Rosa's presence shocked the group of hunters. Winston immediately recognised her, as did Curtis. He looked at Rhea, who nodded, giving him permission to bring her closer. Rosa was barely alive, her breathing haggard, and on her back was written in blood, 'The King of Flame City.'

Rhea had heard of Flame City in passing—a city of ferals and abandoned mates. How did Rosa get there? More importantly, how did she get back here?

"Seems like someone wants to meet," Leo said, his calm demeanour contrasting with the others' clear discomfort at the blatant cruelty displayed. Rhea looked at the woman on the floor, wondering how much she had endured. She wrapped her hand around Rosa's neck, crushing it in a mercy killing or perhaps finishing the job she had started in Beast City. Winston winced at the sound of bones shattering.

"It seems like he wants to meet his competition," Rhea said coldly.

"Are you planning to go?" Leo asked.

Rhea pondered. She did not need to answer the call. If he wanted to see her so badly, he should come here and prostrate himself at her feet.

"No, Winston, increase the number of men patrolling."

Winston nodded at her command, his eyes glancing at the body of the woman he grew up with. Leo looked at Rhea's expression as if he wanted to ask her something, but he held back for now. He would ask when she was alone.

"We should head back, Rhea," Curtis said, taking her hand. The mood had been ruined now.

"Hn."

Storm clouds rolled in slowly, and citizens started to take things inside in anticipation of the coming storm. The clouds covered the sun, and Rhea watched the sky in admiration.

"You're looking at the sky like you're about to try and fly," Nik said, coming up behind her. She sat on the balusters, which had quickly become her favourite spot, on the edge of the palace with a sheer drop below her. It was grounding.

"The sky looks beautiful today. I couldn't help it," she said with a shrug. Nik looked at the sky and wondered if they were looking at the same thing. The dark storm clouds had eclipsed the sun, and barely any sunlight could pierce through. "Do you need anything?"

"Nothing," he said starkly. He wanted to check up on her but felt embarrassed to say it.

"Oh, then do you want to watch the storm here with me? Or are you still scared of me?"

He blushed and stuttered angrily, "Who's scared of you!? You're not scary at all." He stomped to sit beside her and tried not to look down. This was too scary.

Seeing his stubbornness, she held back her laughter. "Sure, you're quite brave. Aren't you afraid of dying?"

"If you're not afraid of dying, why should I be!?"

Why would she be afraid of dying? She had killed so many people that it would be stupid for her to fear death now.

"Right, right." She sat in comfortable silence as thunder rolled in. She watched the citizens underneath scramble to get inside. She loved the rain a lot.

"Where did you go the other day?" Nik finally gathered the courage to ask. The others didn't know, and Curtis was unwilling to tell him. Leo just looked at him with a resigned expression, as if to pity a clueless older brother.

"Well, I went under the sea and talked to a merman."

"I don't believe a beast like you was kidnapped."

She eyed him with mild annoyance. How was she a beast? She was a stunning young woman. "You know, I should really discipline you one day."

"Don't say that!" he said. Her threats were genuinely terrifying.

The rain began to fall, with heavy droplets pounding the palace roof and the surrounding landscape. Rhea leaned back, letting the rain hit her face, enjoying the cool sensation. Nik shifted nervously beside her, his bravado fading slightly as the storm grew more intense.

"Rhea," he began hesitantly, "why do you always sit here when it storms?"

She looked at him, her eyes thoughtful. "Well, I love thunder, and you don't normally hear thunder." 

"I don't get it; what's so interesting about a loud noise?"

"Well, for nature to be able to make such a loud sound, I think that is pretty amazing." 

Nik nodded slowly, absorbing her words. "You're not afraid of anything, are you?"

She chuckled softly. "I'm afraid of stuff. I don't really like chokers."

"That's not a fear! Just a jewellery preference." 

They reminded her of the chain around her neck. 

"Ok hmm.." She thought some more: "I'm afraid of losing Curtis." 

He rolled his eyes. What kind of fear was that? 

Thunder rumbled loudly, shaking the palace walls. "I really am afraid of chokers; they make me feel trapped, like I can't escape."

Nik sighed. Was she really serious? "It's a good thing you're the queen then; no one can force you to wear chokers."  

That's right, no one could force her to do anything.

She knew that, but still, she felt stuffy. No matter where she was, she always felt trapped. Was this feeling impossible to get rid of?

"You know, you're right," she said softly. "I'm not trapped." She had to remind herself that in this world, there was nothing holding her down.

"Well, of course, anywhere you want to go, we can take you." He said it confidently.

"Even to the ends of the world?"

It was a nonsensical question; she half expected him to just look at what was funny.

"Even to the ends of the world."

Instead, his reply was something like that.

.

The evening air was warm and filled with the soft hum of nocturnal creatures as Rhea prepared for the sleepover with Dali and Bai Qingqing. The room was set with plush cushions and soft blankets scattered around a low table adorned with fruits, nuts, and a variety of treats. Lanterns cast a gentle, flickering light, creating a cosy and inviting atmosphere.

The door creaked open, and Dali stepped in, her eyes lighting up at the sight of the setup. "Rhea, this looks amazing!" she exclaimed, setting down a basket of freshly baked bread and cheeses.

Rhea smiled warmly. "I'm glad you like it. I thought we could all use a little break."

Moments later, Bai Qingqing arrived, her expression brightening as she took in the scene. "This is perfect, Rhea. I can't remember the last time we did something like this."

As they settled in, the initial excitement slowly gave way to a comfortable silence. Each of them savoured the peace of the moment; the weight of their everyday struggles was temporarily lifted.

Dali was the first to break the silence, reaching for a handful of grapes. "So, what's new with everyone? Any exciting gossip?"

Bai Qingqing chuckled, taking a sip of her herbal tea. "Well, I've been busy preparing for the baby. Shuu has been so protective; it's sweet but a little overwhelming."

Rhea laughed softly. "I can imagine. How's he holding up?"

"He's nervous but excited," Bai Qingqing said with a smile. "He's already reading every parenting book he can get his hands on."

Dali grinned. "You're lucky to have someone like him. It sounds like he's going to be a great dad."

"And what about you, Dali?" Rhea asked, leaning back against a cushion. "How's everything with Nobel and the kids?"

Dali's face softened at the mention of her family. "They're doing well. Nobel has been busy with the new house, but he always makes time for the kids. It's been hectic but wonderful. Thorne is not coping well with the weather; he gets sniffly in the summer."

Rhea listened, a gentle smile on her face. She was genuinely happy for her friends. 

"And you, Rhea?" Bai Qingqing's voice was gentle, and her eyes were filled with concern. "How are you holding up?"

Rhea took a deep breath, the question lingering in the air. She had been so focused on listening to her friends that she hadn't given much thought to herself. "It's been challenging," she admitted. "But I'm managing. Having you all here helps more than you know."

Dali reached out, placing a comforting hand on Rhea's arm. "You're not alone, Rhea. You have all those handsome men; how are you even able to stay up during the day?" 

They three giggled, "Dali you talk like you've been doing a lot." Rhea said probing. 

"Well, you know the handcuffs? That really does wonders." Qingqing's ear's perked at the word handcuffs; she blushed, their conversation feeling more and more illicit. Dali even fished out a new pair. "I really enjoy it." 

"Was it used on you or on Nobel?" 

"Well, I tried it on Nobel, but I think I prefer it on me." 

Rhea hadn't considered that; she already knew who she wanted to try it with. If Winston saw her 'stuck' with handcuffs, what would he do?

As the night wore on, they shared stories and laughter. It got pretty late before they started to get sleepy. 

Bai Qingqing stretched, letting out a contented sigh. "This was exactly what I needed. Thank you, Rhea."

Rhea smiled, feeling a sense of fulfilment. "Me too. We should do this more often."

Dali nodded in agreement. "Definitely. It's easy to get caught up in everything else, but nights like this remind us of what really matters."

The three looked at each other. 

"Men." 

As they burst into laughter, the guards outside couldn't help but smile. The laughter of females was always heavenly. By the time her two guests were asleep, Rhea looked at the metal handcuffs and took them. Sneaking out of her room,, she swing the cuffs on her finger walking through the halls. She wanted to try them out for a few minutes, but who would be her target. 

Curtis woke up to Rhea's scent, He opened his eyes to see her walk into the room. 

"Rhea? What's wrong." She didn't answer and instead walked up to him with something in her hands. He smelled her arousal, smirking as he saw her crawled up to him. "You missed me tonight?" 

She nodded, unlocking the handcuffs. "I wanted to try these out." 

"Then shall we?"

She wrapped her hand around his neck and his eyes glazed with pleasure. 

A/N: 3 chapters in one day? Well my only exam left is practicals(OSCEs) next week so when examining my friends I thought of something, instead of doing cardiovasc exam I could write about Curtis being a lowkey masochist? What? Free will feels good. 

Just comment on any erros i'll fix it thank you <3