HER DESTINED MATE

Selene's POV

"We're Rogues, Selene. In The Cursed Land, everyone is an enemy" These was one of the last words my mother said to me before we got attacked four years ago.

I was just eighteen then. Growing up as a rogue with no clue of who and what I was, with no one to give answers to my questions; not even my mother, I've had to fend many attacks from other rogues.

I trusted no one, except my mother.

I grew with her strict teachings engraved in my bones. Now, I could perfectly blend in, keep my head's down, and fight freely when necessary. 

I was the true definition of a perfect rogue, but unlike them, I had a clear goal in mind; a feat I badly wanted to achieve. I was.....huh

My head snapped to the right as my thoughts got interrupted by the familiar scents that wafted through my nostrils.

"Tch.. those bastards are at it again" I let out a deep scowl, pulling my cloak hoodie over my head. My eyes scanned my surroundings, making sure no one around had their eyes on me.

The Cursed Land was a place to be wary of.

I maneuvered my way through the crowd, making sure to alert no one. Soon, I arrived at a deserted place, letting out a deep sigh.

"Who told you you could escspe?" A thick yet unfamiliar voice echoed in my ears. My senses were heightened and the hairs on my skin crawled.

Before I could utter a word, my legs moved on their own. I found myself a few meters away from my previous spot, my darkened gaze fixed on the middle aged man kneeling on one knee and his claws stuck in the rocky ground.

He tilted his head, his fangs visible. "I see your skills have grown."

I snorted in laughter, refusing to be intimidated. "I didn't have a choice. I had to grow to teach fools like you a lesson."

"Ugh..." The man scoffed, forcing his claws out of the ground.

He got up and turned to me. His hoodie fell backwards, revealing his face. The spiky brown hair and brown eyeballs were so unfamiliar. He was quite huge compared to the rogues I had faced in years. The scar running through his yellowish skinned neck was definitely from the claws of a strong wolf.

He was strong. No doubt.

My brows furrowed, and my instincts kicked in. "I don't think I've met you before. What do you want?" I questioned fiercely.

The man smirked. "Yeah, you're right. Forgive my manners. My name is Zev. You don't know me, but I'm sure you know my brothers."

Instantly, the hair on my back stood up. Something was coming; I could feel it.

Thankfully, I was quick enough to dodge the surprise attack, though my cloak got torn into shreds.

I wasn't done recovering from the first attack when another came.

I regained balance almost immediately to dodge the next claw thrown at me. I switched from defense to attack, and grabbed the hairy arm in my sight.

My claws elongated instantly. I slashed at my attacker with clear intentions of maiming him, but his partner was smart enough to pull him away.

I let out a deep breath, registering the faces of the two men standing before me, with the one I had slashed bleeding profusely.

"Kyle and Kai, huh?" I called mockingly.

It was the twin brothers, who thought they were good enough to have me join their clique.

I shifted my gaze to Zev, then I was hit with a realization.

My lips curved into a smirk. "So you both knew you couldn't take me down, so you brought another one of your useless lackeys. You both are as stupid as ever" I snickered in disgust.

"Don't you dare insult our leader" Kyle shot back, holding his bleeding hands.

"He'll be the one to humble you, Selene" Kai chipped in.

"Hmph..." I mumbled, tired of their childishness.

"I was beginning to wonder how strong the woman who gave my boys trouble was, but now I understand" The man named Zev butted in, his voice laced with a hint of sarcasm. "Unfortunately, I doubt you'll be able to escape this time."

Was he dumb or what?

"It's just you, Mister" I snorted in laughter. "You can't beat me."

The man's smile sent shivers down my spine. At that moment, the displeasing scent of a rogue wafted through my nostrils.

No. It wasn't one....two...three...four.... Wait a minute.

Why were they so many?

"It's not just me, darling" Zev smiled. "We came prepared."

At the end of his statement, a bunch of rogues appeared from every corner, shaking my resolve.

How come my sense of smell couldn't detect them?

For the first time since I could remember, I was scared to the core. How the hell was I supposed to face a bunch of rogues without backup?

I was flustered, but I didn't want to seem weak.

"What's this, Zev?" I questioned with a somber voice, swallowing the lump in my throat. "What exactly do you bunch of idiots want?"

Zev bursted into laughter, his eyes full of mockery. "Calm down, Selene. We aren't doing anything to you. At least, not until we've gotten a reply from you."

I was curious. "A reply to what?"

"It's simple" Kyle chipped in, smiling triumphantly. "You either join us or we claw you to death. Choose wisely."

I was flabbergasted. So, that was it.

I admit I was scared, but being a part of them?... Nah, in their wildest dreams.

I cleared my throat awkwardly. "I'm not joining you. Do your worse" I challenged, knowing fully well that I was stepping on the lion's tail.

"Your fierce and rebellious nature would do you no good, Selene" Kai scolded, and I shrugged.

"I'm also good at sticking to whatever decision I make" I retorted.

Silence reigned for a while, before Zev broke it. "You leave us with no choice."

At that moment, he let out a deep howl. Every wolves lurking around picked up at full speed. God help me, I couldn't fight them all even if I tried to.

There was only one solution out of the precarious situation - I needed to flee.

I didn't dare to look back. I took off, running as fast as I can, and running as far away as possible. Unfortunately, I couldn't dodge every attack, especially from the nimble wolves. I was so exhausted.

I gradually spotted a place free from fogs, then it occurred to me that I was almost out of The Cursed Land. I felt a tiny sense of freedom.

It almost felt like forever, but I managed to get out. I screeched to a halt, and looked back, my eyes fixed on the fog. There was no one coming, which was quite strange.

I spent time catching my breath, but the moment I heard voices, I took off again. I was slowly losing consciousness. I had lost a lot of blood, and my body was almost numb with pains.

I didn't know where I was going, but as long as it was far from The Cursed Land, I was going to be fine. Gradually, the day came to an end.

I sat under a fig tree, trying to get a sleep, but then, I saw flashes in my head, my mother's face appearing before me.

It was quite weird. Sleep took over, but not for long. Soon enough, I found myself running again to find solace.

I slowly began to sense a presence; not just one. I halted, hoping it wasn't what I was thinking. I wasn't ready to die.

"Stop there!" A thunderous voice shook my body to the core, and I froze in fear.

Gradually, male wolves, dressed like guards, appeared before me. They looked like soldiers; a special trait the rogues lacked.

Who were they?

"We should kill her for trespassing" A voice stated.

"Yes, she's even a rogue. She smells like ons" Another added.

I was flustered, trying hard to avoid their murderous gazes.

"I'm sure the Alpha would he happy to murder her himself" Another chipped in, sending shivers down my spine. "We should take her to him."

"I agree" One of them stated.

Immediately, two of them approached me with chains in their hands. I was too weak to fight back, so I could only accept my fate. My vision became blurry, and I failed to keep an eye on the route for an escape. Soon enough, we arrived at a towering castle. The gate opened and everyone walked in.

"I'll go inform the Alpha" A short, red haired man stated, and ran towards a specific direction.

The men holding me threw me carelessly on the cold ground, and I winced in excruciating pain.

"What do we say we torture her a bit before our lord gets here?" One of them suggested, his voice savage.

"That's a good idea" Another agreed. My senses were engulfed in fear and I couldn't respond or even think of begging for my life.

"What kind of torture should we start with? Should we cut her ears off?" One of them questions, and my heart stopped beating.

My ears??

"Let her be!" A thunderous voice reverberated through the atmosphere.

Who the hell was that?

Suddenly, my body began to act strange. My inner wolf became excited, I could perceive a peculiar sweet scent that disorganized my thinking. As I wallowed in confusion, a man with a sturdy build, dressed different from the others, appeared before me. His piercing golden eyes kept me in a trance. His black hair matched his black apparel. Funnily, I felt a sense of belonging accompanied by fear.

God helping, I didn't know when I uttered the only word I had tagged as forbidden.

"Mate."