The Cowgirl Rogue

Chapter 19

Corbin and I were silent on our way to the bar after dropping everyone off at my house. He kept giving me side glances, and I knew that he wanted to talk about what had occurred before we had dropped them off.

I growled and slammed my hands on the steering wheel when he shot me another look. "Ok," I said. "You can fucking ask. Stop giving me those stupid side glances, waiting for me to say something."

He shrugged and looked out the window. "I wasn't going to say anything," he said. "It's none of my business."

"Corbin," I warned, and he shot me a smug look.

"But since you had brought it up..."

I sighed and closed my eyes halfway, making sure that I could still see the road. "He's one of us," I said, my voice monotone. "What more do you want to discuss?"

"You."

I rolled my eyes and scowled. "There is nothing to discuss about me," I said defensively, "especially when it deals with him."

"As a m-"

"I am not a mother, Corbin. I am not suited for that job, much less running a pack as the Luna."

Corbin stayed silent and looked out the window. He sighed and moved a hand through his hair, pursing his lips. "You can be a mother. He looks up to you like you are his mother." He looked at me, but I didn't meet his gaze; I couldn't.

I set my jaw and tightened my hands on the steering wheel. My heart broke into two while my wolf whined and laid her head down, mourning a life we could have had but never had the means to do so.

Corbin sighed and moved a hand through his hair again. "So what did the king say when you told him that Lukas was a Vesper?" he asked, changing the subject.

"He was a little grave," I replied, "only because he is so young and doesn't know about his powers."

Corbin nodded. "Is Tally going to be helping Lukas with his power?"

I nodded. "She will. I hope that he will listen and try not to use his powers until he knows how to control them."

"At least we changed the way the world views us," Corbin said, looking out the window. "I know that he would have been killed on spot if we didn't."

I shrugged and set my jaw. My whole body grew tense, and my wolf growled out in anger when she came across my thought. "There is still a lot of bias against us," I said coldly, "especially within the Council."

"But they won't do anything to him," Corbin replied and looked at me from the corner of his eyes, "especially since the king has allowed you to kick their ass if they step out of line."

I shrugged and relaxed a little because what he said was true. I knew that the king would allow me to fight them if they decide to do something against his orders that would harm someone else.

"But there are still those that abuse their powers," he said, and I knew that he was talking about the person that we were going to have to face. "Do you know who the person is that is controlling your mate?"

I sighed and shook my head, no. "I have a slight suspicion that I do know who, but I don't want to say it out loud," I replied. I don't want Mercer to know that I think that it is him, I added silently.

Corbin looked at me and raised an eyebrow. He waited for me to elaborate and huffed when I didn't. "Rude," he said and looked out the window. "We're supposed to be working together, Kel, so that means you should tell me what thoughts you have going through your pretty little head."

"And you will tell the king," I replied in a 'that's final' tone. "I don't want to have someone say that I think it is the person because of my... beef with him."

"Hmmm," Corbin said and nodded, and I had a feeling that he knew who I was talking about. "Well, my lips are sealed," he said. "However, why do you think it is him?"

"Genetics," I replied. "It would explain how I became a Vesper and so forth." I cleared my throat and licked my lips. "I also think that it is him because he is close to my mate."

Corbin nodded. "When did you start thinking that it was him?" he asked.

"When we first collected them," I replied. "I had a small suspicion then because Brickson tensed beside me. It was as if he was nervous of him, especially since he was next to me."

Corbin nodded again. "Makes sense," he said. He nudged me teasingly, and I looked at him and scowled. "Too bad that there isn't a way for us to find other Vespers," he joked. "We would be able to find them quickly."

"And so what?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Kill 'em," he replied, and I scoffed and rolled my eyes. "Now, I am serious," he said and looked at me. "If we kill the Vespers that make us look bad, then we would have an easier life."

"It wouldn't work like that, Corbin," I replied gravely. "It would make us look worse since we were the ones that killed them."

He shrugged. "I don't know why it would do that, but ok."

I didn't respond and shook my head.

Unlike me, Corbin didn't have to face the bias that I did. He didn't have to have a paper stating that he was good and didn't mean anyone harm. He didn't have to have a pack "claim" him as theirs, for he worked and lived with the king.

He wasn't a Rogue, unlike me.

Corbin sighed and looked at me, and I had a feeling that he figured out why I was silent. He became grave and studied me as if he was trying to see something. "You know that you can get a mark symbolizing that you are part of the king's pack, right?" he asked. "The king would allow it. You don't have to be considered a Rogue any longer."

My grip on my steering wheel tightened, and I sighed. "I know," I said, "but I don't want to. I am a Rogue and will always be a Rouge."

"Until Brickson claims you as his Luna," Corbin responded. "And then you will be part of a pack again."

"And that is something that I am afraid of, Corbin," I said, not looking at him. "I don't want the pack to reject me."

Corbin looked at me and then turned away. "I don't think they will," he said. "They will respect you and love you. They will protect you."

"And if they don't?" I asked.

"Then you kick their ass," he replied. "Or send the king after them." He shrugged. "I'm sure that he'd teach them a thing or two of respect."

I scoffed and rolled my eyes but didn't respond.

If only it were that easy, I thought and pursed my lips. If only...