Chapter 216

Third Person POV

Elizabeth descended into the basement of her house, a heavy weight pressing against her chest. She had no idea what was going on with her father or why he was acting as he was, but she knew it was dangerous.

He didn’t seem to understand how serious the situation was. Someone was scheming in the Roguelands. Their motives were unclear, but one thing was certain—they threatened her family.

This was supposed to be a happy time in her life. She was engaged to an amazing man. Her father was finally retiring, which meant she might actually get some privacy for once. She should be celebrating.

Instead, she found herself sleepless, trapped in the middle of a game she didn’t understand.

This wasn’t her world. She knew little about the criminal mind or what the Rogues were after.

She needed insight—desperately. And there was only one person who might have it.

Dr. Brianna McIntyre.

The woman was being held in the cells beneath the house. Normally, the guards would never allow Elizabeth to visit her alone, especially since David was also being held in a separate room down there.

They’d deem it too dangerous.

But tonight, luck—or perhaps foolishness—was on her side. The head guard on duty was a childhood friend. He had been clearly uncomfortable with her request, but eventually, he had relented.

So here she was. Sneaking into her own basement in the dead of night.

The key felt cold in her palm as she stepped toward the door. The guards stationed at the end of the hall deliberately turned their eyes away, pretending not to see her.

Elizabeth inhaled deeply, steadying herself, then unlocked the door and stepped inside.

The cell was small but comfortable—more than a prisoner in her father’s custody deserved. A single bed, a desk, a chair. A small door leading to a private bathroom.

Dr. McIntyre sat up from the bed, her expression darkening with distaste.

"What do you want?" she asked.

Elizabeth hesitated for only a moment. "To talk."

"Talk to yourself," Dr. McIntyre snapped. "I have nothing to say to you."

"What good will ignoring me do?" Elizabeth demanded, stepping further into the room. "You're already locked up here. Refusing to cooperate will only—"

"You think I don't know how much trouble I'm in?" The doctor’s glare was sharp enough to cut. "When I agreed to help bring those people down, I knew I could end up dead myself."

"Then why do it?"

Dr. McIntyre studied her for a long moment, as if searching for something in Elizabeth’s face. Whatever it was, she seemed to find it.

The hatred in her expression melted into something else. Something hollow.

"I wanted revenge," she admitted quietly. "But I realize now that was foolish. No amount of hurting you or the other alpha brats is going to bring my parents back."

Elizabeth stiffened. "Bring them back?"

Dr. McIntyre’s voice was numb. "They're dead. They died in exile."

Elizabeth swallowed hard. "I'm sorry."

"Sure," the doctor scoffed, exhaling a weary sigh. "I'm sure you are. But it doesn't matter. All that matters now is making sure no one else ends up like them."

Elizabeth frowned. "So that’s why you were targeting Alphas and their families, but why turn on David? How does that help?"

Dr. McIntyre let out a bitter laugh. "This whole system we live under isn't natural. You realize that, don’t you? People pretend that being an Alpha is something you're born into, something chosen by the goddess. It’s just a way for the powerful to stay in power, and for the rest of us to be controlled. David is delusional. He’s dangerous because of it."

Elizabeth's jaw tightened. "We can agree on that, at least."

"I'm glad to hear it," McIntyre murmured. "So if you already know all of this… what do you want from me? I'm nothing but a prisoner now. An exile. What could a princess possibly need from me?"

Elizabeth sighed. Truth be told, she wasn’t sure. She had come looking for answers, but now that she was here, it felt like a mistake.

She lowered her gaze. "I just don’t want my friend to get hurt," she admitted. "I'm trying to figure out who's targeting Ella so I can stop them."

Dr. McIntyre scoffed. "By killing them?"

Elizabeth met her eyes without flinching.

"If that's what it takes."

There was a long silence as the two women stared at each other, then a smile spread across the doctor’s face.

It sent a chill down Elizabeth’s spine, but she didn’t look away. She had chosen to get involved in this. She wasn’t going to back out now.

Ella POV

The ringing of my phone snapped my attention away from the computer screen I’d been poring over.

I had spent hours studying Diana’s meetings, searching for any pattern or clue that might make sense of what was happening—especially her secret meetings with the King—but I was getting nowhere.

I answered without hesitation.

"Hey, can we meet?" Elizabeth’s voice came through the line, tight with tension.

Immediately, my senses went on high alert. Something was wrong.

"Sure. Right now?" I asked, already closing my laptop and gathering my things.

"Yeah," she said. "I can meet you downstairs in ten minutes. Let’s get lunch."

"Sounds good."

The line went dead.

I stayed frozen for a moment, gripping my phone. Something was definitely wrong. That conversation had been far too normal—too rehearsed—given everything that had happened over the past few days.

I sent Alexander a quick text, letting him know I was meeting Elizabeth.

He was with Michael, trying to reassure his younger brother that it was safe to return home. They wouldn’t tell me exactly what Michael had overheard, but whatever it was had shaken him to his core.

I felt terrible for him. He didn’t deserve to be caught in the middle of this.

Neither did Elizabeth.

It seemed like trouble followed me wherever I went, and the people closest to me always got dragged into it—no matter how hard I tried to shield them. But now, I needed their help. I couldn’t afford to push them away.

Hopefully, Elizabeth had found something useful—new records, maybe, or information from another servant who had noticed something suspicious.

I waited in the lobby, trying to calm the storm of thoughts in my head. James noticed me and took up his position. I knew he would be following a few feet behind and it eased my fears a little.

When Elizabeth finally appeared, my stomach twisted. This wasn’t about rumors or old records. Something had happened.

She was smiling, but it was forced—tight. There were dark circles under her eyes, her exhaustion written in every line of her face. She hadn’t slept.

"You look exhausted," I said as I approached.

"So do you," she replied with a faint smirk.

"Seems sleepless nights are going around."

Elizabeth nodded, letting out a quiet sigh. "Let’s go talk," she said. "I have something you need to know."

A flicker of unease curled in my gut.

"Okay," I said hesitantly, stepping past her to open the door.

We walked out onto the street, moving toward the shopping center without discussing where to go. Our feet simply followed routine.

"Are you sure you're okay?" I asked, glancing at her.

Elizabeth shook her head. "Not really." She hesitated before continuing. "I had a conversation with Dr. McIntyre last night. And I found out something that you really need to know. But…" She exhaled slowly. "I really wish I wasn’t the one who had to tell you."

My heart began to hammer against my ribs.

She spoke to Dr. McIntyre? How? Why? And what had the doctor told her that was so bad Elizabeth was afraid to say it out loud?

"Let’s wait until we get somewhere a little more private," Elizabeth murmured, reaching out to loop her arm through mine. "Then I’ll tell you everything."

I nodded, my throat too tight to respond. A million possibilities flooded my mind, each worse than the last.

Whatever she was about to say, I knew one thing for certain.

It was going to change everything.