The Rogue's Daughter

Chapter 4: The Horrible Truth

Chapter 4

I was having a panic attack. My heart kept contracting and my lungs felt heavy.

Maybe it was because Marco was seething and cursing or maybe it's because of Bane's blank expression towards by small group.

"Are you okay?" Came Bane's calm yet deep voice.

We were currently inside a classroom. A starstruck Owen who still hasn't moved from his spot, pacing and angry Marco, Bane who was ignoring the two ludicrous boys and me. Hyperventilating me.

I don't know why I'm panicking but something about having an Alpha amidst a small group of rogues made me nervous.

It was different when I was alone with Bane.

When I was with him everything else didn't matter but now that there's an enraged Marco and a mute Owen I kinda of wished I was somewhere else.

"Of course she's okay." Marco snapped at him as he came over to me to check on me.

Marco didn't like packs. He loathed them. He hated the heiarchy of Alphas. The extra power they had for being one. It bothered him to no end. Having me close to an Alpha was eating him up.

I shoot Marco a glare that I hoped he would read as 'shut up before he snaps your neck with his pinkie finger'

The Alpha looks toward Marco amused for some reason. "Your boyfriend needs to learn his place."

I roll my eyes at this. Most people think Marco and I are together. We weren't. Not even. "He's not my-"

Marco covers my mouth shut. "Avery, let's go."

Bane takes hold of my shoulders. "Stay here."

"Why?" Marco challenged facing Bane.

I wonder why Bane is allowing Marco to talk to him like this. Bane is known for having a short temper but now he just looks amused and a little bit irritated. Not 'I'm gonna kill your whole population' which I predicted.

"I can take care of Avery." Bane said in a very low voice. My heart skipped a beat again.

Why was he like this? Could Bane Cohen be my mate? Or did he just want to pick on me?

Marco's face hardened. "Avery is my responsibility." He spat pulling me away from Bane. "She lives in my house not yours."

Bane snapped. Something inside him snapped. I could feel it. The way his body visibly stiffens and how his jaw, his perfectly sculpted jaw, locks like he was trying to hold himself together.

His bright silver eyes suddenly turned black. A soulless piss worthy black.

He scared me.

Bane always looked intimidating but in the short time that I've known him he's always been sweet and never scary.

Never this.

He looked like he was already conjuring ways on how to kill Marco and it scared me.

Even Marco found himself backing away.

I grabbed for Marco but Bane's eyes flickers to me. "Don't." He commanded in his Alpha voice.

He didn't sound like him anymore. It was like a giant monster was talking.

This was the real Alpha Bane Cohen. The most powerful man in the world.

Bane was breathing hard. He was trying to calm himself.

I'm sure he saw how terrified I was.

Owen had probably already pissed himself.

Not knowing what I was doing, I walked towards the shaking Alpha.

Marco and Owen were too frightened to do anything since Bane kept his dark eyes locked on them.

I found myself facing Bane. My small petite frame standing in front of an enraged Alpha.

Suddenly, I took his hands on mine. I was acting on pure instinct. I just hoped I won't get killed.

Alpha Bane slowly looked down to me. He looked surprised on what I just did.

I was panicking. I wasn't used to this. Not to a pack person. Most especially the strongest Alpha.

Bane closed his scary black eyes and breathed in.

When he opened his eyes, it was back to its breathtaking silver.

-

Marco and I sat beside each other his arm draped around my shoulders protectively.

I watched in confusion as Old John was having a heated argument with Bane. Normally I would be scared for Old John's life for confronting a powerful Alpha but Old John seemed to be lecturing Bane. And Bane was letting him.

After Bane's moment, our mentor Old John came rushing towards us. He was worried beyond belief. Apparently he came from a mission- or what I think is his work as a werewolf stripper- and went straight to get us.

Old John almost had a heart attack when he saw me beside Bane. Not to mention I was holding Bane's hand like a love sick puppy staring at his eyes with wonder.

Old John pulled me away and asked to talk with the famous Alpha of the Shadow Howlers.

"Do they know each other?" I ask Marco who didn't seem to care that his father was basically challenging an Alpha.

Marco shrugs his shoulders. "Old John's a famous bounty hunter. Guess they know each other."

A famous werewolf stripper. I almost corrected.

"I always thought Old John was a stripper." Owen whispered under his breathe.

My eyes widened as I gave Owen a high five. I knew it wasn't just me.

Kidding a side.

It's no secret that Old John is the best at assassinating people for money but to speak like that to an Alpha?

Bane seemed to even bow his head. What were they possibly talking about that would make Bane concede like he was?

Did Bane ask for Old John to kill someone? Is it a secret that Old John has to keep?

Why did Bane need to get someone killed? He can kill anyone.

Bane looked almost scared and guilty as Old John went on and on.

Every now and then Bane's eyes would shift to me. His cold silver eyes would soften but then he would notice Marco beside me bringing his cold expression back. Before he could continue his glare Old John would raised his voice again forcing Bane to look away from us,

What is happening? Why is Bane letting Old John speak to him like that?

I was brought out of my thoughts by Owen who slides beside us.

"Have you guys heard?" He whispered like he was about to reveal the secrets of the world.

Marco rolls his eyes but amuses his best friend and shakes his head. "Tell us then, man."

"This unknown force that's taking over packs are after the big ones right?" Owen starts looking around to see if anyone else was listening.

I pushed him with my foot annoyed that he's acting like a child who's pretending to be a spy. "Get on with it."

"That's what Bane Cohen is nervous about." I kinda of put that together already but another mystery would have to be why Bane was nervous about this.

He's the law in the werewolf world. Why would he be nervous? Wasn't he the one taking over the packs?

Isn't that what pack people do? They take and they take?

Maybe Old John knows something and is using it on Bane? Maybe that's why he's letting Old John talk to him like that.

I watch Bane as he intently listens to what Old John is telling him.

Maybe Old John was giving him advice? Old John is known for his remarkable ways in the battle field.

But then this is Bane Cohen. The Bane Cohen. The last descendant of the Moon Goddess.

Bane Cohen is the strongest man alive. He can do anything.

Especially when former Alpha Titus Cohen is teaching him.

He is truly invincible.

After what seemed like the longest talk ever the two part ways. Old John bows his head low and goes over to us.

"Let's go kids." Old John tells us not even sparing us a glance.

Owen looks at Old John a hopeful look in his eyes. We were his only way out of the school and knowing how this school is run, Owen will get beaten up by pack members if they see him alone.

After the war, werewolves in packs started to act all tough. They started picking on rogues since they were afraid to pick on other packs.

Before when I didn't have Marco with me, female werewolves from packs would always push me around. They would accidentally crush me into a locker or would accidentally slap my books away.

It was a terrible time for rogues.

I wasn't really a push over so whenever it happened to me I would fight back. I always win the fights but when the pack members start running to authority that's when I lose.

I'm scum.

I'm worthless.

I'm just a useless unshifted werewolf.

That's what they would tell me.

Old John sighs heavily before nodding his head. "You too, Owen. Let's take you home too."

-

"I don't want you associating with Bane Cohen." Old John tells me.

As soon as we got home Old John sat me down our small living room and started scolding me.

"He's dangerous, Avery." He continued pacing around the small space we had.

"I told her that!" Screams Marco from inside his room.

Stupid werewolf hearing.

"He's been nothing but nice to me." I pushed. If Bane Cohen wanted me dead he would have done that a long time ago.

I don't believe it when they say he's dangerous.

Yes, he's powerful but he's done nothing to prove that he would hurt me.

There is that incident with Marco and his frighteningly traumatizing black eyes but that's only because Marco pushed him.

Old John groans massaging his temples in anger. "It doesn't matter! You're a rogue. He's an Alpha."

"We're just friends." I try to convince my mentor as he continues to stress himself over.

Are we friends? Am I a friend to Bane? Or am I just some mutt he met?

"It's not right, Avery. You can't be friends with pack people. Have you forgotten how they treat people like us?" That shut me up.

Half of the rogue population went down because of the harassment from pack people.

Rogues have been pushed far beyond the reach of civilization as we only find refuge in small towns like this one.

I've only been to the city once and I was smitten. There is so much in the city that I've never seen before.

"Okay. I'm sorry." I whisper bowing my head low.

Old John knew better. I had to drill that in my head.

It's just that there's something about Bane.

Bane Cohen is so much more than just an Alpha.

I was drawn to him.