Escaping Rogue

twenty two

I never left Christian's side. Not as we found Mario, and Lucas, or as we cleared the house of anything valuable and burned all the bodies. I was attached to him, and I'm pretty sure he'd never let me leave him ever again. Not even to pee.

"That's the last of the bodies, Alpha. Still no sign of the mutt leader." One of the wolves reported to Christian. I was sitting down on the steps outside, watching as my mate nodded to his man. I could tell the fact that we couldn't find Theo pissed him off, but there was nothing else we could do. Besides, his "pack" was dead and he was all alone. What threat would he pose now?

Chris cursed something I couldn't hear before dismissing the wolf. The muscles in his back and legs were tense, I could see it. He was kind of frozen in the grass before me, stiff as he tried to figure out some solution to this giant mess.

It hurt me to see him like this. Despite the hurt I had because he had left in the first place, despite the forgiveness I gave because it wasn't truly his fault, I hated to see him so consumed. From the moment we met, this monster had been at the back of both of our minds. He had consumed both of us. I hated it.

Too frustrated by all of this, and too tired to fight it anymore, I sighed. "Christian." I leaned back, my back aching from the growing bulge of my belly. "He's gone. He's no more dangerous than a fly at this point."

He was.

Christian turned to face me. "But he still hurt you. He took you and my Beta, he tortured you both and tormented me. I don't let things like that just slide."

I met his eyes as he glanced at me. They were filled with rage, the very thought of every single thing Theo had done to us stirring up a storm in those grey orbs. I could understand that storm, I really could.

"But the worst is over, Chris. We have to just move on from all that, move past it and start back up with our lives."

He sighed, sitting down beside me. Hunched over, he rested his elbows on his knees and folded his hands above his mouth. "I don't think I can. I don't forgive like that, Lena." He paused, staring out onto the green field in front of the house. I followed his gaze, examining the piles of fire and smoke and the smell of rotting flesh slotting through the air. Chris sighed, biting the nail on his thumb. "The Hanson pack for example: I killed the alpha to get revenge for what they did to you. I took over their lands and their people, all because they hurt me. Theo's pack I did the same thing. Or I will, when I find the bastard."

I reached out, grabbing his arm. He paused, looking at me. "I don't just move on. I get revenge. That's why I'm the monster everyone believes I am."

Before I could respond both Lucas and Mario stepped out of the house. They both looked worn out, just as I did, skinny and beaten. We were all prisoners for far too long. I couldn't even give an exact amount of time, but too long.

"They can't find Theo." Lucas hissed, leaning against the wall. "Gabe says nobody has entered his lands at all."

I grabbed Chris's hand, squeezing it to keep him calm. Mario noticed my agitated mate and only shook his head, looking equally as annoyed as the rest of us.

"We'll find him soon." I told them all, not really believing myself. It was a half assed truth, knowing there was a good chance that it was never going to happen.

It was true, Theo was probably long gone. He'd probably escaped to Canada or something by now, but I could still care less. I was safe again, Lucas and Mario were safe. Christian was here and he wasn't about to let any of us go again. I had all I needed once more, even if the cause of all our troubles escaped through our fingertips.

Stumbling to my feet, I pushed myself off the ground. Instinctually my hand flew to my stomach. Christian leaped up beside me, grabbing my arm to steady my body "But for now, let's just go home please. I can't stand this place anymore."

Mario modded, his face for once lighting up at the mention of home. Home. Somewhere we both needed to stay for many, many years.