when people change,

do not cling onto their past selves

M A D D I E ♛

For days I walked, sometimes I ran. Coming from the south, I had made my way near the western central territories and that took me about five days.

I usually avoided finding myself in around the central territories because not only is it filled with a lot of powerful pack wolves because the Were Council was in the centre, the place was also swarmed by rogues seeking revenge on powerful pack wolves.

During these past five days, I have been challenged to a duel so many times by other rogues who did not know me or if they did, were stupid enough to challenge me. Unfortunately for them, it didn't take long before they met their end.

Queen of the Rogues is a title I haven't heard in a long time. I used to hate it when people called me that because it wasn't anything to be proud of, but Andrew always teased me by calling me with that title.

He said that I should take confidence in it because it was a proof that I was strong and was able to fend for myself. But what is the use of this strength if I couldn't even protect him?

At night when I took a rest, Chase found his way in my mind and made my heart to break again. I gave myself a brief opportunity to think about him whether he was doing alright or not, but I never let it last long.

And so, I quickly pushed him off my thoughts and forced myself to a brief slumber.

Surprisingly, I haven't met any Strays on my way which is strange because I heard that they were everywhere now, but how come I haven't seen any?

I was walking into a part of the forest whose grasses are tall and came by my waist. They swayed easily by the wind and it was hard to find a path and walk among it. I had to fight against them to make it on the other side.

When I was younger and when I used to be with Finn and his mother, this was the place that we stayed in. Rogues rarely found themselves in this part of the forests as it was very far from everything else. All the more, pack wolves would never know about this place as it was a long way from any physical contact.

This place was what I considered my home for a few years until I noticed that there was something wrong.

I knew that Finn and his mother were angry at the Council and their pack for having been banished but I never knew the reason why. However, Finn's anger was fuelled all the more at the death of his mother.

We were hunting for food to eat and left Linda, Finn's mom, alone in the small house that we built over the years. While we were gone, it was ambushed and attacked by pack wolves and ever since then, the Finn that I knew was no more.

Growing up, Finn was an older brother, a mentor and a protector that I looked up to. He was strong and was extremely cunning. He taught me how to fight, how to distract my enemy, how to sneak and many more.

For all those years that I've considered him a family, I am thankful for, but the more I learn of the creatures that he creates, I knew that I have to stop him.

As soon as I stepped out of the tall grasses, plush greens and tall, healthy trees welcomed me. A total opposite from the abandoned and unkempt grasses I just walked through.

A particularity about Finn was that he hated mess, everything around him had to be organized or kept in a certain manner. Heck, even the way he killed someone in the middle of battle was done cleanly.

From this point on, his scent was strong and I knew that he used some sort of spell to conceal his scent from outside this territory. I was also not surprised when I smelled the strong scent of Strays.

Confirmed.

He really did have something to do with this.

I was really hoping he wouldn't.

I stopped walking when I felt a presence around the vicinity but they were obviously hiding. I waited for the person to come out and attack me, but that didn't happen. It was a scent I didn't recognize and it was most definitely not Finn.

"I'm not in the mood to play hide and seek." I threaten and waited.

Successfully, the person decided to emerge out of their hiding place.

I was expecting a tall, muscly and buff rogue to come and attack me, but I was surprised when a young girl stepped out behind a tall tree.

Her hair was long and curly and she looked at me with a curious look in her eyes.

Her eyes were dark brown, reminding me of Finn's eyes. Who is this child? She couldn't be more than five years old at the least. She was holding a white bunny doll that looked too heavy for her, but she held onto it tightly.

"Maddie?" she asked with her tiny voice. It almost broke me and infuriated me at the same time.

How dare Finn use a child? How low has he gotten to use a child for his dirty works?

Wasn't it enough that he used me and manipulated me at a young age to do his dirty works for him?

I knelt down in front of her to match her height. "What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here."

Despite my warnings, she held her bunny even more tightly as if I was going to take it away from her.

"He's been waiting for you." she said simply.

"Who?"

I didn't expect it when she smiled and laughed as if I was asking a silly question. "Who else? Of course it's the Mad Scientist."

I froze. The Scientist or The Mad Scientist was Finn's title within the rogues.

He earned it at a young age, only a few months after becoming a rogue because he not only was he smart, he was someone who created a lot of things with his hands and used them as weapons.

With a simple poison ivy and other plants, he was able to make a poison that could greatly harm anyone who smelled the substance. And just the thought of a child being near any of those substances or inventions had me worried sick.

Before I could say anything more, the little girl was already walking away and motioning me to follow her. Although I was reluctant to do so, I had no choice but to follow her.

Not long after, I saw the house that I used to live in although it didn't look identical to the one I have in memory.

Instead of a house built mostly by wood, this one was definitely upgraded. It looked it had at least two floors, but there were a few other buildings around the house with almost the same size.

I could smell scents of people and it almost disgusted me because the sickening scent of Strays were mixed with the scent of humans.

Outside the house, I saw a man stand up from the veranda. Instead of a regular ragged shirt and pants, Finn was wearing a suit. The type that humans wear, the expensive looking one.

He walked down the stairs and stood still until I arrived in front of him.

Standing here in front of me, I was certain that this man was not the same man who was, although cunningly wicked, gentle and was a mentor to me.

Remembering Andrew, I balled my fists in anger, but I told myself to control my anger. Going in an all in fight thoughtlessly against him was not going to work.

Finn calculated everything, he has various different scenarios already made up in his mind, anticipating his enemy's every move. The only way to defeat him was to always be a step faster than him.

The little girl stopped and looked up to the man. "I brought her, mister." she said. Finn looked down on her.

"Yes, good job Zinni. You can go inside." he tells her.

I could see her face lighting up and she bowed to him before she left. She spared me a glance and a smile before she left, but I still couldn't shake off the feeling that I had to get her out of here.

"She's a child." I start, my anger getting the best of me.

Finn chuckled. "Yes, she is quite useful."

"It's you isn't it? The Strays, attacking the packs and even the rogues... Andrew... it was all of you wasn't it?" I say with a struggle. Memories of the past resurfacing.

How could he?

"Did you only realize that now Maddie? I expected more from you." he says and started walking towards me.

I gritted my teeth, a low growl escaping from my throat. My wolf was fighting me to get out and kill Finn.

"For what Finn? For what?! Why are you doing all of this?!" I tried not to be so furious, but I clearly failed at that.

Finn had a look on his face that told me that he was getting bored with my outburst.

"That's the problem with you Maddie. You are strong, you are capable of so much more, but you feel too much. You don't think." he was a step away behind me when he uttered those words and I could feel goosebumps all over.

I was so utterly vexed and all I could do was stand in place.

"Answer me! All these lives and for what?" I demand again.

I heard him sigh before answering.

"For revenge."