CHAPTER 19

Aurora

My heartbeat kept pacing rapidly. The tension was at its peak. Raven had already assumed her defensive stance and was preparing to transform. She used her hands to guide me behind her back. The sun was dwindling, the leaves rustling with shadows lurking with their wolf eyes.

“Come out of the bushes now!” Raven snapped. Moments later, some wolves, looking washed up and ragged, slowly stepped. They were three in number, yet their aura was not intimidating in any manner. Instead, they looked highly malnourished and dehydrated. They sluggishly stepped forward, closer to us.

“Transform back to your human forms immediately, or I’ll be forced to make a move!” Raven said in a sharp tone. She remained on high alert, watching their every move. Her demeanor didn’t change as she gazed at them deeply.

She shot them a glare as they appeared to be reluctant to transform back. Raven clenched her fists to take a warrior's stand. The gray dull colored wolves suddenly hastened up to transform into their human forms. 

They finally transformed into three men who looked dejected and depressed. They barely managed to stand straight. They had slender bodies, with even their ribs visible. Their eyes widened as they stared at us.

“Hello, warrior raven, our apologies for our entrance. We are truly sorry for not recognizing you sooner.” The men slightly bowed their heads to her in respect. Raven was taken aback, but she regained herself quickly. She unclenched her hands, but she remained in her pose. Her demeanor softened a bit.

“What are you doing here in this kingdom? You’re not from this pack.” Raven replied in a serious tone. I also glanced at the men and realized they don’t have the tattoo for this pack. Suddenly, I noticed the imprinted mark on their forehead.

“This mark is from…” I said hesitantly. The mark was familiar to me, like something I knew a long time ago. Just as I remembered what that print meant, there was a loud wind passing through the forest.

Before any of us could react, all the strange men were pushed down to the floor. All the trees shook vigorously to reveal the dominating aura of our hybrid werewolf.

“Please wait…” I pleaded. The strangers fell at the feet of Darius, who was about to engage them. He stopped abruptly as he slightly turned his neck sideways to shoot a glance at me.

I knew I had only a moment before he lunges at them. “I have to act quickly.” I thought to myself.

“ Please, Alpha, don’t engage them. I know who they are.” I said in a hoarse voice. Both Darius in his wolf state and Raven stared at me, surprised. There was a pitch silence like time just stopped. I knew I had to take advantage now that I have all their attention.

“I know the marks imprinted on them. They are rogues who have been exiled from the Moonfall pack.” I pointed my hands to the marks on their foreheads. They tried to stylishly hide it, but it was already too late. Both Darius and Raven had already spotted it, yet they remained vigilant as I referred to the strangers as ‘rogues.’

“There are wolves who are deemed to be weak by Alpha Damon; he banishes omegas or any member of the pack with any form of disability or deformity. They are discarded as rogues and exiled from the pack. Never to be heard of again.” I replied.

Alpha Darius gradually transformed back, revealing his sculptured, carved abs and biceps. His muscular frame made me salivate and lose myself in thoughts. However, I snapped back to reality as He shot a glance at me.

“How did you know about all of this, Aurora?” He asked calmly. The rogues remained in their kneeling position while he walked towards me. Raven also moved aside as the threat level reduced.

“From my time working in the palace, I saw on numerous occasions how members were banished from the pack because they were considered too fragile and not strong enough to continue staying in the kingdom. He discards them as unworthy members and forces them out to fend for themselves outside the border. Most of them don’t survive or disappear completely.”

I took a deep sigh after I told them about their nature. Darius remained silent for a few seconds. He stood a few inches away from me and had a cheeky smile on his face.

“Every day you surprise me, Aurora.” He curved his lips slightly. He eventually turned around to face the rogues.

“If Damon exiled them from his pack, then I also have no use for them,” Darius said in a sharp tone. My eyes widened in shock. I understand the feeling of being exiled from your pack just because of physical traits and characteristics. It brought back painful memories of how I was picked on because I was a low-level omega. It was a feeling I didn’t want anyone to experience ever again.

“Alpha, if I could add a suggestion. Maybe you can observe them to see if they can be of use to you. They may have some qualities that can be beneficial to you.” I asked with a pleading voice. Raven’s eyes widened in request, but her lips remained closed. I knew it was against their rules to request anything from the Alpha, but I had to try my best to at least ask for his generosity.

The rogues looked at the Alpha with a hint flickering in their eyes. Darius stood pondering on my request with dark gazes at me, which sent shivers down my spine, not knowing if he was going to spare me or face me for my boldness. My breath was caught in my throat.