"Even after all this, you're still with Caden?" Connor's expression twisted into exaggerated concern, though to me, it looked utterly ridiculous. "Aren't you afraid he'll strangle you in your sleep?" "So what did you use?" I stood, closing the distance between us. "Ms. Sinclair, you're quite bold." His gaze flickered. "Getting this close—aren't you worried I might do something?" "I'd love to see you try." I narrowed my eyes, studying him. "You're different from the others. You came willingly." I remembered clearly—during the café incident, I'd never crossed paths with Connor. Yet he'd been there from the start, only to withdraw from the conflict for some reason. "Your target is Caden. Or the Eclipse Pack. Or ... " I straightened, voice cool, "you're using us to eliminate something—say, the Rampage Pack's Prosperous Corporation?" A flicker in his pupils. Brief, but I caught it. "You're the Rampage Pack's illegitimate son, aren't you?" I held his stare. It was just a guess. Years ago, Hubert had mentioned that among the strongest werewolf packs, the Rampage Pack was the most powerful—and the most chaotic. Infighting, power struggles—every wolf in that pack schemed against the others. Their Alpha had once sired a bastard, throwing the line of succession into disarray. Rumor had it that the internal conflict escalated into a full-scale pack war. Back then, Hubert, as Alpha of the Shadow Pack, hadn't bothered with their drama. He'd only mentioned it in passing—until now when the pieces clicked. And somehow, I'd hit the mark. Connor's expression grew stranger, but he stayed silent. "No need to deny it. Caden's probably uncovered your identity by now. Should I call him in to confirm?" I mused aloud. "Rosaline, I like you more and more." He grinned up at me. "Why not ditch Caden?" "Enough games. What did you do?" I demanded. "Since you're so clever, why not guess?" He lounged in the chair, rocking slightly. "Get it right, and maybe there's a prize."I racked my brain but came up empty. Caden and I had been together constantly—anything he'd been exposed to, I had too. There was no reason only he'd react. Then—a scent. I stepped closer, inhaling sharply. The scent intensified near him. "So brash. I might blush." His pale skin showed delicate veins beneath. I sneered, suddenly gripping his throat. His skin was cold—unnervingly so, like a snake's. "Phoebe!" I called out. The door burst open. Caden and the others rushed in, confusion flashing at the sight of my hand around Connor's neck. "Take him. Check his mouth—there's some kind of drug." I released him, turning to Caden. "Did you confirm his identity?" I asked. Caden nodded grimly. "The Rampage Pack's bastard. Exiled three years ago after some incident. In short—he's a Rogue." It's just as I thought. I blinked. But his true motive? That eluded me. If revenge was his goal, why the convoluted scheme? Why not just ally with us to crush the Rampage Pack outright? Caden's POV: Connor's identity was unexpected. His current demeanor was a far cry from past records. I'd never intended to meddle in external pack politics. Yet here I was—manipulated into the fray. My mood darkened. I never expected someone to use me. This bastard had audacity, I'd give him that. After Connor was hauled off, I had Phoebe examine Rosaline. Soon after, the report came: traces of a drug in Connor's mouth—and in my bloodstream. It was clear that this was the cause of my earlier lapse. However, the final result of the drug test caught me off guard.Rosaline's bloodwork showed nothing. The drug had not affected her. Baffled, she turned to me. "Caden, does this only target male werewolves?" "It's not that simple." I pulled her close, voice low. "You saw it too—Connor is no ordinary Rogue." Studying my face, her eyes lit up. She leaned in, whispering conspiratorially, "Alright, out with it. What do you really know?"