๋ก๊ทธ์ธ๊ณต์
059: All For Show
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2024-07-16 23:45:13
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Tempted by the Rogue Alphaย ย ย 060: Unpleasantness
Lara Things have gotten a bit out of hand and theyโre very tense now. Honestly, I just want to get out of here. I donโt want to be here anymore and have Julesโs eyes on me. Heโs staring at me intently but surely heโs noticed that Dexter is glaring at him because I have. So, why is he doing this?Is this some kind of provocation between kin?Then, thereโs Tessa. She hasnโt stopped looking at me in a way that makes me somewhat angry. Whatโs her problem? Goddess, I canโt believe this is happening to me. Is she jealous or something? I think she is because nothing else explains this weird behavior of hers. Howโs she jealous of a cousin sheโs never even met?Thatโs wrong. Dexter is holding my hand but heโs talking in a low voice to his aunt. I canโt hear what theyโre saying but what I can notice is that she looks very happy indeed. I donโt mean to judge but itโs clear, judging by the surroundings, that they need the money. I know because I raised my son in a place just like this. Elwoo
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-07-17Tempted by the Rogue Alphaย ย ย 061: Disappointing Phone Call
Dexter The first person I see when I step out of the elevator is my cousin, Tessa. Iโm surprised at the sight of her standing next to the elevator. When she catches my eye, she flashes me a bright smile and closes the distance between us to embrace me. โGood morning,โ she says before stepping back. โI thought I should come extend our invitation to lunch personally. My mom wanted to come herself but I told her she could just sit back and relax and Iโd come.โโThanks for the invitation,โ I tell her as I look around for Vanessa. Where is she? When I woke up, I didnโt find her in the room. โIโll be sure to stop by.โAfter I say this, we just stand facing each other awkwardly. Iโm not sure of what else to say to her. I scratch the back of my head and then ask her, โWould you like to stay for breakfast?โโYes, please!โ she laughs. We walk toward the restaurant. Itโs somewhat crowded but I have no trouble in spotting Red. Sheโs seated in the far end of the room with nothing but a cup of
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-07-19Tempted by the Rogue Alphaย ย ย 062: Shift
Lara By now I know that Dexterโs father-in-law hasnโt been killed and thatโs all thanks to Ambroseโs intervention. I canโt wait to see the look on Dexterโs face when he finds out. This seemed to be a crucial part of his plan and now, itโs all messed up. Itโs not much, but Iโm starting to understand how great revenge feels. The man is now grateful to Ambrose and is now an ally, and by now, he also knows about the money that Dexter stole during one of their raids. Heโll help us uncover the mystery and the best part? Heโs doing it for free. He doesnโt want any percentage of the money and he doesnโt care who it belongs to. He just wants to bring Dexter down. Heโs supported to be gone for a few hours and I make the most of the silence. Whenever heโs around me, I find it very hard to think. I was really looking forward to not having to meet his family again. Everything about them just makes me uncomfortable and what his cousin did earlier today is just genuinely confusing and annoying
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-07-20Tempted by the Rogue Alphaย ย ย 063: Sights
Lara I canโt begin to wrap my head around the fact that Dexter is a Lycan.Like me. Iโm in shock; I think anyone in my position would be. It never crossed my mind that he could be a Lycan. I canโt claim to know so much about him that I completely ruled it out, but him being a Lycan makes things different. Especially because of his job. Now, things make even less sense. He hunts his own kind and helps the regular wolves screw them over. I canโt say that Lycans donโt deserve the treatment; I know them better than I know anyone else and I know how immoral they are. But itโs still shocking. It makes me realize that I know virtually nothing about him. Another thing thatโs quite shocking to me is how quickly I wouldโve blown my cover if Iโd shifted to attack Jules. Goddess, that was stupid of me. I almost let my anger get the best of me and Dexter had been right there. He wouldโve seen. Afterward, it wouldโve been a matter of time before he found out who I truly am. Thankfully, that
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-07-21Tempted by the Rogue Alphaย ย ย 064: Healer
Lara Words canโt describe how shocked I am. How is it that heโs missing a hand? What happened? What kind of accident could lead to such a thing? His cousin Damson stared at me as if heโs asking me for help but I donโt know what to do for him. Iโm equally as shocked. The stump is bleeding profusely and something has to be done about it. I look around for a cloth and think of a towel. I race to the bathroom to get it and then hold it close to his injury. Dexter gives a piercing cry and I step away from him quickly. I hear his cousin yell again, โWe have to help him! What do we do?โโCall the police, naturally! Why not?โI start to whirl around and he grabs my arm. His eyes are serious and clouded over. โIf you call them there will be more trouble. The people who did this to him are very vengeful.โโSo what then?โ I ask hysterically. โWhat else do you expect me to do? Can we take him to a hospital? Should we call an ambulance? I donโt know how to deal with things like this!โDamson
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-07-22Tempted by the Rogue Alphaย ย ย 065: Leaving Alone
Dexter When I open my eyes, the pain hits me along with all the memories of how I get hurt. Itโs incredible how itโs the first thing that comes to mind. Iโm on my hotel room and judging by the position of the bed, Iโm seated on the armchair. I look down at my arm and see the bandaged stump, and my heart sinks. Fuck. I shift and try to look around. The pain is intense enough to set my teeth on edge. I need painkillers. Water. I need to find the people who did this to me. Itโs incredible how a stupid fucking argument escalated to this point. I canโt say I wasnโt warned about the damn Percevals but I didnโt think that they would attack me in such a brutal way. I have no memory of how I got here. All I know is that when I saw my hand lying on the floor by my feet, I had this strong sense of derealization that just made me black out. Someone must have brought me here and this bandage was put by someone. I try to raise my hand but it hurts too much so I just leave it where it is. Whe
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-07-23Tempted by the Rogue Alphaย ย ย 066: Return
Lara Iโm on the plane back home and yes, Dexter isnโt here with me. This trip was a nightmare and itโs one Iโll definitely never forget. I still shudder whenever I think about Dexterโs severed hand. Iโm in absolute shock.And now, he has stayed behind and I donโt even know if heโs alive. Judging by the way Julesโ friends looked at him, Iโd say they were determined to give him a hard time. If someone were to ask me how I feel about the whole thing, Iโd say that I donโt really have an answer to that question. I donโt know if I feel sorry for him or not. Iโd like to say I donโt, and Iโll leave it at that. When the plane lands, Ambrose is there to fetch me. His expression is serious. I rush toward him. I donโt think Iโve ever been happier to see him. I embrace him and he hugs me back. โHow are you?โ he asks me. Before I got on the plane, I had time to give him a quick call and explain things to him. I could hear the guilt in his voice when he told me to come on home and forget the w
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-07-24Tempted by the Rogue Alphaย ย ย 067: His Return
Lara A week has passed and Dexter still hasnโt showed. Iโm really starting to consider the fact that heโs dead and so, as a result, Iโm moving on with my life. Ander is finally talking to me and heโs gone back to normal, I would say. Heโs no longer stuck in his room. Weโve had a long conversation and I promised him that I would never leave him ever again, and he has finally accepted that apology. Iโm back to work. Itโs a profitable endeavor and the more money I have, the better Iโll feel. Maybe itโs the Lycan in me talking, but thatโs just how I feel. I want Ander to have a comfortable life and anyway, Iโm not sure I want to lose Ambrose as an employer. I could try my chances out there but until then, Iโll stay here. He protects me and genuinely cares.Iโd be stupid to think of doing anything else. Yes, Dexter gave me a million dollars. Yes, itโs a lot of money. But even Iโm not blind to the things that might go wrong. I grew up with a billionaire father. A million to us wasโฆspar
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-07-25
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Tempted by the Rogue Alphaย ย ย Epilogue 4
DexterA month has passed since Finchโs untimely death, and Lara hasnโt quite been the same. Sheโs been suffering quite a lot, and honestly, I understand why. Nothing he said made sense to me. Yesterday, she told me that she started to understand a little, but this is all a mystery to me. Maybe she gets it because she knew him better than I did. She grew up with him even though he was my biological brother and not hers. That gives her a pretty fair advantage over me. Iโm haunted by the brief conversation we had over the phone. I hadnโt guessed at the time that it would be our first and last one. To sum it up, he told me that he wanted me to be Beta, and that he wanted me to promise that Iโd take care of Lara and never hurt her again. But before that, he told me that he wasnโt as forgiving as she was and that he was glad I lose a hand. It was a crazy damn day, and it ended so tragically. But slowly, sheโs been crawling out of her shell. Of course, her grief is only noticeable to t
Tempted by the Rogue Alphaย ย ย Epilogue 3
LaraโIs it done?โ Finch asks me over the phone. I find myself nodding, and then say, โYes. It is.โPutting my father down was a decision we all made. It was ultimately what was best for everyone. Weโve all been hurt by him, and I think now, we can have that closure. With him being alive, thereโs always that fear that he might run away from prison and target us. Heโs always been vindictive. We had an incident with Jensenโs father, who had been Ambroseโs employer. When he heard of his sonโs death, he orchestrated a prison break and came after us. Well, thatโs what we gathered from the Gammas and Deltas who protect us. He never got close, but that didnโt mean the worst couldnโt have happened. Heโs dead now, but he was a reminder that Lycans are very vindictive and will stop at nothing to get revenge. Weโre all part-Lycan, so we understand this better than anyone else. Weโre also vengeful in our own ways. All of us. Finch heaves a sigh. โWell, thatโs the end of it.โFor some reason,
Tempted by the Rogue Alphaย ย ย Epilogue 2
DexterโYouโre free to pass through,โ the prison guard tells me as he opens the door to the visitorโs room. I never thought that I would find myself here. After I sent Victor to prison for the murder of my mother, I thought I wouldnโt need to speak to him again. I didnโt need him to explain to me why the fuck he killed my mother so brutally. I didnโt want to hear any of it. But since I got together with Lara, I started feeling this sense for closure. My story doesnโt feel complete yet, and thatโs because there are loose ends that I havenโt tied up. Well, thereโs one, and thatโs Victor. Heโs sitting alone at the metal table. His hands are out of sight, and he looks older than I remember him. Maybe itโs the orange uniform thatโs giving me that impression.When he sees me approaching, his eyes donโt leave my face. Thereโs not a single thought behind them, and as I sit across from him, I try to convince myself not to lose my cool and end this in a way that wonโt land me in prison.โD
Tempted by the Rogue Alphaย ย ย Epilogue
LaraI stand in the balcony of my room and stare at the moon, which is high in the sky.The sky has never looked more lovely. Itโs like a velvety canvas dusted with thousands of glittering stars. Then, thereโs the moon, of course. Sheโs the star of the show. I canโt help but feel gratitude spreading all through my body as I stare up at Her. Things worked out well for me. For us. The air is cool and still, and itโs carrying this fresh scent of pine from the surrounding forest that invades my nostrils every my time the wind blows. Itโs so serene at this time of the night. Everything is still and peaceful. Arms encircle my waist from behind, and I feel the coldness of the metal of his prosthetic against my bare belly. I nestle into Dexโs warmth. I know itโs him. His warm scent envelops me like a cloud, and he kisses the arch of my neck sensually. โAwake at this time?โ he asks hoarsely. โCouldnโt sleep,โ I say. โToday was a good day, wasnโt it?โI think about the trial that happened
Tempted by the Rogue Alphaย ย ย 114: Generosity
Lara"So," Finch begins when I sit directly across from him. "What happens now?"I've been asking myself this for the past few days and honestly, there's no answer. I don't think that's such a bad thing, though. Sometimes, it's great to not be able to predict anything. I want to see where this goes, too. Why should there always be an answer to everything?I tell him this, and add, "I'm happy with the progress that we've made. Isn't that great? We're taking it a day at a time. All of us."Finch looks right and stares out the window to the spot where Ander is flying a kite with Dex. The two of them are inseparable and it's a joy to see. Ander is a lot more active and they get along. "Hm," Finch says. "What?" I ask, my lips curving into a smile. "Stop being so pessimistic all the time. Why can't you be happy with me for once? I know how you feel about Dex, but he's a part of the family now. You have to put in an effort."Finch scoffs. "When hasn't he not been a part of the family?"I
Tempted by the Rogue Alphaย ย ย 113: Acceptance
DexterThree days later, I'm as good as new.As soon as I step out of the hospital, Lara is outside. Sheโs in the driverโs seat of the car, wearing dark sunglasses. The sight of her fills me with a fresh new will to live. When I left her room that nightโright before getting jumped by fucking Jensen and his menโI thought there was no hope for us. I left that house with no expectations. But look at where we are now. I climb in the passengerโs seat. I lean toward her and press a kiss to her lips. Theyโre soft and she smiles against me. For the past three days, sheโs barely left my side, and weโve gotten close in a way that I didnโt think would be possible for us. Iโm a brand new man, and suddenly, my life is full of possibilities. โItโs so fucking good to see you,โ I tell her as I tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. She smiles, but then it falters. โWeโve got our work cut out for us. You know what today is.โThe reminder makes my heart skip a fucking beat. We both agreed that
Tempted by the Rogue Alphaย ย ย 112: The Alpha
LaraWhen we reach the house, I tell the men to stay outside with Dexter. โIโm sorry,โ I tell them, looking at the injured man. โItโs only going to be for a few minutes. Iโll send a signal for you to come back.โDex grabs my hand before I step out of the car. He stares at me and says, โPromise me that youโre going to take care of yourself. That you wonโt get hurt.โโI promise,โ I say. We stare intently at each other before he pushes me toward him. Our lips collide and we share a brief but passionate kiss. Itโs time to go, though. I head toward the house and the gates open. I step in. I canโt meet them yet, not when Iโm in only a coat and have my scrapes and cuts on display. I have to get dressed. There canโt be signs of a fight on me. It only occurs to me as I step inside the house that someone couldโve called Jensen to warn him that we attacked. But they didnโt have the time to do it, not when they were fighting for their lives. A man meets me at the door. I think his name is G
Tempted by the Rogue Alphaย ย ย 111: Lucky Guess
Lara But wait. Something keeps tugging at me, and when I pay close attention to it, I realize that itโs the background noise that caught my attention. The rattling chains. That almost metallic sound of the door opening. Thatโs all familiar to me. I chew my bottom lip and think deeply as we head home. Itโs been three minutes since I last spoke to Jensen and I havenโt stopped thinking about that tiny detail. Whyโs it all so familiar to me?I close my eyes and try to think. Chains. The first thing that comes to mind is Dexterโs ex. She was tied up in them when he took me there so I could decide her fate. And then there was the sound of him opening the door to the warehouse. Thatโs how I figure out where Dexter is. Jensen took him to the warehouse where the money had initially been stashed. The realization makes my heart pump faster and I tell the driver. โStop. Weโre going someplace else first.โMy nerves are making my fingers shake with anxiety. I just have to take a deep breath
Tempted by the Rogue Alphaย ย ย 110: Ultimatum
Lara Thereโs no way that Jensen has Dexter. This has to be another bluff. Thatโs what I tell to myself to calm down. My heart is slamming against the base of my throat and I find it hard to breathe. โYouโre a damn fucking liar, Jensen.โโAm I?โ he asks quizzically. โThe plan was always to use capture Dexter. Only, we figured it would be hard to get him to talk, considering heโs tough as nails and would rather die than tell us where the money was. I suppose you know about that by now, donโt you? That Iโm the one who was your employer? If not, now you do. This filthy fucking rogue took my money and I want it back. Iโm prepared to take this to hell if necessary. What the fuck do I have to lose?โI say nothing for a good few seconds as I try to figure out what I have established so far. Jensen is my employer. Earlier, he told me he had someone I cared about and that he wanted to negotiate. I thought it was Ambrose, but itโs actually Dexter. Suddenly, someone comes to mind. I was talkin
