Chapter 6

There were rumors of towns being built within the Rogue Territory. Many believed that it was just small areas that old packs left behind when combining packs or what was left after a pack was destroyed. This town did not seem to fit either of those descriptions. It was a hodgepodge of buildings at the center of it and housing all around it. There were two apartment buildings, one where Tasha lived and another, and the rest seemed to be single family homes. None of the homes looked alike, but all appeared to be new from how pristine the outside looked. There was one grocery store, a small pharmacy, a small clinic, a handful of small restaurants, and one large club with a bar inside of it.

As they walked the town, Tasha explained practically her life story. Tasha worked at the bar inside of the club as a bartender. Her mate, Deacon, was a bouncer at the bar and that is how they met. She left her pack when she was sixteen because she did not care for the pack life. She-wolves were looked at as wombs for pups and nothing more where she came from. She was the middle child of five and her mother was pregnant with her sixth when Tasha left. Tasha despised the idea of being nothing more than a trophy mate, housewife, and mother, so she left. Her parents never came looking for her as far as she knew, and she did not care. She traveled the sanctions to get here as she was from the Eastern Sanction. It was a difficult trip. Many wolves tried to capture her and force her to become part of their pack.

That is, until she reached here.

Tasha had a similar experience as Ruby. She stumbled into the town, and Nick had found her. Nick was practicing to become a pack doctor before his small pack was taken over by another. He managed to escape and found his way here. Now he is the town’s doctor. He found Tasha just outside of his clinic and took her in. Once she was in full health, Sims hired her as a bartender, and she met Deacon.

Ruby did not notice the mate mark on her neck until she mentioned it. Ruby tried to play it off as she couldn’t see it because of all the thick hair Tasha had, but truthfully she didn’t pay attention. Ruby scolded herself for not being observant, still convinced that she could not trust anyone.

It turned out that Tasha and Deacon were Chosen Mates. They never found their Fated Mate, and they both agreed that they didn’t want to find them. They chose each other, and that was enough for them. After what Ruby dealt with from her own mate, she had to agree with them.

Howlers was made out of cinder block on the outside that was painted blood red, with a standard steel door. Inside were tables and chairs when she first walked in, a dance floor that took up the entire area that was not for seated guests, and of course the bar in the middle of the back wall. There was no one there when they walked in, but Tasha walked off to the right of the bar. A door was on that side that led to a staircase. Sims’s office was at the top after three sets of stairs.

Well… office is a little bit of a loose term. It was his apartment.

Back at West Coast, there is a wall dedicated to the past Alphas of the pack. Every Alpha since the pack was created had his picture upon it. It was apparently bewitched so no one can remove the pictures once they are placed there so no current Alpha could erase history. When Ruby transferred to the West Coast pack, she had spent some time memorizing that wall. When the door opened, Ruby nearly kicked herself for not picking up on who this person could have been.

It was none other than Ryker Simmons, former Alpha of West Coast and Western Sanction.

And boy did his photo not do him any justice.

The man towered over both of them. His golden hair and skin made him look like a God, and his tight t-shirt showing off his muscular chest and arms did not help. Between his height and how broadly shouldered he was, Ruby did everything to not cower. Even though he was not connected to the pack anymore, his Alpha aura still carried the deathly level she heard he always had. His dirty blond hair fell loosely over his navy-blue eyes, and they locked onto hers. Ruby fought herself to not shudder as she felt goosebumps run down her body. The intense staring contest they slipped into made Ruby’s heartbeat erratically inside of her chest. She forced herself to take long, even breaths so Ryker would see that she had no intention of backing down. Why? She had no idea. Part of her felt this is what he needed to see from her, even though she had no intention of trying to win any points for him to like her in any way shape or form.

NO. Men are off the table right now. I don’t need that kind of headache.

Scarlett stirred inside of her as Ryker softly growled. Her wolf did not like the threatening tone of the growl at all and went into a protective mode. That was until she caught his scent.

Amber and berry… this is who gave you clothes and got you to a doctor? Mmmm. We should show him how thankful we are.

Scarlett! No. We don’t need to be chasing after any male, let alone this one.

Why not? He’s devilishly handsome.

That’s exactly why.

Ryker’s navy-blue eyes flickered to the color of liquid silver and then back to blue. Ruby had to stop herself from taking a step back. The last time a male’s eyes changed between their wolf’s and their own, she nearly died.

“I see you managed to escape death. You’re tougher than you look.”

Was that an insult? I feel like that was an insult.

Doesn’t matter. He saved our lives. We should thank him.

Fine.

Offer to lick something as a thank you.

Close your mouth. Your drool is hitting the floor.

“Thank you for getting me to the doc. Let me know how I can repay you.”

The corner of his mouth formed into a smirk. “I can think of a few ways, Sweetheart.”

Ruby threatened him with a growl, “don’t call me that.”

Tasha broke them up by speaking up, “Sims, she is looking for a job. Neil quit last night because he found his mate. He left this morning to join her pack.”

Ryker shook his head, “dumbass. Packs are nothing but a hassle.” He glanced at Ruby with a questioning look. “Have any bartending experience?”

“No, but that won’t stop me from learning it quick enough to keep this job.”

Ryker flashed her a smile and looked over at Tasha. “I doubt anyone else in town will want to fill in Neil’s position, and tonight is Saturday. I don’t need to even tell you how busy the club will be. Get her a shirt and start training her. Hopefully she will be ready by the time your shift starts.” Ryker closed the door on them.

He didn’t even ask me my name.

As much as Ruby wanted to bang on the door and tell Ryker off for being arrogant, she thought better of it. He did just give her a job, so at least she didn’t have to try to find one somewhere else in the town. As they turned to walk down the stairs, Ryker opened the door again. He tossed a small pouch at Tasha, and she caught it.

“There is some money in there. Seeing as she walked in this town in wolf form, I am going on a hunch that she has no clothes. Take her shopping. Get her everything she needs. Then start her training.”

“You’re going to give me a job and money to start my life over, but you aren’t going to ask me my name?”

“You’re Ruby Gardner, Alpha Davis’s daughter. Correct?” Ryker deadpanned.

Forgot that Alphas learned about other Alpha’s families…

“Yeah.” Ruby’s tone gave away her sense of defeat. “Thank you.”

Ryker closed the door again. Wait… he knows who I am now, but hasn’t said shit that I am in Rogue Territory trying to start my life over?

“Wait… you aren’t just a randomly born She-Alpha? You’re from an actual Alpha line?!” Tasha exclaimed with widened eyes.

Ruby began her descent down the stairs ahead of her. “Yeah, what of it?”

“No wonder you are so damn strong. Alpha females aren’t exactly common.”

“No, but there are quite a few scattered through the Sanctions from what I understand.”

On their way down the stairs, Ruby felt Tasha’s stare on the back of her head the entire way down. She didn’t really want anyone to know who she was around here. How would she be able to start over if people knew exactly who she was?

There went that plan.