QUEEN OF ROGUES BECOMES THE PROPHESIED LUNA

MATES

LEXIE'S POV

Paul leaves me in the hands of the housekeeper, an elderly woman known as Maureen. She is so friendly and kind as she shows me around the house I will stay now that I am not in the dungeons anymore.

Paul is now organizing for my trip back home but I need to spruce up first. Once in the room I take off my clothes and walk into the shower. The water is warm and I let it cascade down my body. It has been a long time since I took a hot shower. This is a long lost luxury. In the forest we have our ways of keeping clean. Cold water, herbs and extracts from trees that keep us in good health and hygiene.

After the shower I discover that my clothes are not clean so I approach Maureen and explain my problem. She's so understanding and she gives me a new dress as she promises to clean mine. But maybe I should just discard my own clothes. They are not fit for the surroundings I am in right now.

I came here in a pair of cargo pants, fighting boots, a sleeveless t-shirt and a denim jacket. That's what I am always wearing when going to war. Forest life is full of combat and one has to look the part.

When I sit on the bed I doze off immediately, maybe because I didn't get enough of it last night, or I'm just tired.

Then I dream again.

I am now in a vast plain. There is long grass as far as my eyes can see. It's in the middle of the night because the field is bathed in clear moonlight. In a moment some clouds cover the moon and there is darkness all over the place. Then I hear it, that familiar voice, that beastly voice. It howls a little distance away and I am so frightened. I look around, trying to see whether there is a tree nearby where I can climb in case the marauding beast attacks.

Nothing. Darkness all over.

Then the beast howls again, this time just a few meters away. I try to run away but my speed is so slow, I can feel it catching up.

“Why me? Why always me?” I scream, but my voice is so muted I can't even hear myself.

It howls again, just behind me. It's only a matter of time before I become its supper.

“Oh our mother, our Goddess, remember I am on your mission. Please don't let the beast harm me.” I let out the prayer subconsciously.

Miraculously, the cloud cover is swept away by strong winds and the moonlight sweeps over the grassland. This gives me a lot of relief. I look behind me and there is nothing, no beast. The howling has stopped.

I look up and see the full moon. It is impossibly too near, it's a stonethrow away from me.

“Fear not Lexie. I am always with you. And that beast, it's my servant, always there to protect you from harm.”

I stop looking at the moon and look beside me, where the beautiful angelic voice has come from. Undoubtedly, it's the moon Goddess. I have seen her before, in all her glamour and grandeur.

“Forgive me,“ I say, bowing, “but how is the beast your servant when it's the one who put a scar on me?”

“I work in mysterious ways my child. That scar, it means something. It is a seal. I am the one who authorized the beast to give it to you. Later, you will find it's meaning.”

I touch the scar and I can feel a lot of heat inside it.

“I come to tell you that the time for your mission is almost here. But first, I need you to meet with my prophet.”

“Prophet?”

“Yes. I send a prophet before you, to prepare the way for you, such that when your time comes you will not have a difficult time.”

“And who is he?”

“Someone you already know. I will let him reveal himself to you.”

“And what is this mission you are talking about.”

The Goddess smiles, but there is something mysterious in her eyes, the glow.

“When the time is right, you will find out.”

“But how will I know when the time has come?”

She takes a step toward me.

“You won't have to know, Lexie. The world will tell you.”

Before I can ask what she means, the moon begins to fade.

“Find my prophet.”

“Who is he?”

The Goddess smiles.

“As I said, it is someone you already know.”

I wake up with a start. What was that? I ask myself.

Maybe the time has come for me to start taking these dreams seriously.

“Lexie, the Alpha wants to talk to you. Can he come in?” Maureen asks while outside the locked bedroom.

“Of course he can. This is his house. Let him wait in the sitting room. I'll be there in a moment.”

I look at the huge clock on the wall. The pendulum looks like a giant hammer. It reminds me of my grandpa's clock. It is a few minutes after ten o'clock in the morning.

The attack happened less than sixteen hours ago, and so much has happened since then. One minute I am fighting to become the queen of rogues, and the next day I am the mate to my enemy.

I walk to the sink, wash my hands and look at myself in the mirror. I look at my scar, caress it and it's as if I feel some warmth inside.

Then I remember that Paul is waiting.

“Look how good you look in that dress.”

He is standing in the middle of the sitting room. In his hand is a car key. He seems to be going somewhere.

“Thanks. Going somewhere?” I ask him. I am confused about how I should approach him. I was about to hug him but then he looks so strict, so formal so I just shake his hand.

“We are going somewhere. So, please put on your shopping shoes. We are going shopping.”

“Shopping?”

“Yes. I am going to get you back to your pack and I won't let you go back there looking as if you have escaped from a battlefield. You are my mate remember?”

“Paul please. But I came here from the battlefield. Didn't I?”

“I am not going to compromise on this. Let's get going. You need some clothes, shoes and all the other ladies' stuff before you go back home.”

“Okay. Let's go.”

He drives the big car into a huge shopping mall and we make a beeline to the clothes segment.

“Pick anything that you want.” He says, then wanders away. I think I only need one dress and several cargo pants, the clothes I need for the forest.

Minutes pass as I pick some other items, then he comes, accompanied by a senior attendant. He's wearing a name tag. His name is Alan.

“Alan, this is my mate Lexie. Lexie, meet Alan, the man who runs this business with an iron fist.”

They both laugh, and for the first time I see him laughing and he looks handsome.

“Welcome Lexie, so, can I call you our Luna?”

“Not yet Alan, but very soon.” Paul answers for me and I feel relieved.

He instructs Alan on what to include in my shopping and we are soon joined by two more staff. I am taken back to the clothes segment and they pick so many of them for me. Then someone comes with perfumes, soaps, ladies stuff and I am spoilt for choice. At the end of it all, I am pushing a huge shopping cart, full to the brim.

Minutes later we get back to my quarters. He tells me that it used to be his grandpa's house. Of course his grandpa had a clock just like my grandpa's.

“Go get changed because the exchange is going to take place very soon. I hear Rowan is on the way.”

“Thanks Paul for the shopping.”

“Not at all Lexie. You are my mate. This is nothing.”

“Okay. I'll go back home, then at the opportune moment I will come, after I explain everything to my pack.”

“But you only have two days Lexie. Two days are enough to bid them farewell. I can't wait any longer.”

He moves closer and holds me tightly. I want to protest about the two days but I don't have the strength to do so. It's as if I don't really want to go back home. My wolf wants us to stay right here, but I have to go.

“Two days Lexie.”

He pecks me on the cheek, where the scar is, and I feel that heat inside the scar again. Then he slowly walks out and the door closes behind him. I sink on the sofa, unsure of what to do.

THIRD PERSON'S POV

Nate can't hide his discomfort. He has been restless all morning. He sends for Abigail again.

“Tell me more about Lexie.” He tells her immediately she is brought in.

“What exactly do you want to know?”

“You say that she is the queen of rogues. Which rogues?”

“Her pack is known as the Black Forest pack. A very hostile pack.”

“I know them.” He says, scratching his head.

“How? How did she rise to become the queen of that pack.” He whispers, almost to himself.

“What did you say alpha.”

“Nothing. And, Abigail, has she changed?”

“Yes, greatly. She's now an adult. She would be very beautiful, but then a very ugly scar on her face makes her look ugly.”

“What? You said a scar? Did you see it yourself?“

“Yes, a scar. I saw it with my own eyes.“

“This makes my mission a do or die affair. You can go now. I'll call you back when the need arises.”

“But Alpha, I thought....”

“I said you get out.”

Knowing Nate, she reluctantly walks away.

When she is gone he remains motionless for some time, then reaches for his phone and dials a number he knows by heart.

“Get me Andrew Hale,” he says coldly. “Tell him there's an emergency.”

He ends the call and stares at the map spread across his desk.

Lexie is alive.

And this time, Nate Rivers is determined not to lose her again.