ROGUES

Ten figures and counting stepped into the dim light, revealing themselves as Lycans. They appeared disheveled, their clothes torn and worn out.

Rogues!

My brain registered their existence with shock. I'd only heard of them in stories, never in real life. And these weren't just rogues; these were Lycans rogues, the most brutal of them all.

Books told of stories that painted them as savage and merciless. They were the corrupted Werewolves who had lost their sense of reasoning with only one directive - to kill. Werewolves who encountered them never lived to tell the tale.

"Stay behind me, Penelope," Alexander ordered calmly, like there was no threat in front of him.

I nodded nervously, moving behind Alexander. I had no chance against these beasts, who would tear me apart in seconds, so all I could do was trust my mate.

Forty five, I counted.

There was a total of forty five Rogues standing in front of Alexander.

One of the rogues, a particularly large one with a scar running down his face, sneered at us. "Alexander Fenris," he snarled, "How quaint."

Alexander didn't respond with words, instead he smiled at their acknowledgement.

"Even in the face of death, you're still as arrogant as ever."

Alexander exhaled boredly. "I spare your miserable life, Kane, and this is the thanks I get? You ambush your king?" His words dripped with disdain, and his golden eyes glinted with a dangerous light.

The aura I felt from him was different from before.

Kane's sneer deepened, a growl rumbling in his chest. "You'll regret-"

Before he could complete his sentence, three Rogues dropped dead in front of him, their throats slashed open by an unforseen force, their hearts were also pulled out.

Alexander's hand dripped with blood as he dropped their hearts on the floor.

The shock was evident on all the Rogues' faces as they looked at the fallen Lycans.

Walking slowly around their dead carcasses, Alexander chuckled softly. "Is this supposed to be the experimented upgrade I heard about?" He shook his head, a mocking smile on his lips. "Pathetic."

Kane's face twisted in rage and fear. His eyes turned pitch black and his body rippled as he shifted into his Lycan form. The other Rogues shifted as their leader did.

I stared speechlessly at the huge Lycans that siliva dripped from their mouth, showing how enraged they were. I'd seen Lycans transform into their forms, but I'd never seen Lycans as huge as the ones in front of me.

Were they like this cause they had been experimented on as Alexander said?

In a blur of motion, before I could process what was going on, Alexander launched himself at the remaining Rogues. All I could hear were the sounds of snarls, growls, and the clash of claws. I couldn't follow Alexander's movements but Rogues fell one by one, their bodies hitting the ground with sickening thuds.

But then I heard it—a low, menacing growl that made my blood run cold. Emerging from the shadows behind me were more rogue Lycans, their black eyes fixed on me with a killing intent.