Argent POV

"Be careful buddy. I don't think I can take over as Alpha one day if you aren't going to be here with me."

I mean it. I mean every word. I can't imagine being at the helm of the pack without James. He's my best friend and the best guy I've ever known. Watching him get ready to leave is turning me into a big pussy.

"Oh, is the big, tough Alpha going to cry?" James teases before pulling me into a hug. More than just the usual bro hug. We stay like this until the girls cough a little behind us, pretending to hug and kiss each other. I shoot them a look, but they just laugh and then hug for real.

I pull apart from James and place my hands on his shoulders.

"Seriously, though. Take care. And call every night."

He grins. "I wil mom ok? And you be careful out there with the packs. Your trip is way more dangerous than ours is going to be."

James walks around to Aida. She has tears already flowing down her cheeks.

"I only just found you and now I'm leaving you," he says to her, cupping her face.

She sniffles. "I know. Please be careful. I can't lose you when I just found you."

He nods and wraps his arms around her. They stay like this for a while before pulling apart.

I reach and shake hands with James, and I give Jemma a hug just before she gets into the car. James kisses Aida on the head before walking to the driver's side and getting in. Aida comes to stand with me, and I pull her into a tight embrace as we wave and watch Jemma and James head off to the Strand pack base.

"This feels odd," I tell her.

"This feels like shit," she replies, putting her face into my shoulder. I pull her around to the front of me and wrap her up completely. "This feels a bit better," she says into my chest, her voice muffled. She lets out a little laugh.

"Yeah, I know something that would feel even better," I say with a wink, and she shoves me backwards.

"Somebody has tickets on himself." She laughs and heads for the steps.

I catch up to her and grab her hand. Without thinking, I lead us back up to my room. It's still early in the day, so I figure we can get a few hours of extra sleep before we start her training again later this evening.

I may have other things in mind too.

As we get to the door, I see she has finally realised what my plan is. Alone time.

"Hey, buddy, what exactly do you think we're doing here?" She stops and puts her back to the door. Hmm. I like this even more. I walk towards her slowly, and then I place my hands on either side of her head, pushing her slowly and gently against the door. I wiggle my eyebrows up and down. She just laughs softly.

"Have I mentioned the part about mate marking?" I whisper in her ear, the slight brush of my lips on her left earlobe making her shiver.

"Ah, no, but I've read a little about it in the light reading you gave me." She chuckles nervously. Her voice is low and carries a slight hint of excited energy about it.

"Hmm, have you? So, what did you read?" I purr into her ear, trailing light kisses from her ear to her neck. The shivering reaction increases the lower I go.

"Well, the ah, book said that ... that ..."

"Yes?" I ask, continuing my trail of kisses down and along her shoulder.

"That when you're ready to make the bond complete ... that your mate ... marks your neck with a small bite, and then ..."

She places her hands on either side of my face and pulls me up to meet her mouth. My lips crash down on hers, and she responds eagerly.

I fiddle about behind her for the door handle. We need to take this out of the hallway. I find what I'm looking for and hooking my arm around her waist, I push the door and swing her around backwards and into the still dark room, closing the door behind me.

Our lips never part. She deepens the kiss now, and I don't deny her. We make our way backwards in the dark and find my bed before I lower us down.

She pauses and sits up a little, breathing heavy. "Argent, wait. Just wait a second."

I sit up next to her, catching my breath. "Are you okay? We can just do this some more, if that's what you are worried about. We don't have to do anything else."

I feel her breath catch a little. "No, it's not that. I'm fine with that." She chuckles a little.

"Well, then why are we stopping?" I ask slyly. Maybe it's fast for some but my god, I want her. My wolf wants her.

"No, the whole biting me thing, are you ready for that? Do you think we're ready for that?" she questions, touching my face lightly. I can't see her clearly in the dark, but I feel her anxiety level raise a little.

"You get to mark me too, you know?"

"Really?" She seems surprised. Almost excited.

"Yes, you're a wolf, and that is your right. To claim your mate. It solidifies our bond and makes us stronger. And shows everyone that we're taken."

"Hmm," she says, beginning to trace her fingers along my neck and back again, about where the mark should go. "Somewhere here, right?" she asks before kissing me where she was touching ever so lightly. It sends my senses through the fucking roof.

I pick her up and place her legs around my waist, moving us both back to the top of the bed. I lay down and leave her on top of me. She doesn't resist and continues to kiss along my neck and down my chest.

"If you keep doing that, there will be no stopping what happens next," I warn her, earning a small giggle in response.

"I'm okay with that if you are."

This does not require a response. She sits upright and pulls me forward, dragging my shirt up and over my head. She feels her way with her hands back up to my face and places her lips on mine again.

Just as I go to return the favour and remove her top, we freeze as we hear footsteps outside the door.

"No, no, no," I mumble just as the knock sounds. "No one is home!" I shout as Aida starts to giggle

"Oh Argent, Aida, so sorry, but you are needed downstairs to welcome the guards." My father seriously has the worst timing. "Now, son." Damn him.

Aida kisses me on the cheek and swings her legs up and over my waist before standing up off the bed. "To be continued," she says into my ear with a purr, and I feel a growl escape without even noticing it was coming. "Down boy!" She giggles, and I try to grab at her ass before she pulls away and heads into the bathroom to tidy up.

Grr. Being a responsible Alpha- to-be sucks!

***

After making ourselves respectable and trying to avoid the need for a cold shower, we make our way downstairs to welcome the guards.

Two very large and very staunch-looking men stand in the foyer. They wear the traditional white long robes of the council, bearing the red fire emblem. My father is waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs and comes to greet me as I make my way to the bottom.

"Argent, Aidalyn, I would like to introduce you to the guards from the council, Amadeus and Oliver. Gentlemen, my son and his mate."

I bow to the two giants in the doorway and hint at Aida to do the same. She looks very uncomfortable, but she mimics my actions.

"Amadeus, Oliver, thank you for coming. We weren't expecting you for another day or so," I say, tilting my head curiously.

They make no movement at all. Nothing. I stare at their faces closely, wanting to see if they even blink.

Nothing. This is odd. These guys are weird.

My father breaks the awkward silence. "Ah, what my son is trying to say is that we are ever so grateful that you have been able to join us so soon, it's just that we haven't heard back from any packs yet. We assumed you would join us when that happened. If that happened." Father, ever the diplomat, waits for their answer.

Finally, the two hulks stir, looking at each other. The giant one on the left, Amadeus, reaches into his long white robe and pulls out a scroll.

"Old school," Aida whispers to me, clinging to my arm.

I stifle a small laugh. A stern cough next to me makes me straighten up.

"This is from the high council regent. It explains why we're here so soon. Now, if you don't have any further questions, may we have some quarters to retire? We have travelled all day and night." His voice booms. Figures. The stone faced giant of a man has a deep and ominous voice to match his face.

My father nods and hands me the scroll. "Follow me if you would, gentlemen."

I watch them stalk out of the foyer after my father and as soon as they're gone, I grab Aida and herd her into the kitchen. It's still early, so there's no one really around.

She opens the fridge and starts to take out some breakfast foods, and I sit and unwrap the scroll. I read the script out loud.

Alpha Lake and Argent,

We have decided to send our two guards with haste, as we feel the situation with the two infected girls may need urgent attention. Please include the guards on all medical meetings and interventions. They will require access to all records and tests immediately. Amadeus is our resident scientific expert, and as such will conduct an independent investigation on our behalf. We expect full cooperation. We will be in contact if any packs cooperate with your request for more information.

In the will of the goddess,

Regent

I slam my fist down on the bench, making Aida jump a little and spill her juice.

"Okay?" She asks nervously.

"No. Shit just got more complicated."

I show her the scroll and watch as her face goes through a range of emotions from confusion to anger and finally, to fear.

She knows what this means.

"More tests," she says, defeated.

I stand and hug her from behind. "Not if I have anything to say about it."

I knew we shouldn't have trusted them to help without a cost. With them, there is always a cost, and I will not let it be more disgusting and pointless tests on my mate, who has had this her whole life and just purely for their own interests.

No, not anymore.

"I'm going to tell them to shove it."

Aida replies, "What are we going to do?" She looks so scared and that it breaks my heart. She heard my father ; to defy them is to basically declare war.

"We're going to get a head start on them. We leave in the morning."

She looks shocked, but a small smile forms on her lips. She nods and squeezes my hand.

Fuck. This is going to go down like a lead balloon with Father, but I can't let them do this to her. Shit. What about Amalie? Sudden guilt makes me feel sick. I can't think about this. I'll come up with a plan later. For now, I need to get us out of here. I'll leave a note for father, and he will get it once he has seen the scroll. I hope. Shit.

I search Aida's face for any worry or concern, but I don't see any at all. She's calm. Wow. She must really trust me. I take her hand and raise my eyebrows and ask, " Are you okay? Are we doing this?"

She smiles and nods. "Whatever you say, baby."