The Cowgirl Rogue

Chapter 16

Jack ran out of the cabin he had been staying in as soon as my truck came into view, followed by Hunter. Tears streamed down his face, and I could tell that he had no idea who was alive and who was not.

Penny let out a startled gasp and placed her hand over her mouth. Her whole body shook while I parked my truck and turned off the engine. "Jack," she breathed out, and I nodded my head.

"He's safe," I said, looking at her. "Go on and go out of the truck. He missed you, Penny."

The older female struggled but opened her door and took off her seat belt. She hopped out of my truck and ran to her grandson, hugging him tightly. Sobs wracked through her body, and my heart clenched because I could tell how much strain she had been under, not knowing if he was alive or not.

I got out of the truck and helped Lukas out with Corbin getting out of the truck on the other side. I stayed back when I placed Lukas down and watched him run over to his older brother and hug his legs.

My heart clenched when I watched the trio interact with each other, happy that I was able to bring them back together but sad that I wasn't able to protect the male who had connected them.

There had been five hundred members alive, all of them women and children with no men in sight. They all looked like they had been in the ring, all of them glazed and wide-eyed because their life had changed in the span of twelve hours.

Clint moved to my side and looked at the people exiting the vans. His eyes were wide, and I could tell that he was nervous. "I don't think..."

"We'll make do," I replied, knowing that he was worried about housing these members because we both didn't know how many there were. "About half were still alive, I'm surprised."

Clint nodded. "So am I," he replied. "I thought there would've been a lower number, especially since women are trained fighters too." He bit his lip and looked at me. "Think that some of them lost their mate?"

I nodded. "I am sure that some have," I replied. I cleared my throat and licked my lips, looking at the Alpha. "Do you think that some can move into the main packhouse, and if other members have room, then some can live in there?"

Clint nodded. "Do you have room for them?" he asked, meaning my house. He looked at me, and I shrugged my shoulder.

"Some," I replied. "Not for as many as I hoped, but I have enough space for some."

Clint nodded again. "What about the others?" he asked. "Where will they go?"

I shrugged. "I don't know," I replied; honestly, my heart sank because I had no idea what would happen to them. "At least not yet."

"The king can help with that," Corbin said, moving near us. He leaned against the truck and watched the pack interact with each other and Jack, relieved that their Alpha was alive. "I told him the number of pack members that were still alive."

"Couldn't they keep the land?" Clint asked. He looked between us because we worked closely with the king and knew this stuff better than him, especially orders that the king hadn't told the Alphas. "If so, can't they just live there?"

I shook my head and grimaced. "Not when it's dangerous," I replied. "I think the king will allow them to keep it, but I don't trust them being on it any time soon." I looked at Corbin silently, and he nodded in agreement.

"I suggest not letting them be on it either," he said. He cleared his throat and placed his hand behind his back. He studied me, and I could pick up this small bit of hesitance that he tried to cover up. "The king has asked me t-"

"No," I said, interrupting him. I scowled and narrowed my eyes, knowing full well that the king had "asked" him. "You are not staying. You are not staying here, Corbin. Do not even think about it. I will not allow it."

Corbin had this small smug look on his face, and it took everything in my powers not to smack that smug look off of his face. "Well," he drew out, and I growled a warning, softly that only Clint and Corbin could hear. His smug look grew while he folded his arms across his chest. "It looks like you don't have a choice, Doll," he said, calling me by the nickname that I hated. "The ki-"

"Does the king know that you are dick?" I asked, earning a laugh from the male while he nodded. I scowled and narrowed my eyes, annoyed and angry about this new set up because I knew that Corbin would make my life a living hell. "You are not staying, Corbin. Your j-"

"My new job is to make sure that you, pretty little lady, stay out of trouble." He shrugged and looked nonchalant for a guy who was about to get his heart ripped out of his chest. "He also wants me to report back to him because he knows that you will not tell him everything." He narrowed his eyes and smirked. "I have the paperwork to prove what I said is true."

I growled and gritted my teeth together. Anger filled my body, and all I wanted to do was find the paperwork and tear it up, but I knew that was against the law and the agreement both the king and I had.

"Well?" Corbin asked, raising an eyebrow when I didn't respond to him right off the bat. He cocked his head and studied me while Clint watched us, looking amused and frightened. "What is it going to be? Do you want to see it?"

I growled again and shook my head. "No," I responded coldly. I set my jaw and stalked closer to him, his heart rate picking up with fear, and I could smell the slightest hint of it from his body odor. "Do not get in my way, and we won't have a problem." I bared my teeth and growled again. "You know what will happen if you do, so I do not need to remind you of it." I studied him and watched as his face grew pale, feeling satisfied. "Is that understood?"

"Crystal."