Going Rogue

5

I didn't believe when she said she was busting me out. But here we are sneaking out of the building. She must do this a lot, she moves soundlessly and is surprisingly very agile. Whilst I was making enough racket for both of us. She has silenced me with a glare on more than three occasions.

We weave through the buildings, the darkness was a perfect cover for us. I didn't know the way around but she obviously did, she led me out of the dungeons. And I heave a sigh of relief, when I become Alpha, dungeons will go.

“Are you allowed to do this?” I whisper as she leads us through a darkened alley. She is less tense now, I noticed she stopped looking over her shoulders every two seconds.

“No. But they won't know it happened.” She says as she heaves herself up a ledge.

The corners of my mouth turn down. I should have known there was a catch.

“What do you mean?” I ask and ignore her outstretched hand to help me. I'd love skin contact but she has to know I'm not completely helpless.

“I want to show you something, you are going right back in.”

Of course.

“How do you know I won't just run off?”

She rolls her eyes like she thinks I'm stupid for even thinking that.

“Because your royal naiveness, you don't know this place. My scent led you here. And my scent is not leaving here any time soon. This place is rigged with different kind of explosives. You touch one by accident and you are a goner.”

I shudder just thinking about it. If I had not followed her scent diligently, I'd have been history. And nobody would ever know why or how.

“And you think I'll follow you like a puppy? Back to shackles and pain?”

The effects of the silver was just beginning to wear off. My legs were gaining strength again. She was tiny enough to lift, I could use that to my advantage, if she didn't want to die with me she would point me in the right direction.

“I can see your eyes spoiled brat. Whatever you are planning. Stop. I can wake everyone with a scream, and it will be you against hundreds of rogues.” She says the rogues pointedly so I am reminded of how dangerous they can be.

I wince physically.

“Stick to one of them. Spoiled brat, naive heir or royal naiveness. I can’t keep up with the nicknames.”

She smirked at me from over her shoulders;

“Dewy then? Short for dewy eyed? Hey, look you can be dewy Eyeddie!” She exclaimed excitedly.

I can't help the chuckle that slips past my lips. When I met her, she was all mean and business like. Now she was carefree. Like two different people entirely.

She stops suddenly and i almost run into her back. And slowly she turned to face me, the serious look back, all traces of the playful Lola, gone. I miss her immediately.

“We are about to cross into the pack land.”

My eyes widen in anticipation. Home, finally.

“Not your palace. The main pack land. Where your people live.”

I swallow. “And we'll ride that floor thing? What is that anyway?”

She gives me a side way glance. She knows I'm stalling.

“That is classified information, you are still our hostage.”

She allows a few beats to pass before speaking.

“it is something we call an elevator. It elevates you.”

She was letting me stall then. My brows raise in amusement.

“And when it goes down? I hardly think that is elevating.”

Her eyes roll and then quickly become serious again. My hands become clammy and I am suddenly very anxious for what we will find.

We step on a platform that is similar to the other elevator I used the last time. This time there is a rail and i hold on to it for my dear life. Not Lola though, she looks very comfortable and at ease in this contraption that defies everything I have known.

This time the ride is shorter. Maybe because I was expecting it. And this time I don't feel queasy. Must be the fact that my meals mostly consisted of bread. We don't pass through the fallow grounds again. This place is completely unfamiliar to me.

“Welcome to the northern part of the pack, also known as the mine workers of the pack.” She whispers to me.

I take in everything at once. Despite the fact that it is night, the place is in full bustle. People are milling about, going about their businesses. There is no word exchanged between them, just gloomy faces and sunken cheeks. Most of the people here are mine workers. Even children are mine workers here. This leaves me confused.

My father told me that the mineral resources came from the inner central city, and the mine workers were all happy to work there. These people look hungry. They did not look like they had a choice.

Suddenly there is chaos. Every one is running in different directions. Panic swells in my chest as some fall to the ground and others trample on them. I move to help them when Lola catches my arm.

“We have to go.”

“What? Why? We have to help.”

“We can help by leaving. If we stay we will make everything worse for them.”

I stand by and watch. Biting my lip as I am unable to move.

“Trust me. We have to go. Now.”

She does not wait for me to say anything, she tugs me towards her and together we run. Surprisingly, we don't run out of the north, we run to hide on top of a building but we have a perfect view of what was happening down where we were standing few minutes ago.

A group of soldiers jump out of the moving van that I recognise. My father's pride and joy. Lower Tig made them, and he uses every opportunity to show them off like he designed the vehicles himself.

“What are they doing here?” I ask. I recognise the soldiers, they were my father's trusted group. They were sworn to whomever the alpha was, and would sooner give their lives than disobey orders.

“Watch.” Lola sounded pained.

And we watch. We watch the soldiers hit the mine workers, and bully them whilst laughing amongst themselves. The mine workers are begging for them to be spared, but the soldiers hit them even harder. Lola makes a strangled sound. I want to tear my eyes away from the scene but I had a feeling this is what Lola wanted me to see.

“What is this?”

“This is what happens all over the pack asides inner central city. Everyone in the pack works to their bones and your father collects from them. He takes until they have nothing more to give.”

I can't believe her. I knew she hated my father but to bring me here just to say this was another level of low.

“I don't care if you don't believe me. But this is happening. This is real. This is what your people suffer everyday. This is what we fight against.”

My head is spinning and my reality is changing. This is not what I know. I scramble to say something in my father's defence.

“You guys are the bad guys.” My retort is lame.

“No. Your father is. What we are trying to do is right his wrongs.” She says as she holds my gaze.

I don't believe her. My father is a kind, benevolent and merciful leader, his shoes too big for me to fill...

“If say your father does not know this goes on in his pack, then does that not make him an even terrible leader?”

My father is a kind, benevolent and merciful leader. His shoes too big for me to fill...

“Your father is responsible for everything that goes wrong in pack.”

There is nothing wrong with the pack. My father is a kind, benevolent and merciful leader. His shoes too big for me to me to fill...

“Look at me Eddie.” She demands. I look every where but her. I want to throw up. My head hurts. My eyes are burning. The sun is hotter in the northern part of the pack. Was I still dressed in my night clothes?

“Eddie. Look. You can change things. You can be the person your mother was before her death..”

“Don't speak about my mother..” I whisper. Everything sounded like I was under water.

“Eddie.. listen to me..”

“No!!!” I scream before I tear out of there running. I'm running blind but I don’t care. I have to get away from her. She was lying. Because my father is a kind, benevolent and merciful leader and his shoes too big for me to fill...