A shout out to all my new readers, thanks for giving my book a chance!

Chapter 26

---------------

Nick looked like a thunderbolt struck him.

While people in the room gave him time to digest that piece of news.

She, Evelyn was mated to one of the most powerful werewolf families of the world...not to mention richest... For a selfish minute he thought what it meant of him and his pack, he could see their fortunes changing quite rapidly.

But he controlled that chain of thought for now...for now he was confused. That's what he was, confused.

"But" he stuttered out "If he is your son, why..." he couldn't finish his question.

Why did she capitulate so easily to his demands?

He had come prepared for war and she had been practically waving the white flag.

"Why did I agree so readily?" Roma asked reading his thoughts accurately.

She gave a gentle smile and said "I was worried of what you or anyone else would demand in retribution. My son was on the wrong clearly...but by putting his fate in the hands of his own mate" She paused "She is his mate, I had one. I know how it feels and there is no way she could be unreasonable with him and once her wolf comes out...her wolf would literally take over and would want to be with her mate. She would only be able to resist until her wolf come out which would be in a month or two and even then her mate bond would be strong enough in a week or two to ensure that she does not hurt him deliberately or otherwise."

All the three men in the room gaped at her. Nick in renewed respect. She was a sly one, she knew he would come in screaming for justice and all. She simply directed him in absolute calmness to a resolution she wanted while making it seemingly reasonable. Now the fate of her son was in the hands of her mate and she was rightly not overtly worried because a mate would not do anything to harm her mate, especially once bonded.

Nick had to admit that the queen of Roma was no fool and she had played him and he never saw it coming.

"Besides, I truly believe that now the matter is between them. I will admit my son was wrong in claiming her without her consent. So if she makes him work for it....make him grovel a little" she shrugged "Fine by me, he had it coming for him. Honestly I would be a little disappointed if she did not make him work for it. She is going to be the queen of Roma one day, after all" She smiled with a glint in her eyes.

"But Roma" Alex added "I know her, she had been my friend since we came over and she never wanted this life, in fact she was planning to leave the pack once the whole rogue thing settled."

Alex looked at Nick as he said the last part and Nick nodded grimly. Alex was right, she was not one of those girls who dreamt of a mate. She was a very determined young lady who had actually convinced Nick on what she wanted. Nick would have been unhappy but he would have let her go because of her conviction on her belief.

"She won't be happy" Nick added.

"Why did she want to leave?" Roma asked.

"Multiple things" Alex said "But mainly, to prove to herself that she could make something of her life. She and her mother were dependent of different packs and then Nicks pack for survival, for roof over their head and that in turn resulted in her need to be independent and to prove to herself that she could make something of her life without depending on others. While she loves Jeff, she hates the fact that she is dependent on him for a roof over her head." The date with her had given him a unique insight in to the strong willed girl.

"I assume Jeff is not her father?" Roma asked.

"Her father was a wastrel" Nick said in distain "that had been kicked out of multiple packs because of him, while I think there was no love left in the marriage, Cathy Parker stuck to him mainly because of Evelyn, she thought it would help her child if she had both her parents" It surely didn't.

Roma sat thinking and sighed "Then my son better convince her" She looked at the three of them "It does not matter now, does it? What's done is done and as I said earlier, it's up to my son to work it out with his mate" She then looked at Nick "I can hope there will be no interferences from you or your pack in this regard"

It was Nicks turn to sigh and contemplate "Jeff would not be easy to convince and my pack would not look kindly to someone who unwilling formed a mate bond"

"I understand" Roma added "and those will be some consequences that my son had to face for his actions. However at the end I need this assurance from you Nick that your or your pack will not interfere between them. All I ask is let them work it out."

Nick thought for a moment and nodded his acquiesce.

"Thanks you Nick. That is all I ask. I am sorry that it had to come to this. I am sorry for the pain we brought upon this girl, her family and your pack. I just hope, we make this right without further aggravating the situation"

Nick felt renewed respect for the woman in front of him. A genuine apology from the Queen of Roma, he had not expected this from her...

"Sure Roma" he added, he would have to control his pack and have some not so pleasant conversations but he would give the newly mated pair to come to terms.

"But" Nick added "I will not do anything against Evelyn's will" He would not let her be forced in to something she did not want or was not ready for.

"I would not expect anything less from her Alpha" Roma responded in agreement.

They had finally reached an agreement on this unfortunate event.

"There is one more thing" Nick added "David will be here in two days"

Roma started rubbing her temples in frustration.

"I will go back to Roma tomorrow" She added. Sebastian was having an apoplexy for every day she was staying outside of Roma and he was threatening to come over.

"We will keep a contingent of our wolves around to help you and some guards for my son and his mate. We also need to ensure that this news does not get out. If David even gets a whiff of someone from Roma claiming a female wolf against her will, the consequences of such a thing would be disastrous" She let her words sink in.

"Nick, it's up to you to keep our pack in line and ensure this does not get out at any cost and more importantly it is more critical now to keep my son's identity a secret. The true identity of Evelyn's mate must remain with people in this room." All of them nodded in acceptance.

If Gordon Lockbourne, the head of the world council of werewolf and boss of David got hold of this piece of news, there would be no end to miseries he would unleash on Roma. The thought itself give Roma a headache. They all knew the seriousness of the situation and if it got out of hand, it would not badly for all of them.

Nick got up "I have an uphill task ahead of me, let me get started" Everyone got up along with him.

"Thank you Nick, this help would not be forgotten"

Nick nodded to her as Adrian escorted out of his room. It was never bad to have Roma owe him one, who knew how that could help him out or his pack in the future.

***

Alex found him in one of the hotel's rooms. Drunk like fuck.

He was not sure if he wanted to feel sorry or angry. He stepped in and saw him again staring out of the window, slouched in to a couch and empty bottles strewn all around him.

"What a sorry figure you cut" Alex deadpanned.

Maxwell looked over to his friend. A look of self-loathing on his face and eyes glazed hoping to escape from his guilt by drowning himself in Jack Daniels...apparently from the look of things, Jack wasn't being all that helpful.

Anger mounted in Alex. He came and stood in front of him blocking his view of the outside.

Maxwell was still staring like nothing changed.

Alex got on his knees and looked in to Maxwell's eyes.

"Listen to me you son of a bitch!" Alex seethed, he was one of the very few people in the world who could talk to him this way.

"You are sitting here feeling all sorry for yourself. She was a friend of mine! A good friend"

He saw a flicker of emotion in Maxwell's eyes which was gone as soon as it came.

"You forced a mate bond on her against her will, you slime ball! And you sit here in self-pity when you ought to go out and make amends for the wrong you did."

"Fix this Maxwell, if it's the last thing you did. She does not deserve this, not from you, not from anybody. You took away free will from someone who valued it very highly."

Alex was even scared to comprehend what she was going through.

"Grow a pair, face the consequences instead of sitting here like a pussy! And drowning your sorrows out hoping everything will fix itself" Alex was being harsh and to some extent cruel but someone needed to give it to him straight.

He fucked up, now he had to fix it. Not sit and cry.

"Fix this Maxwell" Alex repeated getting up and walking out of the room "I want my friend back" he paused before exiting the room "both of them" and left.

***

As Nick stepped in, Jeff was waiting in his office. Nick was not sure for how long he was there.

"So" Jeff said without preamble, half expecting Nick to be dragging behind him whoever was responsible.

Nick took a deep breath, this was not a discussion he was looking forward to but could not be avoided. He settled down comfortably in his office chair and looked at his beta and longtime friend.

"I had a discussion with Roma and agreed on best course of action" Nick paused as Jeff was eagerly soaking in the information "An action we both agreed to, that would be best for everyone involved."

"Ok" Jeff said impatiently "I am assuming by agreement you mean serving which ever bastard did this to her on a platter"

"And how would that help Evelyn?" Nick asked calmly.

"Help her?" Jeff asked confused "How about justice! We can rip his head off his neck as he just about did it to her.... Now that would be justice"

"Justice for who? You are her?"

Jeff looked lost and for the first time was starting to feel that they might not be on the same page here. Something he never contemplated before.

"What exactly did you agree on, Nick?" Jeff asked too calmly.

"I agreed on what I thought was best for Evelyn"

"Which is?" Jeff was getting impatient, it was not like Nick to beat around the bush.

"That the only person who has the right to pass any judgment or punishment on whoever did this to her is her. Only Evelyn can decide the next course of action"

"Evelyn? You mean the very Evelyn who is lying on her bed like a broken china doll because of some bastard!" Jeff got up, put his hands on the table and leaned in to Nick who was sitting calmly on the other side.

"Yes her." Nick said very calmly "You are forgetting one little thing, right or wrong that boy is now her mate. I know you are outraged and you have every right to be, but you also need to consider how our actions will impact her. You may want to gladly kill him for doing this to her. But what about the consequence? What do you think will happen to her if you harm her mate?" He paused for it to sink in to Jeff's head, who had by now lost his steam and had collapsed in to the chair.

"They are mates Jeff" Nick said softly "There is nothing we can do about it. Yes, he wronged her. But it is up to her to choose what she wants to do about it."

"That's it?" Jeff asked defeated. He felt cheated, this was not justice it was surrender.

"What else can we do? We can't hurt him, banish him or do anything that will impact Evelyn, she had already suffered, would you want to impose more suffering on her because you feel that it is not enough or this solution does not satisfy your version of justice or retribution. Tell me Jeff what else can we do? Can you do? Can I do? Because I have come up with nothing." Nick finished his emotional monologue to his friend.

Jeff sat in silence. Slowly realization dawning on him. For the first time he could see the long lasting consequences.

"It is not fair" he muttered resigned.

Nick simply nodded. Yes it was not fair, but this is what it was.

"So it's up to her to decide?" Jeff asked, maybe there was some poetic justice in it after all. Knowing Evy, she would not take it lightly someone snatching free will away from her. Her ability to choose. May be she would device such a punishment for him that even he would not have thought of. After all she was an extremely bright girl

"Up to her" Nick confirmed.

"And he has to go through whatever she decides?"

"Roma herself gave me her word that he would abide by it"

Jeff seemed satisfied.

"Who is he?" Jeff asked

Nick paused, tension filled up his body. He hated to lie to Jeff but with his word to Roma and with David coming over he needed to keep a tight lid on this piece of thunderbolt.

"Someone high up in the Roma hierarchy"

Jeff nodded seemed satisfied for now.

"There is one more thing..." Nick started but was rudely interrupted.

The door to the office room flung opened as a wild looking Cathy Parker entered the office in panic. She completely ignored her alpha looked at Jeff with fear in her eyes. Both Jeff and Nick got up looking at her state.

"Jeff!" she exclaimed panic seeping through her voice "Something is wrong with Evelyn!"

Jeff rushed out of the room with Cathy and Nick behind him.