Chapter Four – Frost and Fire

Marliene's POV

I woke to a hushed manor, the usual sounds of bustling servants replaced by an unsettling silence that hung in the air like a thick fog. Every corner of the Moorgrave Manor felt heavy with tension, and I could sense the anxiety swirling around me. I slipped out of bed, the chill of the wooden floor sending a shiver up my spine. Something felt off, and I needed to find out what it was.

"Gotta know if my future mother-in-law is up to something else today," I murmured as I washed my body. The woman had been trampling all over my nerves, and no matter how much I complained to Lex, he never said anything to her, almost as if she had him charmed or something.

As I dressed, I caught snippets of hushed conversations drifting through the hallways. I tiptoed to my door and pulled it open slightly. The servants were huddled together, their voices barely above whispers. I strained to hear their gossip.

"It was a human man. He brought a letter with an unknown seal," one whispered.

"OMG, what did he say?" another asked.

The first maid continued, "He said Alpha Lex should prepare for war."

"It's the rogue heir," a third one whispered. "When I served my lady her morning tea, I overheard her mention his name."

Rogue heir? I wondered. I had heard stories about the other son of the late Alpha, but nobody ever mentioned his name. To the Moorgrave Pack, he was a traitor who deserved death.

Determined to learn more, I pulled the door wider, interrupting their gossip. they had learned to avoid getting on my bad side, and as much as I liked the respect, it was still a little boring.

this time, I didn't bother with them, I just headed toward Lex's chamber. Their gossip felt like I was being breadcrumbed.

By the time I got to Lex's chamber, I lifted my hand to knock when I heard his voice.

"What are we going to do, Mother?"

My hands slowly returned to my side.

"This is too sudden to not have been planned, Lex," Ariel replied. "I believe he has ulterior motives for wanting to come. And today too?"

"Of course he has ulterior motives. He said here that he is coming for his throne and her."

I nearly snickered. Who is this rogue heir? And what exactly does he want from Moorgrave?

Ariel continued speaking, her voice low and conspiratorial. "We have to do something about him. We don't know what he's become after all these years."

"What can we do?" Lex repeated his question.

"Simple," Ariel replied, her voice going several octaves lower. "We welcome him, offer a truce, throw a banquet if need be. We cater to all his needs, win his trust, and get him comfortable with us... then we get rid of him for good."

I clenched my jaw hard as I listened attentively, waiting to hear Lex's refusal. But it didn't come. Instead, he audibly agreed with his mother.

I balled my fists as the weight of their decision pressed down on me heavily. I turned on my heels and hurried back to my room, slamming the door loudly.

"How dare they?!" I growled with frustration. Who is this man, and why do they so badly want him gone? Is he so powerful that his return can become such a threat to both Lex and Ariel? To the point where the entire manor becomes so gravely silent?

What if...

I stopped pacing and gently sat on my bed.

What if I actually form an alliance with this rogue heir? If I save his life and help him get information from Lex and Ariel, he would be indebted to me, right? Then I can use him to ensure my freedom and also get revenge on the Ashthorns.

I grinned. The table was finally turning in my favor.

By evening, the atmosphere in the manor shifted again. Anticipation crackled in the air, and Ariel, who used to be very composed and mean, was visibly agitated. A man who could elicit this type of reaction from her was a worthy ally. I found myself standing near the entrance, my heart racing as I awaited the arrival of the rogue heir.

Just when I thought he wouldn't show up after all, the grand doors swung open, revealing the bluest pair of eyes I had ever seen. I was immediately captivated by them.

I expected a shabby, wounded, scarred older man, but the figure before me was anything but. He was young, clean, and strikingly attractive, with an air of confidence that radiated power. His presence filled the room, and I felt an inexplicable pull toward him, as if everyone and everything else faded away, leaving just him and me.

The servants bowed. Lex and Ariel approached him, exchanging pleasantries, but none of that registered in my head.

All I could think about was the irresistible pull of my body toward him.

His gaze slowly met mine, and my breath hitched.

"Who is this?" he asked, his voice low and commanding.

Lex stepped forward, his demeanor shifting to one of pride. Wrapping his arm around my slender waist, he said, "Rune, this is Marliene Ashthorn, my betrothed."

Rune. What a name. I wonder what secrets surround him for him to have been named that.

He stretched out his hand to hold mine, and that little contact sent electric volts up my skin. There was something magnetic about him, something that sent my heart into a frenzied rhythm. I struggled to maintain my composure, reminding myself of my plan.

"Pleasure to meet you," I managed, my voice steadier than I felt.

"Likewise," he replied, his eyes scanning my face with a keen intensity that made my breath hitch even more.

Rune seemed to be both thrilling and terrifying. This would not be easy. Being close to Rune could ruin my carefully laid plans. He wouldn't be easily manipulated.

As the evening wore on, I found it increasingly difficult to focus. Everything about him was intoxicating. I kept reminding myself of my intentions, and I eventually had to excuse myself from their midst and return to my room. But as I lay in bed that night, tossing and turning, thoughts of Rune consumed me.

I fought the urge to warn him of the impending doom that awaited him. What if I could change the course of events? What if I could save him? At the same time, he didn't appear to me as someone who needed to be saved!

Eventually, I succumbed to the pull of my conscience. I slipped out of bed, my heart racing as I made my way through the darkened corridors toward his room. The manor was eerily quiet, the shadows stretching around me like fingers reaching out to hold me back.

As I approached his door, I hesitated. What if he doesn't want to hear me out? But the thought of him walking into a trap made my heart pound louder. I pushed the door open slowly, stepping inside and closing it softly behind me.

Before I could even register what was happening, I saw a flash of fire hurtling toward me. Instinct kicked in, and I raised my hand to block it.

The fire froze midair, suspended in a shimmering orb of ice. I gasped, surprised by what had just happened. In an instant, Rune was standing before me while the frozen fire floated between us, glimmering in the darkness of the room.

As I put my hands down, the ice fell to the ground, shattering into tiny pieces. Rune's gaze didn't leave mine for even a second. Instead, he moved closer to me, staring as though he were peering into my soul.

"Marliene, what are you?" he asked.