Hunted [First Half] ✓

Chapter Six: What's a rogue?

CHAPTER SIX:

WHAT IS A ROGUE?

{nvae nixon's point of view} 

My mind snapped out of it when something ensued. 

           A soft creek vibrated through the room, letting me be aware of the new presence inside. My eyes dilated for a fraction of second, getting familiar with the new figure that welcomed me. It was a woman, obviously much older than both Blondie and me. 

          Well, I assume that she is by the band that was placed on her ring finger.

          Instead of looking at what she was holding, I let my eyes to wander to her neck area. A simple instinct that I can't manage to cast away before me. Blondie proved that he's nowhere near hurting an inch of me—but his kind doesn't hold the same proof. They could still tackle me on the ground and I can still fight them back. Eh... maybe. 

          My breathing turned from ragged into a calm one when I didn't saw a scar, just a tattoo that somewhat carved its way in her neck. Human. I wonder if she knows that she's living amongst the shade of a werewolf, a beta for that matter.

          "Hello dear. I figured that you might be hungry," her voice held nothing but comfort which somewhat made me smile. In some way, this reminds me of the cook back in the headquarters. At the sight of my smile, her lips mimic mine.

          "I am, thank you."

          I let my feet to touch the floor, pushing myself outside the bed to walk towards the woman. Waking up with both of my hands by my side and not cuffed into the bedpost is somewhat surprising. As the woman saw my stance, the surprise was clearly written in her eyes. I didn't put much attention to it as my hand touched the tray that she was holding carefully. A full set of breakfast is placed on the tray, something that I'm really glad of. 

          Her lips moved but as she was about to mouth whatever she's planning, the door burst open which revealed an exhausted version of Blondie. His breathing is ragged and his electric blue eyes look rather dull. All too soon, it sparkled for a second as it reached mine.

          "You're awake." He stated. 

           I nodded softly before tilting my head to the side, "And you seem really exhausted. Did you not sleep? at all?"

          The woman grinned at Blondie, "That he did not, my dear." At her words, my eyes fixed on the Blonde man who just gave me a sheepish smile. I glared at him which made him rub the back of his neck. A soft chuckle from a woman brings us back to reality, "I better go and prepare some foods for the others then."

          "It's nice to meet you," I spoke softly, smiling at her.

          "As do I, dear," she gave me a pleasing smile but it then soon faltered as she acknowledges Blondie, who now takes his place on the side of the bed, "He'll be home by now, Jax."

          He nodded as he takes a seat into the bed, letting his back to completely press into the headboard as his eyes flutter close, "I know. Thank you, Mildred."

          Contended with his answer, Mildred flees with another set of goodbye for me and let the door click shut. Blondie's eyes flutter open, following every movement that I would do, which I have noticed immediately since he's not so vague about it. I didn't give much attention to it, seeing that my stomach is somewhat growling at the absence of food.

          "I told you to call me when you feel hungry."

          "I was," I lied, which he seems to catch on as he throws me a very disagreeing look. I push the apple on my lips, taking a delicate bite before shrugging, "I actually plan on having another nap but Mildred comes by."

          "Exhausted?" He inquired as his brow raised. 

          "Not as much as you, that's for sure."

          As he chuckled softly, my eyes followed his sparkling blue orbs in a glee. There are a lot of emotions that his eyes want me to see but the adoration is the most obvious and powerful one. I walk towards the other side of the bed, cutting some distance between us, which then set his breathing to hitch.

          Our eyes held this connection that I am not used to. His behavior seems very different from what they have described him to be. To be honest, I see it all insane. All of these are insane. I would never see myself to make a promise to a mongrel, let alone trust one.

          But with him, it's all different.

          He did save me, twice, for that matter. Instead of actually killing me as soon as he saw me back in the forest or getting outraged that I escape when he told me not to, he saved me instead.

           In the back of my head, I couldn't see the monster and ruthless side of him that the higher ranks mentioned and showed me back in the training. Right now, all I see... is the man who saved my life. This is all as crazy as it sounds on the back of my head but I can't help it.

           Something is wrong and hell knows that I'm going to figure out what the hell it is.

— ✾ —

{hani blithe's point of view}

          My feet pushed the swivel chair back into its original place, my hands were focused on the countless weapons laid in front of me, one gun is currently in the process of reloading. All the silver bullets are neatly placed inside, ready to ruin any wolf who dare lay a hand on Nvae. 

          A very familiar beep flashed on the monitor, setting me into a high alert.

          Fi—freaking—nally, Nvae!

          There's a small flashing red light in the monitor, making me push some buttons to completely let the computer scan every easy route that I could use. Nvae and I have a lot of weapons prepared for something like this but bringing more than five weapons on a rescue mission is suicide, really.

          Why? Well, weapons are usually heavy because of the huge amount of silver, so bring a lot will just slow you down. And if you ever lost your mind or became practically stupid in the field and dispose one weapon in the ground to lessen the baggage as you run, you just gave your enemies a way to easily end your life.

        These two were the important tips stocked in the mind of every hunter who is assigned to these type of missions. Besides, when it comes to rescues, you just need skills and a gun with loads of silver bullets inside then you'll be just fine.

+"Navigation, complete."+

          "Show results," I command briefly and soon enough, I was bombarded with countless possible entries in the location. Ideas spring inside my mind, letting a small smile to escape my lips.

           There were some easy tracks that would lead me in the place but what caught me off guard is the blue circles that seem to hurdle around the place. The place basically swarms with werewolves. Not just by ten or twenty like the usual, but maybe around hundreds.

           "There really is something weird about this..."

           The door on the basement bust open, making me spun along with the swivel chair as I push the gun to the silhouette of the person in my door. A surrendering arm raises from the man as two more guys appeared on his side. I let my head tilt into the right, taking a good look at them carefully. Sighing, I push my gun back on its place before walking towards them.

          "Kiddo, you just point a gun on me," Alexis grumbled as he held his chest, which I bet is beating erratically at this second. I could see the small sweat that was starting to form from his temples.

          My lips formed into a grimace, "Sorry, Al. I'm a little on the edge right now."

          "Where's squirt?" Mason asked lowly, taking a good whip of the surrounding which let me witness the way his forehead creased, seeing all of her equipment in operation. Realizing the situation, his painful eyes followed mine, "She's a hostage?"

          "I'm sorry, Mason. It's just that—three wolves were chasing us and we ended up parting ways. She already sends me the navigation and the plan are all set."

          Mason, Alexis, and Steven shared a knowing look, which seems a little bit weird since they look like they're talking internally or some sort. Groaning, they all invade the things that I installed inside the cabin. Steven, the version of Nvae in their group, flashed a device inside her equipment and soon enough, it showed a full map of what seems like the whole place.

          Alexis and Mason were mouthing out words in the map—which seems like they were naming some land like some people actually own them. As soon as they get where the red beeping is coming from, a very dejected sigh escape Mason's lips.

          "Crescent Moon," Alexis announced softly.

          Steven nodded before turning the chair on me, "How many hours did it take for her to send you her location?"

           My face must have turned into another shade of confusion, yet my lips seem to answer almost immediately, "I just received it. So, it would be around twenty hours, tops."

          "They don't hoard humans that long," I heard Steven muttered.

          Mason's voice soon followed, "Are they waiting for him? To decide?"

          It seems that what Mason muttered made them all basically useless by this point. That being said, I pushed up the set of the plan that was neatly presented in the paper. Naturally, it was prepared for a one person job since I didn't know that they were creeping for a visit but now, it just grew more into the easy side. Well, that's what I see.

           These three morons, however, see nothing but a bunch of flaws in my plan.

          "We're surging in this spot? There are tons of them in that place," Mason pressed another one.

          "List—"

          "There are like two hundred werewolves there. How do you plan on running around that area without letting at least one wolf go for the kill?" Steven interrupted my words, seeing all the blue spots that were moving around the place.

          "Well, I—"

          Alexis shook his head before pushing the paper on me, "They can talk to their minds and s**t, Hani. It's easy to call for hundred more of backups in there."

          "I know—"

          Alexis sighed, "Hani—"

          As soon as Alexis cut my words for what seems like the hundredth time, I let my feet to push his chair in projectile motion. I let my weight to add from his fall as I grab hold of his collar, letting my silver knife to get in touch with his neck. A soft gulp escapes his lips as a shade of fear slowly creep into his system.

          "Another f*****g word and I swear, Alexis Carter, I will push this knife through and over your precious vocal cord."

          His hand found my wrist but he didn't have the guts to push it out of him. All of them know that I'm no capable of doing such a thing, sadly. Pushing a knife through someone else's throat does sound really appealing and it does sound like me—but putting danger to these three is not in my life goals. They might be a bunch of idiots but they're like a brother to both of me and Nvae.

          They're the only family that we got now.

          "I-I under-unders-stand..."

          Mason chuckled, pushing the paper on his side, "Let the poor man go or he'll pee in your floor, Hani."

          "We're just saying," Steven muttered as soon as I let Alexis go. He ran straight into Mason, while I glare at Steven who raises his arms in surrender, "This is getting a bit dangerous. Hunter or not. Surging into a place where most werewolves are placed is not a good idea."

          I nodded, seeing where this is all coming from, "But that's where she is."

          "How can you tell?" Mason's forehead creased, seeing that the bead is not moving which would mean that her jacket must be cast away from her or she lost it on some place.

           My lips twitch, "Steven said that they don't hoard people that long so that would mean that they're keeping her for a reason. Either Nvae got caught into a huge s**t or something along with that. The point is, whatever the reason is—she'll be guarded on all possible sides."

          Steven and Mason's head start to wind, slowly realizing my theory. It is kind of suspicious that she didn't get to escape in such a huge time and those wolves are not letting her go in that span of time. Something is really wrong, and I'm hoping that it wouldn't be worst that I have in mind.

         "And since there are obviously a lot of wolves guarding in that region..." Steven trailed out.

         "They're guarding her, letting her no chance of escape," I grumbled. 

          Mason nodded, "That makes sense."

          "But," Alexis pipped, which set my dagger eyes back on him. He whimpered, hiding into Mason's buff body before taking a good glance of me, "I'm just saying. That's still a big number of werewolves in that area. We'll die before we even get into that door, we have no chance of survival."

          "That's where this thing comes," I let my hands push into a small ball. All of their faces turned into confusion, giving me my cue to explain the thing in my hands, "It's filled with wolfsbane, originally designed as a bomb, bu—"

          "f*****g hell, Hani! We're not bombing their place!" Alexis yelled, grabbing the thing out of my hand.

          "Alexis, I will seriously cut you!" I gritted my teeth before kicking him in the shin. He yelped, grabbing hold of what I just hit, as he jumped the pain around the place, "I wasn't done yet! It was designed to be a bomb but Nvae and I didn't quite finish it yet. So it'll be just like a sleeping gas. It wouldn't kill them, but it would prevent them from shifting and all that shit."

          Steven grinned, "So that's just like fighting a human then."

          "A sedated human, more like," Mason agreed, nodding softly before he takes a good look at me, "We're doing this at night."

           I shook my head, "She's already in there for quite a long time—"

          "I am not risking all of our lives, especially yours!" Mason gritted his teeth and before I could even utter another word, he snapped, "Attacking at night give us darkness to serve as a hiding spot. You can't talk me over on this one. We can't lose both of you."

          All my anger is igniting by this minute, blinding me from whatever is right or wrong. Who knows the horrible thing that was happening to her by this second? She could be receiving hits from those imbeciles! Tortured, even! Another range of horrible things are happening to her and this time, I was the one who was responsible for it.

          Mason must have noticed all the anger, confusions and guilt inside me that he engulfs me into a hug. For a minute, a flash of warmth and gratefulness invaded me as I accepted his hug.

          "I know you're worried but she can do this, Hani," Mason mumbled, pushing himself away from me, "You got to trust her. She will never hate you or blame you for anything. Believe me, she can manage to grab hold of herself."

          I shook my head, "I've been in the prison cells, Mason! They're—"

          "—going to lose their vocal cords if lay a finger on her, that's for sure." Alexis offered, somewhat pushing a smile into my face. He smiled, pinching my cheeks for a second, "She will be alright. If she did get hurt, I will hold them down so you can impale the knife on any angle as possible."

Steven nodded, "Let's just hope that it wouldn't come to that."

— ✾ —

{third person's point of view} 

        It's almost six in the evening and Jax is nowhere near home—or in Nvae's case, in the room. He didn't even get a chance to sleep since he seems agitated while Nvae was busy munching up the food that Mildred prepared. People seem to never intent in giving him his free time, seeing that all they do is run into him while they continue asking him for something. 

        The place seems crowded with humans, a fact that somewhat confused her for a moment. It's either their neck has some weird tattoo planted on them or it would be perfectly clean.

          That's weird, she mumbled to herself.

          Nvae's feet halted into a part of the mansion where there was no sign of the usual luxurious wallpaper that surrounds the place. Finding the whole thing unusual, she decided to open the door very carefully and soon enough, she was welcomed with her nightmare.

          There were several prison cells in this room which then contain a few prisoners. All of them are into their sweet slumbers, which seems fair enough since most of them were injected by wolfsbane while the others were tortured in a point of exhaustion.

          "You!" Nvae gasped, even pointing an accusing finger to a man in a cell. His eyes flickered back into her, making her released another audible gasp but not with complete surprise but the way how exhausted and somewhat swollen his feature looks. "You were the one who—"

          The man sighed softly, not a fan to use his energy on talking, "—tried to hurt you, yes. Your mate already established all of that in my mind and bruised body."

          Her eyes scan his body blatantly, not taking things in the way people would see it. There's a soft scoff that escapes her lips, seeing that there isn't a single scratch in his body. His face and ragged breathing do scream the whole exhaustion and agonizing pain. As her eyes continue to wander to look for scratches, her eyes followed the line of his neck and it send her mind into haywire when he didn't see the red mark placed on there too.

          That mark would signify if someone is a werewolf, or so she thought.

           A lot of switches in her brain can't flicker on, making her a bit confused about everything. Did Jax even have a red mark in his neck? Well, he should have. He was that golden brown wolf. Nvae absentmindedly crossed her arms, even tapping her feet into a soft pattern. But it all halted as soon as it came when she soon realized that she's throwing a tantrum to the wolf who almost killed her.

         "Look," his voice dragged softly, attempting to at least stand straight but as the chains touched his wrist, he cringes in pain, "just—just leave me alone. The last thing that I would want is having the beta to catch us talking, which will then result to my painful death. I want to prolong my life if that's okay with you."

          Her eyes glazed back into the werewolf in front of her, his head was glued to the floor as he was trying his best to stay still, knowing that a single touch of silver could give him pain. But at this point, her confusions and curiosity are eating her slowly. 

          She was in desperate need for answers that no one is providing her.

          "I can help you out of the cell," she finally muttered, making the man look back into her, a complete surprise written in his face. Nvae sighed, crossing her arms just below her chest, "For answers, of course. I need answers."

          There was this longing that's dancing along with his brown eyes—again, they're brown. They were not that same red eyes that she was familiar with. From that longing and a hint of joy that was invading other emotions in his eyes, she already knows that there's someone very important to his life that makes him live in this kind of cruelty. A smile was slowly inching in his face and from there, she was a goner.

          She really couldn't even them anymore. She couldn't see the monsters that the higher ranks were feeding in their mind. Something is more from these werewolves that the hunters are very clueless about. There's something about them, that the pamphlet speaks nothing about. 

          Call her crazy, but she was dying to find them all out.

          "P-please don't tell me that you're joking," he pleaded softly, something that somewhat broke her heart. As she shook her head, a very genuine smile flashed along his face, "T-thank you so much! They keep the key—"

           Nvae rolled my eyes, but she does find the whole thing amusing, "Hold up there, boy. I need answers. Now, why don't you have a red mark on your neck?"

           "I may be a rogue, but I didn't commit a crime," he softly muttered, pushing his head up high.

            Anyone with a mind could see the truth shinning along with his words. Something that she nodded about, even though a part of her already know that this would take forever. Every word that escapes his mouth just gave her another set of confusions.

          Nvae flickered her tongue, "What's a rogue?"

          "It's defined as a lone wolf. Naturally, known as someone who got disowned by his pack. That would be all done by the order of the Alpha, on the grounds of committing a very serious and lethal crime. Once a wolf is marked red, they are considered dangerous, deadly and ballistic."

          "Wow," Nvae shook her head at the man, "That description towards what you are is so crawling your way to let me help you escape."

           The man just takes a good look of her, "You are in need of information and I'm telling you the truth. I may be a rogue but I am different from them. Wolves who got marked red are dangerous, but there are still rogues who stay neutral." 

          "Neutral?" she pressed softly.

          "A rogue that is not marked red and didn't get disowned. They are like me, either they were born as a rogue and has to live with the life that it provides you... or they fled from their packs, unable to join another pack. The one who is marked red, however, are evil and even cunning at some point. We see it fair that they were denied by the thing that they needed most in survival. A mate."

          Little mate.

          She remembered how the Beta would call her in such a way as the adoration in his eyes were somewhat revealed. The way he looked at her as those words dance along his mouth like he can't believe that she was right in front of him. It was always been weird to her, that how a word such as friend would somewhat please him. Now, she finally understands.

           That word, mate, denotes another thing in their world.

         "Living without a mate drives them to be deprived," the rogue continued, sending her out of thoughts as she takes a good look of him, "The process goes on until they go ballistic, raw and then somewhat lethal to everyone that they see. Always going for the kill, never caring what kind."

          As Nvae was about to head to the mate thing, she heard some footsteps not that far from here, making both of them in full alert. She holds her index finger up to the rogue, finding a spot to hide. The man nudges into a spot which then made her grin before heading into the small spot, right beside his cell. The door open with a loud bang, making her get tangled as she tumbled down into the place with a soft thud.

          "Another set of wolfsbane, mutt."

          There were some fumbling of the chains which let her be aware that the rogue was somewhat trying to fight them. Another voice rolled out in the dark, "Stop f*****g moving, mutt!" 

          "You're quite lucky that the Beta didn't choose to kill you since you're not marked red. Damn, if it wasn't in the rules that a rogue that's not marked red is allowed to prove your sanity, you would be dead by now."

          So, that was true, she softly confirmed in herself.

          "Or even skin you in crisps for touching the beta female."

           Nvae could hear the rogue groaning in pain as she put her hands on her mouth, not allowing herself to create a source of a sound. They were causing him pain and somewhat, she seems really disappointed in these people. Something that seems pretty weird. She didn't even know who these wolves are.

           As soon as they were gone, Nvae helps herself up but then she stopped as she noticed the trail of blood that was coming out of her jeans. Ugh. Great. Of course, she would hurt herself from her stupidity and all of those sharp things laying around the place.

          "Hey, you okay?"

          The rogue nodded, trying to keep his eyes to flutter open, "Wolfsbane keeps us—"

          "—weak and unable to shift." Nvae finished his words.

          That information isn't new to her, that's basically her specialty in knowledge. 

           Her hands fiddled along with the lock on the cell, making the rogue to see the scar that was creeping through her now ripped jeans. She didn't even pay attention to that as she walks towards him, letting her hands flicker the hair clip in his cuffs, which set his hands loose in a matter of minutes. His eyes were just on her as the wolfsbane and the exhaustion all came into him, making his eyes to keep on shutting close.

          "You're hurt," he softly commented as he pushed his eyes open, "Pressure... you need some pressure for the blood to—"

          "Save your energy to keep yourself awake, idiot." She hissed. 

          "You weren't done with the questions."

          She sighed before nodding her head, "Yes, but you need some aid and you're not getting that here."

           "You're letting me go after what you heard about rogues?"

            Nvae rolled her eyes, "You're in wolfsbane as the exhaustion and all those violence is slowly creeping into your system. Right now, you're just like a sedated human. What's the worst thing that you can do?"

            The man wanted to form words but his body is way past the exhaustion point that his body drops flat into the ground as his nerves somewhat unable his body to move. Nvae groans in annoyance as another burden are flattened into her service. She is a man of her words, something that both Hani and her, both agreed to loathe.

            "How can I help you escape this place now, you i***t?" she exclaimed as her hands fumbled along with her hair, thinking of way through.

           "I can help," a voice rolled out.

           A soft, familiar pattern of a combat boot that was taking such hushed yet intimidating steps invaded her ears, making her head to turn around that she was surprised that she didn't get whiplash. 

          She didn't even need to have her eyes fixed on the silhouette for more than seconds since she can already tell who the person was. As the person made contact with the light that the moon somewhat provides in the cells, all the feature of the person highlighted.

          "Hani!"