All Chapters of THE ROGUE, THE ALPHA AND ME: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Dr. Elaina Rivers didn't expect her Thursday to begin with a haunted elbow and end with the looming threat of a billionaire CEO crashing her hospital gala.But fate had always had a twisted sense of humor.The break room buzzed under flickering fluorescent lights and the familiar aroma of coffee that had long given up on tasting like coffee. Elaina, twenty-six, overly caffeinated and thirty seconds into her break, twirled her stethoscope like a Grammy-winning mic."I'm not saying I'm Beyoncé," she announced to absolutely no one, "but I am definitely the queen bee of this hospital.""Bee as in buzzing nonsense?" Nurse Tara deadpanned, leaning on the counter with an arched brow."Ouch," Elaina clutched her chest like she'd been mortally wounded. "Stung by my own hive."Despite being a skilled doctor, Elaina had the attention span of a golden retriever and the energy of a child on a sugar rush. Most people in the hospital adored her. Mostly because it was hard not to love someone who gav

Elaina Rivers didn't mean to break into Lucien Blackthorn's building.Okay—"break in" was dramatic. But security had asked if she was lost. Three times.And she had ducked behind a marble pillar when she spotted Lucien's assistant walking by.But to be fair, it wasn't stalking if your heart was involved.Elaina Rivers was a brilliant trauma doctor. A published researcher. An invited speaker at two global pediatric conferences. Her apartment was clean, her cacti alive, and her obsession very, very real."Dr. Rivers," she muttered to her reflection in the polished elevator door, gripping the folder labeled "Emergency Pediatric Grant Proposal." "Not a fangirl. Not a lunatic. Just a woman with a plan."But her heart? It was screaming like a fire alarm.Because today was the day.The day she pitched her proposal to Lucien Blackthorn—enigmatic billionaire, recluse philanthropist, rumored bloodsucker.Why now?Because last month, at a medical gala, she had tripped over her own feet and colli

The scalpel was missing.Not just misplaced—vanished.Elaina Rivers stared at the pristine tray in the surgical prep room, her brows furrowed. She'd set the tools herself. Checked them twice. And now? One scalpel—gone."Either ghosts like sharp things," she muttered, "or someone around here has weird hobbies."Before she could dig deeper, a nurse poked her head in. "They're waiting for you in Ward 3B. Kid with a broken arm and a balloon sword."Right. No time for mysteries.Elaina tucked a strand of chestnut hair behind her ear, adjusted her white coat, and marched out—heart steady, mind sharp, and ambition coiled like a spring.Today wasn't just any hospital shift.It was the day she stepped into Blackthorn Medical—the elite, enigmatic branch rumored to turn away Harvard grads for blinking wrong. And at the top of its towering reputation? Its ghost of a founder. Lucien Blackthorn. A name whispered like a prayer—and a curse.Why now?Why had someone like her—already a trauma specialis

Blackthorn Industries Hospital Wing – 7:03 AMThe box on Lucien Blackthorn's desk wasn't there five minutes ago.Security hadn't seen anyone enter.Cameras glitched for exactly twelve seconds.And now there it sat: heart-shaped, red-foiled, suspiciously cheerful.Lucien stared at it like it might explode.Because honestly, anything that cheerful should.Kade leaned in from the doorway, sipping his fourth espresso. "Either she's a ninja… or a death wish in scrubs."Lucien didn't move. "She was warned.""She annotated your warning with glitter. Remember?"On the top of the box was a note in aggressive pink ink:> "Because you're 90% caffeine and 10% grump. Let's sweeten that ratio. —Dr. Sunshine"Lucien exhaled through his nose like a dragon politely considering murder.---Six hours earlier…Elaina Rivers sprinted down the hallway with the kind of giddy panic reserved for people about to commit a crime—or confess feelings.She was doing both."Round two," she whispered, glancing left,

The scream that had shattered the picnic's peace turned out to be a false alarm—nothing more than an overenthusiastic balloon popping near the magician's tent. But for Lucien Blackthorn, who'd instinctively scanned the crowd like a sniper about to strike, it was a brutal reminder of why he didn't do "relaxing."The golden hour crept in like a secret, cloaking the park in peach and lavender. Children, undeterred by the brief chaos, resumed their bubble-chasing adventures. Elderly patients snoozed beneath knitted blankets, sun-warmed and smiling.Lucien stood alone, beneath the tallest tree in the park—the one with bark like battle-worn armor. His arms crossed, expression unreadable, presence unmistakable. Without Kade, who had gone on his own mini-vacation, Lucien looked even more out of place.He'd already stayed longer than he promised. Longer than anyone expected.But he hadn't left.Not yet."Elaina, the magician's rabbit just escaped and it bit someone!""What?!" Elaina shot up fr