Chapter 3 2

The thought of believing it was beyond my comprehension. As I knelt beside the white wolf, I felt confused and intrigued at the same time. Five years later, I found myself in a situation where I had a second chance with a mate, but this time, it wasn't an ordinary mate. She was a rogue. "This can't be right," I whispered to myself as I slowly stood and turned to head back to the car. "Luke, what about the wolf?" Christian shouted at me. Stopping in my tracks, I glanced back to look at her. After a moment, I spoke, "Put her in the cells." I told him. I could feel Lucifer fighting for control over my choice of words. "She is our mate!" he growled. "Yes, but she is also a rogue," I replied. I knew this would not sit well with the high council. The first thing I was concerned about was making sure that the word did not get out. It was the last thing I wanted was for the council members to find out what was going on without me being able to explain myself. Approaching the car, I heard Christian's voice as he jogged over. "Luke, talk to me, man. Please tell me that what we just heard was nothing more than a joke," he said with an expression of concern on his face. I knew why. Rogues were known to become feral after living some time away from pack life. In some cases, their state had gotten so far gone that they had to be killed. After taking a deep breath, I responded, "I wish it were a joke, but what you heard is true. That rogue is my mate." Christian remained silent for a moment before speaking. " Fuck, man, I am happy for you, but I know this will be a huge issue for you. What are you planning to do?" Christian asked in a serious tone. Taking my hand and running it through my hair as I sighed, I replied, "At this time, your guess is as good as mine. However, until I figure it out, no one is to know about this." Christian nodded in agreement as he started the car and drove us back to the packhouse. As we rounded the driveway, Christian asked, "What about your mate?" As I turned my attention to him, I told him, "She is still a rogue, and we need to be cautious with her, so make sure that you place her in the cells while making sure she is kept as comfortable as possible," before exiting the vehicle and walking into the packhouse. After walking straight to my office and shutting the door, I began pacing back and forth, trying to make sense of everything that had happened. As I took a seat on the couch, I let out a loud sigh when I heard Lucifer's voice echo in my mind. "Mate, we need to be with her," Lucifer said. "Not now," I told him. I needed peace and quiet, time to think and gather my thoughts, but Lucifer wasn't having it. I could feel him trying to take control. The task of keeping him at bay was becoming more and more difficult as time went on. There was no way I could keep her in the cells for too long. Lucifer wouldn't have it. My wolf's howlin drowned out my thoughts as I tried to concentrate on what I was going to say or do next. "What do you want me to do?" I growled at Lucifer. "Mate, we need to be with her," Lucifer growled back. Grunting, I stood up and walked to the door. Just as I exited my office, Christian approached, stopping a few feet in front of me before speaking. "Look, I know you're the Alpha, but this is not the way you handle things. It would help if you went to talk to her," Christian exclaimed. "No shit, that's exactly where I'm heading," I responded, pushing past him. "Forgive me, but I only meant to caution you as your Beta; it's my job to do so, "Christian said, following close behind. I remained silent for a few minutes. "Christian, if this gets out, Mystic River Pack is..." My words trailed. There was no doubt in my mind that if anyone found out, there was a chance that I would be stripped of my Alpha title or, more importantly, she would be exiled, but the fact of the matter was that this wouldn't be able to remain a secret forever. "I already spoke with everyone. They know they are not to repeat what they heard back there," Christian reassured me as we walked out of the packhouse and to the cells. As my right hand, Christian was an integral part of my team. As a matter of fact, I had known him for the entirety of my life. In addition to his father being one of the most elite warriors we have ever had, his mom was the first Beta female ever. Christian was six years old at the time of the attack by the Rogues. There were many lives lost in that battle, including the lives of his parents. Taking Christian in and raising him was my father's decision. Christian was with me through everything. After Jackie rejected me, he dropped everything to help me win her back. "Thank you," I told him as we approached the cell. Christian patted me on the back before opening the gate, and we stepped inside. One of the things I could never get used to about the cells was the smell. The stench of sweat, fear, and hopelessness was nauseating. Christian gave me a look of understanding as if sensing my discomfort. "This way," he said as he led me further inside and down the long corridor. We reached the end of the hall, and he opened the door. He stepped inside and waited for me to enter. I took a deep breath and followed him in. It took a moment for my eyes to adjust to the light, but the moment my eyes adjusted, I saw her. Her long blonde hair cascaded down her back, and her blue eyes stared at me with a mixture of fear and hatred. I watched as she crossed her arms in front of her, and she stood there. There was something about her beauty that captivated me. As I cleared my throat, I stepped toward her but stopped as soon as she stepped back. With my hands raised in front of me, I said, "I won't hurt you. My name is Luke Alpha of the Mystic River Pack. What's your name?" A blank expression appeared on her face as she tilted her head and stared at me. She opened her mouth slightly as if she was going to speak, but no words came out. After a moment of silence, she slowly backed away. "Are you hungry?" I asked, hoping that food would entice her to speak. However, she remained silent. Sighing, I turned my attention to Christian. "Please bring her something to eat and a pair of sweats and sweaters," I told him, returning my attention to her. As soon as Christian left the room, I walked toward the table in the center of the room, pulled out the chair, and sat down. "A bit of help here," I said to Lucifer, who had remained silent throughout the whole ordeal. "There's something wrong with her," he whimpered. "Well, that's perfect. Any idea how I'm supposed to get her to talk to me?" I asked him, but he did not answer. As I stood up from the chair, I yelled, "FUCK!". My ears were suddenly graced by the sound of a sweet voice. "Let me go!" she said. Turning to face her, I smiled. "You can talk?" I said sarcastically. "Let me guess because I am a rogue, you automatically assume that I can't put two words together. That's really fucked up, especially for a mateless Alpha," she laughed. I cocked my brow in surprise as I looked at her. How in the hell does she know that I do not have a mate? I thought to myself. "If you're wondering how I know, it's because you have a wolf that will not shut up. He tells mine everything. It's rather pathetic, honestly. Oh, and if you think because you and I are mates that I'm just going to worship you, you have another thing coming," she said, her voice filled with confidence. I chuckled lightly, "Alright, so you acknowledge we are mates. Can you please tell me your name, or should I just call you rogue?" "Why does it matter what my name is? You're like the rest. You don't care. All you care about is killing my kind or enslaving them," she replied. I stared at her momentarily, considering what to say next, when Christian walked in with a plate of food and some clothes. We remained silent as Christian placed everything on the table before exiting the cell again. I stared at her for a moment longer before stepping toward the table and sitting down again. "Please," I said, gesturing to the empty chair. She stood there momentarily before finally giving in and sitting across from me. I smiled at her before I said, "Your name, please." "My name is Cassandra," she clarified after a while.