Heart of a rogue

Chapter 1.2 - Prologue - going rogue

Everyone was just as surprised about Declan's declaration as I was. I just turned sixteen! No one found their mate this early. I mean there are cases that it happened but rarely.

We all turned back to our human form and my father didn't hesitate to step in front of me protectively. "She is still a child, Alpha Declan Sullivan."

He eyed me up and down and my anxiety had me hide behind my father's back. My mother laid a hand on my shoulder to comfort me. "I can see that, Alpha Theodore." Declan replied, "my wolf needs to calm down, I'm going for a run. I'd like to talk afterward." He didn't even address me but my father before he sped off.

My aunt wrapped me in her arms and told me it was going to be okay, "she is too young Theo..."

My father growled low, "I know she is! She isn't a Luna."

The thought of hearing them bicker along with my mother made me want to cry. It wasn't my fault, it isn't like I wanted a mate already or even had a say in it. But why did he run away?

My mother and father dragged me home and sent both my brother and me to our rooms. They barked at us to stay there as well. "You're not leaving, are you?" Isaac asked.

I hugged him and shook my head, "I don't know, did you see the way Alpha Declan looked at me?" His name rolled so easily off my tongue but the name itself brought terrors to my body.

My brother waited in silence, "he looked at me with disgust in his eyes." I whispered, those weren't eyes of longing or love. He didn't know what to do with me.

"No way! You are so pretty!" My brother defended me which made me laugh. He also grabbed the small box with the necklace I had received from Alpha Declan and clamped it around my neck.

I may look pretty but I was in no way a woman, I just came of age! I'm sure with his looks he had a woman, a real woman, crawl all over him. I never even kissed before, what'd he expect a girl my age?

We heard the door open and close downstairs and then I heard his voice. My body was begging to go down there, maybe it was my wolf's instincts. She wanted to go to her mate so desperately. See him, touch him, and comfort him. "I'm going to listen in," I whispered.

My brother told me no many times, he didn't want to face my father's wrath for disobeying his orders. I couldn't care less to be frank. I slowly descended the stairs and sat down without making a sound.

I had that going for me, stealth.

My hearing had improved now that I had come of age so I listened to their conversation.

"She is too young for a mating." My mother declared, her soft voice clear enough.

Declan replied next, "I agree Luna Harding, she is in no way right for the position. Her age is quite the problem."

I heard the third voice I didn't recognize.

My father spoke next, "so what should we do? I'm sure every inch of your instinct wants to claim her already."

Then silence fell but Declan did reply, "my wolf does but I'm rational, I won't take a Luna of her age. She's immature and too weak for the job. I will return home without-"

Just hearing it made me angry so I opened the door. Our eyes met, his gorgeous dark green and my light blue. "Don't I have a say in this?" I looked at my father and mother, "I have come to an age, you don't get to decide my life anymore." I also saw a third man, who was Declan's beta, Joshua. I wanted to get out of this pack, I hated it here. This was my chance!

Declan growled low in his throat and approached me, "you should have stayed on the damn stairs." His hand landed on my cheek.

His hand was massive and covered pretty much my whole cheek. "I just wanted to talk to you, I'm your mate, not my mother, and father," I replied softly. He was so intimidating up close.

I asked him if we could go upstairs and talk privately. He looked at my parents and my father nodded, but also said that he needed to keep the door open.

It made Declan chuckle, "don't worry, I'm not about to mate a child." he joked, "I have enough self-control for that."

It pained me to be called a child by my mate. I did want to close that door but his growl had me halt in my steps. "I'm not going to start a fight with your father, keep it open." He ordered.

I rolled my eyes, "sure whatever you wish for, Alpha." It slipped past my mouth before I even knew I did it.

Again, he growled. He seemed to do that a lot. He looked around the room while I sat down on my single bed, "your room even looks like that of a child."

I raised my eyebrows, "I'm not a child."

He walked up to me and grabbed my chin, "you are."

"Then how old are you? You aren't as old as my father."

"I'm twenty-five, which is nine years older than you." He sat down next to me and let his hands mush his face, "and because of that, you will stay here safely."

"No!" I answered without thinking. I stood up angrily to stand in front of him. Alpha hated it when you challenged them, but I couldn't care right now. "You can't just dump me here and when I am older you can pick me up when you feel like it!"

Why didn't he want me? Just because of my age?

He tugged me down so I straddled his lap. My legs were parted so at each side one touched his outer leg. "First don't tell at me like that and second, just look at yourself." His hand grabbed me behind which made me squeal from embarrassment. "I can't even do a simple thing like grabbing your ass or you'll cry, besides that there isn't much yet to hold onto. You are physically a child and mentally as well, you will not be my Luna right now."

Tears rolled down my cheeks. How can someone say that to his mate?

His eyes were hurt now that I started crying and he tried to shush me. But he had done the damage already. "So you find me unattractive as well?" I struggled to get out of his hold. "Just get out."

"Shhh, Lucille..." He tried again which just made me scream at him." I don't find you not attractive, I just can't sleep with a child."

"It's Lucy! I know enough." I released a deep breath, "at least have the balls to formally reject me." Did I want that? No, the thought alone made me sob again.

Why can't I stop crying? I need to stop crying!

"I won't reject you, Lucy. Just wait a few years for me." He dared to remain seated even when I told him to leave.

"Get out, never come back." If he wasn't leaving then I would. I gave him a few seconds but he didn't move. I felt like the walls were closing in on me and it was making it hard for me the breath.

This cage I was in... it was revolting. It made my insides curl, I had to get out of this damn cage.
My hand gently wrapped around the hanger of his necklace. I tugged it off my neck and threw it at his feet.

I slammed the door behind me and ran downstairs. My father tried stopping me, "Lucille, it's dark out, come back here!" As I said, I have a few traits going for me and that was my stealth.

I growled at him and as I opened the door I let myself fall onto all fours. My bones snapped in seconds and my red wolf broke free.

I made a straight line to the edge of the forest. I looked back and didn't see anyone follow me. Great, they think I'll just be going for a run after this excruciating news.

My mate doesn't want me, my mate doesn't find me attractive, and my mate just wants me to wait for him. Spend my life in a cage, waiting for someone to pull me out.

I wasn't going to do that, I will be the one to pull me out of this cage. Ever since I was born my family had it all planned out for me. Did I ever get a say in anything? No, I should just sit back and be pretty.

Only my aunt treated me right, if I had to be Beta I had to train. If it wasn't for her I wouldn't even know how to start a fire.

My father thought exactly that, he thought I didn't know any survival skills. I would come back home running in a few hours.

Not today mother, father. And now my failure of a mate. Today was my birthday, I will be reborn and choose my path. Even if it meant abandoning the pack and going rogue.