Parting Ways

"Of course she's still alive! We don't kill kids, jeez." I snorted, shaking my head at him. The way the pack wolves saw us always kind of surprised me; sure, they needed propaganda about us to keep their people angry at the rogues and not the way they ran their lives, but did no one ever stop and think 'hey, they sound like cartoon level evil to me, are we sure this isn't bullshit?'. For all the education they got, you'd think they'd at least be able to think for themselves.

"Where is she?" Sebastian asked hoarsely. I shrugged.

"I don't know, I was pretty young when it happened, you know. Word around the campfire is that she was sent to live with the rogues in Scotland. You won't be able to find her, though. She won't even know she was born as a pack wolf." I pointed out, not wanting to bring pack wolves from Yorkshire down on the rogues up North. From what I'd heard, they had enough problems to deal with.

"How do you know that she isn't dead?" He asked. I rolled my eyes.

"Because we don't kill kids! Every time a child goes missing from your pack, they just get taken in by us. If they're taken as payback, they'll be sent to another area, but they aren't hurt. Worst case scenario, she got sick or hurt on a raid, but that's just natural causes at that point." We aren't pack wolves, I thought, not that I would say it out loud. Well, not right now, at least. Sebastian nodded mutely. This was quickly getting awkward.

"So, you making any changes now that you're in charge? Specifically anything to do with security?" I was only half teasing. I know he wouldn't let me in on any of his pack security tactics, but I had to at least try and ask. His pack had barely been raided at all in the past fifteen years, da's attempt to keep the three of us away, and though he was my mate I still thought it was time for that to change. If we didn't start to raid them to hell and back, they'd get complacent, and then if another pack declared war on them they wouldn't know how to defend themselves. Really, I was doing this for his own good. Though it would mean that I'd have to be leading any raids against him, just in case another rogue got into a scrap with him and did him in. At least if I was there, I could take over and we could fake both getting hurt enough to have to retreat. Much as I wanted to annoy him, I didn't fancy killing him.

"Oh, yes, I've done away with all the patrols. Told everyone I have a new security system in place, though I didn't mention it was being mated to the daughter of the rogue's leader." He commented confidently, taking a sip of wine. My mouth hung open as I stared at him. My first thought was something along the lines of how easy it would be to rob him blind, and my second was wondering if he really was that stupid. Finally, I realised that much as it hurt to correct him and lose my chance for one hell of a raid, I needed to or he'd get himself killed. I mean, sure, I was my da's daughter, but he was really overestimating how much influence I held, even as a raiding team leader.

And then he burst out laughing, a wry grin exploding across his face. I let out a relieved sigh at realizing he was just winding me up, before my own laugh came out. Thank the moon that I wouldn't have to pass up that opportunity.

"Bastard. I thought you were being serious for a moment, I was plotting out a raid." I joked, even though the scheming part of my brain still was figuring out the best way to hit the pack where it would hurt. At least, as much as a few people nicking loose cash, clothes and food from a millionaire pack could hurt.

"You didn't really think I'd tell you if I had made any security changes, did you?" He questioned, our conversation awkwardly pausing as the waiter cleared away our empty plates.

"Well, no. I added that bit for a joke, I just wanted to know what rules you were thinking of getting rid of or changing or bringing in. Every time a new alpha gets in charge they change things up, I want to know which way you're moving the pack." Part of it was genuine curiosity, but it was mostly calculated. Da had a few spies in the pack, but they never lasted very long and they never managed to climb the ranks high enough to hear interesting things before they were common knowledge. Usually, the packs got a little more progressive with every alpha (not that it actually kept them up with times), but from time to time they slid about fifty years backwards in one go. When they did that, da found it funny to throw raid after raid at them, usually topping it off with killing the alpha. I just wanted to get the inside scoop on Sebastian's policies so I could show off and make da think I had spies of my own.

"Ah, I see. Well, it won't be very easy to implement change because the elders are old and stuck in their ways and have a lot of power-" He lamented.

"I can have them taken out for you, you know. Just tell me when they'll be vulnerable and I'll get them out the way." I thought it was quite selfless to offer, but Sebastian looked horrified.

"Natalia, are you suggesting that I put a hit out on my council members?" He asked me, and from the look in his eyes, he wasn't joking. I shrugged and grinned.

"Well, I wasn't going to charge you for it, but if you're offering..." Okay, he still wasn't taking it well.

"Nat, I can't just do that!" I looked at him blankly.

"Oh, don't be such a pack wolf, of course you can. I mean, if they're stopping you from doing what you want, just get rid of them. You have a contact in the rogues now, use it. I'm doing the same with you." I said, gesturing at the food as the waiter put our steaks down in front of us. He still looked troubled.

"You have to understand that as a new alpha, I am being watched very carefully, and everyone already knows that I didn't like my father's council. If they were to be taken out by rogues, so soon and before I've managed to come to a truce with them, questions will be asked that I can't answer." He reasoned out. A massive grin spread over my face, and it wasn't just because the steak was nice.

"Here's me thinking that you were protesting cos of your morals! But no, you just don't want to get in trouble for it. How very rogue like of you, alpha." I pointed out. He gave me a sheepish grin and scratched at the back of his neck.

"I wouldn't say so, it's just something I've got to do. There's more politics involved in being an alpha than I even knew, and my father always tried to prepare me for it. You just have to be delicate to get change, even if you are in charge. Besides, give it a year or two and old age will take the council out." He said wryly. I snorted.

"Another problem with pack wolves. You all live too damn long, it lets your ideas get old and rusty." I said. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"You think it's better to die age fifty?" He said sarcastically, like he was making some big point. I laughed at him.

"Fifty is getting a bit ambitious, there. Usually we die off around forty. If you're fifty, you're a walking fossil. And yeah, I reckon it is better to die young than grow old and tired and useless and mean. There's a sweet spot where you get to raise your kids but don't clog up the world for the next generation, you know?" I explained my thoughts. He didn't look convinced.

"How can you be happy with dying so young?" I shrugged.

"It's just a fact of life, Seb. There's never enough food, the winters are cold, we don't have healthcare, and you pack wolves kill most of us before we reach thirty." I explained. To be honest, I didn't really think about it that much, and it seemed so far away that I didn't need to worry about it for the time being. Besides, my da was an exception to the rule; he was fifty, or there abouts, and he was the rogue the packs wanted dead the most. Hell, he was probably gonna be the one in a hundred rogue who gets to meet their grandkids. "Hey, how do you feel about kids?" He gave me a quizzical look.

"Strange and morbid way to change the subject, but sure. And I want a family, not a big one though. One, maybe two kids. But I'd want them to grow up safe, and have a life expectancy of more than thirty." He pointed out, and I bristled.

"And I'd want them to be free and in charge of their own lives, so it looks like neither of us would be happy." I snapped back. Sebastian sighed, rubbing his face.

"Look, lets not get into this now, okay? This is our first date and we're already bickering about any future kids we might or might not even have." He pointed out with a half frustrated smile. I wasn't so stuck up that I couldn't smile back.

"That's fair. There's a good few things we'd have to work out before we got to the kids stage anyway." I decided not to get into those particular issues. They could be a problem for future Natalia.

Thinking about it, there was probably a reason I always hated my past self.

We continued to talk, sticking to lighter subjects, though he soon figured out that we couldn't talk about any recent shows or movies. We would eventually get most things on DVD and play them on the bits of kit we had, but it took a fair few years to reach us. But even then, we got on well. We were from different lives, but we still had a lot in common. I liked him, and he seemed to like me, even though I couldn't stop myself from needling at him every now and again.

He also seemed to be slightly tipsy after drinking half a bottle of wine, the lightweight. Though I was probably just jealous; I remembered when I was a lightweight and one bottle of wine would get me off my face. Ah, the good old days. The meal was soon over, and I realised it had been a couple of hours I had now spent with him. I actually liked his company, to my surprise, but I knew I needed to leave soon. Before I could say anything, Sebastian pulled out a brown envelope.

"Look, I know that you rogues don't have much money, so I figured I'd give you a bit of cash." He said, seeming unsure of himself as he slid it across the table. I could see that it was full of twenties, a glance letting me guess that there was about a grand in there. Pocket change to an alpha, weeks worth of food for my camp. I let out a low whistle.

"Well now I feel like a prostitute." I drawled. Immediately, he flushed.

"I'm sorry, that wasn't my intention." He said, going to pull the envelope back. I reached out and took it with a shrug.

"I know it wasn't. Besides, I don't let my pride get in the way of a decent coat." I said, pocketing it and giving him a smile. "Anyway, I should be getting off now anyway. Don't crash your car on the way home." I bade him with a smile, standing up and stretching. He looked a little disappointed, but returned the grin anyway.

"Don't get run over when you go back to camp. Stay in touch." He waved his hand with a soft smile.

"Eh, maybe, maybe not." I answered, wrinkling my nose at him. He laughed.

"Bloody rogue. Go on then, piss off." He told me, waving his hand. I'm not sure what possessed me to do it, but I darted forward and kissed his cheek, before turning and all but fleeing from the restaurant.