Flashback — The Night The Rogue King Returned
The door closed behind Emerald with a soft click, but to Darius, it echoed like thunder in the study.
He was alone now. The fire had died out minutes ago, but there was still a bit of warmth in the room, except in his heart. There, only coldness remained.
Darius walked slowly toward the mantle and stared up at the old portrait of Vale Lycannis... Alpha Vale Lycannis—his brother and his closest friend.
The picture hung quietly on the wall, and Vale’s eyes were too similar to Emerald’s for comfort.
"I know," he murmured, "she’s becoming just like you."
He reached for the smaller frame resting on the shelf, an old photograph. He pulled the frame forward and slipped his fingers behind it. The photo was still there, folded and hidden in the back panel.
Darius slid it free and unfolded it slowly.
Two men stared back at him from the faded paper.
One of them was Vale, younger, less burdened by the weight of leadership. His eyes were bright, his shoulders squared with pride. Beside him stood a man in dark clothing, tall and imposing, with piercing gold eyes and black hair streaked with silver.
He hadn’t aged a day.
Darius stared at the image for a long moment. "He’s back," he muttered. "Damn fool actually returned."
His wolf stirred restlessly. "We knew he would. The bond always calls back."
"That bond was never supposed to mean anything," Darius whispered.
"Doesn’t matter. You saw him. He’ll never forget what was promised."
Darius clenched the edge of the frame.
Too much time had passed—too many secrets. The Rogue King wasn’t just a myth. He was a shadow from their past, a legend that should’ve stayed buried beneath years of silence.
He carefully folded the picture and tucked it back behind the frame, sealing it behind the illusion of normalcy.
"Not yet," he said quietly. "I won’t be the one to shatter her world."
A Few Hours Ago... Just After Emerald Walked Out Of The Meeting...
The council room was still buzzing with conversation when Darius quietly slipped out of the side door.
As soon as Emerald had left, a message popped up on his device. It didn’t come with a name, just two simple words: "I’m outside."
He didn’t need any special powers or a soothsayer to guess who it was or where they were waiting.
He maintained his pace as he took another turn and slipped through a small door meant for servants, stepping out into the east courtyard. As he walked into the outer courtyard, the moonlight illuminated the stone floor.
And there, just as he anticipated, stood a man, dressed completely in black: his coat, boots, and shirt making him look like a shadow pulled from the darkness.
Darius walked steadily, but it was hard to tell what he was thinking from his face. "I wondered when you’d crawl back from whatever hole you vanished into," he said.
The Rogue King smirked. "That’s not how you greeted me the last time we met."
"That was before you decided to destroy everything in your path."
The Rogue King’s eyes gleamed like molten gold. "I only destroy when someone tries to keep what’s mine."
Darius folded his arms. "Why are you here?"
"You know why I’m here, Darius." His voice was low, confident, and deadly.
Darius didn’t flinch. "You’re early."
"I don’t believe in waiting," the Rogue King replied smoothly.
Darius kept his stance neutral. "You’ve been watching her."
"She called to me," the Rogue King replied. "I simply answered."
Darius’s jaw flexed. "You shouldn’t be here."
"You knew I would return."
"That doesn’t mean I wanted it."
The Rogue King’s golden eyes gleamed. "But it was always part of the pact."
Darius’s jaw tightened. "It was years ago."
"Time doesn’t mean what you think it does. Not to me."
"She’s been through enough," Darius said. "Let her be. Go back to the darkness that birthed you."
The Rogue King stepped closer, his boots soundless on the stone. "You were there," he said quietly. "The night Vale swore the blood bond. You heard him. You saw what he promised."
"I remember," Darius said bitterly. "But Vale is dead. The world is different. Emerald doesn’t even know who you are."
Darius’s voice hardened. "You have nothing to gain from this."
"I have everything to gain. She’s mine. My mate."
Darius stood tall. "She’s bonded to others."
"They’re temporary." The Rogue King’s eyes flared. "Fate only writes one final name. And it was mine, long before the rest."
Darius stared at him, pulse heavy in his throat.
"You plan to force her into this?" he asked.
"No," the man said. "She’ll come willingly. Eventually."
Darius’s hand twitched at his side, aching to clench into a fist. "You’ll ruin her. You’ll dredge up things she’s not ready to face. Things that have nothing to do with her future."
"Everything has to do with her future," he said, stepping closer. "She was born to wear a crown. And I was born to protect the empire she’ll command."
Darius’s brow furrowed. "You speak in riddles."
The Rogue King smirked. "Only because you still pretend you don’t understand."
He took one more step, his aura pressing down like thick smoke. "I’m going to claim her. And if anyone stands in my way..."
Darius’s eyes met his squarely. "You’ll what?"
The golden gaze darkened. "I’ll burn them from the inside out," the Rogue King whispered. "Even you."
A long silence followed.
The Rogue King’s power erupted like a tidal wave. The air became heavy with his presence, and the shadows leaned in as if they recognised him.
Darius didn’t flinch. "So be it."
The silence stretched on, filled with a tension that words couldn’t capture.
After a moment of silence, the Rogue King gave a faint smile. Then, without another word, he turned and disappeared into the shadows, almost as if he had never been there at all.
Darius, on the other hand, felt a weight in his chest. His heart was heavy with emotions. He leaned against the wall and let out a slow breath.
He couldn’t shake off the feeling of how many years had passed, how many lies had been told, and how much regret he carried.
"You should tell her." His wolf’s voice was quiet. "She deserves to know."
"I know," Darius whispered.
He looked up at the stars, scattered like broken promises across the sky.
"If only Vale were still alive," he muttered. "Maybe then she’d be strong enough to survive what’s coming."