Contract With The Alpha King by Brey Mitchylle

Chapter 103

blissfully ignorant of what mins in your veins!"

The cloaked man leaned back in his chair, his laughter soft but unnerving as it echoed off the walls. "Tell me,

Fiona Rosenthal," he said, his fingers interlocking under his chin. "Have you undergone the teachings of your

bloodline, or have your wandered through life Fiena's frown deepened, her gaze narrowing. "Answer my

question. Did a Rosenthal harm the Rogue K

King"

The man tilted his head, studying her for a moment. Finally, he nodded. "Yes. The Rogue King's condition was

caused by a Rosenthal"

Fiona's breath hitched, though she quickly masked her reaction. "That's impossible. My family never leaves the

pack's grounds. They stay inside, secluded. They wouldn't get involved in something like this"

bly. "The Rosenthal blocel is unique. You

"Staying inside does not mean their influence cannot reach the outside would," the man replied smoothly. know

this. And if it is handled comely, it can poison as easily as it can heal"

His words dredged up fragmented memories of her father's teachings. She had always known their blood was

different, but the implications were far more insidious than she had ever imagined. "Poison?" she echord,

disbelief and unease creeping into her voice. The man inclined his head slightly. "Your blood can be mixed into

tinctures, potions, even mundane substances. It becomes undetectable, yer lethal. The right method, the night

amount, and the right intent and anyone can be poisoned, no matter their strength or resistance.""

Fiona clenched her fists. "Who did this? My family has no interest in this war between the Rogue King and the

Royals. If they acted, it means they're working with someone"

The man waved his hand dismissively. "That is not your concern. Your only task is to heal him."

Fiona's jaw tightened. "If I'm supposed to heal him, | need to see him."

The man's fingers twitched. With a snap of his fingers, the air in the room shifted. Fiona turned sharply as a

figure appeared on the canopied bed. lying motionless against the dark velvet.

She froze for a moment, her eyes scanning the form of the man on the bed. He appeared to be in his thirties, his

features sharp and striking. His brown hair was tousled, the strands falling haphazardly across his forehead. His

chest was bare, revealing a network of tattoos that curled across his skin in intricate patterns, sglowing

faintly in the dim candlelight. The designs were unlike anything Fiona had seen before-a mix of runes and tribal

markings that seemed almost alive.

What caught her attention most, however, was his scent-or lack thereof. He didn't carry the distinct, feral odor

she had cto associate with rogues. Instead, he smelled faintly of the earth after a rainstorm, clean and

grounding. It was disorienting, making her question everything she thought she knew about him.

Gathering her composure, Fiona turned to the cloaked man. "May | approach!" ::

The man gestured lazily, giving his permission. "Go ahead"

Fiona moved toward the bed slowly, her steps measured. She kept her eyes fixed on the Rogue King, watching

for any signs of movement. He lay completely still, his breathing slullow but steady. His skin had an unnatural

pallor, and a faint sheen of sweat glistened across his brow and chest.

She stopped at the edge of the bed, her fingers hovering above his arm. "What exactly am | supposed to heal?"

she asked, glancing back at the cloaked figure.

The man didn't answer immediately. Instead, he waved a hand, and the tattoos on the Rogue King's chest

glowed brighter for a brief moment before fading again. "The poison lies dormant now, but it is entwined with his

essence. His strength keeps it from killing him outright, but it also prevents him from truly living. You must

remove it"

Fiona narrowed her eyes, her hand lowering until it hovered just above his skin. She could feel the faint hum of

energy beneath her palm, a warning of the magic at play. "If this poison was made by a Rosenthal," she said

slowly. "Then | need to know how it was delivered"

The

man's gaze didn't waver, "Does it matter? The method is irrelevant now. What matters is undoing it."

Fiona's fingers curled into her palm as she straightened, turning back to the cloaked man. "And if | refuse!"

The man's smile returned, faint and knowing. "Then his suffering will continue. And you will have squandered an

opportunity to ask for anything your heart desires."

Fiona stared at him for a long moment. The Rogue King's life rested in her hands but so did the mystery of her

family's involvement.

"May | touch him!" she asked

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Chapter 103

"Please do so," the man said.

Without hesitation, Fiona touched the man's wrist. Her fingers lightly pressed against the Rogue King's pulse,

feeling for the rhythm. It was slow but steady, each beat faint as though fighting through a barrier. Her other

hand hovered over his chest, just above the glowing tattoos, sensing the subtle hum of the poison's magic

intertwined with his essence.

"This isn't old." Fiona said, her voice devoid of any expression. "This poison has only been in his system for a

month or two at most. It's potent and designed to work quickly, which is why he's been forced into this state. His

body needs to stay dormant to slow its spread. The more strength he uses, the faster it consumes him."

She glanced at the cloaked man, narrowing her eyes. "Yet according to what I've been told, the Rogue King has

been actively attacking villages, including Aken's, without pause. How is that possible? Are you saying he was

poisoned recently?"

The man's posture didn't shift, but the slight twitch of his fingers on the armrest betrayed his annoyance. "Your

focus on irrelevant details is exhausting," he said. "You are here to heal him, not unravel a mystery."

Fiona straightened, stepping back slightly from the bed but keeping her eyes on the Rogue King "This isn't a

detail," she countered. "This poison was designed to kill as quickly as possible. Someone would have had to

know it was in his system. How did you figure it out!?" The man snorted, leaning back in his chair. "Details," he

repeated dismissively. "The how and when are of no importance to you,"

Fiona folded her arms across her chest, her expression hardening. "If | don't know how it was introduced, | can't

guarantee that removing it won't cause more harm. | need answers"

The room fell silent, the tension thick enough to cut through. The witch's gaze lingered on her for a moment, as

though debating whether to reveal more. Finally, he exhaled, the faint flicker of the candles casting elongated

shadows across the room. "I was given by someone close to him," the witch said, his voice suddenly turned cold

as he added. "A woman. Someone