The Rouge

Chapter 14

"That's my little sister." Four words I've never said to anyone. Ever. 

"You have a sister?" Marcus asked, shocked by the information. 

I nodded and touched the photo of her. "Cassidy. She was only a few months old when our parents died."

"How did no one know?" Marcus asked.

"Because she wasn't there that night. After the Alpha found us when I was fine, my parents were more careful. He knew about me. But when Cassie was born... When she was born she was sent to live with a distant cousin of our dad's. I visit her every few months. Mostly to help her and Cole move to a new place."

"What's she like?" 

"She's... she's great. Funny, and kind. She's strong. She doesn't stay anywhere long because we've never had a safe place. And she has to hide her identity. I love her. Which is why I've never told anyone about her. Not even Jonah. Because no matter what I have to keep her safe."

"What if... what if she came here?" I snapped my head up and looked at him. "It's safe, an entire pack to protect her, and you could see her all of the time. And with her here you could protect her yourself."

"Marcus..."

"She's 12, Alicia, it's time for her, time for you both, to have a permanent home. No more running."

"I'm scared. I can't let her get hurt. She's my responsibility. And she's never meet Lydia, or the twins, or our aunt and uncle. I don't know how any of them will react. No one even knew my mom got pregnant."

"It doesn't matter," Marcus said. "She's 12 years old. She needs her family. She needs her older sister."

I let a breath and nodded, "You promise she'll be safe? I've spent her entire life making sure she'd never be hurt."

"She'll be safe, I promise."

I sighed and put my head on his shoulder, "Then I guess we're going to need plane tickets."

"Where is she?"

"She's in South America," I answered. "And I doubt you'd let me go off alone to get her."

"No way in hell" he growled. "I trust you, Alicia, I do."

"Just not the rest of the world."

He smiled, "Not with something as precious as you."

 I may seriously be falling in love with him. And it terrifies me. Because I've never felt this way before. And Cassie's the final test. I've never told anyone about her. And no matter what I'm feeling towards Marcus, she will always by my first priority. I will always chose her. She my last true family. My parents are dead. I love my aunt, uncle and cousins, but I can't help the gap that I feel between us. Cassie's the only one I've never had to hide anything from. She's the only living thing I have left both my parents. I have to protect her. No matter what. That's the promise I had made my parents as they were put in the ground. That I'd protect Cassie no matter what. 

I thought about when I saw her 5 months ago in Spain.

"Do you have to go?" Cassie asked.

I nodded, "You know I have to."

"Why?"

"Cassie, my job is to keep you safe. And as long as the Alpha is out there... I'm not putting you in danger like that. If he finds me I'm not going to let him find you too."

"What about when he dies?"

I looked at the girl sitting across from me in the busy cafe. Her looks mirrored my own. Her dirty blonde hair that had been a mix of our dad's brown and mother's blonde, and the blue eyes that match our mom's. She sighed, "I know you ave to protect me. I don't mean to make it so hard on you Ci-Ci. I don't mean to be a burden."

"No," I said softly and grabbed her hand on the table. "You have never been a burden, Case. I don't regret anything. If I could be with you and keep you safe at the same time I would do it in a heartbeat. No, I'd do it faster. I know you don't like moving so much. Mom and Dad, they'd be proud of you. And you have no idea how glad I am that you weren't there that night. That the Alpha doesn't know about you."

"What were they like? Mom and Dad?"

I bite the inside of my cheek for a moment before answering. "They were... they loved each other. And they tried to make the best of everything. When we had settled down, we were going to take you back. But that never happened. Sometimes I envy you for that."

"For what?"

"Not remembering what they were like. Sometimes I wish I had that gift. That I didn't remember what I had lost."

"They were mates."

"Yes," I answered her statement.

"I wish I could find my mate. It must wonderful."

I release her hand and glanced around us. "I wish I could believe that."

"You can't let the past control the future, Ci-Ci. What happened with Mom and Dad, and Sky, and-"

"Careful now, Case," I cut her off with a forced laugh, "you're beginning to sound like the older sibling. That's my job."

She grinned the sighed, "So where to now?"

"You'll like this place, they've got lots of festivals. Maybe I might let Cole take you to one. Brazil."

"Wow," she murmured. Then she plastered on a smile, "I'm sure I'll love it."

"You don't need to be strong for me, Case. It's okay to be upset."

"You wouldn't be upset. And it's for my protection."

I moved so we we sitting side by side, "We're both too old for our years."

"Yeah," she sighed and put her head on my shoulder, "we are. I'll see you soon right?"

I smiled, "Of course, I'll see you soon, Cassie."

I sighed and murmured under my breath, "I'll see you soon, Cassie."

§•§•§•§•§

Marcus wasted no time getting the plane tickets. In fact not two days after he found out about my sister were we on a plane for Bolivia. He simply told the pack that there was business down there that had to be taken care of and I was going to help me settle into a Luna position. Not my favorite lie but it's to protect the person I value most in this world. I told him to go to Bolivia and we would drive to when she is in Brazil. I had always been careful to never fly directly to her. To never leave a trail that someone would follow. Normally I'd be in a nearby place, but not too close, for a couple of weeks then I'd go to where she was. 

i clutched my back bag tightly as the plane took off and scanned the other passengers for the millionth time. I jumped when I felt Marcus's hand on mine. "It's okay, Alicia."

I bit my lip and sighed, "Sorry, I don't like flying."

"Afraid of heights?" he asked and brushed my hair back over my ear.

I shook my head, "No, I don't like being in a confined safe thousands of feet in the air. There's no where to go, no room to fight. You can't run if something happens."

"Nothing's going to happen, Ally. You know there are pills to help you sleep while flying."

I shook my head, "No." My voice was on the edge of growling. "Those dull your senses, I'd rather be on edge for the entire flight than useless if something does happen."

He smiled, "You're amazing."

I blinked in surprise at his comment. "That's the first time you've ever reacted positively towards one of my Rouge instincts."

"Not Rouge," his replied. "That's a you instinct, Alicia."

I allowed myself to smile but still didn't relax. It's going be a long flight. Probably the longest of my life.