Rogues

Prologue

It's not easy being an alpha's daughter. I don't care what people say. Sure, lots of wolves would kill to hold a high-status title like this but the truth is. Power isn't really all it's made out to be. There's a sense of responsibility and pressure that a pack lays on you. Everyone else's problems are suddenly yours simply because an ancestor decided to be a little greedy f**k and take everything from someone else. Now hundreds of years later here we are. A respectable family with the responsibility of a bunch of others who can't figure out which way is up without being told.

"How many times do we have to tell you not to be doing stupid s**t like this?" Brenden asked looking down at me. "Dad is going to rip us both a new one when he gets back,"

I didn't say anything as my brother has his daily tantrum. The firstborn son of the alpha trying to step in his daddy's massive paw prints. Well, they're actually not that big. The alphas in our family don't exactly win the award for the strongest. My great-great-grandfather had ensured the safety of the pack through treaties and force. After him, there was no more war. The need to train fighters, seekers and hunters were limited to the higher ranking wolves under the alpha. Us soldiers are used to take territory now and only those who are willing to take a life are considered warriors.

Yet they act like there was something lurking out there. A greater threat. They hold these week-long meetings discussing strategy and patrolling. We're all under curfews and restricted to leave the pack lands. Stepping outside the border lines is deeply frowned upon. It's ridiculous really. They don't bother us as long as we don't bother them.

Tonight, I was caught six miles outside the borderlines in a rave with four other pack members who are in the same deep s**t I am. The exception between me and them is that my dad will leave their punishment up to their parents. I have to deal with not just one but two alphas. My dad and my i***t brother who does what he's always told.

"Why did you have to pick today of all days to do this s**t?" he asked not taking his eyes off of me. The others shifted uncomfortably in their seats.

"What are you talking about?" I asked sitting back.

The growl echoed through the house making us all jump. The alpha is here and he's pissed. By the sound of it, more than he usually is and I'm willing to bet the tip of my left ear that someone just told him his little princess was just caught outside the border and not alone like she's usually found. She put four others in danger along with her. It's not like I forced them to come.

"f**k," Brenden and I let out at the same time.

The door hit the wall making us all jump again. My father's massive hand kept it from swinging back. The six of us all stood up standing in a straight line. His eyes met mine first. They always do. The anger and disappointment in them always got the best of me but I can't help myself. High status remember? I'm basically genetically engineered to rebel. It's his fault really. His eyes scanned the four usual culprits before they stopped glaring at my brother. It was his job to keep me in line while father was away. He was doing a great job until his recent fling strolled by batting her heavy eyelashes at him.

"Get out of here," my father finally spoke moving away from the doorway.

My four friends all bailed out of the room like their ass was on fire. Once they were gone my father stepped into the room and shut the door behind him. He slowly made his way to his desk. I swear he sets a certain pace to be dramatic. Brenden and I held our positions without making a move. We had learned that lesson the hard way when we were just pups.

"Sir," Kal my dad's beta broke the silence once dad was seated. He always had the initiative we didn't to approach my father when he was this angry.

"Kal, I'd like you and Brenden to step out of the room please," my dad demanded.

The thundering of his voice made my stomach clench. Too calm and way too poise for my liking. I'm not walking out of this one with a few laps around the pack and overnight watch this time. I'm in deep s**t. I looked away from all of them tightening my hands into fists trying to hide the fact that they're sweating the way they are. I took a deep breath trying to keep the anxiety that's threatened to make me tremble at ease. They walked out leaving just the two of us.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" he asked moving something on his desk.

"Does it matter?" I asked. "You've already made up your mind. I was warned,"

"You were warned. I warned you two other times, Sloane. Did you think I was playing with you? That I'd take back my promise simply because you're my daughter?"

"No,"

"Then this is your choice?" he asked standing up. "You've dedicated your life as the alpha's daughter to protect these people. You've strategized the border of these woods and fought back rogue attacks time after time and you choose to be part of that? You're a soldier Sloane. All you had to do was follow orders as given,"

"We both know I wasn't born to follow behind anyone. I'm your daughter, not some distant relative,"

"So what? Do you want to take over the pack? You want to challenge your brother for that?"

"That's not what I said,"

"There is no other way, Sloane. We are not going to allow you to do whatever the hell you want whenever the hell you want. What kind of example would that show the rest of the pack? You are a contributing wolf in this pack or you're nothing,"

"Then do what we already know you're going to do, Dad. What do you want me to do? Apologize? Apologize for what? This isn't a pack. This is a prison. You have asked a lot of me. What do I get in return?"

"How about a roof over your head and food in your belly?" he asked. His is growl low and menacing.

"I am grateful for that. Don't even try and tell me I'm not. But it isn't enough for me. I am restricted here. I don't want to be the alpha. That's the last thing I want but what am I doing here? It's the same thing day in and day out,"

"You think you're the only one? Do you think you're the only one who gets bored? We're pack wolves. We've claimed this territory and this is where we are from. You know exactly what is out there,"

I didn't add to his argument. There's no point. It's always the same story. The rogues. I've killed my share of them. I was raised to hate them since I was a little girl. My mother had been killed in a raid. My dad had taken from them and he had expected them to let it happen. They had come in the night and taken from him. A never-ending war between us and them. It's been quiet for a long time now.

"So what are you going to do?" I asked looking up at him.

"You have two options. Pick one," I scoffed.

"You were a really good father. Maybe too good," I said turning to go for the door. I took the medallion around my neck off and placed it on his desk before I reached the door.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Sloane," he said. "I will be waiting until you are ready. You know the penalty should you choose to return,"

"I know the penalty should I choose to stay,"

"I can't help you out there," he reminded me when I reached for the doorknob. Help isn't something I need. I've proven countless times that I am no damsel in distress. I'm a killer. All he had to do was ask.

"I don't want you to help me, dad. I want you to let me go. We have nothing more to say to one another,"

"You're abandoning us. She would be disappointed," he nearly lost his composure.

"She's already be disappointed with what I've become. She's probably disappointed in what we have both become," I pulled the door open and walked out of the room.

"You're going to regret this. You will come back here with your tail tucked between your legs," he growled.

"Sloane," I stopped at the sound of my brother's voice as I walked back to my room.

"I'm sorry, Bren," I apologized without turning back to look at him. "I'm lost here. I was meant for more than being a soldier. I can't just sit here waiting for someone to save me,"

"This will always be your home. I don't care what the old man says,"

I walked into my room and picked up a duffle bag. Part of me thought he had been bluffing but the greater part knew he was going to make an example out of me. Kal and his daughter's mate showed up shortly after. I have everything I need in this bag. I was pulled out of my room and forced to walk through the pack lands so they can all see. I must have been quite a sight.

The alpha's daughter. A pair of jeans, a black fitted t-shirt, a jacket, and a dark green duffle bag draped over my shoulder. We reached the borderline and they stood there with me. It felt like hours had gone by in the few seconds. I took to take a deep breath. I looked up at my beta and smiled.

"I hope you find what you're looking for, kid," he encouraged. He knows this place holds nothing for me.

"Take care of them, Kal. Don't let the old man f**k him up more than he already has,"

"Who's going to keep us on our toes?" I smiled at him.

"I'm sure you'll find something to do,"

With that, I turned to the darkness of the trees. I walked out of there without looking back. Regret has never been something I have ever felt since leaving that day and by the looks of it, I never will.