Alice and The Rogue Wolf

Chapter 8

Alice

My eyes fluttered open to the sound of a long due warfare in the distance. The realization of what had happened hit me but I remained calm trying to figure out where I was.

Burdening the weight of my head was a round stone that kept the top half of my body elevated. I tossed gently to the side and surprisingly my once numb leg felt good.

"You're awake!" A masculine voice exclaimed behind me, jolting me to my feet.

"Who are you? Speak now or you'll regret taking me, hostage!" I ranted, waving a stick as a defensive weapon.

"Okay, Miss warrior. Please put the stick down. I'm here to help."

In the spur of the moment, I wasn't opportune to take a good look at him, but as we went on haggling, his brown hair and deep fiery eyes made a bell go off in my head.

"Enough, Miss Walker. I need you to listen to me. Put down the stick and sit back down, your leg is probably still healing," he instructed.

I was taken aback. This mysterious yet familiar-looking man had just said my name! The shock alone was enough to make me take a couple of steps back in an attempt to escape if necessary.

"Who are you and how do you know my name?" I inquired, backing away slowly.

"Random guess," he muttered, absentmindedly as he drew closer. I wanted to run but something in me kept me rooted to the ground. "Listen, I know everything is confusing right now but I assure you all will be alright."

There I stood transfixed until his hot breath on my face reminded me of how little space remained between us.

"In case you're wondering, I saved you from the man who was attacking you and healed your injury with a trick I had learned from my mother. It's only dominant to, us Rogues." His eyes dug deep into my lips while he spoke. "It's nice to see you again, Alice."

The dried branch fell from my grasp. Did he just say my name? I was still contemplating if we ever met when he went for my lips just before being pushed away rudely. He tried to offer an apology and an explanation at the same time but I sped off too stunned to even give him a response.

Having gotten my leg back, I took to my heels at high speed. The battle had died down and all that remained of its existence were the puffs of smoke filling the dry air in all directions. I found my way through the woods and was soon able to locate the road.

After the exerting race, I decided to complete the rest of the journey on foot. I couldn't get the encounter off my mind and the identity of the stranger still bugged my mind. Then in a flash, I recalled. He was the endearing man in my nightmare. How could I forget the dreams I had of him since I woke? Perhaps, he could be one of those elements of my past I was yet to learn about.

If he knew my name and identity, perhaps there could be some useful information he could know about my past. I had to see him again. But first I needed to deal with Jonathan and my mother who were standing hands akimbo in front of our apartment waiting for my arrival.

"Where have you been?" Jonathan and my mother shot at me as soon as I stepped foot in the house.

"I…" I stuttered. "I was just taking a walk. Is there a problem with that?* I faced my mother, completely ignoring Jonathan. I was still annoyed at how he had treated me earlier.

"Stop with that attitude, young lady," my mother barked, enraged. Since I gained consciousness, this was the first time that I had seen her in such a state.

"You were supposed to be back home, so where did you go?" Jonathan chipped in.

"Mother, I get it that you're worried, but you have to understand that I'm no longer a kid and I can take care of myself, " I explained calmly. "I decided to go for a walk to clear my mind. I'm sorry I had you so worried."

I could feel Jonathan's eyes scanning me for any evidence that could counter everything I said. Silently, I said a few thanks to the stranger for healing my thigh. After listening to my mother counsel me about wandering off again, I left them in the living room and headed straight for my room. I had been through a lot already and wasn't ready to exchange words with any words most especially, Jonathan.

A knock on the door barged into my thoughts.

"Hey!" Jonathan greeted as he walked in.

"Well speak of the devil!" I muttered inaudibly.

"Hey, Uhm, I just wanted to check up on you. I know you are probably still pissed about me not letting you join in the war. But you have to know that I… "

"I don't want to hurt you, " I interrupted. "I know Jonathan. But when will you let me do my duties instead of sitting around and being watched over like a toddler?"

Jonathan sighed, exiting my room with my question hanging in the air. We both knew the answer to that question. Never! I was going to be treated like a golden egg banned from helping out my pack in times of distress. This sad reality clouded my thoughts as my eyes grew weary and I finally dozed off smuggled under my warm sheets.

****

The next three days had the pack putting all our resources to fight the Rogues. The vile pack launched small-scale attacks on us breaking through our defenses bit by bit. The marriage and coronation ceremonies were postponed to later dates and during this violent period, Jonathan had me barred from leaving the house and he ordained my mother and one of the guards with the task of looking after me. He always found time to visit me but most of his time was in one meeting or another which he had successfully left me out of, claiming he didn't want anything bothering me.

During this isolative period, I couldn't stop thinking about my forest encounter all my thoughts were flooded with images of him no matter how much I tried to resist his charm. I needed to see him, but first I needed to find a way to escape the house without being caught.

Thankfully, on this day, my mother had left the house for her newly acquired work at the grocery store so I was left with only the guard to deal with. Running out through the front door seemed so appealing, but on second thought, I needed for it to look like I never left. With that in mind, I came up with a strategy.

With one eye on the door, I scanned around my room for a way out until my eyes landed on the window. Even though I was watched, I was allowed privacy so when I locked my door, the guard didn't even stir where he stood poise. I arranged my pillows into a horizontal pile and threw my bed sheet over it before slipping out carefully and quietly down my window. They were two guards who rotated the watch around the house so I made sure my descent was made at the right interval.

I had a two-hour window before my mother's return so I moved away from the house as stealthily as possible and made for the bushes as quickly as possible with the sun boring down on me.

The frivolous heat was not a favorable condition for this mission. The sun's rays pierced through the towering trees, flowing in thin lines through punctured leaves and causing drops of itchy sweat to trickle down my forehead and most disturbingly, behind my earlobes. The only thing of comfort was the compound symphony of the forest's inhabitants as they bubbled with life.

In truth, I had no idea if I would meet the strange man again but I kept going anyway to the spot where I could have the best chance of meeting him again; the scene of the battle. Mother had told me the Rogues had set off to another location after they had been defeated but I kept hope alive.

On getting there, I couldn't believe my eyes. The once beautiful space of land had turned into what could be least described as a disaster zone. Our men who had lost their lives in the scuffle had been buried honorably a day ago, but some of the Rogues' corpses lay around waiting for the ground to swallow them up. It was a detestable sight.

"Could I have wasted my time coming here?" I asked rhetorically, slumping down on a discarded tree stump with a shelter.

"No, I don't think so," a voice behind me responded. It belonged to the stranger who joined me on the tree stump.