The Alpha's Rogue ??

40 | Catch Him First

"Fine. But if he's who I think he is," Pierce turned to Persia with a cold look in his eyes. "He's going to pay. You're all going to pay. We need to put a stop to this cold-blooded menace, especially after tonight," he motioned to the bodies laying around them. "And if I find you're in bed with our most wanted rogue, then you can kiss your pretty little royal privilege goodbye. You'll be rotting in hell with hi—"

"Enough!" Savannah glared at the Alpha, wrenching free from Justin's grasp to step up to Pierce. "I know how much you want to kill whoever did this," she waved her hand, not bringing herself to look down at Alistair's lifeless body. "But if you make it personal, you'll only hurt yourself. Think of your pack. By falsely accusing a royal of Vinlarhk, you'll bring your family and pack a world of trouble."

"She's not wrong," Persia nodded emphatically, staring down her nose as Pierce huffed. It was clear he was biting back a lashing of insults.

"So stop being a chipmunk and get moving! Go on!" Savannah practically shoved Pierce in the opposite direction to where Zion had disappeared. "Find the Silver Rogue since you're so sure he's the one who did this."

"Oh, I'll find him," Pierce leaned in close and spoke solemnly. "And when I do, I'm going to kill him."

"Be my guest," Savannah shrugged, masking the turmoil inside with feigned indifference.

Pierce continued, throwing Justin a meaningful look. "We both know how dangerous he is."

"You needn't remind us," Justin replied tersely, remembering vividly the way the Silver Rogue had poisoned him, using him as leverage against his Alpha. Pierce's Beta had been given the same treatment, allowing the rogues to pass unhindered through their territories.

Alpha Pierce laid his hand on Savannah's shoulder as if to offer her comfort. "Don't worry, Savannah. I'll make him pay for how he treated you. No one deserves to be taken hostage by such a cruel, merciless rogue. I'll set this right for all of us."

She shrugged him off. "I don't need your help." Savannah felt like blurting out that she didn't want it to be set right, as he'd put it. Despite knowing Zion's strength, and that whoever went after him would probably end up like Bastien and Alistair, Savannah still feared for her mate's life. After the crime he'd committed tonight, Zion couldn't keep running from justice forever.

"Suit yourself, sweetheart. But if I were you, I'd watch your back." Pierce gave them one last solemn nod of his head before striding off with his command flanking him.

Once he was out of sight, Savannah let out the breath she'd been holding. She sucked in another shaky breath, then crumbled.

Justin immediately wrapped his arms around her, guiding her head to his shoulder. Savannah squeezed her eyes shut against the tears that began spilling out. She couldn't comprehend that Zion had actually killed Lord Alistair. That truth was too dreadful to believe. After everything he'd told her of being fair and just, killing only those deserving of death, how could he explain away this?

The stench of blood that filled her nostrils and churned her stomach was anything but justice. What had Alistair done to result in such a horrible fate? What fate now awaited Zion should he be caught? It was too distressing to think about, and Savannah hid all her fear and angst under the guise of mourning their leader, Lord Alistair.

Even Melody was shedding tears, and other Alphas, usually so stoic, were grave as they surveyed the deaths around them.

If anyone doubted the severity of the rogue problems that plagued their country, they no longer had any misgivings. Punishment would be as swift and harsh as possible.