Elijah POV
Panting, I wiped the sweat from my forehead.I had been in the packhouse garden the whole afternoon, raking leaves.My wolf was bugging me the whole time, wanting to go for a run. I promised him that we could shift later in the evening when we were finished with today's chores.To my parents dismay, I was an Omega in the Midnight Pack. My father was the pack's Gamma, the third in command to Alpha Richard. I was supposed to inherit that title once I got my wolf at 18, but when my wolf turned out to be weaker than the average Gamma wolf, I was demoted to Omega and became a servant in the packhouse.Alpha Richard kept my father as Gamma and seemed really happy about it.Why?Because having a weak wolf wasn't the only embarrassment in my life.I had a bright red birthmark across my face.Up until I graduated high school last year, I was the constant laughingstock. They called me Ampel, because I looked like a red traffic light.The name stuck with me and most people just called me that because they didn't know my name.My father trained me hard and brutally during my childhood to make me the best Gamma in the whole country. He thought if I learned to show no mercy to my enemies and kill without hesitation I would gain respect with the pack despite my birthmark.That plan went down the drain in more ways than one.It wasn't just my runt of a wolf, it was my inability to be a merciless, cold-blooded killer that made me a huge disappointment to my family. The Midnight pack needed ruthless leadership and there was not a single part of my being that could be described as ruthless.I was weak."Ampel!"Ruth, the head Omega, called and woke me from my thoughts of self-loathing."Finish up here and get your ass down to the kitchen. They're short-staffed!""Yes, head Omega."I scrambled to pick up the last pile of leaves on the ground and went to change my clothes. If I showed up in the kitchen wearing clothes covered in dirt I would probably get a beating again.Efter I turned 18 last year and my rank was demoted I was forced to move to the west wing of the packhouse where the unmated male servants lived on the first floor. I shared a room with Lucas, a guy in his late twenties that every year tried to join the warriors and get a Delta rank. Every time, he failed.But he never gave up, and that was something I admired about him.I quickly changed into clean clothes and hurried to the kitchen.For the next two hours I was hard at word cutting vegetables, scrubbing pots and cleaning bench-tops.I hadn't eaten anything since morning, and I started to feel light-headed.Once the ranked members had their dinner and the kitchen was cleaned, the Omegas were given a small loaf of bread, a few pieces of chicken and an apple each.When I got back to my room I quickly ate the bread and chicken, but decided to save the apple for later.I looked at the time, it was 8 PM.I started to feel my wolf getting excited. I hadn't let him out for a run in a week and he was restless.Once I checked that the coast was clear I said goodbye to Lucas, opened the window and jumped out. I snuck along the far side of the packhouse.Since I was trained to be a Gamma I knew every guard route by heart and I knew exactly how to avoid running into anyone.When I passed outside the cell block, this amazing scent of roses and summer rain hit me. I inhaled sharply, feeling my wolf tense up.I tried to follow the scent and realized that it came from one of the cells. I crouched down outside one of the windows and peeked in to see who was there.I saw a girl in the cell, her slender figure lying curled up in a ball on the ground, her shoulders shaking.The window was barred and had no glass, so I couldn't tell if she was shaking because she was cold or if she was crying.She had dark brown, almost black, hair and was dressed in a gray t-shirt and black jeans. The back of the t-shirt was stained with blood and I could smell her blood. She was hurt.My wolf snarled in my head at the thought of anyone hurting her.Her head suddenly jerked up and she looked at me.I didn't know if I should be hiding or make myself known to her. I decided on the latter and stayed by the window so she could see me.She slowly got up, wincing in pain and came closer to the window. Vibrant green eyes were staring at me and she gasped."Mate." She whispered.---------------------------Sally POVI couldn't stop my teeth from clattering. Once the sun went down it became really cold in the cell. Wind blew through the window into the cell and since I lost my jacket, all I could do was hug my knees to stay warm.Everytime I tried to move, the wounds on my back and thighs hurt and I bit the inside of my cheeks to stop myself from crying again.Then this rich scent of chocolate hit me and I frowned. Who would be eating chocolate here?My wolf started to stir and I lifted my head, only to spot a guy crouching down by my cell window.When our eyes met, my breath caught in my throat.I got up, trying to ignore the pain in my body and went closer to the window."Mate." I whispered.I didn't know if I wanted to laugh or cry.Of all the places in the world where I could have met my mate, this is it?I came closer, taking in his features. He had warm, brown eyes and short, light-brown hair and the surprised smile on his face made my heart flutter.On his face there was some sort of large scar, starting at the top of his forehead, running across his eye and down to his cheek. I squinted my eyes trying to get a better view in the dim light.I smiled up at him."Hey."He smiled back at me."Hey beautiful." He murmured quietly.I looked back towards the cell door to see if there was anyone listening. The rest of the dungeon was empty, so I figured the coast was clear."What's your name?" He asked."Sally. You?""Elijah. What are you doing in the dungeon, Sally?"I looked down in shame. If I told him, would he reject me?He probably sensed my uneasiness."It's okay. You can tell me."I glanced at him and sighed."I'm a Rogue. I accidently crossed the border and was captured."He froze."Oh."I closed my eyes and a tear slipped down my cheek. Once again, I cursed what my life had become. I mean, who would want a rogue as a mate. This guy could probably have any girl he wanted."Please don't cry." He whispered. "What can I do to help you?"I looked at him in confusion."I don't understand. You want to help me?"He nodded with a sad expression on his face."Of course. You're not used to people helping you?""It's been a while." I shrugged. "Could you tell me where I am? Which pack is this?""You're in the Midnight Pack."My heart sank. That's what I was afraid of."Can you get me out of here? Please?" I pleaded.He looked conflicted."You being my mate won't hold much weight with the Alpha, I'm afraid." He said quietly.I let out a breath of frustration and sat down on the cell floor, burying my head in my hands."Hey." Elijah grabbed the bars and I looked at him."If I help you escape, can I go with you?"I frowned."You know that if you leave with me you'll become a rogue too?"He nodded."It doesn't matter as long as we're together, and this hellhole is not for you. You deserve better.""But you don’t even know me." I protested.Elijah shrugged."I guess I have a lot of faith in the Moon Goddess. We’re mates for a reason."I smiled."Do you have a plan?""Tomorrow night is the full moon. The pack usually parties and then goes for a run. Everyone will be busy, so it'll be easier to sneak past the guards.""The Beta said that the Alpha will interrogate me before then. I don't know if I'll live that long." I started to get worried that there might be no way out of here.Elijah started to look worried too."Why would the Alpha interrogate you?"I looked down."I refused to tell him why I became a rogue.""Why didn't you? Your rogue scent is weak, so you had to have been a pack member up until recently."I still couldn't look at him."I'm blacklisted." I said quietly.He didn't reply and I braced myself for the rejection."I understand if you don't want to help me anymore." I added.My wolf whimpered in my head at the thought of being rejected."What did you do?"The question surprised me.Should I tell him the truth?He's my mate. If there was anyone who should know the truth, it was him."My alpha's cousin was killed and I took the blame to protect someone I love. I got blacklisted when they banished me from the pack. That was three months ago."I gathered the courage to look at him. He looked to be deep in thought."That's probably the only reason they're keeping you alive right now. This pack isn't exactly welcoming to rogues, but they are no fools. Some rogues are wanted in their old packs and they often try to bargain with those packs to return the rogues if they would benefit from it. Once they know you are blacklisted they will kill you. They won't benefit from keeping you here."I took a deep breath, trying not to let the fear get the better of me."It's gonna be okay, Sally. I have a plan to get you out. But under no circumstances can you tell them that you're blacklisted or which pack you're from. It will take them a few days to check the blacklist to see if you're registered, so we have time. If the Alpha comes tomorrow, promise me that you won't tell him anything, no matter what."I nodded."I can do that, as long as you promise you'll come back for me."He smiled."Always."He reached into his pocket and pulled out an apple."Hungry?"I held out my hands and caught the apple."I don't know how to thank you.""Thank me once we're out of here." Elijah smiled at me and my heart fluttered again."I'll be back, I promise."I nodded and reached my hand as high as I could. Elijah reached down and took my hand. Sparks erupted on my skin and for the first time in months it felt like things might just work out after all.Elijah POVIt took everything in me to leave her and go back to my room. If I could I would have just stayed there the whole night. But the guards on shift would pass by sooner or later, so I made my way back, working on an escape plan. I always had a plan to leave. I knew how to get past the guards and cross the border. I just never did it. The thought of becoming a Rogue always terrified me. Leaving a pack, no matter how shitty it was, was not something you did lightly.But if I had to give up pack life to be with my mate, I would definitely do it. I couldn't stand by and watch while they hurt her.My mate. Sally. I fell in love within a matter of minutes. That's how strong the mate bond was. When I got back to my room, thoughts about living with Sally in a human town somewhere made a smile appear on my face. "What are you so happy about?" Lucas asked. Lucas was my best friend. Most people stayed away from me, barked orders at me or jeered at me, but not Lucas. We never went
Elijah POVThe whole day, I couldn't think of anything other than Sally. My heart clenched with guilt over the fact that I have to leave her there. But I knew that if I tried to talk to Alpha Richard about her, then the sick bastard would probably use her to hurt me instead. He was always one of my biggest tormentors in school, and now as Alpha he had the power to bully anyone.He was the strongest wolf in this pack, so no one dared to challenge him.I tried to get through my chores as quickly as I could. Hopefully, I would be able to sneak down to the cell blocks during my lunch. When lunchtime came, I snuck out of the packhouse and went searching for her cell window. When I got closer, I heard her crying and I almost ran up to the window. I looked through the window and quickly drew back.There was someone in the cell with Sally. I peeked and saw Alpha Richard undressing her. Sally had her hands tied over her head and she was pleading with him to stop. Alpha Richard caressed he
Alpha Jordan POVSeething, I knocked on my Beta’s bedroom door.I could tell that he was in there, even though it was four in the afternoon."Christian dammit. If you don't open the door in the next three seconds I'm seriously coming in!" I called out.I heard shuffling, then Christian opened the door, shirtless, with a sheet wrapped around his hips..Behind Christian, I spotted a girl lying in the bed. I could tell by the smell exactly what they'd been up to, which enraged me even more."What’s up, Jordan?" Christian grinned and I sighed, internally cursing him.What would the punishment be for strangling my own Beta? "The warrior briefings? Ring a bell?" I raised my eyebrows.I was hoping to get some kind of realization from Christian, but he just chuckled. "Oh yeah. When's that again?"I closed my eyes and pinched the bridge of my nose."Two hours ago."Christian's eyes widened."Oh really? Sorry dude, I lost track of time."I resisted the urge to punch him in the face."If it wa
George POV"I went to Fallman Lake to meet up with Alex and then we came here."I concluded my story about how I ended up here. During the whole time I talked, I wouldn't dare to look at him. I was afraid of his reaction and that he might just throw Alex and myself out of his pack despite his promise to me. After I stopped talking, the room was filled with silence. From the corner of my eye, I could see Alpha Jordan lean back in his chair. "The way I see it, you were faced with an impossible choice. Either you take the blame for killing Tommy and risking not only your own life, but the life of your mate as well, or you let your sister take the blame. Sounds to me like she made the decision herself, did she not?"I shrugged."I guess. I just felt like it's all my fault. If I hadn't pulled Alex into the alley in the first place this would never have happened."Alpha Jordan smiled."You're not the first person to be tempted by the mate bond. It goes against every instinct not to act
Sally POVWe reached the bridge that headed into town. I had hidden my backpack under a large rock by the river that flowed underneath it. When I came back up to the road I checked that nothing was missing. Everything had been left untouched while I was gone, so all the cash was still there. I heaved a sigh of relief.I looked at Elijah and nodded. "All good." I chirped. “My brother Luke gave me some cash to start over. I have tried to save them the best I could. Maybe we could use it as a down payment on an apartment or something."Great." He smiled, showing some dimples in his chin. My stomach did somersaults. I really liked his smile. We were in such a serious situation, and we still weren’t out of danger, so I haven’t really seen him smile much this far. His smile faded and was replaced with a worried expression. "When I sever the ties to the pack, does it hurt much?"I led him to a patch of grass by the side of the road and pushed him down on his knees. I kneeled in front of
Sally POVThe sound of Elijah`s paws thundering against the ground and the warmth of his body was very soothing. I struggled to keep my eyes open and lean my head on his neck. It didn't take long until we reached a small town and Elijah came to a halt. I slid off his back and pulled out the map, trying to locate where we were. “I think we can stop here for the night.”Elijah shifted back and studied the map. That's when I realized that he was still naked. I gasped and turned around. “Aren’t you used to nudity? Weren’t the wolves in your pack naked after they shifted?” Elijah laughed.I gulped and cleared my throat.“Umm- not really. That pack is as stiff as they come. Everything was very conservative and nudity wasn't something that was encouraged. That sight should only be for your mate.” I explained. I felt his hand on my shoulder and knew that he was standing right behind me. “But I am your mate.” He whispered in my ear. His husky voice made my core clench. Dear Goddess,
Sally POVWow. Who knew that my mate was such a sweet-talker?My heart filled with warmth and I put my head on his chest to hide the blush that crept up on my cheeks.Goddess, why did I have to blush all the time?“I would really like that.” I said quietly into his jacket. “Thank you for getting me out of that cell.”“My pleasure.”Elijah patted me on the head. “I have questions too.” I whispered. He chuckled. “Shoot!”I sat up and traced my fingers over his face.“Why would you risk your life and leave everything behind to become a Rogue? I know that I’m your mate and that would motivate you, but still, you did it without an ounce of hesitation. Why?”Elijah looked down in his lap and fell silent. I waited for a while.“I’m sorry Sally. You are so strong and you deserve a strong mate. I will probably be a huge disappointment now.”I frowned, but before I could say anything, Elijah continued. “My father is the Gamma of the Midnight Pack. He is this strong and fearless warrior. He
George POVThe whole drive to Adona Forest I felt like vomiting. What if Luke turned around and walked away the second he saw me? What if the possible alliance was destroyed before it was even created because I was there. I didn’t want to fail my pack and Alpha Jordan because of my past. “Did you tell them that I would be coming?” I asked Alpha Jordan.Alpha Jordan shook his head. “No. I just told him that I’ll be bringing my Beta and some warriors to secure the perimeter.”We reached a clearing, thick pine trees surrounding us on all sides. We were traveling in two cars, six warriors accompanying us on this trip. When we stepped out of the cars, we noticed that Alpha Hudson was already there with a group of warriors. My heart skipped a beat when I saw that Luke was among them. Luke’s eyes widened when he saw me. Before anyone could say anything he started walking towards me and pulled me into a tight hug. The hug surprised me. I half expected him to punch me in the face, but I