The Rogue and the Rebel (Sanctuary #3)

Chapter One

Vince: Rogue

I had already stayed in New Orleans far longer than I wanted to. I think it had something to do with the women here. I’m not talking about the humans; they’re just as gorgeous, but the supernatural women here in New Orleans were addicting, and the witch I was giving it to right now was like candy, and my sweet tooth was craving her so badly that I couldn’t get my fill of her.

“Come for me, baby. This big bad wolf is getting close,” I growled, thrusting harder into the woman I had in the doggie position. Her dark skin was glistening from our combined sweat. Her body was beautiful, with curves all in the right places.

“Don’t stop, my big wolf,” she cried out. “I’m right there.”

Her moans were getting louder, and seconds later, her sex clutched onto my shaft, and she screamed out in pleasure that it caused my own orgasm to rip through me. I held tightly onto her beautiful, rounded globes and grunted as I pounded harder, her sex milking every drop I spurted inside her a few more times before standing still. I took a few minutes to come down before I slowly pulled myself free and then collapsed down on the bed, breathing hard.

She fell with me, panting as she came down from her sensual high. “That was intense, baby,” she said and moved her behind closer to my crotch so that we were spooning.

“Yes, ma’am,” I said between breaths, wrapping my arm around her to pull her closer.

It certainly was. This was the third day in a row that I had sex with Monique and each time, it had been just as great as it had been the first time, but I needed to get on the road. I couldn’t find myself staying long enough to form anything serious. It just wasn’t in me.

Monique was making it hard for me to do that as she rubbed her ass against my flaccid cock, waking it up.

“Ready for another round,” she cooed as she glanced over her shoulder at me.

“How about we take a little nap first? We’re going to need the energy.”

“Alright, baby,” she replied, lying her head on her pillow.

I was half tempted to stay a few more days as long as she continued letting me into her bed, but that alone wasn’t enough for me to stay longer than I should. Monique was a great woman, but she wasn’t someone I could see myself giving up my rogue status for.

Even though I was a part of my cousin Aiden’s pack in Oregon, I was a rogue wolf, just like my father, a rogue who had never bowed to any alpha and who valued his independence above all else. I needed to roam free and not be tied down to anything or anyone, but these last few months have been harder and harder to leave each destination I visited.

But unlike my father, I had never entirely severed ties with my family. Aiden led a strong pack in Oregon, and despite my rogue status, Aiden had always kept the door open for me. It was a complex relationship built on mutual respect and a shared bloodline. I could run as far as I wanted, but I knew I had a place to return to when I needed it. I fought alongside my cousin’s pack when necessary, earning the respect of the wolves who saw me as both an outsider and one of their own. I also helped Aiden from time to time with security, bounty hunting, and finding people.

I generally roamed in a large circle, taking a year or so to make it to each wolf pack’s territory before heading back to Oregon, where I usually lingered a few months before leaving again. Each pack master knew me and that I was simply driving through. I didn’t intend to stay for too long and wouldn’t cause any trouble. Most of them enjoyed having me there and didn’t mind hiring me for a few jobs. I was a hired contractor for security for the most part. It paid well enough for me to afford my lifestyle. Being a rogue wolf had its advantages—freedom from the rigid hierarchy that governed most packs and the ability to roam as I pleased.

I think I have been enjoying myself more and more each time I visited New Orleans because I have been here for three weeks. That’s two weeks too long. Not many cities have a mix of supernatural creatures like New Orleans did. Maybe it was the river or the Ley Lines, but it was definitely the hot spot for all our kind. We blended well with the humans. The majority of them didn’t know we were there—the only ones who knew who we truly were dealt with us regularly and were sworn to secrecy. More humans knew about us in New Orleans than any other city in the country, which made living there a lot easier for us, the supernatural kind.

I was close to drifting off to sleep when my phone rang. It was a familiar ringtone I had set for my cousin Aiden. I rolled over, picked it up from the bedside table, and looked back at Monique. Her breaths were slow and even, telling me that she had fallen asleep. That made me feel good as a man. As a werewolf, I had stamina and could go again soon. She would need her rest before I did. It was best that I got it out of my system now, as I wasn’t sure when the next time I would get laid.

I got up and walked into the bathroom before answering my phone. “Hey, cuz, what’s up?”

“How are things, man?” His voice was casual, so I knew that there was something he needed from me. Typically, he was bossier when he called, as his phone calls were mostly work-related.

“Not too bad. How are things with you?”

“Really great, actually. I finally found my mate, and we got married.”

“Oh, wow! That’s wonderful news,” I said cheerfully. I honestly was overjoyed for him.

I peeked around the corner to check if my raised voice had woken Monique when she made a cute snoring sound that told me she wasn’t bothered.

“Thank you,” Aiden replied, and I could hear his smile from the other end of the phone.

“So, I guess that takes care of the moon sickness, then?”

“Yeah, for the most part anyway. Say, you ever think of coming home to rejoin the pack?”

There it was. Lining me up.

“I’ve thought about it.”

I did miss home, but I had stayed away much longer this time due to what Aiden was dealing with. He had lost his wife and child, which made him fall into a bought of moon sickness, and it affected the whole pack. I stayed long enough to help his brother John sort a few things after her funeral and then left knowing what was coming.

I had seen it a few times before in other packs. It can get pretty bad if the pack master doesn’t sort himself out. I’ve only heard of two cases where they needed to be challenged due to losing themselves to the wolf. They typically didn’t win because their mind wasn’t strong enough. And, if the wolf was stronger than the challenger, it could be bad for everyone. I had only heard of an alpha taking most of his pack out due to moon sickness.

If the alpha couldn’t regain control of himself, The Council would step in and take over. That could be bad for the alpha and the pack. Thankfully, for Aiden, that didn’t happen. It had gotten close, though. Had it not been for John, the pack’s omega, we probably would have lost Aiden.

Aiden loved his wife. He was excited to have a child finally, but his wife was human, so there was a chance that she wouldn’t be able to carry a wolf pup to term. She had made it into the third trimester, so we thought she was one of the rare few who would have a successful pregnancy, but she started showing complications. Aiden was grief-stricken and had turned into his wolf shortly after losing them and wouldn’t shift back, passing the reins of the pack over to John, our pack’s omega. John wasn’t ready to be alpha and had to lean more on me and Aiden’s third to help.

“What about being a pack master?” he asked, catching me off guard.

“Uh, well, it sounds great and all, but I’m not up for challenging anyone. But, if you’re giving up the role, I wouldn’t mind considering settling down for a while.”

“Well, I’m not considering giving up as pack master here, but I do have an opening for one in New York.”

“New York? Clearly, I missed something.”

“You certainly have. My mate came from New York, and her father wasn’t reluctant to give her permission to leave, so he came over here, and well, let’s just say that he challenged me and lost. Now, I have two packs to run and am not interested in taking over the New York pack. Actually, The Council forbids it.”

“Oh, wow, cuz. You sure have your hands full.” Clearly, I had missed far too much since I left there months ago.

“I do. It certainly needs to be straightened out. They’re a little behind on the times. I’ve spoken to The Council, and if I can find someone to take over, I can pass it on to them or let someone from that pack take the role. The Council seems to think that isn’t too great of an idea. The pack needs to modernize, and the Council doesn’t want anyone from that pack to take any form of leadership.”

“Modernize? How far behind are they.”

“John can fill you in. I sent him up there to handle things until I figure out what to do.”

“I can’t believe you sent your omega up there to handle this pack, especially if you say it’s that bad. I know he’s truly gifted and all, but if they’re as unpleasant as you say they are, he may be walking into a slaughterhouse.”

“I know,” he sighed. “It wasn’t my best decision. I mean, I’ve made quite a few mistakes these past few years, but I know it isn’t a mistake to name you as pack master for that pack. I know you said that you wanted to be a lone wolf, but rogue or not, you are alpha material and would’ve been my third had you stayed.”

“I really appreciate that, man. Maybe I can drive up there and at least help him before I make a final decision.”

“I’ll send you the address and tell John to expect you.”

Aiden hung up before I could say anything. Seconds later, my phone dinged. Aiden messaged me the address. I sighed, staring at the address. I think I remembered visiting this pack years ago. Aiden was right. They were behind on some of their ways and needed to get caught up per The Council’s orders.

The pack master wanted to expand his pack and was doing whatever he could to do so, which meant having as many pups as they could. Rumor was that he wanted to challenge The Council, hoping he could break away from pack laws and become his own entity. I wasn’t sure if it was possible. We had our laws for a reason. They protected us and the humans. What that pack master was doing was dangerous for our kind and every other supernatural being.

I stared at myself in the mirror. My unkempt bed hair and unshaven face made me appear a little older than twenty-nine years of age. I still had a lot of vigor and strength inside me, but could I indeed be a pack master? Aiden seemed to think so.

I poked my head out to see if Monique was still asleep, and she was, thankfully. I would instead sneak out while she was sleeping rather than hear her whine and beg for me to stay. She was beautiful, and the sex was great, but she also knew that I wasn’t planning on staying for much longer.

There were four other women before Monique, and each of them tried to get me to stay longer, yet they all knew me as the rogue wolf. No matter how much begging they did, how much pleading, or how many sexual favors they offered and gave, I wasn’t staying.

I quietly stepped around her bedroom, gathering the few things I had lying around, which wasn’t much. I always carried a bag with me and made it a habit never to leave anything behind. No matter if I thought I was coming back, I always grabbed everything I brought with me that day, packed it in my bag, and left.

I looked over my shoulder again to ensure she was still asleep before I quietly exited her room and her house. Just to take a few extra precautions, after I secured my bag into one of the two saddlebags on my Harley, I rolled it down the street a few blocks before hopping on, turning the ignition over, and speeding away.