Serene Falls: The Rogue

CHAPTER TWO

The rain hadn't let up since midnight. Sebastian stood at his back window, watching the drops run down the glass. He was anxious. His stomach was in knots, but he didn't know why. It was making him restless. He looked at the ice cube left in his cup, surrounded by just enough whiskey for one last sip. He brought his drink to his lips, downing it with a gulp. He put the empty glass to his forehead, letting the cold soothe his headache.

Sebastian's eyes flew open as headlights turned down his driveway.

He slammed his cup down, turning away from the window. With a few strides he was at the front door, opening it before the car had parked.

This was Sebastian's cabin. No one outside of his immediate family and his council knew where it was. They all knew no one was welcome without an invitation. His eyes grew dark, glaring at the car in front of him.

"What are you doing here, Noah?" he growled.

Noah Redbrick, Sebastian's Beta, was sweating, slamming his door shut.

"There was a Rogue, Bash." He snarled, spitting blood from his mouth.

Sebastian immediately saw red, rage filling his gut. His skin was hot to the touch. His fists clenched tightly at his sides. This was his territory. How dare they come here. Anger festered within him, ready to explode.

"Where?!" he shouted, his voice echoed throughout the trees.

"The North side of the University, but-"

Sebastian cut him off. He kicked his shoes off, ripping his shirt from his body. If there was a Rogue on his land, he was going to find him. And kill him.

"Bash, wait!" Noah shouted back at him. He yanked the back door of his Jeep open. He shut the door and that's when Sebastian saw her. "The Rogue had her, Bash. He knocked her out. He was on top of her."

Sebastian sprinted to where his Beta stood, holding the girl. Her sweater was in shreds. Noah had wrapped his flannel around her shoulders, but Sebastian could still see the blood. The scratches. The bruises. The handprint sprawled across her chest. The redness and swelling on her left cheek.

His stomach hurt seeing the damage done.

"Give her to me," he ordered. Noah placed her into Sebastian's arms gently, stepping back immediately. "Get Silver, Granger and Brenton. Check the entire perimeter. If he's still here, find him and bring him to me. Then figure out how the fuck he got in here." He barked the order to Noah.

He could hear the gravel fly behind him as he stepped back into his cabin, shutting the door behind him. He stared at the girl in his arms. He knew her. He knew everyone in his Pack, but he recognized her from University.

Mute.

That's what some of the kids called her. She didn't speak. She hadn't since the day her father brought her into the Pack. Sebastian was still a kid then, but he remembered the day vividly. His father had left days before and when he returned, his Beta was with him, and so were these strangers. A man and his daughter. They both looked tired.

Sunny.

That was her nickname. It was the only name he'd ever known for her. Her father made the introductions that day. Her Amber eyes met his with so much pain, he'd remembered feeling her sadness. The burden she carried from the ache she felt burned in the pit of his stomach. Her eyes were big, and beautiful. Her hair was dark and long, curling into ringlets at the ends. Her complexion was pale, a stark contrast to her mahogany curls. She was unlike anyone he'd ever seen before.

He laid her down on his bed. He examined her skin, some of the bruises were beginning to fade. He knew the superficial wounds would heal quickly, but the cuts along her abdomen were deep. He slipped away into the bathroom to grab a towel.

His eyes inspected her wounds. He gently wiped the dirt and blood away from the cuts. Her face was already a little less swollen than it was when Noah pulled her from the Jeep.

She is beautiful.

He brushed a piece of hair away from the cut on her temple, wiping dried blood from her skin.

His heart ached now as it did the day they met.

…

Darkness. The darkness was fading. Pain. There was so much pain. And whiskey? I smell whiskey.

Something touched my forehead. The panic was enough to mask the pain briefly. My eyes flew open, terror flooded my mind. I say up, realizing I was on a bed. I threw my back against the headboard, covering my head with my arms. My knees were tucked into my chest. I yelped as my stomach scrunched. The injuries to my stomach were bad.

"Palun, Ema," I whimpered. I called for my Mama, knowing I would soon be at the mercy of her murderer.

But there was silence.

A hand touched my knee.

Another yelp escaped my lips. I was crying silent tears. The salt burned the raw skin of my cheeks. My chest was heavy. I was afraid.

He cleared his throat. I was waiting. Waiting for the pain. For the darkness. But there was nothing. I slowly raised my face, meeting the eyes of the man sitting near the foot of the bed.

Sebastian.

I didn't understand. As relieved as I felt at first, it quickly faded.

I'm dreaming. This isn't real. I'm still in the darkness.

I didn't blink. I didn't move. I stared into those Cobalt seas, still waiting to wake up.

His eyes were wide. Curiosity peeking through his cold demeanor. He waited with me. There was nothing but the rain, the pitter-patter against the tin roof out back.

He remained motionless. "Sunny," he whispered.

I gulped, not able to do much more. Panic returned as the feeling of the man in the woods clawing my skin came creeping back, the cuts on my stomach making me wince in pain. Frightened, I started looking around the room. He had to be here, hiding. Getting ready to finish what he started. I scanned my surroundings in a frenzy. The tears were pouring from my eyes.

"He's not here, Sunny," Sebastian's voice pulled me from my panic. I turned my head, facing him. His gaze met mine. Suddenly, I was doubled over in pain. Crying out, gripping my stomach. Heat seared through my body. I was sweating. Sebastian was on his feet in seconds. Scooping me into his arms, he carried me into the bathroom. He laid me on the cold tile floor of his shower. He knelt beside me, letting the water run over my broken body. He stood up and adjusted the shower head, directing it to my feet. He walked from the bathroom and returned with a small vial and a glass of water.

He stepped back into the shower beside me. I was shaking. I wasn't sure if it was from fear or the water. Maybe both. It didn't matter. My senses had no control at this point. I was feeling everything and nothing all at once.

It hurt to stand here like this. I watched as Sebastian gently pulled what was left of my sweater away from my skin. I winced, holding my breath. I was in nothing but my jeans and bra. Modesty was the least of my concerns, but I still felt exposed, vulnerable.

He hands ran through my hair, rinsing out the dirt and leaves that had tangled during the attack. He reached behind me to turn the water off. He reached for a fluffy black towel from the shelf beside the shower. He wrapped it around my shoulders before helping me from the shower. I was still shaking.

The small vial and cup of water were being held out in front of me. He nodded. "Drink," he commanded.

I reached for the water, but he pulled it back.

"No. This first." He extended the hand with the vial closer to me.

My hand slowly took the vial from him.

He's your Alpha. He's not going to poison you.

I took the purple liquid to my lips and poured. I swallowed the bittersweet liquid and quickly took a sip of water to chase the taste away. Sebastian placed the empty glasses on the shelf behind me. His arm slipped around my shoulder, his body was warm, and sturdy. I leaned all my weight against him. He acted as though I was a leaf blowing against him in the wind.

We both stopped walking.

A howl.

An unfamiliar howl.

Well, unfamiliar to him. It was all too familiar to me.

My world was getting dark again. I clutched my chest. There was no air.

This was a dream. I was going to wake to that man in the woods, hovering over me. I was spinning. I was falling.

The darkness was back.