A Rogue

Chapter 1

It was one of a hell stormy night when news arrived that a man was almost drowned in the river and was saved by one of our pack warriors. The said man was not from our pack but a rogue who got lost near the borders.

He was isolated and deterred from going out by locking up in one of the rooms reserved for a pack member in the packhouse. His identity was unknown and questionable.

It had been a few days since he had arrived, yet the impact of the storm had caused him to be in a vegetative state. The same goes for the state of our pack, destroyed by the harsh rain and wind. Three adept pack warriors, two from the outside and one on the inside, were guarding the room as only authorized personnel could check up on him.

"Beta Faustina! I have news!"

I came to a halt from briefing the pack warriors for their next shift as soon as Rowan had arrived at the borders. He was one of the Gammas in charge of training our drafted pack members.

"Hold on," I told the pack warriors to wait for me before turning to Rowan. "What is it? Has Alpha Navarro arrived?"

While he was absent during the storm, his presence was required at the royal palace for the annual gathering of Alphas from every pack. As his trusted second-in-command, it fell upon me to oversee the operations within the Moon Oriental pack and ensure that everything continued to run smoothly in his absence.

"Yes, Beta. He is summoning you to report," he said politely.

"I see." I looked at the chart before handing it to him. "Rounds of the pack warriors today. Brief them." I tapped him on his shoulder before walking away.

I was not meant to be the Beta of this pack. My brother, Jaromir, was supposed to be in my position. However, he pursued studies at the royal academy and finished his program there before he took over my position as the real Beta.

I carried out these actions solely on behalf of my adoptive older brother, Jaromir, and my adoptive father, Edison. Ever since the passing of my adoptive mother, Samantha, due to a terminal illness, my adoptive father has been sick and unhappy, and it was my duty to alleviate their burdens.

I was lucky to have them. They were a great family. I was an orphan from a distant orphanage who was being treated poorly. I only went by the name Faustina as that was the name I had known my entire life, having no idea who my parents were.

The only tangible reminder of my identity was a locket necklace adorned with my portrait as a young child, captured when I was around three years old. It was the sole relic I possessed from a time before the orphanage became my home. Being only five years old when I arrived there, my memories prior to that time were a completely blank slate.

Speaking of which, I had my locket necklace fixed because the hinge loosened when I was under the heavy rain a few days ago after helping some of our pack members to evacuate their homes and transfer them to the packhouse that could accommodate a village.

It was a shame that I hadn't worn it back since it had some incantation to conceal my scent. I had it blessed by a divine priestess. It could also tame my wolf so I wouldn't have a hard time in case I found my mate, and my wolf wouldn't jeopardize me.

"Baius said that rogue is looking for someone, Alpha." That information came from one of the adept pack doctors of our pack.

"Oh?" His eyes fixated on his report before looking up to meet mine. "But you told me that he is still unconscious, correct?"

"Indeed." I nodded. "However, there was one instance when he regained consciousness and managed to communicate to Baius that he was searching for someone. It is possible that he was referring to you, Alpha, although I cannot say for certain."

Though I never had the chance to engage in conversation with him, I frequently visited to stay informed about his condition. That man possessed a beguiling face, one capable of making a woman's heart skip a beat with just a single glance. Even in his vegetative state, he exuded an undeniable allure, enhanced by his luscious brown locks that framed his features. There was an aura of mystery surrounding him, leaving me both curious and captivated by his presence.

That was why women in our pack were curious about him. I wonder what would have happened if he had woken up. I had a feeling that he would be bombarded by them.

"Is that so? Perhaps—"

"Alpha Navarro! Beta Faustina!"

We both turned our heads when we were interrupted by knocks. I immediately tended to it and came to see Rowan again. "What's the matter?" I asked, my brows furrowing slightly as I observed his hurried demeanor.

Rowan bowed before first to Alpha Navarro. "The rogue... He is already awake, Alpha, Beta."

Alpha Navarro and I exchanged glances. That was also the cue that he was more intrigued, so we marched to the packhouse. 

For some inexplicable reason, my heart stirred. I couldn't quite comprehend the source of this sudden surge of emotions. Instinctively, I reached for my necklace, the talisman I had always relied on for strength. However, I was momentarily taken aback when I realized that I had recently had it repaired, and it was no longer in need of my touch for reassurance.

As soon as we were close to the packhouse, I felt something prickling in my skin which was the very first time I had experienced it. Even my wolf became flurries for no reason.

As we stood before the door, the situation intensified. The unease grew palpable, and my anxiety heightened. My eyes fixated on Rowan's hand, already gripping the doorknob, and a sense of foreboding washed over me. The impending revelation behind that door seemed to hold immense significance, and the weight of the unknown pressed heavily upon me.

Seeking solace in the act of holding my necklace proved futile, as its reassuring presence was absent at that moment. For the first time, I felt like backing away, frightened of what was happening behind that door.

We were just seeing that rogue, right? So, why was this happening to me?

As the door slowly opened, it was also the time when an uneasy feeling shrouded me as a mixed scent of citrusy lemon and earthy tones of bergamot reached my nostrils, making my eyes widen in horror the moment my eyes settled on the man who was considered the most stunning and drop-dead gorgeous person here in our pack.

His attention turned in our direction, bestowing me a chance to see finally the color of his eyes. They looked like the color of the forest, and his eyes widened as soon as our eyes met.

Alpha Navarro gasped in no time, making us turn his attention to him. "Y-Your Royal Highness, Crown Prince Alucard? Is that you?!"

At the same time, my wolf whispered something in my head, making my mind go haywire as it made me gasp in horror.

'Mate.'