Page 21 of Fated to the Rogue

“Oh, yeah!” A huge smile lit up his face as my reminder seemed to temporarily numb his headache, and he raised his fists in excitement. “City of Stars, here I come!”

The moment we exited the airport, we met the driver Alpha Ruben had sent to get us. The middle-aged man was holding a white sign that read: ZEPHYR WYNDHAM AND FAMILY. He held his head low to greet us, not wasting a second before opening the doors for us. I spent most of the hour-long ride laughing at Malin’s amusement. I could understand it, though; the landscape was truly beautiful. The territory we grew up in was located close to a small city. It was nothing compared to the vivacity of the largest city in Crafalion, and the second largest in the country.

At some point, we drove off the highway and onto a wild sandy trail, which soon turned into a straight-up desert. The further behind we left the movement of the big city, the easier it was to tell we were getting closer to our destination. When we neared a fairly high dune, I thought our car would get stuck in the sand, but to my surprise, it didn’t. Of course, it would make sense for a pack located in the middle of the desert to have vehicles adapted to the terrain.

And as soon as the car came to a stop, I was flabbergasted.

“Welcome to Dune Drifters,” the driver greeted, opening the door for us.

The three-story packhouse was massive! I immediately asked myself how they could stay hidden when their main building was so expansive, but it didn’t take me long to realize how well its cream, gold, and brown color scheme camouflaged with the sand. Its luxurious exterior resembled Moorish architecture; instead of walls and pillars, it had tall, beautifully-sculpted arches. Two marble curved staircases with golden railings rose above a large pool that resembled an oasis in the middle of the desert.

“Alpha Zephyr! It’s a pleasure to have you here.” A male voice broke the spell I was under. The man was in his mid-twenties. He was fairly tall, with a slim, yet muscular physique. His light brown hair fell in angelic locks just over his shoulders. He had delicate, androgynous features, combined with the powerful aura of a leader. I barely had time to shake his hand before he turned to the rest of my team. “Welcome, Beta Malin. Alpha Bertrand. Beta Warrick.”

“Thank you for having us, Alpha Ruben.” I smiled at him. “You have a lovely pack house.”

“You’re too kind, Alpha Zephyr. I majored in architecture. This is my proudest creation.” He waved his hand toward the main building.

I had to blink a few times to process his words. It was uncommon for wolves to go to pursue a higher education. Aside from Kappas, most of us rarely left the pack. Since most Alphas started working at the age of eighteen, it was even rarer for one to leave to go to college. Before curiosity got the best of me, another man approached us.

“This is my Gamma, Amell Kimbel,” the leader revealed.

“Please, allow me to show you to your rooms.” The third-in-command bowed his head politely.

“Make yourselves at home while you’re here. As soon as you’re done getting settled, Gamma Amell will take you to my office so we can get into what brought you here in the first place.”

The Alpha turned around, disappearing into the first floor of the pack house, while his Gamma led us up the stairs towards the second floor. The interior was just as luxurious as the exterior, with diamond patterns decorating the walls and floor, and crystal chandeliers. First, we stopped by the guest Alpha suite where my father would stay with Warrick, which was located right beside the one Malin and I would be sharing.

After the two of us were done unpacking our belongings, we changed into more formal clothes and reunited with Amell, who was waiting for us outside. As we went up another flight of stairs, I instinctively glanced at Dad’s room over my shoulder. Although Alpha Ruben had allowed the former Elite members of Wind Howlers to tag along, only the current Alpha and Beta could be present during a business meeting. My stomach turned as I realized the success of our trip would be up to me this time, but I took a deep breath. We were well-prepared. I could do this.

Gamma Amell opened the office door for us, where Alpha Ruben and his Beta were, and lowered his head before leaving the four of us alone.

“Please, take your seats.” The leader gestured towards the two chairs placed in front of his desk.

“Once again, thank you for agreeing to listen to us,” I said as I sat down, my best friend following my lead.

“Of course. I’m curious to hear about the deal you’d like to offer.” A gentle smile played on Ruben’s lips as he interlaced his fingers over his desk.

I exchanged glances with my Beta, soon clearing my throat. “I am familiar with Dune Drifters’ unique fighting style. The wolves of your pack are known to silently ambush enemies by camouflaging with the sand. As impressive as it is, I noticed one flaw in your strategy.”

“Oh?” The Alpha raised his brows, appearing genuinely curious.

“By blending in with the desert, your members might be out of sight, but their scent can still be detected from a closer distance, thus giving away their hiding spot.” I made a brief pause, mentally revising what I had to say next. “As you probably know, at Wind Howlers we learn how to mask our scents from a very young age. I believe if we teach you our secrets, Dune Drifters will become even more powerful than it already is.”

“Interesting. And what would you like in return?”

This was the moment - it was now or never. “You’re surely aware of the common enemy threatening our kind. The National Elder Council believes they will be reaching our territory some time in the next few months. Wind Howlers doesn’t plan to back down, but we recognize we will need help to defeat them when they come,” I clarified. “We will be glad to teach you our secret technique if you agree to offer your full support in the war against the Fallen.”

“A very generous offer…” He side-eyes his Beta, remaining in silence for a moment before his voice filled the room once again. “Or perhaps a desperate one.”Shit!I tried my best to keep a neutral expression, but that didn’t sound good at all. “I am sorry, Alpha Zephyr, but I’m afraid I cannot accept your deal.”

9 | Believe

When silence filled the room, I clenched my fist underneath the table, hoping it would be enough to keep my foot from tapping against the marble floor. I kept staring at Alpha Ruben, unable to utter a word for Goddess knows how long. Although my eyes were locked on him, my mind was elsewhere entirely. Why would he dismiss my proposal?

Yes, it was unusual for a larger pack to establish an alliance with a smaller one, and Dune Drifters was more than twice our size. I knew it would be hard to convince their leader. Whether it was money, warriors, food, or territory, they surely already had a lot more resources than us. However, it was extremely rare for packs to share their secret strategies. My team and I had worked day and night to come up with a deal they wouldn’t be able to refuse.

There were only two reasons I could think of to explain the Alpha’s quick, unexpected decision: either he was afraid of the Fallen like everyone else, or he had somehow learned about my-

“It would be foolish of me not to recognize how powerful Dune Drifters would become if our signature technique could be improved. Still, I think it would come at too high of a price,” Ruben continued after my long silence. “No one has ever survived a Fallen attack, let alone defeated one of the membersof their army. Don’t take this the wrong way, Alpha Zephyr, but I get the feeling not even you believe you can win this war.”

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