The True Rogue

Chapter Sixteen

I followed Marie down the stairs and back through the halls towards the backyard. I twisted my hands nervously, biting my lip as we got closer before I paused. Marie quickly turned and smiled at me encouragingly, waving me forwards. I took a deep breath and stepped next to her, feeling a soothing warmth as she wrapped her arms around my shoulders.

"Don't you worry sweetheart, my son is already head over heels for you," she smiled as we walked and I blushed slightly. "He is going to see how beautiful you are and forget how to talk, I guarantee it."

"How do you know?" I asked curiously and she winked with a grin. "Because his father did the same thing." she whispered and I giggled as we stepped through the double doors and on to the patio.

My eyes locked with his immediately and we both froze, me with anxiety and him with shock. He stared open-mouthed for a good minute before his father clapped him on the shoulder with a chuckle. "You are going to scare her off looking like that." he joked and I giggled, watching as Maverick's eyes warmed at the sound and his mouth formed into a smile.

"Cass... I-You look-Wow." he nearly stuttered, moving closer and Marie pulled away, sending a knowing wink over his shoulder that made me smile. "Hi." I murmured, shyly tucking my hair behind my ear as I looked up at him through my lashes. His heated eyes scanned over my outfit, lingering on my bare shoulder and slightly exposed torso before moving down to the ripped jeans.

He closed his now glowing eyes then, taking a deep breath to seemingly rein in his wolf before smiling warmly at me again. "You look so beautiful. I knew you were an angel," he grinned and I giggled with a blush as I remembered he had said that when I saved him from the feral wolves. "But you are just... so pretty."

"Thank you." I murmured softly and his eyes lit up as he stepped forward and held out his hand. I slowly placed mine in his and we both paused, taking a deep breath as the tingling sensation raced through us both before he smiled and gently pulled me with him.

"Come sit, my siblings will be bringing out some food soon." he smiled as he led me to the furniture and settled us on to a love seat. I leaned into him, unconsciously seeking the warmth and comfort from our bond as I bowed my head to the alpha. "Alpha." I greeted respectfully and he smiled, waving me off. "No need to be so formal Cassandra, we are family now." he said and I smiled lightly. "Thank you."

"So Cassandra," Andrew's spoke he settled on a couch across from us with Marie next to him. "Tell us about yourself." he spoke kindly. "Myself?" I nearly squeaked and he smiled slightly. "Yes, we would like to know more about you." Andrew spoke with gentle encouragement and I chewed my lip nervously.

"What do you want to know?" I asked softly, glancing up to see Maverick smiling warmly. "How about where you grew up? Did you live in a pack before?" he asked curiously and I shook my head. "No, I was orphaned as a baby. Apparently my parents were killed in a house fire so I grew up mostly in the human foster care system and a couple of orphanages." I murmured and Marie gasped, placing her hands over her heart.

"You poor little pup, that must have been scary." she murmured. "It was all I knew," I shrugged, twirling my hair around my finger nervously. "Some places were definitely worse than others but I think it was pretty normal."

"Growing up without a pack can be hard on a young wolf. Did you even know that you were not human?" Andrew asked gently and I shook my head. "Not truly until I shifted. I was picked on by the other kids for being "weird" because I could hear and smell things that no one else could sometimes but otherwise I had no idea."

"And what age did you shift at? Fifteen?" he asked curiously and I shook my head. "No, I was... ten years old the first time I shifted." I paused to remember and looked down at my hands nervously until the silence became too thick. I glanced up to see all three of them staring at me in pure shock. "You shifted at ten years old?" Andrew finally stammered and I nodded. "Is that bad?" I asked while hiding my face in Maverick's arm and he began to gently stroke my hair.