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The Rogues
The Rogues
Author: Kerrie Woodeson

Chapter One - Vivian

The old house stood empty behind a barrier of leafy green hedges, a large frangipani tree swayed in the wind, branches bare, the leaves are long gone,   white paint flaking off the exterior walls. The blue shutters were swinging back and forth in the summer breeze. Garden beds are overcome with weeds, the rusty gate hanging on by a hinge. Someone had hastily nailed timber boards over the windows and doors. Black and white photos in ornate frames adorned the walls, smiling faces of the past. Books covered in dust, their pages yellowed.

The floorboards creaked like they were crying over the atrocities they had witnessed, the dust settled on the white sheet covering the furniture. Long silver spider webs danced over chandeliers. The wind echoed up and down the hall as coldness touched every nook and cranny. The clocks stopped, the hands sitting at 3 am, the time stood still. Secrets remained undiscovered for years, the past hidden, long forgotten. That's the problem with the past...it always comes back to haunt us….

"Oh, for christ sake", I muttered, as a glass of water went flying off my bedside table. I had woken up suddenly and in my panic to turn on the lamp had knocked the water spilling it everywhere. My phone was drenched.

"Get a grip, Vivian, you're a grown woman", I muttered to myself as I mopped the water up with a rag. The same damn dream had been haunting me for weeks now. Throwing my body back onto the bed, I close my eyes, and the image of Tom comes flooding in like a tsunami, and so do the tears. Countless tears I had wasted on that man. Way more than he deserved. Sleep didn't come easy, and before I knew it, my alarm was screaming at me to wake up.

Hopefully, a shower would wake me up. Turning on the taps, steam billowed through the air as the hot water ran over me, closing my eyes. I immersed myself in it. Pressing my handprint on the foggy glass, I traced the outline, making love in the shower was Toms’s thing, my hands had been pressed against the glass more times than I could count. As Tom would take me from behind, the warm water running down my back as one hand firmly gripped my hip and the other my shoulder.

Don't think of him, whatever you do, don't think of him. Tom Bradley was the Alpha of the Rogues, a pack made up of wolves that had been banished from their packs for various reasons. Some valid, but mostly because they were traitors, vicious and untrustworthy. Which made the pack volatile and unruly, and that chaos suited their leader, whose wolf was becoming more and more unhinged. Not the type of wolf the daughter of the alpha of the prestigious Red Crescent Pack should be in company with. But I just couldn’t stay away, I was drawn to his badness like a moth to the flame. And every time I thought I had found the strength to leave, one looked into those green eyes and I was right back into his bed.

Turning off the taps, I grabbed my towel, wrapped it around my long black hair, and twisted it into a knot on the top of my head. The second towel I swiftly wrapped around my body, securing it at the front, wiping the mirror with the palm of my hand where the steam had caused it to fog over, a pair of red bloodshot blue eyes stared back at me, dark rings underneath. “Shit” I sang out, “You look like absolute shit, Vivian Brown, when are you going to stop crying over that no good bastard?” 

The shrill sound of my phone ringing brought me back to the present, running to my bedside table. The screen lit up with the image of my father. Oh great, I thought to myself as I answered the call and held the phone to my ear. Not answering his call wasn’t an option.

“Hi Dad, You're calling early, Is everything okay”?

“Morning Vivie, Can you please come and see me at the office this morning ”?

Even though he was asking, I knew by his tone it was not a question, but an order. And there was no way I could get out of it.

“Sure thing, Dad”. 

He hung up the phone without saying goodbye, my father was a highly respected criminal lawyer whose clients' wealth often made them above the law. He was a handsome man in his early fifties, 6”4 with a full head of black hair and blue eyes. Being in Alpha he was in the best shape of his life. My mother had passed away when I was twelve and he had been a bachelor ever since. A string of ladies had come in and out like a ship in the night, never lasting longer than a few months.

Coffee, I am going to need coffee to get through a meeting with my father. Quickly getting dressed, I shoved two pieces of bread into the toaster. The kettle whistled on the stove as it came to the boil, pouring the water into a mug, the rich scent of coffee hit my nostrils. Blowing gently I took a sip, buttered my toast and quickly shoved it into my mouth. Grabbing my keys I locked the door behind me and headed to my father’s office.

“Well hello there Vivie” Beverley my Dad’s ageing receptionist greeted me as I walked into the office. Jumping up from her desk, she walked around and gave me a hug.

“You are skin and bones girl, do I need to start cooking your meals and delivering them” shaking her head, she looked me up and down.

“No Bev, I am all good”. “Thank you though, I said with a smile.

“He's waiting for you, and let me tell you, child, he’s in a mood”.

Great, I thought to myself as I opened the door, it’s too early for his shit.

My father was seated behind his desk, his office spacious with floor to ceiling windows. A large walnut desk sat to one side of the room. Dark brown leather sofas sat in the middle with a matching walnut coffee table between them. Bookshelves lined the wall, with various photos in frames featuring my father and various other wealthy famous people. University degrees hung on the wall behind his desk.

Standing up, he was such a formidable man, kissing me on the cheek, “Take a seat, Viv”.

He gestured to one of the chairs on the other side of his desk. Which only meant one thing, this is serious.

“Hey, Dad, what’s up”? I asked, knowing the casual slang would displease him.

“Do not talk to me like I am one of your friends Vivian” he chastised, shaking his head.

“What do you know about Thomas Bradley”? His brow furrowed and his face was stern.

I picked at my fingernails nervously while trying to maintain my composure. Christ, I thought to myself , if he knows I’ve been banging Tom Bradley there would be hell to pay.

“Um only what I have heard off you and others in the pack, Father”.

I lied, I just lied to my father’s face I thought to myself, and he can pick a liar from a mile away. There was no way that I was going to get out of this one.

“Are you sure Vivian?” he probed as I wished the ground would open up and swallow me alive. It seemed less painful than this conversation.

“Uhuh” I replied, shrugging my shoulders, trying my best to look relaxed and casual. Now, what do I do? I have started a lie too late for the truth now.

“The rogue’s numbers have significantly increased, it seems that wolves like the idea of a non-traditional pack”, snarling in disgust he began pacing back and forth. “Apparently his quite handsome and charismatic”.

“Father, there is no way The Rogues will ever outnumber our pack” furrowing my brow in confusion. I had never seen my father this nervous about a rival pack, the Red Crescents had always been the largest pack in the southern hemisphere, as one of the five original werewolf packs our bloodline was royal, and the pack was one that garnered respect.

“Well, I am not willing to take the risk of that happening” scowling he ran his hand through his hair.

“I don’t know Dad, I don’t think there is anything you can do” His body stiffened and I could immediately see he was displeased.

“That’s where you are wrong, Vivian Brown” staring intensely into my eyes a strange look came over his face.

“What are you talking about, Dad”? I stood up and pushed my chair backwards.

“I have been in talks with Thomas Bradley and we have come up with a truce between the packs”.

“That’s sensible, no good will come from a war between us and the Rogues”, sitting back down I felt a sense of calm wash over me. For a moment there I wash concerned my Father had done something foolish. He could be very hot-headed at times.

“That’s exactly my point, Vivian, I will do whatever it takes to ensure the pack’s survival” looking down at his feet sheepishly he turned and walked back to his desk. Sitting down in the black leather chair he folded his arms across his chest.

“And now as the daughter of the alpha, it is your duty to do the right thing”.

“You know I will do my part when it comes to the pack, Dad”, my face felt hot to touch as I started to get aggravated.

“I know, and that is why I have committed to Thomas your hand in marriage, and that when you produce an heir they will be the alpha of both packs as they merge into The Red Crescent Rogues”. 

“NO BLOODY WAY” I yelled, “ How dare you marry me off like it’s the 1600’s”

Leaning across his desk, my face an inch from his, “I will NOT marry Thomas Bradley, Father” turning away trying to gather as much dignity as I could, I slammed the door shut behind me as I fled from his office.

“Vivian Brown, what the hell is going on”? Beverly jumped up from behind her desk as she heard the door slam.

Tears streamed down my face, “ Go and ask that asshole” I blubbered as I picked up the pace and hightailed it out of the building.

The fresh air hit my face, as I dodged the crowds. They were quite quick to part as I must have looked like a madwoman with tears and snot all over my face. Wiping my face with the back of my hand I walked quickly to the road. How dare he pull this stunt on me, I am a grown woman and will choose my husband myself, I am not his property that he can use for brokering peace.

“Vivian, come back here now”

Turning to look at my father, I gave him the finger then stepping off the kerb I started to cross the road.

The screech of tyres startled me as I turned my head to the right, to see a red car coming towards me. Before I could take a step backwards the world around me faded into darkness.

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