02

Grandmother is not part of a pack ; she is very independent. She would tell me that you do not need a pack, all you need is a mate. She said this when I was around ten years old, so I did not understand the need of a mate. Evidently, I barely knew what one was. The thought of having a soul mate frightened me a little, but then grandmother would tell me stories about her mate, my grandfather. He died fighting in some attack, back when grandmother was not a grandmother. She would tell me about their dates, when they first met, and a heaping of other romantic things. Attacks seem to drive many of us apart.

She was quiet after he died. She was quiet for awhile.

« Hey, what are you doing on Tate land ! » An authorized voice tears me from my thoughts.

My gaze swiftly shoots up to be greeted by a man’s intense one. He is tall and muscular, built like a warrior of another time. His light blonde hair gently moves with the cool breeze of afternoon air. The man’s skin is lightly tanned like he has spent days working in the sun. The man is not old, and if I had to guess I would say he is about twenty-three, which is specific. Getting a powerful feeling from him, I believe him to be important.

« Hey, I’m talking to you ! » He hollers at me again, becoming irked.

What do I say ?

I don’t know. Who is this guy ? Why does he think he is so much stronger than us ? My wolf growls.

Rolling my eyes, I let out a small laugh. My wolf is the complete opposite of me, yet the Moon Goddess paired us together, so I suppose opposites do attract. Why she thinks us to be so strong is beside me.

« Look, Rogue, I don’t have time for this, » the guy says and crosses his arms over his chest. « You’re coming with me. » This time when he speaks, it sounds much more aggravated. Swiftly, he reaches for my arm, but thankfully I have time to jump back. My heart starts beating a little faster, and from panic and anxiety, my legs turn to jelly.

What’s happening ? Why does this man want to take us ? Why did he call us Rogue ? I panic.

Well, apparently we did cross on his land.

His land, why does he have his own land ? I question dumbly.

Evangeline, it’s a packs land, and to be specific, he said Tate pack land, my Wolf explains in a rush.

Before I know it, I am being snatched at again, but this time I cannot get away in time.

« I’m s-sorry ! I don’t understand ! Please just let go of me ! » I cry out, completely confused, but he does not let go of my arm. Instead, he continues to drag me through the trees, further from home. I try hitting him, begging him, and I even start to cry from fear of the unknown.

Evangeline, calm down, or he’s going to kill us, my wolf yells at me.

Kill me ! But I didn’t mean to cross on his land !

« Where are you taking me ? »

« To the Alpha. » His voice is firm and emotionless as if he knows this is not going to end well for me, and I believe him.

The man continues to drag me, and I happen to notice a small building through the trees. Behind it, I can almost make out other buildings, almost like houses. As I come closer towards the dreary, dim place, I notice two people standing on the outside by the door ; maybe they are guarding it.

« Found a rogue while checking the perimeters ? » One of the men guarding the doorway asks, not very amused. « Why bring it back ? »

The man, dragging me, nods. « It was giving me a hard time. »

It ! We are not an it ! My wolf riles up within me.

« I was going to keep it in a cell until I get orders from the Alpha, you know, what he wants to do about it. » The man’s tone is bored as if he deals with this kind of nonsense every day. Locking innocent people in cages, how barbaric.

« Go on in. » The guard motions to the doorway.

The man abruptly yanks me into the brick building. The inside is dark with a horrid smell, possibly rotting flesh, reeking throughout the room. There are rows of cells with black bars vertically caging in whatever they hide.

We come to a halt in front of one cell, and with a thin strip of light trickling into the cold space, I see the rest to be empty. Suddenly, his two large hands push me inside. Before I can comprehend what is happening, the door is slid shut with a clicking noise to top off the unreasonable action. My eyes grow full, and I rush to the black bars. As soon as my bare hands touch the metal, a stinging, burning sensation sears me. Hissing in pain, I peer down at my singed palms.

« Oh, I wouldn’t touch the bars, they’re made of silver. Don’t let the color trick you ! » The man calls from where we came, on his way out.

We have to get out of here ! My wolf frantically panics.

Oh really ? You think we should ? I seethe at her sarcastically. I take a deep breath to calm down. Sorry, I’m just scared.

I am torn from my thoughts by a sudden movement in the far corner of the cell. It is too shadowy and dark to tell if anyone is there, so I stand up straight, trying to find any ounce of courage I may have. « Hello ? »

« Help… me, » a quiet voice says back. It is feminine and weak as if she has been sitting in here for decades. Immediately, I rush into the darkness and try to feel around for anything. Then a hand lightly touches mine, and I grab it.

« I’m going to pull you where it’s lighter okay ? »

I warn the person, but I get no answer. What if she is dying ? I do not think twice before pulling her where the light shines through the small window in the hallway.

When I look down, I see a girl maybe a few years older than me. I gasp when my eyes reach her leg. There is an enormous gash in it, and it is most likely infected. Dirt from the floor covers her face, and there are small cuts and bruises all over her body. The clothes she is wearing are all tattered and stained with blood.

« Oh gosh ! What happened to you ? »

Her head slowly turns towards me and her dull eyes stare into mine. « I-I was trying to get home, bu-but I accidentally c-crossed on a territory. » She breathes out. Her voice is dry and hoarse, and I know she must be dying for a drink.

« But your leg ? »

« They attacked m-me. » Her head moves back onto its side, and the girl takes in a small breath. I peer back down at her leg, and it looks to be bleeding.

I quickly take off my jacket and wrap it around her leg. I try to tie it the best that I can to stop the blood from seeping out.

« Thank you, » she mumbles.

« I wish I could do more, but, » I look around the cell, » there is not much in here. How long have you been in here ? »

« I’m not sure, m-maybe a couple of days. »

Who could be this cruel ? Trapping people in cells until they rot. What kind of land have I stumbled onto ?

After a while of sitting in silence, exhaustion starts to come over me, but I have nowhere to sleep but the cold, cement floor. « Goodnight, » I say to the girl, yet her eyes are already closed. I do not get any answer, so I assume she must be asleep.

I sigh and turn on my back, looking up at the blank, gray ceiling.

Don’t worry we’ll get out of here, my wolf says.

I sure hope so, I say back then close my eyes, hoping this is all a cruel nightmare. Please, let me wake up in my bed, let me wake up at home where I am safe. I sure hope so.

I am jolted awake by the sounds of many footsteps hitting the cement floors. I push myself from the cold, hard ground and yawn. My body aches and my bones are chilled—it was like sleeping in a freezer, a dusty, potent freezer meant to hold dead bodies. This entire building feels like a death chamber.

I glance at the other girl in the cell ; she seems to be still sleeping.

My hands run down my face, and when I look at my palms, there are thin streaks of dirt on them. I am thirsty. My mouth is like a desert that has not seen rain in years. I wonder what grandmother is doing, what she is thinking, if she is panicking—hopefully, she does not have a heart attack. I just need to get back to her.

The footsteps grow louder until the man from yesterday stops in front of the bars of the cell. A glare hardens on my face as he opens the door and motions for me to go with him. It would not be smart of me to refuse. I glance back at the girl. I do not want to leave her, but I will find a way to get her out too. I struggle to my feet with a sore back and trudge towards the man. He shuts and locks the door after I am out.

« Do I have to drag you, or can you obediently follow ? Well, if you tried to run, I would have to kill you, » he says. I nervously nod my head and follow him out of the brick building. When the sun hits me I am blinded, my eyes burning from the sudden light. I rub them until it does not sting to have them open. « This way, » the man orders.