought. 

"How long has your mate been gone, son?"

"Just over two weeks sir. We've got many groups out scouting the surrounding towns."

"Towns?" There we go, I directed him away. Hopefully I could keep leading him further out. 

"Well I got the scent of two humans at the spot she had been taken."

"And have you or your people found anything yet?"

I wished I could just walk away, but I knew I couldn't. An Alpha doesn't walk away. Alpha's had to do many things they didn't want to, and standing there to describe what happened, and what you haven't found out about your kidnapped mate was one of those things.

"We haven't found anything yet, but we think we know what we're looking for."

"And what is that?" 

I gave him the same information I'd been going over many times within the past couple weeks, the same information I gave to Jason and my father. 

"So you know what you're supposed to look for but you haven't found the place yet?"

"Correct."

"How did you find out the type of place you're looking for?"

I liked this approach, it was giving me the upper hand. 

"From when I connected with Allison." I looked the man directly in the eyes. I wanted to switch over to show Hazel that she couldn't win this, but I needed to focus on him and him alone. 

"So you're able to connect with your mate and you know that she's still alive."

"I was able to connect with her yes," I spoke carefully. I knew I couldn't lie to him, but I could talk around. Tell him the truth without the whole truth. As long as he didn't ask any precise questions. 

"She told you where she was at?"

"No."

"She told you what the room looked like?"

"No." Keep answering exactly what he says unless you can lead him away. 

"Then how do you know what you're looking for?"

"I saw what the room looked like through her eyes."

"But you didn't see anything else and she didn't say anything?"

"No."

Hazel's father kept his gaze level on me and I knew what was coming. 

"When was the last time you were in contact with your mate?"

My jaw and fists clenched. "One week ago."

"Have you just not been trying to get in contact again, or why haven't you been in contact more recently?"

"I-" I took a deep breath. "I've tried but I can't. I can't reach her."

O'Brian nodded slightly. 

"What did you get from her when you were in contact?" 

"I told you, I saw what the room looked like."

"There wasn't anything else?" 

And here it was. "Yes."

"What else was there?"

I couldn't lie, at least I couldn't get away with it. 

"I just felt what she was feeling."

"And what was that?"

He looked genuinely interested. I could tell my mother was standing tensely near me. This was exactly what she had warned me about. 

"It was only a split second, and I felt pain and dizziness and I saw blood. Then everything stopped."

I could see Hazel smirk slightly beside her father and I wondered how she could possibly care so little as to not even pretend to feel sorry for the situation. Any decent person would feel bad, even horrible people pretended to. But Hazel--

"So in the entire two weeks you've been in contact with her one time, and that was a week ago?"

"Yes. And you can take your offer and shove it up your ass. I can't believe you would walk into our territory, right up to our house and then start this. We are all extremely busy with our efforts to find a member of our pack that has been kidnapped by humans. We have no idea where she's at, or what is exactly happening, but we don't take this sort of thing lightly. Our people are under our protection and we will not rest until she has been brought back home to her family and friends. 

"For you to walk in on such a time, when you know for a fact what is going on is distasteful. For you to come in here and bring up this damned marriage again between our packs is dishonorable. My father said that while I have my mate with me I would not be married off for the sake of a pact, but here's the thing. I am old enough to make my own decisions. I will not marry your daughter for any reason. It doesn't matter if my mate is by my side or held prisoner by some monstrous humans. I will not stop until I find her, no matter what. And I will not be discussing it with you or any of your people."

O'Brian looked at me with wide eyes. I take it not many people probably talked to him like that. I know my father never would have. I didn't care, because I knew exactly what they were playing at here and it wasn't going to work. I was letting them know now before they tried to get any further in their plans. 

I had to let him know now that I wasn't going to take any of it. 

I didn't know who was behind it. I assumed it was Hazel, but whoever it was had done a good job. There was nothing to link them to the men, at least not that we'd found so far. It was time to start entertaining the idea that these people may be working on their own. 

"We would like to lend our help," O'Brian said. 

I think Hazel's reaction matched my own. Wide eyes just staring at the Alpha. 

"Um- thank you."

He nodded. "Just let me know what we can do."

I didn't do anything else, just turned to leave. I could hear the hushed tones of the conversation carrying on but I needed a moment to be alone.

*******************

Well, Alarik is most certainly showing his Alpha side, telling people he can't be messed with. I think we're finding a much matured, strong Alpha in this young man.