She was completely naked and though he knew she would be, he was still a bit shocked by it. She was absolutely beautiful and he felt his body react to her almost immediately. He kept his expression neutral. He felt a little guilty for looking at her body and immediately pulled the blankets up over her gorgeous body, giving her some privacy. He didn't want to though. She was absolute perfection.
She hadn't stopped staring at him and his eyes moved up to her beautiful hazel ones. Mate! He'd known before she'd shifted. Her amazing scent had called to him and his wolf, drawing them in and making him hyper fixated on her. He'd hated that he'd had to focus on other things for a bit but if that's what it took to keep her safe, then so be it. The tingles had confirmed it.
Once he had her body covered, he took more time to study what he could still see. She had long, thick brown hair that was probably close to waist length and full perfect lips. Her nose was small and she was just absolutely beautiful.
She was staring at him too, unable to tear her eyes away from him. He knew the feeling. He felt as though his entire existence had been rocked by her. She'd become the center of his entire focus. "What's your name?"
"A.. Abigail," she said softly.
Her voice was hoarse, as though she hadn't used it in a long time, but he still liked it. He wondered how long she'd been in wolf form. It broke his heart. "Abigail is a beautiful name."
Her face lit up with a smile, warming his heart. "Thank you," she murmured.
"Abigail, how long have you been a rogue?" He asked her gently.
"What's a rogue?"
She had the most beautiful eyes, but her question was a bit shocking and he wondered if she had ever been in a pack. That thought broke his heart. "A rogue is a werewolf without a pack."
"I have a pack," she said, brushing her hair back from her face.
Matt frowned. She was most definitely a rogue. The scent of rogue was undeniable. "What's the name of your pack?"
Her forehead creased. "I don't know."
Matt gazed at her quietly. How did she not know what pack she was in? She was a complete mystery. "How long have you been on your own?"
"Three winters."
That she seemed to know. But it made his heart ache for her. She'd been on her own for so long. "As a wolf?"
She nodded.
She was lucky she hadn't lost her humanity. "Did you shift at all during those three years?"
"No."
Well in this case that might not have been a bad thing. Especially if she stayed around this area. Her wolf would keep her warm during the winter, and mostly protected from predators of the human type, who would just think she was a wolf. "Abigail, do you know what a mate is?"
"Soulmate?" she asked.
"Yes."
"Yes, I know what it is."
Her voice have grown a bit more confident the more she spoke. Matt loved it, loved listening to her speak. "Did your wolf tell you that I'm your mate?"
"Yes, she did." Her forehead wrinkled a bit, but she hadn't looked away from him.
"Do you know what that means?"
"You're my other half."
So she did know. He was a little surprised about that given that she didn't know what pack she was in. "As you're mate, I would never hurt you or harm you. I will always protect you. You have no reason to ever fear me. I need you to understand that."
She looked away from him but nodded. "My wolf says the same."
"I don't live here. I live in Pennsylvania. I'd like you to come back with me. To live with me and we can get to know each other. I'm not going to pressure you into anything you're not ready for. But I will give you a home, a safe place and a happy life. You'll be protected."
She looked at him and he watched her bite her lip. He wondered if she was talking to her wolf. "Okay," she finally said.
"You'll go back with me?" He could barely believe it that she agreed but she had nowhere else to go unless she just stayed here.
"Yes, I'll go back with you. I've never been out of California." She was so serious.
Matt frownd. "Is that where you're from?"
"Yes. I live in California. Isn't this California?" Her forehead wrinkled again.
"No, This is Washington State."
Her mouth dropped open in surprise. "I came that far?"
"Yeah you wandered pretty far. Why did you leave your home?"
"Marcie died."
"I'm sorry to hear that. Is that who you lived with?" Someone had died and she'd taken off into the wild to live for three years? What the heck?
"Yes. I was supposed to stay away from the Alpha. Marcie protected me. She was old and one morning she didn't wake up." She brushed away a tear. "So I left."
Matt's heart broke for her, but one thing stuck out. "Why were you supposed to stay away from the Alpha?"
"I don't know."
The girl was a mystery. One that maybe he'd be able to get to the bottom of, but there was no rush. She was his mate and that was all that was really important. "Okay. Are you hungry?"
"Yes."
"My friend Noelle went to go get me some food. She should be back soon. We'll get you something to eat. And some clothes. Would you like to take a shower?"
Her face lit up a bit. "Yes please."
"Okay let me get you food and some clothes and then we'll get you a shower. I'm not sure how long we're going to be here. Now that you're awake, we can come up with a plan." He'd needed to find out what all was going on with Aria and Ian too.
"Then we'll go to Pennsylvania?"
"Yup, then we'll go to Pennsylvania."
The door opened and Noelle walked back in, a tray of food in her hands.
Be gentle with her. Noelle, Matt mind linked her.
She glanced at him and then at Abigail. "Hi."
"Abigail, this is Noelle. She's a friend of mine. She's in my pack," Matt introduced her.
Abigail gave her a small smile
"It's nice to meet you," Noelle said. "I brought you a burger and fries. Do you want me to go get her something too?"
"Yeah though I'll share some of this with her, but I could probably eat two burgers. She needs clothes and a shower as well," Matt said.
"Okay I will go get clothes and more food." She stopped mid sentence and Matt realized she was getting a mind link. She gave a small sigh.
"What's wrong?" Matt asked her.
"Aria wants me to help them get Ian packed up," Noelle said.
"Where's Nick?" Matt asked.
"I'm not even sure, but I'll mind link him and ask him to get what you need and bring it to you," Noelle said.
Matt nodded. "I appreciate it Noelle."
"No problem." She looked at Abigail. "Abigail, it was nice to meet you."
Abigail smiled at her again, a little bigger this time, and Noelle left the room.
"We have a lot going on but it's all good. Nick is Noelle's mate," Matt told her. He brought the tray over to the bed and sat it on the table. "Let's get you situated and then you and I are going to eat this meal and probably the next one."
She giggled and it went straight to his heart. This woman was going to have him wrapped around her little finger
He grabbed a pillow and helped her into a sitting position, making sure that her lovely breasts were still covered. He then brought the table over before sitting down on the bed near her feet. He pulled the lid off and then cut his burger into fours. "Help yourself."
He could tell she was hungry, and wondered when was the last time she'd had anything to eat. She ate half his burger and some of his fries, her gaze constantly on him. He could see she was as drawn to him as he was to her. Her staring didn't bother him though. It didn't make him uncomfortable. He was staring at her almost as much as she was at him.
A knock sounded at the door again and he walked over to answer it. It was Nick.
"She's awake?" Nick asked quietly, not entering the room.
"She is. Her situation is complicated." Matt gave him a meaningful look.
Nick met his gaze and nodded. We'll talk about it later. "I brought you another burger and some clothes for her."
"Thank you."
"Have you talked to her about going back with us?"
"She's willing," Matt told him.
"When do you think you'll be ready to go?" Nick asked.
"Probably after she gets a shower."
Nick nodded. "Ian will probably be the hold up then. They're packing up his stuff now."
"We may stay here until it's time to go then." I think it might be easier on her.
"Okay, I'll keep you updated on what's going on," Nick said.
"Thanks, Nick."
Nick smiled at him then headed back down the hall.
Matt walk back into the room. "Nick brought us another burger and fries and he brought you some clothes so you can take a shower and get dressed."
"Okay," she said softly.
"Are you still hungry?" He asked her.
She shook her head
"Okay." Matt stepped into the small bathroom and saw soap and shampoo and towels. He walked back out. "If you want to go take a shower now you can while I eat this up."
She tossed the blankets back and stood. Or tried to. She almost fell and Matt rushed over to catch her.
The tingles were explosive between them as he wrapped on arm around her, keeping her from hitting the floor. He swallowed trying not to think of the fact that he was holding her naked body in his arms. "You okay?"
She nodded giving him a big smile. "I forgot.."
"..How to walk?" He finished her sentence for her.
She smiled up at him. "Yeah."
"It's okay. You just been in wolf form for too long." He should have thought of that himself.
"Can you help me please?"
He slipped his arm around her and helped her to the bathroom, trying to keep his eyes off of her. He flipped on the shower, checking to make sure the temperature was comfortable.
When he turned back to her, she was standing there with her long hair pulled forward covering her breasts. He didn't dare look lower. "There's soap and shampoo in here. Will you be okay?"
"I think so," She responded stepping towards him.
"Okay. If you need anything just call for me." He turned and walked out of the bathroom, focusing his attention on his burger and not the sound of her bathing a few feet away from him. Somehow he needed to maintain control around a woman who seemed to have no problem being naked in front of him