Aiden's grip tightened mercilessly, his fangs sinking deep into the thief's neck with an unmistakable assertion of dominance. The thief beneath him whimpered, his struggles growing weaker as he grappled with the relentless force. Aiden's eyes, blazing with a fierce intensity, were unwavering. I approached with caution, every nerve on edge as I sought to detect any hidden dangers lurking in the encroaching shadows.

Harry prowled the perimeter, his eyes darting with calculated precision, surveying the encircling darkness. Flanked by a cadre of vigilant guards, their bodies tensed like coiled springs, the air was thick with palpable tension and the acrid scent of fear. The moonlight played across their steely expressions, adding an ethereal glow to their grim determination.

With the thief now thoroughly subdued, Aiden eased his grip and backed away slightly, his wolf form still bristling with readiness. The rogue, his fur matted and his eyes wide with a mixture of pain and defeat, lay crumpled on the ground, gasping for breath as he struggled to regain his composure.

One of the guards shifted back into his human form with a subtle shimmer, and I quickly averted my gaze, not wishing to witness the abrupt shift in his attire. "I'm dressed," he muttered after a few moments, his voice carrying an undercurrent of discomfort.

Turning, I saw him affixing a collar around the rogue's neck with a grim determination. The sight was disheartening; the once defiant thief now resembled a broken creature. I approached the Moonstone, carefully grasping it with my mouth, the cool metal heavy with the weight of its significance.

"Majesty, I'll escort this mutt to the police station for questioning," the guard offered, his voice resolute.

Aiden nodded, his massive head dipping in acknowledgment. The guard attached a steel chain to the collar, securing the rogue. Two guards remained, their watchful eyes never straying from the captive, while the rest of us hastened back to the manor. The distant symphony of crickets and the gentle rustle of leaves felt incongruous against the backdrop of the night's tension. The manor loomed ahead, its windows casting a muted, ghostly glow through the encroaching dark.

A guard opened the front door, ushering us inside. I made a beeline for our room, eager to shed the weight of the night's events. Dropping the Moonstone on my dresser, I quickly shifted back to human form, the familiar sensation of my own skin bringing a momentary comfort.

"I didn't expect this kind of night," I said, turning to face Aiden as he joined me, his expression shadowed with frustration.

"Neither did I," he replied, his voice carrying a tremor of anger as he shifted back. "The audacity, the sheer nerve to attack our home. They breached our defenses not once, but twice!"

He slammed his fists onto the dresser, the sound reverberating through the room. I reached out, placing a calming hand on his shoulder. "Aiden, it's okay."

"No, it's not okay," he retorted, his voice cracking with emotion. "What if you had been in that room? What if he had—" His words faltered, leaving the unsaid horror hanging between us.

Taking a deep breath, I gently guided Aiden to sit on the edge of the bed, trying to offer him some semblance of comfort. "We need to focus on what's next," I said softly, my voice steady. "We can't let this consume us."

Aiden's jaw clenched as he looked away, his gaze fixed on the dimly lit window. "It's my job to protect you, my love," he finally said, his tone resolute. "I can't imagine having to live this miserable existence without you."

I kissed his forehead as he held onto me. "I need to meet with Marshall. I have to know how one of them was able to just waltz right into the house." He stood, kissing me one more time before rushing from the room.

"Wait!" I shouted after him.

Aiden's footsteps echoed through the grand hallway as he rushed toward the main floor, his urgency palpable. I struggled to keep up, my heart racing with worry. "Aiden, slow down!" I called out, but he was already charging toward the guard shack where Marshall was likely still working.

Marshall emerged from the shack, his expression darkening as he saw Aiden's frantic approach. "Majesty," he said, concern etched in his features.

Aiden skidded to a halt, barely catching his breath. "How did this rogue manage to infiltrate our home? How was this pack able to breach our security not once, but twice? This is unacceptable!"

Marshall's gaze shifted to me, then back to Aiden. "We're doing everything we can to find out. The rogue entering the house is honestly confusing. No guard noticed them and none of our alarms were tripped. We don't understand how he got in."

I stepped forward, trying to keep the situation under control. "Marshall, we need a full account of what happened. Every detail, no matter how small, could be crucial. We have to understand how this breach occurred so we can prevent it in the future."

Marshall nodded, his face grim. "Alright. We'll start from the beginning. Let's go to the security room and review the footage. We need to see if there's anything we missed."

As we made our way to the security room, the tension was so thick you could cut it with a knife. The room was a small, dimly lit space filled with monitors displaying various feeds from around the manor. Marshall activated the playback system, and we began to watch the footage.

As the footage played, you could see the rogue's approach clearly. His movements were deliberate, and he seemed to be testing the security measures. But then, just as he neared the outer perimeter, the footage became intermittent, with large gaps where he appeared to vanish from view.

Marshall leaned closer to the screen, his brow furrowing. "This doesn't make sense. It's like he's somehow bypassing the cameras."

We scanned the footage, trying to make sense of the gaps. "Could there be a malfunction or a blind spot in the system?"

Marshall shook his head. "We've had routine checks. Everything should be functioning properly. But if he's skilled enough, he might be exploiting a vulnerability."

The footage continued to play, showing brief, fragmented glimpses of the rogue entering the manor. His movements were swift and almost ghost-like, reinforcing the idea that he was exceptionally skilled.

"Wait," I said, pausing the footage. "Look at that."

On the screen, you could see a shadowy figure slipping through a barely noticeable breach in the security system. The gap was small but just large enough for a person to slip through unnoticed.

Marshall's eyes widened. "That's where he got in."

The footage continued to play, showing fragmented glimpses of the intruder's movements within the manor. His skill and stealth were evident, but now, the focus had shifted. The intruder had been caught, and our immediate concern was to extract answers from him.

"I was just thinking about something," I mused while watching the screen.

"What?" Marshall asked not taking his eyes off the footage.

"How did he know where the weakness was in our security and how did he know exactly where the study was located inside? And how did Roderick get inside and into the vault with an explosive that was able to blow a hole in the wall."

Aiden and Marshall both sat back and looked at me.

"What?" I asked.

"Those are really good questions," Aiden said quietly.

"You know there's only one way that could happen right, boss?" Marshall asked.

"Unfortunately I do," Aiden mumbled.

"What does that mean?" I questioned.

"We have a traitor in the house."

"What? A traitor?" I looked at the two men confused.

"Yes. There is only one way that someone could know how to get into the house and find those locations quickly," Marshal concurred.

"We need to get to the interrogation room," I said, already heading towards the door. "We need to make sure we get every detail out of him."

Marshall and Aiden followed close behind.

"Actually, you guys take the lead because I have no idea where I'm going," I said.

Marshall laughed as he got in front of me.

"Brody, get a car," Marshall shouted to a young pup standing at the front gate.

"Yes, sir!" Brody shouted running toward the garage in the back.

"Where is the police station?" I asked.

"Downtown. It's only a few miles from here," Aiden said.

A few minutes later a sleek, black car pulled around to the front. Marshall held the door open for me, his gaze serious as he glanced at Aiden.

"Let's move," Marshall said.

We climbed into the car, and Brody sped off toward the police station, the engine purring smoothly. Aiden stared out the window, his jaw clenched, while Marshall tapped his fingers rhythmically on his knee. I tried to piece together everything that had happened, my mind racing as we drove through the dimming evening streets.

When we arrived at the police station, we were quickly directed to the interrogation room. The place was stark and utilitarian, a single table under a bright overhead light, with two chairs on either side. The man we were about to interrogate was already seated, handcuffed to the table.

We stood outside, watching him through the one-way mirrored glass.

"Has he said anything?" Aiden asked the well-dressed man who guided us back.

He just shook his head. "He hasn't said a word, Alpha."

"It's your Majesty," Marshall corrected.

The man gave him a confused look. "What?"

Aiden waved his hand in the air. "We'll worry about that later, Marshall."

"Of course, my liege." He gave Aiden a crooked smile.

Only Marshall could get away with that.

"Anyway," the well dressed man said. "He's just been sitting in the there. Not moving."

"Not moving at all?" Marshall asked.

"Not a muscle. We haven't been able to get him to tell us his name. His pack. Why he broke in. Nothing."

"Okay. We'll have a go at him," Aiden said, reaching for the doorknob to the room.

His eyes flickered with a mix of defiance and fear as we walked in.

I took a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves. This was going to be intense. Marshall and Aiden took their places across from the suspect, their expressions hard and determined. I stood slightly behind them, ready to step in if needed but also unsure of what to say.

"Start from the beginning," Marshall said, his voice low and authoritative. "How did you find out about our house and those locations?"

The suspect shifted in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. "You think you can just scare me into talking?" he sneered.

Aiden's eyes narrowed. "We're not here to play games. We need answers."

Aiden narrowed his eyes at the young man, his gaze piercing. "We know how you got in, but we need to understand why. What were you trying to accomplish?"

The intruder's gaze was cold, his lips curling into a defiant smirk. "You wouldn't understand. It's bigger than you think."

Aiden's voice remained calm but carried an undeniable edge of authority. "Start talking. We need to know who sent you and what your goal was. If you don't cooperate, it won't end well for you."

"Your scare tactics are weak," the young man scoffed, his voice dripping with contempt. "I've trained for situations like this."

Aiden let out a low growl, his patience thinning. "Do you know who I am?"

"Yeah," the intruder sneered. "King Aiden."

"So you do know of the prophecy?" I interjected, my voice steady.

"Obviously."

Aiden's eyes darkened, and he took a deliberate step forward, his presence towering. "What is it that you seek in our territory?"

The intruder's defiance wavered, and he glanced around the room as if seeking an escape, but there was none. "It's what we need to correct."

Aiden and I exchanged a quick, puzzled glance. "Correct?" I echoed. "Correct what?"

"Your ascension," he replied, his voice barely above a whisper. "The rise of the Lycan King. It's a lie. You are not the king. Lord Roderick, descendant of the great Prince Lucien, is the true king."

Aiden's jaw clenched, and I felt a chill run down my spine.

"Lucien was banished from the kingdom. King Aiden is the only descendent of a true Prince of the realm who was granted lands to govern over."

The man's gaze shifted to me and he smirked. "Your sister says hi."