The Alphas’ P**n Star Mate

It's not that I think they're frail. Chloe is just the most precious thing to me. When Estel finds her mate, I'm sure he will think the same. Having a mate and someone you want to protect, above all else, changes one's perspective on everything.

"I can't wait to meet this new Luna," Estel said. "She sounds like a badass.""She has her moments," Beau shrugged. "She's like a kept doll at the moment. Everyone is desperately hiding her away."

"You sound like you disagree. Do you have a problem with us protecting our mate?"Beau and Kai exchanged a look, then Beau just sighed. "You sure protecting her the way you are isn't just going to remind her of her first mate? He locked her away in the pack house too." I growled deep in my chest. "She's not locked away."

"No," Beau scoffed, "She just can't go anywhere without you two flipping out or without Lenny and Jamie babysitting her inconspicuously. She's not stupid. She's going to catch on."

"Wait, you're having her guarded without her permission? Like she doesn't know she's being watched?" Estel looked shocked and slightly horrified.

"She refused the guards we tried to put on her," I argued. "She has half the fucking world after her. I'm not risking losing her."

"Yeah, because she is going to be so happy to hear you have people spying on her without her knowledge. Are they, like, following her to the bathroom too?"

"No," I scowled. "Not inside." Lenny waits outside the door and hides as she comes out. Emily has been going to the bathroom with her for the last few days, so we haven't needed to worry so much.

Not about her safety at least. Miles and I have both been worried about other things. He's at the pack house now taking her to lunch.

I heard the faint sounds of a car pulling up near the highway about a quarter mile away. The slowing sounds of the engine were a telling sign that someone was pulling off to the side. The sure crunching of leaves and dried sticks under the tires let me know it was Rodger pulling into the spot we had been parking. It's off the road and out of sight, hidden by trees and a ward cast by Kai.

Minutes later, he was walking into our small clearing, pushing right into the wards Kai had up to conceal our presence. He had a bag in one hand, jingling loudly as he swung it back and forth. I could tell he was nervous too. He's been on edge as much as Miles and I have been the past few days. Probably for the same reasons.

"There are too many threats to our mate," Rome grumbled, irritated too. "Plus, mate isn't happy. Even Cortina isn't happy right now."

I know something is wrong with Chloe. I can feel it. If we can get these assholes dealt with, and kill her pig of an ex, maybe she can finally feel at ease. I'm anxious to get this all taken care of, so she can be happy again, without any threats hanging over her head. "I don't think that's it," Rome said. He's pacing now, feeling something that I don't, probably coming from Cortina.

"Okay, let's get this started," Rodger said, crouching on the ground and dumping the contents of the bag onto a patch of grass. There was a long necklace with a big circle pendant, and small hoop earrings. The last thing was a handheld mirror, but the glass plane was currently black instead of reflecting back an image. "My sister's enchanted these, and once I trigger the spell they will be active for twelve hours. The earrings will allow for you to communicate with us, and we will see everything you do through the pendant."

He handed her the earrings first, then waved his hand over the necklace. Purple smoke clouded around the metal circle, then a sheen coating flickered over its smooth surface. The glass in the mirror suddenly flickered to life, and showed an image of Rodger, even though he was looking down at the pendant necklace several inches from the mirror.

"If there is dark magic being used in there, the chain will tingle. Let me know right away and we will come get you."

"I have fifty warriors waiting to deploy nearby," I informed her. "We will get you out if anything happens." It's not as many warriors as we originally planned, but I couldn't risk taking more away from the pack since that's where Chloe is and her fucking ex had already tried to get on our lands once.

Rome was pacing and grumbling to himself, making his anxiousness bleed into me. It was getting impossible to ignore. Suddenly, a frantic mind link broke into my head.

"Get home," Miles growled angrily, his mood feeling dangerous and distressed even through the link. "Please. I don't know how to fix this."

"Fix what? What happened? Is it Chloe?"

Miles was quiet for a long moment, but his silence said a lot. "She knows."

"Knows what?" Did he tell her about her ex being close by and trying to get into Setting Sun? We agreed not to tell her so she didn't get worried. "She knows about Lenny and Jamie. She knows we were having her followed."

"Shit." I glanced at Beau, feeling like he jinxed this to happen.

"And...." Miles hesitated, then said, "And she knows about us trying not to get her pregnant. She's.... She's not taking it well."

"Did you tell her?!"

"No," he growled. "Well.... I didn't mean to."

Rome was fidgeting, pacing along the lines of his subconsciousness. I knew he was trying to get to Cortina, but couldn't for some reason.

"Where is Chloe?"

"She stormed off with Lenny. She's in the pack house, but I don't know where. I'm scared to follow her." He paused for a second, then said. "And her scent disappeared again." "Disappeared? How can it just disappear?"

"I don't know, but the second she decided to go off without me, I couldn't smell her scent anymore. It's scaring me, Mick. We need to fix this." His voice began to shake. "She said she can't breathe with me."

Shit. Fuck, whatever happened, it sounds fucking bad.

Beau and the others were looking at me curiously, probably aware that I was mind linking right now. From the worried look on Rodger's face, I can only imagine what my expression is like.

Shit. This is happening at the worst time.

"We're about to send Estel in."

"I know. I know getting that shitbag back is important, but this is our mate. She's..... She's hurting, Mick. Send Dez or Billy there to handle shit and help me." He sounded close to breaking. "I can't let her hurt like this for much longer, Mick. You didn't see the look on her face." Maybe Beau was right. I can feel and hear the anxiety in my brother. He was really shaken.

By the way that Rome was acting, I should have known something was up. I can't leave this be if she's hurting either. She's my miracle, and I've been trying to protect her from everything on the outside. I didn't consider protecting her emotionally too. She's always so emotionally strong, and acts independent. I didn't want to fail my miracle by letting her get hurt. Miles was wrapped up in her security within the pack too and keeping the threats out. I didn't realize we were hurting her ourselves."Send Billy and Darren here. I'm on my way."