Chapter 9

Clayton's POV

I sit outside looking at the bear I gave to Rose two years ago.

She's such a sassy little thing when mad, it's actually cute. But, I hate

that she's “wad’ at me, my wolf is “wad’ at me too now because our

mate hates me.

It's my fault, I should've told Damon I didn't find my mate yet. I mean,

how stupid can I be to think he was talking about Rosalind?

I also have to go to the LycanRiver Pack tomorrow with my mate. I don't

know how I'm going to tell Blake my mate is six, unless I don't bring her

with and tell him my mate is busy but I can't stand the thought of her

not being in the same house as me and not being under my protection.

I sigh and stand up, taking the bear with me, I walk into the pack house

and see Lacey talking to female pack member.

My decision is made; I'm taking Rose with me.

I walk over to Lacey, "Alpha Clayton." She says turning to me and

bowing her head in submission while the other girl walks away.

"Lacey, I need to visit the LycanRiver Pack tomorrow and I want to bring

Rose with, if it's okay with you since you are her mother.”

"I understand you want her with you because she is your mate, but I

don't think it would be too safe and Rose wouldn't be happy without

me or Damon with."

I growl when she says it wouldn't be safe — she's safest when with me,

I would do anything to protect that little girl! And she wouldn't be

happy? I'm her mate, nobody can make her more happy than I can

"Lacey, please. You could come with for Rose! I just can't leave her

here."

Lacey looks at me with her blue eyes, the same color as Rose's big ones.

"Oh, alright. I'll go get her stuff packed.” Lacey says walking away. Glad

she said yes, I wouldn't survive one hour that far away from Rose.

The wind blows through my grey fur as I run through the Southern

Woods. I stop running when I smell Damon, I turn around and see his

brown wolf walking over to me.

“Damon.’ I say through mind-link.

“Alpha Clayton, I heard you're going to visit the LycanRiver Pack

tomorrow and that you're taking my daughter with.’

"Yes, I am.’

He sits down in front of me, “Instead of taking Lacey you will be taking

me with."

"You don't make the decisions, Damon. Don't forget who the Alpha here

is." I warn him.

“Besides, I need my beta here to take care of the pack while I'm gone." I

add.

“The Delta can take care of the pack while we're gone. Alpha Clayton, if

you want Rose with you have to take me with. He growls.

I growl back at him and stand high above him. He shrinks his head

down bowing to me, as all wolves do to their Alpha.

“Fine.’ I tell him before we each go in seperate directions, he heads back

to the pack, and I go for a longer run.

I wake up to sunlight shining through my bedroom window; today's

Thursday.

I get out of bed and walk to my bathroom, I turn the water on in the

shower and get undressed before going in the hot water.

The burning water helps melt my problems away and clears my mind,

until I smell Rosalind's scent. It's not strong enough for her to be in my

room, but then I remember her grey teddy bear I gave her.

I slept with the teddy bear in my bed last night. I know, sounds weird

for a 21 year old alpha to sleep with a stuffed animal, but it smells like

her.

I get out of the shower and dry off with a towel before I get dressed in

a white polo shirt and dark washed jeans.

Once I'm dressed I pack my bag with shirts, pants, socks, boxers, my

tooth brush, shampoo, and then I head to Damon's room to see if they

are ready to go. Once I get to their door, it swings open to reveal

Damon as he starts with his and Rose's bags. I offer to carry Rose's bag,

but he ignores me and carries it anyways.

Rose stands by Lacey, glaring at me. My wolf cries slightly - she's still

“wad at us.

God I love that little speech impediment Rose has.

Lacey gives Damon a kiss and hugs Rose before they leave the room

with me to go to my car. Once our bags are in the trunk we all get in

the car. All I can think about is how this is going to be a long car ride.

After about one hour of driving Rose whines, "I'm hungry!"

"Rose, you can survive until we get there.” Damon says giving her a

reassuring smile.

I look over to my right to see a little gas station and I pull the car over

immediately. I open my car door and step out, "Alpha Clayton, what are

you doing?" Damon asks looking annoyed. I don't answer him as I just

walk into the gas station and head to the food.

What would Rose like? I look around and see a giant chocolate chip

cookie. I love chocolate chip cookies, maybe Rose loves them too

I grab one and go over to the counter to pay.

While I hand the chashier the cookie a couple of guys walk in and their

scents hit me. They're wolves. Rogues to be exact. Well this is just

peachy.

The blonde one looks at me and growls, he starts walking over to me

and I walk away from the cashier girl, telling her I'll be right back.

I head to the back of the store, where the cashier can't see, and the two

guys follow. I hide behind one of the shelves stacked with candy and

wait for them to come around the corner.

When one is close enough to me I jump out and punch him in the face.

He stumbles backwards as the other guy runs over to us and pushes me

into the shelf I was hiding behind, causing some stuff to fall down.

I get up quickly and tackle him into a different shelf that had a bunch of

bags of chips and other snacks.

The blonde one pulls me off his friend and punches me in the nose and

face a couple of times. I block his next punch he throws at me and I

punch him back, over and over until he is laying on the hard floor.

I then get tackled by the guy I had tackled down and he puts his hands

around my neck as he starts to choke me.

I reach one of my hands out and grab onto something hard before I

swing the object and it hits his head. He releases me and I push him off.

While he lays on the floor I kick him over and over.

I then feel someone grab me from behind and I hurry and back up into

a wall, which made the blonde guy let go of me. I then grab ahold of

him and swing him down on the floor before grabbing one of the

shelves, knocking it down on top of him.

I hurry back to the front of the gas station. The cashier girl looks

frightened as she asks, "What happened back there! What did you do!"

I don't say anything, I just hand her the money, grab the cookie, and

then head out to my car. When I get in the car I try to hand the cookie

to Rose but she doesn't take it from me.

"What took so long? What happened?" Damon asks, I then turn to him

and hand him the cookie so I can drive away quickly from the gas

station.

"Alpha Clayton, your knuckls are busted up and your lip is slit open.”

Damon says while he turns to the back seat and hands Rose the cookie.

She takes it from him and starts eating it — but yet she wouldn't take it

from me.

I growl slightly before answering Damon, "I had a run in with some

other wolves."

"So you got in a fight with them, but yet you were still able to buy a

cookie?" He asks looking at me.

"She was hungry." I tell him. He sits quiet after I say that and watches

Rose eat her cookie.

After another hour of driving we finally reach the LycanRiver Pack. I park

the car and get out to be greeted by Blake.

"Clayton, glad you could make it!"

"You've changed a lot." He adds as he gets closer to me.

"Oh really?" I ask with a smile.

"Yea, got bloodier knuckles than I remember.” He chuckles while

Damon gets out and gets Rose out of the back seat.

"I had a run in with some rogues at a gas station."

"Rogues? Man I hate them,” he pauses, "and who's this little girl?" Blake

smiles at her but Rose hides her face from him in Damon's chest.

"That's Rosalind, my beta's daughter.” I answer. Blake turns his gaze to

me, "So you brought your beta and his daughter but not your mate?"

He asks me.

"She didn't feel like coming.” I tell him.

He nods,"Oh, I was looking forward to meeting your mate.”

"Speaking of meeting mates, where's yours and your son?" I smile at

him.

"Well, come on in and I'll introduce you!" He says turning and heading

towards the house as Damon and I follow. When we get in the house

Blake walks over to a pretty blonde girl with green eyes. He kisses her

on the lips, which made me sad alittle because I can't kiss my mate.

"Honey, this is Alpha Clayton, Clayton this is my mate Zoey." Zoey

smiles at me, "Hello Alpha Clayton.”

"Hello Luna Zoey. " I smile back at her.

She giggles slightly, "You don't have to call me Luna, just Zoey."