Welcome Home Mate
Chapter 30

ROXIE

I woke up early and got myself ready. I wanted to get a run-in before I went to the packhouse to replace out the details of the fight.

I left my Uncle's house and went into the forest to run. Usually, I would run around the pack grounds, but since no one knew I was back, I wanted to wait until I was ready to go there; also, I wanted to go with my Uncle and Dad. I placed my earphones on and ran.

My mind was going everywhere, and it was hard to concentrate on anything, even the fight.

Bex was still asleep, but she had some nightmare that made her move more in my head.

I ran as far as possible but ended up by the river clearing. I stopped and sat on a fallen log by the side of the water's edge.

I stared out and let the stillness around me take over. I needed to have a clear mind if I was to fight, but everything with Lex came flooding back hard.

I know he can be a dipshit, but what he did keeps playing in my head. He must have known I would have felt what he was doing; we were mates, after all.

"Dumbass probably thought we wouldn't because we haven't mated and marked us yet," said Bex with a yawn.

I stared back at her, "why would we feel it, though?" I asked her.

Bex stared at me for a moment. "I have my suspicions, but it might be to do with him being an alpha and replaceing us early," she said.

That could explain something.

"I think if it was someone else he kissed, you might have done something more," she said as she c****d her head to the side.

I don't say anything; thinking about Lex with someone else hurts. The rejection was in place, but I felt completely numb to the bone.

Bex stares at me, but a branch breaks behind me, and I shoot up like a bolt, looking around.

My eyes landed on a body walking toward me, but as they came closer, I couldn't help but smile.

"I knew you would be here," he said as he came into view. I stare at the only person I would class as a friend around here.

"Nathan," I said with a smile.

Nathan is Alpha Gareth's son and the soon-to-be alpha of the pack. We became friends when I stumbled upon a secret of his. He made me promise not to tell anyone, and I have never said a word to anyone.

I never mentioned anything about what happened to me, as I never trusted anyone, but he was someone I would have if he weren't Alpha Gareth's son. It's not I didn't trust him; he would have told his father anything. He wants to make his father happy, even though his secret is something that he should tell his father before someone else stumbles upon it.

Alpha Gareth never bothered me when I came to the pack, but when I won my first ever competition, he wanted to know everything. Nathan would be all too happy to tell him what he knew, and Alpha Gareth would have broadcast what I went through; I would have been the poster child for people who bullies tormented. Alpha Gareth was like that.

"You okay over there?" he asked, pulling me from my thoughts.

Bex was standing up and staring at him. "He hasn't changed," she said. I couldn't agree more.

"I'm okay," I said to him. "What are you doing here?"

Nathan walks up to me but stands just in front with a smile.

"I didn't know you were coming back to the pack," he said. "If I knew, I would have greeted you."

I stared at him but didn't say anything.

Nathan stares at me but sighs. "I can't believe I had to replace out by my father that you were competing in the fight, but not only that, your uncle's mind linked my father to tell them you were going to be here for a little while," he said. Nathan looked at me, but he was trying to figure me out.

"Rox, what happened at your pack?" he asked.

I stared at him but sighed. "I went back to meet my brother's mate, and that's what I did," I said, not giving anything else to him.

Nathan nodded, "what was she like?" he asked.

"She's nice," I said with a smile. "She will make our family whole again."

Nathan smiled, "that's good to hear," he said.

He looked at me and sighed. "So no mate then," he asked.

My heart tightens against my chest.

"No," I said.

Nathan gives me a sympathetic look but nods. "Never mind, he's out there somewhere, and when he replaces you, he won't let you go."

I cringe at the statement.

I looked behind him and realized I needed to return to the house to replace my Uncle; I needed to train.

"I had best get back; I need to train for the fight," I said.

Nathan smiles and holds out his hand. "Come on, my lady, I will walk you back."

I couldn't help but laugh.

Nathan gave me a smirk. "Hey, I will walk you back, but if someone attacks us, I will stand back and let you deal with them," he said.

I placed my hand in his and walked back. "I know you would; I just hope they won't be gorgeous; otherwise, you will have your way with them," I said, smirking.

Nathan's gay, but he hasn't come out. I caught him with a guard out in the cove on the other side of the river. It has a cave with a little pool. I went there to get out of my head but was stunned to see Nathan being bent over and f****d hard. It wasn't my eyes were made for, that was for sure. But when he saw me, the horror and fear on his face said a whole other story.

Nathan hasn't come out yet, but his father wants him to replace his Luna and settle down. He wants to have a bigger family. Nathan has been trying to figure out how to tell his dad, but Alpha Gareth isn't the easiest of people to talk to about anything, primarily when he acts all high and mighty in front of everyone.

"Well, if they are big and muscly, send them my way," he said with a wink

.

I laughed.

I glanced at him, but his face was holding back so much.

"You okay?" I asked.

Nathan stays quiet for a moment but stops, making me stop to look at him. He turned to face me, "I'm okay, but my father is still on about replaceing my Luna," he said. "I know I need to tell him about my sexuality, but all he seems to want to talk about, if it's not about replaceing my Luna, then its to do with the ultimate fight," he said.

I stared back at him and frowned. "You need to talk to him, or he might replace out as I did," I said. "And if I have said it before, it's not for the faint of heart what I saw; he needs to know."

Nathan nodded.

We both started to turn back around and walk back toward my Uncle's place.

"I have to admit, there have been some alpha's and beta's here, and the fight is not for another two days," he said, smirking.

I looked over at him and frowned. "What?" I asked.

"Well, I have to say some of them I wouldn't mind sinking my teeth into if you know what I mean," he said.

I groaned. Great, he's thinking about c***s again.

Bex laughs out loud in my head at the statement.

Nathan laughed and squeezed my hand. "So when are you training?" he asked as we came to my Uncle's house clearing. I was about to answer him when my Uncle's voice responded for me. "She will be training here until the fight," he said with a gloomy look. I looked over at him but only noticed my Uncle was standing there. My father was nowhere to be seen.

My Uncle walked over to us and smiled. "Nathan, your father, is looking for you, something about doing some alpha duties," he said.

Nathan groans, "great," he muttered. He turns to face me and leans in to kiss my cheek. When he pulls back, he smiles. "I will see you at the fight," he says. "I know how you and Keith train hard when it comes to a fight."

Nathan walks away and heads in the direction of the pack. I looked at my Uncle, who was staring at me.

"So, why am I training at the house?" I asked.

My Uncle stared at me for a few moments before he spoke. "There are too many distractions up there, and you need to focus on the fight at hand," he said.

I stared at him; I felt he wasn't telling me something.

"He's hiding something; even Del is being funny," Bex said as she stared at him through my eyes.

Great, what the hell is he hiding?

"So, where is Dad?" I asked him.

My Uncle walks toward the shed, where he keeps all his training equipment. "I left him in the packhouse. Alpha Gareth wanted to show him around the place," he said. "He said he would mind link later when he is on his way back." Somehow I don't believe him; something is up here.

My Uncle turns around, and I frown at him.

He stops and stares at me. "Rox, your father, knows you have to train for this fight," he said. "He will be fine there."

I stared at him for a few moments but sighed.

"Let's get this over with," I muttered to him, and started to do some training warm-ups.