The Lost Rogue Heiress

THREE - Home

Olivia’s eyes were still closed when the obtrusive sounds of Athena’s attitude began ringing in her ears.

We’ve known each other for a long time, Olivia, and I must say, you’ve never given me damsel in distress vibes until now. Fainting? Really? Get your ass up girl. You knew you weren’t a damn Omega. Please.

Right. Probably not an Omega. She had always suspected that she had some Gamma or Delta blood somewhere in her genetic history, but Olivia would have never suspected that she had a direct line to an Alpha, even if it was a Rogue Alpha.

Wolf shifter hierarchy had always been a sensitive subject for her. Part of her understood the need for a leader, for the strongest and smartest to have a societal responsibility to protect and care for the good of the whole pack, hence the need for an Alpha. Alpha’s of larger packs generally need some kind of support; enter Beta, Gamma and Delta. Omega’s being lumped together as “everyone else,” and inherently weak by definition, is where her opinion of the hierarchy began to stray from the norm.

Most days, she didn’t mind not being at the top of the pack structure. She had learned from a young age how to follow orders and to stay under the radar. Everyone didn’t need a title, that’s simply not how pack structure worked. It wasn’t the title that she coveted, however. It was the respect, or lack of rather, that bothered her.

Olivia’s encounter with Alex was something that Omega’s had to deal with on a regular basis, especially the women. Alex was perhaps more cruel and brazen about his harassment, but the intimidation factor was there regardless. Children learned from a young age that when a higher ranking wolf speaks to you, you avert your eyes, bow your head, and display your neck. This act of submission was ground into all Omegas throughout the entirety of their adolescence in order to protect them. A wolf that was high ranking could punish an Omega. Sometimes that meant a skipped meal and sometimes it meant a beating. For the women, it could mean worse.

She had heard of packs where Omega wasn’t synonymous with weak or property, but she had yet to experience it herself. Olivia had always told herself that one day she would get away, because she was certainly not weak and she was definitely no one’s property. The part of her brain that lived in reality, however, always looked at that like a pipe dream.

Leaving was, unfortunately, a much more complicated matter. For starters, wolves were pack animals by instinct. Loyalty to family and pack was at the core of their being, it defined them on a spiritual level. Defecting from one's pack would not only be difficult in the logistical sense, but it would be mentally, physically and spiritually painful.

There was a reason that Rogue’s had a reputation for being crazed and out of control. They had ripped a part of their soul out when abandoning their pack. Some of the strong ones could heal from it, but most never fully did. It changed them in ways that most couldn’t fully understand because it wasn’t as if the Rogues came back to visit to let their old pack know what life was like or how they were doing.

The only way a wolf could leave their pack without losing a piece of themselves was by joining another pack. Olivia had only heard of this happening when mates discovered each other but were from different packs. Needless to say, she hadn’t really put too much thought into that being a viable escape strategy.

Slowly coming back to the present as she fluttered her eyes open, Olivia quickly realized that escape from her current pack was the least of her concerns at the moment. She had just lost consciousness next to a Rogue wolf, who was supposed to be, by definition, unpredictable and broken. He was of Alpha blood, to be sure, so he might be a little more sane than other Rogues, but the uncertainty was enough to put her on guard.

Are we really worried though Liv? He’s our grandfather, that much I can confirm. I don’t know how or why, I just know.

Although she definitely embodied the brazen side of their spirit, Athena was usually the more cautious of the two when it came to interacting with strangers. She never truly backed down, per se, but she never fully trusted anyone, especially strangers. For her to so quickly feel at ease with this older Alpha eased a bit of Olivia’s anxiety.

Fair point, but he’s still a stranger and he’s a Rogue, Athena. They’re still unpredictable at the end of the day, regardless of their kin or their genes.

Olivia answered Athena through the bond in a calm tone in spite of her frayed nerves. She heard Athena sigh through the bond before responding.

Yea, okay. But what are your instincts telling you? Not your brain, but your soul, your energy, your core. Don’t overanalyze it and stop thinking for once. Can. You. Trust. Him?

Yes.

Then calm down and stand up. It’s time for you to find out who you are.

Olivia blinked several times more before sitting up slowly and staring into the deep purple eyes of the older man crouched in front of her. Concern creased his forehead and there was love in his eyes. The only reason she recognized it was because it was how Lizzie looked at her. Lizzie was the only person that loved her. Until today, apparently.

“Olivia? Are you okay?” Grayson asked softly. Gone was the cheesy smile of moments ago as concern laced every breath.

“Well, I guess that depends on your definition of okay, but I think my pride is the only real casualty here. I’m not typically a fainter,” Olivia answered with a soft smile. “You’ll have to promise to keep this between us, I’m not sure I could live with the shame. My wolf knowing will be enough ridicule for the next millenia, trust me.”

His wide and goofy grin was back as he chuckled, but she could tell he was still unsure of her condition. She decided to get back on her feet to further prove she was fine. As she got to her feet, Grayson offered her a hand in a very gentlemanly and un-Rogue-like fashion. His hand was rough and calloused, proof of a life of manual labor and hard work and not something she would expect from the life of a former Alpha. Olivia supposed it wasn’t reasonable to expect all Alpha families to be as bougie as the Jadewood’s.

“Are you sure you’re alright Olivia?” Grayson asked while looking into her lavender eyes for the truth, eyes that were a similar shade to his own.

“Well you did just drop a pretty big bomb on me here, give me a second and I’ll adjust,” she said with just a touch of sarcasm.

She brushed the dirt off her back side and crossed her arms as she attempted to process his revelations again. There was just no way that she could make sense of it all with the little information she had to go on. She didn't even know where to start or what to ask first so that she might start to understand what was going on.

"Look, I'm so confused, I don't even know where to start. I honestly think —" Olivia was interrupted when she heard a twig snap somewhere across the river. She had barely snapped her head in the direction of the sound before Grayson grabbed her shoulders and pulled her behind one of the many oak trees lining the bank.

"Look Olivia, I know this is a lot," his tone was rushed and urgent now, contrasting his relaxed demeanor of mere moments ago. He looked towards the river, mentally gauging how much time they had before they had unwelcome company. Satisfied, he turned back to her "I just need you to trust me. Can you do that?" He stopped scanning the horizon to turn and look her in the eyes. His were filled with a regret that was dark and deep, but there was also a flash of hope in the endless pools of amethyst.

It was the look in Grayson’s eyes, her grandfather’s eyes, that told her all she needed to know. Somehow, without knowing anything at all about this man, she trusted him with her life and she could feel through their bond that Athena felt the same.

Do you trust me Olivia? I need an answer quickly, we've got company in less than 30 seconds.

Grayson maintained eye contact while speaking to her through the bond.

I trust you, was all she replied before everything began to get blurry and her balance started to shift. Olivia felt as though she was falling and immediately tensed in anticipation of fainting again.

Not this again. Athena quipped through the bond.

Grayson let out a soft chuckle before answering, no, not again Athena. This one's on me.

The next moments happened so fast that Olivia couldn't accurately describe what happened if her life depended on it. It felt as though she been sucked through a dark hole in space; all she could think about was not getting sick all over her newly discovered grandfather.

As disorienting as the feeling was, it was just as fleeting. It all happened in the blink of an eye, and Olivia was suddenly in an entirely different location. A location that she didn't recognize at all, so they must be in Rogue territory still.

They stood in front of a structure that could only be described as a castle. Olivia had never seen such breath taking architecture. The spires atop each of the many towers looked to be made of beautifully designed stained glass in hues of deep purple, blue and green. Even the stones that formed the foundation of the walls were laid in such a fashion to create remarkable symmetry. Hanging vines adorned the walls, turning the stone castle into a living breathing being. There wasn't more than ten feet of stone between each textured window, meaning the interior would be flooded with natural light.

It was, simply put, the most beautiful thing Olivia had ever seen. Serenity and elegance intertwining in perfect harmony. She felt a sense of calm in its shadow, a calm she only ever felt in the forest prior.

"Olivia, on behalf of the Northern Rogues, I'd like to welcome you home."

Home.