of strangers and panic

stay far away from me

for I cannot seem

to keep my guards up

when you look at me

M A D D I E ♛

I've been pacing back in fort in my cell now. I tried to escape, believe me, I did, but whenever I touched the bars that imprisoned me, the metal burned my hands and the pain would linger. Nonetheless, I still tried to kick it down.

I can't stay here, I have to go back to where everyone else.

And plus, there's that strange man that my wolf called mate. I've heard about mates, I've heard that they were supposed to be your soulmates, someone that the moon goddess destined for you. I never believed in them, but when I met that man the other day... I don't know.

His smell still lingered in the air and although faint, it was enough to drive me crazy. The longer I smelled it, the more I wanted. I knew it belonged to him, I just do.

And the way he looked at me, I felt like he was scrutinizing my every move, I felt like he could see right through me and I hated it.

It was dangerous, he was dangerous. I don't even know him, yet how can he make me feel like this?

This is all nonsensical.

My stomach growled and I feel my head spinning lightly again. Ever since they brought me here three days ago, I refused to touch the food that they brought. Not to mention, I've been hurting myself by trying to escape from this place.

I tried to kick the bars again and at the contact, my skin burned. I hissed from the pain, but I kept trying. And then I hear it. From afar, keys dangled as doors opened.

It's him.

His smell invaded the cells as he walked nearer, he was with someone. The guard that usually brought me food.

Finally, I see him. His hazel eyes seemed to sparkle as the sunlight hit his face from the small window outside my cell. He stared at me, coldly and seriously. Of course I won't let him beat me, I stared back with the most hateful look I could transmit. Although truthfully, I am only trying my best to stay standing because if not, my legs would have already given up and collapsed.

My wolf who hadn't talked to me for days finally showed herself in the back of my mind, I ignored her though. She wasn't the only one allowed to give the cold treatment.

"Leave us." the dangerous man said. The guard nodded and turned back to leave. He waited until the door was closed when he took a chair and sat down. He held his hands together, putting it in front of his face as he stared at me.

I could see that he was thinking. Probably thinking what kind of death sentence he would be giving me, but I didn't care. I won't die in the hands of pack wolves, absolutely no way. If I am to die, I deserve to die in a more dignified way.

But as his scent filled my nostrils and as I stared in his eyes, I could feel something in me being treacherous as I notice that my guards are naturally going down.

I shook my head quickly. Maddie, he's our enemy, get a grip of yourself.

"From which pack did you belong to before?" he asked after a long while. His voice was a deep baritone that sent shivers down my spine. Every word he spoke held out natural authority like he was so used to it. He's a high-ranking wolf, that's for sure. A Gamma? Beta? Which one is it.

I swallowed hard before opening my mouth. "Where is Leighton?" I asked, ignoring his question.

"Answer my question."

"I'll answer your question, if you answer mine. I don't owe you any answers."

He took a deep breath and sat back on the chair, this time resting his hand on his legs. I noticed the lean muscles of his arms, he's well trained that's for sure. Can I take him one on one? Would I win?

"That little rogue is in another cell, we've treated his wounds and are giving him food regularly. Now, which pack did you belong to?"

I peeled my eyes away from him finally and made my way to the small bed on the corner. I sat down and faced him. "I never belonged to one."

"Liar." he accused immediately. My blood boiled, how dare he accuse me as a liar? He doesn't even know me.

I scoffed and rolled my eyes at him. "Take it or leave it."

He let out another deep breath before opening his deep red lips to speak again.

"Some of your rogue companions have been lingering around our pack borders. Not a very smart thing to do, but then it makes me wonder. Are you the one leading them?" he questions again.

I wasn't surprised by the fact that some of the rogues I was travelling with would come and rescue us. But I wished they wouldn't put theirselves in danger, I'll be fine. I'll make sure that Leighton will be fine.

When he waited for a response and saw that I didn't have any intentions of answering him, he nodded almost sarcastically if that was possible.

"I guess I'll get my answer from that young rogue in the other cell then, he seems easier to deal with."

My eyes widened, how dare he use Leighton against me?!

I stood up and walked close to the prison bars where he was sitting in front of. I held the bars although they burned my flesh, I didn't mind. I can't let him hurt Leighton.

"You hurt him and I swear I'll pay you back with just as much pain as you inflict on him, I'm warning you pack wolf." I say through gritted teeth, my anger getting the best of me.

He raised an eyebrow at me and smiled, he looked like he was having fun.

"A rogue caring for another rogue? Aren't you all savages that kill each other?"

I held the metal tighter, my fists clenching by instinct. I could now smell blood and I'm sure that that belonged to me. The dangerous man looked at my hands that were now bleeding and seemed to be held back.

"You pack wolves really disgust me, you call us savages when the real savages and monsters are all of you. The only difference between us and you is that we don't act so clean like you pack wolves."

He closed his eyes as if trying to hold his anger back and when he opened them back, he stood up. He stood in front of me and he was now so close, the only thing separating me from him was the prison bars.

"A pity, I was here to offer you a deal that would save your friend. But it seems really impossible dealing with you. I'll leave you to be punished for your crimes." he says, almost a whisper.

I smirked at him, trying to hold a bitter laugh. "Crimes? Tell me, what crimes did we commit exactly? Is it a crime for Leighton to accidentally step in your border? Is it a crime for me to help him? Or is it because we are rogues? Tell me, sir. Which is the real crime?"

He stared at me again, his eyes clouded with deep thoughts. I could see that he was having internal conflict too.

"I can't believe you're my mate." he says finally.

My heart dropped when he said that word. Mate. Are they really true?

How would you know if someone is your mate?

What if this man is really my mate? N-no. That can't be. There's no way I would be tied down to someone so obnoxious and so entitled. Just, no way.

I stared back at his eyes, my breath hitching. What is going on with me?

What is a mate in the first place?

"Mates are not real." I tell him. Right away, confusion set in his eyes as he looked at me, searching for a trace that I was kidding or lying. But I was serious.

There's no way mates are real, they're just made-up stories by romanticists who like to believe that there is such thing as soul mates. There isn't one.

"You're kind of sick aren't you?"