The Alpha's Guardian

*Wade POV*

I walk out of the bathroom and spot Ali looking the picture of perfection as she frowns in the mirror. She tugs at a pink oversized sweater uncomfortably. I gravitate in her direction stopping just behind her. Her presence is magnetic now that we have marked each other, not that I mind. I've always had these feelings for her even when the bond wasn't recognized. Her eyes snap up to mine and she smirks at me.

"Pink is not my first color choice," she explains.

"You look beautiful," I say honestly. Even with her bruises and healing cuts adorning her face she is perfectly mine, which makes her perfect.

"You're biased," she says, whipping around to face me.

"It's true. I am predestined to love you for all your faults" I wink at her wrapping my hands around her waist and pulling her close.

"Oh well lucky me." She responds by wrapping her arms around my neck.Property © of NôvelDrama.Org.

We haven't had much time to just be us. To embrace without being torn apart or having a war come between us. I lower my forehead to hers and breathe her in. Her lavender vanilla scent wraps around me, calming all my nerves and clearing my mind. It's strange how such an intoxicating scent brings such clarity and peace of mind.

"When we are done with the meeting, I want to take you on a date," I say, opening my eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean like dinner and a walk, or watching a movie or I don't know. Just spending time with you with no interruptions."

"Hmm...what kind of dinner?" she asks as if it will alter her answer. She is playing with me. I smirk at her.

"Tofu, with vegetable leaves and dried fruit and nuts and a side of some vegetables," I say with as straight a face as possible. I know she is a big meat and potatoes kind of gal.

"Ok, I'm sorry...vegetable leaves?" she asks laughing

"Yeah, like the little baby spinach variety."

"Mmhmm, yeah. I'm just curious, are we just going to go graze in the meadow with the other meek woodland herbivores?

"Steak and potatoes it is." I smile widely.

"Much better. And cheesecake."

"Do you eat dessert? I've never once seen you eat dessert," I ask her mildly shocked.

"I love dessert. But I never really eat it because I'm always training or following the person I'm protecting around." She steps back from me shrugging.

"Well, now you can have all the dessert you want."

"I think if I eat it as much as I want I will gain so much weight. I have to work extremely hard to stay in shape. Sadly I'm not the type of person who can eat everything and stay slim." She grabs a dagger and tucks it into the waistband of jeans. "Well, we can work out together," I say smirking. She looks up a little shocked and her cheeks go pink.

"I was referring to actual workouts in the training center, get your head out of the gutter Warrior. I'm saving myself for my mate." I wink at her and laugh.

"Ugh. I have to wait for you to be ready. How annoying." she jokes.

She stuffs a second blade down the front of her shirt, into her bra, and I raise a brow at her.

"We going to war again?"

"Force of habit," she says sheepishly.

She fixes her sweater and walks over to me, looking over my outfit. The jeans are the right fit but my shirt is a touch too small leaving nothing to the imagination. Not even my injuries placement can be questioned. The blue fabric stretches across my chest and I open my arms awaiting her assessment.

"Thoughts?"

"If anyone looks at you lustfully they get a dagger in their eyes." She says striding to the door.

"What if it's a committee member?" I ask, getting far too excited about her potential jealousy.

"They are men and old women."

"What's your point?" I say chasing her out the door and down the hall.

"Maybe I shouldn't kill a committee member. But I will growl. Would that make you feel better?" she teases.

"Oh definitely," I say reaching out and taking her hand in mine as we head to the meeting.

Nick's office has been completely changed since we were in it just mere hours ago. His large wooden desk is pushed against the wall and a larger, longer table now sits in the middle of the room surrounded by plush armchairs. Snacks and water bottles sit in the center of the table and note pads have been placed at every spot with a pen.

"I think he is taking his new position very seriously," Ali says leaning over to me.

"No way they will say no now."

"Hey!" Nick says sauntering over to us looking pleased.

"It looks great Nick," I say, smirking at him.

"I wanted to make a good first impression," he explains.

"It's great," I say slapping him on the shoulder.

"It looks like they are here," Nick says smoothing his shirt.

"Should you go greet them or should I?" I ask him

"We should take our seats and wait for them to come to us," Ali says, pulling out a chair and sitting down.

"That seems a little rude..."

"I have weapons on me that I don't intend to give up. If we go out there and greet them their guardians will search us and try to take them from me." "Why do you need weapons?" Nick asks

"The last time I was supposed to have a meeting with the committee they broke their word and I ended up being tortured," she answers

"I thought you were caught breaking out a prisoner," Nick says, sounding mildly confused. I try to motion for him to stop talking but he misses the hint.

"It was a committee member who tortured me, then backstabbed my mate by creating a division in packs and then attacked and tried to kill everyone. I'm keeping my daggers, Alpha Nick." Ali says calmly reaching out and grabbing herself her usual apple snack. "Right, well. Daggers sound swell" he answers giving me a concerned look then taking a seat one over from Ali, leaving me a spot.

I heave a sigh and walk to my chair, plopping down and pulling my pad and pen closer. There is a knock on the door before Amy peeks her head in.

"The Committee members are here." She says. Nick nods to her and she opens the door widely showing them the way in.

An older woman with white hair saunters in with an air of importance and grace. She exudes power and judging by the slicked-back tight bun on the top of her head I can only assume she demands excellence from everyone. She floats to a chair, her eyes trained on Ali. A large man in all black and a tactical vest follows her in and stands directly behind her. He offers Ali a nod which she returns.

The next to come in are two men who are laughing in mid-conversation, both are dressed in suits that cost more than my pack probably has to its name. One wears a burgundy suit from top to bottom with a paisley tan and burgundy vest, while the other wears a modern navy suit with a thin tie. The moment they see me they quiet down and nod out of respect. They move into the room, their guardians hot on their heels. Both men startle when they notice a smirking Ali sitting across from them.

"Did Edward and Mary decide this wasn't an important meeting?" Ali asks. I glance at her and her normal stoic guardian face is back in place.

The woman looks over to Ali ignoring her question and then looks back to me and Alpha Nick.

"Guardians do not belong at the table." She says in an accent I can't quite place.

"She is no longer a guardian." Alpha Nick responds.

"Then she is not of any importance and may leave."

"She is my mate and Luna. As far as I am concerned there is no one else of greater importance. Especially after such a betrayal by the committee." I answer not even bothering to hide my own annoyance at her distaste for Ali.