Thorne’s

    bne’s /bPow

    “Why?” Roman’s voice cracked like thonder the storm of emotions swirling in the air. “Why, Box? Why the hell would you do this t

    Bex stood there, frozen, not even flinching when Roman’s fist connected with his jaw. The punchnded with a dufthud, andi made no move to step back. He just took it. And then Roman hit him again.

    Harder,

    “You bastard!” Roman’s voice shook with age, his suckles bright white as he grabbed Bex’s cor and threw him back with a savage Why the hell? We were on the same side, dann it. I

    He cut himself off, the weight of the betrayal weighing on his chest. How could be have been to blind?

    Bex didn’t flinch, didn’t fight back. His lips parted, a slow exhale slipping from him, like he was resigned to whatever wasing when Roma another blow, Bex only swayed sightly, his eyes flicking up, unlized.

    “Are you a rogue now? Roman spat, voice cracking with disbelief. “How the hell did you be a Gamma if you’re working!

    Bes’s eyes glinted as he straightened himsell, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.

    Just cold indifference.

    “No,” he muttered, voice quiet, like he was speaking to himself. “I’m not a rogue. But…” He looked up, locking eyes with Roman, and his words

    ice. “But it doesn’t matter now, does it? I’ve lost. You caught me. And that’s all there is to it.”

    The words hit Roman like a p to the face. The world seemed to freeze, leaving only the sound of his angry breath filling the silence. back. He wasn’t even apologizing. He was ready to ept whatever punishment wasing.

    “Execute me if you want, Alpha Thorne, I’m done. I have nothing left to say

    Box’s gaze turned to Thome, his voice cool, devoid of emotion.

    was still seething shaking with the disbelief of it all, and the anger–God, the anger–that kept

    Silence spread like a thick fog as everyone stared. Roman was st bubbling up in his chest.

    “I don’t believe this,” Theo’s voice cracked. “There’s gotta be ba /breason! You didn’t just turn your back on us, Bed You saw what those bastards civilians Tellus, damn it! Why?!”

    Boshrugged, the movement so casual it felt like ba /bp in the face.

    “Maybe there isn’t a reason,” he muttered. “Maybe I’m just evil.”

    Theolt out a frustrated growl, the sound raw and desperate. “This Bex He shook his head. “I can’t believe

    ra spoke up suddenly, her voice cutting through the tension. “I think I know why.”

    Bex’s eyes flicked to her, narrowing, suspicion creeping into his expression. “You think you know?” His voice was low, almost a whisper, the wordsced with a cold challenge

    ra didn’t flinch. She walked to the tent entrance and spoke briefly with the soldiers outside. A momentter, a figure appeared in the doorway. She was a girl, probably in her early twenties, lookingpletely wrecked her hair tangled, beyes /bred, face streaked with dirt and tears. She had clearly been through hell, but there was still something in ber posture, in the way she held hersell, that screamed defiance. She was still fighting

    “Serena!” Box’s bvoice /bcracked as he stopped toward her, his face amicofidisbelief and desperation.

    She rushed forward, tears falling like they had been held back for too long. They collided, their embrace desperate, like they were afraid to let go of each

    Chapter 81.

    other,

    “Serena…” Bey breathed out, his voice barely above a whisper. “What are you doing here told you had why didn’t you plent

    Serena sobbed into his chest, her body shaking “couldn’t just leave you here, Bex. I couldn‘ as the weight of her words hit het.

    i had to make sure you were okay 1–7 rer

    ra stepped forward, her expression hard. “We found herst night, sneaking around the woods, she exined coldly “She was poking we brought her in for questioning”

    Bex’s hands were gently stroking Serena’s hair, his eyes closed as he whispered soft words to her words that no one else could hear

    Theo nced at Triss, exchanging a look of confusion. “Uh… What’s going on here? Who’s this?”

    ra didn’t even spare him a nced. “She’s a rogue. And Bex’s blover/b,” she added, the wordsnding like a bomb. “She’s the reason returned on a

    Bex’s face went pale, and for the first time, there was a flicker of shame in his eyes. Serena turned to face the group tears still flowing freely down her checks

    btrue/bb,/b” she said, her voice trembling. b“/bHe did everything for me.”

    The words seemed to echo in the bair/bb, /bba /bharsh, painful truth they weren’t ready to hear.

    “We met at the border when Bex came to fight off rogues,” Serena continued, her voice shaking with emotion it was love at first sighter wanted to take me away from all this, but I couldn’t Not with my family still held by the Rogue King”

    A sharp gasp ran through the group. ra’s voice cracked as she pressed on, “Wait. bYou’ve /bmet the Rogue King

    Serena shook her head, her voice low. “Not in person. He never shows himself. But I heard his voice and I knew he was a man.

    A ripple of frustration passed through the group. They had learned one thing–his gender–but that wasn’t enough to make any sense of this war

    “So what did the Rogue King say?” rs pushed, her beyes /bnarrowing. “Did he threaten you?”

    Serena’s lips curled into ba /bbitter smile. “Oh, he made me an offer. He promised to set my family free if Bex agreed to be his informant during the war

    The weight of the words hit them all like a wrecking bball/b.

    Bex lowered bhis /bbeyes/bb, /bbhis /bface flushed with shame. bSerena’s /bvoice as softer now, almost a whisper.

    “So I did what I had to. I became a waitress at a club in Direstone Pack. Bex woulde to me after his meetings, passing on information he gathered,

    and I bwould /bbsend /bit back to the Rogue King”

    ra’s mind braced /bback to the time before the war began. She remembered those long meetings, the exhaustion that clung to everyone, and how bex /balways found time to slip away. They thought it was just his energy, his restlessness.

    But now it all clicked. He had been sneaking away to see her..

    Roman couldn’t contain his anger anymore. He stood up, his voice rising with disbelief. “So that’s it? That’s your excuse for betraying us?” His fists clenched at his sides. “You threw everything away for a damn woman!!”

    Triss reached for him, trying to calm him down, but Roman shrugged her off his frustration boiling bover/b.

    “We lost lives in this damn war, Bed! Do you even care about that? Your own people trusted you! And you betrayed them! You brought into hell!” Ha voice broke with anger, raw and painful

    Bex didn’t flinch. But Serena btrembled/bb, /bstepping forward, her hands reaching out, btrying /bbto /bcalm him down. But ra stopped her.

    “Stay back,” she said, her voice firm but not cruel. “You won’t help by getting

    involved now.”

    Chapter B1

    ra turned back to Box, her mind racing. The Rogue Ring was dangerbus, a mastermind who could mani

    “What else do you know about the Rogue King?” she asked, her voice low and urgent

    Serena’s eyes met hersb, /braw with emotion. “He’s cruel Powerful. Almost… charismatic,” she whispered. “He has a way of making you obey him failed him…She swallowed hard. “He would skin my family alive. He meant it I couldn’t fail him. Thad no choice.”

    Her words hit like a thunderp, and a wave of foreboding washed over Hara. She took a step back, the weight of the moment preting down bon /bher

    I on hers, in a sh, she pulled something from her side–something sharp, glinting

    But before she could react, Serena’s eyes locked o

    A dagger.

    ra’s breath hitched, her body jerking into motion toote.

    Serena’s eyes were wild, her face twisted with desperation. With a scream, she lunged, the dagger shing in the air

    1005

    Someone shoved ra aside, and she stumbled, her heart pounding as she twisted baround /bin panic.

    But the de didn’t find its mark in bra/bb… /b

    It found Thome.

    The world slowed to a horrifying crawl as the dagger plunged deep into his chest.

    AD