bChapter /b86

    Selena’s POV

    The house we were kept in felt more like a cage than a home. The walls were heavy with t Fortress had ever seen, hex and I were prisoners, 1

    true sting of it wasn’t just the we

    were trapped in our own thoughts, unable to say th

    ( we needed to sy

    The door creaked open, and in walked Thorne and ra, their presence ah

    d yet to fara Baking

    them was a doctor, his expression grim, his eyes lingering on me. He’d been checking my condition, and could self from the way he didn’t meet anyour’s pace that the news wasn’t good.

    “How is she, doctor?” ra’s voice was sharp, cuffing through the heavy air.

    The doctor paused, as if finding the right words was as hard an faring the truth. “if she had swallowed the whole pill, she would “The good news is…only half of it was enough to cause

    I damage. The bad news is that it’s destroyed her throat. Shi

    A gasp rippled through the room, and I felt my pulse quicken Thadn’t wanted anyone to know. The moment I’d taken the ph

    But hearing it out loud–hearing it contamed—was like a cold hand gripping my chest.

    “Are you telling me she can’t talk?” Bee’s voice cracked as he spoke, desperation in his eyes

    The doctor sighed, nodding slowly. “I’m afraid so.”

    Bex’s hand found mine, but I couldn’t return his grip the way I wanted to. I wanted to tell him it wasn’t his fault, but the words were locked behind the damage. Instead, I met his gaze, feeling my heart break in bways /bI didn’t know how to express

    Then, out of the silence, Ralen stepped forward, his gaze hard. “B,” he said, h

    his voice cold but not without weight

    Bex turned to him, his face crumbling in shame. “I don’t know what to say he whispered. “I’m sorry. For everything”

    *You should be,” Raelen’s tone was sharp, his eyes unflinching “What you did wasn’t just a betrayal to us–it was a betrayal to her.” He gestured to and the room fell into a heavier silence. “Us Fenreach Pack men are proud of our devotion to our partners. But that’s no excuse. You can’t fix this with a

    apology”

    Bex’s shoulders slumped, his hands shaking. “I take whatever punishment you want. You can kill me. Throw my body to the wolves, for all care. Just let Serena go. It was my bidea/b. Not hers.”

    My breath caught, and a choked sob escaped my bthroat/b. I shook my head, my eyes pleading with him. Words wouldn’te, but the urgency in my gaze

    was all I had left.

    But then, ra spoke, her voice cutting through the sorrow. “Maybe there’s another way.”

    She stepped closer to me, gently cing her hand on mine. Her touch was warm, a bsmall /bfort in the storm of emotions swirling inside me. “You were trying to save those you love. You can still do that. Give us information about the Rogue King”

    Hooked at her, suspicion flickering in my eyes, but she didn’t look away. Her hand remained on mine, steady and reassuring

    b“/bWith that information, we can defeat the Rogue King,” ra continued. “bRescue /byour family, I can’t promise you won’t face consequences, but at least you’ll get to spend more time with Bex”

    bRaelen /bechoed her, his voice almost too calm. “56 what do you say. Bex? Do you want to face execution tomorrow, or do you want to make things right

    and stay with her a while longer?”

    Bex hesitated, his gaze flickering from ra to me. The tension in the room thickened, each second dragging like an eternity.

    “I love you, Serena,” he murmured, his voice barely a whisper. “This is byour /bchoice.”

    ( managed to

    Tips to him, iny hands trembling a kissed

    y to make them understan

    inidier rushed over, handing me a notepad and a pen. My

    sok an 1 grasped them, id the world seemed to narrow down to just me and i

    Tarot quickly. Rogue King Man

    whow it held the key to understanding him

    voice low “rou belie

    eyes darting to the corner of the page. I drew two mountains, sharp and jagged, a gap between them. The Great Canyon Then, I traced a

    ed leading north, toward a cilj a city marked with three simple words. The Grace BuN.

    drawing “is this his headquarters? Where does

    1 pointed to the road, the

    leading to the north.

    rote, Only bWay/b.

    Thorne’s face darkened. “That’s the only way back to his homnd” He exchanged a look with ra. “No wonder the rogues gathered by the Great Canyon”

    ra nodded slowly, her expression grim. “That’s their only route to the Grace Ruin.”

    Thor’s voice was heavy with something darker now. “The Grace Puin was once known as Grd. A beautiful, fertile hignd until the rogues took

    “And now Roman’s voice was eager, impatient: “Shall we go in, grab the city back from bhim/b!”

    ra frowned. The idea felt too hasty Too dangerous. They needed rest. They needed information.

    “We can’t rush this,” she muttered.

    Thorne nodded, his eyes never leaving the room’s somber atmosphere. “Let’s wait. bWe’ve /bpushed the rogues back for now, but I feel like the Rogue King will strike again soon. This time, we’ll wait for him toe to us,”

    She’d be

    The room fell silent for a moment as everyone absorbed his words. ra allowed herself a breath of relief. She’d been thinking the same thing.

    The other nodded.

    sfied with the n. But before anyone could leave, Raslen stepped up to ra by the door.

    “ra,” he said, his tone unexpectedly warm. “How about dinner tonight?

    it caught her off guard. And before she could answer, Thome’s voice sliced through the moment blike /ba de.

    “Where exactly are

    are you nning to go, Raelen? The city’s burned to the ground.”

    Ralen smiled, unfazed. “I was thinking of a pic on the mountaintop. It’ll be romantic. What do byou /bthink, ra?”

    The word “romantic” hit Thore like a p. Hepcowed, his fists tightening at his sides,

    ra’s gaze shifted to him. “Why are you looking at me like that?” she snapped

    Thorne’s eyes burned with an icy intensity. “Looking for my approval?” he spat.

    10 56 Wed, 30 Jul G

    ca’s anger red. “I don’t need your approval,” she shot back defiantly, turning to Parlen. “Alpha Raelen, i’d love to. See you tonight.”

    #len beamed, but Thorne’s expression twisted into something darker as he walked past them, mming the door behind him.

    Earn left right after him, her chest fight with frustration. She was so tired of Thorne’s childish behaviour. If he really cared, he’d show it. He should t for her, the way Rarlen did

    Back in her tent, she started preparing for the evening. It wasn’t a date she was eager for–but she needed to look good, mostly to spite Thorne, Sadiy, her options were limited tobat gear and sportswear

    Sitting in front of the mirror, she let her hair fall free and began braiding it. A small gesture, but it was all she could do.

    Then she heard the door to her tent creak open. It was Thome, standing in the doorway with a dark expression.

    “You’re really trying for this date,” he said.

    ra didn’t even look up. “Why shouldn’t 17′′

    Thorne’s gaze lingered on her through the mirror “You really wa

    She didn’t answer, but her silence was enough

    Before she could say anything. Thorpe’s could form

    don’t you?”

    gripped her chin, spinning her around to face him. His lips crashed into hers, silencing her protest before it

    And just like that, the lines between.

    Land what could be blurredpletely

    AL