Her Return As An Alpha

Chapter 29 : The Lone Rogue

Maura Fall hadn’t expected to encounter anyone in the desolate remains of the Rust Fur pack. The King's elite warriors had cordoned off the attacked regions, ensuring that only those with express permission could enter. The air was thick with the lingering threat of rogue shifters, and the place was deserted except for the howling wind that carried the scent of decay and fear. Most wouldn’t dare set foot in this cursed land, not when the memory of the bloodshed was so fresh. But Maura wasn’t most people.

She moved with practiced ease through the pack houses, her eyes sharp as she searched for anything of value. The homes were shells of their former selves, but here and there, she found items worth scavenging—a few trinkets that might fetch a shiny coin, some preserved food that had miraculously avoided spoilage, and garments that were still sturdy enough to wear. She pocketed each item with swift, nimble hands, her heart racing with the thrill of easy plunder.

When Maura reached the Alpha’s mansion, a shiver ran down her spine, making the hair on the back of her neck stand on end. The building loomed over her like a dark sentinel, its grandeur marred by the violence that had torn it apart. The windows were shattered, and the walls bore the marks of battle. Yet, there was an air of eerie stillness that made her hesitate at the threshold.

She shook off the unease, cursing her own paranoia. It’s just a house, she told herself. The four Alphas had already conducted their inspection days ago. They had declared the pack obliterated, nothing more to be found. There was no reason to believe anyone would return to this forsaken place.

Her wagon, a rickety contraption on its last legs, stood outside the manor, waiting to be loaded with whatever treasures she could find. It was her fourth round through the pack, and with every trip, she grew bolder. The thought of leaving with a hefty bounty made her forget her earlier trepidation. With a smirk, Maura pushed open the ruined doors of the Alpha's mansion and slipped inside, her movements cautious but confident.

The interior was a chaotic mix of destruction and ruined luxury. Ripped tapestries clung to the walls, and heavy furniture lay overturned, but Maura’s eyes skimmed over them dismissively. She had no use for such cumbersome items. Instead, she focused on the smaller, easily transportable pieces—jeweled crockery, ornate figurines, and any decor that looked like it might be worth something to the right buyer. She picked through the remnants of the Alpha's wealth, her mind already counting the profits she would make.

As she reached the battered door of the Alpha’s office, her greed took over completely. She grinned as she stepped inside, eager to find the hidden treasures that always seemed to lurk in such places. But her triumphant expression froze the moment she crossed the threshold.

The office was not empty.

A fierce glare of jade green eyes met hers, followed by a flash of fiery red hair pulled into a tight bun. Maura barely had time to register the figure before she felt the cold, unforgiving edge of a hunting knife pressed against her throat. Her breath caught, and her entire body went rigid with terror. The shock of the encounter left her paralyzed, her mind racing with thoughts of escape that she knew were futile.

That’s how Liana ended up with Maura bound and trembling on the wooden floor outside the office. The thief’s bravado had crumbled into pitiful sobs and sniffles, her previous confidence shattered like the ruined manor around her. Maura's grey eyes, red-rimmed and filled with tears, flicked enviously toward Liana’s necklace and the charms she wore, betraying her lingering greed and jealousy, even in her fear.

Liana rolled her eyes, her patience worn thin by the thief's pathetic display. Maura's whimpering grated on her nerves, and she tightened the ropes securing her hands and feet just enough to make sure the thief wouldn’t wriggle free. With a resigned sigh, Liana grabbed Maura by the collar and began dragging her out of the manor.

Maura screamed and wailed, her pleas for mercy echoing through the dilapidated halls as Liana hauled her outside into the harsh sunlight. The thief squinted and squirmed, trying to shield herself from the brightness, but Liana was relentless. The sun revealed every grimy detail of the thief’s disheveled appearance, her face streaked with dirt and her clothes torn from scrambling through the ruins.

Once outside, Liana dropped Maura unceremoniously onto the ground, crossing her arms as she looked down at the groveling woman. The scene would have been almost comical if it weren’t so pathetic. Maura’s desperation was palpable, her fear laid bare in every frantic sob and sniffle. But there was no sympathy in Liana’s gaze—only cold, calculating judgment as she decided what to do with the thief who had dared to take advantage of such a tragic event.

Maura struggled furiously, her blonde hair tangled and dusty, her grey eyes wide with fear and fury. But Liana, cold and unyielding, simply tossed her against a sturdy wooden pole as if she weighed nothing. The impact left Maura gasping for breath, and before she could even think to fight back, Liana had already cuffed her to the pole, the metal biting into Maura’s wrists.

“You can’t do this to me!” Maura yelled, her voice tinged with both anger and desperation. “This is illegal! You’ll pay for this!”

Liana ignored her, her jade-green eyes narrowing as she turned her attention to the rickety wagon nearby. Maura watched, her heart pounding, as Liana began rifling through the contents, her face a mask of cold disgust.

“That’s mine!” Maura shrieked, trying to tug free from her restraints. “You’ve no right to take it!”

Liana remained silent, her expression unreadable as she pulled out item after item— jewelry, canned food, bloodied clothing. Her disgust only grew with each stolen trinket she found. Without a word, she began tossing the items onto the blood-streaked soil.

“Stop it!” Maura’s voice cracked as she watched her ill-gotten gains pile up on the ground. “You have no right!”

Liana’s lips twitched, a faint, humorless smile crossing her face as she continued to empty the wagon. Finally, with everything on the ground, she lifted her boot and brought it down hard on the pile. The sound of breaking crockery and splintering wood filled the air, drowning out Maura’s desperate pleas.

“Please, stop! I need those!” Maura’s voice was high-pitched now, frantic.

Liana crushed another piece of stolen crockery beneath her heel, her gaze fixed on the thief. “These?” she asked, her tone icy. “You need these? The sentimental belongings stolen from the dead?”

Maura fell silent, her eyes wide with fear and anger. Liana’s words cut deep, and she felt a flicker of shame, though she quickly buried it under her indignation.

“You don’t understand,” Maura spat, her voice trembling. “I was just trying to survive.”

Liana didn’t reply. Instead, she turned her attention to the wagon itself. With a swift kick, she sent the fragile structure crashing to the ground, its rickety frame splintering into pieces. Maura’s eyes widened in horror as she watched her only means of transport—and escape—reduced to kindling.

“Surviving by scavenging the remains of a massacred pack?” Liana finally spoke, her voice low and dangerous. “You’re not surviving. You’re preying on the dead.”

Maura’s mouth opened and closed, but no words came out. Her anger and fear warred with the realization that Liana was right, but she was too stubborn to admit it.

Liana’s gaze bore into Maura, and for a moment, she seemed to hesitate. But then she reached forward, unlocking the cuffs and yanking Maura to her feet.

“You’re nothing but a common thief,” Liana said coldly, her voice like ice. “And thieves deserve no sympathy.”

Maura glared back at her, defiant. “I’m not a thief! I was just—”

“Just what?” Liana interrupted, her eyes flashing with anger. “Just stealing from the people who were killed, murdered, and are yet to find peace? Just looting a destroyed pack? What’s the difference, lone rogue?”

Maura swallowed hard, unable to meet Liana’s gaze.

With a swift movement, Liana shifted into her majestic wolf form. Her silver white wolf glittered in the sunlight as she towered over the terrified thief. Without warning, she grabbed Maura by the back of her tattered clothing and hoisted her onto her back. Maura screamed in terror, her fear finally breaking through her stubborn pride.

“Please! Don’t kill me! I swear I won’t do it again!” Maura begged, clutching at Liana’s fur.

Liana didn’t respond. She leaped into the woods, her powerful legs carrying them deeper and deeper into the forest. The trees blurred past them as Maura clung on for dear life, her heart pounding in her chest.

Finally, Liana stopped in a remote, isolated part of the woods, far from any sign of civilization. She dropped Maura harshly onto the ground, her large wolf form towering over the trembling thief. Maura’s heart raced as she looked up at the noble creature before her, her fear now mixed with a grudging respect.

“If I ever catch you scavenging in attacked places again,” Liana growled, her voice a deep rumble that sent shivers down Maura’s spine, “I will kill you myself.”

Maura trembled, her fear overriding any thought of protest. “I—I won’t, I swear. Just let me go…”

Liana shifted back into her human form, her cold gaze still fixed on Maura. “Remember this, lone rogue. You may not be a part of the attackers, but you're not much better. Next time, I won’t be so lenient.”

With that final warning, Liana turned and vanished into the trees, leaving Maura alone in the silent, foreboding woods. As soon as Liana was out of sight, Maura’s fear gave way to anger. She stomped her foot in frustration, cursing Liana under her breath.

“She thinks she’s so righteous,” Maura muttered, kicking at the dirt. “I wasn’t doing anything wrong! It’s not like anyone else was using that stuff.”

But even as she tried to convince herself, a nagging fear lingered in the back of her mind. Maura scowled, refusing to dwell on it. Instead, she turned and stomped off in the opposite direction, still fuming but too scared to ever return to the scene of the m******e.