Alpha Connor

Tara

I whimpered when I felt the pack bond snap. It was like air was being pulled out of my lungs forcefully. I was running out of breath. I staggered back and fell out of balance landing on my butt as I saw five burly men take a few steps towards me.

"You have one minute to run out of my land before I let these warriors lose to catch you. And when they catch you, you're dead," my former Alpha said without any emotion.

I weakly pushed myself up not minding the burning pain from my right arm not to mention the recent loss of a pack bond.

"Run, rogue," one of the men says.

The world started to look a little hazy, but I focused on the idea that if I don't move now, I will never see tomorrow's light of day. I turned around and started running in the opposite direction of the men. The whole forest has never felt this foreign to me. The trees just pass by as a blur as I try to run as fast as I can to get out of my old pack's land.

I turned to look behind me when I heard a loud angry growl. Faster, faster, until I crossed the border!. But just as I was about to take another look behind, I plummeted down.

I was rolling down a rocky slope. I did not notice I was running towards the east side of the pack land where the border was the sudden drop of earth that was too low to be a cliff but high enough to break someone's neck.

I landed on a hard thud and immediately pulled myself to sit up thankful for my werewolf genes for the extra strength. I scanned the area and realized I am now in unclaimed land. This is where all rogues live. Rogues are werewolves that have no pack, either they left their pack on their own or were banished for a crime.

A gush of cold air passes by and I shiver not just from the wind but also from the thought that I am now a rogue.

I staggered to stand up and walked in no particular direction. I don't know how long I have been walking but my feet were killing me, and I was starting to see black dots. I leaned on the nearest tree as I heard a growl from behind me. I turned back and saw a huge wolf ready to lunge at me. It's eyes were red, signaling that it had gone wild! I gulped and started running away from it. I shifted into my wolf half leap. My bones realigned and fur sprouted from my pores. I landed softly on my paws, but I never stopped running.

My eyes water when I feel a sting on my right hindleg. I dropped on the ground and saw the rogue took a small chunk of my flesh on its mouth. It has finally caught on me. If I was going to die this way, I would not die without a fight. I tried to lunge on the rogue aiming for a bite on its neck but it quickly deflected my attack. I jumped towards it again trying to aim a little better and my teeth plunged on its soft stomach. The rogue whimpered and fell. I took that opportunity to run again.

I knew I was running very slow because of the pain radiating from the huge wound on my leg. Blood was dripping from it and I was starting to feel lightheaded. I immediately stopped when I felt the sudden change in the air around me. I stiffened. I was on a pack's land.

My eyes widened seeing three muscular men walking towards me. Must be border patrols. I tried to stand up in a fighting position but my legs gave up on me.

"How dare you enter our land, rogue," one of the men growled at me.

I only whimpered and dropped my head on the ground completely. I was going to die here. I was so sure of it.

"Shift now!"

I don't know if I can even move one muscle from all the bruises and wounds I have collected throughout the run from my pack's land through the rogue area up to here.

"I think it's wounded, Beta," another man said.

"I don't give a shit if that rogue is dying. If it doesn't shift in the next ten seconds, I will murder it myself," the first one replied.

Just my luck, I am facing a Beta, one of the highest positions in a pack. I doubt I will ever survive under his eyes. I willed myself to shift back into my human form. A strangled gasp leaves my lips as I feel immense pain from shifting. The pain from my wound even doubled as I am weaker in this form.

I remain lying on the ground on my stomach as if to hide most of my body as I am completely naked.

"It's a girl, Beta," the same person who noticed I was wounded said.

The Beta only replied with a growl. I can feel them eyeing me even though I was not looking at them. I felt someone approach me and my right arm was gripped tightly lifting me off the ground.

"Why are you here?"

I stared back at an angry face. He must be the Beta as I felt a strong aura from him. I opened my mouth to answer him but no sound came out. I saw his eyebrows strain in confusion.

He released my arm with a hard shove sending me back to the ground. The last thing I remembered before my head hit a hard object was the angry growl from the Beta.

DARKNESS was the first thing that greeted me the moment I got my consciousness back. I lay naked on the hard and cold floor. I gather all the strength I have left to lift myself up in a sitting position.

I knew I was in a cell. The stale smell and humid air weren't just an indication of that. Bars block my exit. But if this was a dungeon of some sort, why do I not feel any other living being? It was like I was the only one locked up here.

The only light that slashed through the darkness must be a single lightbulb from the left of the hallway. However faint it was, it was the only thing bringing me hope that I was still on Earth not yet dead.

I moved backwards to the wall when I heard footsteps walking towards my cell. The Beta stood just before the bars looking down at me. I hug myself as if to save modesty.

"The Alpha wants to meet you, rogue. If you misbehave in front of him, it's death you face," the Beta said stiffly.

I didn't answer and merely looked at his boots. They were dusty and worn out.

My eyes moved up when I heard an angry growl. Another person was walking in the hallway. It must be the Alpha. I brave myself to face the leader of this pack.

I gasped when the man stopped in front of my cell. A frown marred my face as I took in the whole of him. He was very tall, taller than the Beta. His chiselled face was expressionless as he looked directly into my eyes. My eyes widened when a realization dawned at me.

Something suddenly stabbed me in the heart. Sparks exploded throughout my whold body.

Mate!

The man before me is my mate!

My breathing started to quicken and my heart started beating even faster. He was my mate and yet he looked at me with no emotion in his eyes. I grew confused as to why I could not smell him? The first sign a werewolf will get when he has found his mate is a smell so different from anybody else. And yet I do not smell him.

The only reason why I believe he is my mate was the sudden electricity that ran through my body when I looked into his eyes. They were as black as the night and they were pulling me into him. Moon Goddess, please don't trick me.

"This is the rogue, Alpha."

I turned my attention to the Beta when he spoke. He sported a confused look as if trying to decipher why his Alpha remained silent and just stared at their prisoner.

"What is so special about this one that it remains in our prison?"

The sound of his voice brought warmth to my skin and yet the words he spoke broke my heart. Does he not recognize the mate bond between us? Doesn't he sense me?

"No rogue ever dared to enter our land. This one bears a mark, Alpha," the Beta answered as his eyes linger on my right arm.

I looked down at my bloodied arm and cringed at the memory of how I got the fresh wound on it. It was not healing as quickly as my other wounds because a silver knife was used to engrave a mark on it.

"What mark?" the Alpha asked.

I saw the Beta take something from his pocket. A key. He was going to enter my cell. I bunched myself even closer to the wall as he started walking towards me. I flinched when he crouched down and pulled my right arm towards him.

A low growl escaped from the man who was now standing behind the Beta. I ignored him and tried to pull my arm back but the Beta was stronger than me.

"Look at this. How is she still alive?" the Beta asked, looking up at his Alpha.

I hold my breath as I wait for his reply. And yet seconds tick by and we hear no answer from him.

"Where did you get this mark, rogue?" the Beta turned to me when the Alpha remained silent.

I gulped and looked over at the Alpha. His dark eyes now stare directly at my exposed mark. I tugged my arm and he moved his gaze to my face. For a moment I thought I saw a touch of softness there but it was gone as if it had never come.

"My old pack," I whisper back at the Beta.

"What do you mean?" he questioned further.

"It's law that every banished wolf gets this mark before they are thrown on unclaimed territory," I explained.

The Beta frowns at me as if I were saying nonsensical things. But his questions bring more confusion to me. Every wolf knew this. Banished wolves get marked as a sign of their crime.

"What was the name of your old pack?" he asked with a stiff voice.

"South Forest," I replied breathlessly.

"The South Forest Pack does not exist."

I frowned up at him and tugged my arm once again. This time he let me go.

"I am- I was from that pack," I say angrily.

"That pack does not exist, rogue. Well, not anymore."

I was about to retort to him when I heard him growling -

"I'm going to give you one last chance, be a good girl and tell me, where the fuck you come from!"

Connor

MY wolf was threatening to leap to the surface. He has been agitated ever since my Beta called me to visit the rogue. And now looking at the young woman that lay afraid on the cold floor of our prison, my wolf has grown even angrier. He was mad that I was letting another man look at his mate's body. He was furious I have done nothing to help my mate as she was clearly in pain.

"What do you mean it does not exist?"

My thoughts were cut off when I heard my mate's voice. Everytime I hear her speak, it is as if angels have come down to sing at me. She was perfect.

Get her a blanket. Now.

I mindlink Luke, my Beta. He simply nodded before leaving the cell. I took one step away from my mate and watched as disappointment crossed her face. My wolf whimpered seeing that, but I focused on the matter at hand.

"South Forest was wiped out years ago," I answered her question from earlier.

"Years ago? I just saw my Alpha earlier today," she said with confusion.

"Alpha Kane is dead."

My mate continued to look at me as if everything I said was all a lie. I know she was lying. The tragedy of the South Forest pack was well-known all around the country. They were attacked by a band of rogues and witches and no one survived.

"Now tell me from what pack are you really from," I pushed the question once again.

"I already told you. I was a part of South Forest. Alpha Kane, he banished me earlier today," she answered with pain lacing the last sentence.

"Stop lying, rogue. We know all weres from South Forest died years ago," Luke said as he entered the cell.

He tossed the blanket to my mate and she scrambled to cover herself with it. I saw her flinch from the sudden movement she made.

"I don't lie," she firmly answered.

"That mark on your arm, how did you get it?" I asked her.

"I told you. Before I was banished, my Alpha branded me with this."

A snort came from my Beta as he shook his head. The mark in her arm was an old symbol. Any werewolf who is given with that sign will immediately die.

"That's a death symbol, rogue," Luke says.

I growled lowly earning a confused look from the other man. My wolf was not liking how Luke was calling his mate 'rogue'.

"It's a banishment symbol, Beta," my mate answered in the same tone.

I almost smirked hearing her condescending reply. Luke growled and took a step forward but I sent a glare to his direction stopping his movement.

"Let's stop the games. Tell us where you are really from and how you survived that mark," I say to her seriously.

She remained silent and just looked at me. My wolf was loving all the attention she was giving us but I knew the real reason behind it. She was not going to speak any longer.

"Suit yourself. You have the prison all to yourself," I say and walk out from her cell.

Luke followed me and he locked the bars behind him. I threw her one more glance and saw a pained expression on her angelic face. My wolf was getting angry at me for my behavior but I maintained my stoic attitude and walked out from the prison.

"Hey, man. What are we going to do with that rogue?" Luke asked once we were out in the open.

I started walking towards my house passing by some pack members who all bowed their respect as me and their Beta walked by.

"I want to get real answers from her. Not this nonsense about the South Forest pack," I answered his question.

"We don't normally take in prisoners, Con. And that mark on her arm, what was that about?"

"I don't have an answer to that," I say angrily.

"I doubt it was really made by her Alpha. Only witches can brand that kind of symbol on someone. If another being tries it, it fades immediately," Luke says ignoring my angry tone.

I stopped walking when we were in front of my house. I was not staying in the pack house as I value my privacy too much.

"I want you to get answers from her," I simply say.

"What do you mean? Like torture her?" Luke asks.

I see him back away a little bit from me. I knew my eyes were glowing from my wolf's anger. He has been furious ever since this whole mate thing has started and hearing his Beta talk about torturing her was just the icing on the cake.

Closing my eyes, I try to control myself. I breathed in and looked at Luke again.

"Consult a witch or something. Do something to get answers," I answered him and turned away.

I was just about to open the door to the house when Luke called my name. I turned to him with an annoyed look. He was sporting a worried look that made me even more annoyed. What's his problem now?

"Are you ok? Your wolf seems to be on edge with this whole rogue situation," he said.

"I'm fine," I snapped at him and turned to face the door again.

I gripped the doorknob to open the door but my damn Beta really just can't keep his mouth shut for even a minute.

"I'll look for a witch to consult on this situation. But I think your father might be able to help us with this, Alpha."

I remained stiff in my position hearing his statement. My father has long retired from his Alpha position and has fully given me all the power for the pack. The reason for his retirement was too close to this problem and it would dig memories that we would rather not bring up.

"I want you to do this on your own. Get a witch here as soon as possible," I answered him and finally opened the door only to slam it shut as hard as I could, my anger rolling off me.

GUILT was gnawing at me inside out. My wolf has lashed at me with a silent treatment ever since I have entered my office. I looked at the papers in front of me and yet I saw nothing. My mind was focused on something else. It was drifting to the thought of my mate lying all alone inside that dark cold cell.

I ran my hands through my hair in frustration. I was never the one to feel guilty about anything. I make choices based on what I know is right. And yet that one decision of leaving my mate in that cell was eating me alive.

A knock on my door pulled me out of my thoughts. I took a deep breath to calm myself down before ordering whoever it was to enter my office.

I stood up when I saw who my visitor was. My father walked inside with a soft smile on his face. I sat down once he was seated on the chair in front of my desk.

"I heard you were looking for a witch, son," my father said in a serious tone.

I scowled at this. Luke must have told my father about the situation.

"Yes," I answered him and lifted one of the many documents lying on the table.

"What for?"

"A rogue entered our territory," I answered and set down the document at hand, giving up on trying to focus on it.

I saw my father lift an eyebrow at my reply. I simply waited to hear what he would say about this discovery.

"What do you need a witch for?"

"She bears the death mark."

My father's eyes widened with my answer. I followed his movement as he stood up and went to the window overlooking the thick forest.

"No one survives a death mark," came his calm reply.

"That's why we need a witch to explain this situation," I answered, remaining in my seat.

"Why not just kill the rogue?" my father asked as he turned to face me.

I felt a mild headache once he said those words. My wolf was making this hard for me. He has been playing with my mind for hours now, agitated with the condition of our mate.

"Not an option," I answered shortly and looked down at the documents once again.

"I have always trusted your decisions for the pack, Connor. But I want you to know that not everything you see is presented in black and white. Some things are different from what they look like."

"What are you implying?" I asked him as he turned to look away from the window.

"You only have to say the word and your mother would come to help you out," he answered with a cautious tone.

My mother was always a touchy topic for the both of us. It has been seven years since I last saw her. That was the time she and my father were called for a meeting with all the other Alphas.

"She left us to become a traitor of-"

My sentence was cut short by my father's angry growl. He never wanted to talk about that topic. It was as if she never committed a crime seven years ago. My father never turned his back on his mate. But I did. I cannot tolerate a traitor in my family even if it was my own mother.

"I will call for your mother to visit the pack tonight."

I stood up as my father said that statement. How dare he make decisions when he is no longer the Alpha?

"As a former Alpha I believe I still have some say in what is best for this pack," my father continued when I only glared at him.

"You think the pack would want a traitor to step foot in their land?" I asked him sarcastically.

"I think what the pack would want is to be safe. A rogue bearing a death mark does not seem to project that. Not to add the thought that their Alpha refuses to simply terminate this wolf that brings that danger to them," my father simply replied and started to walk towards the door as if to imply our conversation was over.

I released a heavy breath and sat down. He was right. No matter in what angle I look at it, only my mother can have the answer to this puzzle the new prisoner has brought.

"She stays in the pack for an hour. Not a second more," I state before my father can close the door behind his back as he exits my office.

"Of course, son," he simply answered and finally closed the door.

The mild headache brewing earlier has now become a full-blown pain in my head. Aside from my wolf's anger towards me because of our mate, I was also feeling distressed about the arrival of my mother.

The only reason why I agreed with my father's decision was because I know my mother is a powerful witch who certainly has knowledge about the death mark engraved on my mate's skin. But aside from that, I have no desire to see her again. She might have been this pack's Luna before but she is considered as a traitor to the whole werewolf community. Born half were and half witch, she turned her back on us when she decided to side with rogues.

How can I face a traitor like her? The traitor that led the massacre of the South Forest back seven years ago.

Tara

MY whole body flinched, waking me up when I heard a rattle of metal. I looked up to see the man from earlier, the Beta, opening the door on my cell. I have no idea how long I was asleep. When the Beta and my mate left earlier, putting me in a confused state with their statements, I tried to make sense of what they said.

But I cannot wrap my mind around the thought that the South Forest pack does not exist to them.

I hugged the blanket closer to my body as the Beta entered. Behind him was an older man with an expressionless face. For some reason he looked oddly familiar.

"Get dressed," the Beta ordered and threw me something.

I cautiously took what he gave me. It was a pair of jersey shorts and a shirt. Both were too big for me but I know I was in no position to complain. The Beta simply exited the cell and he and the older man turned around as if to give me some privacy to put on the clothes. I quickly wore them trying not to mind my still unhealed wounds.

As a werewolf, I was supposed to heal quickly but I have no idea why I was not healing at the pace that I would normally do. The two men turned to face me after some time. The Beta gripped my right arm and tugged me outside the cell. I limped at his side as he dragged me with him. The other man trailed behind us.

We faced a door and when he opened it, cold air immediately engulfed me. I looked around only to find darkness, the only light was from the full moon above us. It was already nighttime. I must have been asleep for a few hours then.

The Beta continued dragging me and we passed by a huge house that must be their pack house as voices can be heard from inside. A pang hit my chest remembering my old pack. I know I would never be able to see my former packmates.

The Beta stopped in front of a door and opened it. I gasped when I saw who was waiting for us. My mate was sitting behind a huge desk. His gaze immediately landed on me when we entered. My arm was finally released and the Beta left me standing in the middle of the room.

I held my breath waiting for the Alpha to say something but he merely looked at me with no expression on his face. Disappointment flooded my whole system with the thought that he will not accept me as his mate. My wolf was begging me to go closer to our mate but I was too frightened to do so. I dropped my gaze to the floor when I could not stand it anymore. Looking at him was hurting me for some reason. I knew by his reaction from earlier that he was going to reject me.

Although it was frowned upon to reject your mate, some still do that if they already have chosen their own mate or simply do not want you. My heart broke a little with the idea that my mate has already chosen a Luna for himself.

The silence inside the room was broken when a knock sounded from the door. I did not turn when I heard it open and kept my gaze on the oak floor.

"Good evening, son," a deep voice came from behind me.

I looked up to see my mate looking behind me. It must be his father judging from his reaction. But then anger laced his face and I felt waves of worry, anger, and pain wash over me. I was feeling his emotions!

I quickly turned to see what brought such emotions to my mate. I saw the man from earlier in the cell and he was standing beside a woman.

"Tara?" the woman looked at me with shock written all over her face.

My eyes widened when I saw who it was. I stepped back as shock engulfed me. I almost fell back when I felt a strong arm encircle my waist to steady me. I looked behind me to see my mate holding me but his gaze was fixed on the woman in front of us.

"Tara, what are you doing here?" the woman asked as she made a move towards me.

She immediately stilled when a growl vibrated beside me. I looked up to see my mate throwing daggers in her direction.

"Connor, do not disrespect your mother like that," the older man said with a strained voice.

Connor, so that was my mate's name. I willed myself never to forget how beautiful that name sounded. But I did a double take when the words registered in my mind. She was my mate's mother?

"I only respect people who deserve it," Connor answered.

"Connor, you-"

"Adan, please, don't," the woman stopped the man and gripped his arm.

His face softened when she touched him. She was his mate! Realization dawned on me. I was standing in front of my mate's parents.

The woman once again faced me with a cautious look on her face. Her gaze went to my arm and her eyes widened when she saw my wound. I immediately covered it with my left hand.

"Tara, what happened?" she asked once again.

"I was banished," I answered when I finally found my voice to speak up.

"Banished? Now why would Kane banish you?" she asked back with shock lacing her words.

"Wait, you two know each other?"

We all looked at who spoke. The Beta was staring at me with a confused look. I looked back at the woman.

"Of course, I would know her. We're from the same pack."

THE atmosphere in the room felt cold after what I said. My mate has released me from his hold, making me shiver from the loss of contact with him. The Beta was looking at me strangely.

"This must come as a shock to all of you, but what she said was true. We were indeed from the same pack."

I simply looked at my mate's mother as she said those words. I knew her only because she was one of the healers in our pack.

"What pack?"

I turned to face my mate when he asked that question. He was looking at his mother with hostility. The reason? I have no idea.

"I already told you before. South Forest pack," I answered his question when his mother didn't.

His gaze went to me. I knew from his look that he did not believe what I just said. They kept saying my pack does not exist.

"You're telling me that the two of you came from a pack that was wiped out of this earth seven years ago?" he asked, directing his question at me.

"You're telling me that the pack you massacred survived?" he asked, turning his glare to his mother.

I frowned at his question for his mother. What does he mean by massacre? Nobody tried to massacre my former pack.

"Irene," I softly called my mate's mother.

She turned to look at me. She was sporting a very worried gaze and that worry doubled when she once again looked at my bloody arm.

"If you're his mother, why are you staying with a different pack?" I ask her.

"Maybe it's best if we talk privately," Irene said looking behind me, to my mate.

"No," came his hard response.

"I need to explain something to Tara, Connor. And look at her. She's injured."

"I said no," Connor replied and gripped my shoulder pulling me back to him.

I stumbled with the sudden movement but I regained balance with the solid wall that was his chest. I saw confused looks from the three other people inside the room.

"Ok," Irene said slowly with her eyes glued to my mate's hands which were on me.

"Why are you here?" I asked Irene.

Her gaze immediately went to me and she tilted her head a bit. The guarded look on her face was not a good sign. It felt like she was hiding something from me.

"How did you get the wound on your arm?" Irene asked, completely ignoring my question.

"Alpha Kane. He banished me, remember?"

"Oh no. I am so sorry, Tara. I went to the neighboring town. I was gone for a few days. I never knew of the Alpha's action. This should never have happened. This can ruin everything."

"What do you mean?" I asked with a frown.

"You should never have been banished. I don't know what Kane was thinking. He knew the consequences of his actions and yet he still did this. I cannot believe that man!" Irene replied exasperated.

My frown deepened with her words. I can't understand what she was trying to pinpoint. Her words were so vague. I massaged my temples in an attempt to soothe the headache burning my scalp.

"How is she still alive with that mark on her?"

My mate's deep voice rumbled from behind me. I leaned back on him when I felt a wave of nausea run through my body. I felt his hand land on my waist keeping me upright.

"It's very complicated, Connor. I don't think this is the time to discuss this." Irene answered her son.

"I asked you a question and it requires an answer. Now," Connor growled back.

"Tara seems very weak. Look at her. Let's talk about this later."

"Son, listen to your mother. And she's right. That girl needs rest," his father added, trying to calm the raging Alpha.

I felt Connor look at me. I looked down at the floor. The wound on my arm was starting to sting so bad. It felt like it was burning. I immediately removed my hand covering it and saw blisters on the wound. It was also bleeding. I frowned as this should have already healed leaving me with a scar as it was made with a knife coated with wolfsbane.

"Tara, honey, are you alright?" Irene asked, taking a step towards me.

"It's like fire. It's burning my arm off," I answered her weakly.

I whimpered when the burning only intensified.

"Do something!" my mate ordered Irene as he gently shifted me to look in his direction.

I felt strong arms around me. Connor lifted me and started walking somewhere. I simply went with what was happening. He placed me on a couch that was in the office. I melted in the soft cushion below me. Moaning at the first comfort I had had for some time but my moan turned into a sob when the pain worsened. I tried to get up but Connor's hands pushed me back onto the couch.

"I said do something!" he once again growled at his mother.

"I have no idea what is happening here," Irene said helplessly.

"You're a witch. Help her!"

I groaned at his voice. Connor looked at me and his face was laced with panic. I almost jumped when he stood up and intimidatingly walked towards Irene. For a second there I thought he was going to attack her. His father immediately stepped in front of Irene. I saw the Beta place a hand on his shoulder as if to stop him.

"Why are you so worried about a rogue?" The Beta asked.

This earned a loud growl from Connor. I shifted, scared of what was going to happen. An Alpha provoked was never a good thing.

"She's my mate!"

I cared about her! I couldn't just let her die!