"Em?" Kieran called, squinting his eyes and trying to make out the shape in the shadow. "Who was that?"
Erald blinked, dragging her gaze away from the mist where The Rogue King had disappeared. "Who was what?"
"That figure walking away."
Erald t his gaze. "What are you talking about?"
Kieran narrowed his eyes. "I saw soone. Right over there." He pointed to the thickest part of the fog, a muscle in his jaw twitching. "Tall. Dark coat, I think. Then the shadows swallowed him."
"I didn’t see anyone." Erald lied smoothly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Maybe it was an animal. It’s late. Your eyes are tired."
Kieran looked at her, long and hard. "You sure?"
She t his gaze evenly. "Completely."
Kieran studied her face. She wasn’t lying very well, but he didn’t push. Instead, he asked more gently, "So why did you co out here?"
"I co out here often," she added, turning back toward the estate. "Helps clear my head."
Kieran fell into step beside her. "Every night?"
"Give or take."
"That’s not the kind of thing you’ve ntioned before."
"I don’t think you even know one-tenth about ," she said in a tight voice.
Kieran didn’t comnt on the obvious lie; he just walked with her in silence.
She could tell he didn’t believe her, but it didn’t matter to her if he did or not.
Right now, all she could think about was the book. The one tucked away in her room. The one she hadn’t had a chance to read yet. The one that might finally tell her who, what, the Rogue King truly was. What his na was. What he wanted.
And why the Moon Goddess had fated them.
As they approached the bright lights of the estate, her mind was lost in distant thoughts. However, as soon as she stepped onto the marble path by the side wing, she sensed their presence before she actually saw them.
The instant they laid eyes on her with Kieran, all three n tensed up.
Adrien was leaning against the stone pillar with his arms crossed. His face was hard to read, but his eyes were sharp and observant. Next to him stood Lucian, always shrouded in shadows, his presence feeling heavy and silent.
Adrien’s gaze dropped to Erald’s legs, the slit in her dress still showing enough skin to make his wolf react accordingly. "Evening," he said, his gaze flicking from her to Kieran. "Nice walk?"
Erald’s brows arched. "Not tonight."
Lucian stepped forward slightly. "Where were you?"
Kieran answered calmly, "I found her in the woods; she said she needed air."
"In the woods?" Adrien repeated, stepping closer. "Alone?"
"I can walk where I want," Erald said, her voice clipped.
Adrien tilted his head. "That doesn’t answer why he was the only one with you."
Lucian’s voice was cool. "Nor why she’s just now returning."
Erald’s hand lifted. "Enough." Her tone was low, but the Alpha edge laced through it. "I’m not in the mood for jealous posturing. If you’re going to throw tantrums, go do it in your own rooms."
All three n stilled, staring at her.
She didn’t wait for a response. She stepped between them and walked away, her heels clicking softly against the stone.
Viola practically humd. "You just left three Alphas smouldering."
"They’ll get over it," Erald muttered.
Once inside her room, she shut the door and leaned back against it, eyes closed. Her heartbeat was still uneven; her mind still a ss.
She should’ve been thinking about the council eting, Councilman Havel’s smug indifference, the cryptic ssage on her phone, and the possible betrayal in her pack.
Instead, all she could see was his face... The Rogue King.
That maddening confidence in his gaze. That voice, and how it vibrated in her bones like he already belonged there.
Her eyes fluttered open.
"No," she snapped to herself. "No, no, no."
She pushed off the door, marched to the bed, and dropped onto it with a long exhale. The white fabric of her dress pooled around her legs as she leaned back and stared at the ceiling.
But instead of peace, images flooded her mind.
His eyes. That intense gold stare that stripped her bare, staring like he wanted to set the world on fire just to keep her warm.
His touch. A gentle brush against her skin as he brushed her hair from her face, electric and soothing all at once, as if he held the power to ignite her very soul.
His lips. The way they had hovered over her neck, just close enough to make her tremble.
His voice. The way they had felt like smoke curling into her bloodstream.
She clenched her eyes shut.
"Damn it. This isn’t happening," she muttered. "This isn’t real. This can’t be happening."
"This is exactly what you warned yourself about," Viola muttered.
"I know."
"You felt it."
"I ignored it."
"You wanted it."
"I’m trying to resist."
"And yet..."
Erald glared at nothing in particular. "Don’t say it."
Viola laughed. "You’re curious."
Curious wasn’t the word. She was obsessed.
She pushed off the bed and marched to where she’d hidden the book, pulling it out from inside the drawer. The leather cover felt cool against her fingers, and the book felt heavy, like it was full of secrets.
"No more avoiding it," she whispered. "I need to know who he is."
She didn’t even know his damn na.
She settled into the bed again, this ti cross-legged with the book propped in front of her.
Just as she cracked the spine open to the Chapter about The Rogue King, a knock echoed through her room.
She cursed under her breath and shoved the book under the pillow again, smoothing her dress before sliding off the bed.
She cracked the door open.
Darius stood there, looking more tired than usual, his shirt collar open and his expression unreadable. "Did I wake you?" he asked.
Erald rubbed at her eyes and yawned like she’d been asleep. "I was already lying down," she lied.
"Sorry about that." He glanced behind him like he was making sure no one had followed.
"It’s fine. What’s up?"
"I just wanted to update you." He stepped into the room quietly, glancing around as if he expected soone else to be there. "I’ve profiled a few people. Based on reactions, non-reactions and posture during the council eting."
Erald stepped aside to let him in, keeping her body between him and the pillow.
"Councilman Havel?" she asked.
Darius nodded. "I had a feeling you’d noticed him too. He’s already on the list."
"He dismissed the threat like it didn’t matter. Like my near-death wasn’t worth discussing."
"I noticed. I’ll have soone tail him. Discreetly."
"Good," Erald said. "The more I think about it... the more certain I am. The threat isn’t from outside."
Darius folded his arms. "I agree."
There was a pause, then he added, "You did well tonight. Took control."
Erald shrugged. "I had no choice."
"You’re becoming the Alpha your father raised you to be."
"Thanks," she muttered, giving a brief smile.
Darius hesitated. Then, slowly, he added, "Erald, I just want you to know... we’re watching everything. Every guard shift. Every pack guest. You’re not alone."
"I know," she said, softer this ti. "Thank you."
Another pause.
Darius cleared his throat. "About earlier... about the Rogue King. I owe you an apology."
She raised a brow. "For what?"
"For freezing up. For not telling you anything. It caught off guard."
She cut him off. "It’s fine."
He blinked. "You... you’re not mad?"
"I don’t have the energy to be mad."
Darius frowned slightly. "You were furious earlier."
"And now I’m not."
He blinked, caught off guard. "That’s... not what I expected."
"I’m tired," she said, forcing a smile. "And this conversation will just go in circles."
Darius studied her a mont longer, then gave a slow nod. "If you need anything—"
"I’ll call."
She moved toward the door. "Goodnight, Uncle."
He looked like he wanted to argue, but he simply nodded. "Goodnight Alpha."
She shut the door gently, then let out a long breath. After locking it, she returned to the bed and dragged the book back into her lap.
This ti, she didn’t hesitate.
Her hands trembled as she opened to the Chapter titled: The Rogue King – The Exiled Crest.
The title looked back at her, the ink faded and smudged from years of wear. She turned to the first paragraph and started reading.
—
Ti slipped away.
Minutes blurred into an hour, maybe more.
She turned page after page, her eyes racing over the words, her breath catching at certain nas, certain events. The deeper she read, the colder she felt.
By the ti she finished the Chapter, her hand was gripping the edge of the book so tightly her knuckles had gone white.
She stared down at the final sentence, then closed the book slowly.
Her heart pounded so loud she could barely hear anything else.
She looked at the cover again.
The Rogue King.
And all she could think was... "What the hell just walked into my life?"
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