Rogue Rage

Chapter 3

Looking at him, I could not understand how anyone had ever called this man “great.” There was nothing good about him, let alone great. But people clung to tradition, and tradition declared that every Alpha, once retired, became a Great Alpha.

“Out here again, Mabel?” It was such a dated name that I was surprised that he never questioned it. I allowed my eyes to gloss over when they met his. He placed what he would think was a comforting hand on my back. I would have recoiled if I hadn’t gotten so damned used to it. “Was it your mother?”

I let a tear slip free, then buried my face in my knees. “I just want to leave this place. Everyone looks at me like they hate me. You’re the only one who’s been kind.” Stone’s isolation worked in my favor. He had no real idea what was happening within the pack, and I doubted he would ever tell his wife about the young girl he was trying to shape to his liking. That meant I could invent any version of my misery I wanted, and he would have no choice but to believe me.

His hand moved up and down my back with deliberate slowness before settling at my hip. “Why don’t you try smiling a little? I’m sure you have a wonderful smile. Here, look at me.” I lifted my head, and he tipped my chin toward him. I could have clawed his eyes out and taken perfect satisfaction in it. “There it is. Such a beautiful smile.” His grip tightened at my waist. “And an even prettier girl wearing it.” Gross.

The sound of people laughing caught his attention, and he eased his hands away. We both knew they were returning from their meal. Like clockwork, he and I met during mealtime. I told him it was because I was too afraid to eat with everyone else. He stood, pressed an index finger to his lips, and winked. By my second or third visit, he had told me that if he were still in power, he would never let anyone hurt me. He also said it was best that no one knew I kept him company, because people hated him for something he claimed he had “no idea” was happening. So, this was our little secret.

After he went inside, I made my way toward the shabby little huts that had been abandoned long ago. Most of them were filled with junk now, but before the Alpha claimed her as his mate, the Luna had lived in one of them. I did not know the whole of her story, only that she had risen from obscurity to prominence in a way few ever did. Since she and the Alpha became an item, I had kept my distance. I had not been here when Marcus attacked this pack, but I had been nearby, and I had heard enough whispers about her abilities to know better than to risk being seen.

Since no one came here, it was the perfect place to rest. Thankfully, the hut still had a sturdy door, which meant I could sleep without worrying that someone might pass by and hear a snore, a shuffle, or me turning over in my sleep. As far as I knew, I didn’t snore—but caution had kept me alive this long.

I went inside and made myself comfortable on the bed. I thought about the meal that might have been served that evening. It was hard to sneak food in a pack. Walking into a crowd to get something everyone else was getting might sound easy. However, people tended to talk to each other in line, at the serving counter, and even as they walked away. Mealtime with the rogues was one of the things I enjoyed. I could get my food and walk away without anyone bothering me. My stomach growled, and I regretted not grabbing some berries or something on my way here. This part of the forest was rich with huckleberries and blueberries.

I pulled the alcohol out of my pocket and held it up. The room was dark, but I had unusually good sight in the dark. It never seemed “too dark” to me. Even Damian was impressed during my initiation. Though most rogues just needed a place to stay after being exiled, Damian seduced their minds with talks of warm food, a new family, and revenge. But the few that did his bidding had to be tested. My father tried keeping me away from Damian, but in the end…I was left at his mercy.

I opened the bottle and smelled it. It was rubbing alcohol and highly flammable. I closed it and tucked it back into my pocket. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I fell asleep with hunger pangs and thoughts of where this life was going to lead.

The next morning, I decided to inspect the site where Marcus thought it wise to enter from. I had avoided this area since the incident, but I was curious how they had managed to do it. How had they dug such a structure right under the pack’s nose?

“What are you doing here?” I froze. s**t, I had made sure no one saw me, so how the hell did he find me? “Turn around.” I turned to see a better-looking Maddock. He wasn’t using a crutch, and he didn’t have any admirers on his arms. But I could tell he was favoring one leg over the other. He limped a bit as he stepped toward me. His steps faltered right in front of me. He looked much more serious than he had yesterday. “I asked, what are you doing here?”

I swallowed. My mind drew a blank. I needed to make something up fast. “I-I was just hiding out.”

His brows furrowed. “From who?”

I took a shaky breath. “Just everyone. I know no one comes here, so I thought I’d—”

“There is a reason no one comes here. It would look suspicious if anyone did.” I looked down and tried to look ashamed and innocent at the same time.

“I just wanted to be away from people. I like the quiet.”

He bent slightly and inhaled. “You’re the girl with the crate of alcohol.” He leaned a little closer and inhaled near my neck. It took all my willpower not to attack. But I knew my odds against him, even injured. If somehow I was able to escape him, it would trigger every wolf in this pack. His hand came up, and I noticed he was holding the bottle of alcohol. I tapped the spot where it would have been. He had taken it out of my pocket without me even noticing. It annoyed me more than losing the bottle. I had refined my senses as much as possible and still got duped.

“I see you took a bottle as well. What for?”

“Same as you, I guess.”

“Really? You sure about that?”

I guessed he realized it was rubbing alcohol as well. “I took it because I thought it was drinking alcohol, but I smelled it and—”

“You smelled it?” he asked like that was a bizarre thing to do. I needed to turn things around.

“Yes, it was just the first thing I did after opening it. Why? Did you just drink it without smelling it first?” He didn’t answer, but he did take a step back.

“You shouldn’t be in this area.”

“Why? The rogues are gone, aren’t they? It should be safe here now. And we’re still within the walls.” I had to keep the relief of his retreat out of my voice. Other packs had been attacked, but they shouldn’t know anything about Damian’s destination.

“It doesn’t matter. If you want people looking at you with suspicion, then this is the way to do it. And you’re really going to tell me that you were delivering alcohol you had no idea wasn’t for drinking?”

“Actually, no. I was just walking, and she stopped me and asked if I would deliver it for her. I didn’t ask any questions. And I’m not doing anything here to be looked at with suspicion. And!” I pointed up with my index finger. “I’ve seen other people drinking wine here at night sometimes. So, what’s the harm in me getting away from noise? And what are you doing here if you can barely walk? That’s more bizarre, if you ask me.”

He stared at me for a moment and handed the bottle back. “All right. Calm down.” Sometimes a little word vomit could be beneficial. He limped around me and sat on a stump. “I haven’t seen you around.”

Shit. “You saw me yesterday.”

“I mean, before that. I was pretty sure I knew all the pretty single girls.” He grinned and winked at me.

“Maybe you have a bad memory,” I deadpanned.

His grin fell immediately. “Wow. Full of yourself, aren’t you?”

“I could say the same.”

“Jeez.” He shook his head, pulled a bottle of wine out of his coat, and took a swig.

“And you had the audacity to give me a hard time!”

“Leave if you don’t want to be around me,” he said nonchalantly. He dropped the playboy act and took another gulp of wine. I eyed it with unveiled jealousy.

Maddock side-eyes me and holds the bottle out to me. I won’t lie: I haven’t had a drink since my father left me. Not by choice, but Damian made me swear not to drink. He always wanted my mind sharp.

My fingers closed around the neck of the bottle before Maddock snatched it back. “Just kidding. You look too young to be drinking.” I clamped my jaw shut in anger and turned to leave. “Hey, don’t come back,” he yelled when I was around twenty feet away.

It wasn’t like I should have lingered around him anyway. But he had already seen my face and caught my scent. To be honest, becoming invisible now would look the most suspicious. Having a whole conversation with someone and then never seeing them again in a small village would be abnormal. I might have to let him see me here and there in the future, but I would still have to keep my distance from everyone else.