The Bullied Rogue & Her Triplet Alphas

Run Emily, Run!

EMILY

For once, I felt grateful for the years of labor and cruel slavery I had undergone while living in the castle. It gave me the opportunity to build myself, and as I kept running with my head held high, I was confident that no one, not even my father and his army of troops, could make me feel afraid anymore.

An arrow flew over my face and landed only a few feet away. I let out a sharp breath, building up speed and ignoring the burning agony in my ankle as I ran faster than ever.

"Emily! Get back here!" I heard my father yell behind me. He screamed other expletives, but I didn't dare to stop and listen. I couldn't afford any diversions at the time.

Another arrow sped past me. It grazed my arm this time, but it did not slow me down.

I was getting so close to freedom. I could practically taste it as I approached. The thought caused my chest to swell, and despite the aching in my leg, I smiled.

As I neared the end of the castle's route, which consisted of curving road stones and cobbled paths filled with dead leaves, I turned around to see that my pursuers had vanished. I did not see my father, General Kieran, or that evil b***h. The guards were likewise nowhere to be seen.

Had they given up the chase? Well, good riddance.

Smirking, I continued my journey, darting into the bushes near the pack's borders. The shrubs snagged my wedding gown, and my feet dug into rocks and scraped against gravel, but I didn't stop, not now, especially when I saw my brother standing behind a tree just a few feet away.

He looked confused, just as he had been when I urged him to cause the distraction earlier.

"Ethan!" I yelled, and he raised his brows at me. He didn't complain when I grabbed his arm and tugged him forward.

"Emily?" He looked at me and tried to stop, but I didn’t let him. I knew my brother, and if I let go, he would turn back.

"We have to keep moving," I hissed. "Come on."

We sped past forests, streams, and rock formations, which I nearly slammed into many times. We were close, and I could feel the border's pulsating electricity. It…

"f**k. Emily, what are you doing?" My brother successfully removed his hand from mine.

"Can't you talk? Wouldn't you say something?" He half yelled, but I didn't answer right away.

I’d led us past the border and into a cave some few meters from the boundary. My breathing was ragged, and I didn't feel strong enough to say anything.

"We have to go back and—"

I could detect panic in his voice.

"No, we can't go back." I hissed. "Not now, not ever."

"What do you…"

I placed one hand on his shoulder. "Relax… Ethan. We're safe and free!"

"We're not free and certainly not safe!" He slapped my hand from his shoulder. "How could you just pull me along with you like that? Why did you say I should blow the whistle and meet you at the castle trails? Is this some prank?”

"It's not a prank." My chest ached, and it wasn't just from running. "Dad tried to marry me off to a thug. I had to do something."

"What?" The horrified expression on Ethan's face revealed that he knew nothing. However, he said something that stung deeper than Cecilia's words ever could. "You could've just taken it! Running away from the castle will not solve our problems. You have only made new ones, dammit!"

I snapped. My mind was filled with memories of the several times I had taken beatings for Ethan. I was always blamed for many of his insane schemes. I've sacrificed myself for him on several occasions, including today. And, like every other f*****g time, he never expressed gratitude.

"Would you just shut up!" I yelled. "Are you stupid? Why would I take it? Why would I marry someone who would treat me worse than father ever did? And don't you see how this benefits us? I asked you to help with the distraction because I had a plan. I…"

"I assumed it was a hoax. I never..."

"Just shut up!" I leaned forward, and he stepped back. "This is a good thing for us, and if you don't see it, maybe I'll explain it to you! We are free. Free from the horror that lies in that castle, free from Cecilia, Father, and the entire pack of goddamned nasty rogues. You should be happy!"

"But I'm not!" He swept his arm around the dark cave. "Emily, what was your plan then? We'd run away, and another random pack would accept us, right?"

My lips pulled to one side.

"We're rogues, in case you've forgotten." He placed one hand on his chest. "Cursed and deformed. The Lycans loathe us. Every wolf faction despises us, and we will be slaughtered if we dare attempt to cross any unwanted border.”

I gritted my teeth. I knew the distinction between rogues and normal werewolves, but Ethan and I lacked the characteristics of most rogues, so I figured we'd easily fit in. "Ethan, we'll be OK. We don't look like rogues, so we will easily blend in and…”

"The brands on our backs." He glared at me. "They will check, Emily. There's no denying it.”

Shit!

"f**k, Emily, did you even think things through?"

I glared at him. I hated how his words continued to dampen my positive spirit.

"I can't do this, Emily." He abruptly blurted out, taking two steps backward. "I can't."

"You can't do what?"

"I cannot continue this chase with you. And now that we're no longer in the pack and have the freedom you crave, let's go our separate ways.”

A shiver went down my spine. "No, Ethan. We pledged to be together. Always and forever." My voice cracked, and tears began to form in the corners of my eyes.

He snorted and shook his head. "I'm sorry, Em, but it's the best option."

"But Ethan…"

I reached out to take his arm, but he flinched and shot me a harsh look. A look that clearly said he wasn’t changing his mind.

"Alright. But we will remain together until I locate a safe pack for you."

"Sure." His tone was chilly. "Come on, let's get out of here."

~•~

Minutes later, after drinking water from a creek deep within the cave and cleaning the dirt off my feet so they could heal properly, Ethan and I set out again.

He remained silent by my side, and while I glanced at him occasionally, he kept his gaze set firmly on the road ahead.

Soon, we came to a fork in the path. One path led to another rogue pack, and while it would be difficult for him to enter, it was his best bet.

"I guess this is where we say goodbye." My lips quivered as I spoke, but he did not respond.

I expected him to turn around and give me a hug or something to indicate that this was not the end and we’d meet again. But he did not.

Instead, he walked away. My brother marched on without looking back.

Tears welled in my eyes, and I had to stare at the ground to keep from breaking down.

Once again. I was alone. And the one person I adored more than anything in the world was gone.

'You don't need him, Em.' A voice rang in my head. 'Just like you didn't need your father or Cecilia. You do not need Ethan or anybody else to survive. You can go on your own.’

And go on my own I did.

After furiously wiping my eyes, I ripped several portions of my wedding dress to make room, and once my legs were free, I headed off in the opposite direction. Hopefully, I'd discover a human village and spend the rest of my life in peace. Maybe I'd finally fulfill my goal of marrying for love and living happily ever after.

The woods were relatively quiet, with only the odd buzzing of insects and the breeze rustling the trees. I relished the solitude until I heard heavy footfalls behind me.

I froze and turned slowly. My heart stopped in my chest when I saw them.

Unfamiliar rogues. There were two of them. They were clad in dark blue uniforms, their features fixed into severe frowns, and their bodies stiffened, indicating they'd seen a target.

"f**k!" I murmured, and when one of them raised his weapon, common sense left me, and I bolted.

Taking random turns through the trees and over the thick grass, weaving about so they couldn't tell which way I went, for the first time since I was a child, I prayed to the moon goddess for protection.

I continued to run until finally, I saw a substantially taller tree than the others, and it was my cue to stop and hide. I tore off more parts of my dress, wrapped them like ropes around my palms, and climbed the tree's hard bark.

From a corner, I saw them approaching, and when they came to a halt in the middle of a clearing, they looked around for me.

I closed my eyes hard and waited for them to pass the tree. It seemed like decades, but soon, I heard the rustle of footsteps. They were leaving.

When they vanished beyond the bushes, I chuckled and immediately jumped down from the tree. "Idiots."

Sighing with relief, I started to walk away when I heard another sound again—heavy growls. Wolves howling. I froze.

I looked around, but there was no strange movement. Something was not right. Something seemed off. But before I could investigate further, I felt a violent blow across my face.

I staggered back a few feet and stared at the red liquid streaming down my nose. Blood. I lifted my finger to touch my face, but something pushed me forward.

“What the…” The words died on my lips as I felt a cold metal press against my neck.

I couldn't turn around to see who wielded the weapon, but I could feel them. They were much larger than me, and I heard bones crunch underfoot. This individual was strong, and they were most likely going to kill me.

I swallowed heavily as the blade pressed harder against my skin.

"Who are you?" I murmured, my palm curled into a fist. Because they were too large for me to fight, perhaps I could reason with them.

There was no reaction, though.

"Let me go," I murmured, wriggling my body slightly. This time, the blade slashed thinly, drawing blood, and I bit my tongue. “Did…Did my father send you? Are you one of Kieran's men? You will gain nothing by taking me back t…”

Something sharp pierced my neck, and all I could hear was my labored breathing. A hollow ringing followed it in my ears, and I suddenly fell forward. I hit the wet earth, my back sliding across the leaves, and everything went black.