Mate Mysteries

Chapter 44

Through the day, Krey phoned northern packs who all agreed that they would start questioning any Rogue wolves who stormed through their territory. Some packs were more eager to be violent towards the Rogues. Krey was glad Pip wasn't in his office to hear what they had in store for captured them.

Krey knew better than to question another Alpha about their methods, but he would take a calmer approach and capture Rogues for questioning, nothing else. Old Krey would have loved to watch them squirm under his gaze, or even a clawed paw.

When he was done phoning packs, he searched for his mate to stop his mind from spiralling in his lonely office. Every time he passed his mother's bedroom, he paused just to catch her scent. He hoped she could come home soon, though he doubted she would be back for months.

He followed Pip's scent through the building and of course, up to the attic. He opened the creaky wooden door and peered up the narrow staircase to the library. Pip's sweet scent met his nose and Krey ran fingers along fairy lights that wrapped around the bannister.

Pip's humming was bliss to his ears. Krey took his shoes off next to Pip's passive aggressive note about not making the floors dirty. Krey looked around, but Pip wasn't in his immediate view, so he tiptoed towards the many rows of bookshelves.

Krey once thought Pip would only need a bookshelf or two, but he ploughed through books faster than Krey could get through one chapter. Now, Pip had eight bookshelves stretching through the large attic.

Krey found Pip on the step ladder with one leg over the top step. He had a book in each hand and was reading the blurbs. Krey adored his small concentrated frown, and the tip of his tongue that sometimes peeked from his lips when he focused.

Pip hadn't seen his boyfriend lingering by the narrow space between bookshelves. He was too invested in what he was reading, so when Krey smirked to himself and yelled "Pippor!" in his best bold Alpha voice, Pip's spirit almost left his body.

The books flew from his grip and he leapt from the tall stepladder. Pip tried to cling on but missed.

"Shit," Krey hissed, hurrying to catch him.

Pip's head thumped Krey's shoulder before he was caught in Krey's strong arms. Pip clutched onto him with a breath trapped in his lungs.

They looked at each other with big round eyes. Krey then smirked again. "Startled?"

"Just a bit!"

Krey lowered Pip's feet to the floor and aggressively clasped his round cheeks. "I have a job for you."

"Other than making me fall to my death?"

"You were 3 feet above the floor."

"Yeah well..." Pip scrunched his nose and held Krey's waist, "that would've hurt."

"Good thing I caught you then." Krey ruffled his brown wavy hair before connecting fingers around the back of Pip's neck. He leaned closer, and his eyes locked on Pip's mouth. "So, this job."

"What is it?" Pip subconsciously leaned into him.

"I phoned the Alpha of the Blade Pack earlier, the one with the human mate. She was fine with you talking to her mate about the bond."

"Really?" Pip's eyes gleamed.

"Yes. We can do that now... unless you're busy with your books? Or not in a talking mood?" Pip was less awkward than he was two years ago, but he still fidgeted from attention.

"No, we can call them now." Pip grinned and his dimples deepened.

"You sure? You seemed pretty invested in that book you threw." Krey slightly tilted his head, tempting Pip's lips with a light graze of his own.