Katrina

Me and Seth run down to the infirmary as quickly as possible, not planning to stop until we reach the room Marcus is being treated in.

After finding out he had been badly injured in a rogue attack, we both threw on some clothes and high tailed it down here. From what we heard about the attack, Gamma Marcus had been ambushed by at least seven wolves, by the time reinforcements came to help the three remaining ones had latched onto him and wouldn't let go...he was unconscious when they brought him in here, and lost a lot of blood.

Just before reaching the room, the sound of growling and shouting echoes out the open door.

I clear the entryway first with Seth shortly behind me, and I stumble at the sight in utter shock.

The sight before me is jarring, even for an experienced warrior like myself. Marcus lies unconscious and bleeding in the bed, some of his blood dripping on the floor as the three pack doctors and Adri try to stop the bleeding. At the same time, three warrior wolves are growling and trying to force a young she wolf out of the room, her scent smelling of rogue and her behavior a bit feral and completely uncooperative.

I can see the fear and anguish in her eyes, and she appears to be trying to communicate desperately, her voice crying out a distorted 'No!' while moving her hands rapidly.

"Stop! Let her go! I'll deal with her!"

I call out to them, recognizing something in her anxious eyes. They immediately let her go, but continue to stand around as the poor girl huddles in the corner, her eyes darting between them and Marcus worriedly. Her blonde hair is matted and dirty, and the worn out t shirt that hangs to her knees is even filthier. Her green eyes are wide and scared, not just for herself but for Marcus as well.

But the thing that actually shocks me is her hands, because now that she's not restrained and fighting back, they are moving in a pattern I recognize very well...one I learned in my years of being rogue.

"Be careful Luna, she seems pretty aggressive."

I turn to one of the warriors, and study his face that is covered with scratches, no doubt from the terrified girl.

"Was she doing this when you showed up?"

He nods."She was crouched over him and covering his wounds, when we showed up she refused to leave him and kept moving her hands like that. It's like she can't hear us."

I sigh, smiling at the poor boy while shaking my head.

"It's because she can't."

I turn back to her and smile, and begin moving my hands and arms in a flowing pattern, I'm a bit rusty, but I'm managing. She smiles faintly in relief and begins to return my movements rapidly.

"Angel, what's going on?" Seth asks, and I smile, turning to him before returning my focus to the girl in front of me.

"She's been using sign language. She can't communicate normally because she's deaf."

Subtle gasps fill the room as I pick up the conversation where I left off.

"My name is Katrina, what is your name?" I ask and sign at the same time.

She signs back immediately, so I must have asked it right.

My name is Marigold. Please, I have to stay with him.

"I promise, we aren't going to keep you from him. I know he's important to you."

She nods rapidly.

Please don't take me away...he needs me.

I smile even wider, deciding to sign without speaking.

He is your mate, am I right?

She looks to him longingly, undoubtedly wanting to be by his side.

Yes. I just want to be with him.

"Angel? What is she saying?" Seth asks, confusion in his voice.

"She wants to stay with him. Seth, she's his mate..."

His smile brightens his face, and I notice that the doctors have managed to stabilize Marcus, even though he's still in bad shape. They more than likely will have to operate on him. Marigold doesn't need to see that, and I really want her to get some treatment herself. She looks on the skinny side, and it looks like she has been living in the woods for a long time. Goddess knows how long it's been since she was looked over by a doctor.

"How long have you been a rogue?" I ask, and she hesitates, tensing up a bit.

"You don't have to worry, I was a rogue too once."

She relaxes.

Long time. I think eight years.

"Do you have a pack? A family?"

She shakes her head, a pained look on her face.

Pack destroyed by bad wolves...family was Beta couple, only child.

My heart squeezes painful in my chest, and Seth puts his hand on my shoulder.

"Love? What's wrong?"

I swallow hard, trying to keep calm.

"Her pack was destroyed by evil rogues, her parents were the Beta pair."

"Damn...poor girl."

I look towards the warriors, all of them looking guilty.

"You three, out please. You're needed on the border of the territory more than here. I'll inform you on Marcus if anything changes."

They all quietly exit, and I return to Marigold.

"I know you want to stay with him, but I promise he's in great hands. I just want you to get checked out and cleaned up. Please, the second that's done I promise you can come back to his side."

She glances at Marcus, conflicted. Then she looks at me pleadingly.

You promise?

"I promise."

I hold out my hand, and she looks at it hesitantly before walking towards me. I slowly place my arm behind her shoulders and start leading her out of the room.

"Seth, can you stay with Marcus? I'm going to help Marigold."

"Of course my love, I'll let you know when they're done."

I show Marigold to a nearby exam room, and after calling for a free doctor or assistant I sit with her, deciding to fill the waiting time with conversation.

"Is there any food you like best? I could get something for you to eat afterwards. I know you're hungry."

She bites her lip.

I like blueberry pie...and pasta.

I grin, knowing that Andrea has a stash of pie hidden in the kitchen, and she loves to make cheeseburger macaroni for the kids.

"I think I can do that. Would you mind if I look at your hair? It looks really tangled."

I want to cut it, I don't like it long.

I nod.

"That's fine. My sister Adri, the red haired girl who's helping your mate, is really good with hair. She can fix it any way you want."

She tilts her head to the side.

Are you the Luna?

"Yes, my mate is the Alpha of this pack."

The door opens and Adri walks in.

"Hey sis, how's Marcus?"

"He's good, the docs just finished stitching him up. Now they're cleaning him up and hooking him up to the machines and fluids. He'll have some scars, and his arm will take a week or two to heal, but he's going to be fine with some rest."

I sigh in relief at the news, and from the look of relief on Marigolds face she read Adri's lips.

Adri started looking over Marigold thoroughly, and I linked Andrea to ask for the food Mari liked and then linked Tiana to ask if she had some clothes Mari could borrow until she got some of her own.

Adri agreed with me that she was a bit malnourished, and definitely in need of a bath and a haircut. Adri decided to cut her hair right away, taking off quite a few inches so that the tangled mess turned into a short length that ends an inch above her shoulders. She won't be able to do any more until the hair is clean, and after Tiana brings some clothes down for Marigold, that's exactly what happens.

She takes her shower in one of the infirmary bathrooms, and the clothes she puts on are a bit big, but clean. She looks so much better, her hair actually honey blonde and wavy, and her face was covered in freckles under all the dirt. She ended up eating enough for three people when Andrea brought over the food, and practically demolished the small pie. It was sad to realize she probably lived like a wild wolf and hunted to eat, which is why she was so dirty and hungry.

She insisted on returning to Marcus after eating, and I lead her back to his room. After visiting for a few minutes and checking on him with Seth, we decide to leave them alone for a while, and I as I left I noticed her holding his hand and tracing over the scars on his face. We check on the other warriors who got injured as well, and they ended up being superficial and already healed, and ready to go back a border patrol and amp up the routine.

"I'm pretty certain that these attacks aren't just random Seth. They've been attacking the pack before I came, this the second time someone's gotten hurt and the number of wolves attacking is only getting higher with each attack." I say after we reach the waiting room, thankfully alone. He sighs, frustration and resignation leaking through our link.

"That's what I was thinking. But considering that cannibal rogues usually don't travel in packs because they end up trying to kill each other, that means one thing..."

I sink down into a nearby couch and Seth sits beside me, and I try to remain calm and level headed about this.

"They're being lead by a rogue Alpha, and the Alpha wants to take us down."

Seth's hand rubs up and down my back soothingly, knowing that a rogue Alpha was the reason I grew up without my father. But what he doesn't know is that rogues were a part of my life a few years after that...but it's not the time right now.

"Well, we aren't going down without a fight. So if he thinks we're just going to roll over he's got another thing coming."

I nod, and the sound of someone running to us perks our attention. A warrior I recognize as Nicky rounds the corner.

"Alpha, Luna! We've captured one of the rogues, he's demanding to speak with you two only...he says he has a message for you from his Alpha..."

I stand up immediately, and Seth follows suit.

"Then lets go, I want to hear what he has to say." I growl out irritably.

"Are you sure Angel?"

I nod tightly.

"I'm fine Seth. I used to pull guard duties at the prison in Blue Mountain, it's not my first rodeo."

I follow Nicky out the infirmary and to the prison cells, Seth following behind me with worry and anger in his thoughts. Worry for me...anger towards the rogue situation.

Entering the cells, I'm greeted by the familiar gray stone walls and silver bars, the dampness in the air filling me with the old sensation of hopelessness and dread...a feeling I haven't felt in a long time.

After going through the empty halls and passing numerous empty cells, we make it the the furthest cell from the exit. This part of the prison being the darkest because of the lack of light, I have to rely on my wolfs night vision to actually walk without running into anything. We finally stop at the back cell, with two veteran guards standing sentry at the cell.

I walk up to the cell, making sure not to touch the silver bars. Looking in, I see a young man sitting on the floor, his red eyes bloodshot and sunken in. The dark circles make him look more like a skeleton than a human, and so does the twisted smile he flashes after catching sight of me.

"You must be the new Luna...well aren't you a sight..." His gravelly voice is even less human, and Seth growls menacingly at his comment.

"Don't waste my time...what do you want?" I retort, and he smirks.

"It's not what I want...but what my Alpha wants...he was so excited to hear that Seth found his Luna..."

Seth's growling gets louder.

"He really wants to meet you...and I'm sure once he does he will like you even more..."

I stop Seth from reaching for the door, not wanting him to lose control and hurt himself.

"I'm running out of patience, what is it you wanted to say?"

He chuckles darkly.

"I have a message to you Luna, from my Alpha..."