Ruthless Alpha, and his Curvy Saint-Chapter 33

Angel’s POV

"Another chance," I repeated, louder this time. "The rest of the family shouldn’t have to suffer for one person’s sins. That’s not justice... that’s just more cruelty."

"You want to forgive them?" The Alpha’s voice carried genuine disbelief. "After the vile things that were said about you?"

"Yes." I met his gaze steadily, even though every instinct screamed at me to look away. "Instead of condemning people, we should try embracing them. Teaching them goodness. Violence only breeds more violence."

The Alpha stared at me like I’d grown a second head.

Around us, the camp had gone completely silent. Warriors looked at each other in confusion, clearly unsure how to process what they were hearing.

"You’re certain?" the Alpha asked. "This is what you want?"

I nodded, not trusting my voice.

Immediately, Lyra scrambled toward me on her hands and knees, her earlier pride completely abandoned.

"Thank you!" she sobbed, grabbing at the hem of my dress. "Thank you, Luna! I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean it, I was stupid and cruel and..."

"Enough," the Alpha cut her off. "You may do what you wish, Angel. But such a crime cannot go completely unpunished."

He turned his attention back to Lyra, his expression cold.

"You will serve as Angel’s personal maid until we reach Black Wolf territory. You will tend to her every need, carry out her every request, and treat her with the respect you should have shown from the beginning. If you fail in this duty even once, my earlier mercy will be revoked. Understood?"

Lyra’s head bobbed frantically. "Yes, my lord! Yes, I understand! Thank you, thank you..."

"That’s not necessary..." I started to protest.

But the Alpha had already turned and was walking away, the matter clearly settled in his mind.

His warriors dispersed, some shaking their heads, others muttering to each other in low voices.

I stood there, still processing what had just happened, while Lyra continued to grovel at my feet.

"Luna," she whimpered, "I’m so sorry. So, so sorry. I never knew. I’ll be the best maid you’ve ever had, I swear..."

"Just... stop," I said tiredly. "Get up. And stop calling me Luna. My name is Angel."

She scrambled to her feet, wiping tears from her face, her cheek already turning purple from the Alpha’s strike.

A small, petty part of me felt satisfaction at seeing that bruise.

The better part of me felt sick that I could feel satisfaction at someone else’s pain.

What is this place doing to me?

Zach approached cautiously, his weathered face etched with gratitude. "Miss Angel - Luna - I don’t know how to thank you. You saved our lives tonight."

"I just..." I shook my head, suddenly exhausted. "I just didn’t want more death. There’s been enough death."

Too much death.

My family. The Hound pack. Hawkin’s estate. Everyone this monster had killed on his path of destruction.

I couldn’t add to that count, even if the people in question had hurt me.

"You’re a saint," Zach said reverently.

"I’m not," I replied. "I’m just tired."

I walked away before he could say anything else, before Lyra could thank me again, before anyone else could look at me like I was something special when I felt nothing but empty.

I found another tree at the edge of camp - away from the fire, away from the people - and sank down against it.

The tears came again, but quieter this time. Less dramatic.

Just a slow, steady leak of sadness that I couldn’t seem to stop.

I’d saved Lyra’s life tonight.

The girl who’d mocked my body. Who’d laughed at my nakedness. Who’d flirted with the only man who’d ever been kind to me.

I’d saved her.

And I didn’t even know why.

*****

Terrell’s POV

I found Bellick at the far edge of camp, checking the perimeter with the kind of exaggerated focus that told me he was avoiding me.

"Bellick."

He stiffened, then slowly turned to face me. "Alpha."

"What the hell was that?" I demanded, keeping my voice low so it no one would hear. "I specifically told you to deal with Angel’s offender. To show her you were a ruthless Alpha who wouldn’t tolerate disrespect to his mate."

"I did exactly what you asked!" Bellick protested. "I called her forward, I gave her the power to decide their fate..."

"And she forgave them!"

"How was I supposed to know she’d do that?" Bellick threw his hands up in frustration. "Most people would have wanted blood! Revenge! Some kind of punishment! Who forgives someone who just humiliated them in front of another party?"

"Angel, apparently," I said through gritted teeth.

"She’s..." Bellick searched for words. "She’s not normal, Alpha. She’s too kind. Too forgiving. It’s almost... unnatural."

He wasn’t wrong.

What Angel had done tonight - showing mercy to someone who’d deliberately hurt her, choosing compassion over vengeance - it defied every instinct werewolves possessed.

We were creatures of passion and violence. When wronged, we struck back. It was our nature.

But Angel...

Angel had stood there in front of my entire pack and chosen grace.

And it didn’t make me feel good at all.

"You should have guided her decision," I said, though the argument felt weak even to me.

"Guided her toward what? Execution?" Bellick shook his head. "Alpha, with all due respect, that girl has a will of iron underneath all that softness. When she says she wants to give someone another chance, she means it. Nothing I could have said would have changed her mind."

I sighed, the anger draining out of me as quickly as it had come.

He was right.

This wasn’t Bellick’s fault. It was mine, for thinking I could predict how Angel would react, for assuming she’d want the same brutal justice any werewolf would demand.

For forgetting, yet again, that my mate wasn’t like anyone I’d ever known.

"The Lyra girl," I said. "Keep an eye on her. If she steps out of line even once..."

"She won’t survive it," Bellick finished grimly. "I’ll make sure of it."

"Good."

I started to walk away, then paused. "And Bellick? Next time I ask you to punish someone for hurting Angel..."

"Yes, Alpha?"

"Just do it yourself. Don’t give her the choice."

Because my soft-hearted, forgiving, impossibly kind mate would choose mercy every single time.

Suddenly I wondered if she’d forgive me too.