Chapter 349 Den of Thieves
Ella
The crisp air bit at my cheeks as I walked the familiar route to work on Monday morning. The city, with its towering buildings and crowded streets, was awake and buzzing with the day’s promise.
I felt well-rested after my exciting weekend, and ready to tackle whatever else came my way. Even though memories of what had transpired at the wedding shower and what-ifs about the potential meeting with my parents whirled around my head, I felt at least clear-headed enough to get started on figuring it all out.
However, the moment of tranquility was disrupted by a sudden commotion-yelling, to be precise.
“My purse! Stop! My purse!”
Without a second thought, my feet veered off the path, following the source of the distressed cries. It was an old woman, clutching her bag while a Rogue tried to wrestle it away from her frail hands..
“Shut up, old hag!” the Rogue snarled, his fists clenched as he advanced on her. “Give me your purse. Now!”
The old woman shook and whimpered, her shaking hand beginning to hold her purse out. But I wasn’t about to stand by and just watch this happen. Feeling a growl rumble in the back of my throat, I called out.
“Hey!”
The Rogue’s eyebrows raised as he turned to face me. “You want somethin’, sweetheart? Mind your own goddamn business.”
“Oh, I’ll mind my business,” I snarled, taking a few more steps toward the Rogue. “Once I’m done with you.”
The Rogue just chuckled. “What, a little girl like you? I’d crush you in an instant. Get out of here, short stuff.”
“Dear, don’t endanger yourself for an old woman like me-” the old woman began, but the Rogue cut her off, whipping the silver blade of a knife out of his pocket and pointing it at her.
“Shut up, bitch!” he snarled.
That was when I had enough. Instinct kicked in.
“Get him,” Ema growled. “I want to feel his bones crunch in my jaws.”
For the first time in a long time, I let my wolf take over. My body surged, Ema’s powers fuelling my limbs with strength and agility, and in a blink, I was by the old woman’s side. My claws extended, my ears growing to points as my canine teeth began to extend.
“Back off,” I growled, clenching my hands into fists. “Before I make you.”
The Rogue, however, wasn’t perturbed. He chuckled again, revealing two missing bottom teeth. His sinewy neck, tanned and leathered from days spent in the sun, was covered in faded tattoos. “Oh, really, princess?” he snarled. “Wanna bet?”
“Yeah, I’ll bet.”
In an instant, we were on each other. But while the Rogue’s movements were erratic and out of balance, I found my feet firmly planted in a fighting stance, my fists raised, my body easily maneuvering around the Rogue’s punches.
He tried to lunge for me, but I whirled around him and hit him with a swift elbow jab to the spot between his shoulder blades. He groaned, whirling around to face me, and made another move for me. This time, moving on muscle memory alone, I looped my arms around his neck and under his armpit, brought my leg around behind him, and sent him to the ground with a single kick to the backs of his knees- just one of many moves that I had learned throughout years of extensive Alpha training.
“Shit!” the Rogue grumbled, scrambling to his feet. “You’re an Alpha!”
“Yeah, I am,” I snarled. “Leave. Now.” My voice was stern, a final warning resonating in the air. Without another word the Rogue slipped away, disappearing into the labyrinth of the city before I could give him another good beating.
I turned to the older woman, concern lacing my words above all else. “Are you okay, ma’am?”
Her face, creased with the tales of many years, softened in relief. “Oh, dear, thank you. You’re a blessing, truly’
Guiding her to a nearby bench, I returned the purse, the worry in my heart easing at her gentle smile. Before I could leave, her hand grabbed mine and gave it a squeeze. I felt the familiar sensation of a bit of money being pressed into my palm, which I handed back.
“You really don’t need to-”
“Nonsense,” the old woman said, waving me off. “It’s the least I can do for such a kind soul like you.”
I glanced down at the five dollar bill in my hand. It was unnecessary, but a nice gesture nonetheless. “Thanks,” I said with a soft smile.
“This city,” she sighed, “it used to be such a wonderful place. It was peaceful, friendly. But it has changed so much, and so quickly, too. It’s sad to see it succumb to such darkness.”
I could hear the sadness in her voice, a melody of a time when laughter and kindness filled the streets. It struck a chord within me, a realization that this city was losing its essence to the shadows. Even since I had moved here, I had noticed the changes. It was rapidly going downhill thanks to a lack of people who really cared.
“We need more people like you, dear,” she said, a glimmer of hope in her eyes. “People who are willing to stand up against the wrong.”
Her words warmed my heart, but they also drove a nail into my resolve about my parents. I couldn’t expose them to this reality, to the shadows lurking around every corner. They would worry, they would insist I come home, and seeing the decay of this place, they might even force me to leave. I couldn’t risk that, not when so much was at stake.
After ensuring the lady was safe, I continued my walk to work. Glancing down at the five dollar bill in my hands, I couldn’t help but chuckle a little.
“Well, I suppose this is meant to be spent on something warm,” I murmured to myself, the scent of coffee wafting toward me from a nearby coffee shop.
Approaching the counter, I found myself ordering a hot coffee and a fresh pain au chocolat, something that I often craved on Monday mornings.
“You know, you’ve got a little…” The barista’s voice was lowered, her eyes focused on a small stain on my shirt. It was then that I realized that there was a tiny trace of blood from the skirmish on my collar.
“Oh, thanks,” I said, grabbing a nearby napkin to dab at the stain. “It’s… lipstick.”
The barista pursed her lips, but said nothing. I carefully dabbed at the stain until it mostly disappeared, but didn’t think much about its traces-a reminder about why I was in this city, why I worked so hard to fight the darkness that was encroaching around it. Sure, I was just one person, but it was a start.
Without another word, the barista handed me my coffee and pastry. A glance at the clock told me that I had wasted enough time this morning, and so I decided to eat on my way to work.
On my way out the door, however, I collided with a familiar figure. Strong arms, solid chest, and a scent I could recognize anywhere. My heart raced, my senses tingling as I looked up.
“Logan?” My voice was a mix of surprise and confusion. “What are you doing here?”
