Rogues

Five

Alexie:

The sound of laughter and music met my ears when we walked into Sloane's beach house. Hyde and I exchanged looks before walking into the dining room. My dad is sitting at the end of the table my mother to his left and Sloane to his right. Their eyes met ours.

"Alexie," Sloane smiled sweetly. I'm never going to get tired of the way her eyes light up when she sees me.

"I'm sorry I'm late, Trouble. I had to go see a guy about something," she stood up and gave me a hug. So did my mother.

"Hyde," my mom greeted him. "It's good to see you. You hardly come around anymore,"

"Boss is a stiff," he said looking at me. The three of them laughed.

"We were just talking about you," my dad spoke up.

"Nothing embarrassing I hope," Sloane laughed her entire face lit up warming the cold my brother had left in my bones.

"They brought pictures," she giggled.

"Ma, really?" they all laughed.

"I couldn't help it. You were such a cute baby," I shook my head and handed Sloane the bottle I had brought her. I had gone through her cellar and found something she hadn't tried. She looked at it and then up at me.

"You didn't have to," she said softly like she was surprised. She's a high-rank wolf. Gifts should be something she's used to.

"Yes, I did," I said looking into those icy gray eyes of hers.

"Is everyone hungry?"

"I know I am," my dad answered.

"I made my father's favorite," she smirked looking back at him. My dad tensed. "We call this dish Rock salt demons. They're ribs, slow-cooked of course. My dad can taste when something is made in a rush and hates it. I'll be out in a second,"

"Need some help?" I asked.

"Sure," she smiled.

"f**k," Hyde said shaking his head. I have to agree with him. She's going to give my dad a hard time.

There are five plates on the island we had eaten at last night. There is a yellowish sauce adorning the plates with what I'm guessing is mint or something. She picked up three of them took them out. I grabbed the last two and placed them in the two empty seats. She reserved the other end of the table for me. I saw the way my dad looked at her when she took the plate I had set down next to Hyde. She placed it at the other end of the table.

"Man of the house sits at the head of the table. The other end of it is reserved for his elderly guests," she said casually.

Even my mom had to look away to not laugh. I saw the flare of the animal in my dad, glow in his eyes before he settled down. My mom looks flushed like Sloane had been hinting her hatred towards my dad since they arrived. His seems a little annoyed.

"You're going to get us both killed," I laughed when we walked back in the kitchen. She smiled at me.

"This is me being polite," she said grabbing two porcelain bowls. "Take these two,"

Polite my ass. That did nothing to settle the knots in my belly but who am I to tell her to back off the man who killed her mother. She can't kill him. That much she knows. My dad might not be in charge of Shore anymore but it all still belongs to him one way or another. An act against him is an act against everything we have here.

She set everything down in the center of the table. My dad reached for his food and my mother followed. That is something I've always been accustomed to. Before I could reach for my food Sloane served me. My parents and Hyde watched her with curiosity. After she served me, she served my friend and then herself. I had never seen anyone do that.

"Excuse me for asking but why would you serve them first before yourself?" my dad asked her. "We live in a selfish world, Sloane. It's a dog eat dog world,"

"Not here," she answered like she was above him and all his beliefs. "This is my home and my mate shouldn't bother with trivial things such as this. Not while I'm here,"

"No," my mother shook her head. Sloane looked at her unimpressed. "Those are outlandish laws. Something that should have died out a long time ago. If they want something they can get it themselves,"

"Maybe that's what you believe. I find it a lot more insulting to allow someone who believes he is better to go before me like your mate did. Dog eat dog doesn't mean I go first because I am the alpha. If that were the case I would have gone before all of you," my father cleared his throat. "I was raised as an alpha female. I am equal to the alpha male. We eat together or not at all,"

"You served him first,"

"And we started to eat at the same time," she said with a smirk. Hyde looked at me and nodded before he began to eat. She took our glasses and filled them with the bottle of wine I had brought. "This compliments our dinner perfectly," she said looking at me. "Thank you, again,"

"You're welcome," I said.

"This is delicious, Sloane," my mother says her name a certain way. With anger maybe. I know my mate picks up on that. "Where did you learn how to cook?"

"When I got in trouble as a kid, my dad thought it was a punishment to put me on kitchen duty,"

"You must have gotten in trouble a lot," Hyde said.

"I did," she laughed making us smile, all except my dad. She had given him the instruments to kill her almost like a dare.

"Tell us about pack life. What was it like?" my mom asked. Sloane sighed like she knew the subject would eventually be addressed.

"I speak mostly for myself," she clarified. "As the alpha's daughter, it was hard. They all expected a lot of me and when I did a lot they expected more. There is a limitation I believe. There is a limit to what one can give up before they give everything to a cause they owe nothing to,"

"Spoken like a true rogue," my dad finally spoke. He raised his glass to her. She acknowledged him with a nod.

"What about your family?" my mother asked.

"My father was always the alpha before he was a father. My brother knew him before my mother died and he holds on to that. I never knew his attention before the brutality. He pushed us to what we're known for. I miss my brother at times but a phone call is sufficient enough to remind me of why it's better for me to be away," her answer is to their liking because they didn't comment on it.

"To freedom then," my dad said looking at her. Sloane gave him one of her troublesome smirks when she lifted the glass to honor him.

"To anarchy," she chastised. There was this sparkle in his eyes when they met hers. I had never seen him look at anyone like that.

"So you like breaking the rules?" he asked.

"Rules were established to amuse those who set them," she laughed.

"What an interesting concept. What makes you say that?" he smiled. The old man is smiling.

"Rules are set by the wolf," she said taking a sip of her wine. The way she looked at it him is making me nervous. "Wolves don't follow any laws. There are rules for three reasons. They set them heard the sheep. They set them to find the other wolves who dare challenge them. The rules are set to have control. It's all a big game. The concept of control is the real interesting concept,"

"Well put," my dad nodded looking down at his finished plate. "Your father has good taste. Your ideals are cute, Sloane," Sloane rotated her shoulders popping her neck before looking at my dad. It's a clear warning. "You speak of anarchy yet you learned to cook this for a father you seem to hate,"

"Hate?" she laughed. "You've got it all wrong, Gerard. I adore my father. I hate the way my brother and I were brought up, yes. I'm proud that I was not coddled. I am who I am because the man saw potential and brought it out of me to the point where Id' be able to survive within the pack and outside of it. I'd do anything for that man. I love him. My father is worthy of worship. Those who have the honor to serve under him, feel the same adoration I do,"

He looked away. All of the points she had earned before just clattered on the ground. My mother looked away knowing exactly how she had insulted him. Lance. It hit a nerve. It wasn't directed at me but it stung. He was about to contradict her but that ace up her sleeve obliterated anything he could have tried to belittle her with.

"Well," Hyde said. "I am kind of full,"

"I made peach cobbler," she said. I looked over at her. "Alexie mentioned that it was your favorite last night,"

"It is," my dad confirmed without looking at her.

"Good. I hope I live up to my expectations," she smiled getting up.

Hyde helped her clear the table. She set up tea and brought out dessert. Her and my mother made small talk. I ate the cobbler with a smile on my face and nothing was able to remove it from my face through the rest of dinner. She stayed back letting me escort my parents out.

"This was..." my mom said shaking her head. "She suits you,"

"Thank you," I agreed as she got in the car. Hyde lit a cigarette and offered one to my dad to which he gladly took. He looked at me after a few drags.

"If you f**k this up you're a dead man. Those wolves will scourge the earth trying to get to you," he said flicking the cigarette in the air. My mother smiled at me before he got in and shut the door.

"Holy s**t. I thought we were all goners," Hyde laughed once he drove off. "I love her. She put the old man in his place after he was crushing on her super hard,"

"You saw that too?" I asked looking at him.

"I have never seen that man react to anyone. She brought out something beautiful in him tonight and she did it out of spite. I'd walk back in there and propose to her," I laughed handing him the keys. "What time you want me to come get you?"

"Don't. I'll call you tomorrow," he smiled big.

"Alright," he laughed crossing the street.

I walked back in and watched her clean the kitchen up. She brushed me away when I offered to help. When she was done she turned to look at me. The anger that had been burning in her eyes when my father was here is gone. She looks exhausted. I pulled her to me resting my forehead on hers.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"No. You have nothing to be sorry about beautiful," I said making her look up at me.

"I don't want to hate him. I am so glad you look like your mother," she said tears leaking out of her eyes. It broke me apart. I wiped them away. "Her I like,"

"I know. You don't ever have to do this again if you don't want to," I said. She looked up at me.

"And give him the satisfaction of knowing he gets to me?"

"You got to him tonight. I've never seen anyone emotionally compromise the old man. I think he's in love," she laughed pulling away wiping her face. I pulled her back to me.

"Did you like dinner?"

"I loved dinner. Whatever the hell rocksalt demons are, they're my new favorite food. I'd like to meet your old man. He has amazing taste," she smiled.

"I'm glad you loved it," she said looking down. "I really enjoyed the wine. I've never had it before,"

"Has anyone ever given you a gift?" I asked. Her face flushed before she looked away. "Are you kidding me?"

"No," she said with a shrug. I nodded hating her dad and her brother for that. A girl like this deserves all the gifts one can grant. I made her look at me.

"You've never had a Christmas have you?" I asked. She pulled away.

"Those are mortal traditions," she said turning away. She picked something up to make it seem like she had something to do.

"Well, you're a rogue now. You can celebrate whatever the hell you want. I declare we celebrate Christmas. No arguments,"

"Will you show me how?" she asked.

"Of course, I will. We will have to invite people who are important to us if this is going to work," I said.

"And have a m******e in my new house?" she asked.

"It's not the holidays if our families aren't at each other's throats," she laughed. That sound will be the death of me. "I have something very important to tell you,"

"You're married and have kids don't you?" I flinched away.

"Hell no. I don't know if I want a kid much less plural," she giggled again making me smile.

"I'm just messing with you,"

"Do you want that? A kid... kids?" I asked and she shrugged.

"I've never thought about it. Like I said no one has ever made me want more," she said taking a seat. I had to shake the statement. More? More than what? "What is so important?"

"You remember the vampire from the other night?" she nodded. "Before I start. I'd like to ask you a favor of sorts,"

"What is it?"

"Don't ever tell anyone your full name around here. Yeah?" she leaned back on the counter.

"Explain," she said giving me her undivided attention.

"Ashton is my kid brother. When Lance became your beta, Ash rejected his wolf and his mate,"