Escaping the Rogue King

My pack

Midi’s PoV

I perched on the sofa trying to control my breathing and heart rate, I’d just about got it all in check so when Cal places two drinks on the table in front of us then lounged backwards into the sofa. ‘This is the most comfortable thing ever.’ I smiled but it was a wistful feeling, Royal had got me the sofa. He’d really decorated this whole place for me, although I know he was trying to make me feel like it was all my own idea. I reached for a glass and took a large gulp of drink - then nearly choked!

‘How much vodka did you put in this??’ I stammered before I could stop myself.

‘Sorry’ he laughed, ‘I just made it my usual strength I didn’t think to ask.’

I took a much smaller sip and sighed, stronger might be better for relaxing my nerves anyway.

‘So... your pack...?’ I didn’t know where to begin or what to ask.

‘Our.’

I tilted my head. I’d not spoken of my visions of my childhood to anyone before, I tried to gauge how much to say. ‘I don’t remember there being anyone other than my small family before I came here.’

Cal’s eyes widened in surprise, ‘you remember them ? You were barely 3 years old when it happened!’

I frowned, ‘how do you know that?’

But he ignored my question, his voice suddenly full of concern and pain as something seemed to suddenly occur to him, ‘Do you remember what happened to them ? Did you see it?’

A tear ran down my cheek as instead of answering I reached for another gulp of drink.

**Flashback**

That first meeting with Royal I’d been too afraid to talk. ‘STAY’ he’d commanded the rogues as his wolf padded silently up to me. He stood right in front of me, inspecting me intently, ‘how did you get here little one’ he asked, I think he meant it as a rhetorical question but something inside me compelled me to reach up and place a hand on his muzzle. I thought about the attack on my parents and I could see he could see it all too. My parents ripped to shreds before my eyes. I thought about how the rogues had kidn*pped me once my parents were dead, how they had begun to make me do things for their entertainment... and then about their discussions on what to do with me, the suggestions started at asking for a ransom for me, to killing me but then moved on to selling me as a slave... and worse. When it got to the last and most terrible suggestion Royal shook my hand off his muzzle and ran to the rogues, I watched him rip the throat out of the first one before shutting my eyes. He killed them all, instantly and almost painlessly, but also without mercy.

‘Keep your eyes shut little one.’ Royals voice now much closer, I peaked and realised he was human and naked, cutting loose the ties that bound me. Once I was free he changed back to his wolf, ‘it’s ok, open now.’ And with that he’d placed me on his back and brought me safely to the palace.

****

The drink burned my throat but this time I didn’t splutter. To this day Royal was the only one I’d shown what had happened to my parents. I hadn’t even discussed it with anyone else. I wanted to trust Cal, wanted to try to show him... but what if it didn’t work? I wasn’t strong enough to describe in words what had happened.

‘Please just tell me about your pack.’ I whispered.

For a moment he looked undecided, then took one of my hands in his to comfort my tears as he began. ‘You and me are both from the Golden Palace in Italy. In Europe wolves aren’t like they are here in America. We have one Royal family in the palace, a council, and the royal warriors. Wolf packs form and exist elsewhere, they have alphas but all of us are protected and governed by the Golden Palace. We are much more ancient than American werewolves... our American cousins have grown bigger than us and packs seem free to rule and fight amongst themselves. 6’6 giants stomping around and fighting wouldn’t go un-noticed in Europe, we have centuries of experience of existing undetected around humans.’

His words were awakening something inside me. A sense that this was my pack, that I might belong.

Cal’s PoV

As I explained to Midi about our history it was taking all I had not to push her to tell me what she knew of her family’s end. It never occurred to me she might remember any of it, she was so young when it happened. I could see she had put a barrier up, it hurt me but I had to remember we’d only met a few hours ago. This mate bond was so powerful, I looked at her little hand in mine, I never wanted to let it go. Why was her wolf not telling her we were mates? Could she feel the draw to each other I could?

I was studying her face as I talked and she turned to hold my gaze, she had changed slightly somehow, as if something inside her was awakening, and her eyes began to show their royal golden colour. I trailed off, I wanted to tell her she was our queen, that we needed her back. The future of our pack depended on her. But she was so small, this was all so new to her, and there was still something she was holding back from me I could sense it.

‘So that’s why we’re smaller?’ She asked weakly.

I smiled, ‘don’t let that worry you, we’re as good fighters as any American wolf, better even.’ My wolf flinched and growled as she smiled thinking I was joking.

We should tell her who we are. We are her top warrior. The moon goddess created us for her and trained us to protect her. We can protect her from anything, she’s safe now.’

I sighed, I wanted to. I will, when she’s ready. Or when her wolf says it’s time.

He growled again inside me. He’s never understood that the human in us doesn’t work like wolves, we are not bound to loyalty by our blood in the same way, we chose who and when yo trust and if I pushed her she may not chose us.