Going Rogue

TWO

When I am certain the guards are well off into their search for nothing, I plunge into the dark, following the trail my mate made with her scent, I briefly wonder why she did not have the scent of rogues, then I go ahead to placate myself that my mate is no rogue.

It was all a big misunderstanding, and i will get to know her reasons for sneaking into the gallery, the ceremony hall was not off limits tonight, neither was the gallery but she was holding a knife, was dressed in black, and fled through the window, soundlessly, I doubt i could drop soundlessly from that height. Plus, she was sneaking through the abandoned part of town.

Fallow grounds, my father called it. There was a fire at this very place a few years ago. It took everything. Lives and properties. It also took something precious to me. That is why I never came out here, this was the first time I am seeing the vast land up close.

And all I can say is, my father has not been here either, and i can't fault him, it is one of the biggest tragedies that ever plagued our pack. My father makes it absolutely clear that no member of the pack is to come here, said it was a waste land and it was toxic, and anyone found here would get the death penalty. But this place is far from that.

There are trees and valleys and fields of flowers here. It is actually beautiful. Mother nature must have revived what belonged to her. The only indication of the fire are the charred buildings. All dilapidated and ruined, but can be renovated, my father would be so pleased to hear that this place is habitable once more. The air is even fresher out here.

A question nags at the back of my mind, what exactly is my mate doing out here? All alone. Assuming she was alone. Georgie did say rogues.

“No Eddie. She is not a rogue. She was alone. You saw that. And Georgie said rogues, meaning more than one. That only means she is not a rogue.” I say out loud to myself as I come up to a building that is no different than the rest. Although the door is still standing, the walls are down. I use the door because I can perceive my mate's scent all over the door handle.

“What a weirdo.” I say to no one in particular as I shut the door behind me.

I continue to follow the scent until I come up to the edge of the building. The walls were also burnt to a crisp so I can see behind the house, an endless sea of green and beautiful grass with the occasion stump of burnt buildings.

Instinctively, I know she didn't go out of the house. I sniff at the place till I find her scent stuck on the wall. Frowning, my fingers fiddle with the wall wondering what she was looking for until the floor beneath me starts to rumble.

A sigh slips past my lips, thinking my father was right, and the building might collapse on me. Until the floor starts to go down at an alarming speed. A scream tears out of my lips. I fall to the ground on my butt and i stay there with my eyes shut until the floor stops moving.

I stand on shakily legs, I feel sick, my stomach threatens to give back everything I ate in the last two hours. I leave the floor and run to a shrubbery and my dinner surfaces.

“Oh my goodness! You followed me?” A familiar voice thundered.

My body straightened and I look up to find her in all her magnificent glory, she looked the same but somehow prettier. But her face had a scowl on it, I was taller of the two of us but she looked far more threatening. I swallow, Ben was right, she was not happy to see us.

“Of course I did. You are my mate.”

My words seem to anger her even more. She growls lowly.

“Stop saying that.”

“But it's true. You feel it too, we go together.”

“Get out.”

I wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. I went through that frightening endeavour for what?

“I won’t. I came here for you and i am not leaving without you.”

She laughed a hollow and humourless laugh. And it is even scarier than her scowl.

“And then what? Say you whisk me out of here, what do you plan to do next Alpha's son?” Again she says Alpha's son like it is disgusting.

“Eddie. My name is Eddie Sparks. Call me that instead.”

“Don't care.”

I swallow. This was not how I envisioned our first conversation or second conversation to go.

“Answer me and get out or get out.”

So I get out either way.

“Right... uhm. I take you back to the Palace and announce you to the pack and my father as the next Luna.”

She barked out a laugh and i feel small and insulted. I never really thought of anything beyond finding her, so maybe my plan might be a little lacking. She didn't need to laugh.

“That is the most pathetic thing I have heard. Go back home spoiled brat. You are not welcome here.”

This time I know I am insulted.

“Spoiled brat?”

“That is exactly what you are. That's what your plan told me anyway. You’ve said it. Now go back to daddy's lap and forget all about this place. That is the only grace I can grant you.”

I blink repeatedly. What was happening? This is the opposite of what my mom told me would happen when I find my mate.

“What about you? What about us?” I ask lamely.

She looks me dead in the eye causing me to shiver.

“There is no us. There never will be. Reject me or whatever. I have no care for you and your entitled self.”

Okay, where did that come from? I just lied to the guards about here, disobeyed pack laws and came here, the floor moved underground? Just to be told I was entitled?

I look around me, noticing my newer surroundings for the first time. It looks like what Fallow grounds looks like currently. But I know it's not fallow grounds, mostly because there is no single built building. There are buildings in the distance but these are habitable and are habited. And the fact that the floor moved downwards means this should be right below fallow grounds. This is under the ground. Underground. Under the pack lands.

My eyes bulged.

“Where are we?”

“None of your business. Get moving, forget all about this place. That is your business.” She snapped.

“This is under pack lands, I am future pack Alpha. I think it is my business.”

She laughed drily.

“This is not pack land. You and your father only own the top. Not beneath. Now go.” She barked.

I think I'm finally getting it. She hates my father. She hates me. Ben was right.

“Are.. are you a rogue?” I ask, desperate that the answer be a negative.

Her jaw worked, her eyes held emotions that threatened to drown me.

“What have we here?” a new voice says from behind me.

I spin to look at him, how is it that I don't hear them until I see them?

And I don't hear the blow that comes from my side until I feel It, I fall to the ground. The last thing I see before the lights go off are my mate's eyes.