Rogues: Rise of The King

One

Sloane: 

    She's pacing back and forth with a massive textbook in her hands. Once in a while, she'll glance at me or at Ash. That book she's reading is a text my dad had me nearly memorize. Not that I needed much persuasion, my mom had written it in her early years of being a Luna. It's more of an instruction guide on how to be a good Luna, a wife or, a mate of something who has a higher calling. Like an alpha. I was required to learn it in case my mate turned out to be an alpha or if I had to follow behind Brenden for longer than anticipated. I was never meant to rule in this sexist race of assholes we live in. That was made very clear from the very beginning by all the male role models in my life. 

    My mother was no submissive but she did find a way to keep her lingering traits at bay so she and my dad would be able to keep it together. I used to think we had a lot in common until I met the b***h and found her new bouncing baby girl is the same leech that turned Ash into what he is now. I'd kill the princess if her death didn't take down anyone she's turned with her blood. The only thing keeping that b***h alive is my mate's little brother. 

    "So, you know what you're supposed to be doing yet you're ignoring simple guidelines?" she finally asked shutting the book. 

    "See the thing about leaving the pack is that I left. f**k. Those. Guidelines. I didn't leave one prison to jump into another one," 

    "Maybe not," she coaxed slamming the book on the table in front of me. "But you're in already and that little mark on your arm is going nowhere. So, you might as well get with the program. Do you know what you are?" 

    "Yes, yes I do. Okay, you have handed us something these f*****g rogues have been slaughtering each other for. You think that's what I wanted to do? Do you really think I left my pack to become the f*****g queen of the underworld? I didn't leave my pack so that I could tell a bunch of f*****g criminals how to do their job. I kill these motherfuckers for kicks," 

    "Your mate is one of those criminal motherfuckers," she smacked her teeth, tapping her finger on the book. "Your little pet vampire right there is right up there with the rest of them. It's kind of hypocritical of you." 

    "Is it really?" I asked glaring at her. She knows I hate when she smacks her teeth the way she just did. I hate when anyone does it really. It's gross.

    "What do you think Alexian does? Push a few petty rogues around? No sweetheart, the man runs all of Shore and six other states. He supplies about half the narcotics in the United States alone. Has more pull in this nation than the president himself. What do you have to say about that?" 

    "I can't help what I was mated into. It would have stopped believe me," Ash laughed. 

    "It's funny because she genuinely believes that," he chides looking back at me. 

    "I know exactly who Alexian is," I said looking away. Ash began to look around acting like this didn't interest him. I know he likes it better than being stuck in his blood den with the other leeches. She didn't stop looking at me. 

    "Ironic," she whispered to herself. She sat back with a smirk on her face. "Oh, sweet face. Just when I thought I had you figured out you go and pull this s**t. It must kill you inside to know you are mated to the very thing you wanted to destroy," 

    "Excuse me?" Ash asked his head whipping around so fast his neck almost broke. 

    "Oh, you have these little boys eating out of the palm of your hand and you haven't even told them?" 

    "Told us what?" Ash asked looking at me. 

    "I originally went to Shore to kill Alexian," I admitted, crossing my arms. "He was one of the top ten on my list of dons to yank," 

    "How many names have you crossed off that list?" Elianne asked. 

    "Sixteen," I answered confidently. 

    "On a list of how many?" 

    "Twenty-six," 

    "Ten short. Did you really stop because Alexian Victor is your mate?" she asked. 

    "Momentary Setback. Among other things," 

    "You mean starting a war between us and the immortals?" she chastised. 

    "Something like that," 

    "You were going to kill us?" Ash asked sitting across from me. The way he said it was like he wasn't surprised and very amused. 

    "Yeah," I admitted. 

    "Damn, we got lucky then. If there was anyone who could take down a Victor- all the Victors in one go that would be you," 

    "Does Alexian know about this hidden agenda I wonder?" my aunt remarks. 

    "I don't understand this Alpha King, Rogue King arrangement," Ash said before I could answer. "I thought being King meant no boss and here you are acting like a boss," 

    "They think they can control us," I scoffed, sitting back. I placed my arms on the armrests and kept my eyes on her. "They want us to work under them the same way the last Rogue King did and that's where they f****d up. See Jonathan McCain was born and bred a rogue. He didn't know what real power was. What it means to be a king. It's cute that you think you can contain me. It's cute that you think you'd be able to take a single thing from me," 

    "There are lots of things you have that I already own. Your pack and family for starters. See your mom had that same mind you do now. When she came into her reign as the leech queen she thought she could have it all. It wasn't long before she knew how to roll over and play dead," 

Ash growled at her his eyes glowing red. 

    "I'm not my mom," 

    "Calm down," she waved him off. "You're going to upset me and I'm going to have to act," 

    "Touch him and you're dead," I promised. She looked between the two of us. 

    "What number was he on your list?" she asked. 

    "Number four," I shrugged. "I started at number eleven. Leaving the top ten for last because I knew they'd be the most fun," 

    "Who's number one?" Ash asked. 

    "Bailey McGowan," he scoffed. 

    "Come on, that privileged b***h is at the top?" 

    "That privileged b***h is number one because she has nothing to lose going up against me. Kill one Victor and the others follow. There are five of you. There is one of her. All the wolf mob families have more than one heir. This one, she's special. She has a purpose, a real reason to fight because she's proven herself repeatedly as a female in a male world. So yeah, Bailey McGowan is at the top of my list," 

    "I think you're overestimating her. I thought you said you weren't a feminist," Ash laughed. 

    "She'd love me if I had killed you," I said with a smile. He smiled wide. For the first time, he bared his fangs in my direction. 

    "How do you know?" he asked shaking his head. 

    "Well, you earned yourself a reputation. The fanged boy that likes to stick his stick in chicks who could rip it off and feed it to him," 

    "She's hot. What can I say?" he let out a mischievous chuckle. 

    "Off-topic," I dismissed him. "You thought we could be your bitches. We're not going to play nice so, what are we doing?" 

    "I beg to differ," she rolled her eyes at me before looking at the entrance. 

    Alexian and my uncle the King of Assholes walked in laughing. Like they were the bestest of friends in the entire world. Ash looked at me. The two of us crossed our arms as they caught onto the tension in the room. The two of them looked us over and smiled. Their laugh caught in their throat. 

    "I take it didn't go well?" my uncle asked. 

    "She's just like my sister," my aunt spat with distaste. She's the first person to ever say that and it's starting to piss me off. "Her father was a lot easier to control," 

    "Born an alpha. It's imprinted in him to follow the orders of the King. Your kind is a little hard to convince they're sheep," he said waving his hand at her disrespectfully.

    "Excuse me?" I laughed. I can't believe she'd let this f**k talk to her like that. Mate or not. "Sheep? That's what you think of your alphas? The grand Alpha King who stays locked away in his tower while his so-called sheep do all his dirty work? You forget who you're talking to. One of your most devoted soldiers. You think I'm a f*****g sheep? You'd be nothing without us. Without your mate. Who the f**k were you before she made you the king you are today? Nobody ass hole. So f**k you and your sheep. You both f****d up by giving me this. That's the real irony. I hope you sleep well at night," 

    "Sloane," Alexie tried stopping me from walking past him. "What are you doing?" 

    "What are you doing?" I shot back angrily.

    "We have a common goal," he reminded me.

    "You know what happens when that goal reaches expiration point? They get rid of us the way they got rid of Johnathan. This man built the foundation your father set by paying him to kill the last King. Think about that next time you get all chummy with your new buddy," 

    I pushed past him with Ash following behind me. He made a sheep noise before we got to the car. I stopped in front of my mate's beloved quarter-million-dollar Camaro. Ash stepped away from me as I lifted my fist and smashed in through the window. My hand burst a hole through the glass cutting into my arm. I extracted my claws and pulled my arm our breaking the glass apart. 

    "Sloane, what the f**k?" Alexie shouted coming over to me. He grabbed my arm looking it over. I pulled it away from him. 

    "You kind of deserve that," Ash said looking at his brother. He watched as Ash went over to the car to lean against it before his eyes came back to me.

    "What the hell did I do now?" he inquired dramatically. 

    "You let that f**k insult not only you but your mate. The four of you are equal now. That shits not right. I don't know what he said to you, man. Be real. We're rogues. The Rogue King shouldn't be the Alpha King's b***h even if they do have a common goal. Disrespect is disrespect even when she being sarcastic," he said motioning me with his shoulder. 

    "So your reaction is putting your fist through my new car's window?" Alexie turned to look at me. 

    "I could have gone for the tires but I want to go home," I crossed my arms. 

    "Are you pouting?" Ash asked. 

    "She's pouting," Alexie confirmed. 

    "What does that mean?" 

    "Get in the f*****g car," I growled opening the door. 

    Ash slowly moved closer to me and climbed into the back seat. Using my already bleeding arm I pushed the broken glass off the seat and shut the door when I climbed in. The sting helped settle the anger in me a little but not nearly enough. Alexie sighed and went around the car. He glanced at me when he started the engine. 

    "Are you hungry?" he had the nerve to ask. I had told him I was when I told Ash I'd show him how to use the shotgun earlier. "I'll stop and get you something to eat," 

    "Go f**k yourself," I said looking out the shattered window. She stood there with a smirk on her face. 

    "Find stability and we'll talk about bringing the pup back," she ordered calmly. 

    "Get me something to work with or I'm going to take my hobby up again. You can't run a kingdom if there aren't any alpha's for you to scratch behind the ears, Elianne,"  

    "Does that include your brother?" she thinks she's got me on a f*****g leash. The nerve of these pricks.

    "It includes yours," her eyes darkened before she turned around and walked back inside the massive estate. Just because they're blood doesn't mean we're family.

    "I think they both need to be fed," Ash snickered.