"I don't think you would be betraying your friend, Ben.  You'd be protecting his legacy."  Roxie said, because it was how she truly felt.  He was right though, they needed  to figure out who had started all this and killed the old Aplha.  Roxie could also still tell when Ben had reached his limit with a discussion.  A day or two ago, she might have provoked him to fight with her, but now...She just wanted to see his worries soothed.  She nodded her head as he stood from the bed and decided she would stay here for the night.  "I'll be here in the morning.  I think it'd be pretty shitty of me to abandon that kid after all he's been through."  Roxie landed back on the bed and watched him as he left, feeling the tug of their bond as he went.  His scent lingered enough that when she closed her eyes she quickly fell into a deep sleep.  She had needed the rest and for the first time in years she felt almost peaceful.<br/><br/>Hours later, in the dim light of morning, a knock at the door stirred her from the bed.  Was it Ben?  It didn't feel like he would knock.  He could just slip in and slide into bed with her, without the interruption caused by noise.   She pressed up from the bed and made her way over to the door, when she opened it, the woman standing in front of it seemed as surprised as Roxie herself was.<br/><br/>"Where's Ben?  What the hell are you doing in his room?"  The woman growled, her surprise quickly changing to suspiscion.  It took a moment for Roxie to recognize her, it had been years since she had seen this particular she-wolf.  Allie LePerdu.  She had hung around Ben a lot when they were younger, and it was no secret that the girl had once hoped to be his mate.  Roxie realized very quickly that they were going to struggle with this mate bond every step of the way.  Though she wanted to fight the she-wolf, establish her territory and all that, she knew it was probably not the best move right now.  Instead, she lifted a hand on revealed the bite mark on her shoulder.  It would communicate everything.<br/><br/>"So, you're mated?  That still doesn't explain why you're in Ben's---" Allie's words went suddenly quiet as the realization dawned on her.<br/><br/>"Bullshit.  What did you do?  Did you pay a witch to do this?  He would never fucking mark you."  Allie accused.  Her voice began to raise and that was the moment that Roxie knew she couldn't just stand there.  Her hand shot out quickly and her fingers locked around Allie's neck.<br/><br/>"Stop.  There is a little boy just down the hall trying to find some peace after the most horrific tragedy.  I will not have you disrupting him or this household.  You may have always been catty, Allie, but we both know I was always a lot more bit and a lot less bark than you were..."