Of Rogues & Royals

Rogue

AINSLI POV

I’d gone to bed the night before a mess of emotions, but my mother taught me well. I kept it hidden, balled into a tight knot of anxious nausea that I shoved down into the pit of my stomach. When the twins walked in to breakfast this morning, I thought I was going to throw up all over my plate. I knew they wanted me. I could see it in every glance they stole, every flirtation I shut down, every protective nuance. I adored them. It had been my life’s work so far to keep them at a distance. I knew the reputations they held, and I would be damned if I would be another one of the pathetic she-wolves throwing myself at their feet.

Our history was too strong. I’d been right by their sides since birth. I watched them grow into the talented, strong, confident, good-hearted, sexy as hell men they were today. I swear my heart exploded every time they looked in my direction. The protective crap drove me crazy, but it secretly sent my heart pounding. My mother and father had worked too hard to build me into the powerhouse I was for me to act like some weak damsel waiting for the Alpha Princes to save me. But the care behind their actions was endearing, no matter how annoying.

When my parents fetched me from the Beta floor, I was convinced that my feet were made of concrete, and the flimsy heels I was balanced on were not helping matters, my legs shaking uncontrollably under my emerald green dress. My nerves were bouncing around like electrified atoms in a petri dish and all I wanted to do was scream and shift into my wolf and run like hell into the pack forest - away from everyone and everything. But I had my duty to my pack, my parents, and my Alphas. So I smoothed that turmoil into a polished resolve and strutted straight out of the pack house, arm in arm with my parents.

I could feel my other form coming to life in my mind as we stepped out of the building and into the moonlight. I immediately inhaled a sharp breath and my father grasped my cheek in his massive hand, my mother placing her hand on my back to steady me.

“Can you feel her, Ainsli?”

“Yes.”

“Take a few deep breaths love, let her come to you fully.” My mother's soft voice helped me focus.

Ainsli?

Hi, I can’t believe you’re finally here.

Happy Birthday, I could hear her smile through her velvety voice. I’m Athena, your wolf.

We didn’t know if I would be gifted a wolf or a bear by the Goddess. My father is a werebear which is a very rare species. I was worried I would be disappointed, but having Athena in my mind now, I can’t imagine being anything else.

I feel the same way…she giggled lightly. Her humor was interrupted, and I could feel her begin to search for something. My heart rate picked up pace and I wrapped my arms back into my parents, practically dragging them forward.

“Steady, Ainsli. Keep it together.” My mother warned. She always expected me to be the vision of perfection.

I took a deep breath and tried to connect to Athena and help her settle, but she was pushing me away from the barn and into the woods.

Athena, calm down. The pack requires us to start the night here.

No… we need to get out there…

The Alphas will be here soon, we need to first see…

No, Ainsli! Out there! We need to go out there!

Athena! Calm down, damnit. The second we can break away, we’ll make a run for it. But I’m not getting my ass scolded publicly by The Alpha King. Calm. Down.

She huffed and retreated back in my mind and paced, her instinct and frustration causing that heavy ball of anxiety to settle back in my stomach. Two Omegas opened the doors to the barn, and we stepped in. I took a slow and deep breath, hoping to catch my mate’s scent in the barn. But there was nothing. But the twins weren’t here yet. They’d be arriving shortly after me.

My parents led me over to the platform and I gave each of the officers a hug. The Alpha King- Jacob. Our pack Alpha - Ryker, The Delta - Ryan and his mates Brynna and Elowyn. And the vampire Gamma- Elliott, and his mate Celeste. Along with the twins' grandfathers... the previous Alpha of the pack- Apollo and the Moon Goddess's mate- Caspian. This was my extended family. And I didn’t need our Luna’s empath powers to note they were all waiting with bated breath to see if I was mated to the Alpha Princes.

Join the club, people.

Athena’s pacing caused my heart rate to skyrocket again as I stared at the massive doors of the barn, waiting for my future. I knew it would be several minutes since they brought us out in waves so we wouldn’t accidentally cross paths before making it to the barn. I hated the spectacle of it. Just seemed a little dramatic for my taste. But those few minutes were excruciating.

I could see everyone’s eyes were locked on the doors, just like mine were, but before they could open- I was hit with an intoxicating aroma of allspice and the forest after the rain. I heard a few small gasps to my left and a massive man stepped into the opening of the crowd, his dark brown eyes devouring mine with a hunger I had never seen before. He was shirtless and shining with a fine layer of sweat and dirt, his lungs heaving for air. It was obvious he had run a distance to get here. His dark brown hair caressed the tops of his shoulders in waves and everything in me was pulled to him as if he were my gravity.

Athena was urging me forward in my head and I could tell the weight of the room shifted as the Princes entered, but I physically couldn’t move my body in any direction but toward him. I couldn’t process any other thought but him. The way his bulging muscles tensed and how the veins in his forearms throbbed as I inched closer. I wanted nothing more than to slide my hands over him and sink my fangs into his thick neck.

We were two steps apart and my breath hitched in my throat as his scent overwhelmed me. He was a.... rogue.

He was a rogue ... and I didn’t care.

He was my…. "Mate." Our voices echoed the word together, and I know the tension in the room catapulted through the roof. But I didn’t care. Nothing existed but him.

Athena was howling in my mind, and I was shaking with the anticipation of feeling him. He wanted me. But what would this mean? I know I should be crushed that I didn’t belong to the Princes, but with this hulking beast of a man in front of me…I knew I didn’t belong to anyone but him.

My father stepped up and placed his hand on my shoulder with enough pressure to hold me in place so I couldn’t throw myself onto the gorgeous specimen in front of me. I wanted to lick the sweat off his jaw and wrap my legs around the deep V that led into his joggers. My father’s words brought a little control back into the situation.

“Ainsli, why don’t we take a walk outside? We can talk with the gentleman out there and figure out what needs to be done.” The betrayal of his tone was like a whip of fire.

“What needs to be done?” I snapped back. That made my father uncomfortable as he ran his hand over the back of his neck, my mother joining him at his side, but giving me an encouraging nod. She was with me. I turned my back on my father and locked my eyes back on the stranger that my entire being responded to.

“Ainsli….” My name purred off his lips like a song and there was an immediate response in between my thighs. How could one word be so sexy? I nodded, not trusting my voice yet.

“And you are?”

“Aarick.” He smirked. Goddess. f**k. He was perfect. “Would you join me outside for a little more privacy? It seems we have a lot to discuss.” He held his hand out, his eyes staring into mine. This moment was telling. His hand lingered in the air. If I took it, it meant I was open to accepting him. A rogue. I could feel the princes’ eyes on me. I knew they would be upset. But this was one moment for me. I always put everyone else first. But this was my life and I wanted to have a say in it. And my life had him in it. I trusted the Goddess.

I delicately placed my hand in his and the sparks that ignited at our touch traveled up my arm and shot straight down my spine. The curve of his lip twisted into the sexiest smile that practically had me whimpering in need for this man. He linked my arm through his and led me out of the barn. I felt my parents close behind us, afraid to leave me unattended. I wouldn’t embarrass them in front of the pack, but I was doing this alone. Before we crossed out of the barn doors, my heart broke at the looks on Cody and Colby’s faces. All I could do was give them an apologetic look and lean into my mate for support.

This decision had to be for me.

Once we were away from the prying eyes of the pack, I turned to face my parents. I could have linked them to offer them privacy, but whatever they had to say to me, they could say in front of Aarick.

“Mom, Dad- Aarick and I have things we need to discuss. And I would like to do it alone, please.”

“Ainsli….I don’t think that is a good idea, Bean-” my father started.

“She is completely safe. I understand my being rogue is cause for concern, but I swear to the Goddess, I’m in control. She is in no danger.”

“No offense, Aarick- but we don’t know you. I can’t trust my daughter’s safety to a stranger.” My dad was not having it. I could see him puff up with his bear’s size.

“Wolves are mated to strangers every day. If I came from a respectable pack, you’d let me whisk her away without any qualms. I’m not an ordinary rogue. But that is a conversation I would like to have with my mate. Please.” My mother placed her hands on my father’s chest and his eyes locked to hers.

“Our daughter is a badass, Thatcher. We need to trust her. She can handle herself and if she needs us, we’ll be twenty feet away. I’m sure Aarick is fully aware that if he tries any bullshit, the two of us will rip him limb from limb, and we will make sure he feels every ounce of pain imaginable.” Her eyes darted back to my mate and there was a threatening fire in them.

“I would expect nothing less, Beta.” He bowed his head respectfully. Keeping my attention on the conversation at hand was damn near impossible. The sparks shooting through our bond were lighting me up and Athena was dancing in response.

My parents drifted away around the corner, but I knew they would still be able to hear every word. Aarick took both my hands in his and lightly traced his thumbs over my knuckles. His chocolate brown eyes threatened to pull me in and never let me go.

“You are so beautiful, Ainsli. I’m sorry if I’m having trouble finding my words, but you’ve taken over all my brain capacity. It’s hard to think clearly.” I couldn’t help the grin that slipped through, and I bit my lip to try and maintain my composure. That caused a low grumble from him as he traced the outline of my lip, leaving sparks in its wake. His scent of forest rain and allspice wrapped me like a cocoon, but there was the hint of death and rotten air lingering behind it.

“Aarick- who are you?”

“I’m the son of Tiergan, the former Alpha of Stone Brook. The King and Queen banished him after his involvement in an attempt to prevent them from taking the throne. He had been tainted with black magic. But he found his mate, also a rogue. She was banished the moment she turned eighteen for being an illegitimate child of the Alpha. She is from another realm.”

“So you are alpha-blooded, from both parents?” He nodded solemnly, watching my reaction. “Is that why you don’t smell like a typical rogue? And you have control of your wolf?”

“It’s harder to control him. But I’ve formed my own pack, Ainsli. The rogues started responding to me the second I came of age. But because our little pack of drifters isn’t recognized by the kingdom, we still have remnants of rogue that follow us.”

“I’m sure the Alpha King and Luna Queen will want to speak to you, Aarick. I think that you should.”

“And what if they won’t? What if they discard me the way my people have been discarded for being different? Will you come with me?”

“They won’t. They are kind and just. But yes. Yes, I will stay with you, Aarick.” I knew my decision was hasty. I knew I hadn’t weighed out the consequences, but for one moment, I didn’t care. I didn’t want to overthink or over strategize this. I just wanted to do what felt right.

Before I could register what was happening, his arm wrapped around my waist and he pulled me flush into him, my feet leaving the ground as I was eye to eye with him in his grip. Our lips hovered, barely apart. He was asking my permission. My eyes left his lips and up to his rich, brown eyes and I melted in my need to taste him.

“What is your wolf’s name, Aarick? Athena needs to know.”

“Orion.”

I closed the distance between our lips and fell victim to the mate bond. I let the heat explode between us and wrapped my arms around his neck and tangled my hands in his hair, pressing him into me. I could feel his heartbeat hammer in his chest, and it matched mine’s ferocity. I didn’t care where life took me, as long as I was with him.

But we could fix this. He didn’t need to be rogue. The King and Queen would listen to reason. Wouldn’t they?

Or would the princes’ broken hearts destroy our chance at normalcy? Would I, too, be destined to be a rogue?