The Heart Has Chosen

rogue arrack 7

Chapter 7

Sammy POV

Every wolf outside exploded into motion. Growls filled the air while footsteps thundered across the porch. The calm atmosphere from seconds ago vanished instantly. Maddox was already moving toward the door.

“What’s happening?” I asked, pushing myself up from the couch despite my ankle screaming in protest.

“Rogues,” he answered sharply.

Another howl echoed through the woods. Closer this time.

Sal instantly shoved forward inside my head.

“They’re hunting.”

Maddox opened the cabin door, and chaos immediately flooded inside. Wolves rushed between buildings while several shifted mid-run. The scent hit me next. Blood. Too much blood.

My stomach twisted. One of the wolves sprinted toward the porch in human form, breathing heavily.

“There’s at least twenty!” he shouted. “Maybe more!”

Twenty? That wasn’t normal. Rogues usually traveled in smaller groups unless.

“They’re organized,” Sal whispered nervously.

That thought chilled me. Maddox’s expression darkened dangerously.

“Get everyone inside the center cabins,” he ordered calmly. “Protect the young ones first.”

No panic. No hesitation. Just control. The wolves moved immediately. Definitely a pack. Even if he refused to call it one.

Maddox turned toward me suddenly.

“You stay here.”

I almost laughed. “Absolutely not.”

His golden eyes narrowed slightly. “You’re injured.”

“And if rogues break through that door?”

“They won’t.”

“You seem very confident.”

“I am.”

Before I could argue again, another scream echoed through the woods. Female. Painful. Humans. Every hair on my body stood up.

Maddox cursed under his breath before looking back at me.

“Lock the door behind me.”

Then he shifted instantly. The massive black wolf burst from the cabin and disappeared into the storm. I stood frozen for half a second. Then immediately grabbed my dagger. Because there was no way in hell I was staying defenseless.

Outside, snarls and screams echoed through the camp. Wolves shouted orders while thunder shook the sky overhead. The rogues were already here. I limped toward the window carefully and pulled the curtain aside. The scene outside looked like pure chaos.

Several wolves fought near the tree line while others hurried younger wolves into cabins. Rain soaked everything, turning the ground muddy and slick beneath their feet.

Then I saw them..Rogues..Wild eyes. Blood-covered claws.

Completely feral. One rogue slammed another wolf against a tree before tearing into his shoulder with his teeth. I flinched instinctively.

Sal growled deeply inside my head.

“They’re starving.”

Rogues often lost themselves eventually. Without pack bonds or stability, madness usually took over. But this many together?

Something was wrong. Very wrong. A loud crash suddenly came from the back of the cabin. I spun instantly.

The rear window shattered inward as a rogue lunged through it.

I barely dodged in time.

Glass exploded across the floor while the rogue slammed into the kitchen table, snarling violently…Female..Thin…Covered in scars.

And completely insane.

“There she is,” the rogue hissed excitedly.

Cold dread flooded my chest. She knew who I was. The rogue charged. I grabbed a chair and slammed it into her path, slowing her down just enough to pull my silver dagger free. She lunged again, claws slicing across my arm painfully. I hissed and drove the dagger toward her stomach. She twisted unnaturally fast. Too fast.

Her claws slammed into my injured ankle, forcing a cry from my throat as I collapsed hard onto the floor. The rogue smiled wildly.

“You smell expensive.”

Shit..The bounty..That’s why they were here..Not the pack..Me.

The rogue lunged straight for my throat.

Then suddenly, a massive black wolf crashed through the side of the cabin. Wood exploded everywhere. The rogue barely had time to scream before Maddox’s jaws closed around her throat.

Silence.

Blood splattered across the broken floorboards. The rogue went limp instantly. Breathing hard, I stared at the destruction around us.

Maddox released the body before shifting back into human form immediately. His chest rose heavily with anger while golden eyes snapped toward me.

“You didn’t stay put.”

I blinked at him.

“She came through the window!”

“You’re bleeding.”

“So is she.”

Maddox looked one second away from either yelling at me or strangling someone. Instead, he crouched in front of me quickly.

“Where are you hurt?”

“I’m fine.”

“Sammy.”

That single word came out dangerously calm. Definitely Alpha voice hidden in there. I pointed reluctantly toward my arm.

“Just scratches.”

Maddox grabbed my wrist carefully, examining the cuts while his jaw tightened. Then his eyes slowly lifted to mine.

“She called you expensive.”

I swallowed hard. “Yeah.”

Outside, the fighting was slowly starting to quiet down.

But inside the destroyed cabin… Everything suddenly felt far more dangerous. Because now Maddox knew the rogues weren’t randomly attacking. They came for me.

The storm outside slowly began to calm, but inside the cabin, the tension only grew heavier. Maddox still held my wrist while examining the scratches on my arm. His touch remained careful.

Controlled. But the rage in his eyes? That was another story entirely.

“She knew who you were,” he said quietly.

I pulled my arm back gently.

“So?”

“So rogues don’t usually cross into protected territory during a storm for one person unless someone is paying very well.”

I looked away. Because he was right. And I hated it.

Outside, wolves moved through the camp checking the wounded while others dragged rogue bodies toward the trees. The scent of blood filled the air so heavily it made my stomach turn.

Maddox stood slowly.

“How many people know what you are?”

The question instantly made my walls slam back up.

“Not many.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“It’s the only one you’re getting right now.”

His jaw tightened slightly. “You’re putting everyone here at risk.”

Guilt twisted sharply in my chest. That part wasn’t fair to deny.

I hadn’t meant to bring danger to them. I never stayed anywhere long enough for this exact reason.

“I didn’t ask them to protect me,” I muttered.

“No,” Maddox agreed calmly. “I made that decision.”

“Why?”

That question slipped out before I could stop it. Maddox looked genuinely surprised by it.

“Because leaving you alone would’ve gotten you killed.”

“That’s not a reason. That’s strategy.”

For a second, silence stretched between us. Then he answered quietly.

“You looked terrified.”

The words hit me harder than they should have. I immediately looked away from him again. Dangerous. This conversation was dangerous, not physically. Emotionally. And emotional attachments got people killed. Sal shifted softly inside my head.

“He means it.”

“I don’t care.”

Liar.

A loud knock interrupted us before Maddox could say anything else.

Rowan stepped into the destroyed cabin and immediately froze at the mess.

“…Well,” she said slowly, “that’s unfortunate.”

I snorted despite myself, Rowan’s eyes flickered toward me briefly before returning to Maddox.

“We lost two wolves,” she said quietly. “Four injured.”

The amusement vanished instantly.. Two dead. Because of me.

My chest tightened painfully. Maddox’s expression darkened.

“And the rogues?”

“Most are dead. A few escaped into the mountains.”

That wasn’t good. Escaped rogues meant information spread.

Meaning whoever placed the bounty would know exactly where I was now. Maddox clearly realized the same thing.

“Double patrols tonight,” he ordered. “Nobody leaves alone.”

Rowan nodded before glancing at me again. This time her expression softened slightly.

“You should let me clean those cuts.”

“I’m fine.”

“She says that a lot,” Maddox muttered.

I glared at him. Rowan sighed dramatically.

“You’re both exhausting.”

To my surprise, Maddox almost smiled…Almost. That tiny reaction didn’t escape Rowan either because she looked between us strangely before clearing her throat.

“I’ll prepare another room,” she said carefully. “This cabin’s destroyed.”

“No,” Maddox answered immediately.

My eyes narrowed. “No?”

“You’re staying in my cabin.”

Absolutely not.

“I can find another place.”

“Not alone.”

“I’ve survived alone for years.”

“And look where that got you.”

That irritated me instantly. “I was doing perfectly fine before all of you showed up.”

Maddox stepped closer slowly. “You had a dead wolf in your trunk six hours ago.”

Okay..Fair..Still annoying though. Before I could argue again, Sal suddenly growled low inside my head.

“Sammy…”

Something in her tone made my stomach drop.

“What?”

“I smell him.”

Cold dread flooded through me instantly. Not a rogue. Not a random wolf. Kane's brother Sam. Him.

“No,” I whispered aloud before I could stop myself.

Maddox’s entire posture sharpened immediately. “What is it?”

I looked toward the broken wall of the cabin, panic rising fast now.

“He’s here.”

“Who?”

My breathing started quickening. Impossible. There was no way.

No way he could’ve found me this quickly. Then, A powerful Alpha howl echoed through the mountains. Every wolf outside immediately went silent. Maddox’s golden eyes darkened dangerously.

But I already knew who it was. Sam.