Ch. 41..45: The Rogue is a Female Alpha chapter 41-45

Back Where 41

“I don’t know how to thank you. I will never even be able to thank you enough. Who would have thought Tahlia would do such a thing?” Olga lamented when we finally stepped into the cozy living room.

There, the boy had already fallen asleep in Lycannar’s arms. I watched how he held him so tenderly, his large palm pressed against the child’s small back, soothing him with a care I didn’t think he was capable of. It made me wonder, silently, just how good he was with children.

“You all must get some rest. I’ll take young Black to sleep now. Thank you, Your Majesty.”

Olga gently took the boy away, disappearing around the corner.

Her departure left a tense silence hanging in the air, and I let out a shaky sigh.

“The danger has passed, right?” Princess Mearez asked, her voice low.

I shook my head faintly.

“Barely. She’ll be publicly shamed for this. I’m going to stop it.”

“If only we lycans could help… but we can’t meddle with werewolf affairs for too long,” Mearez replied with a trace of regret.

“I’m helping,” Lycannar said, his voice sharp. “I don’t care about the protocol anymore.”

Goosebumps rose along my arms at the steel in his tone.

Mearez frowned.

“Lycannar, you’re a king now. You know what that means.”

“It means I answer to no one,” he countered, his gaze unwavering. “Besides… I can’t leave her alone to shoulder everything. I killed the man in question.”

“And his wife thanks you for it. I…”

“You should

go

home with Chantel. I’ll come once I’m done here.” His tone softened, but it was still final.

He pulled Mearez into his arms briefly, his hand gently cradling her chin. There was something about their bond, something deeper than blood, that I had never seen before.

He kissed her lightly, and she sighed, giving me a simple nod before leaving.

After a moment, I heard the distant sound of hooves as she and Chantel rode

away.

That left just the king and me in the small, warm–lit room.

I avoided looking at him, the memory of how long he’d taken to show up still twisting in my chest like a knife. I started to walk away, but his low, almost pleading voice froze me in place.

“What can I do to make you forgive me?” He stepped closer. “Hmm?”

I didn’t dare meet his eyes. I knew that if I did, I’d be lost. Instead, I stepped away, only for his fingers to close around my

wrist.

Olga entered at that exact moment, halting mid–step when she realized she was interrupting something.

uh… I’ve prepared the guest chamber. It’s late.” Her gaze flicked between us. “The healer’s left?”

I gave a small nod.

“Where is the chamber?”

9:30 PM P P

She led me down the hall, Lycannar following silently behind. At the door, Olga bowed before him, but he didn’t acknowledge her.

“Would you like dinner?” she asked me.

“No,” I said quietly. “I’m fine. Thank you.”

Finished

I stepped inside, noting the tidiness of the space. Moving toward the window, I glanced out to see Lycannar’s great black horse still waiting under the semi moonlight. Outside, the world looked calm. Inside, something darker brewed.

I heard him close the door behind him.

He didn’t speak, but I could feel his gaze like molten heat on my skin. My patience snapped.

“What do you want from me?” I turned to face him. “Why are you still here, Lycannar? What do

you want?”

He said nothing. His eyes searched my face without a flicker of expression and My frustration surged.

“I already told Princess Mearez to tell you whatever is going on between us is over. I don’t want to see you again.”

At that, his gaze shifted, unreadable turning into restrained anger.

“Don’t say that. Don’t make me a monster.”

“I shouldn’t? Then where were you when I needed you?”

“Zephyrine…” he stepped forward, but I raised a hand, stopping him.

“Don’t come any closer. Just… stop. I don’t know what you want from me, but I do know one thing. It’s never going to work. You’re a king. I’m me. It will never work out.”

“Stop saying those words,” he said, this time tightly, his fists clenching at his sides.

“Lycannar…”

In a blur, he was in front of me, his palm wrapping around my neck, not in cruelty, but with an intensity that stole my breath.

“You can’t leave me, Zephyrine. Not after you walked into my kingdom and stole my soul.”

“I stole nothing!” I shoved at his chest, but he only pinned me against the wall, his breath hot and uneven.

His eyes flared with an unnatural glow before he slowly released me, swallowing hard.

“All my life, death has followed me,” he said quietly. “One glance at someone, and I see things… horrible things you can’t imagine. Their sadness. Their death. Never the good memories, only the darkness. They haunt me. But then I found you, Zephyrine. I don’t know why… but you’re different.”

He frowned slightly, then reached for

my hand. His voice was softer now.

“Don’t push me away. You are what I’ve been looking for all my life. Someone I’ve ever wanted. All I want… is all of you. Is that too much to ask?”

His expression nearly broke me more than his words. I could feel it. He is proposing.

I lowered my gaze, my chest tight.

“I… I can’t give you all of me, Lycan. I’m still mated to another man.”

He went still. His jaw clenched, and the warmth in his eyes vanished.

He turned toward the door, but my voice stopped him.

“It’s you I want too!”

He froze. I looked away, frustrated.”

9:30 PM p p.

Finished

“I know I shouldn’t feel like this for someone else, especially you, but I can’t help it. It’s you I want. Not Nyroth.”

He turned and crossed the distance in an instant, scooping me up as I threw my arms around his neck.

We stared at each other’s lips, our breaths mingling.

“But… you have to give me a few days to think about your proposal,” I murmured against his mouth.

“How many?”

“Three.”

He leaned in, about to kiss me, when I added,

“You are not going to kill Nyroth, Lycannar. If you do, I won’t see you again.” Check latest chapters at find•novel.net

The air between us tightened, his jaw ticking. I had put him in the cruelest corner and I knew he would not risk my wrath again.

Back Where 42

I hadn’t slept until dawn, my heart still reeling from what had happened between him and me. Lycannar had been furious when I warned him, and he’d left without a word.

When I finally opened my eyes, it was already morning, yet I lay there, staring into the blank space, wondering how I could possibly keep myself together with everything closing in on me. The sound of footsteps rushing toward the chamber snapped me from my thoughts.

Slowly, I turned toward the door just as it flew open. Luna Tahlia appeared in the hallway, horror written all over her face.

“I can’t find my mother or Young Black.”

“What?!”

I bolted upright from the bed and rushed past her, flinging open the doors of every chamber. Empty. No one was in the house except Luna Tahlia and me.

“Can you feel Young Black’s energy? Where is it?” I demanded when we met again in the living room.

She turned away swiftly, trying to connect to her son. When her eyes snapped back to me, her face had gone pale.

*I can feel his energy… in Blackbridge Pack. Are they going to execute him now?”

I didn’t waste another breath. I rushed out. I tied my hair back, ready to use my speed just as a carriage rolled Luna Tahlia was already on it.

“Get in!”

up

behind us.

I obeyed instantly, and in no time, we were pulling into Blackbridge’s courtyard, where a crowd had already gathered.

What I saw froze my blood.

Olga, Luna Tahlia’s elderly mother, was on her knees in the dirt, trying to plead for her daughter’s and grandson’s lives. In return, they spat on her, calling her “mother of a whore” and “grandmother of a bastard.”

Luna Tahlia jumped from the carriage to shield her mother, but she, too, was struck.

Anger boiled in my chest. My gaze slid to Kaela, standing there with her father, smiling in triumph. In just a few days, they had managed to ruin not just one life, but several.

I sat in the carriage for a heartbeat, deciding where to move first, when Kaela’s voice cut through the crowd like a whip.

“Pack members of Blackbridge! Do not hurt or spit on your former Luna. Though what she did was despicable, thanks to her… you will now have a competent Alpha.”

A cheer rose through the crowd.

Kaela stepped forward, towering over Luna Tahlia as though she were some god of justice.

“You will pay for all your evils,” she declared coldly. “And if you do so willingly, perhaps we’ll grant your son mercy.”

It was the kind of cruel choice meant to shatter a person. Luna Tahlia’s dignity broke in an instant and she crouched at Kaela’s feet, begging for her child’s life.

Kaela’s smile was triumphant.

That was enough.

I stepped down from the carriage and strode forward, pulling Olga gently to her feet. The murmurs in the crowd swelled as I led her to the carriage and helped her inside. She was pale, wan, and trembling from exhaustion. My heart ached for her.

9:30 PM p p.

G

Then I returned to lift Luna Tahlia from her knees. I set my jaw and faced Kaela directly.

“You want mercy?” I said evenly. “Then let’s talk about it.”

Kaela’s eyes swept over me, and she scoffed.

“You, who can barely save her life…”

Finished

“I know who killed Alpha Black,” I cut in, my voice loud enough for every ear in the courtyard. “The Lycan King never hid the fact that he did.”

The crowd fell into uneasy silence.

I turned to look directly at Yadev, the Beta soon to be Alpha.

“The Luna of this pack has been framed. And I can prove it.”

Kaela’s jaw tightened, but she was quick to strike back.

“We all know you’ve bewitched the Lycan King, and he will say anything you want, even lie before the Council. Luna Tahlia will be shamed, and her son will die.”

“Not while I live.”

“Then die,” Yadev said, stepping forward. The sheer weight of his presence pressed against me, enough to make most people flinch. “You can’t save them. Go on, die.”

I smirked. He had just opened the door for me.

“How about I die honorably in a duel?” I proposed, stunning everyone present. “Bring your best warrior, set the date and time, and have your scroll ready.”

I moved closer, placing myself between them and Luna Tahlia.

“Your best warrior against me, in the arena, to the death. If he wins, you get what you want. If I win…”

“You get all you wanted,” Yadev finished for me, his tone dripping with contempt. “The throne, and her name cleared. But a rogue like you wouldn’t know the first thing about the battlefield. Maybe the bed…”

The insult was meant to brand me a whore. I gave him a small nod.

“Since you want to die early by the Lycan King’s sword, I won’t stop you from calling me a slut,” I replied, my voice like ice, “But pick the date, pick the time, and make sure the right audience is watching because the innocent widow you shamed will walk away proven right.”

Tension thickened until Young Black suddenly burst from the building and threw himself into his mother’s arms. Relief cut through the air.

I guided them both to the carriage, and we rolled away from the pack’s gates.

I leaned back, closing my eyes for a brief moment. Maybe it was time to take up a blade again.

Maybe it was time to shed blood.

Back Where 43

“And what do you know about battle? Huh?! What in the hell do you know about combat or duels?” Nyroth shouted, but I ignored him, heading straight into my chamber.

“You should let her be. Maybe this is even better to get rid of her,” I heard his mother say, but as usual, I ignored them both.

Making this decision, I knew I would never be the same again. After five years of retirement, I was taking up the blade once

more.

I had left Luna Tahlia the moment the loyal guardsmen of Blackbridge Pack, those who now believed she was framed, camé

over.

My words had split the pack in two; those who had been brainwashed were now beginning to switch sides. She hadn’t wanted me to take this fight. This text is hosted at find•novel.net

“Let another man do it, Zephyrine. We can hire a warrior who has fought on the battlefield,” she pleaded, but I shook my head. I would handle it.

This wasn’t some friendly duel or spar. This was the fight that would decide the legacy of Young Black.

I had placed her in safe hands, helped settle her mother to bed, and then left for Hue Pack to retrieve my chest and leave there for good only to be attacked by my mate, furious at the news of my coming duel.

I pushed the door to my chamber open and sighed softly, steadying my nerves. I could already hear him approaching.

The door flew open, and he appeared, jaw tight.

“Zeph, if you really want to die early, you should have told me so I could strangle you myself. Why in hell must you punish me this way?!”

“If you hadn’t backed the false claim against Luna Tahlia, maybe I wouldn’t have to go through all this. You are the real architect!” I snapped back.

He sighed and shrugged, his usual habit before giving some half–hearted apology.

“Zeph, you can’t go on with the duel. What is with you and that Luna anyway?”

“She was cheated on by her mate, her Alpha, the father of her pup. He replaced her with someone younger, mated her on their marital bed, and made her watch. I can feel her pain… and I can relate.”

“You make it sound like you’re a saint, Zeph,” he muttered angrily. “Yesterday, at the council, you hugged another man in front of me, and you think you’re a saint?”

“Says the man who mated with his childhood crush over and over while still bound to me.” My voice was calm now, no anger left. That was how I knew Nyroth and I were truly done.

What connected us was only the mate bond, a pull that made me attracted to him at certain moments, but the Lycannar had over me was different, dangerous, undeniable.

I turned away, but his voice burst out, sharp with jealousy.

power

“So you’re leaving me for a psychopath? A murderer? Someone who doesn’t even know the difference between right and wrong? Who believes he can spill blood whenever it suits him?”

I swallowed and turned to face him.

“know he’s unstable. I know he’s dangerous. But trust me, he makes me feel better than you ever could.”

“What?”

Yes. He’s obsessed but only with me. He stalks only me. And when he doesn’t fit in, it’s because he doesn’t have to. You fit in

9:30 PM

perfectly… yet what good is that if you stand by and do nothing when others insult me?”

Finished

His face went pale at my words, but I didn’t wait for his reaction. I pulled out the drawer, took my chest, and headed for the door.

In the living room, Pamela and Olivia waited with triumphant smiles. They thought this duel would be my end.

I was about to walk past when Nyroth stepped forward, blocking my way.

“I won’t reject you, Zeph,” he said tightly.

“I don’t care about that anymore. If you can lie with another woman while still mated to me, and I can kiss another man and feel more connected to him, then maybe the mate bond is nothing at all. Maybe we were never meant to be lovers, only to help each other find the one we were truly meant for.”

“Don’t feed me that horseshit! I am not some matchmaker who will hand you over to the Lycan King. You are going nowhere.”

He grabbed my arm, and I yanked free, but in the process, the chest fell, its lid flying open. The contents scattered.

The invitation scroll from the Lycan King to my brother rolled to Pamela’s feet. My mother’s bracelet glinted on the floor, and the broken hairpin my brother had given me years ago lay at Nyroth’s feet.

I felt the tension spike in the air. I hurried to snatch up the scroll, folding it back into the chest, then reached for the bracelet and placed it inside.

When I went to grab the hairpin, Nyroth was faster. He picked it up, staring at it in confusion, his brows furrowing.

“Where did you steal this?”

I nearly sagged with exhaustion. Snatching it from his hand, I shoved it into the chest.

“It’s mine,” I said flatly.

But then his grip caught my wrist again, different this time. When I turned, I saw something new in his eyes. Horror.

“You stole that hairpin from Kaela, didn’t you?”

I bristled.

“It was gifted to me by my brother on my tenth birthday. Go ask your crush where she keeps hers.”

And with that, I walked out, vowing to leave the pack for good. Yet somehow, deep down, instead of weakening, the mate string between Nyroth and me only seemed to grow stronger.

Back Where 44

Nyroth

I couldn’t breathe.

حولة

No. I must have been going insane to even think such a foolish thought.

I stood frozen for a while, replaying what I had just seen in my mind.

The hairpin. The half piece that matched the one I owned.

No. No…

Finished

I staggered back a step, then turned and rushed to my chamber. My hands trembled as I crossed the room to the corner and pulled out the old chest. I stared at the lid for what felt like an eternity before forcing it open.

Inside lay the other half of the hairpin.

A cold chill raced down my spine. Had Zeph stolen it? Where did she get it? Why did she have it?

I slammed the lid shut with a thud and headed out. My younger sister and mother were in the living room, their expressions tight with concern, but I didn’t stop to answer them.

I needed to confirm if what I’d seen was real or if I was losing my mind out of fear of losing my mate forever.

I burst from the house just in time to see Kai’s chamber door swing open. Tilting my head, I caught a glimpse of him crouched on the far end of his bed.

Ever since Apex had walked into my pack, into my council chamber, looked my Beta dead in the eyes, and told him his death was long overdue, Kai had never been the same.

I let out a shaky breath and mounted my horse, spurring it into a gallop toward Blackbridge Pack. There were questions burning in me, and only Kaela could answer them.

It wasn’t long before the pounding hooves slowed before the towering gates of the Blackbridge Pack’s main hall.

The air buzzed with tension. Pack members stood in knots, murmuring about the rogue woman who had stood her ground against Beta Yadev.

“She’s so brave. I didn’t know she had that in her.”

“Do you know her?”

“I’ve seen her in Hue Pack. She lived there until recently. I heard Apex Blood, the Lycan King, is her man.”

“Really? How lucky! I’m rooting for her in the duel.”

I ignored the whispers, though they grated against me. My reputation with Kaela was no secret here, only an unspoken truth people didn’t dare voice aloud.

Inside, I made my way through the hallways toward Kaela’s chambers, On the way, I crossed paths with rogues who had fled Hue Pack after Apex’s invasion. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn Find✶Novel.net

They had gone pale at the mere sight of the Lycan King, frozen in place as he spoke. He had spoken with a strange blend of confidence and gentleness that unsettled me, like the politics of our world meant nothing to him, as if he carried far heavier demons than any of us could imagine.

Jaw tight, I entered Yadev’s living room to find them deep in discussion over the upcoming duel.

“It’s to the death, which means you’ll have your revenge,” Kaela told the rogue leader. “Make sure you humiliate her. It’s an official duel so the Lycan King won’t be able to interfere.”

She paused the moment she sensed me, turning with that same sweet, seductive smile that had always pulled me in.

9:31 PM p p.

Finished

“Well, look who’s here.” She glided toward me, placing a palm flat on my chest. “We’ll have our victory soon, Nyroth. Kill two birds with one stone, get rid of your unwanted mate and seize the throne like we’ve always planned.”

I couldn’t speak. The sheer coldness in her tone chilled me. Why hadn’t I

seen this side of her before? Perhaps because she’d been an envoy of peace for five years, and I’d believed she was as gentle as the role she played.

“I need to speak to you.” I said, taking her wrist and pulling her aside.

“But I’m busy…”

“It won’t take long.”

She searched my eyes now, curiosity turning to unease.

“What is it?”

I pulled the hairpin from my pocket and held it out to her, studying her face for a reaction. Nothing. She stared at it like it was nothing but trash.

“What do you want to discuss with me?” she asked flatly.

I swallowed hard She didn’t recognize it.

“Kaela,” I began, my voice unsteady. “Do you remember the fire all those years ago? The night you saved my life?”

She frowned faintly, trying to recall, and the sight twisted in my chest. She didn’t even remember such an important day.

“Yes. What about it?”

“You saved me that night, didn’t you?”

She nodded, still watching me carefully.

“Yes. Why are you asking again?”

“This hairpin… it fell from your hair when you shifted into a wolf. It broke in two. I found this piece when I woke up to see you beside me. Don’t you remember?”

A small frown flickered across her face before she looked at the hairpin again. Then a dry, humorless smile touched her lips.

She was about to reply when her father entered, calling her urgently.

“It’s about the duel,” he said, and Kaela nodded.

She glanced back at me with a swift smile.

“Let’s discuss this later, Nyroth. After the duel.”

She left with her father, the rogues following in her wake.

I stood there, the truth slowly dawning on me.

She didn’t own this hairpin.

But she had been there that night at the festival.

Did that mean… she wasn’t my savior?

Back Where 45

Zephyrine

Finished

It was a cold night, the wind whistling past, dry leaves rustling under my steps as I made my way toward White Pack on foot, the chest clutched tightly in my hands.

I didn’t bother using my speed. I didn’t hurry. I felt… empty.

The fact that Nyroth still refused to break the bond, and the knowledge that Lycannar would never stop chasing me, made my chest heavy. And yet, here I was, heading toward another man, Moon, who would do anything to have me.

Tonight, I would visit the memorial hall. I would pay my respects to my parents. I would ask them for strength and guidance, because for the first time in five years, I was about to do what they had taught me best. Fight for justice. Fight for peace.

As I continued walking, a sudden warmth pressed against my back. A familiar presence. The feeling of being watched. Followed

I stopped and turned, and there he was.

Lycannar Blood.

He walked with his horse at his side, his long strides perfectly in sync with the beast.

When I stopped, I expected him to come to me. But he didn’t. He stopped where he was, watching me from a distance.

I sighed. He had probably heard about my duel. No doubt he was furious, just as Nyroth was.

I turned away and resumed walking. Behind me, his footsteps resumed too.

He didn’t try to overtake me. Didn’t close the distance. He just followed. Silently. Patiently.

And with every step, that heavy emptiness in me began to fade. A strange warmth spread in my chest, knowing he was behind me, his eyes fixed on me.

It made me feel… safe.

When we reached the gates of White Pack, I turned. Our eyes locked for a brief moment. His face was unreadable, distant, mysterious. Then, without a word, he turned away as if to leave.

That surprised me.

“Wait,” I called, frowning. He paused, looking at me for only a few seconds before turning away again.

“Lycannar!”

He didn’t answer. I moved quickly, blocking his path, breathless.

“How dare you come into my night like this and think you can just walk away? Do I mean nothing to you?”

“Speak for yourself,” he murmured.

I searched his eyes. And then, unexpectedly, I smiled.

“You’re mad at me?”

He tried to bypass me. I blocked him again, leaning closer with a teasing smile.

“You’re mad because I issued a duel, aren’t you?”

He didn’t answer.

I sighed.

“Fine. Will you come with me to the memorial hall? I want to see my parents.”

Finished

For a long moment, silence hung between us. I thought of Nyroth, how easily he would have rejected such a request. My heart thudded as I waited for Lycannar’s answer.

Instead of speaking, he stepped past me, walking toward the White Pack gate. He stood there in his usual place, waiting.

Waiting for me and I know why. He’s waiting for me to go in and change up.

Emotion welled up unexpectedly, warming my chest.

Lycannar… is a perfect, imperfect man. I didn’t know how to deal with myself.

***

The sky rumbled overhead when Lycannar brought his powerful horse to a halt before the memorial hall.

He dismounted in one smooth motion, then lifted me down with such ease I wondered if I was truly that weightless.

I didn’t speak. My eyes were fixed on the second floor, where my parents‘ ashes rested in a niche I had rented.

Staring at it now realized how far I’d come from that first day, how much I’d healed.

All because Lycannar had shown me there was more to life than being bound by fate.

Memories of Nyroth watching silently as his family insulted me came rushing back. The night he sent me out into the cold. How quickly time passed.

“Let’s go,” said at last, smiling faintly as I took Lycannar’s hand, our fingers intertwining. I led him forward, unlocking the chamber.

Inside, the vessel stood, holding the ashes of Warlord Vale and War General Seraphine. My skin prickled with goosebumps. Slowly, I stepped away from Lycannar and knelt before them, paying my respects.

I had always imagined introducing them to the man they believed would be my mate. Instead, a king had come. One who was obsessed with me. Was that right?

I turned, catching Lycannar’s gaze. For the first time since we entered, he was looking elsewhere.

“It’s only one vessel,” he murmured.

“Their ashes are together,” I replied softly.

He stepped closer, then glanced at me with a question that seemed to weigh heavily.

“Were they good to you?”

Goosebumps rippled up my arms. His eyes were those of a man willing to burn the world for me.

“They were the best parents,” I whispered,

Without another word, he went down on one knee, clasped his palms together, and bowed his head in the Lycan way of paying respect.

I watched in silence. When he stood again, something warm lodged in my chest. Nyroth had never done anything like that. ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs, ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ ᴠɪsɪᴛ Find★Novel.net

Sometimes… a stranger was better than a man I’d known for years.

“I wasn’t mad at you,” Lycannar said suddenly.

Cold spread through me. He was answering the question I’d asked back at White Pack.

“You have no idea how I’d act if I were mad at you or if I stopped being obsessed with you.”

“Lycannar…”

9:31 PM P P .

“I killed that Alpha. Any duel, any fight, that should be mine, not yours. I don’t want you cleaning up my mess.”

My heart sank. So it was about the duel.

“I can take care of myself.”

“With your rusty moves?” he asked bluntly.

“What?”

“That rogue will fight hard. Can you?”

His eyes locked on mine. I froze. He knew something. But how?

“I know you’re a warrior,” he said. My knees almost buckled.

“How?”

He took my hand, his thumb brushing over my skin.

Finished

“I know a warrior’s hands when I feel them. The calluses, they’re not from chores or hardship. They’re from training. Real training.”

He pulled me into his arms, and I let him.

“If you want to win against that rogue,” he murmured, “come to my grounds. Spar with me. I’ll teach you new moves.”