~Alyce/Faelyn~

  I hadn’t put up a fight when Mat pushed me to Tristan, too in shock that Andrew would threaten Mat like that. It wasn’t until I felt the tingles running through my arm when he grabbed me and pulled me behind him that I came back to my senses. I heard Theo’s swallowed growl and gave him a funny look, he gave me an apologetic look in return. He must still be feeling the bond even if faintly. I suspect the only reason I wasn’t is because Tristan had found me.

  I was still trying to wrap my brain around that. Second chance mates were rare and it was unheard of for the person who initiated the rejection to have one. I shouldn’t have one, I rejected Theo. Was it because the Moon Goddess understood that I couldn't love someone who had let my abuse go on, even if he didn’t have a hand in it.

  I watched as Victor stepped up beside Tristan, shielding me from Andrew. Is this what a pack was supposed to be like? What a mate was supposed to do? I peeked out at Mat, but he was focused on Alpha Andrew, watching him as Tristan requested Mat and I come with him, show the group around.

  I couldn’t hide my shock when he agreed, but then I think Tristan had caught him by surprise and he didn’t have an excuse ready. Tristan’s father stepped up to my side and put his hand on my back gently, pushing me to head for the front door of the manor. Kami walked beside me, giving me a smile and grabbing my hand in a reassuring way.

  I didn’t resist, I let them lead me away, but I did look back to make sure Mat was coming as well. When I saw him walking behind me I grinned and he smiled back at me. Tristan and Victor brought up the rear of our group at least until we all cleared the door of the manor. Tristan walked up to me and lifted my chin with his finger so I had no choice but to look at him, “Alyce, you have a lot of explaining to do.”

  I narrowed my eyes at him, disliking the fact that he thought he could force me to do anything. I started to recall the memories of Vincent in the basement, my breath starting to become faster and shallower, a panic attack starting to set in. I tried to get out of his grip, reaching back until I felt Mat’s familiar grip and I flung myself into his arms, “Shhh, slow deep breaths Aly, slow deep breaths.” He coached me and rubbed my back until I calmed down.

  I took the chance to mind-link Mattie while he continued to calm down, even after I had calmed down, *Mattie, what do I do? I knew I would reject a mate from this pack, I thought I would go with a mate from another pack, but clearly I have issues from recent events. My walls are crumbling. I’m too broken for a mate.*

  *Nonsense Alyce, you are not too broken. You deserve to be happy. What does Aramyth think about him?*

I reached out to Aramyth, confirming what I already knew from her reactions this morning, but by now she had had time to reach out to his wolf a bit then I answered Mat, *She trusts him, she doesn’t think he’ll do anything to harm us. Apparently he’s been waiting years for his mate and has saved himself for her. I-I can’t even offer him that anymore.* I sniffled, trying to choke back a sob.

  I could feel the others staring at us and Tristan trying not to growl at Mat, trying his hardest to behave like he promised, realizing at this point we were having an unheard conversation.

  Mat must have given them some kind of signal, because they waited patiently while we continued, *I agree with her. He has done everything in your interest since this morning. He backed off, granted he had to be told twice and argue with his wolf first, but ultimately he listened, he protected you from Andrew and I’m quite positive that isn’t the end of that one. Alyce… I think you should tell him, let him decide if he thinks you’re broken. I promise you he won’t. Nothing you have suffered is your fault. He can take you away from here, where you’re safe. You both deserve a chance.*

  Mat lifted his hand from my back, and I felt it replaced with those increasingly familiar tingles as he passed me into Tristan’s arms. I gasped and stiffened, but Tristan said nothing, asked nothing, just wrapped me into his warm embrace. Much to my surprise I felt as at home and safe as I did in Mat’s and I relaxed a little, peeking out at Mat from Tristan’s chest. Mat smiled encouragingly at me and nodded a little. I nodded back and let Tristan comfort me. Mat was right. I was going to have to let Tristan in on everything. I needed him to know everything, to know what he was taking on before letting him accept me as a mate.

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  It wasn’t until today that I was starting to realize just how much Vincent’s actions had gotten to me. I would have to talk to Faith later.

  “Alyce, is there someplace we can go to talk? Some place that pathetic excuse of an Alpha won’t have eyes and ears?” I stiffened again at Tristan’s questions, he rubbed my back and added, “Mat can come, my father and Victor will also come.”

I relaxed a little and nodded, “Yes, there’s the old fort. Mat, will you get Faith and Jake to join us too?” I stepped out of Tristan’s arms as his pack members all watched me curiously. It made me a tad uncomfortable. I was used to stares, but they were studying me, not just curious like others were.

  “Of course.” Mat answered without hesitation before he mind-linked his parents to meet them.

  “Follow me, I’ll show you how to get there. Mat, bring up the rear.”

~Tristan~

  Watching the switch in Alyce’s personality was fascinating. When anyone from her pack other than Mat was around her face was blank, emotionless, you had no idea what she was feeling, thinking, processing, etc, but if Mat was there, or she was alone she would let her facade drop, she would let herself be human, so to speak, and not a robot. I wanted to know what had caused her to take on this defense mechanism.

  When she panicked at my grip and pulled away, I let her go and she instantly went to Mat. It stirred my jealousy, but I behaved. I promised her I would try, so I was trying.

  We watched as she and Mat spoke through their mind-link. I wanted to be the one holding her, comforting her. I had even stepped forward to take her from Mat, but he had motioned for me to wait. He seemed to know her so well that I couldn’t even argue, so I waited, as much as it killed me.

  *Something is not right here, something has happened to her. Those reactions are not normal. Her wolf, Aramyth, won’t tell me. She says it has to be on Alyce’s terms or she will reject us to protect herself. We have to tread carefully here.* Ryder informed me.

  *That’s good to know, but we also need answers. We will push if we need to, but we need Aramyth to help us. I don’t want to push her too far.*

  *I will ask her.*

  I looked over at my Father mind-linking him, *There are a lot of issues here I think. Her wolf won’t confirm it, but she doesn’t deny it either. Maybe Titus should take Kami elsewhere, maybe to the training grounds?*

  He nodded and turned to Titus, whispering to him. Titus nodded at him and led Kami towards the pack training area, “Come on, let’s go beat each other up, or maybe you can beat up one of Alyce’s pack mates.” He chuckled a bit.

  “Aramyth says Vincent makes a great target.” Ryder spoke up as Titus and Kami walked off. I arched my eyebrow curiously, but relayed the information to Titus and Kami.

  Finally Mat lifted his arm from Alyce and motioned me over. I didn’t hesitate to move over to them, taking Alyce from Mat as he passed her off to me. He gave me a pointed look, one that needed no words to get his point across. I simply nodded and wrapped her in my arms, leaning down to draw in her scent, it was intoxicating.

  “Alyce, is there someplace we can go to talk? Some place that pathetic excuse of an Alpha won’t have eyes and ears?” I whispered to her. I felt her stiffen in my arms at the questions. I rubbed her back and quickly added, “Mat can come, my father and Victor will also come.”

  She relaxed a little and nodded, “Yes, there’s the old fort. Mat, will you get Faith and Jake to join us too?” She stepped out of my arms and I let her. My pack members all watched her curiously. She shifted a little, looking a bit uncomfortable as they studied her.

  “Of course.” Mat answered her without hesitation before he mind-linked someone. It was curious how he followed her requests without hesitation. According to Andrew she was an Omega and thus we all outranked her, but Mat responded like she was higher than him. Some of that might be due to their friendship, but I doubted that was all it was.

  “Follow me, I’ll show you how to get there. Mat, bring up the rear.” She stated with an authority that was subtle and I doubted she even realized she was doing it. I grinned to myself a bit. She was amazing. She turned and headed into the woods and Victor, my father and I followed after her, with Mat falling in step behind us.