Three

"Alpha, he has spoken."

The words jolted me upright, shattering my thoughts as I glanced up from the heap of folders spread across my desk. I kept my tone measured, not wanting to show just how badly I wanted answers. "Really? And what did he say?"

Bradley looked anywhere else but at me. His hesitancy was palpable, his fingers tapping against his wrist in a small, nervous rhythm. “Not much.”

The words stirred something in me—‘not much’ could mean anything from defiance to submission, yet here we were still dancing around half-truths. But I let it slide for now. I needed Bradley on my side, not intimidated or cowed. He was, after all, the last in Beckett’s line, and I needed someone I could trust, at least until I knew more about the rogue.

"Bradley," I said, clearing a pile of stray papers off the desk in irritation, "do you have a mirror?"

His expression betrayed a flicker of surprise, quickly replaced by polite professionalism. "No, Alpha, but I can get one for you."

"And disappear for the rest of the day?” I asked, crossing the room and planting myself in front of him. I wanted him to see me clearly, to take in whatever state my appearance had become after the restless night I'd had. "No, Bradley, it doesn’t work that way. Now tell me—how do I look?"

His gaze shifted uncomfortably, like someone trying to find a way to answer without being hurtful. "Um... you look okay.”

I laughed harshly, grasping his collar in my hand, forcing him to really look at me. “I am everything but okay!” I said, my voice rising. Poor Bradley’s eyes went wide with discomfort, but I held him there, needing him to understand that things were unraveling here. That something was wrong.

The voice of my pack’s least welcome visitor cut through the tension, drawling and amused. “Poor guy would probably go blind from looking at you.”

I turned my gaze to the doorway, where Lyles stood casually, hands in his pockets, assessing me with those arrogant blue eyes that always seemed to mock me. I let go of Bradley and tried to smooth the mess of my hair as I turned to Lyles.

“What brings you here, Lyles?” I said, knowing he never showed up without reason.

“The rogue demands your presence.”

I narrowed my eyes. “I am not going to see him. No one demands my presence, Lyles. You of all people should know that.”

He laughed, a low, rumbling sound, and tilted his head slightly. “True, true. But maybe you want to see him. From what I’ve heard, his appearance might complete yours.” He gestured toward my slightly disheveled state. “Besides, I’m curious—why is it you’ve kept an Icelander chained up in your dungeons for weeks?”

---

When I finally descended into the dungeons, I half-expected him to be gone, as if he’d somehow disappeared into the shadows just to torment me. But there he was, chained and bound, looking as arrogant and unfazed as he had the last time. Those piercing, colorless eyes seemed to spark with challenge, as if he knew the questions I wanted to ask and would never give me the satisfaction of an answer.

I stopped in front of his cell, heavy iron bars between us, though they did nothing to curb the magnetic pull I felt toward him.

“So, the rogue speaks,” I began, my voice colder than I felt. “What is it you have to say?”

“Not much,” he replied, mirroring Bradley’s earlier words, but his tone held a mocking edge. “Seems I’m here for reasons I don’t even fully understand, Alpha.” He emphasized my title with a hint of derision.

I pressed closer to the bars, a small gesture of control, though my heart was hammering in my chest. “Why were you brought here?" I demanded. “What do you know?”

A shadow passed over his face, his expression darkening. For the first time, he seemed genuinely disturbed, and I caught a glimpse of something like vulnerability there. It disappeared as quickly as it came, replaced by his usual smirk. “You think this is about me?” he asked, his voice low, almost mocking. “You’re mistaken, Alpha. You’re just as trapped as I am.”

The words hit me harder than I wanted to admit. His gaze held mine, that same pull I couldn’t explain taking root within me, spreading through my chest like wildfire. I tried to keep my expression cold, unflinching.

“What’s your name?” I asked, my voice firm.

“Names are funny things,” he replied, his tone still maddeningly calm. “They give people power—or take it away.”

I clenched my fists, wanting to wipe that smirk off his face, yet drawn to it all the same. “Well, you certainly don’t have any power here.”

He chuckled, low and dark. “If you say so, Alpha.”

---

The walk back from the dungeons to my quarters was filled with thoughts that kept colliding with one another, the rogue’s voice weaving through them all. His words replayed in my mind—'You’re as trapped as I am.’ It was absurd, and yet it resonated in a way that left me feeling shaken, uncertain.

When I returned to my quarters, Lyles was waiting for me, his arms crossed as he leaned casually against the doorframe, watching me with a faint smile.

“You look...overwhelmed,” he said, amusement flickering in his eyes.

I glared at him. “You’ve no idea what you’re talking about, Lyles.”

“Is that so?” He stepped closer, his gaze softening in a way that surprised me. “Look, Crinka, I didn’t want to challenge you for Alpha—I don’t need to fight for what I already have. But I’ll say this: being Alpha isn’t just about power. It’s about sacrifice. If you don’t get control of this situation with the rogue, the pack will start questioning your leadership.”

I stared at him, my throat tight. Part of me wanted to dismiss his words as arrogance, but deep down, I knew he wasn’t wrong. I hadn’t fully embraced what it meant to lead. The position of Alpha had come to me suddenly, and I’d been holding onto it for the power, for the autonomy, not truly understanding the weight of the responsibility. I barely even engaged with the pack members, most of whom feared or distrusted me. The isolation was by choice, but lately...it was starting to feel less like control and more like a curse.

Lyles’ voice softened. “Crinka, do you even want this?”

The question cut deep, stirring doubts I had long buried. “I don’t know,” I admitted finally, the words feeling heavy on my tongue.

He nodded slowly, studying me. “Then maybe it’s time you found out.”

---

Hours later, I went down to the dungeons again, the echo of Lyles’ words still in my mind. The rogue was sitting in his cell, looking as smug as ever, his colorless eyes watching me with that same unnerving intensity.

I tried to keep my composure, determined not to let him see the turmoil I was in. “You’re lucky you’re even alive,” I said, my tone sharp.

He just smiled, a slow, maddening smile that made my stomach twist. “Oh, am I?”

I stepped closer, gripping the bars, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “You’re a rogue,” I said. “Nothing more, nothing less.”

He laughed softly, the sound like a caress that brushed against my skin, sending a shiver down my spine. “You really believe that?”

For a moment, I couldn’t speak, my heart pounding in my chest. His voice was smooth, hypnotic, pulling me in. The air between us felt charged, electric. My wolf stirred, pacing within me, urging me closer to him, but I fought it, clinging to the last shreds of control.

“I’m the one in control here,” I said, my voice barely more than a whisper.

“Are you?” he murmured, his gaze never leaving mine. “Because from where I’m sitting, it seems like you’re the one who’s trapped.”

The words hit me like a blow, and I took a step back, his gaze still locked on me, searing into my soul. I could feel my heart racing, my pulse thrumming in my veins as I struggled to keep my composure. But his words lingered, sinking deep into my mind, filling me with a strange, unsettling sense of dread.

I turned and walked away, his laughter echoing behind me, chilling and haunting, wrapping around me like a curse.

---

Back in my quarters, I found Lyles waiting for me again, his expression grim. “The council called,” he said, his voice low. “They’re threatening to replace you if you don’t find your mate by the end of the month.”

I felt a surge of anger rise in me, my hands clenching into fists. “Davidson was a mate-less Alpha for six years, and they never threatened him.”

He sighed, his expression softening. “Things are different for a female Alpha, Crinka. You know that. They’re waiting for you to slip up.”

I scoffed, a bitter laugh escaping me. “If the Moon Goddess would just give me a mate who hates children as much as I do, I’d be fine with it.”

Lyles shook his head, his eyes thoughtful. “Crinka...sometimes, the person you’re meant to be with isn’t what you expect.”

For a moment, his gaze lingered on me, and I felt an inexplicable warmth bloom in my chest. I looked away, brushing it off as nothing more than fatigue. But deep down, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was changing—both in my life and within me.

The rogue’s words echoed in my mind: "‘You’re as trapped as I am."