The Characters of Clayton, Rya, Kennedy, Dallas, and the Valentines belong to Rachelle. The character of Cora is expanded on with Permission from Rachelle, and is written for the pleasure of the International Wildflower Pack, the WhiskeyQueenn fandom. #WildflowersUnited #iwp

:: Thank you Rachelle Whiskeyqueenn for sharing your lovely narrative with us.::

Mates vs Rogues

I stood in the ruins of the 17th Street Food Kitchen, unfallen tears moistened my eyes as I shook with rage. I will not cry, I will not break down in front of these terrified wolves and humans who need my strength. Apple clung helplessly to Winston's arm, his face half covered in bruises. Mariselle and two human females, were trying to salvage cookware from the rubble but it was futile. The building had been vandalized and half-burnt to the ground, everything smashed into bits. The building itself was a total loss, with a dozen of others damaged on the blocks around the 17th Street Bridge. The police said it was a turf war between rival gangs, but the packless wolves and I knew better. It was rogues, the criminal element of wolf society. It was a bold attack in the middle of a city, and that made it all the more dangerous. It was group looking to take themselves a territory from land that should have been claimed and protected by a pack long ago. I may be on the outs with the Urban pack right now, but this was their city and it was their job to deal with rogues.

Wilson told me the Alphas were all at the pack offices, so I headed to the heart of the downtown district, to their towers in the sky. Winston and Jorge followed me to the pack offices, each representing one of the packless neighborhoods. As the glass elevator on the outside of the building rose, they both shifted nervously. They knew they had no status here, but I carried rank from two different and powerful packs. Normally it was not a card I would play, but I had flown home into a war zone. Grandmama stood on my left, she shifted beside me unimpressed, flicking the last of her cigarette on the elevator floor.

"So he lives here?"

"No, he lives in that building over there, on the second to highest floor with his parent's on the floor above." I pointed out the glass and marble tower, glittering white in the mid-morning light only two blocks away.

"I thought I taught you better than to date boys who lived in their parent's basements," she said drolly, lighting another cigarette.

Jorge burst out laughing, it sounded like something his abuela would say. Winston just stared at her like she had no sense. She didn't care. It broke the tension and I couldn't help but smile.

The receptionist at the desk stopped us, in a hushed tone she apologized, "I am sorry Gamma Cora, but you can't see the Alphas today, there has been an incident with the non-packed wolves vandalizing several pack businesses." Her name is Miranda? No, Moira. She was Wilson's mate and had served as their loyal receptionist for over two decades, as he had worked as their doorman, and yet neither were considered part of the Urban Pack. It was a shame, so many wolves who worked so hard for a pack they didn't even belong to. Urban was more a corporation than pack. I hated it.

"It wasn't the Unpacked who did this. It was Rogues. We have witnesses. The two unpacked neighborhoods were attacked last night as well, I need to see the Alphas," I said firmly. 

Eyes wide, Moira picked up the phone and in moments, Luna Elizabeth and Jamison appeared.

"So you come crawling back to me from your hiding place when you want something?" he snarled. His wolf challenging mine.

"I have been at Noble catering for their guest for the last week and a half. I flew back this morning after the attacks. Urban wasn't the only one hit, both unpacked neighborhoods were vandalized as well, Jamison," I snapped. My wolf was not going to back down, many had been hurt, wolves and humans. Many homeless and impoverished families would go hungry because of the damage done. "And I don't appreciate you calling me a b!tch on my voice mail every night. You have your drunken slut, go smack her around." The last part came out as a hiss, my mother's silver laced tongue. I would never wish violence on another female, but I wanted him to remember and feel guilty.

"Don't talk about her!" Growling, he looked like he was going to shift and attack me for disrespecting him, or her? It was an odd response. I should have know he didn't really regret what happened. His skin rippled, Jorge and Winson each took a step back but I wasn't intimidated. He may be a born Alpha, but I am a very well trained Gamma.

'Well, we can go downstairs and get a coffee while we wait,' my wolf snarked. We knew it took him and his slow wolf almost 10 minutes to shift, while we could shift in seconds. 'Yes, a coffee would be nice and maybe a scone, then lunch although I don't care for dog.' Since that morning she refused to call him a wolf. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling at her antics.

This 'alpha wolf' was no threat to us. His mother put her hand on his arm, then reminded me of my place, "Please tell us all you know, Gamma Cora." 

My grandmama snorted at this pretentious she-wolf, even her ancient wolf was more powerful than the Urban Luna.

I bowed my head to the Luna in respect, then nodded to Winston, who kept his head bowed the whole time he told of the events. Jorge added a detail or two. Meanwhile, my grandmama lit another cigarette and leveled Moira with a deathgaze about the no smoking requirement in the offices. Then Luna Elizabeth thanked us for the information, and informed us there would be nothing they could do to aid the unpacked wolves until they had completed a thorough investigation to clear the unpacked, and discovered the reason and perpetrators behind the vandalism. If it was rogues, they will pursue the matter. Then we were 'dismissed' but not before I was informed that I would be at some Polo Fund-raiser and Fashion event on the next Sunday as expected of my rank. 

I was so angry, I was shaking. I did not have time for such frivolous nonsense, but if I wanted to be allowed to stay for my next two sessions of culinary school, I had to play nice. As soon as we got into Jorge's van, Grandmama Coraline let out a colorful stream of profanities that would have made a Merchant Marine proud. And again Winston was dumbfounded by her unique language skills.

~

We spent the next two days finding wolf and human families new places to live and salvaging what we could. Three wolf families came to live with me temporarily, as oddly, my building had only lost a single window. Wolf-training would have to wait. Coraline called in favors and soon help from Nobel and its allies arrived. Everyone seemed impressed with my programs and dismayed with how the unpacked city wolves lived. By Saturday, the mess was cleaned up. Empty lots remained where once old buildings had housed families and businesses. Several of the packs had taken in the younger displaced families, Alphas and Lunas being unwilling to let young wolves grow up in such a hostile environment without the protection of a pack. I kissed Treyanna and Trevon goodbye as they prepared for their first ever plane ride, they were going to Noble.

My grandmama hugged me, "I am proud of you, Cora." Then she was gone to the gate, she never says goodbye to me.

~

Sunday afternoon, I stood next to Jackson watching the polo ponies run up and down  manicured green fields. I did not understand some of the sports humans came up with and, honestly, I was terrified of these giant beast, they rode on. We had all been sprayed with scent masking spray because horses and wolves did not mix well. We clapped politely as Jefferey, the oldest of the Urban Alphas scored. Wolves riding horses, just when I thought my life couldn't get any weirder. Suddenly, I remembered Leong's message from Shin-Mai, my mate would come from the House of the Horsemen. I swallowed, I did NOT want to be mated to a city wolf. At that moment, I would rather be anywhere but here. 

Jeffery rode over and shook Jackson's hand then mine. As I hesitantly place my hand in his, I waited for the spark, nothing. I almost collapsed in relief. I have never been so grateful that I was not someone's mate in... my... life! I had heard Jeffery had a choice mate because he had not found his true mate. That he had paid millions for the mate price but no one knew to whom. I had not met the future alpha before today and I wondered what kind of wolf his Luna was. It all just seemed so strange to me.

We were summoned to the fashion show venue and I sat two down from Luna Elizabeth. I noticed the blonde she-wolf from Jamison's bed and looked over at him. His wolf watched her the way mine watched prey and I realized something, a secret that if revealed would change everything, force him to leave me alone. Inside my wolf smiled. But before I could turn and say anything, screams of horses came from the polo pitch and an alarm went off.

The PA announced, "Everyone please go inside for your safety, there is a pack of feral dogs on the polo field."

Jackson and I looked at each other as the smell of rogue wolf washed over the crowd like a wave. Three large wolves jumped onto the stage and the models scattered jumping down into the crowd of wolves and humans. Jamison's lover fell and didn't get up, her ankle was clearly broken from trying to escape in the ridiculous 6 inch stack platforms that were tied all the way up to her thigh. Two of the wolves circled her.

"Jackson, unzip me," I demanded. I didn't want to ruin my best Micheal Kohrs by shifting in it. He looked at me like I was crazy, but did as I ordered. I stepped out of my shoes and dress, I handed them to him. Then I ducked under a table to shift. With so many large canines running around what's one more, I figured.

My wolf charged out from under the table, went over the stage and tackled the smaller of the three, the largest one was dragging the model away by her hair. She screamed and cried pathetically, not even trying to defend herself. The first rogue jumped at me and got the unpleasant surprise of my teeth in his throat. He was obviously not expecting a she-wolf who could fight. In moments, he lay at my feet. neck broken. The other jumped on me and met the same fate, death. 

I followed the scent to the girl who was still being dragged by the hair, but her cries were reduced to pitiful whimpers, pleading for mercy. Another rogue tackled me from the side and I did not hesitate to rip out his throat. Blood coated my tongue, coppery and disgusting, but I did not gag. The leader eyed me, then shifted quickly, holding the horrified female in front of him like a shield. His body was covered with scars and prison tattoos. He backed into one of the changing tents the models had used.

"Thought you'd be happy I was getting rid of the competition, Adams," He grinned, his breath and stained teeth made me want to gag. He knew which pack I was from, but he didn't know me.

I shifted so quickly he looked surprised, I angled my body so he couldn't see my tattoo. "She's not my competition, rogue." I snarled back, "Let her go."

"Oh I don't think so, I can get a pretty bounty from her dead or alive. So it makes no never mind to me. If you just walk away, you could be the next Luna. Like she wants. Or I can ransom the two of you." He is too smug and I realize he is stalling. My wolf warns me in time to turn and shove my fist down the attacking wolf's throat, his gag reflex keeps him from biting down. My claws come out and we rip one of his lungs out through his mouth. I smile at their leader's horrified look and I shake the blood off. His eyes travel from my bloody hand to my blood splattered tattoo. His eyes widen in recognition.

"Time for the moon's hounds to visit you," My wolf growls at him as he throws the female at me. But I sidestep and rip out his throat, when I turn back, Jamison's true mate is throwing up. My wolf rolls her eyes in disgust.

"Are you okay?" I ask as gently as I can. She nods frantically as I retrieve a bottle of Perrier from the ice bucket by the makeup table. "Drink this." While she sips, I wash myself in the melted ice water and put on a robe. Then I bend to remove those stupid shoes that almost got her killed. "What's your name?"

"Susanne, Susanne Hilton." It takes my mind a moment to process who her family is, ninth wealthiest in the pack. I wonder why she hasn't mated to Jamison yet, but say nothing."You saved me. Why would you save me? If I died, Jamison would be yours alone." She sounds so confused.

I laugh as I help her up, "Honey, I don't want Jamison."

"But... but he wants you, and Jamison always gets what he wants eventually," she says head bowed.

Thinking of Rya I ask, "And why didn't he want you? You're beautiful and rich, your family is number nine in the pack." I can't help my curiosity.

"I already have a choice mate, and..." she seems embarrassed, "And I'm not you. I'm nothing like you, he's obsessed with you."

A familiar male voice shouts, "Cora! Susanne!"

"In here," I yell back. Jeffery and Jamison rush in together.

They quickly take in the carnage before Jeffery seizes Suzanne, holding her close. She whimpers in his arms, clinging to him. I was not expecting that. Jamison reaches for me, but I step back.

"Jeffery is your choice mate?!?!" They just stare at me as if they are surprised by my surprise. It was like a very bad fan-fiction I read online one drunken night, it flashes through my mind, Mated to Two Alphas or Twin Alphas or Alpha Brothers or... Whatever it was, it was disturbing... Just no... h3ll no! I am not doing that!

"Excuse me, I... I think I need to go," I say, but Jamison grabs my arm as I try to push past them.

"Cora wait, I can explain," he pleads. He knows I know. 

I am too far past surprised to be angry,"Explain... EXPLAIN! When you said you got the money to start your business from your brother, I did not know you sold your true mate to him as collateral. So what the two of you share her now, is that why I found her in your bed?" I exhaled my shock into words.

"What?!?! You were in his bed, you screwed him again?"Jeffery is yelling at Susanne, she looks terrified and ashamed. Then he turns on Jamison, and I can feel his power, it is so much stronger than his younger brother's, and now I know why Jamison needed me. "You promised it wouldn't happen again until she was ready to have your child. She is mine, bought and paid for. You lied to me, brother!"

As they argued, I slipped out of the tent to discover we had an audience. I took my dress and shoes from Jackson, who won't meet my eyes. Luna Elizabeth looked like she was ready to kill someone... me. I had saved the mate of both her sons, but embarrassed the Alpha family in front of the pack. A transgression that can not be forgiven in this status driven society. I guess every pack has skeletons and I had accidentally revealed their biggest one. As I walked past, she hissed, "Be out of my city in one week, Gamma."

I looked her dead in the eye, our wolves contemplated each other for a moment, this time I did not bow my head. "Yes of course, Luna Elizabeth. Goodbye."

Oh great, what am I going to do now?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

9.2018 - CLAYTON is published!!!

Clayton (The Wildflower Series) by Rachelle Mills https://www.amazon.com/dp/164034487X/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_S8sbDbB084P46 via @amazon

2.2019- DALLAS is published!!!

Dallas (The Wildflower Series Book 2) by Rachelle Mills https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MXRVB7M/ref=cm_sw_r_tw_dp_U_x_o9sbDbPFY61NH via @amazon
Find them on Amazon

::Thank you to Rachelle for allowing this CLAYTON Fanfiction to be published.:: 

If you are reading this on a site that is not Wattpad, it has been taken

and published without my permission.