Chapter 7: Lance

The scent of roses still lingered, cloaking my body like a comforting blanket. It's the only buffer I had against the murderous thoughts running in my head because fuck me... those damned wounds...

I kept repeating my meeting with my mate as I lay on my bed. I purposely snuck out in the middle of the night, hoping to find where she was staying. When my wolf felt her presence near the garden balcony, I stayed until the bond led her to me.

It took all my control to stop my wolf from ravaging her right then and there. We were feeling equally betrayed and desperate, a yearning so painful it rivalled the one I've always harboured in my heart. Even in her bed-rumpled state, my mate looked oh-so-fucking delectable.

And then I saw the welts, and all lustful thoughts went out the window.

I swear when I saw that bastard Adrian again, I would strangle him with my bare hands. I would take great pleasure in seeing his black and blue face under me, the light in his eyes dimming as I exact his judgment.

No one— absolutely no one— hurts my mate and lives.

But I needed to play the long game here. Adrian fucking Galway was a cunning alpha. Dastardly, yes, but still clever and conniving. I had to be careful if I wanted to take my mate from him without any repercussions. I needed a plan, a good one.

My scheming mind kept me up most of the night until exhaustion finally drove my body to sleep.

***

The bright shine of sunlight from the open window woke me up. With groggy eyes and an even groggier body, I got up from the bed to close the offending window and block out the light. I looked around my room and noted the bare but practical furnishings. It just had a bed, a set of tables and chairs, and a dressing. Opposite me was another door leading to the bathroom, and then there was another one in the corner that opened outside.

Tools didn't need personalized belongings, it seemed, although having my own private space was nice. This was a good upgrade from the abandoned warehouses and forest camps I usually stayed in.

I quickly bathed and put on fresh clothes, then headed out of my room in search of my ward.

Outside, shifters were already up and running about. The Galway Pack seemed to be a well-oiled machine, each cog trained and turning to perform their duties. Despite my sordid reputation, only a few batted an eye when I walked through the busy crowd. They chose to mind their responsibilities rather than spend their precious time worrying about what I might do. That observation made me think how bad Adrian was as a Pack Alpha when most were more afraid of him than me.

My room was in one of the pack houses surrounding the main mansion. The main mansion was built in the compound's center, where the event was held last night, and I met my mate. As I reached its front doors, a figure emerged from the shadows.

The man had ashy blonde hair and freckles on his tanned face. His eyes were a mismatch of colors, grey and blue. He had a boyish grin as he waved at me to come over. Overall, he was exuding a preppy energy.

"The rogue wolf, right? Right?"

Too much preppy energy. The man was practically bouncing on his heels when I reached him.

"Connor. Connor Galway. Nice to meet you!" He almost shouted at my face, his hand extended for a shake.

I looked at it pointedly, then dug my hands deeper into my pants pockets. Connor looked unperturbed by the rejection. He just shrugged and continued grinning.

I stared at him.

He stared back at me.

And we looked at each other for some time before I realized he was probably waiting for me to tell him my name.

Fuck social interactions.

"Right. Just call me Rogue," I replied at last. He nodded, satisfied with my answer. He then turned around so fast that I got whiplash from the movement.

"Right, right. Follow me!" He screamed. Again.

I sighed and followed the overexcited puppy.

The mansion was less busy than last night, although I never had the chance to explore its winding halls, given my previous... predicament. Nevertheless, it's safe to say that its interior was as lavish as the ballroom floor where the bastards had dragged me like a freshly caught fish. Or according to them: a pig. Ha, fuckers.

Connor, to his credit, was a better host. My reputation didn't deter him from giving me a "full" tour of the premises, his eager voice and skipping steps filling the halls. We might've gotten a few suspicious glances, but he ignored it. Oddly, he wasn't scared of me, though it was a refreshing change. Either he's too dense to be even scared or just thick-skinned. I had a feeling it was the former.

We reached the gazebo that opened to the garden, which I could view from the balcony last night. Again, the image of my mate's wounds flashed in my mind, and I swallowed the snarl that bubbled up my throat.

"—outdoor parties and, and, stuff, but the Pack Alpha usually leaves this place—"

"So, Galway," I interrupted Connor mid-speech, and he whipped his head to look at me.

"Sorry, what?"

"Your name."

Connor briefly looked at me in confusion before his eyes widened, and he chuckled. "Yeah... yeah, Galway. I know. Same surname as the Pack Alpha. He's my first cousin."

That tracked. He kinda had the same shade of hair and eyes. "You're too energetic to be related to him."

That made Connor laugh. "I get that a lot. Adrian can be intense, but he means the best for the family."

I scoffed and looked up at the balcony. It's empty, shadows obscuring most of it. "Does the term family extend to his wife?"

"Of course, of course!" He exclaimed a bit too quickly. "Madam Chiara is well taken care of."

Chiara.

My mate's name is Chiara.

Iron coated my tongue as I bit my cheeks so hard I drew blood. "It doesn't seem like it."

"Come on, I know how it looks, but Adrian cares for her. The Madam is just unstable sometimes. They both went through a lot."

"Is that how he painted the picture?"

Connor's smile turned into a frown, and he glared at me. He would've looked intimidating if he wasn't a good foot shorter than me. As it was, he was just a mock copy of an angry chihuahua.

"Look, I'm not your enemy. None of us are. You're going to become a part of our pack soon. Don't pick up fights, especially ones you can't win. Okay, okay?"

I grinned at the puppy, all bared teeth. "Hey, who says I can't win?"

Connor spluttered, but before he could come up with a comeback, a group of shifters entered the garden. They stopped in their tracks when they saw us. A man in camo pants and a white tank top stepped forward, and I immediately recognized him as one of the patrols who got me last night.

His smile was just as wicked as the last time I saw him. My fingers twitched, itching for a punch.

"If it isn't the pig we caught!" He shouted back at his friends while corking his thumb at me. "You got lucky the Pack Alpha didn't butcher you on sight."

"Weeell, what can I say? I have a charming personality," I replied, maintaining my smug smile. "We can call it even, then. You and I both just got lucky."

"Us catching you has nothing to do with luck," he spat.

"Doubt it. How about we have a round 2? Just to make sure."

Connor hissed behind me. "Don't instigate him!"

I looked back at him over my shoulder. "Why not? Your advice was not to pick a fight I can't win, and I'm telling you, I can definitely win this one."

Groaning, Connor pinched the bridge of his nose. "Please, please, please. Rogue, this isn't part of my to-do list today. Adrian only said to give you a tour of the compound."

"So, you're my glorified babysitter. The cousin of the Pack Alpha himself. I'm honored," I drawled. "Too bad. I am making this part of your list."

I approached the other shifter, letting my wolf roil under my skin. He was pissed and salivating for revenge. He couldn't wait to maul the guy as payment for what he did to us. Connor tried to pull me back, but I shook off his grip easily.

Definitely too dense. One wouldn't stupidly go between two wolves thirsting for a bloody fight.

The shifter moved as well, his friends cheering him on. He raised his fists, pulled his shoulders back, and went into an offensive stance.

I smirked at him and waved my hand in a come-at-me gesture. Adrian might've wanted me as a tool, but he should've known I wouldn't just follow him quietly. My stay here was solely because of my mate, and if he hurt her, then I just had to hurt him back, one way or another.

That's until I figured out how to whisk my mate safely away from here.

Buuut, might as well enjoy this, right?

The shifter roared and dashed towards me. Smiling, I curled my fingers into a fist.