Running with Rogues

CHAPTER 36 - COUP DE MAIN

"How much mess can they possibly make in one day?" I demanded.

Lin hefted her box of cleaning supplies higher in her arms and shrugged helplessly. "You'd be surprised. Three guys. A toddler. Lilah does her best, but they're animals, the lot of them."

I snorted. We were walking down the corridor which led to the Alpha's suite for the second time that day. This time, my arms were full of binbags and disinfectant spray. I'd be a lot more okay with cleaning up after my enemies if they paid me.

As we drew close to the door, Lin slowed right down and nudged my arm. "Listen, I was gonna say yesterday, before ... y'know. In future, wait for me outside. Please. You don't want to be in here alone. You got lucky that it was only Mason inside. He's been okay since he found Lilah, but the other two ... yeah."

I hated this pack.

"And I suppose they get away with it, too?" I muttered.

She laughed at me. "They don't need to get away with it. The law says they can do whatever the hell they like."

I stopped in my tracks and turned to stare at her, utterly horrified. "Come again?"

An awkward shrug. "We follow something called 'droit du seigneur.' Lord's Right. The ranking pack members have free reign when it comes to females. That's how the last Alpha had so many kids. When I met Will, I was fifteen. We wanted to wait. But once we'd gone a month without marking each other, Micah said he'd do it himself."

I felt sick. And not just a little sick — I wanted to throw up everything that was in my stomach, because it was clenching and tying itself in knots. I'd had enough. Enough of pretending like things like that didn't bother me. Enough of flockies. Enough of this shit-awful, backwards pack.

"And if I'm not pregnant within the year..." she continued, her entire face blanching, "he's going to ... well, I'm sure you can guess."

What. The. Hell. Was this why she and Will made such a show of sucking face in public? Why did she sound so calm? Like this was a just normal thing that people did. Silver Lake had their brain-washing game on point, apparently.

I stared at Lin for an awfully long time. "Please tell me you're kidding."

She shook her head. "They don't have that law at New Dawn, huh?"

I didn't really know. I certainly hoped they didn't. Hayden and I would be having a conversation if I ever saw him again. "No. Why do you guys put up with it? One good riot and you could rid yourself of those pricks forever..."

The word riot sent her eyebrows flying upwards, and I reminded myself that a good flockie female wouldn't even consider such a thing. Lin sounded almost offended as she said, "It's not their fault. Not really. We need loads of pups to replace the fighters who get killed. If there weren't any rogues, it wouldn't be necessary. The sooner we get rid of them, the sooner I can catch a break."

I took a deep breath. In and out. Soothing, like. "So ... the Vaughans are threatening assault if you don't have pups ... and you're blaming the rogues?

"Well, yeah."

"Okay, cool," I said quietly. "Just so we're clear."

There was a lot to unpack there. I didn't think it needed unpacking. We should probably just destroy the entire suitcase. As far as I was concerned, Nia's assassination attempt couldn't come soon enough. It was set for tomorrow morning, as things stood.

Without warning, the door swung open in front of us. I should have learnt my lesson about holding sensitive conversations in that corridor, given that I'd been the one eavesdropping only yesterday, but we got lucky. It was just the Luna.