Banished by Alpha, Now Rogue King Treasure

Fragile Angel

Hunter’s POV

They found a girl at the borders, and I trusted Vance’s decision to bring her into our pack. He was, after all, a very good judge of character. The Ravenclaw pack guarded its lands fiercely and valued loyalty and strength above all. Outsiders were rarely allowed in, so bringing someone new into the heart of the pack was never taken lightly.

The second I entered, a scent hit me hard in the chest, jolting through my veins. My wolf howled loudly in my head.

'MATE.'

My body went cold and hot all at once, every sense sharpening painfully. My heart slammed against my ribs, breath catching in my throat. I heard blood rushing in my ears and felt a strange ache deep in my bones, like longing and hunger mixed. It was as if the world narrowed until all I could see, all I could feel, was her. My wolf pushed at the edge of my skin, desperate to get closer.

'What the f**k, Hex? No, no, mate. I don’t believe in the f*****g mating thing.'

Maybe some wolves get lucky, but I have seen how mates can ruin someone, leaving them broken when it goes wrong.

Our pack didn’t talk about mates much, like caring too much would make you weak.

I'd learned young not to count on anyone but myself.

Her face turned, and I swallowed my words. She looked like a fragile angel, with her big blue eyes, her shoulder-length dark hair, and the scent. The scent made Hex slam against me hard.

'Calm the f**k down. We don’t know this…'

'She’s so beautiful,' Hex said, already drunk on her scent.

Madison turned and bumped into me hard, lost her balance, and my arm grabbed her fast before she fell backward.

Goddess, I didn’t want to let go.

"Watch where you're going," I said a little too sternly.

"Sorry, sir."

Hex started to laugh. 'Sir, she thinks you’re ancient.'

'That is actually not funny, Hex.'

Adele stared at me. "Alpha Hunter, is there something I should know?"

"Like what?"

"Oh, she seemed very honest, actually. But I will keep an eye on her. I can get someone to do that. Greg is a…"

"No!" The word came out more like a shout. "What I mean is, she needs to rest first. We have to…"

Why the hell was I stammering? Like a teen caught having his first kiss.

Adele looked at me weird. "Alpha Hunter, I have a feeling this girl went through a lot. Maybe tomorrow we should have Dr. Cass take a look at her."

"I agree, and she needs some good nutrition… looks fragile. If there is nothing else…" trying to answer in a neutral voice.

"They branded her," she said.

I stopped at the door, and a low growl came out. I couldn’t stop it, and Hex was angry. Our mate was hurt, emotionally and physically. Nothing had prepared me for this. I honestly never thought I would ever find a mate.

I slammed my office door as I left.

My heart was beating for the first time, for someone. I walked to the shack with the first aid kit and knocked on the door. After she responded, I walked inside and didn’t like the fact that my mate was sleeping on a pile of furs. But she didn’t react to the bond, and I assumed her wolf might be weak or sick.

I stared at her because she looked scared, and my whole being wanted to hold her. Yet, just touching her chin sent a jolt through me, reminding me to back off for now.

Madison had just been rejected by her previous mate and cast out by her old pack, so she needed time to recover emotionally first.

Her scent burned in my throat, and it took a lot to control myself. Hex, on the other hand, was slamming me, encouraging me to get closer. It was a battle inside of me.

After I bandaged it, I left the room but stayed outside listening to her cry. I couldn’t leave. I stood there for a while, then it fell silent.

I opened the door to see her curled up on the furs, her breathing steady. I covered her with fur.

'Kiss her,' Hex demanded.

'Are you f*****g out of your mind? No, as it is, we look like pervs, watching her sleep.'

But I stood there, unable to leave, and I felt responsible for her.

Did she feel the bond?

'Hex, do you feel her wolf?'

'Her wolf is sick and weak. Her name is Rune.'

'Why would her wolf be sick?'

'She won’t tell me, and she can barely talk.' Hex was sad.

I stood there in the darkness, inhaling her scent. Now I had a reason to fight and protect the one person I never thought the Goddess would ever send my way. My mate.

Madison looked fragile, but I felt she was strong. Meanwhile, I would have to find out what they did to her there. Why is her wolf weak?

She was mumbling in her sleep, and I reached for her. I caught quiet fragments—words like "please" and "not again" slipped from her lips, pain shadows flickering across her face. Whatever happened in her old pack weighed heavily on her, and I wondered just what she had survived to make her so wary, yet still fighting.

My hand petted her soft hair, and she sighed. I was afraid she would wake up and think all this was weird.

After a while, I decided it was time to leave. I told the patrolling guard to wake me if anything changed. Went to my small house at the edge of the forest and dropped onto the bed.

Behind the closed lids, Madison’s beautiful face appeared.