Cadence's eyes widened at the suggestion. She stared at the man in front of her, he was large. His arms and chest were muscled, and from what she could see of his legs, they were much the same. She looked back to his face, noticing that he was identical to Joey. Black hair, tanned skin, but there was one difference. The eyes. Joey's eyes were a sky blue, and this man's eyes were stormy grey. Cadence tilted her head, "I don't think that's in my best interest. While I'm sure Joey has spoken of me, I know nothing of you. I remember you growling, snarling and snapping at me." Cadence reminded dryly.
Connor smirked, he had to give it to the female. She wasn't intimidated by him one bit, yet at the same time that could also be dangerous. "Very well, I'll tell you what I can about myself and then I hope you will shift back." Connor was quiet for a moment, thinking of what to tell her, he'd never been in this position before. "My name is Alpha Connor Slade. I'm responsible for over a thousand other wolves, not including their pups. I'm 29, one of the youngest Alpha's in the States. I live with my brother, who you've met and my mother who is dying to meet you." Connor knew he was rambling, but he wasn't good at this. What exactly did she want to know? Connor had the sudden and strangest urge to fidget under her silent stare. She unnerved him, and he hadn't a clue why?
"Turn around.." Cadence said, breaking the silence. In honestly, she had nothing to say at the moment, her mind was absorbing the information and the one thing that was crucial. Joey's brother was Alpha! Cadence expected the Alpha to refuse her request, and was highly surprised when he suddenly turned, giving her his back. Cadence shook away the shock and quickly shifted back. Her muscles were stiff from being in bed for five days, but she couldn't worry about that for now. She quickly climbed back into the bed and placed the sheet protectively over her now nude body. "Okay.." Cadence muttered, feeling suddenly nervous. She was vulnerable in her human form, but she was realistic enough to know that even if she were wolf this Alpha wouldn't have a problem killing her.
Connor turned around, honestly he didn't know what he was expecting to see, but it wasn't this. He could feel his eyes widen, but couldn't do a thing about it. The female was only donned with a sheet, but Connor didn't pay attention to that. His eyes stayed on her face. Her hair, though a mess was a honey blonde, reminding him of sunlight. Her mouth was pink, and full and made for kissing. He had no doubt that this female's lips alone would give his men fantasies, but what drew his attention the most was her eyes. Midnight blue in color surrounded by a curtain of long eye lashes. She was indeed beautiful. The sound of someone clearing their throat broke whatever trance Connor was in and he met the uncertain gaze of the rogue.
"Is there something wrong?" Cadence wondered, he had been staring at her and hadn't spoken a word since he turned around. She knew she looked horrible, but his staring had her more self-conscience than she'd like to admit. His reaction nor his response should bug her, but it did.
Connor shook his head, hoping to clear it further. "No, nothing's wrong. So, tell me, how did you come upon my brother?" The rogue frowned, and Connor found himself drawn to the way her lips slightly turned down.
"You believe I had something to do with his leaving." Cadence didn't really ask, because she could tell that, that is what he believed. She was a rogue and while she prided herself on being different than the others, pack's were never going to see it. She would always be at the bottom to them. It wasn't right, and in the beginning Cadence had felt a horrible sadness over it. "I didn't take your brother, I have no reason and nothing to gain from it. I was looking out for myself, and heard your brother's whimpering. I feared his mother abandoned him, but then I couldn't believe a mother would do that to her own pup so I came to the conclusion that she must have died." Cadence shook her head, now realizing that it was a stupid assumption, but quickly defended that she didn't believe a pack pup would be so far from home.
"And then what?" Connor asked, taking a seat beside the bed. The more she talked, the more he wanted to hear.
"I came to him in human form, hoping that he wouldn't see me as a threat, but he simply backed away or at least tried. He was curled up beside a tree, shivering. I knew if I left him, he wouldn't survive the night. So, I told him about a cave I'd found. One that would protect him from the cold. He followed me. After I found food for us, I found out he was from your pack, and promised him I would help him get home to his family. I then massaged his muscles for fear they'd get stiff. He was too young to make such a journey, and then to sit in the cold for who knows how long I feared for his circulation." Cadence shook her head, remembering. "He fell asleep, and while it was warmer in the cave, it was still too cold for him. So I shifted to keep him warm. I've been shifted the whole time. Well, except for the time I had to clean my wounds after fighting the rogues..."
Connor's eyes narrowed. "You fought other rogues?" He knew that rogues usually were solitary beasts, but he had figured they all stuck together. Perhaps form a sort of pack on their own.
Cadence's eyes brow rose at his tone, "yes. I fought rogues. While pack's have each other, rogues are left on their own. Females don't fair as well as the males, because the males try to dominate and take what isn't theirs. I was in hiding, away from the others..." Cadence clamped her mouth shut, and quickly moved on. She didn't need to tell him her life story, not that she could remember much of it. "I went out to hunt, I told Joey to hide if he heard anything, unfortunately, two rogue male's found him and were circling him when I heard Joey call out to me. I didn't think, I attacked. I killed the first, but the second was stronger. I didn't have a choice if I wanted to keep Joey alive so I told him to follow the stream and run. After, I fought and then ran. The rogue had given chase for a while, but thankfully had given up. I found Joey hiding under a root and when he fell asleep I went to the stream. I believe you know the rest.."
Connor was quiet. Everything except for parts that Joey wasn't present matched with what Joey had told him. He now knew that this rogue had saved his brother, and had done everything she could to make sure he got back to his family. It made Connor feel bad for judging her before knowing the story.
Cadence didn't miss the small guilt she seen flash across Connor's stormy eyes, and raised her brow. "What do you feel guilty for?" Cadence tilted her head, "because you thought I stole your brother? I can't say I blame you. Rogues don't have a great name, and while I know there aren't many, there are those who aren't aggressive, some who have their mind still intact." Cadence shook her head, it didn't matter what she said because the pack's would never welcome rogues, even if they were sane. "It doesn't matter what your opinion is. I did what I had to do, and I would do it again. Joey is a good boy, and he held himself together. You should be proud."
Connor's heart softened as he listened to her praise his brother. He was proud. His brother had survived, and had fought against even his family to protect the female rogue or not who'd saved his life. "I am. And while we both have different opinions of each other, I made a promise to protect you, and to be your guardian. I am honor bound to keep it."
Cadence's eyes widened, and then she burst out laughing. The action making her sides hurt, but she couldn't stop. "I am sorry. I didn't mean to laugh, but I release you from such a promise. I don't need your protection, and while I appreciate you bringing me back and patching me up, you know as well as I that I'm not staying here. I don't belong here, and even if I wished it I would never be welcomed." Cadence's jaw tightened as she unintentionally let out a weakness. She'd always wanted to be accepted, welcomed, but in a pack she never would be. She wasn't even in the rogue community.