Page 28

"Where did Doctor Lawrence say he was going to meet us?" Paige asked.

"His office," Patrick answered. "He'll take us to this other wolf after introductions are made."

"In that case you'll want to park on Harrison Ave. The humanities building has the worst parking. Harrison is the closest street with on street parking and it's usually pretty empty this time of day. Take a left on Lexington and a left on Mt Beacon then it'll be a left on to Harrison."

"Three lefts?" Patrick asked.

"Harrison's a one way street."

"Half the streets in Boston are a one way street," he grumbled.

"Which is why I never drove here." Nathan saw his beta struggle to keep a smile off his face. He may be wary of Paige, of her potential to hurt him, but Nathan could tell Patrick was beginning to like her.

They pulled up to the building and found a parking spot pretty quickly. The other SUV which had been following them so far drove past them. Nathan saw Paige's questioning look. "They're gonna circle the block a few times and then park until needed."

They trudged their way across campus to the humanities building.

Nathan was oscillating between worry for Paige and wanting to get to know this part of her.

The girl who had run away to the human world, who started at a community college and was now graduating with her PhD.

He subconsciously reached out for her hand and was thrilled when she took it before he could rein himself in.

She naturally wanted to be close to him too.

He didn't care whether it was the mate bond or their history causing it. He was just happy her hand was in his. It became his life line as the entered the building. He could smell rouges as soon as they stepped inside. Patrick and Micah smelled them too and both tensed up a bit. Ready for anything.

Paige led them through the building.

Up a flight of stairs, then across a floor, then up another two flights.

"Sorry," she said as they started to climb another flight.

"It's a really old building. It's actually two buildings they connected. The lay out can be a little confusing. But we're almost there." She peered around a corner and nodded to herself. "This is it." She dragged Nathan down the hall. She hadn't let go of his hand the whole time.

"Professor Moran?"

"Paige?" A voice called out, "Paige Robins is that you?" The reached an office and she walked inside with out knocking. "It is you, my dear girl." He got up from around his desk. Nathan was doing all he could to keep Malcolm calm. He really did not like being here.

The Professor moved towards Paige and gave her a hug but quickly let go when Nathan released a low growl.

"My apologies, Alpha."

Paige looked back at Nathan as his words as the growl was too low for her to hear. She stepped closer to him. "It's okay, look at how he's standing, his body language. He means me no harm. He's more like a father to me than anything else."

Nathan took a large breath as he took in the wolf in front of him. The rouge professor looked to be about forty-five, with brown hair that was greying at the temples. He looked at how the Professor looked at Paige and saw that he had fatherly affection in his gaze. He took another large breath.

"No, I'm sorry. Rouges killed my entire family. It's difficult to set that aside."

"An Alpha who apologizes." A wry smile spread across his face. "My dear girl, you have found yourself a diamond in the rough. Thank you, Alpha. I can understand your predicament. Dr. Lawrence said your pack suffered greatly in the most recent rouge wars. I am sorry for your loss."

Nathan nodded at the wolf, not trusting himself to say the right thing. The Professor looked up at Patrick and Micah as if noticing them for the first time. Paige saw his questioning look.

"Oh, allow me to make introductions. Professor Moran, this is Alpha Nathan Grant of Moon Wind Pack, his Beta Patrick, and my brother Micah." He shook Nathan's hand and nodded to Patrick, but when she introduced her brother his face lit up and said, "Ah, so you're the infamous little brother. Your exploits are legendary around here."

Micah smiled and looked between them, "Well if Paige was the one telling the stories you can be sure to know they're probably only telling half my greatness."

"I can see what you meant by his humility." Paige laughed at the joke and then again at the indignant look on Micah's face. It settled Nathans nerves a little to hear her. "Come in everyone, please." He gestured to the seating round his office. To the side there was a couch flanked by two arm chairs. Paige and Nathan took the couch while the professor sat in one of the arm chairs. Patrick and Micah remained standing.

"I have to say when my friend told me about a woman from the White Mountains with a dormant wolf, I did wonder for a moment if it was you."

Nathan and Paige exchanged confused looks. "Why is that professor?

"You always were more aware when it came to wolves. At least, more than what can be explained by you growing up in a pack. You knew right away I was a wolf when we met didn't you?"

"I suspected, I didn't know."

"No, Paige. None of that fresh from the pack deference. Speak your mind."

"Yes, I did." She said more firmly, "I don't know how but I did."

"And other wolves you've met?"

"Yes, I knew them right away too."

"You said it was just observation skills," Nathan interjected. "Noticing our reactions to things."

"I said it was enhanced by observation skills. It's really more of a sixth sensed confirmed by observation skills. I get a feeling some ones a wolf and then I confirm it by watching their reactions."

Nathan was confused by this, why would Paige hide that from him.

"You also have more physical capabilities than if you were truly just human. Your balance, your strength, your speed are all more than that of an average human. Though I expect that those will have increased since meeting your mate."

All their heads snapped to the Professor.

"How did you...?"

"Please, this wolf is looking at you like you are the air he breathes."

Nathan looked around at all the responses to that statement.

The professor was wearing a knowing smile, Patrick's stone face was in place, as always, though, Nathan thought he saw the corners of his mouth twitch up. Micah's expression was a mix of shock and anger, they had told him that Paige had a dormant wolf but not how they knew it.

When Micah said she mixes superglue in her ChapStick he wasn't lying. There was no reason for them not to tell Micah other than Paige was intensely private. From the car, Micah knew something was going on between them but the look he had now said he didn't think they were fated mates.

Nathan lastly looked at Paige.

Her expression was hard to read, betraying hardly any emotion.

She looked down at her hands as if she didn't want to meet her brother's eye.

"Paige?"

"Not now Micah."

"But-"

"You already promised." She looked up at him and pierced him with a look that Nathan was sure could cause physical harm. Nathan looked to his soon to be brother who had held her gaze for a long moment, before letting his shoulders drop. "Thank you." She said.

"You owe me."

"I know."

Like their exchange in the car Nathan was confused at what they said to each other and how they said it.

"What was that?" Patrick mind-linked him.

"I have absolutely no idea." Nathan replied.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say they were mind-linking."

"They did it in the car too." They let the link drop, to confused by what they had seen to make much sense of it.

Nathan was about to return to the reason they had come when he heard footsteps running down the hall outside. He stilled, his anxiety sensing a threat. Patrick and Micah tensed too. A little werewolf came bursting through the door.

"It is you! It is!" He exclaimed, then darted between Micah and Patricks legs and jumped in Paige's arms before anyone could stop him. "Ms. Paige is back!"

Paige hugged the child back. "Hello Theo." She let out a contented sigh. "I missed you!"

Nathan was struck by how comfortable she looked with a child in her arms. He always knew she was kind and compassionate, and would make a great mother if she ever decided to be but she had never talked about being one.

He had seen her with children during their travels but it was nothing like seeing her hold this little pup.

It filled Nathan with longing to see her hold their children.

"I missed you too." The pup pulled away as another wolf hurried into the room. "Daddy look! I was right! Ms. Paige is back. I knew it was you! I smelled you as soon as came in. I never forget a smell. Even though yours is a little different. I still knew it was you!"

"Theo, what have I told you about running off?" He sighed as he walked further into the office before stopping to look around at who was gathered.

"But dad! I knew it was Ms. Paige! You always said I was safe with Ms. Paige."

The wolf let out an exasperated sigh and looked at the professor, "Sorry, I didn't know you had an appointment, Annie was late and said she could meet me here."

"That's alright." The professor stood, "Alpha Nathan, this is my mate Henry and our son, Theo." Nathan stood as the rest of the introductions were made. There was a bit of tension as there always is between pack wolves and rouges. But it was broken when Theo, who was still sitting on Paige's lap said, "Why do you guys smell funny?" They all chuckled.

"Theo these are my friends, they're from the Moon Wind pack."

The boys eyes grew huge. "You guys are pack wolves? Is it true that you can talk to each other in your minds anywhere in the world?" He looked up at Patrick expecting an answer. Patrick stuttered under the boys gaze, not knowing how to interact with such a pup.

"Uh, yeah, if we're in the same pack. But not anywhere in the world, there is a distance limit."

"That is so cool! Papa said that I'll only be able to do that with my mate, and if I have pups of my own. But how cool would it be it I could talk to my friends? You must talk to your friends all the time right?"

"Uh yeah, all the time."

"Cool!" Nathan was amazed when he saw Patrick smile at the boy. Patrick hated rouges more than anyone else in the pack, but it was impossible not to smile at this pups enthusiasm. The pup turned his attention beck to Paige.

"Ms. Paige, how come you stayed away for so long? You promised it wouldn't be long but it's been years and years."

"I know honey and I'm sorry. There was a lot of stuff happening. Did you get my post cards?"

"I did! I put them up on my wall. The pictures you sent me too." He turned to Nathan, "You were in them too. Are you Ms. Paige's mate? You guys kinda smell the same. But Ms. Paige still smells pretty though, you smell funny. You're not sick are you? My great-grandma smelled funny before she got sick. She died last year. It was really sad."

"Uh buddy, Ms. Paige and her friends and I have a meeting to go to. Do you think you can wait here with Dad for Annie?" The professor interjected.

"But Ms. Paige just got here!" The boy whined.

"I know, but you will see her again."

"When? It was five years the last time you said that. Will it be five years again Ms. Paige? I don't want to wait five years to see you again."

"No Theo, it won't be five years again."

"You promise?" The pup looked up at Paige with eyes that could melt a glacier.

"I promise." She said firmly. "I'll come back and we can go to the park and get burgers and milkshakes! Just like we used to!"

"Why don't we do that today? After your meeting?"

"Oh, I don't know about that bud, we have a lot do today."

"Well, will you come say goodbye this time? Annie and I are gonna do my homework and then go to the park. Will you come say goodbye?

"I will come say goodbye. I promise." She held out her pinky finger. The pup took it with his and said,

"Good."