I trained with Kael, without under the eyes of Chase or Robert and it was very suspicious and I can barely focus during training. Nonetheless, Kael made me do our usual workout and we did a few sparring which it was getting intense when he couldn't bring me down to the ground. My wrist was throbbing but I ignore the pain and continue to dodge, block and attack him with everything I got and so far I keep winning each of our sparring session.
"You're getting stronger and faster, Miss Stormrage." Kael said after he decided to call it a day. I was confused at his compliment and was a little bit surprised when he speaks. He saw my expression and chuckled while brushing his brown hair back with his fingers and watched the sun set behind me. If he wasn't 30 years old and married, I could have swoon with his handsome face and well built body but he is 30 and married and not to mention one of father's closest friends. "You deserve some credits for your endless willpower and patience. Well done." he said and put his hand on my messy ponytail hair and shook them, making it more messier.
I groan and pry his hand off my head but his action was...weird. I remember when I was a kid and he used to do that to me when father called him to our house. Father found it funny so he let Kael messed with me with that small action but when father and mother die, he distance himself from me for 2 years and barely talk to anyone until Robert used him to punish me and train me.
He caught my confusion and looked around and sniffed the air as if he was checking if the coast is clear. Then suddenly he grabbed my shoulders and looked at me in the eyes with his dark green eyes. I thought he was attacking me but his serious expression made me stop and stare at his eyes in confusion. I was stunned when he smiled at me because for years after my parents death, he barely smile at anyone. "Your father is going to be proud of you."
I flinched at his words. No one has ever said that to me. No one.
He let me go and in low voice, he says. "No matter what happen Selyen, be strong like your father and patience like your mother. You will be a great Alpha when you're ready." He said.
I was confused with his sudden attitude but the more I stare into his eyes, the more I senses that he's trying to tell me something without saying out loud or through our mind link. He smiled but sadly this time before he walked away.
What was that all about? Diane shot first question. Why is he acting odd?
I grabbed my jacket and stare at the path he walked before he disappear. I, I'm not sure but he's trying to tell something.
"Selyen!"
Someone called from behind me, snapping me from my thoughts and Diane. I turned around saw Langford, our current Beta, made his way toward me. I lower my gaze and nod my head as he come closer and didn't see his hand flies up and slap my face. My right cheek sting and I closed my eyes to calm myself down.
"What you did to my son unacceptable!" he growled. "You should be punish for your crime against your future Beta."
I raise my head and show him my wrist where the silver bracelet still clutching around my skin. Of course he knew that Robert has punished me with this thing but it's clearly he was not satisfied. "It's not enough. You will guard up and patrol tonight in your wolf form until dawn. I don't care if you already did that yesterday but you will secure the perimeter until you drop dead. Understood?"
I almost growl at his command and Diane didn't like his tone. How dare he order me around like that? He doesn't have a true Beta blood inside him so what makes him think he can used that kind of tone to me. But hatefully, I suppressed my anger and bow my head obediently. He nods and his eyes sparks with a secret agenda. "Good. Now get on with it." He barked and I jogged toward the forest quickly so he couldn't hear my growling.
Once I was sure we were far away from him or anyone, I let out my growl and punched a nearby tree. The tree shook and there was a web of crack at the bark of the tree. He's going to pay for that. Taking a deep breath, I calm myself down until I felt something was off. I sniffed the cold air of twilight but there was no scent of living around me but the air seemed wrong.
What is it? Diane asked.
I'm not sure. I answered and started to walked silently toward the pack's territory line.
Do you want to shift?
No, I think not yet, Diane. I'm sorry. I said and sniffed the air again. I think I need to stay in my form for a while.
I felt Diane obey and stay quite after that but she was restless as I was every time I sniffed the cold air. Something is definitely off but we couldn't put a finger to it. Despite the unsettling feelings, I decided to patrol 2 meters away from the territory line and let the darkness of the forest cloak me, cover me from any eyes. Thank the Goddess that I wore all in black today.
~
2 hours of walking and patrolling the pack's perimeter in human form yet we still couldn't shook off the bad feelings from my chest. By now I have covered 1/4 parts of the perimeter, the west side, and now entering the south side of the territory. During patrolling, my mind keep wondering about where Anna has gone and why Robert or Chase didn't present themselves during training. Plus Kael compliments and gesture make me wonder too. Why now? Why he suddenly became the person that I known before my parents die?
The wind blew softly in the forest, making me halt my steps when I smell something strange, or rather something that is not belong to this pack.
Rogues.
How the hell did they get in here? Does Robert not feel the intruder? If he does felt it, he could have bark the order but there was no command in the pack link and it was weird. Every Alpha will have a feeling or sense if someone trespass his/her territory. My curiosity is overwhelming me so slowly, I followed the scent silently and keep myself in the shadow. I should mind link and warn the others but something tells me to hold on to that thought for a while until I get some answers.
The scent grew stronger and I know I was closer to the source but there was another familiar scent mixing with the rogue's. I pause and slowly went down on my stomach and crawl between some bushes and peak through the leaves. 2 rogues; a male and a female...and Langford Bennett, my Beta.
"We told you to stay out of the territory!" Langford hissed. He looked nervous as hell but why is the Beta talking with the Rogues?
The male crook his head on one side. "I thought you guys have dismissed your runners and guards from their duty tonight." the male rogue said. "Besides, we're just took a few steps into your territory, Benny so chill!"
Langford sighed but he was still worried and nervous. "What's the update?" he asked.
"Well, my men are ready for the prey. We'll take her down swiftly and no one knows she's gone." the male rogue smirk.
"Oh I hope you're right about that."
Everything came to pause when a new voice join them and it took all my will to not to gasp out loud or make a sound when Robert emerged from the trees, followed by Kael. What's the meaning of this? Why are they associate with Rogues? And why Kael is here too? He hates the rogues after what happen to father but why is he here for Goddess sake? Robert narrowed his eyes at the male rogue. "Because the last time I remember you guys let her slips away right under your nose."
"She was covered in our scent." the rogue growl in defense.
"And now is the time to fix it." Robert said and throw a black brief case at the rogue. The rogue caught it and opened it, revealing cash of money inside it. The rogue smile and nod at the female rogue beside him. She raise a bag and Robert snatched the bag from her. He unzipped the bag and I caught a smell of wolf bane flowers. So that's how he get his hands on them.
"Do not fail this again, Ivan. or our deal is off." Robert warned him. "And do not underestimate her. She's getting stronger than I thought."
Ivan laughed. "So the big bad Alpha scared to a girl. That's cute."
Robert growled at his insult. "She's Marcus's daughter and if Marcus managed to destroyed your illegal base once, it's possible for she to follow her father's footsteps and wipe you guys off from earth permanently."
Marcus. Marcus Stormrage. My father. Are they the Rogues who help Robert killed my parents that night? Are they here to kill me?
Diane growled in my head. Of course, Robert hired them to kill me. I am the Alpha's daughter and the next Alpha in-waiting. I will turn 18 in a few days and once I turned 18, I will have my title and pack back but Robert must have intended to keep the title to himself.
"I've been tapping on her stamina for so long." Robert said. "This morning she managed to frozen a boy and make them submit to her and yesterday, she was in her wolf form despite the silver bracelet is clutching her wrist." He looked at Kael instantly. "Report."
I saw Kael hesitated and trying to fight the command but Robert is the Alpha so he has no choice but to obey. "She's, she is what you say she is, sir." Kael shuttered.
"She won't be when she is sedative with wolf bane." the female rogue speak up with a smirk on her face.
Robert smiled in satisfaction. "Good. Make sure she know she's feeling what her father felt before I shot him."
I almost leap from my hiding place to claw his smirks off his face but I know I had to stay still to stay alive. But I can't let them get away with this.
As much as I want to sink my teeth into their flesh, I don't think now is the time for that, Selyen. Diane point it out. We're strong but we are also out numbered and they have wolf bane that can paralyze us.
She's right but what should I do now?
"Do what you must then." Robert said, snapping me away from my thought. "Make sure you leave her corpse where the pack members will found her dead body."
Ivan nods his head. "With pleasure."
Right then Langford stepped closer to Robert and say. "Sir, Jasper said that she's not in your house."
"What?!" He growled at his beta's face. Langford cringed back. "I, I think she took off into the woods after I gave her order, just as you instructed sir."
In lightning speed, Robert has his hand around Langford's neck and choke the life out of him. "You fool! She could have listen to everything that we spilled here!"
"No." Kael cut in. "She's at East side of the perimeter. I made contact with her, telling her there's no one at the East side."
I frowned. He didn't made contact with me. He left me at the pack's backyard right after he gave me a little advice. Is this the secret message he's try to tell me before with his eyes? Was he trying to warn me about this? How did he know about this?
Robert release Langford's neck but hold his collar. "Tell your son to order her to guard here. Now!" He pushed him and Langford took off right away. Robert looked at Ivan and the female rogue. "We take her now. Whatever happen, Selyen must die." he snarl at the last three words.
The rogues nod their heads and they all ran away in different direction but I managed to caught Kael glancing over his shoulder and looked directly at me. I don't know how he knew I was there but I held my breath and stare at him. At that moment I thought he was going to tell Robert that I was there but he keep his face emotionless as he stares at me a few second before he followed Robert.
He didn't sell us out. I don't understand.
He's giving us a chance to escape. Diane said. We have to go now.
You mean run away? I can't do that. I can't leave the pack.
I know that but our life is in danger and we can't fight them all, Selyen. We must go now! Diane ushered me and I obey. Silently, I got out from the bushes and next thing I knew I was running away from the South side, cross the town and enter the North side of the territory. I can't shift yet or they'll might sense me. So I pushed my legs further and ran faster until I reach the river. Since they want to attack me at the South side, I have to ran the opposite side and away from them.
All I need to do is cross the river and run away from this area which it also mean that I become a rogue. I don't like this, Diane. I can't leave my pack to Robert.
I don't like it either but Robert, his family, Langford and Kael are teaming up with the Rogues. We can't take them down yet. Not until we fully bloom. She said.
Kael. He's trying to save us, Diane.
She was quite for a moment. Then don't waste this chance that he has given. Diane said softly. We'll come back when we're ready. I promise.
"Selyen?"
I swirled around in flash and stand in defense mood but it was Sam, standing a few meters away from me, looking confuse. "Are you alright?"
He could be siding with Robert but all I could see in him was my potential Beta.
"Selyen, you looked...pale." he said and took a step forward but he stopped when I growl in warning. "What's wrong?"
I wish I could tell him Robert's plan and association with the Rogues but he and his family could be in danger so I turned around and leaped over the river, disconnecting our pack's bond. I watch him on the other side, looking completely shock. "Selyen! What are you doing?!" He shout in panic. Not kind of panic when you're gonna lose your prize but a kind of panic when you felt you're losing someone.
The mind link is fading so I sent my thought at him only. 'I have to go. I'm sorry.'
'Where?' he mind link back but it was like a bad reception. 'Why?'
I shook my head no, telling him that I can't tell him yet before I turned my back on him.
"Will you come back?" He shout from the other side. "Please tell me you'll come back."
I looked at him over my shoulder. 'I will.' I sent through our fading mind link. 'I promise.'
"Then, I'll wait for your return," He went down on one knee and stare at me with his green gold eyes. "Alpha Selyen." he lower his head in submit gesture.
I was stunned at his submission but what surprised me the most was when he acknowledge me as his Alpha out loud. 'Take care of the pack, my Beta.' with that I face the unclaimed land and run away from the danger that was waiting for me, run away from my home.