Defying the Rogue Alpha-Chapter 18: Kids

The three boys turned toward her, momentarily startled. Then they started laughing.

Okay, so maybe her strategy to call their attention wasn't brilliant. She knew she had a frail figure but at least they had stopped tormenting the boy.

"Run along, little girl," one of them sneered. "This has nothing to do with you."

Ava cracked her knuckles. "Actually, it does. I hate bullies."

One of them raised an eyebrow. "What, you wanna fight us?"

She shrugged. "Depends. Are you going to leave the kid alone?"

He smirked. "And what exactly do you think you can do to us?"

Ava grinned. "Why don't you come and find out?"

Lesson number one: Don't let your opponent land the first hit. She heard Kade's voice in her mind.

Feeling very proud of herself for remembering this, she charged at them.

She didn't even get to throw a punch before one of them effortlessly blocked her and sent her sprawling onto the ground.

Ava groaned, lying next to the injured boy. "Well. That didn't go as planned."

Behind her, the boys erupted into laughter again.

She hated that laughter.

"Are you okay?" the boy beside her whispered.

Ava glanced at him. He looked barely thirteen. Bruised. Scared.

With a small smile, she nodded.

Then she twisted her body, swinging her leg into the nearest guy's shin. He yelped, stumbling.

The other two lunged at her, fists flying. She managed to block a few hits, but two against one was not looking great.

And just as she braced for the final punch—the one that would knock her flat—she heard a low, guttural howl.

A heavy thump.

She opened her eyes and froze.

A wolf.

A massive, dark-furred, very pissed-off wolf stood in front of her, baring its teeth.

Behind her, the boy gasped, his voice barely above a whisper.

"Raventhorn..."

*****

So that's what his wolf looks like. Ava blinked, hands still clenched into pathetic fists. Not bad. A little on the dramatic side, but hey, wolves weren't exactly known for their subtlety.

The boy she had oh-so-bravely defended wasted no time. He snuck around her and bolted. Coward, she thought, before realizing she would've done the exact same thing in his position.

Meanwhile, Lucas—big, bad, and currently very furry—stalked toward the trembling boys. His paws pressed into the dirt with an exaggerated thud, his entire demeanor oozing menace. The boys dropped to their knees in unison, heads bowed so low she half-expected them to start kissing his feet.

Ava rolled her eyes. Oh look, the Fearless Leader, demanding respect through sheer intimidation. How original.

Then, before she could mentally compose a full roast, Lucas lunged.

His jaws clamped onto one of the boy's necks and, without so much as a warning growl, flung him against the wall. The sickening crack that followed shattered Ava's confidence into a million pieces.

Her breath caught. "No... no, no, no—Lucas, STOP!"

She barely heard herself over the blood roaring in her ears. Her body locked up, trembling with something between fury and horror. These were kids. Arrogant little brats, sure. But kids.

Lucas turned to her, golden eyes gleaming with something that made her stomach churn. He growled in her face, as if she were the problem here.

And because Ava had a serious inability to shut up when she should, she turned to the remaining boys. "RUN!"

But they didn't. Oh no, they just stayed there—wide-eyed, shaking, stupidly obedient. She swore she saw a smug expression on Lucas's wolfy face, as if to say, See? This is how you rule.

Sick. Absolutely sick.

"Lucas, please," she tried again, voice cracking. "Let them go."

His body shifted before her eyes, fur shrinking, bones snapping into place until he was just him again. Just Lucas. Naked and completely unbothered. Of course he's not embarrassed. Bastard.

He didn't even look at her as he turned to the crying boys. "Go. Before I change my mind."

They took off so fast she swore they left behind ghostly outlines of themselves.

Ava exhaled shakily, forcing herself to not look at all the naked. Instead, she knelt beside the boy Lucas had thrown. A quick check of his pulse told her what she already knew.

He was gone.

Her stomach twisted violently.

She shot to her feet, spinning toward Lucas, fire blazing in her chest. "How could you do this?!"

Lucas barely flinched. "Watch your tone, young lady."

Oh, she was not in the mood for this patronizing nonsense. "You murdered a kid."

"And you're the Alpha's concubine wandering alone in this part of town. What did you think was going to happen?"

That shut her up for exactly three seconds. Then she shook her head, scoffing in disgust. "So this is your justification? Your excuse?"

Lucas gave her a look—one that practically screamed I don't have time for this. Which was fine. Because she didn't have time for him.

She turned on her heel, walking away so fast she nearly tripped over her own feet. I need to get out of here. I need air.

At the alleyway's entrance, a car pulled up, and out stepped Drogan—carrying clothes.

Ava ignored him, pushing past. If she stayed here one second longer, she was going to start screaming.

She barely made it ten steps before a firm grip locked around her arm.

Her stomach dropped.

Then the world tilted upside down as she was hoisted off the ground.

"Lucas, put me down!"

"Stop acting like a child."

"Oh, I'm so sorry, did I just kill a kid for sport? No? Put me down!"

Passersby were starting to stare. Oh great. Nothing to see here, folks. Just your friendly neighborhood Alpha carrying around a screaming woman.

Lucas threw open the car door and dumped her inside before sliding in beside her.

She pressed herself against the opposite door, every nerve in her body on fire. The air felt heavy. Wrong.

Drogan climbed into the driver's seat, the car rumbling to life as it turned toward the fortress.

Ava kept her gaze fixed out the window, arms crossed so tightly she might snap in half.

She couldn't look at him.

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Not after what she'd seen.

Not after realizing that maybe—just maybe—Lucas wasn't any different from the monsters she had spent her whole life running from.