The Rogue Queen

Chapter 2

"Luna are you alright? And the pups?" Gamma Leon asked, fear laced through his voice.

"I am, thanks to this wolf." She nodded her head and hugged the pups clutched to her chest, "I'm afraid I don't know your name to thank you personally."

The Gamma knew exactly who she was, Hera was such a distinctive wolf with her size and colour, nobody could mistake her and that was before you even saw that she had two different coloured eyes, one green and one amber.

"Shift" he commanded.

The future Alpha Oliver made a noise drawing attention to himself, "Leon, her clothes" he said, and Hera's ears stood up at the sound of his voice. She watched as he disappeared behind a large tree and returned without a t-shirt.

Freya couldn't take her eyes off him, semi-touched by the gesture and also his body. It wasn't lost on her how muscular he was nor the tribal-looking tattoos that stretched across his torso. How was it possible that she hadn't noticed him before? Lycans and wolves tended not to be shy and nakedness was a part of shifting, so Freya guessed it was so normal that she hadn't really paid attention to anyone. She saw Oliver looking at her and she had to break his gaze, it felt too intense. Hera began to pad toward the tree and Oliver's wolf Gunnar whistled in his head as both wondered who this wolf was. It was clear by her size that she had to be a Lycan, but how had neither of them noticed her before?

Gunnar, could that be mate? Oliver asked hopefully.

No, she's not mate, I don't feel the bond. Gunnar replied, causing Oliver to sigh in frustration. He had yet to find his fated mate and he was soon to be the Alpha of the Silver Spring pack without a Luna by his side. He didn't necessarily see that as a problem, though he had expected to find his mate by now. He was 21 and would be leaving in two weeks to take over as Alpha. His ceremony would be in 8 weeks' time, but he knew that tonight's Alpha and Luna ceremony would be another opportunity for the unmated wolves to mingle. These events always were. Still, he wouldn't be desperately unhappy if he didn't find his mate tonight, no, he had enjoyed the benefits of single life and the different she wolves who happily jumped into bed with him. Being a ranked member has its perks.

Oliver's thoughts were interrupted when he saw movement from near the tree. Freya tugged at the t-shirt and then held her head up high as she walked out from behind the tree. She wouldn't let any of those standing there see her uncomfortable, no she would own this, she thought to herself. She didn't dare look at the wolf who was her mate or the soon-to-be Alpha who's scent clung to the t-shirt she wore. The spiced orange scent was a more enticing scent than that musk of her mate. Freya had to stop herself from gagging on the realisation that she had a fated mate. Oliver sucked in a breath, her red hair was wild from shifting but he noticed how confident she looked as she walked towards them and her figure was close to perfection, not to mention how beautiful her face was. He recognised her as the girl that his Beta always called a rogue and shame flashed through him. It hadn't sat comfortably with him when his Beta did this but he had never intervened or reprimanded Iain for it, and yet here this girl was, a fearless rogue who had saved her Luna and her pups without hesitation.

Oliver turned to glance at Iain, who looked uncomfortable, almost pained as she came closer.

"Luna, let me introduce you to Freya. She's one of my trainees," Leon stated.

"You're a trainee?" Kate asked surprised, "Thank you Freya, for defending me and my pups. That was courageous for a trainee."

Oliver watched as Freya shook her head.

"There's no need to thank me Luna, and I'm not courageous, anyone would have done the same in my situation." Freya meant what she said, she didn't believe she had done anything out of the ordinary.

Oliver couldn't help but admire her more. Not only was she brave, but she was modest too. Most wolves he knew would have hyped themselves up.

"Freya's definitely one of my more promising trainees, when she's not disobeying a direct order" Leon said, raising his eyebrows as he met Freya's eyes, "On this occasion I can overlook it. I expect to see you in the Alpha's office later for a full debrief. You can go back to your day now. All of you."

"Yes Gamma" they all said in unison. Freya didn't stick around to make any further small talk, she turned on her heel and made her way quickly towards her room.

"Freya!" Iain called out just as Freya's hand touched the handle of her door. Freya took a deep breath and painted a smile as she turned to face him. Iain was badly trying to control the smirk that was on his face. "You're my mate."

Freya wasn't sure if that was a question or a statement but she nodded. "Yes, I believe I am."

Iain laughed "Moon Goddess must f*****g hate me."

Does he think he's better than us? Hera asked incredulously at his tone.

I would say he does, we're filthy rogue's Hera. She responded with a disgusted noise and Freya had to suppress a laugh. Iain took a step forward and closed the space between them, he sniffed the air and wrinkled his nose, but Freya remained passive in her reaction.

"So what are we going to do about it?" He asked her as he took another step, forcing Freya to take a step back by pressing against the door.

"Why are you here Iain?" She asked indignantly, she was pretty sure he was going to reject her and she wanted to get it over with sooner rather than later.

"Isn't it obvious?" He smirked, "I've come to claim you."

That took Freya by surprise. She was sure he would reject her outright and she had no intention of letting him claim her.

Claim us? Where does he think he is? This is not the lost property section and we aren't property! Let's kick his ass! Hera hissed and Freya suppressed the urge to laugh at her reaction. Laughing at him would only serve to piss him off.

"I…I.. um" Freya couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't get her into trouble. Her eyes widened as his hand darted up inside the t-shirt that she still wore and cupped her breast. Sparks should have been flying, at least that's how others described it when their mate touched them, but for her there was none. Maybe it was because she really couldn't stand Iain or how he had singled her out for 2 years just because she had fled from the Southern Lycan Kingdom. She knew she didn't want him as a mate and felt pretty vulnerable right now. She watched as Iain licked his lips and pushed himself into her whilst he roughly squeezed her n****e causing her pain, and she could feel he was turned on. This only further turned her off. Hera growled low in her head, objecting to his unconsented touch.

Hera, a little help here. How do we get out of this? She pleaded.

"Do you like that? You filthy.." he stopped mid sentence and Freya had to hide her disgust as he pulled his hand away, she felt it brush against her stomach going lower.

I'll disown you if you mate with this…who the hell thought it was a good idea to make this piece of s**t their Beta? Hera demanded angrily as Freya fought her for control. Hera didn't have the best temper control and Freya knew if Hera got control she would lash out, she could feel the anger building in her wolf.

I've never even kissed someone. If you think I'm going to let him have s*x with me you've lost your mind. She scalded Hera.

"I'm a virgin." She blurted out in a panic and hoped it would make him stop, but a sick grin spread across his face.

"Well, how about we go inside and sort that out? We are fated mates after all?" He asked as he tried to push his hand between her thighs without success. Freya used all her might to squeeze them together, she was determined he wouldn't be touching her again, especially not like that.

"I'm sorry, but that's too fast for me, a lot has happened today. I need some time to process it." She pushed a firm hand against his chest. His eyes flickered black and she knew that his wolf had taken over momentarily before Iain had regained control.

She watched as his brows knitted together and felt the anger roll off him.

"You're rejecting me?" He demanded. The anger in his voice made her nervous.

"Nnnn…no, of course not, this is just a bit fast for me, maybe we could talk first?" She kept her voice sickly sweet but didn't dare take her eyes from him.

Just reject his ass! Or better yet, let's kill him and make a fur coat from his wolf! Hera was determined this wasn't happening and was still wrestling for control, luckily Freya had pretty good control over her wolf.

"Good, a rogue would be stupid to even think about rejecting a Beta." His fist slammed into the door right next to her face and it took everything for Freya not to let Hera take control. She wasn't sure she would win a fight against him, but she would give it her best shot. He wouldn't lay a finger on her again and his intimidation wouldn't work on her. "This isn't finished, to be continued." He said as he pulled back and walked away with a smirk.

Freya let out her breath and waited until she was sure he was gone. She felt like her skin was crawling where he had touched her and she needed to wash off the feeling of his touch and his scent which lingered. She headed to the shower block. Training was long finished so she would have the privacy today that she didn’t usually get. Freya turned the water as hot as she could stand and began to scrub her skin as she pondered how she could break this mate bond without getting herself banished and cast out as a rogue.

Would rogue really be so bad? Hera probed.

Yes! Hera we're pack creatures, and what happens if we get cast out and turn feral? We're from the south, we don't know if it was an illness or a disease you're born with. What if we get stuck in wolf form forever?

Doesn't sound so bad to me! Hera huffed in response and Freya realised she had just insulted her wolf without meaning to. She was not the type to apologise frequently or easily. No, Freya was usually far too stubborn for that, but when it came to Hera she let her softer side out. Together they made a whole.

I'm sorry, I didn’t… Freya stopped as her breath caught in her chest and searing pain went through her stomach, causing her eyes to water. She doubled over from the pain and gritted her teeth. She knew what it was, she had witnessed many she wolves experience the same and each time she had felt pity for them. The wave of pain subsided enough for her to wash her hair and finish her shower quickly before throwing back on the t-shirt belonging to Oliver.

He's with someone else. Hera pointed out and Freya gritted her teeth.

I know. But we don't want him as a mate. The sooner we can break this mate bond the better.

The walk back to her room was slow and torturous as waves of pain attacked her. She turned down the corridor toward her room to find Oliver standing there knocking on a door two down from hers. Freya straightened herself and stood tall as she walked towards him. Earlier she had admired him but now all she could think was to remain calm and get back to her room. Oliver was doing all he could to restrain his temper, he had been trying to locate his beta for nearly an hour now, he had blocked all his attempts to mind link and finally had tracked him down because an Omega had seen him leave with a she wolf. Iain opened the door with his signature smirk with nothing but a towel around his waist. He could see the fully naked she wolf lying on the bed giggling behind him. He watched as Iain's smirk deepened as he took a step out of the door and turned to look down the corridor. Freya forced one step to continue in front of the other when she was Iain. She already knew what he was doing and his face told her that he wasn't one bit sorry for it. Oliver looked at Freya and then back to Iain.

Something doesn't feel right. Gunnar noted as they took in the scene but Oliver couldn't work out how this all connected together.

Freya moved alongside them and continued to her door.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Iain called out to her and Freya turned to look at him, she hated him with every fibre in her body, but she couldn't let it show, especially not in front of an Alpha, that would be dangerous for her so she simply raised her eyebrows. "That doesn't belong to you rogue."

Oliver's rage reached a tipping point. How dare he speak to someone like that who just risked her life to save another, let alone Luna and her pups.

"Enough," he growled, "show some respect."

Freya remained calm, but turned her back to them and swiftly removed the t-shirt before handing it back to the Alpha. She didn't care if they saw her naked. All she cared about was her dignity remained, in tact. Oliver sucked in a breath at the sight of her naked body and then the horror sank in that she was naked because his Beta had tried to humiliate her. He tried to push the t-shirt back at her but words failed him as the red mist descended and before he could find those words Freya went into her room and closed the door behind her. Iain began to laugh.

"What the f**k was that? You tried to humiliate her!" Oliver demanded to Iain who rolled his eyes.

"She's a filthy rogue." He laughed again, "why do you care if she's humiliated or not?"

"Get to the f*****g dining hall! I'll deal with you later." Oliver roared. He knew that everyone who was nearby would hear him, but he didn't care, his beta had crossed a line and he was making sure to let him know.

"Yes Alpha," Iain replied as Oliver fought for control with Gunnar. His wolf was even more angry than him. Freya had heard the interaction from the safety of her bedroom but sighed when reminded of lunch. She had missed breakfast, she couldn't miss lunch too, but she took her time getting dressed into some black leggings and a long shirt before pulling her damp hair into a bun. She knew that Iain would likely be there, and as today had proved, he was unpredictable. Maybe she could go to the Alpha and beg him to have Iain reject her, but the Alpha was his brother, so she wasn't sure how receptive she would be to that approach. Her stomach grumbled as the scent of food wafted towards her. She would make this quick and painless, hopefully, and go back to her room until the Alpha summoned her.

Freya stopped in the doorway as she entered the hall. Iain was sitting at the table closest to the door and immediately turned when he felt her come in. To his left sat Alpha Oliver and to his right sat their Gamma Calen. She took a breath as she watched Iain rise to his feet, his smile twisted and she knew that he was about to take another shot at humiliating her. The room seemed to grow silent and Oliver rose to his feet, confusion mapped his features, waiting to see what stunt his Beta was going to pull next. He knew he really had to get him under control, he had been too lenient on him and this wasn't the sort of Alpha he wanted to be. For some reason, what he had witnessed today with Freya had really bothered him.

"I Iain Clement, second son of the former Alpha of the Red Mountain Pack and the future Beta of the Silver Spring Pack, reject you, Freya Tatum, temporary member of the Red Mountain Pack and filthy rogue, as my fated mate" Iain said with a grin as his eyes narrowed in on Freya.

Oliver heard some of the gasps around the room and looked at Freya. She looked unfazed, her head remained high as she looked Iain dead in the eye.

Our Beta is an asshole. He needs to be taught a lesson. Gunnar said with contempt.

"I, Freya Tatum, temporary member of the Red Mountain Pack and filthy rogue, accept your rejection." She said confidently with a smile and Oliver couldn't help the side of his mouth turn up into a half smile in response. This woman had more courage than he had ever seen in a she wolf.

Yes girl! Slay! Hera shouted, trying to encourage Freya, knowing the pain that was bound to come next.

Freya waited expecting to feel the punch in the gut from the rejection and breaking of the mate bond. Iain's smirk was gone as he doubled over where he stood. Freya felt a dull pain in her side and turned to walk out of the room, ignoring the muttering voices. She wouldn't give anyone the satisfaction of seeing her hurting if this pain increased, especially Iain.