Chapter Twelve

CHRIS

If I had been told that I would be mated to a rogue, I would have had the person's tongue cut off and fed to the palace dogs but here I was staring at my rogue mate. Her scent was appealing and it drew me closer to her but I could also feel the rage in her, her eyes were burning with them.

She had felt the mate bond too so she ran away from me. I chased after her hoping to at least get her name but she wouldn't stop. I kept chasing her and beckoned her to stop and hear me out but she wouldn't heed my voice until I ran out of breath and couldn't go any further.

"Fine, you can run all you want," I said. "I don't want you anyways."

I returned to the pack and ordered my soldiers to retreat. This was my mate's home and for an unknown reason, I felt bad for destroying it. I let the women and children I had captured go and returned to my pack after leaving a strict warning to them.

"I don't want to see any of you anywhere near my pack else I won't be lenient the next time I come to visit," I said to them.

At the palace, my mother, Lothar, and some members of the council were waiting for our return. She ran to me when we walked into the courtyard.

"I thought you wouldn't make it. I'm glad you're okay," she cried.

I noticed the shock on the faces of the council elders when I walked in. I bet they expected me to experience the same fate as my father.

"How did it go?" Kazmir asked.

"You tell me," I growled and retired to my chamber.

"Pardon him, he must be very tired, I'm sure he'll brief us in the morning. You may leave now," I heard my mother say.

I tried to get some sleep but I couldn't, all I could think of was her. Why her? Why not someone else? I pondered.

Not only had she tormented me in my dreams, but now she was going to be my mate. I know I had wanted to meet my mate so badly but not like this and not a rogue who constantly gave me nightmares. I couldn't wrap my head around it, I wondered why she was chosen to be my mate. It was wrong to question the moon goddess else I would've done so.

I thought of rejecting her as my mate but that would mean me risking my throne and if I take her in as my mate, I would be risking my life too. The only way to get her out of my way for good was to reject her as my mate but I knew the consequences. After much consideration, I decided on what to do with her. I decided to make her my Luna for a while and send her off afterward far away from here so that she may never return.

Pleased with my decision, I closed my eyes to sleep, and in a short while I dozed off.

By morning, one of the guards woke me up to remind me of the briefing I was supposed to have with the elders.

"Tell them that it was successful and they need not worry anymore. The rogues will never come anywhere around this pack henceforth," I said to the guard.

"But you are supp-"

"Go and tell them!" I shouted at him.

"Yes my lord," he bowed and left my chambers in a hurry.

"Crazy old fools," I muttered. “If they hadn’t sent me there i won’t be going through such torment right now,”

My mother and Kayla walked into my chamber just as the guard was leaving.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. "You two can't just barge in here as you please, what if I was undressed," I grumbled.

"I was on my way to meet your mother when she told me you had arrived last night. I heard you returned safely and wanted to confirm by myself," Kayla said.

No one had expected me nor my men to come back alive, in fact, it was suicidal to go anywhere near the rogue's pack.

"Did anything unusual happen there?" Kayla asked.

"What do you mean?"

"I heard you let them off with a warning, what if they refuse to heed your warning and come back to attack again," my mother said.

I understood her worries and of course, I wasn't expecting them to heed my warning. "They are called rogues for a reason, mother. They will be back and this time I won't hesitate to unsheath my sword."

"We'll triple the guards if we must, they mustn't find their way into this pack again," she said.

"You have nothing to worry about, mother. I'll make sure this pack is safe from now on," I assured.

After meeting with my mother and Kayla, I decided to go for a walk around the pack. I haven't done so since the attack. I also had to meet with Lothar, he had some explaining to do.

A few moments later, Lothar walked into my chambers just as I was about to leave and bowed at me. I didn't acknowledge his greeting, rather I moved closer to him, maintaining eye contact with him.

"How's your relative doing? I mean the rogue you brought into my pack," I said, glaring at him.

His body stiffened with shock. "I'm sorry my lord for lying to you, I was only protecting her, I meant no harm to the people of this pack I swear," he pleaded.

"You brought a rogue into our pack and you expect me to be lenient about it," I shouted.

"I'll accept whatever punishment you wish but please spare her life," he pleaded again, bowing his head.

I huffed a sigh in frustration. His life was at stake and all he could ask for was for me to spare her life, why was he protecting her? Was he obligated to her in any way? I stared at him and didn't know what to say or do to him.

"Why are you protecting her? Tell me everything I need to know about her," I finally said after a long silence.

"Her father was my best friend, he was banished from this pack a long time ago," Lothar said.

"What do you mean? You said she is from the Lamia pack."

"I lied, she's from here. Her father was accused wrongly by the elders so your father banished him and his family from the pack," Lothar explained.

I swallowed hard. Could that be the reason why she wanted me dead so badly? Why would my father banish her family for something they didn't do? I got confused but then I understood why she must have hated me so much.

"There's something you need to know, Lothar, she has been haunting me in my dreams ever since I first set my eyes on her. She must really be out to get revenge on my family," I said.

Lothar's eyes widened in surprise. "H-how is that possible?" he stuttered.

"I'm as surprised as you are, I know nothing of what happened between her father and mine yet I might have to pay for my father's crime with my life."

"I won't let that happen. It wasn't your father's fault, he had to do what was necessary else he would be tagged vulnerable, that was also why I stepped down as a member of the council,"

"I see. You may leave," I said, waving him off.

I stepped out for my walk with a troubled heart. Knowing the reason why she haunted me made me frightened. Revenge was a deadly weapon and she would stop at nothing to make sure she gets her revenge for what my family did to hers.

"She must have abhorred the bitterness for so long", I thought.

I stopped at the infirmary to check on my injured soldiers and was relieved to know that they were speedily recovering. I returned to the palace where I met Orvyn and his fellow cohort waiting in the courtyard.

"What do you want from me this time?" I asked.

"Don't be arrogant simply because you defeated the rogues," Kazmir blurted out.

"I won't allow you to speak to me in that tone," I yelled, bringing out my claws to devour him.

Orvyn quickly stood forward, preventing me from harming Kazmir. "Ignore him, my lord. I'll teach him to know his place," he pleaded on his behalf.

"You won't be lucky again, old man," I sneered and brushed past them.

A few days passed by and I came up with an idea of how to approach my mate. I canceled my original plan after Lothar had explained everything to me. I had to be on her good side at least until I found out why her father was wrongfully punished. Lothar promised to take me to her and help talk to her as well since she listened to him more.

He took me to a hut inside the woods far from the rogue's pack where he believed she would be but we couldn't find anyone in there.

"You said she would be here," I said to him

"She probably returned to the pack, she's not one to hide for a long time," he said.

We headed to the rogue's pack hoping to at least find her lurking around somewhere. Luck was on our side, we found her and another male holding hands and speaking softly to each other. I couldn't stand the sight of her holding hands with another male, my body was burning up in rage and I knew it was my wolf's doing. He was as furious as I was and tried to force his way out.

Also, I heard her tell this young male her plan to reject me and slay me if I ever come close to her. Hearing that only ignited the anger in me and I blurted out.

"You'll do no such thing, you're going to be my Luna."

I was amazed by my own words, I sounded possessive.

"Be careful of what you wish for young king, you're standing between death and life, and only I can decide your fate," she said.

"Lucy, you need to relax and hear him out," Lothar pleaded on my behalf.

"How can you be by his side? This man and his family are the reason why my father was unlawfully dealt with," she screeched. “If you are here to plead with me that I accept him as my mate then you are wrong this time, I won’t.”

“Then we’ll have a duel. If I lose, you can go ahead and reject me and also get your revenge for whatever my family did to yours, but if you lose, you have no choice but to become my Luna,” I said.

For the first time, I saw a smile on her face, her eyes sparkled in excitement and I thought her to be the most beautiful woman I've ever set my gaze on.