With the morning's briefing having went well as usual, Rain could foresee no hiccups to the day, which had her beaming with pride for her tech team, they sure were the most efficient bunch one could ever hope for. Flinging a folder onto one stack of completed work to the right side of her desk, Rain paused movement, wondering about Blaze, her brother and second in charge. She didn't do this often, but lately, something was niggling at her senses.

Generally, Blaze was an amazing support system, must be the beta blood in him, Rain mused. He was wonderful really, the reason Rain had never missed a detail when it pertained to their huge family is mostly because the former beta took it upon himself to doublecheck and tripplecheck everything they had going on in their group. He was so thorough it freaked Rain out at times because if he ever did misbehave, he would probably cover his tracks so good that their family would be none the wiser till it was too late. But the rogue tried not think too darkly of anyone, the lack of trust was a thing of rogue genetics after all.

This train of thought came from how lately, Blaze takes on more of their workload and is the first one into the office and the last one out. Some documents Rain doesn't even hear of unless they are doing periodic recon and filing. And even those are prepared by Blaze!

Shaking off the feeling, our Rogue kept on with her work, during which, she found a loose folder laying right off the edge of her desk and about to fall off.

She flipped through it, realising it was nothing big. "Just a duplicate." Came her mumble. Picking it up, she thought to shred it to avoid confusion and double booking. However, upon aproaching the machine by Blaze's corner of the office, she noticed something else. Of course it was shredder waste but this particular paper was still half there and hanging off one side of the machine.

Curious, Rain lifted the piece of paper to come upon a map full of route markings and scratched paths over it. What weirded Rain out was the location of the markings on the routes and hills, they were oddly familiar yet Rain knew she had never seen nor attended to that type paperwork previously...

Just then Blaze walked in, "Hey I brought you cof- sh*t Rain let of go of that!" He quick as lightning put the cups down then ripped the paper out of a bug eyed Rain's hands and turned the shredder on, finishing off what's left of the paper. Then remained hunched over the machinery.

All this time Rain's eyes were stuck studying her brother's form incase she had missed something, because for once he was actually hiding something from her. She growled lowly, the disgust undisguised on her face. "This is what we do now? We keep secrets from each other?!"

Blaze was struck with fear, for all a big man he seemed, losing Rain's trust after everything they had been through was NOT on his wishlist. "Look," he braved pulling her in for a hug, though she was stiff. "I am sorry but it's better off left in the trash, you know I would never bring harm to you nor the others."

Rain knew that, she knew Blaze to be a futuristic planning type of leader, in a selfless manner that is, but she also knew it was in their damned rogue blood to either want to destroy someone or yourself... Her claws were slowly unsheathing themselves as she coldly returned the embrace. The urge to dig them into his flesh strong, she frowned.

"Hey," he urged the rigid woman, pushing her face up to his and maintaining eye contact. His golden eyes shined with sadness because hers were harsh with suspecion, "trust is very important between us, I know that. But I would rather lose your trust than let you get hurt again. Its cool, It's ok. Everything's fine." He patted her shoulders, letting her go before continuing on his way to sit on the edge of his desk, his head bowed in shame.

Rain was dumbfounded, she couldn't put her finger on Blaze's words, in their line of work, getting hurt was a certainty so why would he mind that now? She was near certain that piece of paper had something of her past in it, and then her mind started rolling in the theories; What if her brother here was in cahoots with the wrong people? Did this mean she would have to watch her back now? Or was Blaze in trouble?

Whatever it maybe, she didn't want to follow this crazy train of thought, she really didn't want to face the idea that her past could be clashing with her present inside of her head.

She breathed, shaking her head at her thoughts, maybe I should release this energy somehow.

"Whatever, I'll be spending my energy in the gym. You can come too." As she turned to walk out, she missed the slight return of shine to those golden eyes she liked.

Blaze happily jumped right up to join her, their coffee forgotten by the shredder. To the basement it would be then.

~~~~

It was always comical how the rogue leader managed to gather followers whenever she went to the gym at random times of the day. Everybody knew that 'rock-your-muscles' gym sessions occurred from early dawn to breakfast time and maybe past for stamina and all else, but at midday, leader Rain-Echo going there meant it wasn't to be missed, that it couldn't be missed!

Their apartment size gym was located in the basement, with a dark theme of greys and black, it was quite the most interesting room in the building. They had commercial type machinery and weights, punching bags and wooden dummies for martial arts practice on one side of the gym.

The other side however, was a vandal's dream. The place was made to inflict pain, with only small patches of clear space and random tree-like replicas and other obstacles in the area alongside random things stuck to the wall as if they were prodruding from it. There was steel pipes, knives, 6ft wooden sticks, chains, mini axes, even bowls of sand in some corners and others of water, and random obstacles all over. Rain believed that no matter where you are, your environment can be your weapon. Items like cheap coffee tables, trash cans and more were arranged literally everywhere. As stated, room for moving without tripping was scarce. The rogue didn't want anybody getting too comfortable in their fighting skills cause war could occur even on rocky slopes where even a shred of balance was a luxury.

As she approached the area with sure steps, the delight in her eyes couldn't be mistaken. Her head twitched to her right, with her rogues crowding around as well, she smiled, turning a circle she addressed her kin. "It can't be helped can it? We're violent bastards whether we like it or not."

She got a roar from her crowd, which made her smile wider. She looked around, releasing her hair from its bun. There was tears in her eyes though she would not let them fall. "Living with a target on your back gets to you doesn't it??"

Another roar, louder and more ferocious echoed back at her. They all knew knew that being a rogue was a double edged sword, first you have the determination to conquer the tallest mountain alongside the strangling need to jump off the same mountain and end it all.

It was tragic really. A death sentence in your own DNA, a never ending blood lust, always needing a tether to keep your head screwed on right for just a little longer, for just one more day...

The violence in their bloodstream had to be released somehow before it turned suicidal or homicidal.

They knew, this is why they had moments like these. To tether them to Earth just a bit longer, just one more day...

Mama knew her children were sinners anyway.

With a huff, Rain pulled at her arms, stretching. "Who wants a round?"

Ever self punishing, Blaze took his top off. He thought it would be one way for her to sort her emotions torwards him out.

The rogues surrounding could feel an unusual tension in the air, Rain flipped her head to the roof, deciding why not?

"There is only a 0.01% chance of a damn rogue ever being in a fair fight! Wherever you go they will attack you in numbers, this is why you grow two more pairs of arms and grow eyes in the back of your head.

Rhea creeped through the crowd with eery dead eyes, "Let's show them how it's done baby."

Rain laughed a crazy laugh, hands on her knees while her opponents turned a circle around her. Alright b*tch!

Rain spearheading Blaze's abdomen was the universal signal to the rogues' favourite bloodbath, axes flying overhead, pipes breaking over spines and and broken noses in the most unfair fights of all time. Two to one, three against one, no holds barred...

~~~~

It was dark out and the highly anticipated for bonfire had already begun, the rogues of this residence jovially surrounding the blaze with either drinks in hand or food. This is what it was all about after all, coming together in a happy ambience just to live in the moment, to forget their surely overactive and very violent lives. Here these wolves could, for just a short while, drop their guard and live care free as if they were in fact law pack wolves. Bandages forgotten of course.

These moments did not render them reckless though, for they still kept surveillance of their property in both CCTV and live patrol just to be sure.

While the festivities went on outside, Rain stood on the front porch, one hand in her pocket while nursing on the same beer ever so slowly the entire time. She was looking onto her people's carefree nature with a pleased smile all along. They didn't know this but, she always sunk deeper into her head when inactive, so deep she could cut herself down and plan the destruction of an empire from the darkness of her thoughts alone. However, they would never know because she never wanted anyone else feeling like her, she was not selfish, anything but. So she looked on as they ate, laughed and danced under the moonlight. Even though Rush and his Mohawk was pretending to be immortal and jumping over the flames in one of his rockstar acts as usual, despite being drunk.

They deserve this, to let go now and then.

She only wished it could be an everyday occurrence but alas, every soul in the vicinity knew how important it was that they carry on these missions, that they sustain them. It was always worth it when they freed even a single rogue from the tortures that they've since learned to be too common an occurrence. Because everyone of these survivors deserved atleast slight taste of some good in their lives.

Which is why Rain's mind was not with the party as much as it was busy with detailing out their involvement with the Mayans and investigating just what exactly they would be getting from this job.

Yes the Alpha heir was young and in a tough spot but in reality, our rogue leader could care less about the self righteous beings that were Alphas.

For this particular case, the money was good, but not as important as their earlier discovery.

Rain went back inside, straight for the lounge area right on the ground floor, where a different kind of party was going on.

Leaning on a corner couch, she asked Rhea who was dancing around with glowlights and giggling non stop. "So what you hashed out?" She asked, grabbing a strip of beef jerky from a bowl in Reynold's hands.

"Precious over here thinks we should just turn them against each other."

That idea would eliminate the possibility of there being a war with the Mayan's in the first place. "Not an option." Rain shut it down, their discovery was way too important to forfeit. She suggested another route instead.

"Get every damn detail on Mayan's opposition, how they fight, how many warriors they got, their allies, their battle plans and the brains behind the brawn. We have very little time to prepare the Mayan's for this battle and I want as few casualties as possible."

Rain spoke as she pulled out a small vial of clear liquid for a young man with dyed red hair and green eyes, Steen. He was the group's go to for when they needed inside information. A great actor, excellent with make-up and his looks were as a flippant as undergarments. Nothing you would notice until you took a closer look, he made a good spy.

"This scent mask should last you until we arrive, which isn't that long considering." The vial would remove any scent that suggests him not belonging to that particular pack. The reason why rogues are easy to tell apart from packs.

Catching it, he flipped the vile once into the air. "So a quick in and out or something sharper? And please don't say seduction. I still can't wipe grabby Eliza from my nightmares" the brusque young rogue shuddered in revulsion.

The few occupants hanging about in the room laughed. "At least you got drunk before the deed, that must've been enough consolation." Rhea teased.

She always enjoyed the sight of a blushing young man.

"No this time Romeo, we don't have time for theatrics," Rain walked to a tiny cupboard in the corner pick up an old rucksack from under the table.

Turning back around she threw it into the young rogue's hands before giving him a wink.

"Trojan horse. They haven't exactly been quiet in their search for more muscle before showdown. I think they plan to turn on each other after their 'Conqour the Mayan's' party."

Blaze spoke up, apparently having been on a phone call. "Mahoney just gave me some good news-"

"Bet it wasn't the kind of good you were hoping for now was it big flame?" Rhea teased, making Rain snort, trying to hold in her laughter. Reynold gave Blaze a sympathetic look, standing to pull Rhea down onto the couch when she tripped over air, too drunk for her own good.

"I-I wasn't-you!" Blaze dark skin would be blazing red if it were visible, he stumbled over his words trying to come back from that- embarrassing moment.

"ANYWAY," he pressed, "Somebody's due for an audit that could not be cancelled despite the circumstances."

Rain laughed as Blaze joined them on their sofa, making a toast with her beef jerky. "To the innevitable Trojan horse."

"Do you not trust in my capabilities, young Alpha?"

Rain smirked, cocky and curious.

The girl, Jessica couldn't keep still. Deliriously looking all around the battle ground for the help she'd asked for.

"I just..where the hell are your rogues?!"

Rain hummed, "Where are yours? I believe we had a deal." The girl huffed with obvious frustration, her pack behind her getting more and more anxious as a huge cloud of dust could be seen getting closer and closer. Their opponents, kicking up dust as the battle approached, the rogue's idea was that they choose a plain where there there was enough space for movement with just enough 'shrubbery' to make it interesting, hence the numerous trees everywhere, so they'd have the upper hand. "How could you ask me that at a time like this?! And where on earth are your people!?" The frantic young Alpha asked, hands barely restrained at her sides, but her face was a nice shade of red from anger.

Rain was getting upset, "Listen here princess, you have exactly 90 seconds to decide whether you need my help or not, we agreed a swap, give me my rogues or so help me Goddess I will let them tear your pack into nothing. 70 seconds" Rain sniped, while the young Alpha faced the fast approaching enemies and her tentatively retreating smaller pack.

Jessica gave a nod at the back, and the crowd parted to reveal a lovely bound and gagged bundle of rogues. A pair of twin boys, apparently children to one of her own, the father unaware of this.

Rain rolled her eyes at the sight of the dirty teenagers, its not like they had to be brought on the battlefield in their state but OK. "There they are, now your wolves?!" The young Alpha asked while indicating for her pack warriors to get into a fighting stance.

Rain, appeased by this, made sure the whole pack could hear what she said next. Unsheathing her claws , "Look all around you princess, they're everywhere." And sure enough, when the 20th second mark hit and the opponents were close enough to smell, the rogues dropped from every tree surrounding the area and right into the middle of the oncoming opposition, surprising and separating the barrage of wolves into two groups. Divide and conquer was the plan.

Rain smirked, pointing at a strong tank of a man, one of the Alphas from opposition. "I'll take blondie, you have fun with grandpa." With that she sped right into the fray, shifting into her hybrid form seconds before they clashed head on.

The gore, the chaos and the howls had young Jessica astounded. "They're crazy..." She whispered, before urging her people to join in.

•••

A/N

Addict.