Rouge's Trail

XXXVII

November's POV

To say I was surprised when Christian told Sophia that there was a Beta in the cells is an understatement. The general idea that Lucas could escape Valentin and Cyrus is one only one upheld by Thomas. I was certain that they would kill him and Ajax within moments of hearing that they know me.

There is no way that Lucas would be able to keep quiet about his mate, especially if Valentin was talking about me the way I'm sure he was.

Valentin thinks of Nika very differently from how Lucas thinks of November.

In all honesty, they are very different people.

I went directly to the cells- after I found another rouge to show me the way- so I could see it myself. Thomas was standing outside the doors, his huge frame turned in on itself as he waited for me to approach. He looked up when I was a few feet away.

"How did he get here?"

"You can ask him that yourself, Luke won't talk to anyone but you. Oh," he said when I started to go in," his wolf is in control. Thought you should know."

I nodded but internally groaned. His wolf isn't really easy to deal with, something I learned back in New York, but there wasn't really a second choice here. If Lucas made it then maybe Ajax did, too, and if Ajax is here then we can get Isabella back and Sophia will stay.

After our little conversation last night it became apparent that she would leave soon. She can't survive with out her twin. They were made together and they want to live together and die together.

Not that I can blame them after everything they've been through.

The "cells" are a series of pits scattered around a specific area with large panels locking in anyone who could manage to get themselves taken. They seemed to be mainly empty but there were a few people sitting alone in their own little holes. Lucas was in the deepest.

He was star gazing when I got there. The moment I got to the edge and was close enough to peer down at him he smiled at me. I have to admit, he has a cute smile.

"Hello, mate."

"How did you get here?"

"Why don't you come down and I'll let you know."

"Not happening," I crouched down to look at him and he sat up. There was still about four feet between our faces but from the way he looked at me you would think he was about to kiss me. "You're in here for a reason. You are dangerous to our way of life."

"Our way of life? You've been here a week."

"I meant the rouge's way of life. I've only been in the Haven for a week but I've been unwanted my entire life."

"You are not unwanted."

Its hard to argue with someone when they say something so vehemently, but he is wrong.

Being wanted for my wolf that I don't even know is not being wanted.

I looked at him again, this time paying deeper attention to his details because I knew that when I walked away from the pit the chances of me seeing him again were going to get slimmer. 

He still smells like jam, just like when he first found me in the Jade Forest, but it is dirtier now. More raw. His sweet, sticky jam smell is covered with the smells of blood and dirt and his own special smell. He smells more human now, more hurt. He smells like Russia smelled for me. 

On that note, it was obvious that he had met with Valentin. His face was destroyed. His lip was starting to heal from whatever fist had split it and his black and blue marks were starting to fade. He has this little mark on his neck repeated five times on each side to let me know that someone had tried to choke him but stopped. Valentin wasn't trying to hurt him, he was trying to find me.

And yet, here he was. Blackened eyes staring up at me in complete awe. He fought off a group of Russian werewolves in order to find me- his mate. 

"How many did you kill," I asked, praying silently for high numbers.

"Only about four," he told me, falling back and turning his head to the side to smile at the mud that was slowly dirtying his blond hair," Ajax took care of more than me."

"He's still alive then?"

"Last I checked, but I did leave him with a group of those guys and that Valentin guy so I'm not sure anymore."

I think he saw the way my face fell because he was quick to add on to his previous words.

"But I did send my Alpha after them."

"Alpha Michael is here?"

"He isn't here for your rouge's, November. He's here for me. I sent for help when I was being held captive by your friends."

"Oh."

"He called you Nika, you know. It's a pretty name, don't get me wrong, but November is more my type. She seems better all around."

"Yeah, well," I pushed myself up to walk around the walls of his pit," she wasn't created for your liking. She was made for my safety. I'd rather die than go back to them."

"I will die before I let them take you back."

"You don't see to get it, Lucas. This isn't a game. They are dangerous people."

"Let me take you back to the Jade Forest with me. You will be safe there. None of them can touch you there."

"I can't leave-"

"If you go back then you will be free, November. They will follow us back to the Jade Forest and leave this place and your friends alone. There we have the people to defeat them. We can destroy these people once and for all. All you have to do is come with me."