Defying the Rogue Alpha-Chapter 19: Brothers

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.

Read 𝓁at𝙚st chapters at ƒrēenovelkiss.com Only.

"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.

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.

*****

Ava had spent the entire day holed up in her room, refusing food. Zari had been hovering like a worried mother hen, constantly reminding her that training on an empty stomach was a terrible idea.

"Oh, you don't say?" Ava muttered under her breath as they walked toward the training yard.

Zari sighed dramatically. "You can't keep this up, you know."

"Watch me."

But when they arrived, her fleeting hope of seeing Kade—the only semi-rational person in this entire nightmare—was crushed. Instead, standing in his place was none other than Nolan again.

"Where's Kade?" Ava asked, impatience thick in her voice.

"He's asked me to continue your training," Nolan said, folding his arms.

Translation: Kade is avoiding you.

Zari, still committed to her role as Ava's personal health advisor, spoke up. "Gamma Nolan, she hasn't eaten since last night. If anything happens to her, the Alpha will have my head."

Nolan gave Ava a questioning look. "Why?"

"She won't say," Zari answered, exasperated.

Ava rolled her eyes.

"Well, you won't be doing physical training today anyway. We're waiting for feedback on a spiritualist to help you with your wolf."

Ava sighed. Fantastic. Another day of being useless. She turned on her heel and started back toward the concubine quarters.

"Zari?" she called.

"Yes?"

"Why does one part of town look like a palace while the other looks like a scene from a post-apocalyptic movie?"

Zari hesitated. "They... refuse to accept Alpha Lucas as their Alpha."

"So they're rogues?"

"Not exactly. They have a leader."

Ava frowned. "Alpha Raventhorne allows another Alpha in his territory?"

"It's complicated."

"Everything here is complicated," Ava muttered. "Who's their leader?"

Zari looked uncomfortable. "Alpha Dennis Raventhorne."

Ava stopped in her tracks. "Related?"

"Brothers."