"Are the rogues taken care of?" I asked my beta.

"Yes, sir. The men are disposing of their bodies as we speak." Lance told me.

"Good. You may go now."

Instead of leaving my office as I expected, Lance stayed put shifting from one foot to the other.

"There's one other thing, Alpha."

"Spit it out then. I don't need you wasting any of my time by just standing there."

"When we found the rogues by the border, they were attacking others. A woman and her pup. Both mother and child survived, but the mother acquired several harmful injuries trying to protect her young." Lance reported.

"Where are they now?"

"We took the woman to the infirmary. It was clear she needed immediate medical attention. We're also holding the pup in the nursery with your sister. I was wondering what you would want us to do with them next."

"Is the woman in any state to talk?" I asked.

"As far as I know, she's still unconscious."

"Let me know when she wakes up. When she does, I'll question her to see what happened before she was attacked and whether or not she needs to go back to her pack. She is from another pack right?"

"Yes, sir. She didn't smell like a rogue."

"Very well. Is that all?"

"Actually, I do have some unrelated news, Alpha."

"Yes?"

"Riley and I are expecting our first child." Lance announced.

"Congratulations."

I was happy for Lance. I truly was. He was my beta and therefore one of the closest people to me. I stood up for him as the best man at his wedding with Riley. I was glad to see that she made my best friend truly happy and now that they were going to have a family I was excited for them.

However, I couldn't help but envy them. Where was my mate? Why did my beta get to start his family before I even meet my mate? To me it didn't make any sense.

I was twenty four years old and I felt that I had waited long enough to meet my mate. There was also the fact that I was an alpha. It is vital for a pack to have an alpha, meaning that I needed to have an heir who could take my place someday. Not only that, but a pack also needs a luna. Knowing how essential a luna and alpha heir are, the moon goddess should allow alphas to find their mates sooner than others but she doesn't. That was the most frustrating thing.

"Thank you, sir. I'm hoping for a boy so he can take over as beta someday."

"That would be great. I'm sure you'll raise him to become a great beta."

Seeing the smile on his face wiped away all the resented I was feeling. He was lucky to be starting a family and I was happy for him. It wasn't wrong to want what he had, but it was wrong for me to hold it against him.

"I'm going to see Riley now. We have an appointment set up with the doctor. We're going to hear the baby's heartbeat today. I'll let you know when the woman is ready to talk."

"Alright. Good luck with your appointment."

Lance left my office and I began my work in the silence that followed his departure.

I continued to go through paperwork for an hour before Lance mindlinked me. "She's awake."

"Alright. I'll be there in a few minutes." I responded in my head.

Issues like these were what made the job of an alpha difficult. Paperwork over pack taxes and treaties could be at times boring and tedious, but it wasn't very complicated.

This woman possibly attract other rogues to my pack now that she was here after fighting rogues so close to my borders. She might even need to become a new addition to our pack which was a lengthy process in itself, or I would have to contact her alpha to send her back to her pack. I did not look forward to speaking with this woman when I knew her problem could be time consuming. I had a stack of papers on my desk and several meetings scheduled throughout the week; I didn't have much time to spare on her.

I met Lance at the entrance to the infirmary.

"Where's her room?" I asked.

"This way. She's in 203."

Lance led me down the halls to room 203.

"Wait for me out here, Lance. I can handle the questioning on my own, but if I need you for something I'll mindlink you."

"Yes, Alpha."

I turned the knob and entered room 203.

A smell like cherry blossoms and feathers instantly invaded my nose. I couldn't believe it.

I took in my mate's appearance as she laid on the bed. Her skin was fair but looked unnaturally pale from barely surviving her encounter with rogues. Her thick brown hair was strewn in tangles across the pillow and her brown eyes held a comforting warmth in them. Despite my mate's disheveled appearance, she was gorgeous.

She had finally noticed I was in here and stared back into my eyes. I gazed at her for several seconds longer before turning back towards the door.

When Lance saw me walk out the door he looked at me with a puzzled expression.

"What happened? You were only in there for like ten seconds."

"It's nothing of your concern. Find out from the doctor when she can be released. When she doesn't need to stay at the infirmary anymore set up a guest room for her and the baby to stay in. Arrange for someone to bring them meals. I don't want her roaming around the pack." I ordered him.

"I don't understand. Why does she need to be kept in a guest room?"

"Are you questioning my orders?"

"No, sir. It just doesn't make any-"

"I'm the alpha and you will obey my orders without question. See to it that what I said gets done."

"Yes, Alpha." Lance bowed his head in submission.

It wasn't fair to take out my frustrations on Lance, he wasn't the one who made me angry.