6lack, sorry.

I had to tell her. She has to know what I did but she also has to know who she is to me, if the day before was not indication enough then I can only hope my words can be.

But I have to tell her about the accident first, I have to tell her why Motheo hates me as much as he does.

Walking out of the bathroom and back into her guest room, I got to getting dressed. Rubbing a towel over my damp hair, trying to soak up as much of the water.

I heard her light knock on the door, "You can peek."

She giggled but either way pop her hair through a small gap she had made. Her eyes shut closed, "Breakfast's ready."

I smirked, "You don't want to see what you could be having for breakfast inste —"

She let out a shriek before shutting the door, her eyes never opening. I'm certain she could hear my laugher from the other side of the door where I could still hear her heartbeat.

Shaking my head I let my hair flop however it pleased before I put my hand on the handle, "You might want to move unless you want to drop on the floor in clear view of —"

"Oh my goddess, Raheem! Put some clothes on!"

I twisted the knob but I could quickly tell that she was holding on to the other side, stopping me from exiting.

I chuckled, "I'm fully dressed, Rato, I swear."

She let go, however, as I swung the door open I saw a hand over her eyes, "Oh, who's childish now?" I mocked.

She peeked through a small opening she created, "Oh thank the Moon, now c'mon the food is probably cold now." She grumbled.

The food was amazing, she had made an English breakfast for us — minus the beans, she mentioned that she hated them. Luckily for her, they weren't my favourite either and I'd always make restaurant's hold off on adding any.

After insisting I rinse the dishes and put them in the washer, Lerato let me. When I had effectively done so and found out where all the correct dishes and utensils stayed I made my way to the TV room where she lay on a L shaped couch. She took up the longer end of the couch.

I moved to sit on the other end but she reached out for me, I resisted my body's jump reaction seeing as I thought she was too transfixed on the Prodigal Son episode.

I took her hand and the dim buzz was felt, the buzz I knew would turn into a current by day end. She say forward and I took the space behind her as she leaned back. Her back against my chest, her head rested on the crook of my neck.

My right arm looped around her body, sandwiched between it and the couch. My hand intertwined with hers, I had never been this close to her and having her so close. Showing so much initiative and vulnerability, it made my heart clench and my wolf perk up. He was basking in it all.

Shutting my eyes I let out a shakey breath, which one do I tell her first? That she's... that we're each other's second chance mates or that I'm the reason she needs a second chance mate in the first place?

I clenched my other hand just as I squeezed my eyes shut even tighter. My chest was constricting, I didn't want to have to do this. Not now at least, she had never been this comfortable around me but I... I also couldn't keep any of this in anymore, I blurted out whichever one came out first.

"I killed Madeline's mate."

The worst one slipped out first, dammit.

Instead of shooting up, her back clocked up slowly just as a grandfather clocks hands, "Excuse me?" She paused the show.

"That's why they hate us — hate me. I... I killed her mate, she doesn't have a mate because of me and she's with yours because of me."

I wish I could tell what emotion lay behind those eyes, or which one behind the tone in her voice when she whispered my name, "Raheem..."

I felt uneasy.

She shut her eyes as she calmed her breathing, "Tell me what happened."

"Madeline grew up in the Royal City, now remember a Royal cannot be made, only born so she isn't one. Her mother comes from a Pack not far from here, Packs offer up pack members to the Royals as servants. Not tortured and abused servants, just... workers and maids rather.

"That way, they won't smell like rogues. They are taken from packs so that they can keep their scent and not have the tainted rogue smell. So neither does Madeline she smells regular because she still belongs to a Pack like her mom."

Everyone is treated well, Madeline herself is proof of that. She is treated like a Royal when her mom is a housemaid there. Just being Royals they don't do anything for themselves, as absurd as that is.

I ruffled my hair, face cast downwards, "Her mate on the other hand... he was a rogue, he left his pack therefore adopted the rogue scent." Lerato fiddled in her seat, almost as if anticipating my next words.

I swallowed heavy, should I lie? If I told her this, what I have to tell her next will be completely overlooked. Would I even be able to tell her? She would run straight into Motheo's arms after this, I could lose her forever.

She placed her hand on my cheek, her thumb lightly brushing the bit that wasn't covered in my light shadow of a beard, "Hey, look at me, take your time."

I shut my eyes and continued on with the story once I opened them, I knew regret was shining through, "I attended that years Ball along with Khalil as I did every year... to visit our friends." Her eyes widened, "The Mbatha's." She stiffened.

"Khalil and I were really close with the three, Motheo has two younger siblings. A sister and brother who are one and three years his junior." I smiled sadly, "I always regretted putting such a wedge between Khalil and Tshiamo, although they weren't mates you wouldn't say so if you didn't know."

They behaved like mates, they had never went ahead and done the deed — no. They both respected their future mates but... anyone could tell that the two had a bond. They were so fond of one another, to this day I still feel as though I owe my brother. I owe him so much for taking that away from him.

He brushes it off and lets me know they would've had to separate eventually when their mates came to be but, I know he still holds some kind of hope that we'll reconcile and he'll get to be in her life again. Whether it is in the way it was in the past or even just a mere friend. I know he misses her.

I shook my head, "Anyway, I got to the Ball and everything was going well. Just as it usually does every year until I smelt the rogue, I couldn't believe one had slipped through the gates, through the guards! I couldn't believe this and knowing the grounds and the family, I thought it was better off if I handled it myself."

Lerato whispered out, "Oh, no." She knew what was coming but I could see the hope in her eyes, hope that I hadn't done what she thinks.

"I found him in the halls, he had just exited the former King's wing, absolutely no body is allowed there. No one is allowed anywhere near the main part of the house so I was enraged. How could he have gotten this far, what had he stolen? There's key information on every Pack at that wing..."

"What are you doing here, rogue." I looked up the stairs and could see the former King's office door was left slightly opened, "You snuck into the King's office? What did you take."

I turned my head towards the entrance and yelled, "Guards!"

The rogue smirked, "What did I take? I haven't taken a thing. I was just roaming around, why don't you get back to your party, Alpha."

I stalked you to him and grabbed him by the neck, easily lifting him, "Who sent you?"

His eyes were wide but he didn't drop his act, "You're going to regret doing this."

I laughed, "Killing a rogue that broke into the Royal City? Hardly."

"Guards!" I yelled again but nobody came.

"How worthless, can't even handle a rogue on his own. What kind of Alpha —"

I didn't want to say what happened next, I didn't want to tell her how I did it but I knew I had to. There was no running from it.

"I ripped his heart out."

—

Oops... Too dramatic? 🤷🏽‍♀️ I should insert a Niklaus Mikaelson gif here. 😻

Who guessed it? (Someone, actually guessed it had to do with Maddy so high five you!)

Siya is Maddy's rogue mate in case that was confusing. Lol