96

"Are you sure about this?" Jackson wearily eyes the female across the room.

"It'll be fine." I assure him cheerfully.

"You don't put a gun in the hands of a trigger happy serial killer." Jackson mutters.

Always so over dramatic. I thought to myself, so badly wanting to roll my eyes at his concern.

"I'm teaching her defence, just to buy her a little time to get away from anyone that comes after her." I tell him.

Heading over to Winter, I smile.

"This is Jackson, he's a close friend of mine so don't worry about anything. The most important thing is to pay attention to your opponent, be prepared for anything and they can't surprise you." I say, figuring she doesn't need the full rundown given she's been in the field her whole life.

"Can't I train with you?" She asks in a quiet voice, glancing hesitantly at Jackson over my shoulder.

"Jackson is new to defence training, it's easier for me to guide you both and correct you as it's happening than it is to actually be the one training with you." I explain to her.

Might not seem like much sense, but training someone so low level when I'm far more advanced is complicated. You don't notice their every fault, so they pick up bad habits if it's not corrected.

"If you're not ok with him I can get a she-wolf?" I offer in a hushed voice.

Winter glances at Jackson again, that same fear deep within her eyes that she had when I found her in the woods. I hate that she's so scared, even when I assure her that Jackson is safe.

"No, I...He won't touch me?" She gulps quietly.

"Learning this stuff is easy, but you have to overcome the fear to be able to use it. Jackson means you no harm, and I know that doesn't help but I promise you...face that fear of men and you won't be vulnerable." I whisper to her.

Winter gives me a slight nod, despite how tense she is. Knowing there's a chance she may become overpowered with emotions while facing Jackson, I remain close to them both so I can intervene if anything happens.

Jackson offers Winter a smile.

"Have you ever trained before?" He asks her, naturally assuming she hasn't but making conversation anyway.

"Uh..no." She whispers, eyes slightly wide and her face a tad pale as she just stares at him.

"Word of warning, Kali gets a little hot headed when she's training." I hear him telling her, laughing but he's being serious.

I roll my eyes, but the guy isn't wrong.

"Because you're irritating." I scoff.

"I'm opinionated." Jackson corrects me like the most arrogant man in the world.

I glare, saying nothing to further this conversation.

"First I'm going to show you a few ways to fight off someone that is trying to abduct you." I tell Winter.

She gives me a silent nod.

"Ok, Jackson is going to grab your hands." I say, giving Jackson a nod.

He makes sure that Winter sees him coming closer, and even though she doesn't panic and run away, I know she's terrified.

"Now, if you grab his hands too, he's tangled himself up. So what does he do? He has to let go." I state, and Winter catches on quickly, nervous as she twists her hands a little and grabs his wrists.

It isn't always so simple or easy, but I want her to feel like she has a way out, hopefully she'll be more open to training with Jackson if she has hope she can get away.

"If someone grabs you like this, the idea of you grabbing them back is so you as they release your hand, you can step back and punch your attacker." I say to Winter.

Jackson does it again, grabbing her forearms. Winter catches on quickly, grabbing his right arm with her left, giving her some control. Jackson releases her right arm, and she makes a fist that never makes contact with his face.

"Good." I praise.

"Now Jackson is going to grab your arm, and attempt to drag you. When he does, you'll want to bend your knees and drop a little, it'll make it harder for him to pull you." I slowly circle them as I talk.

Watching with a close eye, ensuring she doesn't become too overwhelmed by anything.

Jackson grabs her forearm again, higher up this time. As he yanks her, Winter drops her weight.

"The attacked will move to grab your other arm, once he's close enough you'll punch him in the throat, neck, groin, stomach, anywhere you think it'll hurt most." I state firmly.

"Definitely the balls." Jackson grimaces.

"If the attacked still isn't giving up, he'll become more aggressive. This time he'll use force, and try picking you up and dragging you. So again, you'll drop your weight and make yourself as heavy as possible." I say.

Winter is completely uncomfortable as Jackson grabs her despite doing it slowly, he's gentle with her the whole time.

"If there's people around, this will draw attention. If not, when he grabs you turn so that when you drop your weight you're on an angle. This will allow you to still strike the attacker." I tell them.

Jackson and Winter repeat the few moves before we move on to teaching Winter how to punch properly. For a rogue that's supposedly lethal, the girl doesn't know anything. I get that rogues fight and kill mostly in wolf form, but I'd of thought they'd have some training in combat whilst in human form.

After a couple of hours I give Jackson and Winter a break, and I have Jackson drive us into the city.

"I phoned the school and told them you'd be back at the end of the week, so don't worry about them kicking you out or anything." I admit to Winter as Jackson drives.

"Thank you." She quietly says, staring down at her hands as if they're the most interesting things in the world.

"Where do you stay? I mean, you go to school so do you have like an apartment?" I ask curiously.

She shakes her head slightly.

"I had a bag with some extra clothes in but...I guess it's gone now." She murmurs.

My heart aches for her. No home, living out of a bag that she doesn't even have thanks to the rogues that took her. Maybe I can try and arrange something for her? I think to myself, remaining deep in thought the rest of the drive.

For the most part Winter doesn't choose anything to wear, only when I start tossing clothes into Jackson's arms does she finally get in the shopping spirit. It's obvious she's never had this kind of thing before, and while I don't want to force it on her, I know she needs clothes.

So we shop until all our arms are about to drop off, before we head home with the high hope of leftovers from dinner.

Winter naturally worries that she has no idea how she's gonna carry all these new belongings, I just assure her we'll figure it out and say nothing more. I get the feeling she'll refuse anything more from me.

"What's going on?" Jackson questions me with a frown.

Glancing up from my phone, I furrow my eyebrows at him. "What?"

"The Elders are here, I thought you said-"

"I did." I whisper, cutting him off as I realise what's happened.

Someone's talked.

"What do we do?" Jackson asks quietly, his tone almost afraid.

"It's too late to get her out of here." I gulp, knowing if she runs they'll only hunt her down.

No, I can't just let them kill her.

"Maybe they're not here for her." Jackson says with false hope, even he doesn't believe his own words.

"They're going to kill me..." Winters voice is barely audible, but I hear the understanding. Is she ok with them just deciding she's not worth saving?

"They're not going to lay a hand on you." I decide, my wolf growling through my chest as I get out of the car and storm towards the mansion.

Finding the Elders in such a large place is easy, their scent is mere authority, danger, perhaps a little darkness.

Hardin stands instantly, giving me a stern look. "Don't-"

My fist collides savagely with flesh, his nose crunching loud in the suddenly silent room. Zed falls off his chair from my attack, he doesn't even dare straighten himself out.

"That's for going behind my back." I spit with menace. Zed doesn't dare so much as raise his eyes.

"You cannot protect this rogue, child, after everything you have been through...do not put yourself in a position that triggers the bloodlust." Elder Luka says to me in the calm, resilient tone.

The three middle aged men stand in a half moon around me, as if they have the means to make me submit.

"Kali, think about what you're doing. This is how it is, we cannot upset the natural order." Hardin attempts to talk sense into me, feeling the bitter rage building within me.

"When I risked my life for Lotti's, It was instinct. I heard a child in danger and I dove without question...if you think for one second that I will allow someone to harm that girl, then you don't know me at all." My voice rumbles with my wolfs ferocity, eyes burning as the crimson leaks through.

"Don't make this personal, it's just the law." Elder Luka attempts to move closer, hoping to ease my wolf with a few words.

They didn't expect my resistance.

'Why are you protecting her? We have more to lose by resisting.' Hardin's voice floats through my head.

'I couldn't save our babies, and I live with that everyday. I had the chance to save this girl once, and I refuses because she was a rogue...and she was kidnapped, bound, and raped by multiple men.' I almost growl.

'It's not your fault-'

'If she dies and I do nothing, I won't be able to live with myself.' I admit.

"Hardin, you understand the law a little better than Kali. Perhaps you'd like to handle this situation, before it escalates?" Elder Luther almost glares, not one to enjoy being openly defied.

All eyes turn to Hardin, including my own. I know in my heart that even Hardin can't talk me down from this, I'm willing to do whatever it takes.

Hardin glances between me and the Elders, before releasing a heavy sigh and rounding his desk towards me. I felt anger rise in me, loathing that he chooses to side with them. He sides with anyone except me on this matter.

"Katalayha is my wife, Luther. With all due respect, I am done fighting with her about this rogue." Hardin declares firmly, his warmth against my back as he towers behind me.

I instantly felt bulletproof, because I know Hardin is a man that you don't go against. The Elders admire him more than they do any other Alpha, they respect him.

I do my best to not appear surprised by Hardin, but I'll admit I didn't expect him to stand with me on this. What changed his mind?

"Careful now." Luther warns menacingly.

Sensing the looking war about to shred this entire pack apart, I decide to step in.

"Look, I know it's the law and for one rogue to stay on pack land may cause issues with trespassing. I get that it's a problem, but Winter is a teenage girl, she goes to school, she wants a normal life." I explain calmly.

"I brought her here against her will, she wanted to leave and I refused to let her. It's my fault she is here, and I accept the consequences for that-"

"You wish to die in the place of a rogue?" Luka cuts me off with a sharp tone, far from pleased by my choice.

"I wish to die in the place of a innocent girl that did not choose to be born a rogue." I correct the Elder icily.

"This cannot be allowed, Kali, not even for you. The girl must be brought to us-"

"I'm here." Winters voice echoes over Luthers.

I felt my blood freeze over as all eyes snap to the girl in the doorway, the Elders immediately move in for the kill. Quick and with mercy, Hardin said Winter wouldn't suffer.

The feeling that comes over me, reminds me of how my wolf felt when she gave birth. The instinct to protect, the same instinct I thought I'd never feel again until I saved Lottie. And again right now.

Hardin is at my heel as I dive between the Elders and Winter. I stare at her with slight fear, knowing the Elders may kill us to get to her. Hardin blocks Luther from passing me, using his body as a shield.

"I don't want to cause you any trouble." Winter whispers, fear in her eyes as she glances between me and the Elders.

'Take her to the sacred stone, no Elder dare spill blood there.' Hardin's voice enters my head, and without second thought I grab Winters hand and run out of the office, dragging her behind me.

"Where are we going?" She asks in surprise, a tad panicked.

"A place that'll buy us time." I retort, hurrying my steps as I head for the door leading out the back of the mansion.

Winter is quick to keep up, not complaining once as I take her deep into the woods. The huge stone building is vacant as always, the vibe of the place a little off like the first time I came here. Still, I drag her up the steps and inside.

"What is this place?" Winter whispers, slowly turning in a circle as she eyes the encrypted walls and carvings into the stone.

"A sacred temple." I say softly, our voices bouncing in the huge empty room.

"I didn't know packs cared much about belief." She says with utter confusion.

I smile a little.

"They don't, but Hardin is different from other Alphas. He believes that the ancestors know all, that they see and hear all. Any decision that affects his bloodline, he brings it here and allows the ancestors to decide." I explain.

She seems surprised by this.

"Did he bring you here?"

"He did." I confirm.

"What if the ancestors rejected you? Would he have chosen someone else?" Winter asks curiously.

I'll admit, I don't think I've ever thought about that. Would Hardin have replaced me if the ancestors deemed me unworthy? Would he have let some belief in ghosts decide who he ends up with?

"When Hardin and I met, it was at my parents house. They owed him a lot of money and they'd passed payday, so they figured they could offer him something in exchange for an extension." I decide to tell her.

Winter seems intrigued by this. "They offered you to him?"

"No, Hardin practically demanded they give me to him. See, my parents always acted like they laid the cards, but truth be told they were terrified of Alpha Hardin." I sigh lightly, taking a seat on the cold stone slab.

"The next day we were married." I state.

"The next day? Didn't you fight him?" She seems shocked.

I smile faintly. "My parents had beaten me so far into submission that I didn't dare deny anyone, especially another Alpha."

"But you're not afraid of anything." She says softly, frowning with confusion.

My heart aches a little, because of how wrong she is.

"I'm afraid, I just make sure the pack think otherwise. They need to know they can trust their Alphas completely, and given what I became...they need to see I can be trusted." I give a gentle shrug.

"Do you...do you get nightmares...about what your parents did to you? Even when your awake?" Winters tone is low, weary.

Immediately I sense she's talking about her own trauma.

"I have nightmares every night, and in the day I would constantly make sure everything was perfect in hopes that I didn't get another bruise. Even after I came here the feeling didn't stop, if anything I felt more on edge, like my parents were hiding around every corner." I admit.

Her eyes fall to the floor, but I see the glassy tears in them. Somehow she is relieved by my words, perhaps she assumes she is alone in her fear.

"I told myself that I could get past it, and I thought I did. Until my pups died, and it broke me...Everything came rushing back ten-fold, and I ended up killing my mother right in front of my father, just to see the look on his face." I whisper.

Winters eyes snap to mine, growing wide.

"But her death gave me no satisfaction, I didn't feel better, I didn't feel joy. And It wasn't until a few months back that I realised how dangerous I'd become, not just to myself but to the people I love. I was a ticking time bomb." I say.

"You would have killed people you love?" She seems confused by this.

"I had no mercy, Winter...I didn't stop even after I killed, I would shift and I'd grind their limbs away, sometimes whilst they were alive so I could hear their screams." I tell her honestly, seeing no point in hiding what I'd become.

I'll admit what I am, because I don't want to fear myself, or hide the things I have done. I want to be open about it so that people like Winter feel some hope towards getting better.

"I came most of the way back from all of those horrific things, and so will you, it just takes time and a therapist." I attempt to smile jokingly, seeing her face pale after my previous confession.

"If they don't kill me." She murmurs, gesturing towards the doorway and into the woods.

"Let's hope they haven't convinced Hardin to change his mind." I mutter, furrowing my eyebrows slightly in thought.

I'd of thought the Elders had of been right behind us. What's taking them so long?