Rogue’s Redemption

Chapter5

Wren’s POV

The alpha's green gaze pierced through me, cutting like blades, dissecting me as if I’m a riddle he finds suspicious. I’m curled up in this filthy cell, my scarf soaked with perspiration, my body quivering beneath his stare. His voice echoes, low and authoritative, each word laden with strength.

“You say you’re a lost wolf, begging for shelter,” he says, the cell’s stone walls echoing his tone. “I don't believe your stories.”

Instantly, I felt fear grip my chest. But I tried to put up a calm face and looked straight into his dangerous eyes. I felt my knees wobble. “I begging, please Alpha, you have to believe me,” I pleaded with a cracked voice.

“I’m no spy. I’m just a wolf with nowhere left to run. I hopped a train, and it dumped me here.” My sniffle’s pathetic, but I’m praying he hears the truth, that he’ll spare me.

A cold smirk twists his lips, no warmth, just steel. “Words are cheap,” he says, his voice dripping with doubt. “Your actions will decide if you live or die.” My heart sinks, his words like a boot on my throat. He flicks a hand at his goons, and the cell door clanks open, loud as a gunshot. They grab me, their hands rough, hauling me up. My legs are jelly, my feet screaming from yesterday’s cuts, blood smearing the floor as I stumble forward.

"You'll be observed with every step," the alpha declares, his tone allowing no possibility of dissent. "For the time being, you will remain in my quarters until we uncover the truth regarding you."

My eyes fluttered while my mind worked to comprehend his words.

Serve him? In his quarters? Is this mercy, or a trap?

I nod fast, my throat so dry I can barely speak. “I-I understand, Alpha. I’ll do whatever you say. Thank you!” My voice is a whisper, yet I’m grasping this lifeline, fearful it will break.

His gaze briefly warms, a moment of curiosity, then it disappears, as if it never existed. “Good,” he says, a hint of something interest? in his voice. “I’ll oversee your trial myself. Prove you’re no liar, and you might earn a place in this pack.”

The word redemption rings in my head, a tiny spark in the dark. A chance to belong, to not be a runt nobody? I’m dizzy with it, even as fear chokes me. The alpha gestures, and his goons nod, dragging me out of the cell, back down the dim, moldy corridor. My steps are shaky, each one tearing my soles, the pain a constant reminder of how deep I’m in. The alpha trails behind, his presence like a storm cloud, making my skin prickle.

We cross the clearing, the forest air sharp with pine, and head toward a massive timber hall, its beams carved with wolves and moons. It’s grander than anything in the Bloodhowl pack, dwarfing our old lodge like it’s a shack.

This place screams power, and I’m wondering who this alpha is, what kind of pack I’ve stumbled into. They lead me inside, up a creaky staircase, past maids and guards who stare at my filthy scarf and torn clothes. I keep my eyes on the floor, shame burning my cheeks, feeling like a stray dog in a palace.

We stop at a door, and one goon swings it open, shoving me inside. Their grips loosen, and I trip, crashing to my knees, pain flaring in my already bruised legs. Wincing, I push myself up, my eyes wide as I take in the room. It’s big, way nicer than the attic hole I called home.

Polished wood floors, a real bed with actual blankets, even a tiny bathroom with a sink that probably works. I’m gawking, half-expecting it’s a trick.

The Alpha cracked his voice, and it made me flinch. He then pointed to me to step to the center of the room.His followers have left, leaving just us, the air thick with tension. He moves around me, slowly and purposefully, like a wolf hunting its quarry, his green eyes scanning every part of me. I’m motionless, feeling exposed beneath his gaze, anticipating the blow to fall.

“Explain to me, Wren,” he states, his tone filled with authority, “what were you doing close to my pack’s territory? How’d you end up on that train?”

I inhale deeply, searching for strength. “Alpha, sir, I’m not an agent,” I reply, my tone more composed than I actually am. “My mate rejected me, banished me from my pack.I boarded that train last night, eager to escape the anguish. A tear trickles down my cheek, and he observes it descend, his expression inscrutable.

He walked nearer, his eyes fixed into mine. “Prove it,” he says, his voice hard. “If your mate banished you, he’s high-ranking, yeah? Give me something solid, or you’re just a liar.”

My gaze drops, helplessness flooding me. “I’ve got no proof, Alpha,” I admit, my voice small. “Just my word."I understand it's not significant, but I'm pleading for an opportunity." I’m trembling, his imposing figure just close by, his strength overwhelming.

Silence stretches, heavy and endless, his eyes searching for any c***k in my story. Then he leans in, voice sharp. “Your mate’s name, his rank, his pack, and why he ditched you. Now.”

I flinch, my words tangling. “H-He… I’m…” I stammer, his glare tightening my throat.

“Name,” he snaps, simplifying it, and I nod, swallowing hard.

“Ryde Hawthorn,” I whisper, and my heart twists, pain spiking like a blade. I clutch my chest, gasping, the rejection’s sting still raw. His eyes narrow, studying me like I’m a bomb.

“His rank?” he presses, his tone edgy, like the name’s lit a fuse.

“Alpha’s son, next in line… Bloodhowl pack,” I say, my hand still on my chest, the ache throbbing with every word. Ryde’s face his disgust, his boot.flashes in my mind, and I’m fighting tears.

“Why’d he reject you?” The alpha's tone is a low rumble, as if he’s angry, and I freeze, my lips parting and closing.

“Uhmm.. because I was not worthy of him,” I answered, my voice barely above whisper. “No use to him, just a burden.” Shame chokes me, my voice fading, unsure if he even heard.

He goes quiet, pacing the room, his boots thudding on the wood. I’m holding my breath, waiting for judgment. Then he stops, his green eyes pinning me again. “So, Wren, why haven’t you accepted his rejection? You still want him? Planning to crawl back to your pack?” His words are a challenge, and I’m reeling.

“What? No!” I blurt, confused, my feet shifting nervously. “I don’t… I didn’t know I had to accept it.”

He huffs, annoyed, like I’m clueless. “That’s why his name hurts you,” he says, like it’s obvious. “You’re still tied to him. Accept the rejection, sever the bond, or you’re no use to my pack.”

I blink, the logic clicking. The pain, the ache it’s the mate bond, clinging like a curse. I nod, my voice shaky. “I, Wren, accept the rejection of Ryde Hawthorn, heir to the Bloodhowl pack.” The words rip out, and I gasp, my lungs suddenly free, like a weight’s lifted. The pain fades, leaving me hollow but lighter.

“Good,” the alpha says, his voice flat, no praise, just fact. “Clean up, change. I’ll be back to set your tasks. And Wren if you’re a spy, or anything else, I’ll break you and toss you out. Clear?” His eyes burn, promising pain if I cross him.

“Yes, sir.“Thanks,” I murmur, nodding quickly, appreciative of this opportunity, scared I might mess it up. He pivots, walking away, the door clicking closed behind him, leaving me solitary with my pounding heart and a glimmer of hope.