JAXON POV

Alpha, Beta, and Rogue.

These three words are what separates a wolf from the rest of the pack. Because they hold a powerful meaning.

Rogue: The lone wolf. This word separates the wolf from the pack because he doesn't belong to anyone or anywhere. He's someone that doesn't have a loyal bone in his body. He is not loyal to anyone. Not to his alpha or his pack. Not even to himself. But if he becomes powerful, knows how to take care of people around him and himself, learns the laws, he could be the Alpha.

Beta: The second in command of the Alpha. He holds the power to rule if the Alpha isn't present. But if he stays loyal, he might just become an Alpha.

Alpha: The King. The only one who holds the power in his hands. The ruler of the packs lives. The leader. But one wrong move, and he can be stripped away from his position by the pack and become a rogue.

It is a circle of life. Alpha, Beta, and Rogue. Anyone could become anything.

But not Dean Russo. He is a dead man. And a man who will never be the packs next Alpha. I want him as a rogue for the rest of his life. On the run for his pathetic life.

I'm gonna kill that son of a bitch.

When Caroline told me everything, I couldn't help but feel angry. Angry enough to break anything and everything I find in my way.
I couldn't sleep. I wasn't gonna sleep until I had him made rogue. Being a rogue or omega in a werewolf community is the most degrading thing a wolf could go through. His or her ties are cut off from the pack forever. And they're considered as an outcast by every other wolf they meet. Because their scent changes into something disgusting like rotten eggs or a dead cow.
When made rogue, the wolf is stripped of everything. His family, last name, money, home, and even food. They're only survivors, trying to survive each day.
And that's what I'm gonna do to Dean.

I looked down as she slept in my arms.
I slowly moved from under her, got up, and went downstairs.

I smiled at my phone because the lock screen picture was of her laughing and now that I think about it, I can't help but think that was a fake laugh. She's been through so much. She didn't deserve any of it. I desperately wished that I could've met her sooner when she was sixteen and I'm sure I would've loved her as much as I do now and she wouldn't have to go through it all. Yes, my blood boils with the fact that she was taken forcefully and by our member of the pack. There's a code that we believe in. A code that says everything and anything deserves respect. No matter if it's a male, female, a child... doesn't matter. Dean broke that code and he's gonna pay for every fucking thing.

I'd rather watch him suffer being a rogue than kill him. A century as a rogue is what that son of a bitch deserved. I remember his parents, his mom played with me when I was a pup. She was also the woman who kept me calm when I couldn't find a mate. And she's also the woman that I couldn't protect in the war as well as Will's mother. They're my biggest regret in life.

I called the Alpha King and right on the second ring, he shouts "Where the fuck have you been? You left without telling anyone." I hated this because we didn't have the time to bicker "I need to talk to you."

"You come here and then we'll talk."

"No, now. I'm not coming to the pack until you kick Dean Russo out."

"And why would I do that? You do know that he's next in line for the throne since you just rejected it months ago."

"Not anymore. He broke the Lycan Code, Alpha King."

"And what code is that?"

"Conspiring with the rogues against his pack. The little rogue problems we were having these last months- yeah, that was Dean. The guy that rogue Greg was talking about. Dean Russo is the snitch."

"You don't have any proof, Jaxon."

"Proof? You have to be fucking kidding me."

He growled on the phone "Don't you dare curse at me boy! Know that you're talking to your Alpha." I stayed quiet, calming myself down, and said "Dean Russo will be made a rogue at midnight. He broke the code. And need I remind you, Alpha King, that whoever breaks the code either goes into prison or is kicked out of the pack. You've been teaching me that for the past six months." The other line went silent but I could still hear his breathing. He said "Come back to the pack and then we'll talk. I don't accept anything you say not until you're in front of me." And he hung up the phone.

X

CAROLINE POV

I'm sleeping in bed when suddenly I hear a roar. I wake up and go downstairs.

It's night and it rained heavily outside. Lighting strikes making me gasp in fear. I knew that I was not alone. I knew there was someone with me in this really quiet loft. Where's Jaxon? I speak his name "Jaxon?" But no answer.

Suddenly, I slipped on something, falling on my ass. Something wet under me. I looked at my hand, trying to make out what was on it when the lighting strikes again and flashes on my hand. Blood- I was sitting in a pool of blood. My white shorts are soaked red and I cry. I cry aloud and scream his name "Jaxon!" No answer. The front door opens and there was a whisper telling me to go out.
Getting up from the blood, I make my way out to the long corridor and I had this instinct to go downstairs. I did.

As I reach down the stairs, the door of the apartment in front of me opens and I walk in there. Shivering in fear as I hold myself tight. I bravely take steps inside the apartment and suddenly the door behind me closes. I don't scream but I still knew I wasn't alone. There's a growl near my ear that gives me goosebumps but I stay quiet and stiff. Not taking a step or making a sound like whoever it was will spare my life. The growl in my ear gets louder like whoever it is was closing on me. Standing behind me. Lightning strikes through the French windows and I see a body on the couch. A body that looks familiar. I make my way to it and as I walk around it, it's Jaxon. Dead and bleeding. Claw marks on his hollow chest. I cry and I heard a voice behind me "I told you, rabbit... I told you I'm coming for you." The lights are turned on and right in the corner he stands. His hands are bloody as he sucks on the blood on his finger. And then I notice the thing in his other hand. Jaxon's heart. I put my hands on my chest and cry out loud. Going down on my knees and holding Jaxon's face. I rest my forehead against his lifeless face and say "I'm so sorry. It's all my fault. I'm so sorry." Dean strides towards me but I don't pay him any attention as I mourn the love of my life, continuously apologizing for bringing him into my mess. He throws his heart near my knee and I back away but it was still beating. I look up at him and he says "You can try and fix him. Maybe he'll live, maybe he won't. But you're mine now." I grab the heart and put it back in his chest, praying that somehow he becomes alive as Dean laughs in the background, mocking me.

X

JAXON POV

I pace around in the living room when I hear her scream my name "JAXON!"

Without thinking, I run up the stairs and find her thrashing in her sleep, crying my name. Instantly, I sat beside her and pull her up in a sitting position. She was sweating but she kept crying with her eyes clenched. She tried to even push me but I held her by her arm and shake her awake "Caroline, it's a dream. Wake up." But she doesn't stop crying. I pull her face towards me as I growl lowly in her ear because it was the only thing that did the trick whenever she had a nightmare.

Her eyes pried open and she looks at me. I smile at her and say gently "Baby, it was all a nightmare." She puts her hand on my chest, right against my heart, and sits stiffly. And she doesn't move until she knows that it's still beating and then lets herself cry in relief, wrapping her arms around me and pulling me into a hug. Crying nonstop. She says almost breathless "He killed you. He got to you and killed you. He had your heart in his hand while your body laid on that couch lifeless." I pull back and kiss her "I'm here. I'm alive. He's not even near us. And I will not let him, Caroline. It was all a nightmare." She shakes her head "What if it was real and this is a dream?" She was still shocked. I took her hand and put it against my heart again with a smile "See? Still beating for you, my love." Her lips tremble but she finally smiles for me. I get in bed beside her took in my arms because she needed sleep. She needed to rest.

X

CAROLINE POV

I woke up the next morning to find the bed empty again. Panic flooded my body but I calm down when I watch him walking up the stairs with a smile on his face. His hair was wet as he dried it with a towel. Standing in front of me in jeans only.

I couldn't bring myself to smile back because of the nightmare I had and the things that happened last night. I felt vulnerable that he knows everything now. It felt like he knew all my secrets and all my pain and it was a burden on him now.

I watch as he walks to the closet and takes out a white shirt. Maybe it's better to be apart. Maybe it's better to reject him. Maybe he should reject me. Suddenly, he's sitting in front of me with my face between his hands "Don't you dare let that bullshit roam around your mind, Caroline Quinn." He pulls me into a kiss but I don't close my eyes because I was mostly confused. He pulls back and says "I love you and I'm proud that you escaped from that monster and took care of yourself. You don't know how much I love you for that."

"How... how did you know?"

"You left your mind open to me and I'm glad you did. I'm not rejecting you and I'm not letting you reject me. You're stuck with me for life. Got it?"

He nods my head for me and I smile at him, leaning into his touch. He looked beautiful. And because a smile spread on his lips, I know he read that thought too.
He said "Get ready. We're going back." My brows knit tighter "I thought we were staying for a couple of weeks." He shakes his head "We're going because today Dean Russo will be made into a rogue. I can go alone but I don't wanna leave you like this. Not with the nightmares flooding your dreams."

"Please don't. Let's just stay two or three days more."

"Caroline, I'll be with you. I promise."

He kisses my forehead and I sigh because I did not want to leave this safe space.

X

His hand was on my thigh and I take a deep breath. Looking at the black gates of the pack. I was not ready. I was not ready to face this or Dean. Or even the rest of the pack.

The gates go down and he drives in and to the long way of the parking lot.

Once, the car was parked, I saw Patty and Will standing there, and by the look on their faces... I think they knew. I asked, "You told them?" He nods "I need people to protect you, Caroline. And once they knew, Patty cried and said that she will protect you no matter what happens today. As so did Will." I take a deep breath and get out of the car.
Suddenly, I'm engulfed in a hug by Will, and then comes Patty. I look past them to Beta Claude walking towards us with the baby in his arms. I smiled at him but I was shocked too that he agreed to help me.

Patty took her pup from his arms and asked me with a smile "You wanna hold him, godmother?" I smile and take the pup in my arms. He was beautiful. Looked exactly like Will. I looked back at Claude and asked "You're helping?" He nods "When a wolf breaks the Code, they're not family anymore." Will and Patty growled in disgust and I was thankful to these people with me. Standing beside me. Ten years ago, I didn't have any of this. Ten years ago, I didn't have a family at all.

I look back at the baby in my arms as he makes little noises and I asked "What did you name him?" Patty smiled as she put the pacifier in his mouth "Caden. Caden Moon." I smiled at the name because it was perfect for him.

I felt his hand pressed against my back and suddenly my body gets comfortable. He says "I will need you guys to protect Caroline and keep her away from Dean at all times while I talk to the Alpha King. Okay?" Claude gives us a curt nod and Patty hooks her arms in mine as we walk towards the woods with their pup still in my arms.

JAXON POV

I had to tell them. I knew Caroline wasn't comfortable with the fact they knew but anything to protect her. Anything at all.

Patty and Caroline walked through the woods while Claude and Will stood with me. Will shook his head and he looks at Caroline's retreating frame "I can't believe that she went through that much, Jaxon." I didn't have words to speak but Claude spoke "I talked to the Alpha King. I filled him in with Caroline's past and he's waiting for you in his office." I asked, "Do you think he will listen?" He nods "He has to. Your father is a man of his word and he takes the Lycan Code very seriously, Alpha Prince." I smile "Claude, don't do it. Don't call me that. Not when I hate myself that the woman I love is suffering through so much and I was an idiot to not recognize it sooner. I should've known when Patty went into labor." Will claps his hand on my shoulder "It doesn't matter, Jaxon. What matters now is that we fight for Caroline. She's the reason Patty and I met, even if she denies that. She's the godmother of my pup and my future Luna Queen. I don't care what happens, we're not going down without a fight." I smiled appreciatively at him.

He helps me with the bags and we make our way through the woods and to the Alpha King's office. I was ready to fight for her.

X

I went inside his office alone. Caroline was with Patty and Will. Claude was with me.

I spoke, "Alpha King, I know Claude has filled you in with everything." His expressions were something I couldn't read but he says "He did."

"So? Are we doing this now or at midnight?"

He shakes his head "Now. He broke the Code and for that he deserves punishment. Three years in prison." I look at Claude and then at him "You're kidding me right? He needs to be turned into a rogue. He doesn't deserve a pack, he doesn't deserve a home anymore. He deserves to be on the run for the rest of his life for what he did to my mate and for what he did to the pack. We had severely injured wolves in the mating season because of him. He's the one controlling Greg- he's behind all of it." He stayed quiet, staring at me and I knew what he was thinking. I got up in anger, my eyes turning red as I said "You think he's gonna make a good Alpha King after you? Look at what he did! He's not worthy of that throne or that crown of yours. He's not even worthy to be alive."

He says "Fine. If you swear on the Moon Goddess that you will take the throne after me, I'll let you make him into a rogue, Jaxon." But he didn't let me speak, not before he laid his condition in front of me "The human doesn't get to be made Luna. Because it will be an embarrassing curse on your mothers' memories." The pack cannot survive without a Luna. It could never. If an Alpha was the leader, the Luna was the comforter- a mother to the wolves. A shoulder to cry on and I think that's beautiful. Better than an Alpha. I've been thinking that since I started making memories.

What he was asking me was impossible. Goddess hell, it was beyond fucking impossible.

I shrug "No, the next Alpha will be Will and the Luna will be Patty." I noticed how Claude went stiff as well did the Alpha King. But he spat in my face without thinking what he was about to say could hurt his brother in many ways "William will always be the Beta. And his son too."

"Why? William is born of royal blood. He possesses royal blood as does his son. And you know damn well he will make the perfect Alpha King. He was always the smartest and the fastest. The youngest warrior we have when he began training and is still training."

William joined the warrior when he was merely eleven when the age preference was thirteen when the spirit of your wolf is at its peak. I was always jealous of how good he was through the training. The mental training, physical, emotional, and spiritual- always showed amazing results. He was the one who helped me with my mental training. Always. He always had my back and I had his in the war twelve years ago. He was just twelve that time. His mother begged me to get him away when Claude was busy fighting, protecting his Luna rather than his mate and his son. Biggest regret was I listened to her and didn't save her.

Alpha King stood up with a roar at me which made my wolf and Claude's wolf bowed their head to him, pulling us down in the process. These six months, Tanner couldn't help but bow down to him even though he hated every minute of it. He whispered to me with his head bowed down "Sorry, Jaxon." I understood it all completely.
Second later, I look at him as does Claude as I ask "If my mate doesn't become the Luna, who does? Because I will not reject her and you know that very well, Alpha King." He was silent like he thought things over "Don't reject her. But you will mate Amara. You will mark her and you will make her your Luna. And you will produce an heir for the throne through her. You will not bear a pup or a human child with your human." Then he adds "She can only remain as a human fuck toy. That's it." My vision turn red and my claws extract as well as my canines.
I was in kill mode and before I could attack my disgusting father, Claude held me back as I screamed at him "FUCK YOU!"

Claude pushes me back against the wall as I roar and growl at him but he still holds me back and whispers in my ear "Take the deal or reject the human or let Dean live freely. There's no door number four, Jaxon." I looked at him and I find sympathy in his eyes for me... for my mate. I hated it so much that he didn't dare to bark back at his little brother but that's my father for you. A Beta is supposed to be your friend, your brother you can lean upon. But my father treated his Beta like a slave and nothing more.

I remember the day my grandfather made my father the Alpha King. I was six only. Everyone thought it would be Claude until he changed his decision at the last minute and picked his younger son. I still remember the shock on my grandmother's face. I can never let that memory go. I still remember how my mother hated every damn minute of being a Luna too. She hated it since the moment the crown rested upon her head and mine too.

Claude said close to my face "Calm down, Alpha Prince. Think about what Caroline would want." He was right. And I knew that Caroline wanted nothing but to get rid of Dean for once and for all. Sure this deal was shitty but when you're stuck in crossroads that go three different ways, you tend to walk on the straighter path rather than take a right or a left. Because it's the path that ensures there might be some light at the end of the dark road. Even if it's a fool's hope. But it still is a hope that I needed to hold on to.

I won't reject her and I sure as fuck will not let her rapist roam free. There's only one option left.

I calm myself down but Tanner barked in the back of my head "Are you fucking serious, Jaxon?" But I hiss back "Do you see another option? I will not mark Amara and I will not mate her either. Let Dean become a rogue and then we'll cross the bridge when we get to it." Tanner spit with disgust "Fine."

I looked at the Alpha King as he sat in his chair, waiting for my answer. My bastard of a father. I bow my head at him as Claude lets go of me. Swallowing the bile that was raiding in my throat, I said with a steady voice "I will make Amara the new Luna."

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