RANK

Chapter 35

Malina adjusted her bag on her shoulder as she walked through the dense trees. She was just outside Dark grounds when she heard the crinkling of leaves indicating that someone was following her. She dropped her bag immediately and looks around. The same sound suddenly comes from the other direction making her spin. Lucky for whoever it was she was in the mood for a fight. "Show yourself!" She searches. "I don't have all day. You want some, well I'm right here waiting, come get some." Right at the second she heard the sound of a dart coming out of a tube and ducks. It flies right over her head and strikes a tree trunk directly behind her. "Shit..." Another one comes from the other direction and it came so close her hair is flipped by the dart as it passes. She takes off running. There were no fighting darts and she was a sitting duck otherwise. She was just about to shift into her wolf form when she heard a deep raspy voice sternly instruct the shooters to cease.  Her feet stopped so suddenly she slid, smoothing the dirt beneath her feet. She looked in all four directions trying to find her attackers. The air was suddenly thin and the only sound was her deep breaths. Then out of nowhere, a brolic figure emerges. She recognizes the being. "Axel..." She didn't blink and wasn't surprised at all to see him.

"Malina..." With his hooded sly gaze, he takes his time and sizes her up. "Even more beautiful than I remember."

"Just do it." She clamped her jaw together. "Go ahead, infect me..."

He stroked his chin. "Now, why would I do that?".

"Why wouldn't you?"

He smiled and shifted his attention to her forgotten bag dropped some feet behind her. "I see you're going somewhere. I always knew little Vince couldn't handle you."

She rolls her eyes. "What do you want?"

"It's no secret that you are the strongest amongst all females. Join us... Me... be the Luna of the Rogues... my queen... I guarantee you the world... much more than Vince ever could or would."

"You murdered my father. I'd rather a slow agonizing death so put a dart in me because the answer is a firm no."

"That can happen right here right now but that would be such a waste. Wouldn't it? I have a feeling you're going to change your mind, Lina."

"Never... and don't call me that. It's Malina to you."

"You liked it when we were younger."

"You mean before you turned psycho and betrayed everyone?"

"Psycho?" If psycho means never having to follow the rules of the weak then so be it. You know Lina, I don't think I ever got over it. You knew I wanted you, knew I would have done anything for you, instead of realizing you chose Vince. He never loved you. He still doesn't love you. Anyone could tell you were just a trophy to him, a tool on his belt."

A punch in the gut how right he was. "I don't care what you think or what you have to say. If you're going to do something then do it already."

"You have three days to decide. Is it going to be willingly, or by force?"

"Why three days?"

"I'll tell you what, I have a question and if I believe that you've answered truthfully I'll answer you truthfully. Ready?"

She hesitates slightly but after a second nods. "Ok."