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Accompanied by the clanging of door locks and the rumble of the boilers, Reu arrived with the shy, stocky Samir to carry Declan back to his room. Everyone else was locked down in their dorms.I knew other Rogues had been shot and injured but selfishly I only cared about one man. Even so, in the midst of my panic about his dazed state I managed to notice Reu taking another lingering stare at Elvie’s naked body. He must not have taken a full dose of the Monks Pepper because the hunger in his eyes was clear. Even as he struggled with the weight of the passed-out Declan in his shoulders he was diverted. Until he realised I was observing.“Back to your rooms,” he grunted roughly at us both. Samir grabbed Declan's legs to help Reu share the weight. Elvie was eager to fill Mara in on the drama. She explained how she tied up Corina with devilish zeal whilst Mara dried her hair."She's in with Ronan now! Not the same cell which is a shame but still, she's no Luna now!"Mara smiled, she wasn'
It took a few days longer to recover than I anticipated. I ended up being laid on my side in the bare Black Hall having three of the bullets in my side extracted by a fiendish Elvie. The wounds had become irritated and swollen. She ruthlessly retrieved shards with a huge pair of metal tweezers. Arlen held me by the shoulders, his own ribs freshly bandaged. His companion Sol, a bald, incredibly nervous man placed all his weight on my hips to stop me jerking as Elvie mercilessly rooted around for shards.Unphased by the blood and gore, instead Elvie clapped her hands together and smiled, “got it! Woo!” Reu was nowhere to be seen. It hadn’t escaped my notice how he had admired Elvie. They had attended meetings together but I realised he often sat where she was out his eyeline. The meetings had been suspended due the lockdown right now, unable to test my theory.The half dozen rogues who had remained loyal patrol the silent corridors. There is no activity other than basic boiler maint
The tension in our room was increasing. It should have been more relaxed, fewer jobs to do, more time to simply hang out in our room. It did the opposite. Without menial tasks oto occupy our thoughts everyone soon starts thinking of everything else.Mainly about how hungry we are. Wondering how Declan is doing. It’s been two weeks since I sprinted away from him in the corridor. We heard Willa gained a black eye after a bust up with her roommate. Male servants were getting into scrappy fist fights. The half-dozen rogues trusted to patrol were being called into action fairly frequently now.It’s because a few days ago rations dropped down to one meal. Some mashed up vegetables, whatever scraps of meat are still about, and a huge pile of rice. It fills the plate, but it's just not enough calories. My stomach growls constantly, as does Mara’s. Elvie is starting to slim down, too. It is inevitable. Her long silvery hair hangs lanker, all of our faces paler, more sickly. The three of us la
Reu quickly let go of my shoulders and took a step backwards. “Nothing. Nothing is going on,” his blue eyes staring daggers at me. "Reu? Everything okay?” “Yeah, I said you were prepping the safes and you didn’t want anyone going in.” Declan stood between us, a tight long sleeved cotton top clinging to every muscle as his hands rested on his hips. These big Rogues needed to eat, if i thought my stomach was hurting, these guys must be in agony. No wonder fights were breaking out. “We’ll talk later,” Declan growled towards Reu. He gave Declan a hard, unimpressed glare before finally stalking off down the corridor. It didn't escsape my notice that his fists were clenched as he left. Beckoning me towards him, Declan asked, “Everything okay?” I nodded and followed him back into the Valdis suite. I gasped in surprise at how much the space had changed. Everything that could be shattered in an explosion had been removed. All the heavy wooden bookcases, meeting table, the desk, the books
I fly out of the room slamming the door behind me. Every sentence slammed against my chest. To understand that even from our very first encounter she has deceived me. She has been taking food from right under everyone's nose to feed a stowaway, some random thief! If I pass anybody in the corridor on my way I don’t notice, there is nothing but heat and anger, blurring the edges of my vision. I’ve been made a complete and utter fool.I stand outside the door and stare at it. It isn’t even locked! The door is unlatched, so she has been giving this guy free rein to wander the corridors at night or something? Have they been meeting up secretly? Without even realising I’m sniffing the air, as if I could tell when Lyra was last here. There is nothing. Four and a half months!I pace back and forth, trying to calm down, trying to think about how to handle this like an Alpha and not as a man who just had his world shit upon. My wolf winces in pain, nudging consoling thoughts towards the front
I jumped out of my skin at a bang somewhere outside. The silken sheets still slippery and peculiar to the touch. Had fighting broken out again, was that the sound of Declan killing Viktor? I sat Corinas silken bed with my legs curled up around me. Even if I wanted to go outside and find him, I was locked in here. Surrounded by nothing but memories. i started calculating the accumulated months of my life I had spent cleaning this velvet, fur, and silk-trimmed den for Corina. I knew every inch of this room. Running a hand through my hair, I tried to pull myself together. I could still smell Declan’s heady sandalwood on my purple dress and skin. My body still ached from being consumed by him. I should shower but then I'd lose that dark sandalwood that was so unique to him.. “Shit I’m in such a mess,” I whispered to nobody. The tears had stopped, but I was utterly exhausted. I flopped back onto the silken sheets and stared upwards. No wonder Corina slept soundly every single night. Thi
I hid in Corina’s room for over a week. Every morning I wake up and a huge feast of food is laid just inside the doorway. I assume Reu is trying to help, the latch not slid across, enabling me to leave if I wanted. Instead I was devouring thick slabs of bread smeared in sweet sugary jams. Huge chunks of pork and rice waited for me in overflowing bowls. It is the first time in my entire life I have had time to myself to think. To not be slaving away at manual labour, cowering in fear of someone’s whiplash, healing from my own beating. I could just be alone and think. I ate every scrap of food. My cheeks quickly started to refill with health after only a few days of devouring thousands of epically fatty calories. Every so often from the other side of the metal door I heard the sounds of chatter. With all the Rogues but Howen back out the Black Hall was in use as a gym again. Spirits were clearly high and bouncing, I hoped Declan was feeling better. I tried not to torture myself with h
I should have been smarter. Played the game differently. I’d give anything for a time machine, I can see all the errors I’ve made and how I’d tweak the result to just swing it the other way. If I had kept my own head, not carried on fucking the life out of that idiot male servant like my wolf wanted and got my ass to the weapons room for the machine gun rounds I’d be the queen right now. If I had told Howen to take that machine gun and pepper Declan’s room with it before he fucked me in the Black Hall life would be a peach. But no, my goddamn wolf wanted its kicks and we were weak. Almost as bad as the lack of food is the smell. Then the lack of any information. The only news I do have is the fact Declan is my half-brother. I tried to seduce my half-brother and he knew it. He knew the whole time how disgusting I was behaving, how low I crawled. Did Declan kill the others who joined the uprising? Are they walking about free? How much food is left, have the safes been opened? The gu
### FIVE YEARS LATER ### The truck has seen better days. More grey than black it trundles us wherever we need. Declan has become the expert at fixing it, fully aware that I absolutely love it when he gets oil on his hands or face. Rolling up his sleeves, showing his huge forearms that are solid from hard work, I offer up a daily prayer of thanks to the Goddess. “You are sure this is the place?” “I heard about it from the others back home.” Home was our small fishing village named Filney. Today was an unusual adventure for us, having barely left our little world for so long. Leaving the fortress all those years ago we had just headed south. With no more diversions or magnetic tourist attractions to show me, Declan took me to the very furthest tip of our nation. It still took a couple of months to get so far south. Just as he had dreamed, I fell asleep in the truck, waking up to him gently nudging me. However back then there had been no bump, just the first twinges of nausea and
The rumours were true. Only a minute or two after we got Howen and Pearl onto the ground did a silent shaft of light blaze down. Watching from outside the fortress it appeared painful, the way everyone dropped to the floor covering their eyes. Even I had to shield my eyes with my hands.From what I could see amidst the whiteness Elvie appeared to have lost her mind, stood tall, flailing her arms and shouting upwards. Declan held me close, wrapping his leather jacket back around my shoulders and kissing the top of my head.“Thank you,” leaning into him, loving the warmth of his huge body against mine.“What for?”“For not wanting to change us.”Declan shifted, leaning against the black truck door. “Can I say I am happy with myself without sounding like a dick? I’m covered in damage but I don’t care anymore.”“Well you are perfect, to me at least.” I smiled, watching him roll his eyes even though he squeezed me a little tighter. As quickly as it descended the beam vanished. From a dista
The past few months have been a blur. When the Goddess light first appeared I didn't have a clue what to do. Instinct took over as I shredded into Reu's jacket with my claws, my wolf somehow emerging for the first time since I accidentally shifted at fourteen. I was whipped so severely for just my claws emerging in front of a Beta that I never tried it again. But when the light subsided, returning us to cold darkness I was sprawled underneath Reu in my wolf form. "What the fuck just happened?" Dill shouted, as everyone rubbed their eyes and huddled. Nearly everyone had dropped to the floor, unable to find their way indoors in the searing brightness. "Is everyone okay!" Reu shouted, clambering to his feet, his white hair a ragged mess. "Does anyone need help!" Everyone gasped as he stood up, revealing my shifted form. All the originals knew what a big deal it was. "Elvie is that you!" Arlen cried out, pointing in surprise. Then Sol gasped. "Arlen your…your hands!" "Dill your fac
I squealed as Declan roughly shoved me into Pearl, scattering us to the ground.Then I saw why. Holding a long-barrelled shotgun, eyes blazing a furious gold stood Viktor. He was red-faced, sweating with exertion. Blonde hair now hung down to his shoulders, dirty and tangled. “What the fuck are you doing here,” Viktor said with a sneer, keeping the barrel pointed directly at Declan’s face. Manoeuvring so he could see all three of us togethe, his once handsome face twisted in smug victory.Gesturing the gun quickly towards me I gasped in fear as he mocked us. “You’re looking good Lyra, and a pretty friend too. My Declan, aren't you getting adventurous. Or did you fancy a less damaged slut for a while?”“Fuck off,” Pearl growled but this was no time for trading insults. Not when my mate had a gun waved in his face.“You’ve hidden the golden wolf here then?” Declan said flatly, flexing his huge chest, parting his legs to try and cover Pearl and I. From my crouched position I could feel
Lyra, forever formed of kindness and light raced to her side, Skidding into the blood and straw, not caring about her light cotton dress as she cradled Mara’s long blonde hair in her hands. “Mara what happened to you! Shit! Pearl, get some help, quick!” As the guard swore and cursed his bad luck, Pearl ran off. I heard her rummaging around in the guard room at the top of the corridor. Mara spluttered, her teeth stained with blood. Lyra carefully stroked her blonde hair away from the blood on her face, as gently as a mother would a newborn. “Lyra he…I did everything he asked.” “But you hurt people for him? The guards at the fortress, the men in this gold sale?” “I had to! I didn’t want to but he told me it was the only way. The only way we could be together. We put the golden wolf safe then came here to sell the little trinkets,” as she got upset her words became more ragged, her breathing starting to rattle. “We had such a good time…it was, he was perfect.” Pearl came scampering b
I have failed. Six months ensuring nothing harmed her happiness and I’ve gone and trashed it anyway. Those green eyes are filled with confusion and it’s all because of me. Because of something as simple as a dream. Albert having finally waddled downstairs, I slowly walk towards her. For the first time she steps backwards. Fuck. “You want to find Viktor? Howen? Both of them?” “I have to,” I confessed sadly, slumping down to sit on the soft bed. I rubbed at my eyes, running my hands through my short brown curls in frustration. “Lyra, these nightmares…these dreams are telling me I’ve got to do something.” “What dreams?” her voice softening, even though her arms are still folded. I keep my head in my hands, gripping my hair tightly as I force the words out. “Last night, I saw Howen as he was, as a young man being led away from me by Viktor, into a crowded road. I run, I search. I kill strangers in the streets to try to get to him. It drives me feral to the point where my dream ends wi
Of course leaving the Fortress wouldn’t be complete without some final bloodshed. Seeing how Declan’s brotherhood had torn themselves to pieces the instant Beldon died was sobering. When I asked if we needed to tell the rest of the Rogues waiting back at the base, Declan shook his head. “The ones that made it out would have high-tailed it straight back there anyway."“What made Beldon and Morrell so…angry?” “I think they let their Bond fail. I don’t think you can live a life that violent, however well intentioned and not let it taint something pure,” Declan replied flatly. “Once that starts to rot, it all falls apart. Like how you described Corina.”So with Beldon’s body gingerly dragged from the flatbed of the dented black truck, we left. We were silent for the first few hours. Mainly because I was staring out of the window like an idiot at everything new. Declan was content to just drive, and watch me from the corner of his eye. Seeing the cragged black mountains up close, actual
Declan and Lyra left a few days ago. Elvie and I insisted on being the ones to take them back to what was left of the Rogue camp. On the snowmobiles, carrying machine guns and blades, we found a site of devastation. Blood had been spilled. A huge amount of it judging by the snowy corpse-clumps in the ground. Only one truck remained, Beldon’s frosted corpse. Tent sheeting flapped with claw marks, chunks of leather clothing shredded. Elvie and Lyra had shuddered to discover Amelie under one of the collapsed tents. “So this is Rogue law?” Elvie had muttered with a bitter tone. “You never know with Amelie, she may have struck the first blow or tried to lead a group attack,” I said after a minute's consideration. She always wanted to play big.She wouldn’t have even been up here had she not begged to come. Sitting quietly around every campfire for years, I have learned to watch people when they think they aren’t being studied. Amelie wanted more than her usual piece of Dec the instant
Seeing Declan standing above my bed, blanket in hand, face flushed with desire I had for a second assumed it was just another fantasy. Too much hugging of the sandalwood-scented pillow, tricking myself again.Then he kissed me. He was so real. With a desire that bordered on frenzy, he seized and fucked me so exquisitely I felt I was coming apart at the seams. Only his gruff, heavy hold over my body kept me together. There was no feeling like it in the world when he sunk that deep inside. Laid next to him, watching the rise and fall of his chest, my toes curled at the memory of how he grabbed my ass, admiring me even though I knew my back was littered with scars.I love how even in his sleep, if I try to move away he instinctively pulls me closer. So excited to have him home I study him, unable to rest myself. His brown hair is shaggy and unkempt. That brown beard I love is even more ragged and needs trimming after so many days away.Despite the fighting and lack of food, Declan’s bod