Feral Wolf

We jogged through the thick woods to the border where my pack warriors were doubled. When I arrived on sight, I saw that there were four rogues standing just outside my border. Three were males and one was a female.

“To what do I owe the pleasure of seeing four rogues on the edge of my territory?” I drawled out as I made my way over to stand in front of them.

The older male stepped up, he was staring at me and I snarled in warning. He immediately bared his neck and spoke.

“We mean no harm.” He started. He looked like he was a couple years younger than my father.

“Then tell me what you are doing at the edge of my territory before I lose my patience and kill you before you can utter a sound.” I growled out. The males behind him were snarling in anger. My pack warriors responded by moving closer to me.

“You have something of ours. We only came to retrieve it.” He replied calmly.

“Who?” I asked.

“You killed a rogue today and captured one. We came to retrieve the captured rogue.” He answered without hesitation. Immediately, my claws went for his neck but he kneeled in front of me and dropped his head.

“He is my son, please.” The male spoke. “He got into the wrong kind of group and stumbled onto your land. Please, if you release him I will make sure he doesn’t step foot on this land.”

“Why should I give you mercy?” I asked as I stared down at the male. The female behind him was weeping.

“If you give me my son back, I will help you in what you are fighting against.” He replied immediately. “I know what group of hunters killed your cattle.”

“How did you know that?” I narrowed my eyes.

“My name is Mathias. My family and I move around your territory. It is what keeps us safe because rogues don’t come around your border. We know what happens on the outside. It is how we survive.”

“Rogues can’t be trusted.” Isis growled out behind me. I didn’t answer her as I considered my options. My trackers were not able to find any trace of the hunters that killed the cattle. They hid their tracks well and they used masking spray to mask their scents.

“You can’t be considering this, Callie.” Isis started. I could feel her anger coming to me in waves.

“I am a rogue. Do you not trust me, Isis?” Brontes asked.

You were a rogue, Brontes. I pack-linked him. He glanced my way and his eyes glinted with an emotion that made my heart flutter.

“That is different.” Isis muttered. “There are five of them. Do you understand the severity of rogues? They are dangerous.”

My finger went under Mathias’ chin to lift his face to meet mine as I stared into his eyes, “How did you become rogues?”

“We were cast out of my pack when one of my sons slept with a mated female.” He said as I gazed into his eyes. The emotions rolling off of him told me he was not happy with his past.

“How long?” I asked.

My eyes caught a movement behind him and I saw that one of the males, whom I assume was his son, was looking behind me intensely. I heard Isis growling and I dropped my hand from Mathias’s chin to look at Isis.

“Isis?” I questioned. Her eyes were dark as she looked at the male behind me. “Is there something you want to tell me?”

“No.” She snapped and turned her back. Her shoulders were stiff. I turned back to the male. He was a big male but not as big as Brontes. When he saw Isis turned away from him, his shoulder slumped and his gaze dropped to the grassy ground.

“Mathias.” I walked back to him and crouched to the ground to meet him at eye level. “Do you want to live a life as a rogue or do you want to join a pack?”

His eyes looked at me with hope. “W-what are you saying?”

I can’t believe I was going to say this. I killed rogues mercilessly. Why was I allowing this? I have no fvcking clue.

“I am saying, I am giving you the option to join my pack but you and your family are under 24/7 watch until we can trust you. Each and every one of your family members will be assigned a warrior who will tail them around and report back to me.” I warned. “If you or any one of your family members even try to step foot off my territory, I won’t hesitate to kill.”

Mathias looked relieved. He nodded his acceptance. “I agree.”

His family approached from behind and Mathias stood as he brought each one of them over. The female was the youngest of the family. The oldest one’s name was Orion, followed by the second oldest, Leo. The daughter’s name was Helena. Orion kept throwing looks at Isis, who refused to look at him.

I waved a few guards over and asked Alecto to meet us over here as I was assigned guard. Alecto was paired up with Mathias. Leo and Helena were paired with pack warriors and then I turned to Isis.

“Isis, you are to guard Orion.” I ordered and raised my eyebrows at her as she looked at me angrily.

“No, that job can be given to a pack warrior. I have other duties to do instead of guard-”

“Enough, Izzy. I have said you are to guard Orion.” I demanded.

Isis sighed, “Fine.”

Orion was grinning when I turned to look at him. Even though Isis did not tell me, I can already see that they are mates. What I didn’t understand was why Isis was resisting. Everyone headed back to the pack house.

I stood up and Brontes came to my side. He wrapped his arm around my waist as he looked down at me. His hand cupped my cheek.

“You never fail to amaze me, Calliope. I know this was hard for you.” He whispered gently. “My merciless Alpha decides to give mercy to rogues.”

“Not every rogue went rogue because they wanted to. Someone close to me taught me that.” I murmured and he leaned down to kiss me softly on the lips.

“Calliope of mine, you are amazing.” He murmured against my lips.