#9 The Lonely Rogue

Junie

“You’re coming with us, your highness.” A voice sneered, interrupted by the snarls and growls of Cole’s wolf, Jenson, standing in front of me. Ally was beside me with Luke transformed in front of her.

“No!” Ally shrieked, “She’s not going anywhere with you, Cohen!” I blinked in shock as she named the stranger. He was much younger when I last saw him, and it was only a glance then.

“I didn’t come here to kill anyone close to Caspian today, but I can always change my mind.” Cohen said bitterly, looking towards Ally.

Luke lunged towards Cohen then, but was cut off by three rogue wolves. They snapped and growled at each other, swiping with their beefy claws and biting with their large canines. Luke managed to take out one of the rogues, but was doubled teamed by the remaining two. The larger rogue snapped at Luke’s jugular, clamping his jaw powerfully around it and ending his life swiftly. Ally shrieked and pulled something out of her pocket, branding it in the rogues’ faces. It was a knife.

“Oh, so much fire. So much more than that first mate of Caspian’s,” Cohen laughed grievously, “What of you? Are you made of more stuff than her?” He asked, looking at me.

“You’re dying.” I replied simply, “You just don’t know it yet.”

“What’s that?” Cohen chuckled.

“Caspian will kill you and he will make it slow, painful, and I, the only one who can, will not stop him.” I kept my voice even.

“It’s been seven years and your precious Caspian hasn’t managed to get me, yet.” Cohen said, “Take her.” He nodded towards his rogues who ascended on me.

“Ally, no!” I shouted as Ally stabbed at them with her knife. She managed to kill off two rogues and stab another before Cohen grabbed her and removed the knife.

“You have his eyes, it’s disgusting.” Cohen said as he grabbed her face and leveled it with his, “So much life. Let’s fix that, shall we?” He said just as he glided the knife across her throat.

“No!” I cried, tripping over my feet to get to her. Jenson sprang to action at the same time.

Cohen’s rogues grabbed me and hit me over the head with something. I hit the ground like a sack of potatoes, my eyes leveling with Ally’s as a pool of blood surrounded her. Her lifeless expression was the last thing I saw and Jenson’s cries of pain were the last thing I heard before darkness took me.

I groaned, blinking against the pain in my head as I started to come to. I brought my hand to my head and came away with congealing blood. I sat up and my head spun, my stomach threatening to churn up my last meal. I winced as the memories came flooding back to me.

It wasn’t a dream, Ally and Luke were dead and Cohen’s men had taken me. I felt tears well up in my eyes before the sound of footsteps echoed off the concrete floors. I looked around, I was in a basement inside what seemed like a large dog crate, it was just tall enough for me to sit up in but I couldn’t stand.

“Awh, there she is.” A sickening voice said as a figure appeared in front of the crate. I looked up and recognized Cohen.

“What do you want?” I grumbled.

“For Caspian to suffer.” Cohen shrugged.

“Hasn’t he suffered enough because of you?”

“Apparently not or he wouldn’t have taken you as his mate. If he had suffered enough, he wouldn’t be experiencing any sort of happiness at all. This time, I shall make him wonder where you are, what has happened to you, before killing you.” Cohen said.

“Caspian will find me and he will kill you. He won’t be unprepared this time.” I said,

I felt the power of our matebond pounding through me and I reached out with it, calling to Caspian. I felt the distance straining us so I knew I wasn’t close by, but still inside the realm. We were too far away for our wolves to communicate through mindlink, but he would at least sense that I was alive and okay.

“Oh, I’m counting on him finding you.” Cohen smirked, kicking the cage once and making it rattle against me. I gasped as the cold metal dug into my shins. Cohen’s laughter lingered as he left the basement.

“Well this sucks.” Violet scoffed.

“Helpful, Violet, thank you. Why don’t you shift and get us out of here?” I said in a snarky tone.

“The cage is silver, I can’t.” She said, “Don’t worry, Caspian will come.”

“I know he will, but I don’t really want to wait around for him.” I sighed.

“I need to sleep, the silver is….” Her voice faded away.

I kicked the cage over and over again, but the door wouldn’t budge. Neither would the cage, it was bolted down to the ground. My hand fit through the bars of the cage, but the silver burned my skin. I gritted my teeth against the pain as I felt around outside for something to help me escape; it was pitch black and I couldn’t see anything. I gasped and yanked my arm back, clutching it to my chest as I whimpered in pain.

“Can you please shut up!” A female voice shouted as light flickered around the room.

A person entered with a flashlight and shined the light right in my face. I blinked a few times, trying to clear my vision. I started to feel dizzy, whether from the concussion or the sight of my mother standing in front of me, I wasn’t sure which.

“I shouldn’t be surprised…..I’m stupid for ever thinking you were anything but what you are: a monster!” I snarled, lunging forward in the cage and towards Constance. I bounced off the silver door and hissed in pain.

“I never left Corbin,” She laughed, “I was sent to the realm to lay and wait. I was chosen by Cohen to be his inside wolf.” She smirked proudly.

“You weren’t chosen. You were his only option.” I barked.

“Not anyone could fool the queen and the new king.” Constance boosted.

“By fooling them you mean making them believe that you were a horrible mother?” I said,

“Psh, they didn’t even know you existed. They just thought I was a battered woman.” She laughed bitterly, “My only regret is ever having you in the first place. You were an accident,you know? It was just supposed to be Reid to keep the blood oath alive; maybe another son as a spare. The ultrasound said you were a boy, but you were born a girl.”

“And if the ultrasound showed I was a girl? You would have, what, killed me?” I already knew the answer, so I wasn’t quite sure why I asked the question.

“Oh, yes.” She nodded without a hint of remorse, “I wanted to kill you when you were born, but Cohen sent me away instead.”

Ouch.

“Cohen honestly thinks he can end the royal family so easily?” I scoffed, ignoring my own emotions stirring from somewhere deep inside me.

“He waited and gathered support. He’ll lure Caspian here with you, then kill you while he watches. Then, he’ll kill Caspian and use his rogues to take over the realm.” She said,

“What about Malcolm? He won’t let that happen.”

“He’ll die too, just like his sister and brother. They will all be reunited with their father, and their mother and grandmother will follow soon thereafter.” Constance easily spilled the entire plan to me.

“His father? Is Cohen responsible for his father’s death, as well?”

“Oh no, that honor belongs to your grandfather. Reagan Cooper killed the king.” She cackled. I felt my eyes widen and my jaw drop, I had no response for a long moment.

“But, Reid said….” I stammered,

“Everything Reid told you is true. Reagan grew weak and wanted out, so Cohen killed him. Reagon killed the king before he met Betty.”

“Constance, what are you doing?” Cohen spit, grabbing Constance by the arm and yanking her away from the cage.

“Just telling the girl how little she knows about the greater plan.” Constance was swooning over Cohen and I resisted the urge to vomit.

“You were told not to speak with her.” Cohen frowned.

“Don’t you trust me?” Constance said with a pair of goo goo eyes.

“I’ve never trusted you and I certainly don’t trust you around her.” Cohen said, forcing Constance away and glaring at me.

Eventually, I was alone again. I leaned back in the cage and grumbled to myself. Of course my mother was involved, why wouldn’t she be? And of course my grandfather killed Caspian’s father. Honestly, nothing surprises me anymore.

After what felt like hours, two men came downstairs and stood on either side of the cage I was in. I asked them what was going on, but they stayed silent. I grumbled and gave up, until the sound of women’s shoes clattered down the steps. Three distinct figures stood in front of the cage, cackling as they looked down on me.

“Now, this is where you belong.” The blonde, the first one I met all those days ago, Maggie James, sneered.

“Oh my darling, not so high and mighty now, are we?” Ruth’s red painted lips curled over her white teeth.

“This is her? I don’t see what all the fuss is about.” The third girl, who I hadn’t seen before, said. She had short, flat black hair and sharp dark colored eyes.

“How rude of us? Introductions, of course. This is Amelia.” Maggie James said, snickering.

“I don’t care who you are.” I snarled.

“Yes, yes, we know you think of us as just whores. But, where were you on all of the king’s lonely nights?” Maggie James said,

“We were promised a stylish lifestyle as the heir bearers, and now we have nothing, thanks to you!” Amelia sneered.

“You were never going to be his Luna or the Queen.” I snapped.

“We know that, who wants that kind of stress anyway?” Ruth waved her hand dismissively.

“Girls, let’s go!” Cohen yelled down the steps.

Maggie James, Ruth, and Amelia looked at each other nervously before nodding towards the men who stood on either side of the cage. One of the men yanked me out of the cage, dragging me up the steps with the other guy’s help. I discovered that I was being kept in a cabin inside the Golden Woods.

“Do you know where we are?” Cohen asked from where he was lounging on the couch.

The rogues shoved me down in the chair across from him. The mistresses hovered around Cohen like they were his lap dogs.

“No.” I mumbled.

“We’re in a cabin that used to be owned by Caspian’s family. Right out there is where I killed his mate and unborn child.” He smirked, pointing out the front door.

“You knew she was pregnant?” I asked, wide eyed.

“Yes, that’s what I was waiting for to move against them. The something that would break the king completely; it had to be more than just losing his mate.” Cohen replied casually.

“You sick bastard.” I spat.

“And this is where you will die.” He continued as if I hadn’t spoken.

“I’m not afraid of dying.” I glared at him.

“You aren’t, are you? Brave little thing you’ve become. You know, I met you a few times as a child. It’s a shame you turned out so whiny, you could’ve been an asset to our cause.” Cohen observed me with a stoic expression.

“I thought girls were useless?” I replied bitterly,

“Generally, they are. But, I’ve come to learn that they can have some uses. Constance, for instance, has done her part well; infiltrating the kingdom and giving us valuable information. Then there’s my great-granddaughter, Brittney. A bitchy thing, but very moldable.” He replied thoughtfully. Amelia, Maggie James, and Ruth whined behind him, “Oh, and these three, of course. Giving me all the insider information on you and the king, along with access to the castle once Caspian left.”

“I would never have joined you!” I snapped, not even bothering to mention how disloyal and traitorous his female companions were.

“Oh, I know, that’s why I never asked nor did I have Corbin mentor you.” Cohen smirked, “I can’t thank the Moon Goddess enough for making you Caspian’s mate, however. It’s worked out so well in my favor.”

“Has it?” I frowned and tried to sound bored.

“Oh, of course. You’ve given Caspian another weakness.” Cohen laughed.

“A weakness? You’re an idiot if you think the matebond is a weakness.” I stated and Cohen cocked his eyebrow at me.

“How charming.” He snorted but I wouldn’t let him bait me.

“If you had a mate you would know that I am not Caspian’s weakness, I am his greatest strength. I make Caspian stronger.”

“How little you know. I did have a mate, you foolish wolf, and I killed her the same day I met her. I wouldn’t allow her to be used against me as you are being used now, as a bargaining chip.” Cohen said with humor in his eyes, and a touch of something else.

“You’re despicable. Your mate could have saved you.” I yelled in his face.

“Mates only ruin us.” Cohen said and that same emotion I couldn’t name clouded his face.

A lady who smelled of incense and herbal tea, the distinct smell of a witch, entered the cabin then with her cat eyes narrowed on me. Without speaking, she walked up to me and placed her hand on my stomach.

“Excuse me?” I hissed, leaning away from her. One of the rogues grabbed my arm and kept me still.

“Don’t move.” Cohen demanded, watching the interaction carefully. I glared at the witch as her eyes began to glow and her hair blew in some sort of invisible wind.

“Awh, as you suspected, my Lord,” The witch said, “The girl is with child.”