QUEEN OF ROGUES BECOMES THE PROPHESIED LUNA

BUILD UP

LEXIE'S POV

“Look what we have here! Lexie Hale? Queen of rogues? I knew you were alive somewhere Lexie but I wouldn't have imagined that you were the leader of an amorphous gang.” Abigail looks at me in utter contempt. I remember the same look as she stood by Nate's side when he rejected me.

Pain soars through my spine and I am tempted to slap her face. I am not in a position to exchange words with her. I loathe her. In a low voice she continues her onslaught.

“The lowly Omega who rose to become a queen. Right?” She's only a few inches from me.

“No wonder Nate rejected you. You have this tendency of thirsting for power and how do you do this?” She looks me in the eye. “By approaching the Alpha himself.” I look away and my eyes meet Paul's. He reads my plea, that he saves me from more vitriol.

“Wait a minute Abigail. What did you just say? Did you mention Nate?” He grabs her wrist and makes her face him. I can tell that the mention of that name has triggered something inside him. He is burning up.

“You are hurting me Paul. Please let go of me.”

“Not until you tell me about this Nate business.”

“Okay, but let me go first.” She tries to free herself but the grip is tight. He waits until she is certain that she can't free herself and only then does he let her free.

For about five minutes she gives him an account of what took place at the poolside. The account is inaccurate because she doesn't disclose that she was Nate's girl. I can see him getting agitated as she reaches the conclusion.

“I can't blame Nate though. Lexie is hungry for power. She so desperately wanted to be Nate's mate. Luckily for him, he dismissed her, and here she is trying to bag another prize. Such an opportunist.”

“Stop!” His voice echoes through the walls. Abigail looks at him, her mouth wide open in shock.

“Get out of here now.” His face is so cold that I move back and sit on the bed.

“But Alpha...”

“Now! Or I throw you out.”

“You are defending her? Falling into her trap?”

“Last chance! Out!”

Reluctantly she moves out and we all look at the door as it closes behind her.

“Sorry about that. I have staff who are so ill-mannered.”

“How did she get here?”

“She ran away from her pack some years ago, joined us and rose through the ranks to become our Delta. She said that she disagreed with the Alpha. Now she just doesn't know her place.”

“Too bad. I wonder what happened between Nate and her. She was his girlfriend, at his side when he rejected me. She laughed when Nate threw me into the swimming pool. Vile girl who extracts happiness in the sorrow of others.”

“Birds of a feather. Nate is not an angel either. My hatred for him has just tripled.” He walks around, then settles in the chair. Something is going on his head.

“Did you hate him before? And why is the hatred tripling now?”

“He is not a good person. Our rivalry started when we were in school years ago. He wanted to rule over everyone and I couldn't bow down to him. So we were always fighting.” He pauses for a moment as if to remember some details.

“Then when we both became Alphas to our packs he became a menace. Right now he is deeply involved with rogues, training them, funding them and using them to destabilize other packs. I strongly believe that he was the sponsor of the rogues who killed my parents.”

“So sorry about that.”

“You know what Lexie? Let's change the topic. It hurts. I am letting you free now.”

“Then?”

“Anything. I don't want my mate in my prison of all places.” I am elated. I can't tell why but I feel good.

“I have accepted you as my mate.” I say, and this kind of jolts him. It's as if he wasn't expecting this. To him this is unbelievable.

He gets closer. My wolf reacts. His face shines.

“Thanks Lexie. I am now happy that my waiting wasn't in vain.”

“But that doesn't mean that I am ready to take up what being your mate entails. Remember I have a pack to lead.”

“Of course, and I now respect that. Please find it in your heart to forgive me for that attack.”

“You learnt your lesson. We don't take attacks lying down. Just let me go home and we will get around this.”

He comes closer and parts his hands in an embrace. I fall into his hands and for a moment I wonder what I am getting myself into. Then I dismiss everything and cherish the comfort, take in his sweet scent and close my eyes.

Maybe this is what they call bliss.

“Lexie, I assure you that I will make Nate pay for what he did to you."

He whispers as he pats my head.

PAUL'S POV

I can't stop thinking about Lexie. Back at my office I remember every detail of our interesting conversation. I went into dungeons expecting to find a disheveled, unkempt and uncouth villain but the person I found there was the exact opposite of that. And now I have a mate. What a strange twist of events!

I have left her in the care of our housekeeper. I couldn't let her stay in the dungeons a minute longer. Now she enjoys her stay in the guest wing. I respect her decision to go back to her pack but I will make it clear to her that she doesn't stay there for long. I already miss her. I should visit her again.

“Thinking about Lexie?” Abigail's voice jolts me back from my reverie. I raise my head and there she is, standing in front of me as if she wants answers for my conduct. A school principal ready to punish a wayward boy.

“What if I am?”

“I know you are. But beware, she is an opportunist. She has a way of attracting only the Alphas.”

“Is that what you came to tell me. Because if it is then you are wasting your time. Lexie and I have accepted each other as mates.”

She looks so hurt by this, but she quickly composes herself.

“But I thought....”

“No Abigail. There was nothing between us. Our mates are chosen by the moon Goddess. Do you know about mate bonds? No you don't because what you were doing with Nate was wrong.”

“My goodness! She told you? What else did that ugly rogue tell you?”

I choose to ignore that.

“So when you accuse others of wooing Alphas, be careful, you could be unknowingly describing yourself.”

She stands speechless for a while. That must have hurt.

“Are you sure you will not regret losing me Alpha?”

“That will never happen in a thousand years. Something else, I want you to respect my office, my guests and my mate. No coming here unannounced, no unsolicited advice, no insults to my mate.”

“That's completely unnecessary. I am leaving your pack. Lexie Hale will be your downfall, and I will not want to be here when it happens.”

“Well, good riddance. Close the door on your way out. Will you?”

THIRD PERSON'S POV

Nate goes through the map on his table. He takes a sip from his glass and just then there's a knock on his door.

“Come in.

He continues to peruse through the map as if the person in front of him is nonexistent. When he raises his eyes, they are expressionless. He takes up the glass and walks from the table towards the window.

“Why are you here? I thought you said you will never come back here.” He says, looking outside.

“I have news for you Alpha.” Abigail stutters.

“It better be good. I am too busy as you can see.”

“It’s Lexie. She is alive.”

The glass falls from his hand shattering as it hits the floor. Shards of glass splash everywhere.

“What? Are you sure?”

“Yes. She is at stormridge pack. She is the mate to the black Alpha. She is also the legendary queen of rogues.”

Nate's face tightens. Blood vessels protrude on his cheeks and his eyes become red. He clenches and unclenches his fists, then finally whispers.

“Paul, you have what belongs to me. I'm coming for it ”