Chapter 6: A Rogue's Wish

My eyes crack open, and I find myself inside a room I've never seen before. It's fancy, with paintings on its walls, two sofas and a centre table, and the bed at the head of the room. I raise my eyes to the ceiling and I see the chains binding my wrists to the loops on it. Fear grips me again. I remember my last moments at Red Valley and I begin to struggle.

Chase was far away. My father and my people can not help me now. I don't even know where I am—Immediately, my ears catch the sloshing sound of sea waves and breaking tides. The wheels in my head turn like fiery chariots. I'm currently at sea and my captors aren't planning on keeping me in Carodia. They are taking me out of it.

But it's not only my captors that I fear. It is the waters we cross now that make me antsy. I struggle until I'm wet with sweat and feel the little energy in my bones leave me.

"Do not fight it." I hear the low-pitched, deep voice as footsteps bound down the short stairs leading to where I am.

A man in a black coat and black boots stands before me in a matter of seconds. I notice the staff in his right hand and begin to wonder. The handle is shaped like a wolf's head and he bears it with authority, even though he's just a mere rogue looking for trouble.

"Who are you?" I narrow my eyes to black slits, but he still gives me that blank look.

It's the same face I saw before I was captured. This man was the one who had snuck into my room and stole me from my pack. I want to scream at him, but that would only show my fear and give him more footing over me. Besides, my father would do the opposite in this situation. He will always remain calm like the trees, and so will I.

"A high amount of wolf's bane is still in your system. I'm afraid the strength of your wolf cannot help you now."

I scoff. "I can say the same for you, rogue. You dare cross Carodia's most powerful packs and think you'll survive it?"

The man walks forward and I latch my gaze on his slightly limping leg. I'm certain he's a wolf; I can sense it, but that I do not understand. His shoulders are broad underneath that coat and everything about him looks hard.

As he stands before me, his presence is intimidating in spades. Thick brows narrow into a soft frown as green eyes peer at me. "Why not, Marelyn Everdeen?

"As we speak, the Red Valley pack is counting their losses in folds. My visit wouldn't be forgotten so easily."

I try to think he is bluffing, but I heard the screams and howls earlier. He is right, even I will never forget it.

"You are a rogue, nothing but a rogue. Listen, my alpha will come for you and he will destroy you."

"The same man that slept with your sister and got her pregnant?" It mutes me at once, and he pesters on with a mocking smile. "What makes you think your alpha will come after you, Marelyn?"

I rush the words out to quell the shame biting my spirit. "Because I'm his Luna and we have a duty—"

"I did Chase Erikson a great favour by getting you out of his way. With his only obstacle gone now, what do you think will happen next?"

My chin quivers as I hold his cold stare. This man doesn't care that his words hurt me. In fact, he wants them to cut through me like a double-edged sword and break me to pieces. He wants to hear me say the words with my mouth. Ruby will be my replacement and I'd be forgotten like the wind.

But I can't. I gulp and lower my gaze. "What do you want from me?"

"A child."

My eyes snap to him, and there's a storm brewing. It's the most ridiculous thing I've heard since my first breath, but then there's not the slightest bit of humour on his features. I've known this man for only a few minutes to know he does not joke.

"That's impossible. My mate bond is with another."

He finally moves away and my lungs can function properly again.

"The last thing I want is to be mated to anyone."

"How sad..." I mutter mockingly, but he doesn't pick on my action. He continues. "I know what you are, Marelyn, and as much as I do not need a mate, I must have an heir to the Moon Grove throne."

"Is that why I am in chains and being led to my death?"

"If this was what death looked like, then it wouldn't be such a horrible thing, don't you think?"

I pause and look around me. I find a window to my right and I get a glimpse of the deck. It's still night, but I can't determine the exact hour.

Again, I pin him with a narrowed stare. "First, you're crossing the Carodian seas after dark. That's a death wish. I know no Raven would do that. It means you're all on your own, in the middle of a dangerous territory, with a bunch of wolves that know nothing about sailing."

When the moon goddess created Carodia as our land, she had surrounded it with water and its monsters to ward off trespassers. The only problem was that it had trapped us in. We can't leave the territory without the wolves they call Ravens, who are trained in sailing and how to navigate these seas. Now this rogue thinks he can cross over all alone and survive.

"I got here just fine. I don't think leaving would be much of a problem." He sits himself on the sofa across from me and observes. I'm still in my battle clothes from the Red Valley armoury. His eyes take me in, but his appraisal is vague. I can't decipher the dark look on his face.

"Get me out of this and I might just save both our lives, together with your crew." I bargain, stretching my luck too far, but at this point, risks are all I can take.

He crosses his arms against his chest and raises a sharp brow. "How?"

"This is my home. You've lived on the outside all your life, rogue. Getting in might have been easy, but going out will not."

"Do you even know why you are in chains?"

"Because I'm a bloodline silver wolf." I pause, and the smile on my face is sinister. "And because you fear what I can do."

He regards me and smirks. It's the first time I'm witnessing genuine humour from him. This man is one of a kind.

"Well, I can't trust you to not kill all of my wolves, or can I?"

"You'll be the first if I ever have that intention, but then it's your lucky day, rogue. I care more about surviving this journey now."

It's like he can see through my bluff and see all the lies I've just told. I am a bloodline, but there's not much I can do because I'm yet to harness my powers, and this man knows that. Someone interrupts in the next second. I can tell he has summoned a wolf of his through a mind link.

"Zeke, you called."

He says, "Release her."

The order does not please the wolf, but his feet carry him to my side and within a minute, the chains fall off. My shoulders hurt as I rest my hands at my sides.

Shock still rolls off of me because I do not see it coming. He is letting me go for a reason I can't grasp yet.

"Marelyn promises to get us out of here safely. Let's see how she manages that, Jai." He doesn't break eye contact with me as he speaks and I sense the mockery in his tone because he doesn't think I can do it.

That irks me, and I willingly accept the challenge, even though I know he's right again.

Jai leads as we climb out to the deck. I can feel the heat of Zeke's body right behind me, and I'm second guessing my mental health because it is affecting me and my thinking cells greatly.

I manage as we walk. "You're right. My alpha and the Red Valley pack might abandon me, but my family will never. I'm also a Blue Silver wolf and in case you are not aware, we never abandon our own."

From behind, he whispers harshly in my ear. "Really? Because I'm not so sure your father thinks that way."

My heart sinks to my shoes and I snap my neck to him immediately, but Zeke is already headed for the helm of the yacht before I can set my gaze on him.