The Headmaster Alpha's Mate
The Headmaster Alpha’s Mate Chapter 43

Warriors of both Crescent moon and Silverback packs all began to shift, remnants of seventy’s inspired clothes lay all shredded over the large lawn. The air was filled with snarls and growls as the rouge continued to walk towards Zander as the high pitched sounds of the Bee Gees Night Fever still played in the background. The russet coloured wolf did not falter, when he reached the centre of the lawn he hunkered down on his front paws as an act of submission towards Zander.

Stay with our mates, I will go to the rouge, protect them at all costs. Zander mind linked Josh and Robin, then stepped out towards the rouge.

Sheba began pacing inside of Chloe. She did not like her mate approaching the stranger.

“I want to get out!” Sheba growled inside of Chloe’s head.

“Then why don’t you!” Chloe quipped back at her wolf in frustration. She wanted Sheba to come forward, to shift, so that she might stand beside her mate and help protect him.

“Because I can’t, there is a block!” Sheba whined, as she desperately tried to push through, but nothing was happening.

Zander reached the wolf. The smell was not of a criminal rouge, more that of a lone wolf, and although it was a good thing, he could not afford to let his guard down.

“SHIFT” Zander said, his Alpha tone causing some of the wolves in his own packs to whimper and bare their necks even though it was not directed at them.

The rouge shifted back into his human form, he stood naked in front of Zander.

“Can I have some clothes please?” The man asked, his voice not timid, it held the authority of a ranking wolf, but it was respectful.

Suddenly, Cheryl began to cry, as she pushed passed Nicki and Chloe.

“Mum, No, what are you doing?” Nicki cried out.

“Let me go!” Cheryl cried out desperately.

Chloe looked at Nicki’s mother, the tears streaming down her face, and grabbed hold of her, pulling the sobbing lady into her arms.

“Is that your mate? Chloe whispered in her ear.”

“Yes, let me go Chloe, please!” Cheryl begged.

Zander nodded at a pack member who brought out some clothes for the man.

Zander, Sheba said it is Cheryl’s Mate. Caesar shouted in his head, Zander took a breath.

“Why are you here?” Zander asked, still on high alert.

“Alpha, I mean you no disrespect.” A warrior threw a pair of trousers at the man, and he quickly pulled them on.

“My name is Oliver Curtis, formally of the Ullswater Pack. I am a lone wolf. Twenty years ago, I met my mate. She was perfect in every way, but human. My Alpha insisted I reject her, or we would both die. I knew him too well to doubt his words. I rejected her, to save her life. But, she never verbally accepted my rejection. She ran away, too upset to do anything but cry. It nearly killed me, and still does to this day.” Oli stated, his eyes scanning the gathered pack to find his mate.

“I stayed with my pack for a couple of years, but then felt the pain and suffering of my mate. I left Ullswater no longer able to live in that regime and went to find her. When I did find her, she was already married, with a child, and so all I could do was hope she was happy, leave her in peace and live with the shame of what I had done. Then the pains started, not just from the mating bond, but also from her fear, and the physical abuse she was suffering. My only comfort was that I was suffering along with her, that I also felt pain, because I deserved it, she did not. For years, I felt her suffering, until a few weeks ago. My wolf begged me to come here, to your pack, so I did. I watched for a few days, and saw my beautiful Cheryl looking happy. She was free. I have battled with myself for days now. Should I come or leave her to live out her life? I was on a run, when the decision was taken out of my hands, and my wolf ran into your territory, and so here I am. Throwing myself not only at your mercy, but also at hers, desperate for her forgiveness yet knowing I do not deserve it.” Oli finished, bowing his head in respect of Zander.

The sounds of Cheryl’s sobs echoed around the field, as Chloe and Nicki held on to her, comforting and keeping her safe in equal measure.

As Chloe listened to Oli’s tale, one question played on repeat in her mind. Letting go of Cheryl, she went over to Zander and stood by his side.

“I am Chloe Handcock, Alpha Zander’s mate, and future Luna, I have a question. It is my understanding that the former King and Queen accepted Omegas, and mixed mates, and gave them their protection. Why did you not go to them?” Chloe asked.

Zander looked down at his mate, hoping she would be careful about what she was asking, but it was a question he needed to know the answer to as well.

“There was no time. Once I had introduced Cheryl as my mate, we were both placed under guard, for fear we did just that.” Oli bowed.

“And what about the war? I am led to believe that happened around 18 years ago, and your old pack were instrumental in starting the fight with the royal wolves.” Chloe asked. She did not care who’s mate this man was, if he had fought against her parents, she would beg Zander to keep him out of their lands.

“Yes, Luna, they were, but that is when I left. I could not in all good conscious, fight against the changes the royals wanted to implement, especially as I believed the Royal household was correct given my own circumstances. So, I escaped the pack before the war started.” Oli sighed.

“You could have helped the royal family in the fight. Why did you not join them?” Zander then growled out.

“Because for all I agreed with the Royal Family, I have a brother and sister in Ullswater, I could never fight against them. So, I remained neutral and a lone wolf.” Oli bowed his head.

“What if Ullswater declared war on this pack, what then?” Josh bellowed out.

“I will not lie to you, Alpha, I honestly do not know, but my first alliance would be with my mate, if she would accept me.” Oli said. He hoped he would never have to make that choice, but he could not lie to the Alphas, the question they asked was just and fair, the thought of fighting against his siblings weighed heavy on his heart, and he hoped to never be in that situation.

“You have given us a lot to think about. We will offer you shelter, but for the safety of my Pack you will reside in the cells. However, we will give you food, clothes, and warm bedding. You will be treated fairly whilst we make our decision.” Zander shouted, as two warriors escorted Oli to the dungeons.

Cheryl tried desperately to run to Oli, but Nicki and Josh held her back.

“I know mum, but we have to make sure what he is saying is the truth, he could be spying for Ullswater, or part of the rogues who are conspiring against this pack.” Nicki whispered into her mother’s ear.

Cheryl nodded her understanding, her mind was in a whirlwind, her mate, her Oli was there. She never thought she would ever see him again. Yet still she wanted to know why, when he knew she was suffering under her husband’s tyranny, did he never come and rescue her.

The party atmosphere had diminished, and Chloe whispered to Zander.

“Why can we not just have some normality?”

Zander tilted his head down and kissed the crown of her head, then turned to address the pack.

“Tonight has not been what any of us expected. However, we will still go on our joint pack run, showing unity with the Silverback pack. Get ready to shift in one hour.” Zander commanded, then laced his fingers with Chloe’s and nodded at Josh and Robyn, who did the same with their mates, and led them all to his soundproof office.

Taking a seat behind his desk, Zander reached out for Chloe and sat her on his knee, as the others did the same, Cheryl still stood. With tears falling onto her cheeks.

“Cheryl, please take a seat.” Chloe smiled at the confused and heartbroken woman.

“I know you wanted to go straight to your mate Cheryl, but there is a lot to consider here.” Zander gently began.

“I..I know, I have questions as well.” Cheryl sadly sighed.

Zander nodded his head as he looked at Nicki’s mother. She did not ask for any of this.

“Would you like to ask those questions of your mate?” Zander softly asked.

Cheryl nodded her head.

“Okay, we need to get him some clothes and food, however, I know you may feel this is wrong, but we cannot allow you to go down there alone.” Zander stated, as much as he trusted Nicki’s mother, he could not rule out the fact she was Oli’s mate, and may well try to help him escape, before they understood exactly what was going on.

“I will go with you Cheryl.” Lacey smiled, she had built up a good rapport with her, and she hoped that Cheryl trusted her.

“I can go with mum.” Nicki stated, not wanting to leave her mother at a time like that.

“I understand Nicki, but I think maybe Lacey should go. It is also for your protection, if something is off with the situation, as hard as it is to say, Oli may use the mate bond to manipulate your mother, and we need a werewolf with her, for protection.” Josh said to his mate, whilst holding her to his chest.

“Nicki, I would prefer to go with Lacey, there are things I want to discuss with him. That are personal, and I do not want my daughter to hear it.” Cheryl placed her hand on Nicki’s arm for reassurance.

Nicki nodded her understanding. After all, even though they had grown closer these past couple of weeks, she would not want her mother knowing what went on privately with Josh.

Lacey stood up and smiled at Cheryl.

“Come on, let’s get some things for him, and we will go down together.” Lacey smiled.

Cheryl nodded and stood, leaving the office to finally reconnect with her mate.

Zander let out a long breath, then turned to Josh and Robin.

“We need to check his story, and quickly. I hope we can trust him, for Cheryl’s sake, however,” Zander began.

“Hannah told us to be careful, that only those sitting here and Lacey can be trusted.” He continued.

“How can we find out what went on with his old pack? We know the rejection story is true, but as for living alone for years, he seems to ‘put together’ for that.” Josh stated.

“I agree, to me, it is like he has just recently become a lone wolf,” Robin agreed.

“Yes, my thoughts as well. However, we cannot presume that is the case, he may well have just kept himself in human towns, out of the way, rather than live in the forest alone.” Zander agreed.

“If he is not genuine, mum will be heartbroken.” Nicki shook her head.

“She will, but, for me, he had options back at the time. He could have gone to my parents. His reason why he didn’t does not add up, and the timing, why now? When we have issues with rouges,” Chloe pondered.

“I agree” Zander nodded his head, proud of his perceptive mate.

“Lacey has just mind linked, Cheryl is with him now, and it seems she wants to know why, if he knew she was suffering all those years, he did not come and rescue her.” Robin interrupted the conversation.

“Good, because that is exactly what I want to know. Why did he leave Mum there? Was it because of me? Or is he just full of s**t?” Nicki declared.