The next morning, Logan stood up from the bed and quickly showered and dressed. Aella was still asleep, her limbs splayed on the bed like a tired baby. He looked down at her fondly. She was so cute when she wasn't staring up at him with anger or defiance. She slept like she did not have any care in the world.

He left the room, giving strict instructions to the guards not to let Aella out of their sight, then walked to the strategy room where he had held a meeting with the head wolves yesterday. The strategy room was empty as he had not scheduled any meetings. He only needed the peace and quiet of the room so as to make his own plans.

However hard he tried to stop himself from thinking about Aella, he could not. He found his mind wandering to her at odd intervals. It was frustrating and annoying, and he wanted nothing more than a few precious moments to think and come up with plans.

His wolf on the other hand wasn't having any of it. Several times it would speak up and remind him about a half-naked Aella sleeping on his bed, easily accessible to him. It got to a point where Logan shouted out at his wolf in anger. Thank the Goddess’ he was the only one in the room. Any other person would have thought the alpha was losing his marbles.

He was trying so hard to fight the mating bond between himself and Aella but it seemed the harder he fought it, the more persistent it became. It was like a thorn in his flesh inflicting delicious pain. He realized how excited he got when he was about to see her again and how troubled his spirit became when she wasn't anywhere near him.

Casper reached out through the mind link after a few hours of Logan pacing the strategy room.

Good morning, Alpha. He spoke. I wanted to check up on you, and see how you were doing.

I'm fine, Casper. Logan answered, clearly pissed.

Okay, alpha. I noticed that you were absent from dinner yesterday. And you looked so lost and tired during the meeting too. Are you fine? If there is anything you'd want to talk to me about.

No! Logan snapped, then checked himself. He realized he was only lashing out at his beta for nothing. He calmed himself and spoke again. Sorry, Casper. I meant, what I'm going through is more personal than general, and I'd like to handle it myself.

Are you sure? Casper asked again.

Yes, Casper. I am. Logan assured his beta. Thanks for the concern.

No problem, alpha. Casper answered.

I'm in the strategy room though, if you'd like to join me for a while. I'm trying to brainstorm some plans. Perhaps I could do with some sensible company.

Alright. I'm on my way. Casper said and closed the mind link.

Several minutes later, the beta walked into the strategy room and nodded at the alpha. "Good morning, Logan," Casper said. "So, you said you had a couple of ideas you would like to share?"

"Ah, yes," Logan answered. "It's concerning the rogue attacks. I have thought back and forth about the matter and I feel there's no other logical option. My former plan of going to war with the rogues was called off as not being foolproof by the council of wolves, so we might have to settle for this. I was thinking about increasing the pack's security by assigning more men to the patrol, instead of the usual 3 to 5 men in a team. We would have to enlist the younger wolves into the patrol team. Perhaps male wolves from the age of sixteen upwards? We really do need all the extra hands."

Casper nodded in agreement "Sounds like a solid plan. I'm very sure the other head wolves would not disagree with this one."

"Yes," Logan answered. He had struggled with his thoughts before coming up with this plan, as he hadn't wanted any underage wolf to join the patrol teams. He believed that the younger ones were to be kept safe as they were the future of the pack, but at this point, he had no choice. Their numbers were dwindling greatly. He wasn't sure that the pack could survive another ruthless attack from the rogues.

He looked at Casper and saw that the other man looked like he wanted to say something. "Casper." He called "What's on your mind."

"Oh, it's nothing," Casper said, but Logan could see the teasing look in his eyes. "Just me wondering about some stuff."

"Stuff like...?" Logan urged.

"You were absent throughout yesterday morning. I noticed that. Did something happen that I should know of?"

The Alpha sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers. "Aella...the white wolf, she tried to make a run for it. And she would have succeeded if I wasn't extra vigilant the night before."

Casper opened his mouth "Sheesh."

"Yes." Logan answered his surprised expression "I noticed that during dinner two nights ago, she seemed preoccupied with something. Or at the very least, she wasn't her usual stubborn self. I Knew something was wrong, so I decided to keep an eye on her. Early yesterday morning she woke up and ran to the mountain by the border, where she almost managed to slip through my fingers. She wasn't ready to follow me back to the pack house, so I had to knock her out so that I could carry her back."

"That means we would have to ramp up security in and around the pack house so she won't try to run away again. She does have a persistent spirit, that one. I'm very sure she would try to escape the pack house again." Casper noted.

Logan shook his head "Uh, no that would not be necessary." He spoke. "I have placed her under a more personal surveillance."

"What personal surveillance?" Casper asked.

"She would be staying in my room till further notice."

Casper choked on his spit at that last sentence and began to cough and splutter. Logan quickly patted his beta's back, wondering what he had said that had made the man react like that.

The beta took a few gasping breaths, then faced his Alpha. "She...you what?!"

"Yes, yes, I know. It sounds shady." Logan said tiredly. "But that's the only way I can keep her under my eye."

"Is it though?" Casper eyed Logan suspiciously. "Alpha, tell me something. Is this girl your mate?"

"What?" Logan quickly cut in, trying to make a half-hearted protest. Then he succumbed after a while and gave a defeated "Yes. Yes, she is."

Casper broke into a huge grin and patted his alpha's shoulders "Ohhhhh! Why didn't you tell me? 

"I wasn't planning on imprinting, Casper. It just...happened." Logan answered. "You know how I feel about mates and all that stuff."

"I know!" Casper grinned "That's why.... Ohhhhhh!"

"What's wrong this time?" Logan asked the other man.

"Is that what happened when we found her buried in the snow? That time when you looked disoriented and I asked you what the problem was? Whoa!"

Logan sighed and closed his eyes. He knew his beta would blow things out of proportion. 

"I know you would try to fight the mating bond, seeing as you're a stubborn old ass, but I'd advise you not to fight it." Casper said genially, his hand on Logan's shoulder "The harder you fight it the worse it becomes, until one day you could grab her and try to fuck her in public."

"What?!" Logan laughed and brushed Casper's hand off his shoulder "What do you know about mating anyway, you lonely man?"

"Oh, I've seen quite a number of imprinting in my years on earth, alpha. Trust me, it isn't easy trying to stay away from someone the Goddess has chosen for you."

"Yeah, whatever." Logan answered, chuckling. "I have to go now."

"Oooohhhh, to see your mate?" Casper asked with a teasing smile and Logan glared at him to stop. He walked out of the strategy room, feeling lighter than ever before. It was as though he needed to tell someone about his mate in order to have some inner peace. Soon he reached his room, where he stood at the door and braced himself to meet his mate. Who knew what she would being for him next?