Alexander’s POV
“This doesn’t seem right,” my father muttered, pacing up and down the border of the Silver Lake pack. “The rogues should have been here hours ago. What is keeping them? Are you sure you heard it right? Is it tonight?”
“I am sure of what I heard, father,” I said. “Maybe we have the location wrong.”
We all started to become frustrated. We had been there for over two hours, running down no man’s land between the two pack boundaries to see if we could stop the attack.
The only exciting thing that happened earlier was a pair of vampires that crossed through.
“This is the only pack that is bordering close enough to the other to be able to pull off two attacks at once,” my father said.
“Maybe Axel had a change of plans,” Luke said, pulling his hands through his blond hair. He seemed a bit anxious about something, but I wasn’t sure what. When I asked him about it earlier, he just told me his wolf was on edge, as if something was about to happen.
“Or…” blood drained my face, thinking of the possibility that this was just a diversion. What if Axel knew we were eavesdropping on their conversation?
Did he scent us?
“Our scent was hidden.” Ghost yapped, listening in on my thoughts.
“Maybe he heard us?”
“You were mind-linking,” he growled. “There is no way he could hear your thoughts!”
Luke came closer, furrowed his eyebrows, and placed his hand on my shoulder.
“What are you thinking?” He asked, feeling the tension growing in me.
“What if there was no planned attack?” I said. “What if this is…”
“Your mate is in danger.” A gentle, sweet voice came from behind us, and my gaze snapped in the direction of the sound.
“Who goes there?” My father called out, extending his claws and canines.
A girl, around 5’1, slowly emerged from the darker side of the forest. Her clothes were ragged, and her light brown hair was dirty and full of debris, yet she had warm brown eyes and looked decently fed and fit.
“Rogue!” Ghost growled.
“Impossible,” I argued. “There is no way she could be a rogue. Look at her! She is fit and well-fed.”
“Take a whiff of her scent!” Ghost snapped.
I lifted my nose in the air, taking a whiff of the surrounding air. The smell of rogue clearly surrounded her, yet I could smell something else underneath the stench.
Luke tensed up beside me, releasing his grip on my shoulder. His eyes were fixed on the girl who was a few feet away.
“Evening Alpha Cole,” the girl said, looking at my father as she came closer. She slowly passed him, making sure not to make any sudden movements to tick his wolf off.
When she was sure my father wouldn’t do anything, she turned her attention to me.
“Evening Alpha Alexander,” she said, coming to a stop a couple of feet away.
“Mate!” Luke muttered under his breath next to me, and the girl’s gaze snapped toward him.
Her face twisted in agony, as if that single word was causing her some kind of pain.
Luke strode toward her, prepared to seize her, but the girl pulled back, stepping back a few paces, raising her hands, and making motions for Luke to stop and refrain from approaching her.
Luke whimpered at the rejection and froze, bewildered, in his place with his eyebrows knitted. He was at a loss as to why she was acting that way.
The girl let out a visible sigh and inhaled deeply.
“Yes,” she replied, recognizing Luke as her mate, but her voice was apprehensive and wary.
Was she scared of Luke?
“Luke will not hurt you,” I said, trying to put the girl at ease. “What is your name, and how do you know us?”
She nodded, turning her gaze back to me.
“My name is Lula,” she said. “Your mate is in danger.”
Why was she ignoring my question?
“Whose mate?” My father asked, coming to my side.
“The young prince’s mother,” Lula said.
“Who took her?” I sneered, feeling my blood start boiling in my veins.
“The one who gave the order to attack these packs,” she said. “The members have been taken before sunset.”
I couldn’t believe that Axel would just change his plans. Someone must have told him, but who? Who would do such a thing? Who would betray the werewolf species?
Or did I have it all wrong?
“Where did they take Emily?” I growled, reaching the boiling point. I was about to lose my temper! “What is his name? How do you know about this?”
The girl hesitated, taking a quick step back as I partly shifted.
“She is a guard,” Luke said, his facial expression unreadable.
“Guard, if what?” I snapped.
“She is one of them,” Luke said. “She is part of Lex’s Elite Guardsmen.”
“Like Sasha?” My father gasped, his eyes wide. “How many have been chosen?”
“Yes, like Sasha,” Luke said, looking toward my father. “Lex said he was waiting for five pairs. Lula was tasked with penetrating the rogue pack and acting as one of them. She has been following the rogue attacks for a while now.”
“Who gave her the instructions?” I roared.
“Mother Moon,” Lula answered. “She sent me to keep an eye on them.”
I shook my head in disbelief.
“Why would the goddess send a rogue?” I snapped. “If she is part of the attacks, I have the right to have her punished!”
“She is no rogue,” Luke said, stepping in between us. “She cut ties with her pack to join them. She had no other choice in the matter.”
“Luke,” I growled. “She had been part of the attacks! Think of your sister. She could be the one who took her!”
“She already told me that my sister is safe,” Luke said. “She will tell us everything, but now we really need to get away. Luna Emily is in trouble!”
I turned my gaze to my father, and in return, he gave me a nod of the head.
“Let her talk,” he said. “She might have critical information.”
“Luke!” I hissed. “If this is some kind of trap, I will kill her myself and strip you of your beta position!”
“As you wish, my Alpha. I will not stand in your way when the time comes,” he said, turning to look back at his mate. “Do what you must, but give my mate a fair and equal chance. We have lots to discuss.”
Was the rogue telling the truth?
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