Rogues

Twelve

Alexie:

"I am so sorry about that," I said looking her over.

"It wasn't your fault," she said pulling away. She didn't look in my direction. The smell of her blood is making me nervous.

"Where did she cut you?" She opened her hand.

A cut is stitching up from between her index finger and middle finger She had been cradling her hand against her beautiful blue dress. I feel like we've been set back because of this. Why the f**k would Raz do that? What the hell is her problem? We have our differences but I'd never do this to her.

"This isn't your fault,"

"How the hell is it yours?" I asked looking up at her. She didn't turn to look at me she just looked out the window.

"She baited me and I took it. I should know better," she said her tone is low and dark. I had heard it before. She's angry at herself. This went from good morning to f*ck to holy s**t.

"Alex, Hale is at the Tavern," and there is the are you f*****g kidding me.

"Take me home. I'll meet you there," Sloane sighed.

"I'm not leaving you alone," I countered.

"You don't have a choice. I wouldn't be good company right now anyway," she said her voice a little higher now, angrier. Hyde pulled up to her house and she stormed out. I sighed looking into the rearview mirror.

"She's not mad at you, man," he said catching my attention. "If you pay attention to her and what she's told us. She's f*cking pissed that she can't kill her. You think anyone has ever gotten away with disrespecting an alpha like that?"

"Let's go," I said. I need to clear my head and let her get her head together. She's right. In the state of mind we're both in, we'd just argue and I don't want to make this worse than it already is.

We arrived at the Tavern. Hyde handed me the weapons we had left in the car for Raz's sake. If Hyde is right, Raz is in serious s**t. We walked in to see Hale and Brandy seated where we had sat last. They both looked up at me. Hale's brother is with them. Royce.

They're twins. Royce is the oldest. I really don't see it though. They look nothing alike. This man had come into Shore and started f*cking s**t up from the very beginning. He started with the vampires before Ash had taken over. He took a small part of Shore by the pier by force. Almost ran them out until my brother took the lead. He let Royce keep the pier and in return, he had to pay a small tax.

Royce hadn't been interested in anything he just likes to go around doing whatever he pleased. So he left Hale in charge. It's a good thing too because Hale can be reasoned with. He's organized and has precise leadership skills. Ash likes to remind the guy who the boss really is. Once in a while, he sends his recruits to bust up his clubs and feed on his dealers.

"It's been a while," Royce said.

The last time I had seen Royce I was balls deep in his mate. Neither of us knew she was his mate. He didn't take it well anyway. Since she was here yesterday it tells me he hasn't forgiven Stephenie for not waiting for him.

"Yeah, it has,"

"Word on the street is you've found your mate," I nodded. "Is she trouble?"

"You have no idea," I said sitting across from the two of them. He smirked at me like he knew something I didn't.

"We've come to a conclusion," Hale said.

"Have you?" I asked.

The sound of her bike caught my attention and I didn't hear what Hale said. He looked at me expectantly but then realized what happened when she walked in through the door. The sound of her Timberlands felt like they were stomping around in my ears as she walked over to me. She walked right in like she owned the place her face blank. She had pulled her hair back into two french braids. She looks a little more dangerous than usual. Brandy's eyes lit up like the best thing in her life had just walked in. She took a seat next to me looking them over, her eyes stopping on Royce.

"Sloane," he said like he had known her for a long time making my heart skip.

"This is your brother?" she asked with a smile.

"Small world huh?" he chastised and then looked at me.

"I think it's just this place. It's ample but not enough," she said sitting back. "I take it you've been well?"

"Hell, yeah," he said with a playful smile. "You look amazing,"

"That's not news," she shot back. He laughed. The sound of it made me cringe. I looked at Sloane and the way she was looking at him. He's scared of her and he's trying to hide it.

"Am I missing something?" I asked.

"No," they both said at the same time. Hale looked away pleased.

"Hi, Brandy," she said looking at the girl. Brandy smiled looking down at the glass in front of her like a shy schoolgirl. "Has he been taking care of you, beautiful?"

"Yes," she said softly. She snuck a peek at my mate before looking down at her hands again.

"What did you do to her?" Hale asked.

"You don't seem to mind at all," she answered.

"Why is she so different?" he asked.

"She's acknowledged her as her Alpha. She won't go back to normal until Slo releases the beast inside of her. I've seen this before. Carolina Jacoby has a similar affinity," Royce informed his clueless brother.

"How is Carolina?" my mate asked bothered that he had brought that name up. Whoever Carolina is must be a relative.

"Great," he smirked.

"So you can fix this?" Hale asked ignoring his brother. My mate nodded.

"Did you get what you wanted?" she asked looking at me. I looked at Hale not wanting to look at Royce.

"You're forgetting that the land doesn't belong to him," Royce said. I want to rip his f*cking throat out. "It's mine and I'm not going to let it go that easily,"

"Really?" I asked.

"You took something from me," he said.

"Hardly," I said looking at him.

"We're not going to have this argument again,"

"I left her alone. A long time ago. The rest is on you," he sighed.

"I don't play well with others. I'm not giving you something just because you want something you can't have,"

"What do you want?" Sloane asked looking away from me. "We've known each other long enough to talk interest,"

"We have, haven't we?" he asked with a smirk. I looked back at the bar and asked Heather for a f*cking drink.

"What do you want?" she asked a little impatient.

"You've always been like this. For as long as I can remember. Why must you be so difficult?" she growled at him.

"I am not in the mood to be playing games with you right now. I've had a s**t night and you're pissing me off. Tell him what the hell it is you want so I can call it an early night," I'm confused now. He laughed. I growled at him.

"I want into the pack," he said.

"I don't speak for the pack anymore. You want in you know the laws. Whatever it is you're looking for you're not going to find it there. You turned your back on all of it in the worst possible way. I can't help you with it,"

"How the hell was I supposed to get out of there without doing what I did?" he asked.

"I did it,"

"You're Ray's daughter. It's different,"

"No, it isn't. Should I ever want to go back, I'm facing the same punishment you are. Stop being a p***y. You're blooded just like I am,"

"Why the hell are you out here? Answer me that and I'll give him this. Isn't that what you want? To give your mate whatever he wants? That's your problem. You want to please everyone. You left the pack but nothing has changed. You're still looking for something that isn't there, sweetheart. You're still dead inside. Answer me and he gets what he wants. Tell me what it is you want out here,"

"I'm looking for Carter," she said without hesitation. He sat back his entire demeanor fell apart. If I had to call it something I'd say he was shaken.

"What the f*ck?"

"What?" she laughed.

"Alone? Are you mental?" she smiled.

"I gave you what you wanted. Give me what I want," she said pushing the paperwork to him. Hale handed him the pen. "You don't look like brothers,"

"We're twins," Hale said.

"I know that. I feel the connection. It just doesn't add up,"

"What doesn't add up?" Royce asked pushing the signed paperwork to me.

"I know blood brothers. I have one myself. You two aren't born of the same father," she said. They both growled at her. The entire Tavern turned to look in their direction protectively.

"Come again," Royce said his eyes getting dark.

"You're twins and are brothers but you should look into who your fathers are because you're only half siblings you, i***t," she spat. Brandy stood up her eyes had gone blank. "If you so much as think to break this arrangement, I'll kill him,"

"Hale, don't let her do it," Royce said sitting up.

"He has no choice anymore. I've claimed her soul," Brandy came over to her exposing her neck. before they could stop her, Sloane gripped the back of the girl's neck and bit her. Here in front of everyone before she shoved her back into Hale's arms.

"Brandy?" he asked looking at her. The girl growled at him.

"You think I care about this girl?" Royce asked meeting my mate's gaze.

"No," she said simply. "You care about him. I've waited a long time to find something like this and this is the last place I would have ever guessed. Brandy grab him,"

"Alpha," Brandy obeyed grabbing Hale. Using her claws, she dug them into his throat ready to rip it out. Absolute obedience. I had never seen anything like that. She brought him down to his knees and he let her unable to lift a hand to his mate.

"You think I care about either of you? She's mine. Body and soul. I made her. Her allegiance is to me. Mate or not,"

"You couldn't just let it go," Royce growled slamming his hand on the table.

"I almost did. I was ready to let it all go, you and Carter. You know better and you still can't help it. That's your problem, Roy. Self-destruction is like h****n to you. You f*cked me over the last time I saw you. Shame on you. I'm not giving you the chance to do it again. When I find Carter and believe me. I will. I'm going to kill him, his mate, his pups. That entire bloodline is coming to an end,"

"He's not here," he said angrily.

"No, he's not but he is coming for you. You need me a lot more than I need you right now. Brandy, let him go," the girl let Hale go and then began to apologize to him profusely.

"You said you wouldn't hurt him," she said looking at my mate.

"I didn't hurt him, sweetheart. You did," she said picking up her helmet.

"You made me," she said.

"I did," Sloane went over to her placing her hand on the girl's cheek. Brandy closed her eyes enjoying the touch. "I need you to stay calm. The full moon is going to be tomorrow night. When you feel the pain start, I want you to go to the beach and stay there until I come to find you. You will talk to no one, you will not touch anyone. If they address you keep walking. Do you understand?"

"Yes," Brandy said her eyes glowing amber.

"Yes, what?" Sloane demanded.

"Yes, alpha," she said bowing her head.

"Good girl. Hale is your mate. He's not going to hurt you. Royce, on the other hand, you have the okay to kill should he try to do anything to you," she nodded.

"You think she can take me?" Royce asked. She let the girl go.

"She can take you," my mate said looking back at him. "She's my pup now. She's shared everything with me and I've shared everything with her. The wolf in her is equivalent to my own. I'm not talking to the human part of this girl. She's been under my command for twenty-eight hours now. You know I only need three for basic skills,"

"I still don't regret leaving you there," he said. "Even in that stunning white dress. You still aren't all you're made out to be. You're nothing but a devil pretending to be an angel,"

"I never resented you leaving me there. I wasn't going to do it for me. Look at you. You're plain. I was doing it for my father. You did me the biggest favor by not showing up. I've been meaning to thank you for that. Why would I settle for something as pathetic as you when there are real men in the world? When I'm mated to one?"

"You didn't know him then," he said.

"No, I didn't. You are alive because you walked away. Lance, would love for you to go back to the pack. He's waiting for you," she said with a grin.

"He can't let it go, can he? Sofia was okay. She's no Carolina though,"

"This man and the cute one with fangs. They're Lance's brothers," his smile fell.

"Lance is a Victor?" he asked.

"That's right," she laughed. I've never heard her laugh like that. "What was it you said to me the night before my dad compelled me to marry you?" she asked him tapping her chin. "Welcome to hell, sweet face. I hope you like what the king looks like, because this," she said pointing at me. "Is what you will be answering to for the rest of your life.

"Fate is amazing. Here I thought I was coming here to gain someone I can go shopping with," she said looking at the girl. "I'm going home with that. My mate gets what he wants. Lance is going to come for a visit in a couple of weeks and his brother is going to tell him he's made the man who made his mate suffer into his personal little b***h. I like it here more and more every day. You should let Alexie in on all of this. I'll see you around if he doesn't kill you," she walked out. I looked over at Royce.

"You heard the lady," I said motioning him to sit back down.

"f**k," he said taking a seat.

"Get the f*ck out of here Hale," I said.

"Yeah," he said.

"Excuse me?" he cleared his throat.

"Yes, sir. Don Alexian," he said before he walked out with Brandy. Royce isn't going anywhere until he tells me what he thinks is happening between him and my mate right now and I'll decide what happens next.