Alpha's Dark Desires-Chapter 152: Owing Three Kisses

Elena POV:

I never thought I’d see the day when I was grateful to be trapped in Ace’s fortress.

But tonight?

Tonight, I almost died.

The attack came out of nowhere—one moment, I was in the courtyard, stretching my legs after another failed escape attempt, and the next, chaos erupted.

The air filled with snarls and growls, the sickening sound of flesh tearing, bones snapping. Rogues. At least a dozen of them, maybe more, emerging from the shadows like feral beasts.

Ace’s men barely had time to react before the invaders struck.

I could’ve run. I should’ve. But something in the air—a pressure, a pulse of energy—froze me in place.

Then I saw him.

Ace.

And for the first time... I realized I had no fucking clue who I was really dealing with.

He didn’t just fight.

He destroyed.

One rogue lunged at him, teeth bared—Ace caught him mid-air by the throat, his grip like a steel vice. With a flick of his wrist, he sent the rogue crashing into the ground so hard that the earth cracked beneath him.

Another came from behind—Ace dodged without even looking, moving like he had eyes on the back of his head. He twisted, claws extending from his fingertips, and ripped out the rogue’s throat in one clean swipe.

What the fuck...?

I’d seen fights before. I’d seen Kane lose himself to his darkness, But this?

This was different.

Ace wasn’t fighting with rage or fury—he was precise. Cold. Calculated.

A monster who knew exactly how much pain to inflict and didn’t hesitate for a second.

And the worst part?

He was enjoying it.

I should’ve been afraid.

Any sane person would be.

But instead, I was mesmerized.

He moved like a shadow, his strikes too fast for my eyes to follow. One rogue made the mistake of thinking he had an opening—Ace let him get close, let him swing his blade—only to grab the knife mid-swing with his bare hand.

For a second, I thought he was hurt. But then I saw it.

The smirk.

Slow. Sinister. Deadly.

Ace twisted his hand, snapping the rogue’s wrist like it was nothing. The man barely had time to scream before Ace drove the very same knife into his heart.

The rogues started hesitating.

I could smell their fear.

Ace straightened, his emerald-green eyes gleaming in the dim moonlight. "Who’s next?"

Silence.

One by one, the remaining rogues turned tail and ran.

Ace let them go.

Not because he was merciful—because he wanted them to spread the message.

That he was still the King of Rogues.

What the Hell is He?

I stood there, still frozen, my heart pounding.

Then Ace turned to me.

His eyes were still glowing.

I should have looked away, should have flinched, but I didn’t. I just stared right back at him, my breath shallow.

For the first time, I saw him for what he really was.

Not just a rogue.

Not just my captor.

Something... more.

And for the first time... I wanted to know everything.

I learned the truth later—after the blood had dried, after the corpses had been dragged away, after the scent of death no longer choked the air.

The rogues hadn’t just attacked out of greed or desperation.

They had come for me.

I should’ve seen it sooner.

The way Ace’s men watched me when they thought I wasn’t looking. The way some of them spoke in hushed voices, their gazes shifting between me and Ace like they were trying to figure out why their ruthless leader was keeping a prisoner.

They had seen it.

And worse—they misunderstood it.

Ace, the King of Rogues, the monster who ruled with an iron grip, the man no one dared to defy—had supposedly gone soft.

Because of me.

And they thought they could take him down for it.

The attack wasn’t just about power.

It was a rebellion.

A test.

A way to see if their leader—the most feared rogue alive—had truly weakened.

And their target?

Me.

They wanted to kill me to prove a point. To show that Ace had lost his edge—that he was no longer fit to rule.

I should’ve been terrified.

And maybe a part of me was.

But the other part—the stronger, angrier part—was just pissed off.

Because I wasn’t some fucking pawn in their game.

Ace had won.

Of course, he had.

He had slaughtered them without mercy, without hesitation, and without breaking a sweat.

And when it was over?

He didn’t say a word.

He just stood there, blood splattered across his face, his emerald eyes unreadable as he stared at me.

Like he was waiting.

Like he was expecting me to run.

But I didn’t.

******

I should’ve known better.

I should’ve seen it coming.

But the bastard played me.

And now... now I was about to pay the price.

It started with a simple challenge.

"Let’s play a game, little pet." Ace had said, his lips curling into a smirk as he set up the chessboard in front of me.

I narrowed my eyes. "What kind of game?"

He leaned back in his chair, fingers tapping lazily against the armrest. "Chess."

My heart skipped.

I had played chess countless times with my father growing up. I knew this game. I knew the strategy, the patience, the sacrifice it required.

I could win.

"And what do I get when I win?" I asked, already liking my chances.

Ace tilted his head, studying me with amusement before he leaned forward. "If you win, I’ll let you go."

I froze. "You’re serious?"

He nodded. "Completely."

It was too good to be true.

But then he added, "And if I win... I get to kiss you."

I should have backed out right then.

I should have known this was a trap.

But the thought of finally getting out of here made me reckless.

And, really, how bad could it be?

I could win.

I watched as he moved the first pawn, his movements slow and deliberate.

Good. He was underestimating me.

I smirked as I countered, moving my knight out early, already planning a strong opening.

For the first fifteen minutes, everything was going perfectly.

Ace played aggressively, sacrificing pawns like they were nothing, opening up his defenses in ways that should have cost him the game.

I took his rook.

Then his bishop.

Then his queen.

I was winning.

My confidence grew with every move.

Ace, on the other hand, looked completely unfazed.

Smug, even.

I should have been worried.

But I wasn’t.

Because I was one move away.

Checkmate was coming.

And then—

Everything fell apart.

I moved my queen, ready to force his king into a corner.

And that’s when I saw it.

The trap.

A perfect, calculated, carefully orchestrated trap.

I had been so focused on winning that I didn’t see it.

I didn’t realize I had been playing right into his hands.

Ace sighed, shaking his head like he was disappointed in me. "You really thought I was losing, didn’t you?"

My stomach dropped. "Wait—"

Ace moved one piece.

Just one.

Checkmate.

I stared at the board in horror.

No.

No, no, no.

I had been winning.

I was so close.

I—

"Looks like I win," Ace said smugly, his emerald eyes gleaming with victory.

I wanted to flip the damn board.

Instead, I sat there, fuming.

This was bullshit.

There was no way he was this good at chess.

I sat there, staring at the board, fuming.

"I want a redo."

Ace chuckled, amused. "Okay."

I was determined this time. I wouldn’t make the same mistake. I kept my guard up, watched for traps, and thought ahead—

And yet, he beat me again.

This time, too quickly.

Too easily.

My pride was screaming.

I refused to admit defeat. "Again."

Ace smirked but humored me. "Alright, little wolf."

Third time’s the charm, right?

I took a deep breath, focused.

I played more carefully this time, double-checking every move, trying to read him, but—

He was too good.

Every time I thought I had him, I didn’t.

Every time I tried to trap him, he was already three steps ahead.

I hated how effortless it was for him.

I hated the way his emerald eyes gleamed in amusement, like he was playing with me rather than actually trying.

And when he beat me again, I wanted to scream.

Before I could demand another round, Ace stood up, stretching lazily. "It’s too late, little pet. Let’s eat first."

Then he smirked, eyes darkening. "And you already owe me three kisses. Next game, I want something more."

Fuck.

I had forgotten about the kisses.

Ace chuckled, enjoying my misery. "Relax, let’s eat first."

Then, before I could protest, he reached for my hand, intertwining our fingers as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

I should have yanked it away.

I should have fought.

But instead, I let him lead me, my mind still reeling over my three stupid losses.

The sourc𝗲 of this content is free(w)𝒆bnov(𝒆)l