The Rogues Who Went Rogue
Chapter 77

The mental practice with the decipios drained the lycans and wolves, who were all obviously unfamiliar with their power, and most of them slept in the next day. Lucianne and Xandar only woke up when Reida demanded diaper changes and feeding, and the parents were utterly (an guiltily) relieved that Mrs Parker was coming at noon to babysit. They'd have a few more hours of rest while Reida was in the caretaker's safe hands.

After a short nap, Lucianne went to her reading wonderland and started reading one of Iridessa's two theses on prisoner reentry, which Ivory handed to her before they parted ways the previous night. She only left the bedroom for ten minutes before her husband came looking for her. It took Xandar zero brain power to figure out where she had gone. He groaned at the emptiness of the bed and dragged his groggy self from their room to the library before dropping chest-down on the couch where she sat as he hugged her thighs and continued his nap. Lucianne's hand instinctively went to his hair and her thumb started stroking his thick locks. His animal was put into deeper slumber as Lucianne continued reading the insanely-organized and detailed thesis.

A large part of her found it unfair that it was turned down. There was so much in there that a lay person didn't know about. There were viable solutions, substantiating evidence taken from the past and from other species, precautions and back-up plans if something didn't work. She went through only a quarter of the document before she had to put it on the side table to take a break. As Lucianne sipped earl grey from the white mug that Xandar bought for her on their honeymoon, which had the words 'Shh...I'm reading' in big, black font, she pondered on whatever she had just read, and started wondering how there was more.

As she stroked Xandar's locks and listened to his steady breathing, she couldn't help but feel guilty that former convicts had never crossed her mind when they were discussing the kingdom's affairs. It almost felt like the governing body didn't know they existed, or didn't want to acknowledge their existence.

It also made her feel that Greg was better than any of them in government were. He protected and looked after the people who were shunned by the kingdom, giving them a second chance that was never offered because of one mistake.

Objectively-speaking, not all of those crimes could be labeled as mistakes. Negligence qualified, but crimes like defrauding abusive employers or setting a mate on fire did not, because none of these were done by accident. Of course, there were also those who harmed and stole without good intentions. It was complicated.

Was that why it was easier to just put all of them in the same jar? A jar that was sealed so tightly that redemption was never opened to any creature that was put in there? She started wondering whether any rogue lycans from Wu Bi Corp suffered the same misfortune, and prayed that those who went there failed the vetting session with her cousin-in-law (if there was one) before joining the corporation.

She put down her steaming mug and got back to reading, admittedly terrified of turning to the next page to learn more about how second chances could have been given but weren't done so.

An hour later, Xandar woke up from his nap when Lucianne was halfway through Iridessa's thesis. The yellow highlighter in her hand brushed over another line before Lucianne placed the cap back on, and her hand returned to her indecent beast's hair. Despite knowing that he was already awake, her thumb continuously stroked his thick, brown locks and Xandar's eyelids closed once more to indulge in her soft touch while his animal cooed in tenderness.

When the mental fatigue returned, Lucianne heaved a soft sigh and placed the thesis on the table. As soon as she did, Xandar pulled her body downwards and made her lie on her side. His hands gently pushed up her shirt to reveal her bare tummy. He could still see his claws going right through the now perfect-looking skin. His guilt and anger returned as he pressed a deep kiss on the area.

Lucianne continued stroking his hair and whispered a stream of soft 'I love you' as he hugged her abdomen. He and his animal pressed their mate close to themselves, channeling the depth of their love for Lucianne through their bond, which she and her animal reciprocated in equal strength. After a few minutes, he pulled her shirt back down and moved up to bury his face in her chest, listening to her steady heartbeat as he took in her scent.

When Xandar felt better, Lucianne suddenly said, "I wonder if the vigils are okay. We haven't heard anything from Pelly yet."

"Mm...sure they're fine," Xandar muttered as he snuggled into her breasts.

After another short moment of silently enjoying each other's company, Lucianne tried to get up when she said, "I'm just going to check on Reida."

Xandar groaned and tightened his grip around her body, refusing to let her go when he said, "Our daughter is with Mrs Parker, babe. She's fine. Just...stop moving."

"I haven't moved in the past hour, Xandar."

"So what's a few minutes more?"

After trying but failing to escape his grip, Lucianne said, "You're a little clingy, darling. You know that?"

She felt his lips at her breasts curl up when he muttered, "Can you blame me? I waited 178 years to meet you. You made me wait this long. It's your fault that I'm clingy."

"No, my love. Being clingy is one's own choice. If you're like this when I simply want to see our daughter, imagine how you'd be if and when we have a son."

Xandar chuckled lightly before pulling himself up to plant a kiss on her neck, lips and forehead. He then declared, "I like the daycare centre idea you shared with me on our date about nine months back. I wonder if there's also a...nightcare centre."

With fierce eyes that turned-up Xandar's amusement, Lucianne said, "I was being sarcastic, Xandar."

He chuckled and pecked a kiss between her eyebrows before he surrendered, "I know, babe. I was just joking. Relax."

He planted another kiss on her hair and felt her remaining rage evaporate before his lilac eyes peered into her black-and-lilac orbs as he whispered, "How about we spend a few hours together this weekend, just the two of us? We haven't gone on a date since our honeymoon." Despite her flustering cheeks, Lucianne's eyes narrowed in suspicion as she asked, "Christian gave you the idea, didn't he?"

Xandar smiled wider and his fingers began tracing her blushes as he said, "Something like that. In the eighteen years he and Annie were married, he'd make time at least once a week to just spend some time being with her, talking to her. He said it makes him fall even more in love with Annie everytime they do that. It's once a fortnight now that they have Lewis and lanne but they still do it."

The tip of his nose gently nudged Lucianne's nose when he continued, "I don't know how it'll be possible to be more in love with you than I am now, but I do want to spend more time with you."

Lucianne's smile continued to broaden with each word, and her thumb stroked his lower lip when she whispered, "If I don't say 'yes', would you still try to seduce me?"

Xandar's soft features turned flirtatious when he turned their bodies so that she laid flat on her back while he hovered over her. His lips attacked her neck without warning, and she angled her head to the side to give him full access as she moaned in ecstasy. Their skins heated up and when she whispered his name, he licked and sucked on her mark that made her body arch towards his. His hardened tool was pressed against her slightly wet area, and the only boundary left was their shorts.

Xandar glued their bodies together as his lips moved up to her ear, where he sucked on her earlobe before muttering in a seductive whisper, "Say yes, baby." A soft kiss on her earlobe before he repeated, "Say yes."

Her dazed eyes were fixed on the most amazing, handsome, loving, romantic, patient, supportive and understanding creature in existence, and it was moments like this that she couldn't thank the Moon Goddess enough for giving her the jackpot of a mate after all the heartbreaks and disappointments.

Registering her silence, Xandar smirked and spoke in a deep voice, "You're making me up my game, aren't you, my little freesia?"

He planted kisses on her cheek and jawline before pressing his lips against hers, licking the inner walls of her mouth and her tongue as he linked, 'Still not a yes, baby?'

Lucianne moaned unintelligibly as Xandar continued building on his efforts, now even squeezing her bum. When Lucianne broke away for air, Xandar hid his face in her neck and pecked a trail of butterfly kisses until he reached her collarbone.

After Lucianne caught her breath, Xandar's nose nudged hers again, and she cupped his cheeks as her blissful eyes peered into his before she whispered, "I love you."

His radiant smile spoke for his happiness when he replied, "I love you too, Lucy. But that is still not a 'yes","

Lucianne's phone rang, and she reflexively pushed Xandar off before trying to get up to reach for it. Xandar pinned her back down with his weight and said, "C'mon, baby. Just say 'yes'.”

She bit her bottom lip, trying but failing to hold back the shy smile as she pointed out the obvious, "I was already going to say 'yes' when you first asked. Now, get off, My King. That could be important."

Xandar chuckled and reached for the phone before handing it to her. He buried his face in her chest again when Lucianne answered the incoming call from Tate. She remembered that he and Stella were out visiting Margaret, and assumed that he was passing on a message from the police force before taking Stella out for a trip to another park to take pictures. Before Lucianne could say a single word, Tate's grim voice came through, "Lucy, Margaret predicted a possible attack in Polje tonight."

Tate couldn't get her through the mind-link because Lucianne blocked it out when she and Xandar were having their private moment, so Tate had to resort to calling her instead.

Xandar heard what Tate said, and his defensive eyes snapped up to meet his mate's hardened features when she said, "Tell Toby, Phelton, Langford and Dalloway about this. Xandar and I will let their Imperial Majesties know and we'll request for back-up. See you tonight."