Moonlight Rogue

Chapter Five: Travel Talk

Now this I couldn’t believe. I snorted at him. “I need to know some things? You do realize I’m not some delicate little flower that’s never had s*x before, right?”

Cya turned a pretty red. I guess he hadn’t expected that kind of response. “That wasn’t what I meant. I wasn’t talking about your s****l experience. Wait, are you saying you’re really going to have s*x with them?” His eyes bulged. “You can’t be serious!”

I shrugged. “It’s my body if I want to use it to save others that’s my choice. Not like it’d be the first time.” His jaw dropped and I chuckled. “Why so shocked? Are you that inexperienced?”

The way he colored now was a deep angry red that crept up his neck and tinged his ears. “I’m not inexperienced. I just can’t believe anyone would do that.”

“Do you have any other suggestions for getting powerful wolves one on one?” I questioned. I know the exact moment a male lets down his guard. There’s no better time than to put a blade through his heart when he’s distracted for that heartbeat of a second.”

He winced. “That’s really-”

“They deserve it, Cya. If you’re going to travel with me you can’t have mercy for those that commit evil. Those that have already dug their own graves for themselves and will reap what they sow.”

He was already shaking his head at me and I frowned. No matter how much I was starting to like this guy, I couldn’t travel with him if he was ever going to give quarter to any of my enemies. “You don’t understand. I’m not saying that’s harsh for them. I’ve watched Mason a lot, I’ve seen the types of things that he’s capable of. Wolves like that? They deserve what they get. It just really sucks that you have to give part of yourself away like that to bring justice.”

I blinked. This I hadn’t expected. He was staring at me with so much earnestness I felt my own cheeks grow hot. I wasn’t embarrassed by what I did. But I was touched that he cared. “Sucks huh?”

He nodded. “I know you probably don’t have the best impression of me yet.”

I chuckled, “you mean your ability to get all tied up?”

He scowled at me again. “That was your fault, you set a trap.”

“And you walked into it.” I grinned. I was enjoying this dialog with another person. It had been far too long. “Okay, well you’re scared of heights, terrified even.”

His glare intensified and I laughed. “I can’t help it I have phobias. Aren’t you scared of anything miss warrior woman?”

My laugh died mid chuckle. A wave of somberness washed over me. “Of course I have fears. But the difference is my fears all came true.” I looked away from him. I couldn’t stare into those earnest eyes right now. I stared out over the horizon and tried to remember a pair of blues that sparkled like the deepest ocean. My greatest fear? My fear had once been of losing everyone I held dear, and because of me,  just that had happened. I didn’t think I could put that in words just yet though.

Cya picked up on the mood change and lapsed into silence as we traveled. We were back on Emma’s fading trail before he spoke again. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to bring up bad memories. Most people stay away from me so sometimes I stick my foot in my mouth, well okay a lot of times I stick my foot in my mouth.”

I smirked. “Oh? I can’t say I’ve noticed that.” He shot me a grin and my insides turned to mush. Damn it, Morgan, keep yourself together. But seriously, when did guys come in such pretty varieties? My mate was amazing of course, but I hadn’t recalled seeing guys that looked like this recently at all.

“Anyway, when I told you about the harem thing I meant more about how you should act in it. There are certain rules this one has. No, I don’t know how many other ones you’ve been to or how many times you’ve had to do that to yourself to help others, but this one is different.”

“Besides the sick f***s liking kids?” I demanded.

He winced as if I had accused him. “Yes, besides that. There’s a lot of rooms, women can offer to serve at any time, or they can be forced to serve at any time. I know you’re planning to go after Mason, but you could end up with someone else if you’re not careful.”

I shrugged. “Again, wouldn’t be the first time. My body is a tool like any other, Cya.”

He frowned but didn’t comment further on that topic. Instead, he continued my new education. “When one comes to you, you’re expected to dip your head and bow to him and ask what master wants.” The tips of his ears were pink as he relayed this information to me. I couldn’t help but smile at the cuteness of it all. “Then you follow him wherever he leads you. Sometimes, you’ll be interrupted on the way back to where he’s taking you. Sometimes more than one will join in. You’re expected to do the same thing and when you get to your destination.” He stopped and stared at the ground hard as we walked. “This is really uncomfortable to talk about. I don’t know you all that well, Morgan but I don’t want to think about this stuff happening to you. Good cause or not.”

“Cya, this is the best way. The pack has hundreds, does it not? I might be a decent fighter, which you haven’t even been able to witness yet, but I can’t take on that many by myself. So I have to f**k a couple of men in my way to get to Mason. I keep telling you, this isn’t a big deal to me. My body isn’t some holy temple. It’s flesh and blood. I’m not going to crack because too many d***s got inside.”

This time he didn’t color. He just nodded. “I know it’s your body, and if you want to use it as a tool I won’t say anything else. I just hope you can find someone that makes you feel like the woman I see beneath.”

I raised an eyebrow at him even as my heart picked up its pace. “Cya, this is why you have people wanting to kill you. You can’t just say stuff like that and not have people think you’re flirting.”

He turned away from me and put his hands deep into his pockets as he leaned back. “Whose to say I’m not flirting now?”

I wanted to slap him with something with anything. My heart couldn’t take this. I settled for a stern glare and he just laughed at me his eyes sparkling once more. They glittered with so much life and reminded me of the first shoots of Spring. “You shouldn’t tease an older woman, it’s not nice kid.”

“Wait, who says you’re old? Who says I’m a kid? I’m no kid, Morgan, and you’re no old lady. Yeah yeah, you’re a werewolf so age is kind of relative, but still, you only look like you’re in your 30’s. I don’t know why you think that’s old at all. Me? I look like I’m in my 20’s were’ a match in heaven.”

“I’m not getting involved with you, Cya. Tell me more about this village girl of yours. I think I’m getting an idea of where this whole mix-up started.”

“I told you I wasn’t interested in her, I was just nice. And she took that as affection. Don’t you want to hear about the rest of the harem stuff instead of grill me about things that are irrelevant?”

“There’s more? What more can there be?”

“After the service, you’re expected to go to the medical room and clean yourself up and take a special tea to help prevent any pregnancies. Obviously, they can’t have their women getting pregnant and useless on them, though I guess there are some that like that kind of thing.” He looked away from me again and his whole body convulsed in a long shudder.

“So, Cya, how do you know all this stuff about the harem? You sound pretty knowledgeable about it.”

He paused midstep with a deep dark frown marring his features. This wasn’t him being angry or amused at me, this was a somber Cya I hadn’t met this guy before. “My sister. My younger sister has been in that thing for years now.” He rubbed his bare arms with his hands as he started to walk again. “Long enough that she’s completely brainwashed. I slipped in to see her once and her eyes were glazed. She saw me not as me her brother, but as just in another long line to be served. When she started to undress I ran out of there.” He didn’t speak and I thought the conversation was over for now, but then he added just a few more words. “And I kept running until I ran into someone else’s rope trap.”