The Silent Alpha (Natalia)

Chapter 7: Rogues

***Jane***

My father orders two guards to unchain me and I collapse onto the ground, my open wounds burning as I hit the cold pavement.

The guards force me to walk down the dark corridors, both of them pushing and shoving me when I walk too slowly.

As we make it out of the dungeons, the bright light of the day burns my bruised eyes and I wince, the guards laughing at me.

They lead me out to the main road where Gamma Wyatt and Agnes are waiting for me by a pick up truck.

Anger boils in my veins when I see Agnes’ bruised face, her cheeks swollen and her lip split open from a beating.

Agnes bursts into tears as I collapse onto my knees before her and I brace myself for her anger for getting us both exiled from Scarlet Haven.

She, however, takes me in her arms , gently cradling my head and sobs into my bloody hair.

“I thought they killed you,” she signs as she pulls away.

“I thought you left me.”

Gamma Wyatt dismisses the guards and instructs Agnes and I to get into the pick up truck.I notice two backpacks in the truck and I nod towards them.

“They let me pack a few things before we left,”

Agnes She begins examining my wounds as we drive to the edge of the territory, large tears streaming down her face.

“It’s okay,” I sign, wincing as she dabs a cloth to my torn back.

“I-it’s not as bad as it looks.”

She frowns but makes no comment as she continues to clean the wounds with her small cloth.

At the edge of the woods, Gamma Wyatt orders us out of the car and hands us the bags Agnes packed.He then hands me a small Manila envelope.

Confused, I open it and find a wad of cash inside.

“A gift,” he says quietly.

“Your mother was my best friend…not a day goes by that I don’t regret not finding her sooner.” I stare at the money, unsure what to say.

Gamma Wyatt had never treated me poorly but he had never done anything to help me either.

Why help me now? As I stare at the envelope, I notice a small picture inside and pull it out, tears threatening to fall down my cheeks when I realize it was a photograph of my mother and I taken just a few days before the attack.

“Your father kept this picture hidden in a drawer” Gamma Wyatt explains.

“I figured you may have better use for it.”

Before I can react, he pulls out a map, hundreds of red dots scattered over the state explains.

“Stay clear of them and you should avoid getting yourselves killed.”

He points to the few small towns with no dots near them.

“These are your safest bet.They’re perfect for two rogues starting over.Try Poulsbo first.It’s about 100 miles south from Maple Falls and is small enough that it wouldn’t be a target for any packs.”

He rolls up the map and shoves it in my hand.

“You better hurry before it gets dark. A deaf wolf and mute one are two perfect targets for a desperate rogue looking for a meal.” I nod and stuff the map into my backpack.

“Moon Goddess be with you Zane,”

Gamma Wyatt murmurs, turning on his heel and jumping back into his truck.

Agnes and I watch as he drives off back towards the pack, a bit of dread settling in the pit of my stomach.I feel a warm hand interlock with mine and I squeeze it back for comfort.

Agnes tugs at my hand and I look down to her smiling up at me.

“We’ll be okay,” she signs, picking up her bag and slinging it over her back.

“Pll carry you,” I sign, mentally preparing to shift.

“I can walk,” she huffs, turning towards the woods.

I try to carry her bag but she once again refuses, determined not to be a burden for me.

Of course, I’ve never seen her as one to begin with.

injuries but we finally make it as the sun sets over the horizon.

Afraid people would ask too many questions about my gory state, I hand Agnes some money and have her book a small motel room for the both of us.

The room is small and dingy but would do just fine for the night.

There’s only one bed and after a small argument, we agree to share it.

Worried about my injuries, Agnes goes to a nearby pharmacy and grabs some supplies for me.

I jump in the shower to rinse the blood off from the several cuts on my back.

Normally the wounds would have healed by now but the silver chain had slowed my healing process significantly.

I will forever be reminded of what

me not to shift and let out my frustrations on the

finding me in a state of near panic

“Sit down,” she pleads.

talk.” I shake my

s**t! Why can’t I just talk? Why am I so broken?” She shakes her

“You’re not broken.”

why are

at her,

worthless! She bites her lips, her

I worthless

as I realize I’ve just insulted the only

hanging my head

She holds her hands

gestures to the

those wounds

holding perfectly still as she tapes me up.She whimpers to herself as she cleans

sorry.I don’t mean what I said,” I apologize

not that,” she

look at what that…that monster did

I

was just a few

points to the s-shaped burn on

you.” I stare at the raw skin,

me as a Scarlet Haven wolf but it pleased me to know my father had done the same to

got a matching one

and continues cleaning me up

in comfortable silence and I thank Moon Goddess I’m

in the morning but at least the bruises on my face and chest are

few of the cuts on my

the large Greyhound bus,

journey is long and tiresome but after nearly a day of traveling by bus and ferry, Agnes and I arrive in Poulsbo in the late

nestled on an island just off

Agnes and I find a small motel on the outskirts of the sleepy town, both

struggle to get any sleep, my mind reeling over

on the money Gamma Wyatt gave us and it would be

to find a job soon if I wanted to

in my head and groans, wanting to go out for

my last shift and he needed to stretch out his legs.I roll over onto my side and find Agnes wide awake, staring silently at the ceiling.I throw a pillow at her to catch”Want to go for a

grin and she nods

to the nearby forest and after a quick survey of the area, I guard Agnes while

my back and I turn to see a

Agnes, her wolf, Cynthia,

make up

and smell far better than I

delight at being set free and she tugs

my clothes, inspecting my almost healed

Grayson is also a silver wolf, his metallic fur gleaming under the

related to the mind, but the

a month after my first shift, I heard the never ending thoughts of every person I encountered, their inner voices

awful being constantly bombarded by random thoughts, unable to even sleep in

recesses of my mind for a while until I

of the

me; he only growls or

into a catatonic state for a few hours and I couldn’t bear to see her

, too afraid I might hurt someone.I hand Grayson the

through the trees, jumping over stones and stumps

the two make their way to a small stream to

around lazily while Grayson lays out

I hear rustling in the

senses a disturbance and sticks her nose in the air for a

rustling and

brown fur and deep blue eyes which stare curiously at Cynthia and I

feet in an instant, taking a protective stance in front of Cynthia and growling at

more than 30 years old

means and his arms,

trouble,” the man says, his “We were just on a run

and his partner

away, Grayson relaxes and sits on his hind legs, never taking

shifts into a cute woman with a pixie cut and several tattoos scattered across

man continues awkwardly, rubbing the back of

ages.It’s just been the two

the female but Grayson blocks her path, still unsure what to

trap

air again, her eyes scanning the area for any

none, she licks my

case of an attack as Cynthia inches closer

allows herself to be pet

a silver wolf before,” the man comments, his

one without a

me control again, completely bored with

the

this is my best friend, uh…what’s