Chapter Eight.

The palace was quiet at midnight, the usual bustling sounds of the day now replaced with an eerie stillness. Raya moved through the corridors of the palace like a shadow, her footsteps soft against the cold stone floors. Her mind was a whirl of thoughts—about the rogue, about the kingdom, about the poison that still coursed through their land. But above all, it was him—the rogue—who lingered at the forefront of her thoughts.

She had given the order to lock him away, but something inside her—something that she couldn’t quite name—drove her back to the dungeon that night. She needed to know if he was still alive, if he was still as defiant as he had been earlier, or if he had somehow changed.

She reached the door to his cell and paused for a moment, her hand resting on the cold metal. The rogue’s presence, even from behind the bars, still felt heavy, almost tangible. She inhaled deeply, steadying herself. She wasn’t sure what she expected to find, but the curiosity—the pull—was undeniable.

Raya opened the door slowly, stepping into the dimly lit chamber. The rogue sat in the far corner, his back against the wall, his eyes closed. The chains around his wrists were taut, but there was no sound—no struggle, no angry growl. He was quiet, still.

Her gaze lingered on him. Even now, his presence was overwhelming—his body still half-bare, muscles rippling beneath the faint light. The dim glow of the lantern flickered across his skin, casting shadows that seemed to dance with life of their own. For a moment, Raya forgot why she had come. The air between them thickened, like it always did, and her breath caught in her throat.

It was only when the rogue’s voice broke the silence that she snapped back to reality.

“So, you’re the one who couldn’t let me focus,” he said, his voice low and laced with that same taunting edge. His golden eyes opened slowly, fixing on her as if he had known she was there all along. He didn’t move, but his gaze was sharp, intense, as if it were cutting right through her. “Can’t get me off your mind, can you?”

Her heart skipped a beat, and she took an involuntary step back, trying to regain her composure. The rogue had a way of speaking—of looking at her—that made her feel exposed. Vulnerable. She refused to let him see that.

She crossed her arms, standing tall despite the fluttering nerves in her chest. “I’m not here for your games,” she said, her voice firm. “I’m here to make sure you’re still alive. You’re a means to an end.”

The rogue’s smirk deepened. “A means to an end,” he echoed, his voice thick with mockery. “How poetic. You’ve locked me away like an animal in a cage, and now you’re checking to see if I’m still breathing. How very caring of you, Alpha.”

Raya’s jaw clenched, but she didn’t let his words get to her. Instead, she took a step forward, closing the distance between them. “I’m not here for a fight,” she said. “I’m here because we both know you’re the key to saving this kingdom. Whether you want to help or not.”

The rogue’s golden eyes flicked to her hands, and Raya felt an odd tightening in her chest. He wasn’t just looking at her. He was studying her. “And yet,” he began, his voice dropping low, almost a whisper, “here you are, standing in front of me. You can’t seem to stay away. It’s cute.”

Raya forced herself to stay calm, though her pulse quickened. “I don’t have time for your games. Tell me what I need to know.”

But the rogue simply leaned back against the wall, looking at her with an unreadable expression. “You’ve been thinking about me, haven’t you? Can’t get me out of your head? Is it the power? The mystery? Or the way I made you come around my fingers?”

Raya’s breath hitched, her lips pressing into a thin line. She wanted to tell him he was wrong, to shut him down, but there was a part of her that knew he was right. Something about him—his raw presence, the untamed nature in his eyes—was pulling at her. She had felt it from the first moment they had met. The way he had looked at her, the way his words had wrapped around her mind and refused to let go.

“Stop talking,” she said through gritted teeth, trying to ignore the tightening in her chest. “Just tell me how to fix the kingdom.”

The rogue’s smile faded, but his eyes never left her. “Hmmmm,” he said quietly. “Guess who has forgotten how to fix the kingdom…me.”

Raya took another step closer, her eyes flashing with determination. “I won’t ask again,” she said, her voice low and commanding. “Tell me what I need to do. Or I’ll leave you here to rot.”

The rogue’s golden eyes flickered with something—something she couldn’t quite place. It was almost as if he were considering her words, weighing them, before he spoke again.

“You think you can force me?” he asked softly, his voice almost tender in its mockery. “You don’t understand. You can’t control me. Not like you think you can.”

For a brief moment, Raya felt a shiver run down her spine. She wasn’t afraid of him, but something about the way he spoke made her realize just how little control she had in this situation. The rogue wasn’t like anyone she had ever encountered.

But before she could respond, there was a loud crash from somewhere in the palace. The sound of glass shattering echoed through the stone walls, followed by a scream—a blood-curdling scream that made Raya’s heart stop.

The rogue’s eyes flashed to the door, and Raya’s heart raced. “What was that?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The rogue’s lips curled into a knowing grin. “You didn’t think your enemies would just sit by while you played with me, did you?”

Raya spun on her heel, rushing toward the door, but the rogue’s voice stopped her. “Don’t forget about me, Alpha,” he called softly, almost tenderly. “Don’t fall in those heels while running,I wouldn't want the temple I worshipped earlier to be bruised.”

Raya didn’t answer. She didn’t have time to. She bolted down the hallway, the sound of her footsteps echoing against the stone walls. She was already too late—the scream had faded, but the ominous feeling in her chest told her everything she needed to know. Something was happening. Someone was coming for her.

She reached the source of the noise—the shattered mirror and the remnants of glass strewn across the floor. But it wasn’t just the broken mirror that made her stop dead in her tracks. It was the woman standing in the center of the room, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. Her face was twisted in rage, and her eyes—wild, frantic—were locked onto Raya.

“You!” the lady screamed, her voice high-pitched with fury. “You’ve ruined everything for her! She’ll kill you! You’ll pay for what you’ve done!”

Raya’s blood ran cold. The lady’s words were laced with venom, with a hatred that sent a chill through her bones. Raya didn’t recognize her, but the fury in her eyes was unmistakable. This had something to do with the rogue, something that tied her to the strange power he seemed to wield.

“I’ll kill you!” the lady repeated, her hands shaking with rage as she raised them toward Raya.

Raya’s mind raced. She didn’t know who this lady was, but she could feel the danger radiating from her. She was no stranger to enemies, but this... this was something else entirely.

Raya stood firm, with an emotionless face. “Who are you?” she demanded, her voice steady despite the questions brewing in her.

The lady’s lips twisted into a smile, but it was twisted, sick—almost as if she were savoring the pain she was about to bring. “You’ll find out soon enough, Alpha,” she said, her voice dripping with malice. “You’ll find out whose treasure you've messed with. And when you do... you’ll wish you never crossed her.”

Raya’s heart pounded in her chest as she prepared for whatever came next. She raised a brow at the lady as her nails slowly turned into claws,fangs out!

“Nice briefing," she said with a cold voice, “now get out of my sight, before I forget you are my gender!.”