Ethan
I don't know what came over me when Ace told me she had to go, maybe I came to my senses and realised what I was doing? I quickly stood to get changed into a dress shirt and jeans, only barely making the effort as my inner wolf drove me crazy at my cold demeanour. I couldn't get attached, Ace was a rogue and the Moon Goddess had yet to bless me with a mate, I wasn't in the position as Alpha to choose who I bonded with, though I imagine my inner wolf would have a definitive choice based on the way he was acting out inside of me. I stretched my limbs and felt exhausted because I hadn't slept in almost 48 hours, but I walked down to the dining room anyway, keeping my face composed and neutral as I took my seat and awaited my pack's arrival. I didn't look up when Ace's scent clouded my senses and opted to glare at the deep red table cloth in front of me instead. My pack could sense my hostility but were opting to gawk at Ace's appearance instead.
"Anything else, Alpha Lupus?" Her voice woke me from my thoughts, gazing over at the small woman who had her head down and a waterfall of red hair covered the freckles on her face and usually flushed cheeks whenever she was in my presence. What am I saying? She is just a rogue; my rogue, but a rogue nonetheless.
"I'm not going to tell you again, Rogue Ace. Your hair needs to be up. But no, that is all." She appeared unphased by my words and left the dining room, but I kept my face stoic to avoid my pack noticing anything wrong. I was furious that she would continue to disobey me, I was the fucking Alpha and yet she treated me as though we were ranked the same or less than. Once my men were finished eating they all made their way outside to train, but I remained in the dining room, hearing the worker's talking to Ace and my blood boiled. I stalked into the room as Rogue Jet embraced my redhead.
"I can see we have time to hug the rogue but not to work?" Ace spun around quickly and for a second I dared her to challenge me, but instead, she bowed her head towards me, highlighting that her fucking hair was still down instead of up like I'd ordered. I growled at the realisation and took a step in her direction, though she flinched back as always and my jaw clenched painfully, spotting her reaction instantly. "I thought I told you about your hair being up?" Of course, she wouldn't answer me, she's terrified of the asshole I am. Being harsh and unforgiving were the very traits that led to me being the Alpha King's most trusted Alpha, he told me as such every time we met up to discuss business and I'd already proposed the most ruthless plans. With a frustrated sigh, I left the kitchen, stalking back into the dining room.
"The pack are awaiting your nod to begin training Ethan." Beta Deryn reminded me and I nodded absentmindedly towards him, following my second in command outside to the observation platform and unfocusing my eyes so I could think properly. There was no doubt in my mind that my inner wolf couldn't live without Ace, though my human form and the one in charge as Alpha told me otherwise, that I needed to focus on the good of the pack; falling for a redheaded rogue was out of the question. I couldn't protect her living the lifestyle I did, though my inner wolf reminded me I'd die trying if I let myself fall. Hours passed with no sign of Delta Kurt though I only noticed his absence when he took a seat beside me and cleared his throat
"So the rogue returned, Alpha?" I rolled my eyes but forced my expression to remain neutral and turned to face him
"Yes. She was hiding again, I plan to discuss her behaviour after dinner." My third in command nodded quickly, but paused and looked up towards me as I had several inches on the Delta
"Why has she not been executed? All due respect Alpha but she is just a rogue, no one would miss her if we had her killed. After all, it's not like she's-" I cut him off, perhaps a little too sharply as his words cut through my chest
"No one lays a hand on Rogue Ace. That is an order and a non-negotiable one at that. I have questions and they aren't going to be answered if she dies." My heart clenched painfully at the thought of my redhead dying but forcefully pushed it away, returning my eyes to Honi and Jacqui who were sparring and deep in conversation; I envied their relationship and the love they had for each other, something I'd never experienced. As the sun set everyone had filed inside late afternoon for a tactical battle lecture from Beta Deryn in the boardroom, a monthly meeting whereby we taught any new members of the pack and reminded seasoned members of the ways in which we fought and protected our territory. All too soon dinner came around and I'd missed lunch because I was too consumed with thinking about piercing blue eyes so my inner wolf was now whining for food. As I took a seat at the dining room table, I could faintly smell Ace's scent but kept composed; she wasn't going to be my downfall. I avoided looking at the small woman as she served because I knew I'd lose control if I dared look up.
Ethan... She's going back to her old pack. Please stop whatever this is and talk to her. Raula's mindlink enraged my inner wolf and I growled lowly, causing the whole pack to jump and stare inquisitively at me, though I gave nothing away. When Ace re-entered the dining room her hair was down which just further sparked the anger that burned through my veins. I had to talk some sense into my redhead, reminding myself of what she'd be going back to if she submitted to her old pack.
"Anything else, Alpha Lupus?" I watched the small woman closely and took note of the pack who were all looking between us curiously, I'd talk to her but not right this second.
"No. That's all, Rogue Ace." I had to spit the words out and nodded quickly to my men who began eating, still offering glances up to me as I can imagine they could smell the anger rolling off of me. I needed to talk to my rogue as soon as possible, that was the first thing I had to do. Once my pack had retired for the evening, I stood quickly and walked into the kitchen, where Raula awaited me with worry cast over her usual cheery features
"Where is she, Raula?" My teeth were still clenched, and my jaw ached from the pressure but I was livid. No asshole was going to touch my redhead, whether I had to kill every single man and wolf that got in my way or not. My mother figure sighed and walked over to me, rubbing my arm comfortingly but refusing to meet my eyes
"She disappeared into her room earlier Ethan. You have to stop whatever this game you're playing is. She truly believes you don't care for her and would prefer her to be back with her old pack... Where he is..." A tear slipped from Raula's eyes and I kissed her forehead firmly, my own heart squeezing as even I had considered what Ace leaving meant. Without another word I stalked into the workers quarters, growling at Rogue Jet who submitted to me as I stomped down the hallway. I remembered which door was hers, the one on the end but as I opened it, the room was empty and another growl forced its way out of my throat
"Where the fuck is she?" I spun to face the gardener whose eyes widened when he realised what I meant
"I thought Ace was in her room, Alpha Lupus. I haven't seen her since dinner." I ignored his words and walked back past because I was still pissed at him for embracing my redhead this morning, but stopped when I reached the end of the hallway
"Find her, Rogue Jet. Get the workers to do the same." I didn't await his response because rogue or not, he needed to be here and wanted to prove he belonged, just like every other outcast who joined my pack. I searched every single room I could think of in the house but eventually had to cave and mindlinked the whole pack to search, half inside and half outside because if I knew my redhead, she would be in the forest up in a fucking tree somewhere. I sighed when I realised that yet again she was hiding, from whom I was unsure but I knew there would be a meeting about Ace before the week was done; she was a serious flight risk and even I knew that this could spell trouble for the pack. Everyone knew her scent by now, the hint of vanilla despite us wolves not needing perfume or cologne and the first time I inhaled the intoxicating aroma I figured it was just the coffee shop where she worked but upon further close proximity with her, I realised it was just her natural scent; it drove my inner wolf wild. I wore cologne but it was a habit I picked up from my father as a child, he socialised with human's sometimes and having the scent of cologne on my human form led suspicion away from my otherwise dominant disposition. I met my pack outside, who were all awaiting my instructions and they quickly followed behind as I made my way towards the treeline
"Rogue Ace is missing again. I want the whole forest searched. Behind every tree trunk, up in the branches, I don't give a fuck how long it takes. Rogue Ace needs to be found." My pack wouldn't question my actions, they all believed it was just a lust fascination but I knew it burrowed deeper than that, to something I had never delved into because my pack were my first priority; though that thought seemed redundant as I had my men searching for my redhead frequently these days. An hour of searching later, she wasn't here. Ace's scent was nowhere to be found, and as I met up with Beta Deryn who joined me in the foyer after the other half of my pack had also finished searching, he told me the same
"Her scent stops in her room, not even the Hunter's can pick it up, Ethan. She's disappeared again." His face was one of empathy, he could feel my pain and on a deeper level, he knew there was something going on; I'd never admitted that aloud though. I focused hard on Deryn's dark brown eyes, showing him what Raula had told me and he swallowed harshly, nodding slowly as he realised what it meant. "Do you think she's already gone? We have questioned all of the surrounding pack's and she isn't from one of those so they wouldn't be here yet Ethan. Find her and stop whatever bullshit you've got going on." I nodded curtly, stalking outside to question the Hunters who must have been expecting my presence
"She hasn't left the territory, Alpha Lupus. Scouts haven't seen her on the perimeter either." I took in the words my Hunter spoke but anger still coursed through my veins because my redhead was still missing and my inner wolf was offering no guidance, just howling internally because he sought her scent. In a moment of rage, I picked up a small plant pot from the ground and hurled it at the white-painted brick wall, not even flinching when it shattered into a thousand pieces on the ground. I needed to breathe, I needed guidance. With that in mind, I stalked over to the far West Wing seeking respite from my emotions
Retire to your rooms. Keep an eye out for Rogue Ace. I relieved my men and entered my room, avoiding glancing down at the bed where my redhead had been asleep after I found her just last night, and I had been an asshole to her because I cannot understand my own emotions and feelings. I paced back and forth for a while, debating internally what to do, and how I would process hearing the news that Ace had gone back to her old pack and her ex-mate who abused her like she wasn't anything important. A renewed bout of anger fuelled my inner wolf and I punched the wall outside of my room harshly, barely feeling the impact as I recounted how my redhead would flinch whenever I moved towards her, and the bruises I witnessed over the pale skin caused by the asshole who I still had no name for. My parents would know what to do, so I entered my library quickly in search of their painting, pausing in the doorway when I caught sight of red hair behind my copy of Romeo and Juliet. My breathing halted, my heart stopped and time stood still as piercing blue eyes slowly met mine as the book was lowered.
"Princess..."