Episode two
1007 Words
Chapter 2:
Recognition
Kieran Drake looked like death had claimed him and refused to leave.
The man descending the stairs was simultaneously my mate and a complete stranger. His dark brown hair, once impeccably styled, now hung loose past his collar. Shadows circled those blue-gray eyes. He'd lost weight, his impressive frame still powerful but leaner, harder. The easy confidence I'd loved had transformed into something predatory and cold.
He moved differently too, each step calculated, threatening. This wasn't the man who'd chased me laughing through the woods, who'd brought me wildflowers just to see me smile.
The fire of anger in my chest dimmed slightly seeing how worn he appeared.
"A rogue," Kieran said, his voice devoid of emotion. "Near Celeste's memorial."
"Yes, Alpha," Victor confirmed. "Suspicious, wouldn't you say?"
Kieran moved closer. I forced myself not to react, not to reach for him like every fiber of my being demanded.
"Your name?" Kieran asked.
"Raven," I answered, using the name from the memories. "Raven Cross."
"Why were you at the memorial?"
"I didn't know it was a memorial. I was just passing through."
Kieran studied me for a long moment. Then he turned to Victor. "Take her to the cells. I'll decide her fate tomorrow."
"Alpha," Victor interjected quickly. "Pack law states rogues who trespass should be executed immediately."
Kieran's eyes flashed dangerously. "Are you instructing me, Gamma?"
"No, Alpha, I merely"
"Take her to the cells," Kieran repeated, his voice dropping to a growl. "That's an order."
Victor bowed his head, but I glimpsed rage in his eyes. He hadn't wanted me to survive even one more day.
As guards dragged me away, I glanced back at Kieran once more. He was still watching me, a strange expression on his face.
Did some part of him recognize me? Or was I imagining the confusion in his eyes?
---
The prison was underground, cells constructed of silver bars. The bars hummed with power, designed to weaken any wolf who touched them.
They threw me into one and locked the double barriers.
"The Alpha will decide your fate tomorrow," one guard said. "If you're fortunate, he'll make your death quick."
They left me alone in darkness.
I examined the cell, noting security upgrades since my imprisonment. New locks, higher silver content in the bars. They'd enhanced security after my "betrayal." The thought was bitter, they'd learned from the mistake of trusting me.
I sat on the cold floor, mind racing with possibilities and outcomes.
*"Celeste Blackwood, you have been found guilty of treason against Moonstone Ridge Pack."*
His voice echoed in memory, cold and final. Those blue-gray eyes that once gazed at me with such love had turned to ice. He hadn't even flinched when giving the order.
But miraculously, I'd been granted a second chance. Not just that, I was in a rogue's body. The man who framed me walked free. The man I thought I loved had pronounced my death sentence.
But I was here. Back in the pack that betrayed me. What could be more satisfying than exacting revenge on them?
Taking them completely by surprise.
---
Time crawled in the dark prison. Hours or maybe just minutes passed before the sound of doors opening snapped me from my thoughts.
I positioned myself carefully, curling up with my hands tucked between my knees. Kieran entered alone.
"That's not wise," I said before I could stop myself. "Being alone with a dangerous rogue."
He raised an eyebrow. "Are you dangerous?"
*Yes,* I thought. *More than you know.* But I said, "I'm just trying to survive."
"Aren't we all." He pulled up a chair, sitting across from me with the casual confidence that made him such a powerful Alpha. "Tell me, Raven Cross, what truly brought you to my territory?"
"I told you"
"You lied." He leaned forward. "Your scent carries no trail from north or south. You appeared in the middle of my territory as if you materialized from nothing. So I'll ask again, why are you here?"
I met his gaze steadily. "Would you believe me if I said I don't remember?"
"No."
"Then we're at an impasse."
His lips twitched, almost a smile. "You're not what I expected from a starving rogue."
"Perhaps your expectations need adjusting."
This time he smiled, and my heart cracked slightly. That smile used to be mine.
"You speak like someone educated," he observed. "Your bearing, your mannerisms... They suggest formal training. Yet you claim to be packless."
Damn. I was being too much myself, not enough Raven.
"My pack valued education," I said carefully. "Before I left."
"Why did you leave?"
I drew on Raven's memories. "They wanted me to mate someone I didn't love. I chose freedom instead."
Something shifted in his expression. "Love." He said it like it was foreign. "A luxury most of us can't afford."
"You're an Alpha. You can afford anything."
"Can I?" His eyes went distant. "I had love once. It was a lie."
My hands clenched in my lap. A lie? Everything between us had been real. Every moment, every promise, every kiss, all real.
"Perhaps you were the one deceived," I said softly. "Maybe the person you loved was exactly who you thought they were."
His gaze sharpened. "That's a strange observation from a stranger."
I'd gone too far. "I just mean... sometimes those we trust most betray us. Not those we love."
"Speaking from experience?"
"Aren't we all shaped by experience?"
He stood abruptly. "You'll remain here until I decide your fate. Guards will bring food and water. Don't cause trouble, and you might survive this."
He turned to leave, and desperation made me speak. "Your Gamma doesn't approve of showing mercy to strangers."
Kieran paused at the door. "What makes you say that?"
"The way he pushed for my execution. The way he looked when you overruled him. Be careful who you trust, Alpha."
For a long moment, he stared at me. Then without a word, he left, locking me in with my memories and regrets.
- Writer
