Rogue Rage

Chapter 5

I loved the icy temperature of the water. I loved the feeling of the frigid cascade of water coiling down my hair onto my heated skin. It was refreshing. The shack I inhabited only had a toilet. There was a shower, but it wouldn’t turn on for some reason. I didn’t mind, though. I enjoyed showering in the falls more than anything else. I felt unleashed here.

Like the water could wash away the sins of my father and the stench of who I was. I was filled with so much anger, of course, and Damian gave me someone to blame. But even though he began shaping me into who he needed me to be after my father passed, I chose this life. I chose to spy on packs. I chose to get petted by a Great Alpha who enjoyed the company of young girls. I felt filthy pretending to be younger than I was. He never questioned it because he enjoyed the naïve mind I pretended to have. I was getting closer to luring him away from the village, but not quite there yet. I couldn’t rush it. It had to be his idea.

I chose this chaos that was Damian. Each task was another link in the shackles he crafted for me. And I knew eventually, I’d break under his thumb. If I had an anchor to ground me, maybe I could resist the false sun that Damian claimed to be.

I sighed and turned to drink from the falls. Maybe the water could clean my insides too. When I opened my eyes, I was somewhat startled by Maddock in the plunge pool. The surprise was instantly replaced with frustration. I was still somewhat embarrassed by my reaction to not getting wine. I had grown to enjoy that too…the numbness it created in me. Like water, I could drown in it.

Getting a lecture at this age, after diving into a pretty deep plunge pool was wildly annoying. He might have a few years on me, but who was he to tell me what to do?

“Hey, Alcohol Girl?” I almost laughed at the nickname. It fit well enough—not just because I could be stingy with alcohol, but because I was like a good whiskey or sweet wine: easy to enjoy, warming on the way in, and dangerous for the way it lowered inhibitions.

“What?” I snapped.

“What’s your name?”

I stared at him. Even before our first encounter, I had heard the whispers and stories about him. “The warrior playboy” as they loved to call him. Many girls around the village had claimed to be in love with him. I wondered how many of them he actually slept with. I doubt he could remember if I asked. But if the rumors were true, I could tell him my real name, and he’d probably forget it at the end of the day. Though with my luck…

“Mable,” I said with my chin tilted up slightly. Looking at him in the water, I could see why many girls were enraptured by him. He was very attractive. He had corded muscles and a sharp jawline. His hair, though usually dirty blonde, looked darker wet. He had just enough stubble on his face to make a girl wonder if it feels rough to the touch.

“Hm, doesn’t suit you. I think I’ll stick to Alcohol Girl.”

“You do that,” I said, swimming toward the waterfall curtain. A narrow gap behind it would let me climb back to the ledge discreetly. I had been exposed too young to be shy about my nudity, but climbing a wall naked with a grown man below me felt like pushing the limits of safety. The only downside was that the wall could be extremely slippery behind the curtain.

“Running away?”

“I suppose that’s how it looks.” In actuality, I couldn’t stay around anyone in this pack too often. That said, I haven’t been near this man in a few days. I avoided any places that he might be but him seeing me now might look less suspicious than him never seeing me again. So, in a way it all worked out.

My hand was on the ledge when I lost my grip. I gasped but a strong hand grabbed my wrist and pulled me up onto the ledge effortlessly. I looked up but there was no one around. It sent my entire body on high alert. I peeked through the curtain gap that I first saw Maddock from, only to see him still in the water with his eyes closed.

My mouth went dry. I dressed quickly, watching all of my surroundings. Who the f**k was that? I had been caught off guard plenty of times before, but this was different. This had all the hair on the back of my neck standing on end. I glanced back down and saw that Maddock was making his way out of the pool as well. If I wasn’t on such high alert, I might have ogled his backside. However, I was now on a mission.

I looked up the mountain and decided that whoever was just here couldn’t have climbed up fast enough, even in wolf form, to be completely out of sight. So, they must have climbed down. I made it to the bottom as quickly as possible and looked around for any indication in the dirt or broken twigs to follow. I had become a decent tracker, but I couldn’t find anything. No footprints, the Earth was completely undisturbed.

I sensed Maddock behind me before he spoke. “Whatcha looking for?”

I was hesitant to say anything but, I could use him in this situation. “Someone was just here. I don’t know if it’s just me, but I don’t smell anyone. You?” Only a minor fabrication.

Maddock inhaled deeply. “No, it’s just you and I out here.” If he doesn’t smell anyone is it possible that they made it back up the mountain before I looked up? I shook my head, that’s impossible. “Where exactly did you see them?”

“On the ledge. When I was climbing up there. You didn’t see anyone climb up or down?”

He shook his head, “But to be fair, I wasn’t paying attention and my eyes weren’t open the whole time. Come on, the evening meal will be served soon.” s**t. I can’t go back with him. He’ll expect me to eat with the pack. The guards saw me exit, so that won’t be a problem. But if I return with him, everyone will know about it. Everything from dress to how many locks I have in each braid will be the biggest news. Just a few days ago half of the pack was talking about how Addison was going to be a beautiful bride and the other half talked about many children Brim would have with Maddock. Both girls were hanging on each of his arms during our first encounter.

I couldn’t be the talk of town. Quite frankly Maddock was one too many people who knew about me. But I couldn’t just up and disappear from his sight. These chance meetings needed some real looking into though. I had to keep my guard up and take care not to be in a place where other’s might be. Once Keith realizes that the brother of the Luna knows who I am. He will want to report it to Damian. I liked Keith, but he had loyalty to Damian that I couldn’t understand. All Damian did was give him a place to stay, but Keith acted like Damian was the messiah of all wolves.

Funny enough, Keith was never exiled. He only followed his love, Jace. She had been exiled as a child with her father. She had a hatred for traditional packs that rivalled all. Like me she was recruited to work for Damian early on. Keith was the pack member that discovered her. And instead of reporting her to his pack Alpha, he fell in love with her and joined Damian with the condition that Jace no longer be sent to other packs. It was smart, Jace was terrible at blending in. Damian agreed and Keith never doubted or questioned his rule. I even think that Keith started to believe in Damian’s New World propaganda.

So, if Keith thought I was endangering the rogues and by extension, Jace; he would do everything in his power to end me. I had no doubt about that.

“I’m actually going to pick mushrooms around here. I’ll see you up there.”

Maddock looked at the lowering but not quite setting sun. “No, the sun will set in less than an hour. It’s dangerous down here. Especially after the rogue attack a few months ago. Let’s go.”

“My father was a warrior, I can—”

“So was mine when the was killed by the rogue Marcus.” He grabbed my upper. “We’re going back.”

THUNK! We both looked over to see a broad shouldered, serious-looking man. His black eyes and wide nose were features that were unmistakable. I had done well, avoiding him during the many months I had been watching. Our eyes met and all the blood drained from my face. f**k.