THE ROGUE HE DENIED

CHAPTER EIGHT

RAGNAR POV

I had gone out to inspect the guards scheduled for evening patrol, when a scent hit me so strong it stopped me in my tracks. It was a mixture of sweet vanilla and cocoa. My wolf howled in excitement, urging me to follow the scent. I shifted into my wolf form, running through the woods, the scent pulled me deeper. And then I saw her, a rogue who ran into the borders of my pack. My wolf, Ajax, stirred and howled louder in my head, demanding I let him through, but I subdued him with a snarl. There was no way the Moon Goddess had possibly matched me with a rogue. I let out a rumbling growl that echoed through the woods as I closed in on her.

She looked disheveled, and lost. I planned to do away with her when I finally got her pinned down beneath me, but Ajax pleaded. Her green eyes stared back at me, causing my heart to skip a beat. Despite her fragile appearance, she was a fierce one, even in her human form, as she fought to flee my grip by throwing grit into my eyes. I howled in anger as she slipped through my paws and bolted.

Hunting was one thing I loved doing. Seeing her trying to escape lit something primal in me, like she is the prey, and I'm the predator. I noticed her limping, which slowed her a little as she ran through the woods. I clawed at her weak foot and in response she let out a heart-wrenching scream before she fell to the ground unconscious.

I turned her body with my paw, studying her. Her pale skin contrasted with her long dark wild hair that sprawled around her thin, fragile body. Her clothes were tattered and worn out. Still, there was a stubborn kind of beauty clinging to her that I hated myself for noticing.

I lifted my claws ready to end her life, when Ajax howled in pain in my head and a searing pain jolted from my heart and across my body, leaving me breathless for a second.

‘What was that?!’ I demanded an answer from Ajax.

‘It's the mate bond. If you kill her you'll die too.’ He trailed off, his voice tight with pain.

‘Curse this mate bond.’

‘She doesn't have her wolf.’ He muttered in my head. ‘I couldn't reach her.’

‘I don't need to know, I don't care either.’ I hid my claws beneath my paws. 'That's even better, she doesn't know I'm her mate and, since she doesn't know, she can't feel the bond. If I can't kill her, she can't be allowed to be seen. No one can ever know that I have a mate, not even Hannah,’ I stated.

Ajax growled in my head at the mention of Hannah's name.

'Not only do you despise the fact your mate is a rogue, your heart already belongs to another who isn't even your mate!’ He growled even louder.

‘Exactly, and I'll make Hannah my Luna. She doesn't have a mate. I don't have one either. Perfect.’

‘Liar!’ Ajax snarled.

I pushed him back down in my head to subdue him, then mind-linked the head maids, Ivana and Stephanie to prepare a room. Then mind-linked the silversmith to craft a door lined with silver. I shifted back into my human form and carried her unconscious body. It was already dark, meaning no one was in sight, except the guards who were patrolling the borders. I mind-linked them to turn their backs on me, which they did, and I ran past them till I got to my house.

At my house, far away from the pack's main house. Ivana and Stephanie were already there waiting for me. I handed her to the maids to take her to the room they had prepared and instructed them to wear hand gloves to avoid direct contact with the door because it was crafted with silver. That would prevent her from running away.

“Ivana and Stephanie,” I paused and turned to them before going towards the left wing of my mansion.

“Yes alpha,” they said in unison.

“Do not speak of this to anyone. You both and the pack doctor are the only ones to care for her. If she needs anything besides your help, let me know. Also, make sure she doesn't leave the room at all costs,” I commanded.

“Yes, Alpha.” They bowed obediently. Without questioning, they did as they were told.

I got to my room on the second floor in the west wing and walked straight to the bathroom. Her scent clung to me, filling my lungs, which distracted my train of thoughts.

Hannah has been someone very important to me since childhood. My heart has always belonged to her. To her, I was just an older brother, nothing more. She had no idea how I felt towards her. Hannah stood by my side through the hard times I had under my father’s hand while growing up to become the next Alpha. If only the Moon Goddess had blessed me with her as my mate. Regardless, nothing will ever make me announce to my pack members that a rogue was my mate. Hannah will be there Luna.

The next day, I went to her room. I commanded Ivana and Stephanie to leave us, before approaching her. She sat on the bed with her head bowed. Her long hair sprawled neatly on the bed, framing her small body. She no longer looked pale compared to yesterday, as her olive skin glowed under the natural lights of the room. Her lips are plump and red…kissable.

I cursed myself for the thoughts. I shook the thought away from my head. It's probably because I didn't sleep well.

The mate bond tugged at me, my body longing for her touch again despite I stood across the room, which irritated me. I hated that I could feel the bond and she couldn't.

“Thank you,” she muttered.

Her voice sounded soft and angelic, it stirred something in me again. I hated the mate bond, but not for Ajax. He howled in my head once we heard her voice.

I asked her if she knew who she was and she replied correctly.

‘She still doesn't have her wolf,’ Ajax said sadly.

“Your wolf, you don't have contact with her, right?” I asked just to be sure.

“No alpha, I don't.” She said. Ajax whimpered when she called me Alpha. I didn't mind.

“When you have her back, mind-link me and we will discuss. For now, it's of no use.”

With that, I left the room, but she yelled, requesting to let her out. I opened the door immediately and instructed her to keep it down. But she didn't listen and was stubborn about it.

“How dare you go against my command?” I asked, my voice cold with spite. “You are a rogue, and you should have been done with the moment you crossed my pac–”

"Then kill me already,” she said flatly, her green eyes locked with mine.

I was taken aback by her reply. I knew I should have done away with her, but I couldn't.

“I wish I could” I muttered. In an instant, I lifted her and dropped her on the bed. “Keep quiet and stay still," I snapped angrily and stormed out of the room with long strides, locking the door shut behind me.