Daniel sat in his apartment, the glow of the lamp barely reaching the corners of the room. His glass of whiskey was untouched on the table. He was staring at the wall, but in his mind, he saw only one thing—Mia.
Her soft smile. The way her eyes lit up when she laughed. The way she looked at Ryan as though he was her entire world.
The thought alone made Daniel's chest ache with fury.
"Why him? Why Ryan?" he muttered, slamming his fist on the table. The glass shook, but he didn't care. "She should have been mine. If only she would see it… if only she would forgive me."
He leaned back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. Ever since the night he had tried to take her, she had looked at him with nothing but hatred. He regretted his lack of control, but at the same time, he couldn't deny it—he loved her, he wanted her, and he couldn't imagine a life without her.
Daniel had tried everything. Apologies, begging, even stalking her at the company. But Mia's rejection cut deeper each time. Worse, Ryan was always there—protective, dominant, and smug, as if he had won some prize that Daniel never stood a chance at claiming.
That thought twisted Daniel's mind even further.
"If I can't have her willingly," he whispered, "then I'll take her by force."
The idea had been circling in his head for days, but tonight, it felt like a decision. His gaze hardened. If Ryan thought he could keep Mia safe forever, he was wrong.
---
A few nights later, Daniel walked deep into the forest outside the city. The trees loomed high, their branches blocking the moonlight. He had heard of them—the rogues, outcasts from the werewolf packs, dangerous and merciless. He knew approaching them was risky, but desperation made him reckless.
Finally, he found them. A group of men, rough-looking, scarred, with eyes that glowed faintly in the dark. They smelled of blood and wildness. One of them stepped forward, his lips curling into a sneer.
"Well, well," the rogue leader drawled. "What's a human doing in our territory at this hour?"
Daniel swallowed his fear but stood tall. "I came with an offer. Something that benefits us both."
The rogues laughed, circling him like wolves around prey. "Humans rarely have anything worth offering. Speak quickly before we decide you're dinner."
Daniel's hands clenched into fists. "I want a girl captured. Her name is Mia. She's important to someone I… dislike. If you take her, Ryan won't be able to protect her anymore. And I… I'll finally have her."
The rogues exchanged amused glances. One of them leaned closer, sniffing the air. "Mia, you say?"
"Yes," Daniel said firmly. "She works at the company Ryan owns. She's always with him. But she's human, fragile. Easy for you to take."
The leader studied him silently, then smirked. "Interesting. We've heard whispers about this girl. The Alpha's human mate, yes? The one he protects so fiercely."
Daniel froze. "You… you know her?"
"Not personally," the leader said, his grin widening, "but we've been curious. A human mate is rare enough to be strange. We did some digging."
Daniel frowned. "What do you mean?"
The rogue stepped closer, his voice dropping low. "Your little Mia is not just a human. She's something far more valuable."
Daniel's heart pounded. "What are you talking about?"
"She is the lost princess," the rogue leader said, his eyes gleaming. "The daughter of the werewolf king."
Daniel's eyes widened in shock. "That's impossible. She's human!"
The rogue chuckled darkly. "So everyone thought. But she carries the mark—an old necklace, tied to her when she was born. It's the key to finding her. And guess who's been wearing that necklace all along?"
Daniel's mind reeled. He remembered seeing Mia wear a necklace once, a simple thing she had claimed was from her childhood. He hadn't thought much of it then. But now…
"If what you're saying is true," Daniel whispered, "then Ryan doesn't just have a mate. He has the princess of the entire werewolf clan."
The rogue leaned close, his breath hot against Daniel's face. "Exactly. And do you know what that means? She is priceless. If we capture her, we can control the king. We can bend him to our will."
Daniel felt torn. He had come here out of selfish love, to take Mia away from Ryan. But now, the stakes were higher. She wasn't just a girl. She was royalty.
Still, he nodded. "I don't care about your politics. Do whatever you want with her… but she belongs to me. Ryan won't keep her. I will."
The rogues laughed again, cruel and amused. "We'll see about that, human. Help us lure her out, and we'll take care of the rest. But know this—once we have her, she won't just be yours to claim."
Daniel's chest tightened with jealousy and fear, but he nodded anyway. He was in too deep to turn back now.
---
The Dark Plan
That night, the rogues and Daniel sat around a fire in the woods, discussing their plan. The flames flickered, casting shadows across their faces.
"We'll strike when she's away from Ryan," the leader said. "He's strong—too strong for us to take head-on. But the girl? She's vulnerable."
Daniel clenched his fists. "Don't hurt her. I want her unharmed."
The rogues smirked. "We'll see. No promises, human. Once we have her, she's leverage. For us, for you, for the entire clan. The king will come running."
Daniel's heart pounded. He had wanted Mia for so long, but now, everything was slipping out of his control. He had made a deal with devils, and he wasn't sure what the price would be.
Still, one thought consumed him.
Mia will be mine. No matter the cost.