The Rogue's Fate

by Missy De Graff

  People exit their tents and stand from their log seats at the fireside to watch me pass. I wonder how many before me have made this same walk. The men, women, and children at the camp are dirty, covered in grime from head to toe. I guess hygiene isn't at the top of their priority list.

  As we near the center of the camp, the putrid stench fades away and is replaced with a new, sweet and savory, mouth-watering smell. I watch the smoke rise from the iron pot that hangs over a campfire where two burly men stand. The scars on their faces and arms tell me they're warriors of this pack. And my stomach reminds me I haven't eaten anything all day.

  "Hungry?" Cody asks. I look up to him, keeping my head bent down.

  "No," I say. He smirks and continues walking.

  Would he have given me food if I'd said yes? It doesn't matter. I don't want anything from these people. I will be in no one's debt.

  We stop and he chains me to a pole near the outskirts of the camp.

  "Be a good lad and maybe we'll throw you a bone," a young cocky warrior bellows, and loud grunts and laughter fill the air.

  I sit down and lean against the wooden pole. I haven't seen Felix since we arrived. I wonder how long he'll drag this out.

  Hopefully, my pack will obey my orders and be done with it. But my gut tells me Lucinda won't leave it be. I need this business to be done before she does something stupid.

  I wish I could've spoken to her one last time, or told Dylan my plan. But if they didn't provide a true reaction, I know Felix would've noticed and suspected something.

  I mentally kick myself. I should've taken them on the field, I was on the verge of losing control when the flood of memories came. Why didn't I do it then? If I had, they'd be dead and I'd be free. But this camp, the children...I can't have their death on my hands.

  Laying my head back against the pole, I close my eyes. Good job Caiden, you've backed yourself into a corner. Now, what are you going to do? My inner wolf is snickering.

  "Hey." A heavy boot kicks my thigh and a rough voice says, "Stand up."

  Opening my eyes, I see a dark figure standing above me.

  "Hurry up, Alpha Felix doesn't wait for anyone," he says. His breath reeks of ale.

  Standing, I take a moment to stretch my back. The stocky guard grunts and in a fluid motion, his cold skin makes contact and slaps me across the cheekbone.

  I feel the throbbing pain, but I will not give him the satisfaction. Resisting the urge to touch my face, I look the man square in the eye and smirk.

  "Lead the way," I say. The man’s eyes narrow, turning the color of coal, and his eyebrows knit together. His fangs extend past his lips and I notice him clenching his jaw.

  "We wouldn't want to make Felix wait, now would we?" I say. With another grunt, he walks forward leading me to Felix.

  As we approach a large tent, my lips curl and I try to spit out the bitter taste in my mouth. How can Felix have such a size tent that would house a dozen families, when I passed more than a dozen families that had no shelter at all.

  The man opens the canvas door and a bellow of smoke is released into the cool night air. When I step into the tent, I'm transported to another place in another time. The air is heavy with incense, Persian rugs cover the ground, floor pillows of every shape and size litter the floor, and the only lighting is provided by decorative oil lamps scattered throughout the large tent. There are three poles near the center of the tent, and I mistakenly think they're part of the tent construction. However, as I stand in the doorway, awaiting Felix, a woman takes to the pole, wrapping her legs around it and swinging her body as if the pole were part of her. How gravely mistaken I am.

  My throat burns as I force another swallow. How can he live so lavishly, compared to the families I saw earlier?

  Felix motions me to him and I carefully walk past the girl without interrupting her dance.

  "Sit," Felix says.

  I reluctantly sit down facing Felix.

  "Hungry?" he asks.

  "No, but thank you."

  "Come on, eat. I don't want to kill you." Felix takes a swig of wine.

  "Then what do you want with me?" I ask.

  He licks his fingers and puts cheese, olives, and meat on his plate.

  "I've seen you before, several years ago back on that field we crossed," Felix says.

  I blink once and my lips pull into a tight line.

  "I watched the whole thing; a real shame what they did to that poor girl. Who was she, your mate, right?"

  My nostrils flare and I clench my jaw, but I remain silent.

  "But the real beauty is what happened after. I almost missed it. The encore, what your wolf did—that was a masterpiece," Felix says, placing his fingertips to his lips and kissing the air.

  "So tell me about your wolf," he says.

  "My wolf?" I ask.

  "Yes, your wolf. That rugged beast that knows no bounds." He leans forward, closer to me and his eyes light up as he talks.

  "Is that beast always your wolf? How do you control it?" he continues.

  "No. And there is no controlling it." I pick a cheese cube from his plate.

  "No controlling it? Interesting." He hands me his plate of food. "Then how are you not that beast right now?”

  I shove my mouth full of food in order to gain more time to think. How much do I share with him? He's cursed by the witch too. If he thinks he can use ‘the beast’ as he calls it, then he's wrong. I will not let him use me in that manner. I will kill myself before I let that happen.

  "Well," Felix asks.

  "I'm in control right now," I say, swallowing the rest of the food.

  "That must be painstaking, to be in constant battle with yourself," he says. "So what happens when you lose control?"

  "I leave."

  "How often does your beast come out to play?"

  "He doesn't come out to play," I say under my breath.

  "You've piqued my curiosity, Caiden, and that doesn't happen often," Felix says, taking another sip of wine.

  After several minutes of silence, he speaks again.

  "Do you see friend or foe as the beast? Do you recognize your friends?" Felix asks in a low voice.

  I turn and give my attention to the dancer, allowing my silence to speak for me.

  "I see," Felix says. "So how is it that you haven't hurt anyone in your pack on the rare occasions the beast has been let loose?"

  Again, I let my silence answer for me.

  "That must be a terrible burden. What would Lucinda ever think—" he says.

  I turn back to him and stare into his dark eyes, refusing to be the first to look away. Finally, he looks to the woman still dancing behind me.

  "Thank you for the food. Are we done now?"

  "For now." He waves his hand for me to leave.

  I stand and cross the room to exit. A hard object hits my head and the last thing I see are shadows hovering above me as I lay on the ground.

  ***

  As my eyes open, it takes a minute for them to adjust to the darkness. Though it won't be dark for long—dawn is on the horizon.

  My hands and feet are no longer bound by silver chains; instead, they've been replaced by a bamboo cage. I reach up and massage my neck where blisters formed from the heavy silver necklace that rubbed my skin raw.

  I am back on the open field and my heart aches just being in this place.

  Two figures approach from the tree line: Felix and Cody.

  "You're finally awake, now the fun can begin!" Felix clasps his hands together, looking like a pup on his first hunt.

  "Cody, go and ensure no one is hurt. We're just cattle drivers today, bringing them into a central location for the big event," Felix says.

  "What big event?" I ask through my teeth.

  "Oh, don't worry yourself over the details. You'll find out soon enough," Felix strums his fingers in front of his face.

  "Our little chat last night inspired me
," Felix says. "I've been thinking about Lucinda. I need her and I can't wait any longer. I've dreamt of marking her, claiming her as mine forever. The moment my sharp canines pierce into her soft flesh, tasting her metallic blood, and feeling its warmth run down my chin, intertwining our souls for a lifetime."

  Searching the field, I see it's only him and me. If I'm going to do this, I need to do it now so I can be long gone before anyone else arrives. No one else needs to die.

  Heat rises to my head as my body begins to transform, a growl escapes as my wolf is overcome by the beast; the last thing I see is the gray veil that covers my eyes, pushing me into unconsciousness while the beast comes out to play.

  Chapter 30

  Lucinda

  "Hello Mr. Owl," I say to a screech owl perched in a tree. "Have you seen anyone pass this way today?" I ask as if he would answer. And then a damn bat flies overhead, and with a loud flap of his wings, the owl takes flight. The damn chatter of the bat sends my senses on overdrive. Why won't he leave me the hell alone?

  Sitting on a nearby rock, I swear under my breath. I may be good at climbing, fighting, and planning both offensive and defensive battle strategies, but tracking is not my strong point, especially in the dark.

  Before the sun set, I returned to the place we were earlier today, the last place I saw the blue eyes of Caiden and smelled his scent. But in the darkness of night and in a part of the forest I've never traveled, it has proven to be a challenge. Their scent has faded over time and I can't see their track marks on the dark forest floor. I've caught myself more than once walking in circles.

  Melting off the rock, I lay on the damp forest floor and gaze upon the cool mist beginning to form.

  "Caiden, I'm so sorry I've failed you," I whisper to the stars and a small tear runs down my cheek. Closing my eyes, I let the tendrils of the mist cover my body.

  "Lucinda?" I hear a voice whisper. "Lucinda are you near?" I hear it again.

  "Cody?" I ask. The voice is fading in and out. He must be too far away for the mindlink.

  "Lucinda, where are you?" he asks.

  "I'm in the forest, where are you?" I sit up on the forest floor, as a spark of hope flushes through my chest, causing my heart to flutter.

  "In the forest too."

  "Is Caiden with you? Is he alright?" I ask.

  "Lucinda, you need to hurry!" The eagerness in his voice surprises me and I jump to my feet.

  "It's started," he says.

  "What do you mean, what's started? They're attacking? Where's Caiden?" I ask.

  Looking at the trees, I see the first ray of sun lighting up the night sky.

  "Cody?"

  "Still here," he says. His voice is stronger, he must be getting closer.

  "Where's Caiden?" I ask again.

  "Felix has him in the field," he says. "You need to hurry. Set him free if you can. Just get him away from the field before we return."

  "Before who returns?"

  "Just go!" he says.

  "Got it!" I say. "One question, where is the field?"

  "West, go west, and hurry!"

  Stripping off my clothes, I stuff them into my tote bag and waste no time shifting into my wolf. Grabbing the tote with my teeth, I look to the sky and take off running away from the rising sun.

  Ahead, I see the forest thinning. This must be it, the field Cody spoke of. I slow my pace and creep up to the forest edge, staying well hidden by the large ferns covering the forest floor.

  I'm in awe of the scene unfolding before my eyes. In the center of the field, Caiden's large white wolf towers over Felix. Seeing him alive causes my heart to flutter.

  Though something is wrong. This wolf is playing with Felix, taunting him as a cat would a mouse. He's letting Felix run away to only be batted down again with one swoop. He picks Felix up in his mouth, his sharp canines draw fresh blood as he tosses Felix in the air and lands in a crumpled mess on the cold, damp ground.

  I gasp as realization hits. This isn't Caiden, it's his cursed wolf. My pulse quickens and my paws tremble.

  The sound of growls and barks break the silence in the forest; with each yelp and snarl, the battle gets closer and closer.

  Caiden's watching the edge of the forest where I hear the oncoming wolves. He leaves Felix and walks toward the battle sounds. I need to stop him, he'll never forgive himself if he harms one of his pack members. Before I realize what I'm doing, my paws leap out into view on the open field.

  My quick movement catches his attention and he turns to face me. We're several yards apart, but there's no mistaking those crimson red eyes and blood-soaked muzzle.

  I stand tall on all four of my strong legs; I hold my tail straight out in line with my back; and my ears stand tall.

  He snarls in response; his fur bristles and his lips curl, showing his sharp incisors. He snarls as he stalks toward me as if I were his prey. With one flip of my tail, the dirt beneath me stirs and I stalk toward him, anticipating the moment we meet.

  His pace quickens. Good. I need to lead him away before the others arrive. Isn't that what Cody said?

  I turn on my heels and charge toward the hill in the opposite direction of the forest, hoping he'll follow. I turn to look back and tumble to the ground, rolling three times before I stop. I underestimated Caiden's speed.

  His crimson red eyes glare at me from above, demanding my submission. He stands tall on strong stiff legs, towering over me. His ears become erect and his hackles rise as he snarls.

  Out of the corner of my eye, I see the other wolves reach the open field. From my position on the ground, I leap at Caiden, knocking him off balance and jump over him. He catches my hind leg with his razor-sharp claws and an involuntary yelp escapes me.

  I continue up the hill, but my legs collapse under me when sharp teeth slice into my back. Twisting my body, we roll and tumble down the hill and I free myself from his strong jaw, but not without damage.

  My only hope is he understands the sign of submission. I look up to him from my position on the ground and expose my throat and belly, letting loose a series of short whimpers.

  He crouches low as he closes in on my crumpled body. His lips curl, drool dripping from his teeth, and his hairs stand erect, displaying his dominance. Lowering my gaze, I feel him approach. My heartbeat races.

  I lift my gaze to meet his crimson red eyes as he continues his slow prowl toward me. And then I watch Dylan's wolf pummel over Caiden, knocking them both to the ground. More wolves come to Dylan's aid, facing off against Caiden.

  Do they know it's Caiden?

  If only I could speak to them!

  I howl and whimper.

  Lifting myself up off the ground, my front legs wobble as my back raises off the ground. My back legs fold under me, supporting my aching back.

  One wolf is thrown over my head, and another tossed in the other direction. They both whine as their bodies slam onto the hard ground.

  Dylan's facing off with Caiden. They're doing the wolf battle dance, circling each other, baring their teeth and growling. I ran to them just as Caiden goes in for the kill, aiming for Dylan's throat. I see it before Dylan and force my weakened body to leap between them, blocking the fatal bite.

  Caiden's teeth cut into my flesh, piercing my shoulder, and ripping through muscle and skin. My body hits the ground with such force, I shift back into my human form. I yearn to smell his signature scent one last time, but the bergamot has been replaced with a musky smell and my nose twitches.

  The last thing I see is Caiden's crimson red eyes fade to blue before I slip away into darkness.

  ***

  Opening my eyes, I look around. I'm in my room back at the pack house, lying in my bed. My body aches and my head throbs; my head, shoulder, and midsection are covered in bandages.

  My door's cracked open and I hear low voices coming from the hall. I perk up my ears and recognize Dylan and Caiden.

  "You need to mark her," Caide
n says.

  "No," Dylan replies.

  "Are you just going to leave her for Felix to claim?" Caiden keeps his voice low to a whisper, but I hear the demanding tone.

  "I CAN’T!" Dylan says.

  “I have a feeling that still wouldn’t stop Felix from taking her. But it would at least make her stronger. You need to mark her.” Caiden says.

  “You should," Dylan says.

  "Should what?" Caiden asks.

  "You should mark her, claim her as your own," Dylan whispers.

  After a few moments of silence Caiden responds,

  "No," he says, "I won't."

  Chapter 31

  Caiden

  Dylan is so stubborn! He is testing my authority and my patience! Pacing back and forth in my room, I try to calm down. Lucinda needs to be marked or else Felix will claim her as his own. Dylan is her fated mate, the right choice, the person that should mark her, but he won't! Sitting on the edge of my bed pulling at my hair in frustration, I sigh. I know Dylan thinks he is doing what’s right by trying to protect her from his curse, but, there must be another way.

  As the Alpha, I approve or disapprove of a pairing, but forcing someone to mark another, I can't do, I won't do. Other Alphas may, but I will never force a pairing. But if Lucinda goes unclaimed, what will happen to her? Felix will always pursue her—I saw the desire in his eyes as he spoke of her.

  Jumping to my feet, I race across the room and punch a hole in the wall. Leaning my forehead against the wall, I close my eyes and take a deep breath to steady my rising anger. I can't mark her, not after what I just did to her. I almost killed her.

  After a few minutes, I take a step back and rub my right hand over the fresh hole in the wall, and examine the bloody cuts on my knuckles that have already started to heal.

  Heading to the kitchen to clean up my hand, I hear voices from inside Lucinda's cracked door. Standing against the wall next to her door, I listen to Dylan and Lucinda.

  "You're stupid, you know that?" Dylan says.

  "Why?" Lucinda asks.

  "You could've gotten yourself killed," Dylan says. "Jumping in front of Caiden like that. What were you thinking!"