"Madeline, can you bring the trays out?" Asked Paula as Madeline had just gotten down the stairs.
She heaved a sigh, "Anything for you, Paula." She went over to the counter and got the trays as Paula smiled and patted Madeline's head.
"Thank you."
Madeline walked out of the pack house and out to the backyard where they were holding the festivities. She went over to the table filled with other foods and placed the two trays she had, down beside the rest.
"Madeline," someone called out making her slightly turn her head. "Are you done packing already?"
Madeline nodded her head without looking at him. "Yes, Alpha." With her eyes glued to the job at hand, she bowed and excused herself to go back inside where the elderly ladies are still cooking and getting ready.
Madeline went back over to Paula and stood beside her, sort of leaning into Paula. "Why are we doing this again?"
Paula lightly chuckled. "It is a way for the unmated females and males to be find their soulmate, sweetheart. Every pack member has to go through it."
Madeline lowly growled and stole a cheese stick out of Paula's hands as she scolded her. "What if I already have someone in mind?" She asked as the thought of wolfy appeared in her head and bit off a piece of the stick and looked everywhere else but to Paula when she looked at Madeline with happy lit eyes.
"Oh? And who is this...someone?" She urged as she lightly nudged Madeline's side.
"Someone," She replied slowly with a small smile. She missed him so much. She wanted to go back but she knew she can't. Her Nana said it was safer to be in a pack then stay alone. She wanted to bring her to him but they had no choice but to turn the other way around.
So many rogues.
So much blood.
Nana's face flashed in her head as she took a deep slow breath and let it go. Paula's lit face turned into a worried one. "Sweetheart? Are you okay?" She turned me to look at her and caressed my face. "You're thinking about your grandmother aren't you?"
Everyone knew her story. No one was suppose to, but the Alpha, yet someone had decided to eavesdrop and spread the word. Now, whenever Madeline looked at someone, they'll give her a sympathetic look then replace it with a smile as if it'll cheer her up.
Five years, she had to endure the painful nightmare and within those five years, it was nightmare after nightmare. The only comfort she had was wolfy.
Every time she had a nightmare, Madeline would jolt awake and then go running to the nearby lake and dive in as the cold water pushes against her burning sweaty skin.
And she'll stay under water until all the blood and gore was washed away and her wolfy would appear and wrap her up like how she remember he had done.
Keeping her warm and making her feel safe and secure.
Madeline gave Paula a smile and took her hands in Madeline's. "When are we leaving?"
Paula sighed and turned back to her work. "Soon. Please go and change into the clothes that were chosen by the Luna," she said softly.
"You mean...that little red dreadful dress?" Madeline asked as she picked up a peach and dug her teeth into it.
Paula laughed, "Yes. The little red dreadful dress with black heels. That is the ceremonial dress you will wear when you get there." Madeline groaned and turned on her heels as she called out to her. "You have about an hour and a half!"
"Whatever!" Madeline sung back as she made her way up the stair and into her little room. Changing into it, she decided to at least make herself presentable for the sake of the pack.
Madeline sat on the counter of the bathroom and after the temperature for her straighter went up, she let loose her hair section by section, twisted a small section of it and pressed the straightener over.
After a good thirty minutes, she combed her fingers through the strands and out came curly hair. Madeline shuffled it a bit and then decided to put it up in a high ponytail since it was so puffy which she knew was going to annoy her later on that day.
She pulled a few strands out to cover her pierced ears and pulled at the top of her hair to have a bump at the top. Putting on a thick cover of mascara, she drew in a line of eyeliner on my bottom eyelids then scoot off the counter. She looked herself over and frowned. "Too much skin," She muttered out. The dress caught every curve on her thick body and she absolutely hated it.
Her neck was bare. Her shoulders were bare. Her LEGS were bare.
Madeline went back to her room, into her closet and pulled on the deadly black heels that the Luna graciously picked out for her. "This is not going to end well," Madeline growled out as she slipped her feet in.
After everything was done, Madeline locked her bedroom door and brought herself and her duffle bag out to the backyard where everyone was.
As she exited, all eyes moved from the Alpha to her.
"Madeline, just in time," Alpha Cole said as he motioned me over to the other unmated wolves. "Move on over."
As she walked over, all eyes watched her every move making her feel uncomfortable. Luc, Alpha Cole's son, growled making them all look away. He grabbed her bag and then pulled her close to him. Madeline bit her lip nervously as some of the she-wolves sent her deadly glares.
Alpha Cole continue to speak. "As I cannot leave the territory, Beta Roger will take my place therefore you all shall follow orders from him. If I hear that any of you have misbehaved during the travel and time there, you will be harshly punished once you return."
"If, we return you mean, Alpha," Cassy sassed out making everyone laugh.
Alpha Cole glared darkly at her and smirked. "Oh don't worry, Cassy. I'm pretty sure you won't find your mate this year...AGAIN."
Now, everyone erupted into a fit of laughter as Madeline watched with nervousness. Cassy's face went beet red from the embarrassment. Madeline looked up at Luc as he had his eyes casted down at her. "Why are you so nervous? I thought I told you already that I had you."
"What if I find my mate, Luc? I won't be yours but-"
"No," he practically growled out as he tighten his arm around her and pulled her much closer. "It won't matter if you find your mate. That's why it's called a mate chase. If your mate cannot get you in time before someone else does, you are their's and I'm planning on finding you and keeping you as mine. Do you hear me, Maddie? You're mine."
She sighed and lightly pushed him away as Madeline took her bag back. "If fate is on your side, I will be yours but there are going to be other unmated males out there who will have just as much of a chance to get me. Don't get your hopes up, Alpha Luc." She expressed his title with a low tone which he hated the most when she said it. "And don't call me that."
Madeline doesn't know when he started liking her with a deep feeling but he has made it clear over and over to the whole pack that she was his and for no one to lay their hands on her.
Alpha Cole, on the other side, still didn't trust her since she was born a rogue and still had rogue attitude in her when she was in a fit. Luna Jasmine loved her though. She had always wanted a daughter and well...Madeline came into the picture and she just "fell in love" with her at first sight.
He glowered at Madeline as he snatched her bag back. "You, WILL, be mine. I will do everything in my power to have you at the mate chase," he possessively said as he walked off angrily as everyone started heading to the tables of food and started eating.
Luna came up behind her and placed her hands on Madeline's bare shoulders, "Give him some time. He needs to realize this himself."
She looked to her with a deep frown as Luna Jasmine smiled and rubbed Madeline's arms. "Although I wish for Luc to get you and make you my daughter-in-law, I also wish for you to find your mate and find your happily ever after."
Madeline slumped her shoulders. "What if I don't want anyone?" She quietly asked as she looked to all the wolves in the huge backyard of the pack house. "Not only that...Who would want a rogue turned pack member as their mate?"
"Luc will," she said with a warm smile as someone had called for her. She nodded and waved her hand so she could continue to talk to Madeline. Luna dragged her back inside and sat her down on the couch. She sat in front of Madeline with her hands in her small boney ones.
"At least try, Madeline. Most of every unmated wolf out there is desperate to find their other halves. As you already know, some wolves have been going there over and over just to find them."
Luna leaned in as Madeline hung her head in defeat. "And just a heads up, anyone and everyone will do anything to get the girl they want. Some would get seriously wounded in a fight over her."
I whimpered, "What?"
Luna nodded. "Like my son had said...he will do anything for you. And like you said, everyone has the same chance as he."
Madeline bit her lip and pulled her hands away. She stood up and took a deep breath. "I don't want anyone to get hurt over me though," She desperately said as she was on the verge of tears. "Oh, God, Nana. You didn't tell me this!" She exclaimed silently as she covered my face.
"Sweetheart," Luna softly cooed as she took Madeline's hands again. "It will be fine." Her eyes shown of great sadness as Madeline stared back fearfully, worriedly, and stressfully.
She just nodded her head and walked away from Luna Jasmine. "You're right. It'll be fine," I said trying to convince my pessimistic head. "Perfectly fine."
When we got to the place where they were holding the chase, females and males were immediately separated so that there were no chance of finding ones mate right away.
As our female instructor told us the rule of staying on our side of the building, we all headed up to our rooms.
"Butterfly!" Beta Roger called out to her as she stopped and turned to look at him.
"Yes, Beta?"
He looked her over, "Are you going to be okay?"
Madeline shook her head but smiled nonetheless to keep him from worrying. "When have I ever been okay, Beta?"
Beta Roger chuckled then patted her head. "If anything, link up okay?"
She nodded as he waved and stalked off. She turned back around with a deep sigh and entered the building full of females that were looking at each other as if they were ready to kill if they didn't get who they wanted. Madeline was then roughly shoved into the wall as Cassy and her girls ganged up on her. "You better hide yourself well, rogue," she spat in her face as Madeline cowered back as much as possible.
The other girls snickered and crossed their arms as Cassy kept up with her threat. "Alpha Cole had already told me that if Luc does not find his mate or get you, that he will arrange a marriage between me and him to become mates. So don't you go for a second thinking that Luc will be yours."
"But, I never said he was," She quietly argued as she kept her eyes glued to the ground.
Her head then was snapped to the right. Hard. "You didn't have to, rogue bitch. Just stay hidden and far away, you hear me?!"
Madeline saw her raise her hand again and waited for the impact of her hit until the female instructor's voice boomed loudly. "I will not allow violence amongst these halls!"
Everyone stopped and now stared at us. Madeline backed away even more as she bit her trembling lip. "You're nothing but an instructor, why don't you go back to your rule book and read like a nerd you are," Cassy shot back as her girls snickered and laughed obnoxiously.
"Cassy Thorn. Fits you just right," the instructor said with a felt smirk. "You sure are a thorn."
The hall erupted into a fit of laughter as Cassy spoke once it died down. "Who the hell do you think you are?!"
"Glad you asked. But for someone who has been here more than once, I had assumed you would remember." Everyone laughed again. "I am Olivia Oliver, Elder of the Council and, your, superior," she confidently said as Madeline slowly raised her gaze to look.
The woman looked really young and had a dark look in her eyes that challenged anyone to question her. Just as that of an Alpha. Her curly shoulder length hair was nicely done and pushed to one side.
Cassy and her gang gasped and took a startled step back. Elder Olivia hovered over Cassy and smirked, "I will be reporting this little incident back to Beta Roger and hope that you get a horrible punishment for such violent and disrespectful acts. And as for Miss Madeline Likisis," she looked to Madeline with a warm smile as she walked over to her. "You will no longer be going to your room. Instead, you will be occupying the suite that these six girls were going to be using."
She shook her head, "No! It's okay. I'll just-"
She raised her hand as Madeline stopped immediately and hung her head. "You will follow this order, Madeline. Please take your bag and go to the top floor of this building to room 344S. Someone will be outside to give you the key."
She lifted her head again and pleaded to her through her brown eyes as Elder Olivia continued to smile, moved aside and extended her hand to show her the elevator. "Go," she said softly as Madeline could do nothing but oblige.
As she clicked the up button and entered, she heard Elder Olivia scold the six girls menacingly, "Even for a rogue like Madeline, she knows how to show respect and follow orders."
Madeline deeply frowned and felt like the whole world was on her shoulders. Now, she have officially changed her mind and hope to the goddess that she finds her mate so she won't have to endure their torture once they get back. If, they get back that is.
She whimpered and bit her lip. "Oh dear goddess, please be on my good side," Madeline whispered as she whimpered again.
That night she couldn't sleep although she was exhausted from the ceremonial introduction they had gone through for the females. Who knew it would be this tiring? A sudden knock at the door made her get out of bed and open it.
Opening it slowly, standing behind it was Elder Oliver with a warm smile. "May I come in?" She asked politely as she quickly nodded and opened it wider.
"Of course! Come in," She said as she nodded and moved aside.
Closing the door softly, Madeline walked in front of Elder Olivia as she stood there with a binder in her hands. "How may I help you tonight, Elder Olivia?" She said in a small voice as she walked over to the couch and motioned for her to sit.
She hesitated and slowly made her way over. Madeline looked to her nervously. She soon began to speak in a soft low voice, "I have told Beta Roger of the incident and he wasn't happy one bit. Have they always ganged up on you like that when you entered the Blood Rose pack?"
She swallowed hard and hung her head. "They...they didn't care at first until Alpha Cole's son, Alpha Luc, started taking interest in me." She felt her whole world fall as it stayed silent for who knows how long. "I tend to just stay in my room or hide somewhere during pack activities. I only show up when called upon or when directed to train with the other pack members." She quickly looked up at her and then darted her eyes back to the ground.
"Staying away means I don't get threatened like today. It was the first in a long time that they would do it since Alpha Cole and Luna Jasmine ordered everyone to keep away once I had came back to the pack house with bruises all over me. I was only eleven then and had just shifted."
"So you're a late bloomer?" She said as Madeline looked up at her. Elder Olivia held on a warm expression as Madeline smiled and nodded.
"Yes, Ma'am," She replied as Elder Olivia chuckled.
"You're quiet honest, Madeline. I am impressed and would like to know you on a more personal level like that of your Luna. It seems I don't have to worry much except to the fact that those six girls had got on my bad side."
Elder Olivia stood up as Madeline did the same. She walked her to the door as she turned around and gently placed her hand on Madeline's shoulder, "I will be waiting to see who your mate is, Madeline. Whoever he may be, is one lucky bastard."
Madeline looked at her shocked as she laughed. "Have a good night's rest, sweetheart. Tomorrow is the big day. I hope you the best."
She exited the suite as Madeline locked the door after her. She walked back to her bed and got under the covers and just as she was settled in, Beta Roger linked up with her.
I don't know if I should tell Luc about this incident. He said dumbfounded making her chuckle.
I think it's best we keep it on the low. I don't need an angry Alpha ripping his room apart. You can tell him when this is all over and done with.