"How bad?" Kieran asked in a low voice.
Emerald’s eyes lingered on The Rogue King across the cave, where he still lounged with his back against a jagged wall, golden eyes half-lidded like a predator resting only because he chose to.
"Bad enough," she said quietly, "that he’s not playing by any of the rules the rest of you intend to follow."
There was a beat of silence.
Then: "Well, you two have gotten awfully close," Adrien said as he approached, arms crossed. His tone was casual, but the fire in his eyes said otherwise. "So that’s why you kept asking about Kieran, huh?"
Emerald tensed. "Adrien—"
He pressed. "You love him more now? That’s it?"
"This is not the time or place," she replied through gritted teeth.
Lucien, who stood nearby, interjected. "Maybe it is." He stepped forward, arms folded, his tone calm but not soft. "He has a right to ask. So do I. So does everyone here."
Emerald swallowed and tried not to glance over, but she felt it, the weight of The Rogue King’s eyes, watching her like he was amused, or waiting for her to fumble.
Emerald turned back to Lucien, exasperated. "Not now, please."
Lucien tilted his head. "Would you have ever told us at all?"
"I didn’t know I had to start filing daily reports of my private life to my mates," she snapped. "I wasn’t under the impression I had to tell you everything."
Adrien scoffed. "So that’s it then? You and Kieran?"
Emerald closed her eyes for a moment. "We had sex. What more do you want to hear?"
Kieran shifted uncomfortably. Adrien’s brows lifted in disbelief. Lucien’s face remained impassive, but Emerald could see the flicker of something beneath the surface.
Adrien crossed his arms. "How? When? Where?"
Emerald opened her mouth, then shut it again.
Kieran straightened. "A few days ago. I saw her leaving the estate barefoot, like she’d just been through hell. I followed her to a cave."
Emerald’s eyes widened. "Kieran... don’t..."
He glanced at her. "They want honesty. I’m giving it."
Lucien’s eyes narrowed. "What cave?"
Kieran glanced at her, then back at Lucien. "East ridge. The one with the underground spring. She was crying. I gave her my coat."
Emerald shut her eyes as Lucien looked at her.
The change was subtle. A twitch of his brow, the smallest tightening of his jaw. But she saw it. Felt it.
"You took me there first," she said softly. "I know."
"I never took anyone else there," Lucien said in a cold voice. "Not in my whole life."
"Lucien, it wasn’t like that—"
He shook his head once and turned away.
Adrien broke it with a sardonic grin. "Well, this isn’t fair. You can’t expect us to just smile and nod while the frost prince gets all the glory. We ought to even out the scales."
Emerald turned to him, narrowing her eyes. "And I ought to reject the lot of you."
That shut him up... all of them.
She stepped back, her hands trembling with restraint. "This isn’t why I came to this summit. You think this is easy? You think juggling four Alphas is some fantasy?" She asked, her eyes scanning theirs, as if daring them to respond.
None did and she continued.
I came here as Alpha, not some prized omega you all need to mark like territory. I’ve got enemies trying to kill me. I came here to speak on behalf of my people, to lead. Not to babysit four grown men tearing at each other because I didn’t alphabetically schedule you into my bed."
Lucien looked away. Kieran was quiet. Adrien scratched the back of his neck but didn’t argue.
The Rogue King stood and crossed toward her at an unhurried pace. "I can take care of them for you," he said softly. "Then, we’ll leave right now. Just say the word."
Emerald didn’t reply. Her eyes flicked toward the collapsed tunnel again.
Viola stirred. "Where the hell is Darius?"
She didn’t have an answer. But she prayed he was coming.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw The Rogue King wince slightly. Blood stained the edge of his sleeve.
She stepped toward him.
"Are you injured?" she asked warily.
He blinked at her, surprised.
She folded her arms. "You shielded me during the collapse. Are you hurt?"
"When did you start caring?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I don’t," she said bluntly. "But you saved me, that’s all. And I’m not inhumane."
His eyes studied her for a long beat, then he smiled. "You say that... but you’re soft where it counts."
She didn’t get the chance to reply as a voice echoed from beyond the stone.
Her heart leapt. "Darius!" She sprinted toward the blocked tunnel. "We’re inside! All of us!"
There was muffled shouting on the other side. After a tense few moments, the rock wall shuddered. Pieces began to shift, pulled away by claws and tools.
"We’re clearing it!" Darius called. "Stand back!"
Emerald turned to The Rogue King. "You’re coming with me. You need those wounds checked."
He gave her an unreadable look... but nodded.
It took several minutes, but eventually the barrier gave way. Fresh air rushed into the tunnel as slabs of rock were pried loose. Sunlight streaked in through the opening.
The moment the exit was wide enough, Lucien, Adrien, and Kieran helped her out. Several guards and two healers rushed forward, checking her over.
Kieran and Adrien were immediately by her side. "Are you alright?" Kieran asked.
"She’s fine," Adrien said, brushing dust from her shoulder like he had the right.
"I’m fine," she said, brushing them off gently. "Really."
More people had arrived with Darius: guards, scouts and a few curious Alphas. But one presence made her breath catch.
He was watching her with an unreadable expression, arms folded, lips tight.
She looked away, her eyes searching for The Rogue King, but he was... gone. Vanished.
She glanced around, heart pounding. "He was just..."
"Gone again?" Adrien asked, clearly unimpressed.
Kieran looked at her. "This is what you’ve been dealing with?"
Viola spoke quietly. "We need to get ahead of this, Emerald. He’s not going to stop. And now they all know."
"I know," she murmured.
Darius reached her, scanning the group. "You’re all alive. I thought..."