CHAPTER 31

HAZEL

Before I could respond to Sparrow's accusing question, Thaddeus's father showed up with another man. They had sent Sparrow off on an urgent errand, so we agreed to continue our conversation later.

Thaddeus's dad stared at Farrow, his eyes wide with disbelief. He glanced at the strange creature on the floor, then back at Farrow. "You've got to be joking, Farrow," he said, his voice thick with disbelief. "We all know we haven't seen a rogue like this in ages. It's just… it's not possible.”

"The stench of these scoundrels is unmistakable," Farrow growled, his eyes fixed on the fallen rogues. "Even in my old age, I'd recognize their foul odor anywhere. They are the most despised breed of villains, and I will never forget the mark they leave.”

I stood there, utterly bewildered, as the conversation unfolded. I'd never laid eyes on a rogue, never smelled their supposed stench. All I knew was what others described, vague notions and fearful whispers. With a growing sense of unease, I edged closer to Thaddeus, leaning in to whisper.

"What kind of rogues are these?" I whispered, barely audible, my gaze darting to him from the corner of my eye. His head swivelled towards me, a smirk spreading across his face.

"You have no idea what kind of people these rogues are, do you?"

I shook my head slowly, confusion etched on my face.

"Have your parents ever told you the story about the big war? It was a long time ago, when werewolves fought against creatures that looked like wolves but weren't really wolves. They were fake wolves, made to trick people.”

“They are evil creatures in disguise,” he added. 

I couldn't believe my ears. “What?! You mean that actually happened? I thought it was just a spooky story to scare us at night!”

My mom used to tell me this story over and over. It all began when one of those creatures killed a werewolf wandering the mountains, their original home. The werewolves were furious and attacked with all their might. This sparked a six-month war between the two species. Finally, after losing many of their own, the other creatures surrendered and vanished. No one has seen them since that war.

Thaddeus shook his head, a frown creasing his forehead. He turned his attention back to the conversation between his father and Farrow, trying to ignore the strange feeling that had washed over him.

"If these creatures are still alive, why are they attacking us now?" Thaddeus's father asked, his brow furrowed in deep confusion. "They've had countless years to strike. What's changed?”

"I honestly don't know," Farrow admitted, shrugging his shoulders.

"I don't think these things are planning revenge," Thaddeus interrupted. "These creatures have been lurking around for a long time. If they really wanted revenge, they would have acted by now. They wouldn't hesitate.”

I stared at the lifeless bodies of the rogues, my gaze boring into them as if they held the answers to all my questions. Thaddeus had a valid point. If these scoundrels truly desired vengeance, they would have enacted it long ago, without hesitation.

My wolf stirred in my head and she started pacing back and forth in deep thought.

What do you think about this?

'Remember that strange story Peter and Thea told you about Mate's dad and the witch? Well, it turns out it's all about you, Hazel. The witch said something about a special blessing from the moon goddess. And now, the rogues are here, hunting your fucking ass down.'  my wolf purred.

My whole face paled as my wolf continued to piece things together. If she was heading in the right direction, it meant that these creatures wanted something from me. What exactly could that possibly be? My blood only healed werewolves, and I have never tried it on rogues like them. I don't think it would benefit them in any way. 

My face drained of colour as my inner wolf pieced together the puzzle. If she was right, then this creature wanted something from me. But what could it possibly be? My blood healed werewolves, and I'd never tried it on rogues like them. I doubted it would do them any good.

“Hey, are you okay? You don't look good. What's wrong?”

I jolted from my daze, snapping out of my thoughts. Thaddeus stood before me, his face etched with worry. My mouth went dry, and my heart pounded in my ears like a drumbeat. 

Panic started to creep in, threatening to consume me.. 

The rogues... they..." I stammered, my voice barely a whisper. My eyes darted back to the lifeless wolves, a wave of fear washing over me. Thaddeus's gaze met mine, filled with confusion. I couldn't seem to stop myself from panicking, as if the wolves might rise again and drag me into the darkness.

A warm hand pressed against my stiff back, causing me to relax almost immediately. It was Sparrow, he was back. He massaged my lower back gently, trying to send some comfort through the mate bond. 

"Hazel, take a deep breath," he soothed softly. "Just slow down, and don't rush. Let's talk calmly and figure this out together.”

I wet my lips nervously, the cool water soothing my dry tongue. I turned to Thaddeus, my gaze steady and determined. "So, Thaddeus's dad went to consult those witches about... rogues, right?”

Thaddeus' dad seemed a bit lost but he nodded anyway. 

“Didn't they say something about Silver and how the Moon goddess blessed it?”

“Damn it," Thaddeus muttered, his hand rubbing his face in frustration as he finally understood what I was implying. "Of all the people you could have targeted, why did it have to be me?”

I wasn't sure if he said that because he cared about me or because he was just worried about me bringing harm to his pack members.

His father placed a comforting hand on his back. "Thaddeus, we've always known that extraordinary things can happen in extraordinary times. How many people have been blessed by the Goddess? It's possible that they've been watching over her, and now is the perfect moment to bring her into their world.”

"What's her special gift?" Sparrow asked, his eyes wide with curiosity. He stared at me like I was some kind of magical creature, waiting for me to reveal a secret.

I kept my blessing a secret for a good reason. People stared at me like I was some kind of alien from Mars. When I was just ten, some of the pack kids even called me a freak because my blood was a different colour. I wasn't ashamed of my 'gift,' as Mom called it. But I didn't want to deal with people's questions or the silly rumours they'd start spreading.

Thaddeus's dad paused, his lips pursed. "You should go explain things to them first. We'll handle these rogues. They need to know how to protect you better.”

I nodded and gave both Thaddeus and Sparrow an eye signal to follow me and they both did obediently, but I could feel their both gaze on me, travelling up and down my body. I wanted to shiver, but it would make it obvious that I was affected by him. When we reached the cabin we were before, I plopped on the couch with a sigh, tossing the tennis racket on the carpet.

"Well then," Thaddeus finally broke the awkward silence, his voice a bit rough. He paused to pick up the clothes scattered on the floor. Meanwhile, Sparrow, ever the opportunist, strolled into Miranda's kitchen and started brewing a pot of tea.

I let Thaddeus have some privacy to get dressed. When he was finally ready, I turned around, only to be greeted by his hoodie, right in my face. It was a silly, unexpected gesture, but it made me smile.

My brows furrowed in confusion as I glanced at him. "What?" I asked, puzzled. He shrugged nonchalantly, a hint of amusement in his eyes.

"Your clothes, they're really torn up in the back," he explained, gesturing vaguely towards my rear.

I cautiously slipped the hoodie over my head, trying to ignore the lingering scent of him. It was a mix of cologne and a fruity fragrance, probably from the laundry detergent. He settled onto the couch across from me, the soft cushion swallowing his form.

Sparrow carefully carried two steaming cups of tea into the room. He placed them gently on the small table in front of us. The rich aroma of the tea filled the air, inviting us to take a sip.

“Thank you,” I muttered.

"Now," Thaddeus growled, his voice low and menacing. "What is it you've got that those motherfucking bastards are after?" His eyes narrowed, boring into mine, as if he could see straight through me. 

"Tell me, or we're all dead men walking soon.”