C24

The plan was simple.

Do everything Rogue wanted.

Don't fight him.

Follow his every word.

"We will be able to take him down," Indianna said to the whole pack the next morning. It was the first time she was speaking to them as a whole. The last time she stood in front of her pack Greyson was by her side. "It's not going to happen instantaneously, we need to be patience. We'll get through this."

Indianna stopped talking and the whole pack slowly bowed their heads. Indianna shifted awkwardly on her feet and nodded.

"That's all," she said and soon the pack were making their way out of the room.

The usual group remained in the large room that was used when the whole pack gathered.

"You mentioned something about Rogue wanting us to do something him," Oscar said. "Do you know what?"

"He wants us to take control of a pack to the east," Indianna sighed. "I don't know the specifics, and I don't know when he wants us to do it. All I know is that one of our pack members used to belong to that pack- they were kicked out."

"Tale control how?" Brooke wondered. She had only been awake twenty minutes and you could tell she had a rough, sleepless night. Everyone in the pack house heard her scream at least once.

"I said we won't hurt anyone."

"But if he wants us too then we're going to have too," she gulped and her eyes went wide. "Oh, crap, sorry guys I think I'm going to be sick-" Brooke pulled away from Harry and rushed out of the room.

"She had a bad night," Harry explained. "She's just run down."

"Go, I've said everything I need to say," Indianna said.

"Indie, can I talk to you?" Oscar called. "I need to tell you something."

"Sure," Indianna nodded and her and Oscar walked off to the side. "What is it?"

"You said Rogue spoke about a pack member who used to belong to the pack he wants us to take down?" Oscar said.

"Yes, but I haven't a clue who the pack member is-"

"It's me."

Indianna raised her eyebrows. "You? But how? What happened?"

"I was a lone wolf for a long time. About two years ago I moved to this town, and then I left to travel. I returned around the same time Brooke moved here and I made it onto Greyson's radar- well technically Harry's, but then that leads to Greyson. I got mixed up with a problem of Harry and Brooke's, I guess you could say I helped out, and then Greyson invited me to join the pack," Oscar explained.

"Oh wow, why were you a lone wolf in the first place? Why did you get kicked out?" Indianna asked and frowned, Oscar didn't seem like the type to do anything wrong.

Oscar sighed and ran his fingers through his short dark hair. "My old pack is barbaric, they're very traditional, stuck in olden ways. I was banished from the pack when they found out about my sexuality."

"Oh no, Oscar, I'm so sorry, that's awful!" Indianna gasped.

"Ironic part was that I thought everyone knew," Oscar chuckled and shook his head. "Turned out the Alpha didn't, and when he found out I was bisexual he freaked. He thought it was unnatural to like someone of the same gender, he thought I was a abomination. He forced me to leave. Become a lone wolf."

"That's disgusting," Indianna whispered. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be, it was a while ago and I'm over it, but I thought you deserved to know," Oscar smiled.

"Thank you for telling me," Indianna nodded. "May I ask, how comes you weren't a rogue? What's the different between a rogue and a lone wolf?"

"Rogues are wolves that leave the pack out of choice. They are wolves that no longer want to be in the hierarchy of a pack. Lone wolves don't have a choice. Lone wolves are rejects, people that are kicked out, forced to leave. You can leave out of choice and be a lone wolf, but only if you still have the intention of being in a pack. If you don't... then you're a rogue."

"Oh, I never knew that," Indianna said. "But then... how comes Jason is a rogue? My father kicked him out, he didn't have a choice."

"Lone wolves can turn rogue," Oscar sighed. "If they've given up hope for a new pack, if they've turned against the pack system... they become a rogue."

"So he gave up," Indianna murmured. "He had the chance to stay a lone wolf, to rejoin another pack, but he gave up."

"I don't think he knew what he was doing. He was so young that even though he was banished, even though he was a lone wolf, he was a rogue straight away. I think his hate for what happened to him turned him instantly. He was a rogue as soon as he left the pack."

Indianna sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Let's not talk about him," she said. "Thank you for telling me what happened to you, Oscar."

"No problem," Oscar smiled.

"I'm going to get some food, she's hungry," Indianna said and patted her stomach.

Oscar chuckled. "I'll be off then, see you, Indie."

Indianna waved to Oscar and slowly made her way to the kitchen where Kal, Kimberly, Ace, Harry and Brooke where, having food before school.

"Brooke, I thought you felt sick?" Indianna said as she poured herself some cereal.

"I was, and now I'm hungry," she said and spooned a mouthful of coco pops into her mouth. Brooke raised her eyebrows at Indianna. "And so are you."

Indianna looked down at her bowl of cereal that was nearly over flowing. "It's not me," she said and Brooke smiled, looking at Indianna's stomach.

"Good, you've not been eating properly recently," Brooke said. "You need everything you can get."

"Oh, so just because she's pregnant she doesn't get moaned at for eating all the cheerios? But when I do it it's like I've just sat on a baby?" Kal called.

"Kal," Kimberly said and rolled her eyes. "You try being pregnant and then you can moan."

"Sexism," Kal huffed and stared at his small portion of cheerios in his bowl.

"You're ridiculous, you know that?" Kimberly said and Indianna laughed.

"You should know that by now," Indianna said.

"I'm not ridiculous, I'm just very passionate about cheerio consumption," Kal defended himself.

"God, you're weird," Harry muttered and Brooke hit his shoulder.

"He's special and we love him," Brooke corrected.

"You're just miserable," Kal said to Harry. "And we don't love you, although maybe Brooke loves you a little bit, but that's all the love you get Mr Moody."

"I'm going to throw this at your head," Harry warned and grabbed the bowl that Brooke was holding.

"No!" Brooke whined and pulled her bowl back. "I'm hungry, go steal someone else's food."

"Your mate loves food more than you," Kal said smugly.

"Kal, now you're just winding him up," Ace said with a laugh as Brooke grabbed Harry's arm and held him back. "Stop it."

Kal smiled at Harry who stuck his middle finger up.

"We have a child in the room," Kal tutted and pointed to Indianna's stomach.

"Don't bring me into this!" Indianna said.

"You're very rude and inappropriate, Harry," Kal sighed.

"I'll show you rude and inappropriate," Harry growled.

"Kal, why?" Brooke groaned and stood up. "I don't like you anymore! Harry, lets go to school." Harry narrowed his eyes, but let Brooke pull him from the room.

Everyone turned to look at Kal who shrugged and smiled innocently. "What? He's just way too cranky."

"You're just way too annoying," Kimberly muttered. "Now come on, you're driving me to school, moron."

"Oh, the pleasure," Kal said sarcastically and Kimberly hit him on the back of the head. "I mean I would love to."

Kimberly smiled. "That's what I thought."

Ace looked at Indianna who was scooping up the last of her cereal. "I guess that leaves you and me."

"I'll drive," Indianna said. "No offence, Ace, but you still look exhausted."

Ace looked over his shoulder and waited to Kal and Kimberly were out of earshot. "I am," he sighed. "Just getting up the stairs is exhausting."

"You should stay and rest," Indianna frowned.

"I'm not staying here alone all day doing nothing," he said dismissively. "School is a distraction from everything that's happening. I need it."

Indianna sighed and nodded. "I suppose we better get going." Her and Ace walked towards the door and Indianna picked her jacket up on the way. She didn't feel the cold as much now she was a werewolf, but it was getting close to Christmas and the weather was colder so they had to blend in with everyone else wearing coats and jackets.

Ace had a grey sweatshirt on and his fluffy brown hair was sticking up in all directions. He was still slightly pale and Indianna frowned. "Are you sure you want to go to school?"

"I'm sure," Ace nodded. "Besides, I need to talk with Tai."

"What about?"

Ace shrugged dismissively. "Just stuff."

*

"God, do you stop eating?" Harry was rolling his eyes at Brooke when Indianna and Ace met them at school. Brooke had a packet of sweets open that she was quickly making her way through.

"I'm hungry and stressed, so no I don't stop eating," Brooke muttered. "Do you want one?"

"No, I don't want a sweet."

Brooke shrugged. "Your loss."

"Where's Ace?" Harry asked.

"He went to find Tai," Indianna told him.

"Why?"

Indianna shrugged her shoulders. "I'm not sure."

"What the fuck is going on?" Harry said as shouts were heard down the corridor and a crowd started to form.

"What is it with fights in this place?" Brooke muttered and glanced at Harry. "At least it's not you involved."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Wait," he said and frowned. "It's not me, it's Ace."

"What?" Indianna gasped and she followed after Harry who grabbed Brooke and ran down the corridor.

"Move!" Harry barked at students who were crowded in a circle. They jumped away immediately and Indianna's mouth dropped when she saw Ace being attacked by a student.

He was a relatively new student with curly black hair and a scar running down his cheek, but he wasn't normal. He was one of Rogue's men.

"Ace!" Brooke gasped and covered her mouth when she heard a bone crack and Ace stumbled to the floor. He was bleeding and Indianna couldn't tell from where.

"No, Tai!" Ace croaked and Indianna spotted Tai as she pushed through the crowd. Her eyes narrowed and she went to step forward, but lucky Kal pushed through the crowd and managed to hold her back before she could get involved.

"What the hell, you moron! Let me help!" She snapped.

"That's Harry's job," Kal said and Harry lunged forward and grabbed the curly haired guy by the back of his neck and threw him into the lockers. Students scattered out of the way as the guy scrambled up and faced Harry who was standing protectively in front of Ace.

"What the fuck is your problem?" Harry growled.

"You," the guy snapped and ran forward. Harry was one step ahead and within seconds the guy was lying on the ground, clutching his arm.

"This is over!" Harry yelled and grabbed the guy, roughly yanking him up. "Get the fuck away from us." Harry shoved the guy towards the crowd.

"Watch your backs," the guy hissed and barged his way through the students and disappeared in the crowd.

"Are you okay?" Indianna gasped and her and Brooke rushed forward as Harry helped Ace up.

"I'm fine," Ace coughed and wiped blood from his mouth. "It's nothing."

"Shut up, you need to go home," Harry said.

"I'm fine," Ace insisted.

"Harry's right," Brooke said. "You took a bad beating."

"I just need to get rid of this blood and I'll be fine," Ace sighed.

"What the hell happened?" Kal called and him and Kimberly approached them. "You're the one that stops us from getting into fights, you're never involved!"

"It was me," Tai spoke up and everyone turned to look at her. Her dark hair was tied up in a high pony tail and is swung down her back. Her arms were crossed over her chest and she chewed on her lip.

"What do you mean?" Indianna wondered.

"The guy was pissed that I attacked his friends," Tai shrugged. "And then he went to attack me. And then this idiot," Tai pointed to Ace, "decided to jump between us and turn the fight on himself."

"Thank you would be fine," Ace groaned.

"And then you turned up before I could get involved," Tai said, nodding her head at Harry. "And you!" Tai looked at Kal. "Never hold me back again or I will rip your balls off and suffocate you with them."

"Jheeze, I was just trying to stop you from getting hurt!" Kal said as paled slightly. "Gosh, what did my balls do to you, woman!"

"I can handle myself," Tai said. "I don't need a man to hold me back."

"I know that," Ace grumbled, thinking back to Tai defending herself outside Rogue's house.

"Then why did you get involved!"

"Because I didn't want to see you get hurt," Ace grunted.

Indianna and Brooke shared a look. "Ace, let me take you to the bathroom, I'll help clean the blood off you."

"And then you'll go home?" Harry said, adjusting his hold on Ace, keeping him up right.

"No." Harry immediately stepped away from Ace and he stumbled slightly. "What the hell?" Ace groaned as Kal caught him and held him up.

"If you're not going to go home, where you should be, and rest, then I'm not helping you," Harry shrugged and grabbed Brooke's hand. "C'mon, babe."

"Harry, wait!" Brooke protested. "Ace needs help-"

"Which he can get from Doc at home. I'm not going to help him suffer at school," Harry said and started walking away. "

"But-"

"Brooke, its fine," Ace winced. "Go."

Brooke scowled at Harry as she was pulled away down the corridor.

"I'm not being there to clean up your blood," Kimberly said and turned her nose up. "I can just about deal with Indie being sick, I can't deal with blood."

"I'll do it," Indianna said. "Kal, help me get him to the toilets-"

"I'll take him," Tai said and walked up to Ace, barging Kal out of the way with her hip. She easily took all of Ace's weight.

"Are you sure?" Indianna asked.

"Yep," Tai muttered and helped Ace down the corridor, in the direction of the toilets.

"Ow, she has a hard barge," Kal mumbled and rubbed his side. He looked at Kimberly. "Be a star and kiss it better?"

Kimberly rolled her eyes at her mate, linked arms with Indianna and walked away from Kal. Kal stared after the two girls and sighed. "Why do I feel like a third wheel when I'm the one in the relationship!"