Beauty and

Chapter 180 – Caleb

I sat in my office, drinking a black coffee in a bid to keep myself awake longer. I still have so much to do. Our search through the forest which sits alongside the pack had proved to be difficult. The area was large and there were so many different areas the rogues may have branched off into. We could not risk losing them. I wanted to capture at least some to gain some answers. For Bailey. For Asher. We needed that. If it was in fact an attack linked to the upcoming Alpha of her pack, then I would not be failing in reporting him to the Werewolf Council.

had heard all the things he had done to Bailey as we ran. Asher shared them with me as our wolves were hunting for her. Though my gut told me that was likely not all he had done to her, it may just have been the things she felt able to share with Asher. When someone has been treated that way for that long, it is not always easy for them to talk about it. But hearing it all, I knew he needed his punishment; and it infuriated me that his own pack had not dealt with him. They were seriously failing their pack if they still considered him fit to run the pack.

I understand Bailey’s need to keep quiet. She feared him, and he had likely threatened her with many things over the years if she spoke out. Not to mention the fact I could see when she came to visit our pack how much she respected her father, I think she considered their feelings and reputation too much as well. That poor girl had considered everybody but herself in her action, and in doing that had found herself getting hurt.

I was shocked she had agreed to go to the wedding of the man who had tortured her for so long, though I imagine it was her

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family wanting her there. It would be expected with her being part of the Beta family. She must have hoped the sick b***rd choosing to take another mate was her lucky day. A way out. It seemed that something had gone hugely wrong. Though I think the bride had simply had a lucky escape, or had seen sense. Not that it had done Bailey any favors. The sick f**er simply turned his attention back to what he knew…

I just wish Asher had spoken to me sooner. I know he wanted to protect her. Respect the trust that Bailey had shown in him by not talking to anyone about the things she had confided in him; but this information showed how much in danger she truly was. She had likely come to our pack in a bid to escape him… escape her pack. Had I known that I would have offered her an official place in our pack. She would never have had to return. We would have kept her safe. I feel I have, as an Alpha, failed her, when she was never even our pack member.

Thankfully, she was stable in the hospital, and the doctors, Eden and Asher’s regular updates were keeping me informed. I could only hope that they were able to make her better. Because I did not want to see my best friend lose the woman he so evidently wanted to make a life with. This was playing so heavily on my mind. I had been so wrapped up in my own world lately with the arrival of the baby that I had completely missed this change in Asher…

There was a sudden knock at the door. “Come in!” I yelled.

The door opened and Felix, one of the older warriors, came through the door, looking tired. “The three rogues we detained are ready for you to interrogate if you want? The other younger one is getting medical treatment first.”

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I nodded at him. This was why I had been waiting up. I would have liked nothing more than to return home and snuggle up in bed next to my mate. No doubt she would be fast asleep by now, lightly snoring, the way she does. Both our little ones hopefully allowing her to sleep. They were both making sleep more than a little challenging of late… maybe another reason I was so oblivious to things. I felt more of a zombie than a werewolf some days – the joys of being a parent! But, this was something worth staying up for. A chance to gain answers. A chance to speak to the rogues who had injured Bailey.

I quickly followed Felix to the cells. Wondering what sort of beasts I may find. Rogues were renowned for being mindless… vicious… evil. And the damage that was done to that poor girl was done without thinking twice about her or her welfare. It was some of our other warriors that had caught them on the outer edges of the forest, telling me they had been trying to escape. Which, to me, seemed a little odd. She was injured. They could have taken her. That had to have been their plan. Something had to have sp***

I marched into the cell, ensuring my aura was at it’s fullest, knowing that way I was most likely to get the answers we needed. Instantly, the three of them were looking at me in fear. These did not look like ruthless monsters. These looked like young wolves. Scared young wolves at that. Ones that would not be capable of doing the damage done to Bailey… had we captured the wrong ones? The forest was riddled with rogues on the run after all.

No. I still need to do this. Looks can be deceiving. I know that. “I want answers.” I allowed my voice to boom, and the three of them looked at me fearfully.

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“We already told your men we don’t know anything.” One young guy with deep auburn hair spoke. All three had filthy skin, like they could do with a bl**dy good shower.

“Well, that will be my place to decide, won’t it?” I glared at him, and his big green eyes looked back at me, full of terror. “We need to know why the girl was hurt. Who ordered you to help?”

A frown crossed the faces of all three of them. As this time a dark-haired guy spoke up. “Why someone order us? We are not in pack. We rogues. No Alpha to order us.”

I looked to Felix. He shrugged. Had Marc and Asher’s assumption been wrong? Had it been a chance attack when they had seen the car broken down? Nothing to do with the upcoming Alpha after all? I could understand their paranoia given the things he had done previously, but going of what these rogues were saying, I did not know now…

“Why attack them then?” I ordered.

The red-headed one deeply sighed, looking guiltily at me. “We see them on road. The car was damaged, I think. There was two she-wolves. Pretty she-wolves…” his voice faltered as his eyes looked down. They had gone after the girls. Not an unusual trait of rogues, sadly.

“You wanted the girls?” I demanded, and he nodded.

“We do not have any she-wolves near us.” He muttered, and I shook my head in disgust. How they think it is acceptable to attempt to attack she-wolves; but this was common for rogues, unfortunately. This was how so many made their mates.

“But one had man with her. He fighting for her. Helping her. So

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The CAN

we go after the other.” The dark-haired one spoke up again.

I turned to look at him now, my eyes narrowed. He was talking about Bailey now. “And you hurt her? Because we found her injured, nearly dead in the forest.” I found myself snarling; and the young guy’s eyes widened as he emphatically shook his head.

“No! No. She was still running. But she shift again. To girl form. To scream for help. Scream so loud. I think because she was near to this pack. She wanted get someone to help her. We were scared then and run.” He told me, his voice wobbling, and as I looked at him the fear in his eyes was telling me he may well be telling me the truth. But it still does not answer who hurt her.

“She was hurt. Badly. If not you, then who?” I ordered.

All three looked at me and slowly shook their heads. “There was another rogue there as we leave. Bad one. Very bad one.” The third guy spoke, his eyes slowly meeting mine, just as I received a mindlink.

‘Alpha, can you make your way to the gate please? Someone is here demanding to see you.’ the guard on duty told me, as the link quickly cut out.

‘Who? And why at this time of night?’ I replied, but I got no response, making me wonder what the hell was happening at the gate, but making me know I had no choice but to go and find out, all the while wondering if this bad rogue that the others spoke of was one enlisted by our current suspected upcoming Alpha. There was still so much to learn to give us the answers we needed.

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