True mates Book Two of Ozark Wolves

All three noticed her withdraw at the mention of their mother and her home. They said nothing though. Rick took the lead and her hand. Steering her toward the display he wanted her to look at. Alexandria was surprised by this. She would have expected William to behave in such a way. Not Quincy or Rick. She supposed that all of them had the capability to be assertive. Rick stopped before the display. "A dress needs this under it. A bra and panties is fine but this helps the dress shape better."

"You know this how?" Alexandria asked with a tentative smile.

"Because he reads women's magazines about such things. The romantic, remember." Quincy replied a few feet away.

"So you were serious about the dress?" Alexandria asked. Her voice rising a notch from its usual light melody.

"Yes. You will need one for the adoption ritual at any rate." Rick replied. "What's the matter."

"I have never worn one." She said softly. The brothers stared at her for a second.

"One step at a time." Rick said gently. She found the color and size for the corset and garter. A package of knee high hosiery. Cheeky lace panties in a light green to match the corset. All three brothers were having blood pressure issues by the time she was done picking her times. The hosiery was olive to match her skin.

Alexandria could sense the brothers issues and took secret pleasure in it. So they were already wondering what she would look like in the undergarments. She thought about that for a second. Shouldn't she be frightened by their reaction? Worried that they would do something? No. Last night have proven once and for all that they would keep to their word.

"If bringing me in here is so much trouble why do it?" She asked as she waited in the checkout lane twenty minutes later.

"Trouble?" Rick asked next to her. He had pulled her close with an arm around her shoulders. Testing her first to make sure she was okay with the gesture. She had leaned into him. Feeling overwhelmed and the solidarity of his body was comforting. It had been a chore to get around the store today. They were having a sixty percent off sale if the purchase was made with their credit card. "No trouble." Moon she felt good against him. She raised her left arm and put her hand in Rick's back pocket. Rick had to keep from jumping at the feel of her fingers against his butt. His wolf was dancing. He noticed the sign and looked over Alexandria's head at Quincy. "Yes, no?"

"I don't see why not." Quincy answered. He had taken Alexandria's other hand. Rick nodded and looked behind him to William who also nodded. William had placed a hand on the small of Alexandria's back. A kind of peace settled over the three. They had noticed that when they touched her it calmed them.

They got the register and the cashier asked if they wanted to apply for the credit card. Rick pulled out his wallet and provided his id and bank card. "Yes we do."

"Excellent." The cashier ran the application and handed him back his id and card. "Alright. Mr. Olander. Here is your temporary that shows your balance and I will get those items rang up for you." Rick handed the paper the cashier had given him to Quincy to file away. "My grandfather lives out near you."

The cashier said as she rang up the items. She chanced a glance at the three males. Her breath caught at the beautiful color of their eyes. Her gaze shifted to the girl with them. She was so relaxed with the one who had provided the information for the card. Her head rested perfectly at his pecks. Her dark green eyes were hard as stone. The cashier swallowed and put the items in the bag and ran the new card numbers.

"Nice and quiet out there." Rick replied taking the bag from her. The girl nodded.

Out in the main walkway Rick led them in the direction of the purse shop. People cleared out of the way of the huge men with the girl. When they reached the purse shop there were no customers. Rick pulled out his wallet and handed her his card. "Get what you want, love. We will wait out here." She looked at him shocked and he had to gently push on the small of her back to get her to move.

She flashed him a shy smile and headed into the store. "You guys feeling as overwhelmed as I am now that she is away from us?" Rick asked. The tension that kept him on high alert immediately took hold of him as soon as he had released her.

"Yep," came the agreement. All three watching her move from display to display.

"I noticed it Saturday." William added. "She touched my back and a peace that I have never felt in my life came over me. Like all the anger and control just evaporated."

"I am always relaxed but she added to it with me yesterday. Making me feel so close to cloud nine." Quincy replied.

"That is her special talent." Margarette said behind them. "She is kindness and compassion. She just doesn't know it yet."

"Mother?" The three said in unified surprise. They stepped forward to kiss her cheek one at a time.

Each asking in turn "Where." "Is" "Father?"

"He is getting candles for the ritual." Margarette said with a smile. "John and Andrea offered to adopt Alexandria. The perfect match really. I, of course, will begin her training as the upcoming Luna." She looked around and spotted Alexandria in the shop. "I offered to sponsor her tonight."

"Tonight?" The brothers asked. "So soon?"

"The council wants to get her education started. I do not blame them. She has much to learn." Margarette replied and stepped into the shop without another word.

Alexandria was nervous about using the card. Not having the brothers with her, she felt like a thief. She spotted a set that was pretty, a yellow wallet with the white flowers on it. A matching purse was next to it. She reached for both. "Got a thing for daisies?" Margarette asked at her back. Alexandria had caught the female's scent so she was not surprised.

"Is that the flower?" Alexandria asked turning to the tall elegant female. She was in red and black dress her long hair braided in pigtails as they had been earlier. The corset bodice made her look so good. Margarette's heavy messenger bag that had been patched with some kind of characters in several places.

"Yes." Margarette said with a smile. "I have news and a shopping partner that can offer a female's perspective." Alexandria stepped back from Margarette a flash of fear in her eyes. "It is good news, dear. I promise." She touched Alexandria's arm reassuringly, "John and Andrea have offered to adopt you into the pack. I am to be your sponsor. The adoption ritual is tonight. The council wants it done as soon as possible so you can start learning." Alexandria had so many emotions run through her. Parents? "Breathe, child. This is good. Andrea is a sweet female with a kind and compassionate disposition. She is the kindergarten teacher."

"Oh," Alexandria brightened a little at this. "And John is head of the compound security." Alexandria remembered from the information that Malcolm had given.

"Yes." Margarette said following Alexandria to the register. The cashier took the items and rang them up. Told the total and Alexandria looked at the small machine the cashier had pointed to. Margarette took the card in Alexandria's hand. "Like this." She said and slid the card into the slot at the bottom of the machine. The machine beeped and Margarette pulled it out, handed it back to Alexandria. "Easy." The cashier hid her confusion and thanked them for coming in.

Marcus had already joined his sons by the time Margarette and Alexandria walked out of the shop. "Did you tell her, love?"

"I did, my love." Margarette said as she slid easily to his side. His arm already going around her waist possessively. Protectively. His hand on her hip pulling her close as he kissed her cheek.

"It is an excellent match and they only live two doors up from the pack house." Marcus said. Alexandria handed Rick back his card with a soft thank you. Quincy took her bag from her and opened it to pull the tags off and hand the items to her. She put the wallet in the purse that hand a long strap so she could turn it into a hip purse. She put it over her head and pushed the bag to her front.

"Dress and then shoes." Rick said pulled Alexandria back to his side. The calming peace she emitted almost made him sigh with contentment. The shop for the dress was crowded. Rick, Alexandria, Margarette, and Marcus stepped into the shop while Quincy and William stayed out in the walkway.

Rick stepped aside as did Marcus to let the females browse. Alexandria found what she was looking for easily. Margarette nodded and up something a little more elegant. "That is pretty for going to the lake or on a walk. This will be good for tonight. What size are you, dear?" Margarette asked. The dress was midnight blue chiffon over silk. It was also spaghetti strapped. Alexandria approached Margarette to get a better look and lifted the side to look at the back. It was crisscrossed with two straps.

"It is lovely, Margarette, but I cannot wear that just yet." Alexandria said softly. "I still have a couple bruises that have not healed."

"Hmm. Alright." Margarette replied. She put the dress back and moved down to look at something else. Alexandria walked past the dress she had originally looked at. Rick rolled his eyes and strode to the rack with the flower dress that Alexandria had wanted and picked up her size. Knowing Margarette. She would pay for the ritual dress.

Alexandria found a yellow dress at the same time Margarette found a red one. The yellow as lace over silk. The red was silky and flowing. Both had backs and spaghetti strapped. "I think we need the males to decide." Margarette smiled and looked in Marcus's direction. He touched Rick's arm and they crossed the shop in four strides of long well muscled legs. People dodging their advance. Alexandria was spellbound by the grace Rick had. So like his father's. "Yes they got their father's grace. It is sinful that they should move so well. Still sends chills up my spine." Margarette laughed at Alexandria's expression. Alexandria noticed the dress she had looked at earlier in Rick's hands. "We need your opinion. Red or yellow?"

"Yellow." Both said. "It goes will with her hair and eyes."

"I wasn't going to get that one today." Alexandria protested gently.

"Yeah you are. Mom and Dad are paying for the ritual dress. I will buy this one." Rick smiled. "I am glad we already go the undergarments for the dress. You are going to look beautiful." She blushed at the compliment.

Last stop was shoes. Rick had the bag with both dresses that he handed to William. Then pulled Alexandria back to his side and they walked leisurely to the shoe store. "I thought we were not going back in there." She said softly to Rick.

"I changed my mind." Rick replied. William and Quincy smiled menacingly.

"Your mother and I are going to head home. Alexandria be at our house by four thirty so Margarette can help you dress." Marcus said and the two left.

"Still giving orders." Rick said with a smile. "Don't worry this is the last stop here and then we can go and walk the park for a while. Decompress from the people."

Inside the shoe store, Rick led Alexandria to the heels section for her size. William and Quincy watched the creepy guy look at the three males and disappear. Good boy, Quincy said with satisfaction. William was disappointed. He had been hoping for a fight. Alexandria relaxed and tried on three pairs of shoes that would go well with the dress for tonight and the dress that Rick had bought. One pair was five inch stilettos. The other two were varying heights in block form like Margarette wore. "Which one?" She asked torn.

"Which will be most the comfortable?" He asked. "You will be standing in them for about an hour tonight." Rick replied. Alexandria nodded and handed him the box with the shortest block heels. A lighter yellow than the other two. "Good choice."

Creepy guy was the only one on duty and he did his best not to look at Alexandria. "Thank you coming in." He said as he handed the receipt to Rick.

"Thanks for not being a creepy asshole this time." Rick replied as he took the receipt.

William paused before following to look the creep in the eyes. "I was really hoping you would get stupid." His eyes hardened just a touch.

"William," Alexandria said in a soft warning from Rick's side. "The point has been made." She smiled brilliantly and continued on with Rick when William walked away.

Out at the cars as Rick was putting all the bags in the backseat of his car. William and Quincy helped Alexandria into the car. They each gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. Lingering just a little to show her it was not a friendly kiss. But one of care. She was touched. A blush crept up her face to bloom in her high cheekbones. William had to walk away. Quincy almost lost his control. Wanting kiss her into submission. To taste her mouth. Moon this was going to be a long summer.

Rick joined her in the car and started the engine. "We have an hour. Are you hungry? There won't be much time to eat."

"I was hoping for ice cream." Alexandria replied.

"Okay. A cone a little walk in the park and back to the house." Rick replied. He cupped her face still pink with the blush. Leaned in and kissed her forehead. "You did really good."