Chapter Fifty-Six

*Marks POV*

"I, Mark the Alpha of Rogues, reject you Morgan Klinsing as my mate and Luna."

I watched her eyes grow wide, pain coursing through every part of my body. Her breathing became labored, tears welled up in her eyes. This was it. Now I needed her to reject me back. I couldn't tell her why I had rejected her, I couldn't tell her that I was protecting her, I couldn't tell her anything. This was going to be extremely painful and break our matebond completely, but it was the only way to keep her safe. To get her and every one else out of here safely.

"Mark, why..." Her voice cracking, all she could do was look at me wide-eyed.

"Accept the rejection, Morgan." My voice was rough, the words tasted bitter in my mouth. I had to hold back the pain in my voice. If I were to be the bad guy, then I was going to be the bad guy. I felt taps in my mind, my mind-link was going crazy and I knew why.

"No."

"Accet the rejection, Morgan." I growled.

"No. I don't know why you're rejecting me when everything was getting better. I need answers." Her aura changed immensely. She was stoic and brave, holding on to everything that was between us and I wanted nothing more than to hug her in this very moment.

"If you won't accept the rejection, then this will be the last time you see me until you do. I'm done playing these games." I turned to walk away, the pain weighing heavily in my heart. I cursed the bastard in the back of my mind as I walked out her door.

*Three hours earlier*

"Alpha, the troops are ready."

"Okay, then let's go. We're going to go ahead of the girls and their groups. Do a perimeter search and recon to see where the noise is coming from."

"Yes, Alpha."

"Mark, are you ready to do this?" James asks.

"Not really, to be honest; but I need to do what's best for my pack." I sigh. "There's been enough death. How much longer are we going to have to fight for?" I look towards my beautiful mate and her entourage. My chest swells with pride watching her being proactive with the warriors. She was being extremely attentive to their needs. The way she held herself and gave out directions to the warriors was inspiring to say the least. I knew she was absolutely terrified, but this was the price of war. All feelings of fear needed to be pushed away so the enemy couldn't touch us, and my beautiful mate was much stronger than she realized.

"I think it's fucking stupid that this is happening to our girls. The Council's going to be in for one hell of a ride, huh?" James patted my back. I nodded at him.

"We're going to make it through this. You and Troy remember your details?" They both nodded. "Good. Troy, you and your team go first and start recon. Do not engage unless you absolutely have to, got it?"

"Yes, Alpha. Let's go." Troy and his group took off quickly and quietly down the hallway. James and I followed closely behind, seperating down the different corridors.

As we're walking through the corridors of the mansion, a strange pressure starts to wrap around my mind. A strong sense of calmness, peace, and tranquility fills my body and mind. I stop, sniffing the air around me; however, there was no extra scent. *'Where the fuck is this sensation coming from?'*

*"Make sure to keep the mind link open at all times. If you feel something or someone trying to put a block around us, keep your minds open as much as possible. You'll feel a lot of pressure surrounding your mind, ignore it."*

*"Who the fuck was that?!"*

*"I have no idea. I've never heard their voice before."*

*"You have no reason to fear me Alpha, I'm here to help fight. We will meet relatively soon. Please stay safe. We will talk after your upcoming battle. Watch out for Cornelius. He's extremely dangerous and powerful. I don't know his plan yet, but I do know it involves Morgan. Stay safe and come back to her safely. Goodbye for now."*

We were all baffled. Who the hell was this person and where the hell did they come from? This had to be someone extremely powerful to where they could cut into our mindlink and be able to talk to us like that.

*"Alpha, what should we do?"*

*"Obey the orders that were given to us. They obviously know what they're talking about and we need the mindlink open at all times. If you struggle to keep it up, meet up with another team. Keep constant updates as you make your way towards the living room."*

*"Yes Alpha."*

Continuing along the corridor, I catch a new scent. I motion my team to follow me, notifying the others through the mindlink. My team and I start following the scent, turning several corners before reaching a dead end with doors lining both sides of the hallway. This was place was already massive on it's own. There were still places we were still learning existed within this place; however, we had to do our best to make our way through it by following our noses to the best of our ability. I smelt my two other teams close by, so I at least knew that we were close to the main entrance.

"What's wrong Alpha, you look a little lost." A dark, menacing voice came out from the shadows of the corridor. I motioned my team to be on guard at all times with this new presence in front of us.

"No, I know exactly where I'm at. Maybe you're a little lost. What you are doing is trespassing, and trespassers don't last long here." I growled.

"Oh Alpha, stop the charades. You're nothing but a pup to me. I outrank and outpower you on so many levels, so there's no use in trying to play the big bad wolf, when you're nothing but a useless dog." The man scoffs. The rest of my crew starts growling at this new threat who had just insulted their Alpha.

"Big bad wolf, huh? I like it." I smirk. The man rolled his eyes and cracked his knucles. Within seconds the walls were covered in cracks and the whole house shook.

"I told you, I'm not here for games. Where is Morgan?"

"None of your damn business."

"Tsk, Tsk. Poor little Alpha. I hope you know that she is currently in a massive battle right now, and you're standing here, talking to me." He smirked and before some of my men could run towards their Luna, the man lit a large wall of fire, seperating us from the others. "Now, if you don't want your precious pack members to die, you will step forward just a few feet so we can talk man to man. If you do not, then all of you will be burned alive. So what will it be Alpha?"

This man wasn't bluffing. He had this murderous look in his eyes that if you didn't obey his words, he would have no issue killing you on the spot. Not wanting to risk the lives of my packmates, and to their constant pleas not to seperate from them, I walked a couple steps forward.

"Good little Alpha."

"You're going to stop calling me that real quickly." I state matter-of-factly. This guy was really getting on my nerves with his cocky attitude and the need to be better than the rest of us.

"Oh I don't think I'm better than you; I know I'm better than you." He smiled.

"You can-"

"Read minds? Yes, it's actually quite easy. Now, to get to the purpose of our talk."

He started to pace back and forth in front of me. The name Cornelous was continuously popping in my head.

"What's your-"

"You already know it, as it's right there at the forefront of you brain, you dimwitted pup. *Sigh* What to do with you and your despicable acts of heroism." He shook his head as he stopped in place in front of me.

"You're going to be the one to do it. I think it would be more fun that way."

"Do what?"

"Reject Morgan."