I Can't Be The Alpha's Mate

Chapter 24- Questioning

"Bring in the new members of the pack, I need to ask them a few questions." I heard Rafe say to Ty as I entered his office. Ty nodded and turned to leave. I looked at Rafe, the question clear in my eyes. What was there to talk to them about?

I hopped up, sitting on the desk, my legs swinging as I looked at Rafe, waiting for him to say something on his own. 

"Katarina, I would like you to be there as well." That was all he had to say. 

"Well of course I'm going to be there. Why in the world are you talking to them?"

"This situation with the rogues, how do we know they aren't in on it?"

I was stunned into silence. I supposed it was a small possibility, a very small one, but what reason would they have for that?

"Nolan wouldn't be part of some rogue group trying to attack the pack, none of them would," I said shaking my head. 

"How do you know that Katarina? You knew them for a matter of days, how do you know what they would and wouldn't do?"

"I didn't know you much longer," I shot back. "But I still gave you a chance, and a second one for that matter."

"Well maybe your first impression of me was right," he shot back. 

I had been wondering the same thing myself. "Or maybe it wasn't." 

Silence filled the space around us and I sighed. "We bring them in, talk to them, but don't start it out as if they're already guilty."

Rafe stared at me. I knew he was turning my words over. 

He nodded slightly. "I promise I won't accuse them."

I nodded and hoped to the gods that Rafe knew how to keep a promise. 

One after another, the new members were brought in and questioned. I sat there silently for the most part, listening to what Rafe asked, and the way the questions were answered. I had to give a small thanks that Rafe indeed did keep his promise. 

As I listened, nothing seemed troublesome. They had all seemed genuine in their answers of wanting to join the pack. 

Nolan was the last to come in for questioning. He sat down right inside the door and I sat in Rafe's desk chair as he paced back and forth. I could tell he was more anxious about this one. Rafe still wasn't happy about me having lunch with him the other day. He knew Nolan liked me, but he also knew that I wasn't going to act on it. 

"How long were you a rogue before coming into our pack?" Rafe asked. 

"Two and a half years," Nolan said as he watched Rafe pace. 

Rafe stopped and leaned against the desk, and Nolan's eyes flashed to me. 

"And in that time who were you with?"

"I traveled alone for a few months until I came across the group you found me with. We stuck together out there, helped each other out."

"Why did you leave your previous pack?" Rafe asked. 

"Because I didn't agree with their ways. The Alpha didn't know how to be an Alpha, the pack was falling apart, and their attempts at fixing it didn't sit well with me."

Rafe nodded and kept his stare fixed on Nolan, trying to judge his responses. 

"Alright, but two and a half years, that's quite a while."

"Not nearly as long as some of the others," Nolan said with a shrug. 

"Oh I know. We have some that were out as long as twelve, but for people out that long, it seems odd that you'd want to join a pack again. Why did you decide to come with us?" Rafe asked. 

"I was ready to settle back down, to live permanently somewhere. I think we were all tired of constantly moving around and trying to avoid packs. We all liked Kat, and we trusted her judgement." I could tell Rafe had noticed the implaction behind those last words, even I had noticed them. My judgement, I had run away from this man, that was the reason I had found them. Nolan had listened to me tell my story, he knew what Rafe had done. But he also knew I chose to come back. 

"We had been thinking about finding a pack for a little while when she had shown up. When you offered us a place in your pack, we took the opportunity." What he said seemed to match what the others had said earlier.

"What do you know about the rogue forces?" 

My jaw nearly dropped. Rafe hadn't been nearly so blunt with the others during their questioning. 

"Rafe," I whispered. 

He just held up a hand and stared intently at Nolan, waiting for an answer. 

"It's fine, Kat," Nolan said. "I know just as much as everyone else around here. We all know there are rogue groups that are planning on attacking this pack. Seems we may have come in at the wrong time, but do you really think that we are involved in these groups?"

"It seems like the perfect thing to do," Rafe said. "To find a way to work a group on the inside. The news did come in just shortly after your arrival as well."

"But we signed over our rogue status when we put our names on that paper. If it comes down to it, we will fight."

The room settled into silence for a moment as Rafe let Nolan's words fall away. I knew he had been listening, judging everything Nolan had to say. He would be making sure that no lies had been told. Rafe finally gave the signal, allowing Nolan to leave. 

When the door closed behind Nolan, I stood up from the chair. "That was uncalled for," I said as I went around to stand in front of him. 

"No, it wasn't."

"I said to treat them like they were innocent, not to jump on them right away."

"And I didn't."

"That was you not jumping to conclusions right there?" I accused him. 

"Did you hear me say that he was a part of the organized rogues? I just asked him what he knew. He's the one that asked if I thought he was in the group. I gave him my honest thought, it would be extremely convienient for them to place someone on the inside of our pack, to try and take us down from the inside out while we're out trying to fight the separate cells."

"Unless you don't try to fight them like I've been saying."

"You can't just show up only armed with words to a fight, my dear Katarina. I may try your tactic of talking to them, but you can never assume there will not be blood shed. These rogues seem intent on attack, and I have a feeling no few words will keep them from attempting to get their victory."

"As long as you try, that's all that matters."

"Why must you be so convincing?" He asked with a slight smile. "By the way, your friend was telling the truth."

I mentally sighed. I had known Nolan wouldn't do anything like that, but to have it confirmed that he hadn't said a lie in the room, it was a relief. If I had put my trust in someone who was actually been involved in this rogue organization, I didn't know what I would have done. If they had been a part of it, I would have put this entire pack in danger. Knowing that it wasn't the case, let me finally relax. 

I smiled and gave Rafe a small kiss before pulling back and going to the door. 

"I have a few other things I need to do, so I'll see you later," I said with a smile before leaving him. 

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Wow. Okay, so I just wanted to say in this editing process all you new readers have been amazing. You've helped bring this story back up to #5-#6 in the rankings and the story has 11.6 MILLION reads!!! I absolutely <3 all of you who have been reading voting and commenting. I read every comment and I cherish them all, just as I cherish all my readers silent or otherwise. Thank you all. 

So let me know what you think of this chapter, they've questioned the rogues, but everything has checked out. Nolan didn't say any lies. 

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