Chapter seven

Derek smiled as the pretty cocoa-brown haired girl waved him secretly as she and her father walked into the hotel. They pretty much bonded and she was more comfortable around him. It was just puzzling how she looked like her.

Mira.

His dead mate.

The funny thing was that she died before they met. However, that did nothing to cure the emptiness his wolf Aylan felt. Although Mira had strawberry blonde hair, her resemblance to Sophia was uncanny. The same height, body and lips. Derek had them engraved into his memory. Even Diana was shocked. After all they were the ones who were buried her. Derek saw her corpse in the winter of his 20th birthday, her lifeless grey eyes staring back at him as she laid on the ice. She came from Mildew Pack, a pack wiped out by the recent invasion of the rogues. Derek and Diana was sent amongst other warriors was sent to clear the evidence before the humans came to interfere and find out about their existence. That's was where he saw her..

He sighed, immediately proceeding out of the driveway. His wolf, Aylan had never had any connection with any she-wolf as deep as what he felt with the brunette. It was literally love at first sight. Plus he really didn't have the chance to make more romantic connections because fast forward to six months later, Diana was raped. Guilt immediately took over as any thought which could bring him happiness washed away. Those thoughts creeped up, leaving him engulfed in the clutches of bitterness and an intense thirst of revenge for the assholes who laid their hands on her and changed her life forever.

Diana was an innocent she-wolf and was yet to even lose her virginity. Like every other girl, dreamt of the day she would find her mate. She was sweet and not catty towards everyone she met. In fact she was a cute, sweet nerd who dabbled around the painter's palette and was the happiest when surrounded by pens, papers, brushes and colours, creating masterpieces which hung up in almost every corner in her room. A little bit crazy, especially when she was drunk off her ass. But now, not even an iota of that innocent girl was left. All that was left was a revengeful, spiteful bitch who wanted justice.

By any means.

The carefully planned attacks took place once in a few months. All the Packs 's were always up as they didn't know which pack they would attack. It was however baffling to him how they managed to monitor the pack's movements and whenever there was even the slightest breach in security, they go in for the kill, intercepting their unsuspecting victims. There were even cases where they would leave their victims dead.

It was quite a relief the rogues had not penetrated into the heart of the pack, unlike Mildew, creating a large massacre as many were kidnapped, killed and as usual raped. It was so difficult hiding it from the police and nosey human reporters as their pack was located in one of the busiest places in New York. Their pack system was disoriented as humans dwelt among them- in fact it was complicated. It was just dismissed as a fight among gang members and since they did a good job on dismissing the evidence, the case was closed on lack of evidence. The witnesses were also dismissed as they had been paid and threatened to keep their mouths shut.

What Derek couldn't quite understand was why these rogues were bent on raping women. They were crazy of course, the feral look in their eyes told you that but he didn't know the purpose behind that heinous act. Rogues were far too disorganized not to be caught, they acted on their animal's instincts. The only conclusion he could come to was that someone more intelligent and most definitely not a rogue was the mastermind behind these stunts. But how would a group of rogues take in someone whom they perceived as not one of them and even let such person lead them? Derek could not get to the end of this damned labriynth.

"That's because someone of a higher authority is bringing them together."Aylan suggested. But who could it be?

****************

He slammed the door of his SUV, racing up for the staircase. Aiden would most probably be at the Packhouse gym. Only Goddess knew where the hell Diana was, he hadn't seen her since she ran off. He figured she needed some time to herself and he let her be. Passing away from the Packhouse's office, he reached the gym. The Pack's hospital was located a few meters away. It wasn't built within the restricted area as the Pack's Head doctor kept nagging the Alpha about the safety and rest of his patients as he didn't want them to be disturbed by the loud music which practically boomed around the entire estate every morning.

A strong smell of perspiration greeted his nostrils as he arrived at the gym. It was quite busy for an evening as many of the members usually came around in the mornings. Amidst the familiar scents(as he practically knew everyone who came around in the Pack house),he picked Aiden's, following it down to the self- defense compartment of the gym. He opened the door to find the room dark, his figure throwing punches on the poor punching bag whom had no choice but remain in its current situation. He stopped, steading himself against the bag, taking in deep, ragged breaths. If anything, Derek could sense frustration emitting from him as he didn't even notice he was here. He took that liberty, switching on the lights.

"So, what got you this angry? Elena givin' you problems?"Derek asked, closing the door behind him.

The blonde swiveled around to face him,a look of surprise plastered across his features, quickly replaced with a bland one."So lover boy finally decided to show up?" He said sarcastically, removing his boxing gloves.

Derek raised an eyebrow at him."What? Diana filled me in on the new lycan she-wolf who looks like Mira."

Derek clenched his hands and unclenched them.

Tattletale.

"When did she tell you?" Derek asked again, crossing his arms. "Over the telepathy link when she was supposedly looking for you yesterday around the time you guys arrived or something when you used Cenxura. Mehn, if you get caught by the Alpha, I ain't gonna but in........"

Derek smirked in response to his statement. The 'Cenxura' was a secret elixir shared among the Alpha, Beta and Gamma of the Moonwoods pack. It was made of traditional natural extracts of roots and stems of several strange magical herbs only grew by witches which when applied helped to confuse those tracking your scent from getting to you........as long as you move fast enough and in circles in other to confuse your attackers. It was of generational value as it was thought to strengthen the bond between the trio.

"I needed to get away from her. But forget about me," Derek replied, placing his hands in his pockets, walking over to where he stood. "Why are you here? The only time you remember this punching bag is when you are having issues with Elena."

Aiden sighed, his hands falling by his side as he leaned against the wall. "I found my mate."He replied, shutting his eyes.

"Oh...."

Aiden and Elena had dated for as long as Derek could remember, probably around their early teenage years. Unlike Derek, he never thought it was important to find his mate as he thought Elena was the perfect she-wolf for him.

But now hearing this........

"Why is it people do not get what the hell they deserve? He got a girl he's obsessed with and now he has a mate??"Aylan asked. Derek thought as much.

"Where did you see her?" Derek asked languidly, looking at the sandy blonde.

He huffed a sigh, blowing a few of the formerly gelled hair off his face. "Our neighbouring pack, Blackmoon, just away from the borders. I couldn't get to her, she was entangled in the midst of the crowd but..........."He trailed off.

"But what?" Derek asked, now curious.

"S-She's a rogue. And her scent is somehow familiar to the rogues who attacked us recently." He leaned against the wall, slipping to the floor. He continued like he was in some sort of daze not caring if he was here. "She was pretty with long brown fizzy hair which bounced as she walked, short but........ she was breathtaking.

Wow. Hell, he hadn't heard him talk like that about anyone ever since he met Elena. Regardless, he knew something was up.

"And your mate was just outside Blackmoons borders?" He asked surreptitiously.

"Yeah?" Aiden answered, narrowing his eyes a bit. However his head fell in between his legs, down with a leaden countenance.

"That fact is irrefutable Aiden."

"Damnit, I'm aware!! She's probably on a spy mission or something that will put hundreds of wolves and pups in danger!" Aiden yelled, getting off the floor. His brown eyes were glassy, torn with utter confusion to either yield to the mate bond designed by the Goddess herself or to relinquish the bond, continuing in utmost loyalty to his pack.

The second option sounded fair to Derek but he didn't know what he would do in his shoes. He lost his mate but he found Sophia. He was already pretty sure he would give his life in exchange for hers in a heartbeat. The worst thing compounding the whole issue was Elena, his current fiancee. The feisty black-haired girl wasn't one to mess with. She upheld a nasty fierce guise which no one but Aiden could fall in love with. Aiden swiveled around to face the turquoise -coloured stainless glass wall of the room, wiping his face though Derek knew he was cleaning away tears. No wolf of the Moonwoods pack was to be found crying. It was an abomination, ostensibly though.

Aiden pulled out a fresh T-shirt from his rucksack and put it on. Derek watched on, deciding to change the topic.

"What was the meeting about?"

"A new rape case plummeted on our laps."Aiden said with a particularly irritated tone."But at least this time they left some trails behind."

"What do we have?" Derek asked, now interested. For several years, these rape cases have been undergoing, leaving no clues. "I don't have all the details yet but the marks of the struggle left an unidentified scent but amidst the struggle, the rogue left something behind."

That was weird. The wolves were usually very careful.This rapist had been so derelict unlike the rest, leaving a bit of vantage for them."What is it?"

"It's 'somethings' actually. The rapist semen actually has DNA and..........." Aiden said, adding a bit of suspense which was making Derek flustered.

"And what, damnit?"

"She torn a piece of cloth from his arm and before he could retrieve it,border patrol was on his tail,so he receded, leaving the piece of clothing behind. A picture of this was inscribed on it." Aiden turned to his rucksack, picking a paper folded in the midst of several files and other paraphernalia. He unfolded the paper, revealing a sketch of a black wolf,a red tinge highlighted around the edge of its black eyes. It seemed so enigmatic.

"Interesting."Derek muttered, almost drawling.