#9 The Lonely Rogue

Caspian

I had two choices: fall apart as I did after Sabrina died or rally and use my rage for good. To Malcolm, Cole, and the rest of the realm, there was no choice. Finding Junie was their number one priority, mourning the fallen would come later. I knew I had no choice either, I had to follow their lead. I needed Junie back like I needed air to breathe, without her I was suffocating.

I knew she was still in the realm because I could sense her. She was somewhere far, but not so far that our connection was gone. Jess couldn’t speak to Violet, but he could tell that she was weak, probably being subdued by silver. Otherwise, she was unharmed. Deep in my gut, I had a horrible feeling about how this would end.

“Why did he take her? I mean, why didn’t he just….do it here?” Malcolm was nearly as furious as I was.

“I wasn’t here and his ultimate goal is my suffering. He took Junie to lure me to her. He’ll kill her then, and me. This is his end game, he has enough support now.” I said, guessing Cohen’s plan.

“Where are they?” Malcolm asked and I slammed my fist down on the map that covered my desk,

“I don’t know.” I growled.

Malcolm clamped his mouth shut as Cole leaned over the map. It had been two days since Junie was taken and Cole had healed enough to be helpful. He was pissed that Cohen’s men overtook him and felt guilty that, in his absence, Junie was taken and Ally was….killed. Another ten minutes passed before Cole gasped and slammed his finger down on the map,

“The cabin. He took her to the cabin.” He said and I felt my eyes widen, “Think about it. It’s been abandoned since Sabrina’s death, and it’s the perfect place to remind you of all you have lost and of Cohen’s control.” Cole said.

“You’re right and, at any rate, it’s as good a place to start as any. Let’s go.” I said, storming out of my office.

The warriors were already on standby as was Junie’s guard and Jett. Everyone wanted to come, but I needed capable warriors and patrol wolves here as well, in case Cohen’s rogues attacked again. We plowed through the Golden Woods and surrounded the cabin, using the trees as cover.

There were rogues scattered on the perimeter of the cabin, staying close to the rotting log sides and weed covered yard. One thing was for sure, my mate’s scent was all around this place. There was something different about it, though, something off that set my teeth on edge. The smell of witch was also lingering nearby and a horrible feeling curled up in the pit of my stomach.

Jess threw his head back and howled at the sky, letting everyone know that it was time to attack. Before the rogues had a chance to respond, my wolves were ripping them apart. I went for the front door, running straight through it with Cole and Jett right behind me. Jess ripped through the room, destroying anything in his path. The living room was empty, but my mate’s scent was strong here. Jess ran through the cabin, clearing every room.

In the basement, there was a cage made for a dog no bigger than a golden retriever. Jess nudged it with his nose and whimpered as the silver stung him, his whimper turned to a full on cry when we realized our mate’s scent was the strongest here. Cole’s wolf, Jenson, trotted up behind Jess and snarled at the cage. I pushed against his side with my head, urging him back up the steps.

Jett was standing in the living room in human form with a pair of sweatpants hanging loosely from his hips. He tossed two pairs of pants towards us and we took that as our que to shift.

“The cabin and woods have been cleared, all rogues killed or captured. We suffered zero losses, but Cohen and Junie are nowhere to be found.” Jett announced.

“They couldn’t have gone fair, Junie’s scent is still strong.” I said and Cole nodded in agreement,

“But, does something seem off about it to you?” Cole asked me.

“Yes. I also smelled a witch.” I replied bitterly.

“There’s something else.” I hadn’t realized Curtis joined the raid until he was walking towards me.

“Curtis?” He wasn’t one to usually leave the castle.

“Your mother hasn’t seen her friend Constance since before the attack on the castle.” Curtis said.

“Junie’s mother?” I cocked an eyebrow and earned a shocked gasp from those around me.

“Constance is Junie’s mom?” Cole was big eyed. I ignored him and looked expectantly at Curtis,

“The Queen said that Constance was acting strangely after she met Junie. She tried to comfort Constance, but she refused and left the castle. She was nowhere to be found during nor after the attack, and she hasn’t been back to the castle since. Your mother is afraid she’s somehow involved. She asked me to come along and see if she was here. She gave me an article of clothing that belonged to Constance so I could trace her scent.” Curtis explained.

“And?”

“Her scent is here.”

Cole and Jett shared a deafening growl.

“We don’t know what that means. She could’ve been taken, too.” I said,

“Your mother doesn’t think that’s the case.” Curtis said.

“Why did she tell you all of this and not me?” I asked bitterly.

“She didn’t want to distract you if it turned out to be nothing. But, she thinks that Constance is still in league with her mate. The Queen said that her friend was never the same once she returned to the realm and she always felt that something was off. She doesn’t believe Constance’s story, she doesn’t believe she abandoned her mate.” Curtis said studiously, never one for emotions or expressions of grandeur.

“Does my mother know of anywhere that Constance would go?” I asked between my teeth, barely in control of my emotions.

“One moment.” Curtis said, turning away from me to mindlink the queen.

“She said that Constance disappeared a lot when she first came back, the Queen followed her one time to make sure that her friend was okay. She was going to a house on the other side of the portal.” Curtis said, turning back around.

“Get the exact location.” I said just as Malcolm came running forward,

“Alpha Avery just called, the Cooper’s escaped. They had help from someone inside the pack.” Malcolm said, out of breath.

I snarled in frustration, slamming my fists into the wall closest to me and shattering the plaster.

“They must be meeting up with Cohen and Constance.” Cole said and I looked over at him,

“You think they’re all going to Constance’s house?” I asked and Cole nodded,

“Where else?”

“Caspian, I need a guard detail sent ahead, now.” Jett said, sounding terrified. I turned my focus on him,

“We’re all going….” I said, not understanding,

“No, sent to the bar.” He argued.

“For Viv, you want guards on Vivian. Do you think they’d go after her?” I asked as recognition dawned on me. I wasn’t the only one whose mate was at stake here.

“To get another line on Junie? They’re capable of anything, Caspian!” Jett’s eyes were wide and scared.

“Okay, okay. Mindlink Nickoli, he’ll know who to send through the portal.” I placed a calming hand on his shoulder and he let out a breath of air he’d been holding.

“Thank you.” He said before his eyes went black.

“Alright, Michael?” I yelled and he came running, “Leave a couple of guys here to guard the cabin in case they come back and a few more to escort the rogues to the Archer’s compound. The rest are coming back to the castle with me and into the human realm.” I ordered and Michael nodded obediently.

Michael started shouting out orders, but I was already shifting and running back through the woods. By the time I made it back to the castle, Cole, Jett, Michael, Curtis, the Luna’s guard, and about two dozen other wolves were with me. We didn’t bother to shift, the halls and doorways to the castle were large enough to accommodate our wolf forms, as we ran towards the portal room.

We all ran straight through the portal, not caring if there were any humans on the other side to see us. Just ahead of us, disappearing into the distance, were four more wolves running off to guard the bar. Apparently, Vivian’s parents were also there and she was right in the middle of confessing the truth of the shadow world to them. I wasn’t sure if the presence of four wolves was going to help or hinder the process, but I’m sure we would all hear about it later.

My mother gave Curtis the location and he mindlinked it to the rest of the team, so we all knew where we were going in case we got separated. It took nearly 45 minutes to reach the house, 45 minutes that crawled by at an excruciatingly slow pace. The house was nothing more than a rundown rancher sitting behind a row of trees and overgrown hedges. Once again, there were rogues guarding the house, but I noticed the absence of my mate’s scent.

Without pausing, we dove through the hedgerow and easily took on the rogues. Cohen had spread his forces out to thin, making their defenses easily overcome. Just like the last time, Jess ran over the door with Gage and Jenson. Only this time, someone was waiting for us.

Jess snarled and snapped at Cohen as he lounged lazily on the couch. He laughed at Jess, unbothered. I shifted while Gage and Jenson took up flanking positions. Cohen scoffed at my indecency, throwing a blanket in my face. I wrapped it angrily around my waist, glaring at Cohen,

“Where is my mate?”

“You seem to lose that mate of yours quite often.” Cohen chuckled.

“Where is she?” I snarled between my teeth.

“With her parents, of course. What, that doesn’t bring you any comfort?” Cohen stood up and walked towards me, Gage and Jenson following him with dangerously black eyes, “No, I suppose it wouldn’t. Not the best parents, are they?”

“You have me, let her go.” I said.

“Now, now, that’s not the plan.” Cohen clicked his tongue.

“What’s the plan, then?” I didn’t really care, but I needed to get something out of him to expose the location of my mate.

“You know the part about me pledging to take out the royal family?” He waved his hand around like he was explaining the activities of a birthday party, “Yes, of course you do. Well, part one of that plan was to break you, the king and backbone of the realm, by murdering your mate and future heir. If you wouldn’t’ve gone and got yourself another mate, we wouldn’t be in this position, now would we?”

“I wouldn’t have given up the realm no matter how much you thought you broke me.” I said, watching him as he walked lazily around the room.

“I’ve gathered many supporters over the years, as I’m sure you’ve figured out; many, many rogue packs are now under my command. Now, I would have moved onto phase three if it weren’t for you mating another Luna Queen. I mean honestly, who needs two?” Cohen laughed at himself, “Nevermind, nothing more than a slight hiccup where I get to crush you again. It’s like history is repeating itself, don’t you think?”

“No, history will not repeat itself. You won’t win this time.” I clenched and unclenched my fists at my side.

“I have already won. I have your mate again and, like before, she has your heir.” He paused in his pacing, eyeing me with a humorous gaze. I let his words sink in a moment before Jess started whining, and Gage and Jenson were looking up at me with wide eyes.

“What did you just say?” My voice was a pathetic whisper. Gage and Jenson nudged at my legs, whimpering at me with.

“It’s okay, she didn’t know she was with child, either. You can die knowing that your mate didn’t lie to you.” Cohen cackled.

With child? The words stabbed viciously at my chest.

“I’m going to kill you.” I said quietly, dangerously, threateningly. Jenson and Gage went back to threateningly growling at Cohen, slobber dripping from their jaws like they were feral dogs.

“No, you’re not. You see, I was just going to lure you to the cabin and have some fun again with your mate, kill her, and then kill you; clean my hands of the whole thing, this time. But, then the witch came and told me that our dear Queen Luna was pregnant and bang! A new idea was formed.” He shouted in excitement, “Something I’ve done before.”

“What are you talking about?” I felt Jess taking over my body, heat bubbling in my stomach and rising up through my chest.

“First, let us talk without your guard dogs.” Cohen said, sitting down on the couch and crossing his legs casually, “Or, they can stay, and Junie can die.” He pulled out his phone and cocked an eyebrow at me.

I nodded towards Gage and Jenson and, with one last deafening bark, they both left the cabin.

“And the others.” Cohen nodded towards the door. My eyes went black as I mindlinked all my pack members waiting outside, ordering them to withdraw back to the trees.

“There, I pulled them back. Now, what do you want?” I said, grinding my teeth together. Cohen motioned towards the couch across from him and I sat down on the edge of the cushion, still on high alert.

“A blood oath. You will promise the realm to me and seal it in blood, an oath even your heir will have to uphold or he will die.” Cohen said, proud of his idea.

“Why in the hell would I do that?”

“You’ll do it in exchange for the life of your mate and your unborn child. Should you refuse, they will die. Should you accept, you will die after securing the oath. Either way, you’ll never see them again.” This time, Cohen’s voice was low and dark.