The Dark Rose 🌹 {18+}

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'There's much to be said for challenging fate instead of ducking behind it.' - Diana Trilling

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"Are we all set?" Paul asks me, Ivan and Felix, the three of us nodding our heads, walking out of the cabin.

My brothers are dressed formally, all three of them dressed in suits with my father's initials engraved into their badges as to not arouse any suspicion from others. I on the other hand opted for a pair of jeans, a shirt and a jacket to fight away the bitter chill of the morning.

It's almost ten in the morning, the time Aldéric told us to be ready for him. I'm dying to know what he has planned, the thought of leaving this place being my only drive today. If I linger on anything else, I'll be tempted to stay for Aldéric, something we both understand is impossible.

To save thousands of lives, I need to leave...

For good.

We wait for a good few minutes until my eyes zero in on three black SUV's heading our way. Paul, Ivan and Felix eye them warily, Felix commenting, "I guess our rides here."

"We'll see." Paul jests, watching with displeasure as the cars park on the gravel. Aldéric steps out of the first vehicle whilst two men step out of the other two dressed in guards uniforms. They both appear to be in a daze as Aldéric smirks at the displeasure written on all of my brothers faces.

"Don't worry, they're compelled." Aldéric states after Ivan looks both men up and down before arching a brow at Ric.

"They're compelled by you, that's not exactly reassuring." Ivan remarks, crossing his arms against his chest, not happy by the idea of being surrounded by men he can't fully trust.

Aldéric rolls his eyes, "You can either get in and stop acting like a child, or you can stay in that sad excuse for a cabin for at least another few months."

"Don't tempt me." Ivan challenges.

"That's enough." I cut in between them before they can throw punches, "Unlike you, I want to leave today if that's okay." I turn on my heels and walk towards the vehicle that Aldéric had been driving, sitting in the front, passenger side with my eyes set ahead, making it clear I want to leave now.

Being the good boys they are, my brothers head for the vehicles behind whilst Aldéric opens the driver side of the vehicle I'm occupying, a smirk plastered across his face, chuckling in amusement. "What's so funny?" I ask, my eyes narrowed on him.

"You know how to get what you want, don't you?" He puts the car in gear, pulling up the hand break, the engine humming to life.

I shrug my shoulders, staring out my side window, "I knew how to control people before I ever knew I could compel."

"I can see that." He glances at me with a smile before focusing back on the road.

The journey is uneventful, my gaze out the window for most of the way. I can sense Aldéric shifting his gaze from the side of my face to the road and then back onto my face before I incline my head to look at him, asking, "Is something bothering you?"

"No- well yeah, I suppose there is." His lips pull into a frown as he hesitates to carry on, his hands tightening around the wheel before he exhales sharply, "I guess... I mean, you're marked by me Rosalyn, you're always going to be a part of me and you have no idea how painful that's going to be knowing I can never have you."