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079: Vacant Apartment
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2024-07-31 03:51:58Related chapters
Tempted by the Rogue Alpha 080: The Retirement Villa
LaraWhen Ander wakes up, he wonders why we’re in a hotel room and not at our apartment. I give him an excuse about how I lost the job and so as a result, we had to move. This saddens him and I can tell it right away. Instead of accepting what I told him, he asks me, “Is it because I was stealing?”His questions breaks my heart and I stroke his hair. “No, it isn’t. There were other reasons that contributed to it. But you can’t steal anymore, Ander, and you have to listen to me. I’m your mother. Everything I do and say is for your own good, even though you don’t want to do it. Do you understand?”He nods and lowers his head. “So, when do we go back?”“To our apartment?”He nods. “We can’t. I don’t work there anymore so we don’t qualify to stay at the apartment. We’ll find a new apartment where we can stay. It’ll be fun.”This doesn’t cheer him up and honestly, I have so much on my mind and on my to-do list for today that I don’t have time to sugarcoat things. Maybe when I pick him up
Last Updated : 2024-07-31Tempted by the Rogue Alpha 081: The Whole Story
LaraThe nurse—Violet—begins the tale with a sigh. “I’ve heard it so many times that I know it by heart,” she reveals. Her eyes are distant and she seems very sad, so much that I can’t help but feel the same way. We’re seated near the edge of Lucy’s bed. She hasn’t looked up once. “May I ask how you found out that you were her daughter?” she asks me. “I mean, for years, there were no leads. I know this because Lucy’s mate never stopped looking.”I shrug. “The news came from the very man who plucked me from her arms. My father, the man who raised me.”Violet’s eyes widen. “Goddess. This is terrible!”“It is,” I agree. My eyes fill with tears and I lower them so she won’t see them but she already has. She reaches over and grabs my hand. She says, “I can tell this is very painful for you.”I nod. “It is.”“Well, maybe I can start by telling you who that woman was and why she ended up in this terrible place. I don’t know how much you know. But this woman has been in pain from the day s
Last Updated : 2024-07-31Tempted by the Rogue Alpha 082: Visiting Room
Lara I feel numb after leaving the facility. Everything is a jumbled mess in my head. Figuring out what my next step will be is harder than it should be. I have to stay low and not attract attention to myself. I should drive back to the hotel and stay there until it’s time to pick up Ander from school. But this anger brewing inside of me won’t let me sit still. I call Finch. My hands are shaking as I reach for the phone. He answers again on the first ring. My breaths are uneven and I find it hard to figure out what to say even though I’m the one who called. “You saw her?” he asks gently. I slap my forehead with the heel of my hand. “What the hell was that, Finch?”“I had the same reaction when Dad told me,” he reveals. “I want to talk to him.”“To who? Dad?”“Where can I find him?” I ask. “Which prison?”Finch is silent on the other end of the line. Although I haven’t spoken to my father in years, this is something that I can’t run from. I need to know the truth from his side.
Last Updated : 2024-08-01Tempted by the Rogue Alpha 083: The Search
Lara I arrive at Ander’s school right on time. Other parents are parked in the massive lot waiting for their kids to run to the cars. I see many of them pouring out of the front doors. A few moments later, I zone out. My mind drifts off to everything that happened today and I just feel so discouraged. My energy has been drained and I can barely keep my eyes open. I just want to drift off to sleep and never wake up again. If I do, then I want all of this to have been a dream. Ambrose. I can’t stop thinking about him. Goddess, he’s seen me naked. I know it’s not the thing I should be focusing on but it’s true. He’s seen me dance. He’s the one who gave me this job as a stripper. And now, I’m his daughter. How will he react when he finds out?It’s just occurring to me now that he might not want me as a daughter or end up being disappointed in some way but that’s honestly the least of my worries. When I snap out of my troubled thoughts, I realize that a few minutes have passed and And
Last Updated : 2024-08-02Tempted by the Rogue Alpha 084: A Word of Caution
LaraI have a lot of hope upon arriving at the strip club. This is the only other place he could be in that would make sense before I have to accept that the worst has happened and he’s lost or has been snatched by a malicious soul. I get out of the car and race to the top of the metal staircase. I’m calling his name as I reach the top. When I get there, it’s empty. He isn’t here. I try the door and then allow all those feelings of despair to rise to the surface and swallow me whole. I sink to my knees in front of the door and cover my face with my hands. Tears stream down my face and my shoulders are shaking with every sob. I then put my hands together in front of me and pray. Ambrose comes up behind me after a few minutes. I’m not looking at his face but I can tell by the sigh that leaves his lips that he’s disappointed. It would’ve been great if he was here. That would’ve eliminated the need to go on a full-blown search for him. It would’ve assured me that he was safe.Now, t
Last Updated : 2024-08-04Tempted by the Rogue Alpha 085: Regret
DexterI couldn't believe that this was happening to me.Vanessa—no, Lara—glared at me. She then said, "How do I even know you're not the one who took him from me as punishment? How? What guarantees me that it wasn't you?"I'm staring at her and trying to figure out if it's really her. Fuck, I have no idea. In my mind, Lara Taylor was a blonde girl with a completely different face. It was Vanessa...Vanessa with her cat's eyes and sharp features.This has to be some kind of joke."Was it you!?" she demands. Her eyes are gleaming with tears. Her voice is shrill. "Did you take him? Would you hurt an innocent child for some sick revenge plan!?"I take another step back. I finally find my voice. "I don't even know what the fuck you're talking about, Red. I don't...you're Lara Taylor?"At my question, she pauses. She searches my eyes intently and then wipes under her eyes, not answering the question. The implications of this start to hit me one by one."This whole time..." I begin before th
Last Updated : 2024-08-05Tempted by the Rogue Alpha 086: A Tight Chest
LaraGoddess. My hands are shaking and I feel like I can’t hold the steering wheel properly. It feels like every bone in my body is frozen and I can’t function. I realize now, a little too late, that I should have never told Dexter about me. What had I been thinking?I guess this stress has made me feel like I’m not myself. Like I stepped out of my body for a moment and only returned now. He had no idea. The shock on his face and the way he behaved about everything was a confirmation of that. I fucked up. Big time. Now he knows who I am and he doesn’t even have Ander, so it wasn’t worth it. I’ve never been more disgusted with myself. The only thing that’s keeping me from crying is…I’m not even sure what it is. The determination to find my son, perhaps. I have to keep it together just enough to function, or I’ll lose it completely. My phone starts ringing. I look around it for a moment while keeping a hand on my steering wheel. I lower my eyes just for a moment and nearly drive in
Last Updated : 2024-08-07Tempted by the Rogue Alpha 087: Grim Announcement
LaraAfter hours of driving around and not finding him, I feel just about ready to give up. I’m so damn devastated. It’s impossible to know who’s telling the truth and who isn’t, and I’m just about done. I feel like my mind will cave into itself. It’s so much pressure. So much anguish. I hardly know what to do with it all. My sweet boy. Where is he?Tears prick my eyes but I have to keep going. I can’t stop. Nobody loves him more than I do so they’ll never put in more effort than me. I just have to not give up no matter how tired I am. I’ll never be able to rest unless I find him. My phone starts ringing unexpectedly and my heart drops. I park the car on the side of the road quickly and reach for it. It’s Ambrose. “Did you find him?” I ask right away. “How close are you to the strip club?” he asks me. He sounds very strange and I don’t know why. I can’t really read his emotions well. “Why?” I ask hurriedly. “I need to speak with you.”Desperately, I ask, “Is it about Ander?”“
Last Updated : 2024-08-08
Latest chapter
Tempted by the Rogue Alpha Epilogue 4
DexterA month has passed since Finch’s untimely death, and Lara hasn’t quite been the same. She’s 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. I’m haunted by the brief conversation we had over the phone. I hadn’t 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 I’d take care of Lara and never hurt her again. But before that, he told me that he wasn’t 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, she’s been crawling out of her shell. Of course, her grief is only noticeable to t
Tempted by the Rogue Alpha Epilogue 3
Lara“Is it done?” Finch asks me over the phone. I find myself nodding, and then say, “Yes. It is.”Putting my father down was a decision we all made. It was ultimately what was best for everyone. We’ve all been hurt by him, and I think now, we can have that closure. With him being alive, there’s always that fear that he might run away from prison and target us. He’s always been vindictive. We had an incident with Jensen’s father, who had been Ambrose’s employer. When he heard of his son’s death, he orchestrated a prison break and came after us. Well, that’s what we gathered from the Gammas and Deltas who protect us. He never got close, but that didn’t mean the worst couldn’t have happened. He’s dead now, but he was a reminder that Lycans are very vindictive and will stop at nothing to get revenge. We’re all part-Lycan, so we understand this better than anyone else. We’re also vengeful in our own ways. All of us. Finch heaves a sigh. “Well, that’s the end of it.”For some reason,
Tempted by the Rogue Alpha Epilogue 2
Dexter“You’re free to pass through,” the prison guard tells me as he opens the door to the visitor’s 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 wouldn’t need to speak to him again. I didn’t need him to explain to me why the fuck he killed my mother so brutally. I didn’t want to hear any of it. But since I got together with Lara, I started feeling this sense for closure. My story doesn’t feel complete yet, and that’s because there are loose ends that I haven’t tied up. Well, there’s one, and that’s Victor. He’s sitting alone at the metal table. His hands are out of sight, and he looks older than I remember him. Maybe it’s the orange uniform that’s giving me that impression.When he sees me approaching, his eyes don’t leave my face. There’s 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 won’t land me in prison.“D
Tempted by the Rogue Alpha 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. It’s like a velvety canvas dusted with thousands of glittering stars. Then, there’s the moon, of course. She’s the star of the show. I can’t 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 it’s carrying this fresh scent of pine from the surrounding forest that invades my nostrils every my time the wind blows. It’s 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 Dex’s warmth. I know it’s him. His warm scent envelops me like a cloud, and he kisses the arch of my neck sensually. “Awake at this time?” he asks hoarsely. “Couldn’t sleep,” I say. “Today was a good day, wasn’t it?”I think about the trial that happened
Tempted by the Rogue Alpha 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 Alpha 113: Acceptance
DexterThree days later, I'm as good as new.As soon as I step out of the hospital, Lara is outside. She’s in the driver’s 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 night—right before getting jumped by fucking Jensen and his men—I 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 passenger’s seat. I lean toward her and press a kiss to her lips. They’re soft and she smiles against me. For the past three days, she’s barely left my side, and we’ve gotten close in a way that I didn’t think would be possible for us. I’m a brand new man, and suddenly, my life is full of possibilities. “It’s so fucking good to see you,” I tell her as I tuck a strand of her hair behind her ear. She smiles, but then it falters. “We’ve got our work cut out for us. You know what today is.”The reminder makes my heart skip a fucking beat. We both agreed that
Tempted by the Rogue Alpha 112: The Alpha
LaraWhen we reach the house, I tell the men to stay outside with Dexter. “I’m sorry,” I tell them, looking at the injured man. “It’s only going to be for a few minutes. I’ll send a signal for you to come back.”Dex grabs my hand before I step out of the car. He stares at me and says, “Promise me that you’re going to take care of yourself. That you won’t get hurt.”“I promise,” 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. It’s time to go, though. I head toward the house and the gates open. I step in. I can’t meet them yet, not when I’m in only a coat and have my scrapes and cuts on display. I have to get dressed. There can’t be signs of a fight on me. It only occurs to me as I step inside the house that someone could’ve called Jensen to warn him that we attacked. But they didn’t 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 Alpha 111: Lucky Guess
Lara But wait. Something keeps tugging at me, and when I pay close attention to it, I realize that it’s the background noise that caught my attention. The rattling chains. That almost metallic sound of the door opening. That’s all familiar to me. I chew my bottom lip and think deeply as we head home. It’s been three minutes since I last spoke to Jensen and I haven’t stopped thinking about that tiny detail. Why’s it all so familiar to me?I close my eyes and try to think. Chains. The first thing that comes to mind is Dexter’s 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. That’s 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. “Stop. We’re going someplace else first.”My nerves are making my fingers shake with anxiety. I just have to take a deep breath
Tempted by the Rogue Alpha 110: Ultimatum
Lara There’s no way that Jensen has Dexter. This has to be another bluff. That’s 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. “You’re a damn fucking liar, Jensen.”“Am I?” he asks quizzically. “The plan was always to use capture Dexter. Only, we figured it would be hard to get him to talk, considering he’s tough as nails and would rather die than tell us where the money was. I suppose you know about that by now, don’t you? That I’m the one who was your employer? If not, now you do. This filthy fucking rogue took my money and I want it back. I’m prepared to take this to hell if necessary. What the fuck do I have to lose?”I 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 it’s actually Dexter. Suddenly, someone comes to mind. I was talkin
