The Rogue's Daughter

A Rogue. A Pack. An Alpha. An Ancient Evil. Are you ready? - Chapter 1 It was seventeen minutes past curfew. Old John would seriously have my head this time but it was well worth it. The moon was up so high tonight and the breeze was just perfect. I couldn't resist. Old John has been so strict with my curfew this year it's not even funny. It isn't his fault of course. I tried to convince myself that he's doing this for me and that he's just trying to look out for me. Especially at times like these when being a werewolf isn't safe. I haven't shifted yet despite being seventeen years old. Old John says I'm just a late bloomer but we both know I wasn't going to get my wolf. John is my parents best friend. They were badass rogues back in the day but the Moon Goddess had different plans when she took them away from me right when I was born. John being my god father took me in even when I was still just a baby. Despite not having shifted and I'm just basically a human, I was still considered as a rogue. "Goddess! I finally found you!" I jumped out of my thoughts and fell off the tree I was sitting on. I fell to the ground with an 'oof' my bottom taking most of the impact. "Dammit, Marco." I huffed grasping my back like an old woman. Marco made his way to me a lazy grin on his face. "Serves you right, Avery." He said sitting beside me. Marco is the son of my mentor, old John. He's a lot taller than me. Well, to be honest, everyone seems to be taller than me. It's not easy having everyone bigger than you. There's a whole entire world up there that I don't know about. I'm short standing merely five feet tall with wavy long black hair and blue eyes. Whilst Marco was a giant compared to me with caramel hair and light starry brown eyes. "Isn't it beautiful?" I ask breathless looking up to the full moon. Marco looked up and nodded. "It is." We stayed like that for a moment just staring at the sky. He turned to me after a few minutes and stood up offering me a hand . "We have to go." He was right. We've been out for too long. Moon Goddess knows how Old John is when he gets mad. "I'll race you." I say not giving him a chance to respond as I bounce to my feet. - Our house was the farthest house from the town. It was by the edge of the woods and the most secluded one. Old John preferred being far away from humans and any living being for that matter. The house we lived in is small. It looked like a cottage really. Small, wooden and homey. I was still a good distance away from the house since a small river divided the woods into two parts. The breeze was cool and relaxing. Even though I wasn't technically a werewolf the night sky energized me. I was enjoying myself and taking my time when I felt it. I stopped in my tracks and looked around. I couldn't see or hear anything but I knew deep down someone was watching me. It was always like this. When I'm alone for too long I would feel a presence. I couldn't distinguish it but my gut was telling me it was neither friend nor foe. I circled the clearing looking to the trees and the bushes but there was nothing. Suddenly, it vanished. "Avery Soren!" Growled a familiar deep voice from across the river. I dipped my head low as I slowly made my way to the back of the cottage where Old John was standing his arms crossed. Old John wasn't as old as his name implies. He didn't look a day older than forty. His brows knitted together and his frown directed to me was enough to make me regret going out this late. He stared me down his nose flaring ever so often. "How many times do I-" Old John was cut off thankfully by the arrival of Marco who was already in his human form and fully clothed. "Dad it was my fault." He said with a apologetic smile. "I wanted to show her this cave I found and got caught up." Old John sighed looking defeated his anger gone for the mean time. "Don't do it again. You know how dangerous it is." We both nodded looking at each other once Old John turned his back and headed inside the house. I didn't understand sometimes. I wasn't exactly a werewolf so the dangers of being one doesn't apply to me. But of course Old John is always right. I shouldn't question the man that raised me. "Get in, kids. I ordered pizza for dinner." Came Old John's voice from inside the house. Marco eyes bulged at the promise of pizza. "You owe me." He winked and without another word dashed inside the house leaving me alone. I turned around to give the moon one last look when I felt it again. Those yellow eyes that I know were looking at me. - I've only caught those eyes once. I was a lot younger when it happened. I wondered too far from Old John and stumbled into a pack territory. I was a goner. I was about seven and about a dozen fully grown pack patrols were circling me like I was their dinner. I remember the growl that came from behind me. It wasn't Old John or any kind of werewolf I've ever heard. It was deep and powerful. I turned to where the growl came from and met big deep yellow eyes staring straight at me. It scared the pack patrol leaving me alone with the pair of dark yellow eyes. I didn't see a face or anything for that matter. It was too dark for me to see. It was only when Old John found me did the eyes vanish. I never saw it again. I was rudely brought out of my thoughts by Marco who elbowed me from the side. "Stop day dreaming about those yellow eyes." He scolded with a mouth full of pepperoni pizza. Old John who sat across from us froze before returning to his newspaper that was upside down. "They were probably a bats eyes or something." Said the giant beside me. Chunks of pizza flying from his mouth to my face. "Attractive." I comment getting a napkin from the table and cleaning my face. Marco rolled his eyes at me. "Dad tell her it's just a bat." "It's just a bat." Old John repeated in monotone flipping the page of his upside down newspaper. I debated on arguing about it but decided against it. We've had this conversation many times. All of which were me losing to the two arrogant boys. I stood form my seat beside Marco making our old couch creek in protest. "If you'll excuse me," I say picking up the dirty dishes on the coffee table. "I'll be heading to bed. We both have an early day tomorrow, Marco." I reminded him like I always did. In Marco's mind it's always a Saturday. Both boys looked up. Marco gave me a lazy smile when I kissed him on the cheek and Old John nodded when I kissed his temple. After cleaning the dishes I retreated to my room. I collapsed on my fluffy bed and closed my eyes. Those dark yellow eyes the last thing on my mind before sleep took me. - I woke the next day to the delicious smell of bacon and eggs. I mentally counted... 3... 2.. 1. "Avery get up and wake Marco!" Old John shouted from the other side of my door. I groaned and rolled out of my bed. One of the most difficult things I've encountered in my life is waking Marco up. I sighed making my way out the hall to the room in front of mine. I opened the door loudly not that it would even stir the sleeping beauty. I shivered at the cold wind that greeted me. Marco had left his window open again. Marco lay on top of his bed with his mouth open and his body wrapped in his comforter like a rolled up burrito. "What will you do without me?" I said to the open mouthed Marco as I closed his windows. I then climbed on top of his bed and pushed the giant burrito down the bed. Figures not even the fall from the bed could wake him. I rolled him towards the joint bathroom we shared and dragged him towards the shower. Turning the shower nob to its coldest temperature I opened the faucet. A few loud groans and growls later a cold wet and angry looking Marco came out of the showers. "Was that really necessary?" He snapped his lips trembling. I wrapped a dry towel around him and smiled sweetly. "I don't know what you're talking about." I say before making my way to the kitchen. Old John took one look at Marco and burst into fits of laughter. "Laugh it up." Marco snapped at us but his eyes lit at the pleasure of making it to breakfast for once. Half an hour later we were inside Marco's car making our way to school. Marco's a year older than I was. Him being a Senior and me being a Junior. "I hate Mondays." He grumpily commented from the the drivers seat. I watched him for a moment and when I saw that he was serious I laughed at him slapping his thigh. "It's a Wednesday." "Well shit." He groaned getting his phone to probably text his date that he had Football practice. I leaned towards him. "Which girl is this now?" I asked trying to get a good look at the name. She was labelled 'Monday' "I think her name is Sarah. I'm not sure." He answered looking bored. "Sarah Pendleton?" I offered. "The co-captain of the cheer squad?" "Yeah, that one." Marco dated a lot of girls. Not one girl lasts for more than a week though. I shook my head at him. "Think this one will last?" Marco laughed looking at me like I was insane. "She's hot but not that hot." I opened my mouth to tease him about me starting to date when he raised a hand. "Don't even think about it." He growled sending me the stink eye. "It's not happening." Protective little s**t. Marco is always like that. In his eyes me dating wasn't possible. Not for another decade or two. The school came into view as Marco made his way to his regular parking space in the front. In the school there's like this silent rule that the front of the parking lot was for Populars and Seniors all the ones left are for the lower batches. Thankfully Marco was on top of the food chain in school. "It already happened." I teased referring to me dating as I poked him on the nose. He glared at me but before he could grab for me I opened the door and ran out. "Avery!" He screamed at the top of his lungs. Still laughing I walked to the front doors of the school. It's been a week but everyone was still talking about the rumors on new students coming today. They were werewolves which made it an even bigger issue. I weaved my way through the crowd trying to avoid the wolves that was obviously from a pack. Rogues and Packs are not friendly with each other and I'd rather not fight. Old John would kill me if I get into another fight with a pack. The land we stayed on is unclaimed so the new wolves didn't have jurisdiction here. Old John has made every effort in getting Marco and I to a school that wasn't claimed by a pack. I had safely made my way to my locker when Owen caught me. Owen Stevenson. Marco's supposed best friend. He was a rogue just like Marco and I. "Hey, Avery." He smiled brightly leaning on the locker next to mine. He got pushed away to the side before he could say another word. "Not today, Owen." Marco mumbled opening the locker beside mine. "You guys feel it too huh?" Owen whispered. We didn't need to answer. Rogues always felt uneasy when it came to new wolves that were in a pack. I didn't particularly like any person I've met from a pack. They would always look down on me or be repulsed when they find out that I haven't shifted yet. "Shadow Howlers." Owen continued. Marco and I both froze. Shadow Howlers were known for their sheer size and number. They're able to outnumber any pack in any fight and any thing. I wouldn't admit it to anyone but packs always intrigued me. All my life we've been running. We never had a permanent place to live in. Apart from Marco and Old John, I didn't have anyone else like packs had their members. Shadow Howlers are the strongest out of all the packs. I was told that decades ago the Shadow Howlers were two different packs merged together. Old John hates them. We weren't allowed to talk about Shadow Howlers because they're supposed to be merciless and cruel. Not to mention they hate rogues more than anything. "Shadow Howlers." I whispered. Why here? We're so far from their territory. Shadow Howler are ruled by Alpha Bane Cohen, the son of the last Alpha's Daughter. An Alpha's Daughter is but a myth now. It said that whichever pack had an Alpha's Daughter was the most powerful pack and there was always just one of them. So far, after the death of Luna Gabrielle Bancroft no known Alpha's Daughter was ever seen again. "Speak of the devil and he shall appear." Owen whispered. If I was a wolf the smell of foreign pack wolves would have probably wafted through my nose like poison. That's how Marco always told me about it. The smell of a pack. It was like venom for rogues. I closed my eyes trying to push down the lump on my throat. Feeling them coming closer I slowly opened my eyes. I held my breath at the sight of him. Right in front of us was the most powerful man alive. Bane Cohen.