Yvonne's Rogue

Phoenix followed him to a seating area in one corner of his office and, settling on a big plush chair, tucked her feet under her rather than have them dangle. He took one of the couches and seemed to fill most of it. His long legs stretched out, Lorenzo happily sitting on one muscular thigh. She fought the need to blush. His sister Yvonne was one of her best friends and she knew his brother Luc. But while they were both gorgeous, their good looks hadn't in anyway prepared her for the oldest Belcourt sibling.

Golden brown curls tamed into waves rose above his forehead and tempted her to mess them up, her fingers actually itching to do so. She grasped her blue skirt tightly, needing something to do with them. Both his cheekbones and jawline were sharp enough to cut, she thought with an inner giggle. And his nose! So straight and perfect. Lips that had been beautiful in unhappiness, had her curling her toes with his smile. Dark eyebrows and lashes framed large eyes she was afraid to meet. She'd never been shy in her life. but she couldn't meet his eyes. So while she knew they were some shade of blue, she didn't know their true color and was angry at herself for her cowardice. She wanted to know their color. So badly. Instead she focused on Lorenzo and told an abridge version of the events. She didn't mention the displaced pack. That was hers to fix. Nor did she mention the spells or Angie. She told of trying to find who the baby belonged to, but left out the details of that as well.

"After not finding any rumors of a missing pup, it was that beautiful baby who gave me the clue I needed. He tried to chew on a necklace and when it was taken away, he used a certain pressure to get it back. An Alpha blood if I ever saw one. Blond and blue eyed? No rumors? Alpha pup about in the six month range. Bell Moon fit perfectly. So I headed this way."

"Why did you not tell the wolf at the main gate you had him? Or me?" Theo asked.

"An alpha pup was taken from his family. And, like I said, there were no rumors. I didn't know if the inside man was caught. I know the two that dropped him off in my forest weren't. And they weren't of your pack, so someone had to help them get on and off your property. You have a very strong boundary line. It quite hurt to go over it. And if I hadn't entered at the main gate, an alarm should have sounded in your minds. I didn't think it was you, Theo, or even the guard. But I wanted to make sure he was given to his father. If no one knew I had him, no one could take him from me. Or try to. That's why," her words ended softly.

She looked up to find both men staring at her in shock and rising anger. Her eyes widened. She quickly thought over what she had just said that could have caused it. She groaned when she realized what it had to be, "Have you not been looking for an inside man?"

The blush that burned on both men's cheeks would have made her laugh at any other time. "It's a good thing I was paranoid then. They are still definitely at large. I understand though. Believing someone betrayed you is not ever what you want to think. And you were searching for your boy."

"You said the two who dropped him off in your forest were not of my pack. Did you see them?" André asked and his deep voice warmed her. She really did not know what was wrong with her today, she thought, fighting another blush.

"Yes, I did. I am a rogue. I know how not to be seen, but see. Tall, blond, not your blond, white blond. The bigger of the two had a scar on his cheek, which is rare for a wolf you must admit. The other had eyes so light blue they were startling."

"How did you know they were not from my pack?"

She narrowed her eyes, looking thoughtfully down at her lap. This wasn't something to tell lightly. Baseline scents, while not a true secret, was something rogues used to keep safe. And packs, in their group arrogance, took them so much for granted that they seemed to forget they existed.

"Well?" This time he put a bit of power behind his demand and she shivered at the wave of attraction she felt. The power he gave in that one word was nowhere near his top level. In fact, she was sure it wasn't meant to be noticeable to anything but her subconscious. She'd been trying to ignore the power he emanated, not needing another reason to find him appealing. But with that one word. Wow!

She needed to get out of there. Soon. But then her eyes fell back on Lorenzo and she knew until he was safe, she wasn't going anywhere. They'd also need all the information possible to stop him.

"Base scents." She smiled at the confusion on both males faces. "That's how I knew. Base scents. Living in one place for your whole life will give you a base scent that is the same as the rest of the pack who live with you. It's slight and under your natural scent. It takes a while to get the hang of smelling for it. But as a rogue? Knowing the smell of the lands for the unfriendliest packs can save your life. I personally like to know the smell of all the lands. That way, if I bump into a wolf, I know what to expect by their pack's reputation. Bell Moon's lands smell like a storm over a pine forest. Sharp and clean with a hint of wildness. And each of you carry that smell at the very base of your scent." She smiled at Lorenzo and he gurgled a noise back at her. "He isn't old enough yet to have it. Or I could have been here days ago."

"What was the base scent of the men who left him in the forest to die." André growled, and while still not meeting his eyes, she saw that his wolf had risen.

"Copper and ash."

***

She wasn't meeting his eyes. That fact was bothering his wolf as much as her lack of scent. Pushing his wolf back down, he reclaimed control. He knew the smell of copper and ash. But where? "And whose lands smell like copper and ash?" he demanded, keeping the slight Alpha pressure in his tone. He wanted to know. Now.

She swallowed. "The Lunar Craters."

He felt himself shaking and saw Theo was doing the same. Moving with startling speed she had Lorenzo off his lap and was back in her chair holding him calmly. Her eyes slightly weary. The surprise her action caused allowed him to regain control. He noticed it has a similar effect on Theo. She smiled slightly.

"I agree. They've stepped over the line." She rubbed her cheek against Lorenzo's golden curls and he cuddled into her, grabbing a chuck of her hair and rubbing it against his nose.

André had to ask, "Why don't you have a sent?"

She smiled. "A spell, comparable to the one that masked his presence in the room until I opened the basket."

"Are you a witch?"

"No, I just know a few spells from a sorceress friend who wanted me safe. That's one of them. It doesn't just mask my scent. To any but Alpha, Beta, and sometimes Gamma bloods, I seem human."

"Does it wear off or can you cancel it like the basket spell?"

"I have to reapply every seven days. And yes, water purified by fire can cancel it. Why?"

"If you're going to be staying here, it would be better not to come across as human, don't you think?"

He watched her eyes widen, "Who said I was staying here?"

He growled before he could stop it. "After the great service you've done this pack, did you think we wouldn't welcome you? Give you a pack and a home?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head. "You Bell Moon's, so honorable. I was teasing Lore on the way here. Told him he owed me a ring. I do plan to stay until we find and deal with whoever's threatening him. I can't leave that undone. But I also can't stay forever. Even if I wish I could."

André stood and walked away. Feeling her eyes on his back, he opened a small box on the mantle and pulled out a ring that might fit her tiny finger. He held it out to her. "He's too young to be in your debt, but I do owe you a ring."

She stared at it, compared to the one she was wearing, the signet and stones were bigger.

"Red diamonds in platinum, with rose gold. An Alpha's honor."

"Oh, wow." she breathed, her eyes still locked on the ring in his hand.

"I don't know your name." Silence. "For the record book. And so I know who to thank." She began to laugh, and slipping the gold and topaz ring off her finger, placed it on her thumb. Taking the ring from his hand, she slipped it on. It was huge on her tiny hand but fit snuggly. She continued to laugh as she pulled the chain around her neck off over her head. When it cleared the neckline six more Bell Moon signet rings clicked together. Two gold and four platinum with different colored stones. She added the gold one back on the chain as André and his Beta stared at her in shock. Placing it back over her head, she let the seven rings disappear under the fabric before looking up with a smile. But still not quite meeting his eyes.

"You're Yvonne's rogue," he breathed.

"I am. I was surprised she didn't email about Lorenzo. I would have tried to help even if the Moon Goddess hadn't dropped him in my lap." Her smiled died at their silence and she began to shake. "Why didn't she email me?" she whispered, more to herself then them.

André took a deep breath. "She almost died trying to stop the kidnapping. She's been in a coma ever since. The silver and wolfbane is out of her blood, but she still hasn't woken up."

Her eyes flashed gold and she held Lorenzo out for him to take. Pulling his son to him, he watched her wrap her arms around her knees and press her face tightly into them. Her shaking vibrated her whole body, a sob sounded, and then stillness. She slowly straightened and pulled in a deep breath through her nose. She let it out in a sigh. "There will be nothing but ashes left," she growled. Standing, she headed to the basket and pulled a cell out of it. André and Theo watched, uncertain of what was happening.

She dialed a number. They listened to the call with wide eyes.

"You're calling again? What's wrong?"

"Eevi, I need you."

"Of course."

"No. I need you to come here. I need your healing for one of my loved ones. A coma. Please."

"How loved?"

"Your level."

There was a long silence. "You're on Bell Moon lands."

"I know where I am."

"My level?"

"Yes."

"Then I'll be there, Little One."

"Thank you," she clicked the call off. And walked back to them. "I won't be able to see Yvonne until Eevi comes. Drat it all. It's part of the spell. You should call Luc. I'm sure he's miserable over there in Africa, unable to help. He needs to know Lorenzo's back; and tell him a sorceress extraordinaire is coming to help Yvonne. But also tell him to hurry up and finish. We need him here. You should call your pack in tonight and celebrate your son's return. They need to know. And we'll protect him. Is there another room like Yvonne's that has a little room off it for him? If so, I'll take it. It's time for his feeding and nap. And I need to be alone."