Faze

Chapter 28: Rule Number Four

                                                                       Chapter Twenty-Eight

Devlin ran through the forest as a wolf. He didn't care where he was going as long as it was away from the packs. Hennessy's words clung to him and Neo's empty face was carved in his mind. He howled to the sky, the sound was painful and hollow. Devlin masked his scent and dropped the rogue act, something he'd wanted to do forever.

He let the scout out.

                                                                                       (Flashback)

"To become one with this pack, you need to complete a task," Nathan circled his pack. He spoke the rules as he did many times before. This time, he was talking to Devlin and he tried to hide the fear behind his frown. He hoped Nathan would go easy on him.

Devlin looked at him and Nathan's eyes looked like they were trying to find any ounce of weakness. He looked into his eyes, "What would you like me to do?"

Nathan let out a boisterous laugh before he spoke, his voice like a knife, "I want you to kill someone."

Devlin swallowed back his fear. He had never killed anyone before. Sure, he helped in some ways when he was asked but the blood was never directly on his hands. He tried not to shake as he nodded, "Who would you like me to kill?"

Nathan gripped his chin, forcing his face closer. He smiled an evil sharp smile, and right then, Devlin knew that he wasn't going to be lucky. "The target stands behind you."

Devlin avoided turning around. A few things ran through his mind as his pack members hollered and laughed at the victim. Nathan gave him a stern look and he couldn't avoid it. He slowly turned around and he nearly choked on his heart when he met eyes with the victim. Thalia, his mother, stood in front of him. Her face hid her emotions yet her light eyes looked afraid. Devlin had a feeling that she wasn't going to fight.

Devlin looked back at Nathan, "Why Mom? Why her?"

Nathan shouted, "You should never question me, boy!"

Devlin felt his limbs start to shake. "Aren't you-aren't you soulmates?"

If the question didn't offend Nathan he would have laughed, a full belly laugh that had his stomach burning. But he looked at his youngest son, the frown ghosted his face and his eyes darkened. "Rogues do not have soulmates!" He shouted and his pack yelled with him. "No rogue in my pack! That woman was never mine, I have never loved her. I would not be the great alpha I am today if I even considered loving her. Disgusting!"

Devlin didn't say anything as he looked at Thalia once again. His stomach felt like it was twisting into knots and his throat was dry suddenly. Fourteen years and Nathan was sending his son to kill her. Fourteen years together for nothing. Trinity and Hennessy walked towards him. Devlin hoped that they were there to help but he looked at their hands and his lungs suddenly felt smaller. They were each holding knives, Trinity a large one, and Hennessy a small one.

They were going to make him choose.

"Pick your favorite, Devlin," Nathan said, his breath making the hairs on his neck stand tall. "You know what will happen if you don't."

The tenth rule of being a rogue: if any rules are broken, you will get chased out of the pack.

Nathan made the rules himself. At the age of thirteen, members of the pack must accomplish a task to officially earn their place. Although Devlin was his son, that didn't leave him out of the strict rules in place.

His thoughts were running wild. If he killed his mother, he could stay but if he refused, he would get chased out of the territory by every member of the pack. It would be completely up to his speed if he outran everyone but Devlin felt confident, he did inherit his mother's scout genes after all. It was the gift of a scout; speed, strong sense of smell, good hearing, knowing the way around an area without ever being there before, being able to mask your scent, knowing where everyone is around you and the distance between them.

He could use his gift but Thalia looked at him and shook her head as if she knew what he was thinking. "Devlin, do it." Devlin wanted to protest. Her voice sounded as if she was begging him to do it. He was scared. "Don't disobey the alpha. I am ready, please do this."

Shakily, Devlin's hands reached for Hennessy's knife. Trinity looked offended while Hennessy offered him a small nod. The rest was a blur. Devlin ran towards his mother and completed the task that was made for him. He sat in front of her, hoping that something could change the way this ended. But he knew Nathan was far from done with the torment.

"That's my boy!" Nathan shouted and the next words he said rang through Devlin's ears. "Neo!"

Devlin held his breath while keeping his eyes on his mother's light brown ones. He couldn't look away. He didn't want to forget what she looked like while she was slowly slipping from time. He didn't want to remember her like this but there was no other way.

Neo appeared in front of the alpha and he smiled at him strangely, "Your thirteenth birthday is coming up so let's just get this out of the way now. I want you to sit in front of Thalia and let her go. A healer's worst nightmare is watching their patient die!"

Rule number eight of being a rogue: Everyone needs permission for whatever they do; fight, heal, kill, etc.

Neo didn't hide his fear. His hands shook at his sides yet he still found the courage to sit next to Devlin. He stared at Thalia and his eyes fogged with tears. Guilt gnawed at him. He reached a hand forward and Devlin slapped it away, "If you heal her, we both die."

Neo looked at him, shock written on his face. He silently nodded but his lip shook, "I'm sorry."

"Don't apologize," Devlin said. "This is what we have to do now, be rogues."

Rule number nine of being a rogue: Never talk about your past, you are nothing but a rogue.

Suddenly, Thalia gripped Devlin's hand with the strength she had left, "If you want to get away from them, you must act like them first, my sons."

Then there was a long silence when she closed her eyes after she spoke. The sentence took the last of her energy and Devlin's heart felt like it shattered.

"How does it feel to be a rogue!" Nathan shouted.

Devlin ignored the question and looked at Neo instead. His heart was beating as he looked into his eyes, "I will get us out of here, I promise."

Rule number four of being a rogue: No soulmates.