The Rogue's Fate (Book 1: The Raven Chronicles)

Chapter 2 (RE-PUBLISHED VERSION)

Caiden

"Alpha," a distant whisper echoes in my mind.

I close my eyes and dip my head under the warm water of the shower as I search through the pack mindlink, looking for the one reaching out to me. When I find the individual, I tune in the thread and strengthen the connection.

The patrol wolf's deep voice rumbles more clearly now. "I found a female rogue trespassing during my patrol this morning."

Over the past few months, we've been experiencing an increase in rogue wolves attacking our pack members. But lately, to make matters worse, they've escalated to an all-time high, and now the innocent humans in my territory are targets.

Unacceptable.

"Where?" I growl.

"Concealed in the forest, waiting."

"For what?"

"She asked to speak with you. She wants to cross through the territory."

"Why?"

"She won't say. Only that it's a matter of life and death."

"Possibly hers, if I don't like what she has to say." I run my fingers through my wet hair as I decide what to do. "You know what? Fuck it. I'll send someone to escort her here. This better be as important as she says."

I hurry to finish my shower. One of the downsides of the mindlink when you're an Alpha is you never get privacy unless you close the link. Of course, closing the mindlink comes with criticism from everyone.

I send Dylan, my Beta and second-in-command, a message through the mindlink. "Sammy is escorting a rogue here. Be on guard for anything unusual."

"Do you want me to handle it?" he asks.

"If by handle, you mean kill, then no."

"We shouldn't be taking risks—"

"I'll decide what we should and shouldn't do," I snap. And then even my tone. "I will hear her out first. Then you can kill her."

* * *

I rummage through my drawers, tossing out shirts that are either torn or dirty.

The uncontrollable rage has to stop.

A low growl vibrates my throat as I throw another ripped T-shirt across the room.

I need better control of the damnation that is my wolf raging inside me.

My pulse quickens, and I fight against my wolf for control. After grabbing a pair of jeans, I head downstairs in search of a clean shirt and ice to calm the fury of the cursed beast begging to be released.

A whiff of a stale stench lingers in the air. Sabrina. An involuntary snarl escapes my lips as I jump over the banister and head down the hall to my office, unseen. Exaggerated laughter spreads through the house, and my nostrils flare.

I've known Sabrina since we were kids, and she's continuously failed to respect my role as Alpha, always forcing me to take her down a notch. While that's enough to keep the respect of everyone else in the pack, we both know that she's gotten under my skin.

Something an Alpha should never let happen.

She's a manipulative and cunning creature, hiding within a beautiful body, and as narcissistic as they come.

Calm down. I can't meet the rogue like this, or else it won't matter what she says.

I glance at the clock. No time for a cooldown run. Instead, I focus on the old leather speed bag hanging in the corner of my office. It's been years since I used it, and right now, a sparring session will be perfect.