4 - Cuts Deep

~Rafe’s Point of View~

My wolf paces in my head, forcing me to stare at the beautiful female. No matter how much I’ve told him no for two days, he insists I stay close to her. Suddenly our girlfriend isn’t good enough, he can’t be bothered with her.

We’ve been in love with Cassandra for years, and there’s no ignoring that. There’s no tossing it aside for some damn rogue. When she gets her wolf soon, we’ll mate and pop out pups. That’s always been the plan.

But now there’s this… Bomb that’s gone off in my face. It’s a distraction I don’t need, but one I can’t just forget. The entire room smells like her: wildflowers. Fresh and clean like the breeze on a nice summer day.

Like I stepped into a damn field of them and never want to find my way out. I first caught wind of her scent during the raid, and it clouded my head in a way I’d never felt. When I saw my Beta damn near ready to rip her throat out, I could have killed him. I nearly did. But we didn’t know why Harrison and his family were there, or who these people were to them. I still desperately need those answers. My father and Alpha, is also damn well going to want his questions answered. 

We’d hoped to get insight from the Barclay Mountain pack that assisted us, but they had no intel and ran back home the first chance they got.

“Who are you,” she asks, turning her head away and refusing to look at me. 

This is the game she wants to play? Fine.

“I’m Rafe Chamberlain. First born son of Alpha Reign of Nightwind. So again, who are you and why were you wearing a wedding dress,” I state, firm and with authority. She needs to know I’m not playing around. She needs to know that I very well could have let her die in that field. I don’t know what the hell came over Cruz, I still have to answer to my Beta for undermining him and sparing her life.

“Is that supposed to impress me? Names and titles and blah blah,” she taunts, her lip curling with amusement. 

My wolf practically takes over my body and forces me to go to her side. He’s turned on, and there’s no working him down.

*We must put our scent on her, right now,* Cruz demands.

*She’s already wearing our shirt which Cassandra will lose her mind over,* I retort. 

But by the time I realize it, I am next to her, staring down at her breasts heaving under my thin cotton shirt. Our scents mixed together is the most erotic thing imaginable. Her nipples are hard, and she doesn’t seem to care that I’m looking. I’d literally do anything to get in this bed with her right now. Be on top of her, hold that command over her body.

When I realize I’m getting hard, I slightly turn to the side.

“It’s not meant to impress you so much as it is to show you that I’m not fucking around. Your name … now,” I say, trying to keep my voice level. 

My wolf growls slightly, thinking he’s picking up the tiniest waft of her arousal. I have to briefly close my eyes when he demands I draw a deep breath to further investigate.

“I’m a nobody. So just let me go,” she whispers, looking at the wall.

“The less you cooperate, the more likely it is we won’t let you go. Those boys that were running with you, I’m guessing they’re your brothers,” I press. That gets her to turn and give me those eyes.

Violet eyes! Who the hell has those? Nobody. But fuck if they aren’t absolutely mesmerizing, especially up close. I can’t look away and don’t want to.

“Every hour they’re alone they’re subject to kidnapping or worse. You have to release me at once, time is of the essence, please,” she says, her voice is pleading. Her face grows a bit desperate. I shake my head.

“What makes you think you can even find them? On your own no less without a wolf,” I question. She raises her eyebrow.

“Because I’ve taught them everything they know. I can start by tracing their tracks. They would think like me, make decisions as I would,” she says, as if I’m an idiot. My blood boils but Cruz demands I stay still and not make any sudden movements that might scare her. 

Fuck that!

I’ve never had anyone talk to me like she is!! Treat me like I’m not Alpha’s Chamberlain’s son. Soon to be Alpha of one of the largest packs on the coast. She’s not afraid of me and it’s clear she doesn’t even want anything from me. All firsts. Literally any other captive would try to bargain, offer something in return.Though that bastard I tortured half the night didn’t give up a damn thing.

“I never explain myself to anyone. I'm not only the male who saved your life but I'm not totally sure why I did it. So you better give me a good reason to be lenient, rogue. Taking you back to where we found you will take awhile, you’re at least a nine hour drive from there now so that’s not something anyone wants to do. Least of all for nothing,” I say, because she probably has no clue how far we are.

Her eyes grow wide at that revelation and she huffs. When she crosses her arms and her breasts are thrust up, I bite my tongue so hard I taste blood. She instantly whimpers softly, realizing her arm is very much in pain with her movement. It only makes me want to comfort her more.

She’s going to kill me if this shit keeps up though. I haven’t looked at anyone but Cassandra out of lust in years. How is this even happening??

“There’s an older male we took hostage that won’t talk. Maybe a chat with him will convince you to cooperate,” I state.

We’d planned on reuniting them, certain that they were part of the same group since we knew for a fact neither were part of Harrison’s rogue tribe. Of course we were only going to put them together where we could listen to everything they say. She doesn’t have a wolf, they can’t mind-link so they’ll be forced to speak out loud.

Either that or she won’t want anything to do with him and realize living here is better.

*Yes! We need her here,* Cruz says, practically ready to do a backflip at the idea.

“I would like to see him,” she simply says, and I lick my lips as I hold my hand out to help her.

She looks at my hand as if it's diseased for a brief moment, but finally accepts it. When our palms join, there’s a small shock to my entire body unlike anything I’ve ever felt. Cruz loses his damn mind and before I know it, I’ve scooped her up like a bride then I’m carrying her to my room. When I kick the door open, her eyes move immediately toward the bed and then right back to me.

“What…” she whispers, as I hear her heart beat start to race.

“Relax rogue. I’m just getting you clothes,” I say, though I question it myself. I should have taken her to my little sister’s room for actual female clothes. 

*She’ll only wear ours,* Cruz states, matter of fact and leaving no room for argument. 

I carry her into my walk-in closet and set her in the arm chair. It’s all I can do to ignore the scent of her arousal that there’s no hiding now. When my back is turned to her, I’m forced to adjust myself and will Cruz to chill out. He’s not happy about it, but he agrees we need this. We need more answers.

I drop a pile of clothes on the dresser next to her and point.

“Don’t make me wait too long,” I snap, and turn to walk out without looking at her.

It’s twenty painfully long minutes until she comes out, but when I see her in my shorts and shirt, I forget why I’m mad. Her long blonde hair is tamed into a loose bun and she’s removed a couple of her bandages. Her tiny feet don’t even make a sound as she walks toward me. Goddess she’s perfect. Cassandra has massive feet and weird toes, they freak me out and I’ve definitely thought about my pups getting stuck with those monkey feet.

We don’t speak as she follows me to the dungeon, though I have to walk slowly since it seems as if she’s struggling. I hate the silence, coming from her it’s nearly like a stab in the heart. I need to hear her voice, even if it's to fight with me.

What the hell is wrong with me?!

Cruz is smug, even wondering if she’s enjoying the view from back there. These jeans fit me perfectly and Cassandra always loves how my ass looks in them.

When we walk into the keeper’s office, I can’t help myself. 

“See anything you liked as you were staring at me during the walk,” I whisper.

Her lips press into a hard line as she narrows her eyes. Fuck, she’s hot when she’s angry.

“I was merely trying to keep up, you’re insanely rude,” she states, putting her good hand on her hip.

“Takes one to know one,” I mumble, as the keeper comes to wave us on.

*That was lame,* Cruz scolds. I shrug, not even able to understand why the hell she’s influencing me like this.

When we’re standing in front of the cell, she lowers her head in submission. 

“I’ll leave you to it,” I say, as I head back to the office and watch the camera.

“I’m sorry that I failed you father,” she whispers. 

Father?? 

I raise my eyebrow in question, as Cruz immediately verifies they have no familial matching scent. We spent hours questioning the male last night, trying to beat answers out of him. Maybe she’s adopted?

He approaches her and I get nervous for some reason. My stomach is practically ready to hurl.

“You’ve cost me everything and you have the nerve to show your face? You’ll probably fall right to your whore knees for the Alpha, ready and eager to do anything for him. These people are weak cowards to let me live. They should have killed me out in that field. You and them alike will all live to regret that day,” he says, in a low voice. 

Pure rage boils inside me. He’s blaming HER for what happened?? He’s got some nerve!

*He’s not even asking about the boys? Some father! We only left him alive to get answers, his days are numbered. We can’t allow another rogue family to grow as strong as Harrison’s, but if we need to kill him we absolutely will,* Cruz snarls.

She raises her head to meet his gaze.

“I know and I brought you something should they let you go. Or you can use it to bribe someone. It’s nothing in comparison, but it’ll help,” she says, as she reaches in her pocket. My jaw falls open when I see my wallet. 

Fucking thief! She stole my wallet from my closet??

*Wait…* Cruz warns, as I try to step forward. I’m ready to rip her limb from limb for thinking she can steal from me. 

HOW DARE SHE?!

My heart skips a beat, also thinking about how my great-grandmother’s wedding ring is inside the wallet. The ring I’m supposed to give Cassandra when we mate. My mother sewed a special pocket to hold it so I’d always have it on me for when the time comes. 

The next movements happen so fast that I barely register them. He swipes the wallet quickly when she puts it through the bars and then there’s a sharp crack followed by her cries of pain.

“You’re nothing to me now Hannah! You’re worthless,” he roars so loud it echoes off the walls. 

The keeper is already running, and when he grabs a gun off the wall, he wastes no time shooting the male in the gut with a tranquilizer dart. 

I bend and scoop up the female, whose lip is busted and bleeding. Cruz growls loudly from deep inside me, demanding we rip out that male’s throat!

There’s a thud, indicating he’s been sedated and fallen to the floor but I ignore it and lift her off the cold concrete. Her eyes roll to the back of her head as I move, and my heart sinks. 

“Get Jacob immediately. Leave him for me, don’t do a thing with him,” I shout, as I run out of the dungeon.