The Cowgirl Rogue

Chapter 4

My mate sneered when he caught sight of me, and I could tell that he didn't like being put up with a Rogue like me. "What are you doing here, Rogue?" he asked, spatting as if that word sickened him.

I looked at the horse behind me before looking back at the Alpha Male, unfazed about his sudden hostility towards me. I was used to it, especially from Alpha Males. "Going to compete," I replied, bored. "I mean, I have a horse." I jabbed my finger behind me, making him look that way and notice the horse before he turned his gaze back to me. "Isn't that what we do here?"

"Not here, you aren't. Your kind is not welcomed here," he said. He bared his teeth at me, and it took everything in my power to stop the sudden growl Nova wanted to send his way.

"My kind left packs because of what Alphas had done," I replied coldly, making sure that the growl didn't slip out. I checked the schedule from my phone before looking at the Alpha Male before tucking my phone back into my pocket. "And, I have done these shows for a while now with no problems at all."

"That's before you attacked Alpha Mercer's pack," my "mate," said. He narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips in disgust. He looked me up and down, and I felt uncomfortable and hurt underneath his hard gaze. "What do you have to say about that?"

"I didn't do it," I replied. I walked into my horse's stall, needing to get away from him and calm my pounding heart. I moved my fingers through his mane and started to braid his long mane, watching my horse relax. "When'd it happen?"

"Does it really matter?" my mate asked, baring his teeth at me. "It was your fault."

I bit back a scoff and rolled my eyes, focusing on my horse's mane before I answered him. "How can it be my fault if I was not here?" I asked, turning to look at him. "I mean, I could have been on the other side of the country for all you know?" I gave him a deadpanned look before turning my gaze back to my horse and finishing the braid.

"Ya right," my mate said. He rolled his eyes again, and I couldn't help but be amazed at how much of a child he was acting. "I bet you don't know where you were."

I pursed my lips and narrowed my eyes as I thought about how close I had been to Alpha Mercer's pack over the past year. "The last time I was near Alpha Mercer's pack was eight months ago," I replied, glancing at him before looking away. "However, I was an hour away. I was going to Alpha Clint's pack but was called with a business offer in New York."

"I don't believe you," my mate said. "Do you have any proof?"

I huffed and rolled my eyes. "When was the attack exactly?" I asked. I let myself out of the stall and walked over to him after making sure that the stall was locked. "I have logs of all the places I had been in the past month in a logbook in my truck. I can have my... employee pull them up for you."

My mate scowled, not liking the fact that I was "challenging" him. "And, where is this employee of yours?" he asked, sarcastically. He looked around before looking at me, raising an eyebrow. "He isn't here. Isn't he?" he asked.

Hunter ran in at that moment, clutching some paperwork. His face was red, and he smelt like sweat. His weapons were hidden, and I was glad that they were. He didn't smell like a Hunter because he hung out with me, but he didn't smell like a Wolf either. Hunter didn't smell like anything, and I could tell that it confused both my mate and his Beta.

"That is him," I said, nodding to the male that had run over to us. I scowled and folded my arms across my chest, watching as he looked down and shifted on his feet against my hard gaze. "What took you so long? Why are you sweating?" I glanced him up and down, making sure that nothing happened to the male and that he wasn't injured. After I made sure that he wasn't injured, I glared, annoyed that he was late.

"Truck broke down," he said, wiping his forehead, pushing his blonde hair to the side. "Harrison picked me and the truck up. He refused to come over here, stating that he would kill a certain Alpha for whatever reason. He dropped me an hour away, so I just ran."

"And you didn't call me because..?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Hunter cleared his throat and shifted on his feet. He looked nervous, and I could tell that he knew what I would do. "I... might have broken the phone before I came here..." He cleared his throat and didn't meet my sharp gaze. "I got pissed at a game and threw it at the wall."

I rubbed the bridge of my nose and let out an annoyed growl. Sometimes, I felt like I was way older than him, even though I was just a year older. "Hunter," I all but growled out, and he flinched. "This is the sixth phone in three months. When in the hell will you stop playing that stupid game?"

"What game?" Clint asked, sounding amused. He smiled at me when I shot him a look before turning his gaze back to the Hunter.

"Candy Crush," Hunter grumbled. "It is a stupid game that I keep playing." He shifted on his feet and cleared his throat, looking at me. "Can I..?"

"You're getting a flip phone." I held my hand, stopping him from talking. "I want that phone to be in decent condition for six months. After that, I will get you a new phone. Ok?"

Hunter grumbled something about him buying it himself underneath his breath and ignored the annoyed look that I sent his way. He shifted on his feet and moved a hand through his hair, holding something in his other hand.

"What's that?" I asked, changing the subject. I nodded to the piece of paper in his hand when he looked at me with confusion. "The paper in your hand, Stupid."

Hunter looked down at his hand, realization hitting him and ignoring the fact that I had called him "stupid." "Oh," he said, looking at me. He glanced at my mate, my mate's Beta, Alpha Mercer, and Henson. "Paperwork that you need to go over when you have the time."

"What type of paperwork?" my mate asked. He glared at the young boy, sizing him up. Jealousy filled his eyes, and I guess he could tell that we were "close." "And who the fuck are you?"

"Hunter and nunya," Hunter replied. He knew that my mate was an Alpha, but he, also knew that both Clint and I would save his hind if he got into trouble. "Should I put it in your truck?" he asked, looking at me.

"Please," I replied, tossing him the keys. "And, don't lock them in there again. I don't want to replace the window again," I called to his retreating back.

"Whatever."