Semua Bab Alpha's Regret: Return of the Rejected Mate: Bab 281 - Bab 290

Julian’s POVThe underground chamber stank of wet stone and old blood. I climbed down the narrow stairs, my enhanced hearing catching conversations before I even reached the bottom.The Rogue King’s voice boomed above the others—same arrogant tone, same casual dismissal of human life.Three months ago, this place had filled me with righteous anger about my father’s death. Now I saw it clearly: a gathering of killers and madmen following a monster who’d turned grief into a weapon against me.“Julian!” The Rogue King’s scarred face split into what passed for a smile. “Our most valuable asset arrives.”I slipped into the circle of his lieutenants, nodding respectfully while my mind cataloged every face, every weapon, every possible escape route. The enhanced abilities made reading their micro-expressions almost laughably easy.“The Iron Mountain raids went better than expected,” he continued. “Your intelligence about their patrol schedules was perfect. We hit them exactly when they were w

Julian’s POVEmpty bottles covered every available surface of the camp while fighters shared stories of the battle. Someone had found an old guitar, and now half the room belted out victory songs.I nursed my beer near the corner, watching Penelope move through the crowd like sunlight itself. She tossed her red hair back as she laughed—really laughed—for the first time I could remember. The sound made my chest ache with something deeper than the wounds I’d collected during the fighting.“Did you see that masked guy?” Ryan shouted over the music. “Came out of nowhere like some kind of ghost!”“Took down twelve Rogues single-handed,” added Nora, her face flushed from drinking. “Never seen anything like it.”“Who was he?” asked Tom from the eastern patrol. “Had to be one of our guys, right? Nobody else could have known the terrain that well.”Penelope raised her voice above the chatter. “Whoever he was, he saved us today. Without his intervention, we would have been overwhelmed.”She cli

Dominic’s POVThe morning revealed the full scope of yesterday’s battle. Penelope and I walked through the settlement, perusing damage and casualties while our people cleared debris from the streets.“Seventeen structures with significant damage,” she noted, checking items off her list. “But only two civilian injuries, both minor. Seven captured.”“The masked warrior’s intervention made all the difference,” I admitted. “Without Julian creating chaos, we would have taken heavy losses.”“Agreed.” She paused to examine blast damage on a storefront wall. “He is…impressive.”“And concerning.”She looked up sharply. “Concerning how?”“Extreme risk-taking behavior often indicates some sort of instability. Someone willing to throw himself into that level of danger might have compromised judgment.” I gestured toward the scattered debris. “We need to monitor Julian carefully for signs of recklessness.”“He’s been nothing but helpful—”“He’s been motivated by feelings for you that aren’t reciproc

Julian’s POVPenelope’s training facility emptied as people headed home for dinner. I remained at my monitoring station, reviewing intelligence reports from the network I’d built over the past months. Twenty-three active assets provided information from across four territories, but their reports were starting to reveal patterns that concerned me.Too many of my contacts were asking similar questions about the same targets. A soft clicking sound from the archives section made me look up from my reports. The sound repeated. It was like a camera.I moved quietly toward the source of the noise, my enhanced hearing picking up the subtle sounds of someone trying to remain undetected. Footsteps moved carefully between filing cabinets, pausing at regular intervals.Suddenly, Jessica emerged from behind a tall bank of records, holding a small digital camera and checking its display screen. I pressed myself against the wall, watching as she photographed files spread across a desk. Names I rec

Dominic’s POVThe television screen in the living room showed Penelope addressing the crowd gathered in Iron Mountain’s courtyard. Her red hair flew behind her while her voice rang out clear and strong.“Let this be a warning,” she declared, standing over Jessica’s motionless body. “Anyone who betrays their people, anyone who sells secrets to our enemies, anyone who puts personal gain above survival will face the same fate.”I felt heat build in my stomach while watching her power, her unwavering commitment to protecting those under her command. The blade in her hand still gleamed with blood while her face showed no regret, no hesitation.“She’s so cruel,” Kelsey said from the couch, Alexander cradled in her arms. “Executing someone in public like that. It’s barbaric.”“It’s necessary,” I replied, unable to look away from Penelope’s image on screen. “Jessica endangered countless lives by selling intelligence to the Rogues.”“But killing her like that, in front of everyone—”“Sends a cl