Defying the Rogue Alpha-Chapter 20: Summoned

By the time she reached her room, she was exhausted, not physically, but mentally. She refused Zari's offer of tea and curled up in bed, staring at the ceiling. She couldn't train. She couldn't leave the fortress. She was stuck.

By evening, Zari returned.

"The Alpha requests your presence in the dining hall."

Ava groaned. "In his quarters?"

"No. Here."

That was new. With great reluctance, she dragged herself up and changed. When she arrived, she found Lucas seated with the other concubines, looking as if this was a normal occurrence.

"Shall we eat?"

Ava narrowed her eyes. Since arriving, she had never seen him eat with them. She scowled at her plate. She still wasn't hungry.

"I have no appetite," she said, pushing her plate away. "I'll just head back to my room."

"Sit down."

The warning in his voice was unmistakable.

Oh, for the love of—what was he going to do, force-feed her?

She reluctantly sat back down.

Lucas turned to Nelly, the senior concubine. "I assumed you would groom new concubines properly, teach them respect."

Nelly placed her spoon down with the precision of a woman who had perfected the art of passive-aggressive rebellion. "Alpha, I do my best, but lately, you've had a weird taste in stubborn women."

Lucas cast a sideways glance at Ava. "Stubborn can be broken. I just have to get creative."

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That did not sound promising.

Ten minutes later, everyone else had finished eating. The other ladies left to the living room while she and the alpha had a stare down. Ava hadn't touched her plate. Before she could make another escape attempt, Drogan entered, whispered something to Lucas, and then dragged in the boys from yesterday and dumped them at her feet.

Ava's stomach twisted. "What is this?"

Lucas smiled. "My generous gift to you."

Her heart pounded. "I'm going to hate whatever comes next, aren't I?"

"You seem to enjoy defying me," Lucas said, standing and strolling over to her side. "And I was going to show you how ruthless I can be."

"Oh, trust me, I got a pretty clear picture yesterday."

Lucas ignored her. "I killed a boy, yes. What should I have done? Given them a pat on the back for disrespecting their Alpha?"

"They didn't disrespect you," Ava snapped.

"They laid hands on my woman."

Ava let out a dry laugh. "Oh, please. I had the situation under control."

Lucas gave her a look that practically screamed Oh, really?. "Clearly."

She clenched her jaw.

"My point is, I am throwing these boys in jail," he continued smoothly, "for as long as you do not eat a full plate of food."

Ava stiffened.

"In twelve hours, I will execute one of them."

Her blood turned to ice.

"And if you continue to starve yourself, in twenty-four hours, the other one goes too."

Her hands curled into fists. "You son of a—"

Lucas tilted his head. "Finish that sentence, and I'll give you a room right next to theirs in the dungeon."

Ava's nails dug into her palms.

"You will learn to respect me. And fear me."

She swallowed hard, her rage bubbling just beneath the surface.

"Let them go. I'll eat."

Lucas smiled, victory evident in his eyes. "Good girl." He turned to Drogan. "Take them away."

As the boys were dragged out, relief on their faces that would get to see another day, Ava picked up her spoon, her hand shaking with anger.

She had been bested.

*****

Two weeks. Fourteen whole days. Not that she was counting or anything.

Ava hadn't seen either the Almighty Alpha Raventhorne or Kade since their last encounter. At first, she had been fine with being away from Lucas. Who wanted to be around a walking threat, anyway? But now, she was just annoyed.

Lily was the only one who occasionally kept her from dying of boredom. They'd watch TV together or take strolls around the estate, pretending they were two completely normal women who weren't concubines in a werewolf political chess game.

During one of their walks, Ava finally voiced the question nagging at her.

"When was the last time you were with the Alpha?" she asked, glancing sideways at Lily.

Lily let out the kind of sigh that only someone emotionally drained from neglect could produce. "Months. The longer you stay here, the more you're forgotten."

Ava frowned. "Isn't there something you can do about it?"

"You mean act like you and storm the Alpha's quarters without permission?" Lily gave her an amused look.

Alright, fine. That hadn't been her best idea. But what was she supposed to do? Send a polite letter requesting his attention? Dear Almighty Tyrant, kindly remember I exist. Warm regards, your neglected concubine. Yeah, no.

Still, she needed to act. Alpha Lucas' behavior was disgusting, but she had a bigger goal—her need for him wasn't about love, it was about getting what she needed.

That being said, she needed advice. And the one person who actually gave her useful advice had disappeared into the abyss. She missed Kade. Which was incredibly frustrating, because missing someone meant caring. And caring was a dangerous, stupid thing to do here.

It wasn't just his presence she missed; it was the way he looked at her, the way he kissed her, the way he... ugh. Nope. Not thinking about that.

"Hello? Where did you go?" Lily waved a hand in front of Ava's face.

Ava blinked. "What?"

"You weren't listening to a single word I said."

"Sorry, I was just thinking about how trapped I feel in here."

Lily chuckled. "You're free to go out, you know. You just have to take a guard with you. You're not just anyone—you're the concubine of the most controversial Alpha in the West. He has enemies."

"You don't say." Ava deadpanned. Gee, I wonder why.

Just then, Zari came running toward them, looking breathless and urgent.

"I wonder what the problem is," Lily mused.

"The Alpha needs you now, Ava. In his office."

Ava sighed dramatically. "Ah, finally. I have been summoned." She shot Lily a small smile. "My presence is in high demand, clearly."

"Go on, your royal highness," Lily teased, waving her off.