The Guardian Rogue

It was a beautiful night as Hayden Taylor watched his older brother, Harrison, be sworn in as the new Alpha of the Blood Moon Pack. Harrison was seven years older than him, and he knew Harry was the right choice to take over the pack. He was gentle and nothing like their father. The thought of his father made Hayden shudder as the memories of his parents dying less than forty-eight hours prior came flooding back.

-

Screaming filled the Alpha suite the same as it had every night for as long as Hayden could remember, but this time it was worse. He could hear the blows that his father, Alpha Jonathan, was landing on his mother, Stella. It was nearly a nightly ritual for the Alpha to come crawling in from another woman's bed, smelling of her and the alcohol that made his brain fuzzy and irrational. 

This time, Stella could no longer take it and asked him to stop. Each time he would find his way to another's bed, she was wracked with the pain of the betrayal, and Stella feared she could not tolerate it much longer. Jonathan had cheated on her since the night he claimed and marked her, and Stella's body was close to giving out.

Hayden was doing his best to block it out. He had just turned eighteen, and while he was substantial in size, he was no match for his father. He knew because he had been on the receiving end of his father's punishments many times when he was younger. His mother finally begged Hayden not to interfere so he would not be injured more than he had been in the past. He was trying to follow his mother's wishes, but this time was different. It was more brutal, and when he heard the crash of glass in the other room, he had to stop his father.

Hayden slammed into the bedroom door with his shoulder with no effect. He hit it again and again until the wood began to give way. With one final blow, the door splintered. Hayden tumbled inside to be met by carnage. His mother lay crumpled on the floor in the debris from the large, full-length mirror that had been shattered. There was blood all around her, and he could not tell if she was still alive.

"How dare you barge in when I am teaching your mother manners!" Jonathan bellowed at Hayden.

"You're killing her!" Hayden yelled at his father. "I won't let you hurt her again!"

"Shut up, boy, and get out before I do the same to you!" Jonathan shouted back at his son.

"No!" Hayden roared as he rushed at his father, his claws elongating as he charged.

He crashed into his father, slamming him against the wall and slashing at him with his claws. He felt a sharp pain in his ribs as his father sank his talons deep into his flesh, making him lose his focus. That was all his father needed to break free from his son's grip and fling him across the room. Hayden landed hard, knocking the wind out of him. 

"You stupid, boy," Jonathan growled as he stalked toward where his youngest child lay. "This is why your mother always told you to stay out of it. You're weak! Weak and useless! You aren't even worthy of shoveling out the pig pens."

Those words filled Hayden with rage. He lunged at his father, knocking him back and slamming him into the window, shattering it. Hayden could hear the sharp tings of glass shards hitting the courtyard below. Before his father could recover, Hayden shoved with all his might, causing his father to lose his balance and tumble over the windowsill. Jonathan's scream echoed off the stone pack house before it came to a sudden end when he hit the cobblestones below.

Hayden only glanced at his father's crumpled form before he turned his attention to his mother. Stella was on the floor, a pool of blood expanding as she lay motionless. Hayden knelt beside her to see a deep gash at the base of her neck where it met her shoulder. He tried to cover the wound with his hand, but she shook her head at him.

"It won't matter," Stella whispered to her son. "My wolf is too weak to heal us. Thank you for trying to save me. Take care of yourself and do good. You were meant for it. I love you, Hayden."

With those words, the life went out of his mother's eyes. He heard a sigh escape her lips as the last of her life left her body. That was when the last of Hayden's energy went. He fell back against the wall as the door to his father's Beta, Mitchel, stormed into the room. He took in the scene and quickly began to assess Hayden's wounds.

After that, things went fuzzy for Hayden. He remembered many voices and commotion in the room, but little else. He woke up the next day, in his bed, his side heavily bandaged as his big brother, Harrison, sat in the chair beside him. Despite Harrison assuring him that none of what had happened had been his fault, he knew differently. He had killed their father and was unable to save their mother. If he had acted sooner, he might have been able to change that.

-

Hayden shivered, snapping him back to the present to watch Harrison give his speech about how he would rule the pack with the kindness their mother had taught him and shown as Luna. Hayden smiled at that. Their mother had taught them how to be kind and gentle in opposition to their father's hate and brutality. Harrison would be a good Alpha, and honor their mother by changing the pack into a safe, happy place to live. 

Harrison gave a final wave from the stage where he had delivered his speech and hurried to where Hayden was standing, trying to hide from the crowd. Harrison smiled at Hayden as he ran his hand through his hair.

"So, what did you think, Denny? Did I sound like an Alpha or did I make a complete fool out of myself?" Harrison said with a sad smile.

"You sounded like an Alpha, which is exactly what you are," Hayden said, returning a sad smile of his own. "And you will be a great one. You have the same soft demeanor as Mom. After what Dad did to this pack, that is what it needs. A leader who understands kindness and compassion, yet who is strong and smart. You were made to do this."

"Then stay and help me," Harrison said. "I know you are still reeling from what happened, but none of it was your fault. I told you that as soon as you woke up. I meant it then, and I mean it now. If I had been home, maybe…" 

Hayden held his hand up, cutting off his brother as he said, "You were doing your job. I am eighteen. I am an adult. I should have tried to save Mom sooner than I did. I should have stepped up, been a man, and fought Dad sooner, but I didn't. I let him kill her, and I will carry her blood on my hands for as long as I live."

"No. That isn't true. You were trying to follow Mom's wishes because she knew that our father would try to kill you if you interfered, which he did," Harrison said as he pointed to Hayden's side where the wounds were still healing. "If the doctor didn't tell you, Dad kept his claws coated in something to slow the healing process of anyone he attacked. I know you want to leave, but will you at least stay until you have fully healed?"

Hayden shook his head and said, "I can't. I have seen the way people look at me. I'm a murderer. They look at me the same way they looked at our father. It's best if I leave tonight."

"What will you do? Where will you go? How are you going to support yourself?" Harrison asked with desperation in his voice. "Please, stay here, at least for a little while longer. Figure out where you are going and what you will do. After that, I will help you move."

"Harry, I can't stay. Everywhere I look, I see our parents. I keep replaying everything from that night in my head, and I need it to stop. It's best for everyone if I go. I will pack a bag and be gone by midnight."

"OK, so what I'm hearing is that I have a few hours to talk you out of this," Harrison said with a grin, hoping he could change his little brother's mind.

Hayden smiled as he shook his head and said, "You can try, but you won't change it. I need to do this. It's the best thing for everyone. Mom taught us to take care of others. When the pack looks at me, they see a killer who might turn into our father or worse. They need to know they are safe with you."

"You know that if you leave and go rogue, it will be more difficult to find a mate. Are you ready for that? Harrison asked his brother, truly concerned about his future.

"I've thought about it. It might be best if I don't find my mate. I don't know how to be a good mate, so it wouldn't be fair to her," Hayden sighed. 

"No, but you know what it looks like to be a bad mate and will do everything in your power to not be what our father was to our mother," Harrison argued, trying to encourage him to stay.

"I won't look for my mate. I'm not sure I want one. If I find her, I will decide then if I will accept her or reject her," Hayden explained.

"And there is no changing your mind?" Harrison asked hopefully, knowing the answer. "Besides the mate thing, rogues have a lot of difficulties in the world. It will be hard to find work or even have friends. Are you sure you are ready for that?"

"None. I will be leaving before midnight," Hayden said as a cheer sounded in the crowd that had gathered for the customary feast that followed the swearing in of the new Alpha. "It sounds like you are needed."

Harrison reached into his pocket and pulled out a coin. He took Hayden's hand and placed it in it, curling his brother's fingers around it. When Harrison released his hand, Hayden looked to see that it was a Sacagawea one-dollar coin in his palm. He smiled when he saw it was minted in the year he was born.

"I want you to keep that with you, to remind you of where you came from," Harrison said as he hugged his brother. He sniffed as he let go and stepped back. "I know you can't stay here, but please, stay in touch. You have a phone, and I will ensure it stays on for as long as you need it. If you change your mind or if you need anything, say the word, Denny, and it's yours."

"Thank you, Harry. I promise to keep in touch," Hayden said. 

With that, Harrison gave his brother a final nod and turned to join the celebration of his inauguration as Alpha. Hayden watched his big brother disappear into the crowd. Harrison's mate, the new Luna, Nyla, was waiting for him. He watched as Harrison said something to her, making her turn to face him. Nyla looked to be fighting tears as she raised her hand to give a single wave to her brother-in-law. She did not want him to leave either, but he had no choice. If Hayden ever wanted to be free of his father, he had to leave Blood Moon.