The Rogues Who Went Rogue
Chapter 121

Lucianne kept a safe distance from Xandar, trying to come up with a plan as he growled at her. Xandar then linked his late father in a low, homicidal tone, 'Tell me where she is, or I'll kill you and mom.

That was when he realized something was off. There was nothing at the other end of the link. And it was even more odd that he wasn't detecting his father's scent. He was smelling something...unusual, beautiful. Butterfly pea and jasmine. Despite being manipulated, he knew of only one creature who had that scent, and his mood instantly softened with that realization. 'Xandar, darling, Lucianne linked him gently as she took slow steps towards him.

When Xandar saw his father approaching him, he snarled in defense to keep him at a distance. Lucianne backed away, and he replied to her link in the softest and gentlest tone, 'Lucianne, h-how are you mind-linking me? Wait, that's not important right now. Where are you, baby? What do you see around you? I can smell you but I can't see you. Tell me where you are, my love. Please. Let me come get you!

'I'm right here, Xandar. I'm right in front of you. If you're seeing someone else, know that it's not real. It's me. I'm standing right in front of you. Trust your nose, Xandar. Feel me. I'm not whoever you're being made to see.'

His snarling stopped, and his animal began feeling the energy of the creature standing before him. It exuded a warmth that touched his soul and wrapped his heart, and an inviting presence that made him gravitate towards it. He knew his father. He was anything but inviting, especially after Xandar offered perspectives that went against his own and took stances that strayed from convention.

It was weird to accept that he was staring at his mate when he could only see his father down to the finest details of the faint wrinkles on the old man's face. By instinct, he closed his eyes and took a few more moments to confirm that it was highly possible that it really was Luciann who was in front of him. Xandar then took very slow steps towards her.

Juan, Toby and Christian went the most berserk at the sight, thinking that Xandar was going to attack Lucianne. Lucianne raised a hand to get them to stop growling, shouting or banging at the invisible wall that Xandar created. The vigils came to help but the moment they stepped into the space that no wolf or lycan could, Lucianne's stop sign made them halt.

They watched from a small distance as they got ready to push her away if Xandar lost control. The queen's sapphire eyes channeled an assurance to her family, friends and allies that she was going to be okay.

Very carefully, Lucianne channeled her Authority. That was when Xandar, with eyes still closed, linked her again in awe, 'Baby, is that coming from you? That power. It feels like...like...!

'Like an Authority?' Lucianne chuckled through their link, and his heart melted at the sound, and it began to flutter when she continued, 'I didn't know that it was, not until you told me.'

'I told you?' He asked doubtfully as he went even closer. Lucianne decided to stay at her spot, to not rush him and let him come to her.

'Yes, darling. About two weeks after we first met, you told me that I had this power, that I was bestowed the Queen's Authority. You made me realize that I have it, that you felt it.

'Two weeks... Xandar was made to think that he never spoke to Lucianne again since the second day of them replaceing each other, since she rejected him. The decipios were trying to tamper with the mind-link between them but there seemed to be something that was keeping them out, and that something was Lucianne's Authority.

'Yes, Xandar. Two weeks. We were in my room, and you told me about this. You explained how you channeled your Authority, teaching me how to channel my own.'

'Your room,' he repeated as he cracked his head for such a time before blurting out his pressing question, 'You mean...does this mean you're taking back your rejection?'

He could feel amused disbelief, but it didn't feel like that emotion was his. He couldn't understand where it was coming from. Lucianne's firm link dominated his mind again when she declared, 'Dearest, I never rejected you. I could never. I love you!

His animal cooed aloud, and the last three words made him so happy that he pounced on her before any vigil was fast enough to stop him, which sent a second round of heart attacks amongst those watching.

After realizing that Lucianne was still safe, the vigils sighed in relief. Toby used the invisible wall for support as he recovered from the shock. 'Goddess, I'm going to die young with this amount of stress,' he thought to himself.

Xandar's eyes were still closed as his tail wagged, which further infuriated the decipio-proditors. Lucianne could feel from the decreased compression in Xandar's mind that the thirty decipios were down to twenty-three, and they were giving it their all, trying inexplicably hard to make Xandar see what they wanted him to see, trying to pull him away from her.

Some of them knew that their plan was failing. The most strategic ones were even trying to come up with a Plan B as they continued praying that Plan A would still pull through.

'You love me?' Xandar asked again as he hovered just slightly over her, his nose close to her forehead.

Lucianne leaned closer to his nose as she linked affectionately, 'Of course I love you, darling. I'm your mate." In a possessive whisper, she added, 'And you're MINE.

Without remembering he had the King's Authority, Xandar channeled the archaic power because that seemed to be the only way his animal knew could connect to the Queen's Authority, to connect with his mate.

The manipulation effects wore off in waves as their combined power cleared his mind. When his darkened green eyes returned to lilac, Lucianne was so happy and relieved that she nuzzled his nose and the rest of his face.

His animal cooed and buried his face in her neck, greedily taking in her scent before he asked in his deep voice, 'Babe, I don't remember what exactly happened yet but I'm going to think that I was being manipulated. Can you tell me why I'm on top of you when we're not in our bedroom?'

Lucianne chuckled before responding, 'Because you're my indecent beast, My King!'

He moved away from her neck and smirked, nudging her nose when he argued, 'I'm not THAT indecent. After getting off, he offered her his hand like a gentleman as he linked, 'Come, My Queen. Let's finish this'

The decipio-proditors put the impromptu Plan B into action, manipulating the king and queen's allies and friends to attack them instead.