Rejection to the Alpha King's Daughter [amazon edition]

Chapter 17 - City Rogues

Chapter 17 - City Rogues

  “Alice, Blake time for breakfast.” I yell up the stairs for the two pups. Two years have passed since we have made this house our home. Since we came to Toronto and met Atticus. Two years of them slowly working on shedding their past and looking to their future working with Hailey every week and reminding the siblings that they are safe. With a smile, I make my way back to the kitchen, Albot sitting at the breakfast bar reading the paper as Atticus works on his laptop as usual.
“When are we going to tell them?” Albot asks, setting the paper down and joining me at the stove to swipe a piece of bacon from the plate.
“Later tonight. I want to take them out today to go apple picking like we always do.” I sigh out, swatting away his hand as Albot tries to sneak another bacon off of the plate. I glare at him in warning, evading his out stretched hand as I move towards the breakfast bar where a spread of food is waiting just in time for a now sixteen year old Blake and a twelve year old Alice to run in. I chuckle, watching the two put together plates of food before joining Atticus, eyeing his cup full of red liquid.
“Blood as usual Uncle Atti?” Alice asks before taking a bite of her pancake.
“Nope, cranberry juice this time.” He chuckles out a reply, turning the laptop towards the children.
“Blake, since you just turned six-teen four months ago and got your G-one, Crystalline gave me permission to take you car shopping.” He exclaims, a look of pride in the vampire’s eyes.
[A car, really?] I smile at Albot as he links me, nodding my head in response. Turning my attention back to my pups, I watch as Blake rushes around the table to Atticus, giving the man a hug as he thanks him happily and begins to look at the laptop with him. It seems like these two will have a fun day planned.
“I hope you saved some food for me!” Turning to the opened back door, I smile at Marcie as she kicks off her sneakers and places a basket I have no doubt is filled with fruits and berries from our garden. To think a year ago this she-wolf was sent to capture me by Alexander. She had managed to track me down out in the Altona Forest as I took a chance to run through the trees one night. Marcie had managed to catch me off guard, her brown wolf blending in with nature when she tackled me. Of course, I won the fight and every so often when I needed a run, I would run into her. We became rivals, my small form and training with Amberle giving me an edge over her slightly larger brown wolf form. With respect, we soon started communicating in human form when she could track me down in the city, knowing full well she could not attack me in plain views of human due to the secrecy laws. It wasn’t until she was captured by hunters that we became friends. I had gotten used to seeing this Latina ever few days that when I went two weeks without seeing her, I began to worry and asked Atticus to help locate the she-wolf who was sent to take me back to the Royal Pack. Within moment we located her in the same hunters den we saved Albot from. It was all the evidence Uncle Atti needed to take this place down and with the help Of Geminie, Amberle and the Acolytes from the Temple of the Goddess, we were able to take down the Hunters and save many rogues from the horrors of the illegal dog fighting ring.
Sadly, Marcie was found by me and Albot barely breathing. I spent days tending to her comatose form, trying to keep this she-wolf alive until one day she woke up. After realizing her target had found and saved her, she devoted her loyalty to me as the next Queen and cut contact with Alexander, joining my misfit family here in Toronto.
“There is always breakfast for you Marcie.” I chuckle out, the Latina coming and giving me a hug before rushing to fill her own plate just as Albot hands me a plate filled with pancakes and bacon, his brown eyes looking at me warmly. I thank him, deciding to lean on the counter while Alice chimes in about what Blake’s car should have including heated seats and Bluetooth on the list and I enjoy the small happy atmosphere.
“You guys tell them yet?” Marcie asks, joining Albot and I by the counter.
“Not yet. I want to take them apple picking at Spirit Tree first, let them enjoy the day before they have to be told.” I answer before taking a bite of bacon.
“Are you nervous? It’s been two years since you left wolf country. Now you’ll be forming a pack of your own to take down the Royal Pack.” She continues after my answer, giving me a small smile. I sigh, placing my plate still half full on the counter, my mood shifting with this conversation.
“Albot and I have been training for two years with Atticus, The wolves of Bloodmoon and the wolves from Silver Crystal Crescent. I have even gone to see Ira alone at the temple to get some personal training. The only other step now is to form a pack and take back my throne.” I answer Marcie, feeling Albot wrap his arm around me and pull me to his side. Since the first night I felt the disrespect to the mate bond and Narin fucked another wolf, Albot has become my confident and best friend. It did take a small argument between us to come to an understanding the morning after being compelled to sleep by my uncle and weeks of getting used to another wolf with Alpha blood in the house, but we soon became inseparable, almost like a couple to the humans who we deal with in our lives here in the city. Albot may be six years older than me, but the care he has given to me even after the years he spent abused by hunter makes me appreciate this heavily tattooed six foot seven wolf.
“So you are nervous.” Marcie chuckles out and I groan, turning to hide my face into Albots chest with a mumbled ‘yes’. A deep chuckle comes from the chest I am hiding in, Albot rubbing my back gently as Marcie gags, probably sick of the public display of affection in front of her.
“You okay mama?” Alice calls out, causing me to turn and look at the twelve year old.
“I’m fine. Marcie is just being a brat to me.” I reassure her, giving a playful glare to my friend who nudges me with he elbow.
“A brat huh?” She growls out playfully and I smile, bumping my shoulder with hers. I chuckle, leaning into her and resting my head on her shoulder.
“Yes, a brat.” With that, we continue eating our breakfast before I announce to Blake and Alice that we will be heading to their favourite place today and to rush to get dressed before we miss out on apple picking.
“So do I need to get the moving company called in?” Atticus calls out once the pups are out of ear shot. I shudder, thinking back to the night mare of having to put furniture together two years ago. Thankfully I had my uncle, and then Albot, to help put all the furniture together within a few days.
“Not yet. We still have a week before we need to leave.” Sitting next to my Uncle, I lean into his arm and close my eyes. I have gotten use to his scent of mint and raspberry with a hint of iron that I will end up missing it when we leave Toronto. But all things change and I cannot be a city rogue forever if I am to take down Coro and Alexander and take the throne back.
“That and we still need a place to come visit you Atticus.” Albot chimes in, getting a chuckle out of my uncle.
“You know. As much as I hated my niece putting herself in danger to save you, I am glad she did.”

…

I chuckle while recording Blake trying his best to reach for a large apple above his head, the bright red fruit looking enticing to all of us. But my pup seems to have forgotten that even though he is sixteen and have shifted, he is still in need of a growth spurt. With a frustrated growl, I watch as he slowly backs up before taking a running leap and finally manages to grab the fruit in triumph. We all cheer and chuckle while I turn to see Albot lifting Alice to help her pick a yellow golden delicious apple that has caught her eye. It seems like taking the pups here to enjoy some fresh country air mixed with the sweet scent coming off of the fruit and pick apples from our favourite spot was the right thing to do.
“So what are we going to do with all these apples?” Marcie asks and I shrug, accepting the hot apple cider my friend brings me from the bar to the left of the property.
“Apple pie, apple bread, apple sauce. Just depends on what we can make before we leave.” I answer, sipping on the hot drink while I show the video of Blake’s success in grabbing the apple minutes earlier. We walk around the orchard, Albot becoming Alice’s helper in gathering the apples up high that catches the twelve year old’s eyes while Marcie and I enjoy the comfortable silence between us.
“Are we getting pizza?” Alice asks as she bounds over with a smile, Albot trailing behind her with arms full of bags filled with different types of apples.
“Did Albot say we are getting pizza?” I ask in return, seeing the grin growing on her face.
“Yes!” She shouts out, making me wince as I chuckle.
“Then I guess we are getting pizzas.” I confirm, getting a squeal of delight. Blake bounds over soon after, his two bags filled as well and I inform him of dinner plans, getting a fist bump in return. With our apples picked, we head back towards the farm shoppe and pay for the apples. Albot and Blake bring the bags to my hummer while Alice, Marcie and I head inside, the smell of the wood fire oven hitting us the moment we step inside.
“Hey Crys, did you get some apples?” Cara calls out from the cash as soon as she sees us, a smile on my friend’s face.
“Yeah, Albot is bringing them to the car now with Blake. What’s the feature pizza today?” I smile as the blonde comes to join us, an order form and a pen in hand as Marcie and Alice takes a cart, ready to fill it with goodies and cider.
“ABC Pizza. It has Apples, Bacon and Cheddar on it.” She answer. I smile, the feature sounding like a great idea.
“I will take three of those, plus two Spirit Trees extra goat cheese, and a Wise Guy then.” She takes down my order and began taking it to the kitchen just as Albot and Blake walk in, Albot wrapping his arms around me and placing a kiss on my temple.
“Are pizzas ordered?” Albot asks, followed by the sounds of Cara yelling “Ordering” from the kitchen entrance.
“Does that answer your question.” I chuckle out, the two of us walking around slowly. Marcie comes by with the cart, the poor thing already filled with granola, cheese, cider and fresh produce. We quickly make our way to the freezers, deciding to buy a few packs of burgers and entrees while we wait for four o’clock to come around and we can get our pizza. Alice is attracted by a bracelet made with moonstone and opal; her bright eyes unable to look away from it. Taking it off the display, I bring it to the cash register, adding it to our haul and paying. The moment the bracelet is paid for, I hand it to the little pup, seeing her happily place it on her left wrist before hugging and thanking me for the gift. The order is called and I Albot goes to grab the six pizzas while Marcie takes the pups to the car to store our goods in the trunk.
“This might be our last time visiting for a while. We are moving up north next week.” I tell Cara as the two of us chat, getting a hug from my friend.
“Well when you are down in this area, come by for a visit.” She sighs out, giving me a smile. I promise to visit when I am down in Toronto visiting my uncle before saying goodbye and heading to the car with Albot. The one thing I am really going to miss is this little farm shoppe. Climbing into the passenger side of my vehicle. I take the pizzas from Albot so that he can drive us home.
“After dinner, we have something to tell you pups.” Albot says, turning to look at Blake and Alice.
“Is it something bad?” Alice asks, worry in her little voice.
“No, it might be a good thing. But I promise we will all stay together.” I reassure the little girl. With that, the hummer is put into drive and we make our way home.