The Rogues Who Went Rogue
Chapter 130

The administrative hybrids and those who fought at Bordure weren't given as much freedom or luxury as those who weren't involved in executing the plan. The administrators who were left after Chong's death were Saxum, Regina, Gerella, Rudolpho and Zepine.

Regina was placed on house arrest since she had Michael to care for. Gerella was confined to her apartment as well, escaping dungeons because she warned the empress and consort about the Bordure attack. The other three were kept in the dungeons until trial. Unlike the other prisoners, they weren't allowed to leave their cells for meals or walks. It was a safety precaution taken to avoid starting prison riots.

On a trip that Lucianne dreaded, Deputy Chief Laurent and Officer Laila escorted Kate when they boarded Xandar's jet with the queen to leave for the empire. Once they landed, Duica and Bernadette were there to take them to the dungeon where Rudolpho was being held. In the car, Bernadette politely informed Lucianne, "We've already placed the one there according to your wishes, Your Highness. The other cell has just been gotten ready today. May I confirm that your prisoner has no dietary restrictions?"

Lucianne turned to Kate and unmuted her when she asked flatly, "Do you have dietary restrictions, Kate? Any allergies after consuming a particular food group?"

Kate was fuming all the way, not the least scared when she answered, "I'm allergic to your first-class hypocrisy, you AH-" Lucianne muted her again when Laurent's claws went right through her hands bound by silver cuffs. Lucianne responded to Bernadette, "No, she doesn't have any dietary restrictions, Bernadette. Thank you."

"My pleasure, Your Highness. May I suggest extending the 72 hours to...a week?" Bernadette asked, taking offense in the way Kate spoke to Lucianne, even though Lucianne was not her queen.

Only Kate had no idea what the duration was about. The original plan to break Kate was to put her in a cell right in front of Rudolpho's, and send in Hilda to see what Rudolpho would do when he had to face both women at the same time. Hilda had already been warned about Rudolpho's betrayal, and she said yes to cooperating when her rage peaked. Hilda was free to leave if she wanted to, but Kate would remain where she was, forced to stay with the one she thought loved her and only her.

When the matter was discussed in the kingdom, Greg and Christian were visibly annoyed when Lucianne said that she would just keep Kate there for 24 hours. Xandar was as dissatisfied as his cousins were. He talked his wife into extending the period, so it became 72 hours, which still wasn't enough for Greg.

'That's the best you can do, cousin?' Greg linked Xandar in secret about persuading Lucianne.

Xandar's rhetorical reply was, 'Could you have done any better?'

'No, but 72 hours?! That's it?!'

'Think of it this way, Greg. Kate will also be charged for her crimes in the kingdom after she's kept with Rudolpho for 72 hours in the empire, so this isn't the end of her punishment!

'The sentencing here better be heavy!

'You know it will be. What she did was practically treason, and who knows what other petty crimes Dalloway and the others found. She'll most likely be behind bars for almost as long as Cummings and the others! 'Fine.' Greg muttered and ended their link.

When Pellethia received Lucianne's link about the 72 hours, she immediately asked whether that length of time was even enough. Now in the car with the vigils, even Bernadette was suggesting extending it.

Lucianne wasn't going to give in at first, somehow feeling sorry for Kate that the man she trusted cheated on her with another woman. On the flip side, Kate was really pissing her off with her attitude, and she betrayed her pack along with everyone else who offered her a better life, so the queen told Bernadette, "I'll be submitting my request to the empress to have it extended to a month, plus two whips per day." She doubted her husband and cousin-in-laws would have a problem with the change.

Bernadette and Duica exchanged surprised glances before Bernadette replied with a gracious smile, "That's...wonderful, Your Highness. I'm sure the empress would be happy to hear from you about the matter."

After driving through the gates and walking through doors, exchanging smiles and greetings with the custodes on duty, they were led down a flight of cement stairs before the custode on duty, Anthony, turned on the lights. The moment Kate saw Rudolpho in a prison cell, she tried to free herself from Laurent and Laila but the lycan officers restrained her with ease.

Lucianne began, "Remember that little rendezvous I promised you, Kate?"

Kate's eyes widened in horror, and after glancing at Rudolpho, who made no move to stand even when he saw Kate enter, Kate shook her head violently and looked like she was finally pleading for mercy.

The vigils threw her in the cell facing Rudolpho's, and Lucianne continued, "It looks like I don't have to exert as much force as I thought. You see, Rudolpho already had someone when you two met, and their thirty-year partnership was never severed upon your arrival. So, I'm going to leave you here, and do you see that projector up there?" Lucianne pointed above her head, which even made Rudolpho look.

The queen continued, "That is going to project every photo in Rudolpho's phone of him and his partner on that white wall over there. So, you're going to be here for a whole month to see every photo and watch every video of them celebrating birthdays, going on nice dates, those kinds of things. And they will be played over and over and over again. There are A LOT of kissing and hugging, I should tell you. And uh...when you're not enjoying the...documentary, you'll be escorted out for two strokes of the whip daily. I'll come fetch you at the end of this 'honeymoon period' with your beloved for the kingdom's justice system to deal with you next, okay?"

Like she had a choice. Still, Kate's eyes showed that she doubted whatever Lucianne was saying. The queen asked, "You don't believe me, do you? Ask him yourself then."

After Kate was unmuted, she didn't speak right away. She looked at Rudolpho and was hoping that he would deny whatever she just heard, but he didn't even bother meeting her gaze. The lights near the white wall were turned off, and the projector started showing the photos like Lucianne just explained. Kate's eyes stuck there, and she was trying to tell herself that those were definitely photoshopped, that the fair-faced, ginger-haired woman was just some random model chosen from the millions of stock images on the internet. Rudolpho watched it as well, missing the woman in the pictures and wondering where she was now.

Suddenly, a small, cool voice came behind Lucianne that asked, "Is that her, Your Highness?"

Before Lucianne responded, Rudolpho shot up from his bed, sprinted to the steel bars of the cell as he exclaimed, "Hilda! You came."

Kate's worst nightmare was presented before her. She saw the desperation in her lover's eyes, the affection and relief in his voice that was shown to another woman - the woman in the photos. Kate and her wolf started piecing things together, replayed every moment they shared with Rudolpho, and her breathing got heavy.

Lucianne offered Hilda a polite smile and gave a light nod when she said, "Yes. That's Kate. Would you like us to leave, Hilda?"

Although tired, Hilda managed to force a smile and say, "No, Your Highness. I...won't be here long either."

Upon hearing that, Rudolpho frantically said, "Hilda, please! I can explain. I had to do what I did. Saxum said we needed a back-up plan. We needed an insider. We..."

Hilda lost it. "YOU NEEDED AN INSIDER FROM TWO YEARS AGO WHEN SAXUM'S PLAN ONLY STARTED MONTHS AGO?! YOU HAD TO BE S*X-TEXTING AN INSIDER?!"

In a hushed tone, he pleaded, "Hilda, that was nothing. Please, at the end of the day, I'm only yours. At the end of the day, I only truly love you."

Hilda's eyes brimmed with hot, angry tears when she scoffed and replied, "At the end of the day, you only truly love yourself. No one does this to the people they love! You can rot in hell for all I care!"

Hilda turned and muttered in chopped voice to Lucianne, "Ex-cuse me, Your H-Highness." She dashed out with her custode escort, not wanting to be seen crying in front of so many people. Rudolpho called out her name again and again, but Hilda never looked back.

Once the entrance door closed, Lucianne looked between Rudolpho and Kate when she said, "Well, that's that. Since everyone is fully briefed about the existence of any past and present relationships...or lack thereof, both sides can now start afresh on honest grounds. I'll leave you two here to...pursue your courtship from a distance."

Everyone could hear the sarcasm in the queen's voice that was devoid of empathy. Rudolpho was glaring daggers at the queen without knowing that Kate was scowling at him. When Lucianne turned to leave, she heard Kate scream in rage before taking the lamp on her nightstand and throwing it at the steel bars of her cell. The lamp broke into a few pieces, and Kate started throwing the broken pieces at Rudolpho as she continued screaming like a maniac. "YOU LIAR! YOU LIAR!"

Her aim wasn't good, and Rudolpho managed to dodge most of her attacks as he himself sat on his bed thinking about Hilda, ignoring the crazy bitch that was probably going to render him deaf by the time she left.

Outside, Lucianne followed the sound of sobs to Hilda, who was seated with a custode offering her a cup of water. Lucianne sat next to her in silence. When Hilda felt her presence, she looked up. Lucianne asked, "Do you prefer to be alone right now, Hilda?"

Hilda nodded and muttered, "Yes, please."

"Okay. If you need anything, let us know."

Hilda nodded again, and Lucianne got up to leave. She linked Pellethia about her request when she was on the jet, and the empress was more than happy to see through with the revised plan. Pellethia even told Lucianne that she just got an update from the custodes, who said that Kate threw the prison lunch bowl at the projector but missed. She then started throwing her cutlery and food at Rudolpho as she screamed.

'They're telling me that she's crying now, but the rage might return again soon!

Lucianne agreed, 'Yes, it will. It lingers for quite a while. Thank you for your help, Pelly!

'You're welcome, Aunt Lucy. Kiss Reida for me, and send mine and Octavia's love to Uncle Xandar!