“Why do I always have to play bait?” I ask Erik, grumbling as he smirks at me and leans against the car. It's getting ridiculous that I’m always the one that has to pretend to be some clueless innocent as I walk up to the rogue. So sexist.
“Because you have that innocent look. If I walked in that bar now, they would know I’m here to kill them,” Erik shrugs.
“It’s because I’m a girl, isn’t it?” I reply drily.
“Maybe,” Erik shrugs.
“I’m just as good as you in a fight, maybe even better,” I tell him, and he just grins at me again.
“You keep telling yourself that, sis,” he replies.
“Have you spoken to Snow yet?” I ask him, and he glares at me this time.
“Snow won’t speak to me about him, if that’s what you’re asking,” Erik mutters, moving off the car and turning away from me.
“So, you're avoiding both your best friend and your mate, brilliant work of handling the situation, brother,” I retort, my mockery evident.
“Says you, the one avoiding three bears who claim to be your mates. You avoid your problems just as much as I do,” he says, and I don’t respond as I walk away from him and up to the entrance of the bar. Those bears must be wrong, but they have been claiming the same thing for the past year, ever since I met them at the ball. You’re our mate. Come to our pack. Let us talk to you. I’ve had nothing but roses, presents, and invites to their pack since that damn ball.
“Hey…pretty little thing,” a man slurs, his face shadowed as he leans against the outside of the bar. I try to ignore the wave of disgust I feel looking at him and walk into the bar without replying. The bar is packed when I walk in, drunk humans everywhere, and it takes me only a minute to spot the rogue wolf we’ve been searching for. The wolf is in human form, looking a state as he drinks a shot and leaves the drained glass next to the row of other empty ones. His clothes have seen better days, and I can’t help running my eyes over him. He has a very strong looking body that I can see hidden under his clothes. The wolf turns to look at me when I walk closer, his dark blue eyes locking with mine, and his scent hits me. He smells amazing, and I don’t know what to do as we both stare at each other for a long time.
“Do you even know why you’re hunting me, darling?” The wolf asks, his voice is deep and husky as he puts his finger up and another shot is placed in front of him. I don’t recognise his accent, but it's definitely foreign.
“The royals send the order, I don’t usually check the details,” I respond, slipping into the seat next to him, but never taking my eyes off him as I do so.
“Just a paid lackey, huh? Not checking who you’re hunting because you trust the royals so much?” he says and then laughs.
“Just come outside with me. I will take you in, and I won’t have to kill you,” I say and watch as he takes another shot.
“I recognise you, Gold,” he tells me, tilting his head to the side.
“You don’t look or act like a normal rogue. If you had heard of me, you would run out the door,” I say, used to rogues doing just that.
“That’s why the back door is already locked, and your twin is waiting outside the only open door,” he tells me, knowing our plan already.
“You’re going to make this difficult, aren’t you?” I tilt my head to the side as I look at him.
“No one bit. I won’t hurt you.” He tells me, confusing me further.
“Don’t you know who I am to you?” He chuckles, and I slide off my chair, shaking my head as more of his scent hits me. It makes me want to fall to my knees, and I’m trying hard not to move closer to him like my body wants me too.
“You can’t be…” I whisper hoarsely.
“You’re my mate. I can smell it, and I know some part of you recognises that too,” he chuckles. I shake my head and turn my back on him as I walk out the door. I can’t hurt him or be anywhere near him, they need to send someone else to do this. Erik frowns at me when he sees me walking out, and then he looks behind me. I turn to see my rogue following me out of the bar, stumbling a little as he walks. The wolf is as drunk as he can get.
“Don’t kill him, you can’t,” I hold a hand up to Erik, who frowns.
“It’s our job, Gold, what the hell are you doing?” He asks me.
“Protecting my drunken mate, it seems,” I say and turn around in time to see my rogue fall, face first, flat on the floor with a thud.