Defying the Rogue Alpha
Chapter 101: Close

Chapter 101: Close

"You do realize you look exactly like him, right?" she pointed out. "If you cleaned up, threw on a nice suit, drove a fancy car, acted the part, people would assume you were him. Hell, even I mistook you for him, and I’ve seen him up close and personal."

Dennis raised a brow. "Up close and personal, huh?"

"Don’t start."

"Speaking of," Dennis said, curiosity flickering in his eyes, "tell me how you met."

Ava hesitated, then sighed, turning back to the river.

She told him everything; how she had been sent as an exchange concubine for peace between the Crimson Pack and Silver Pack. How, upon arriving, Lucas had avoided her because she was a wolfless virgin. The way she had barely survived their first night together, and how, against all odds, she had somehow tamed his wolf, Manic.

Dennis sat up straighter. "You tamed Manic?" he asked, his voice thick with disbelief.

Ava smirked slightly. "Not exactly. I just... I could talk to him. Sometimes I think he reasons better than Lucas himself."

Dennis threw his head back and howled with laughter. His entire body shook, his deep chuckles echoing through the trees.

"Manic?" he gasped between laughs. "More reasonable than Lucas? Oh, that’s rich!"

Ava grinned. "I’m serious! He’s a good wolf if you really get to know him."

Dennis sighed, shaking his head. His laughter faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression. Could she tame his wolf too?

"So, what are you? Some kind of wolf whisperer?" he asked, only half-joking.

Ava shrugged. "No, just instinct. Everyone wants to be heard, including our wolves."

Dennis’s smile faded. A thought gnawed at the edges of his mind.

"I haven’t let my wolf out in ten years," he admitted.

"Let me see him," she said softly.

Dennis swallowed hard.

"Come on," she pressed, scooting closer.

He smirked. "You shouldn’t be this close."

"Don’t be a baby," she teased, her voice light, almost playful. "He won’t hurt me."

He might not. But I might.

Dennis’s muscles tensed. He tried to move back, to put some distance between them, but she held him in place.

"What’s his name?" she asked.

She was too close. His gaze flickered to her lips; full, soft, dangerously tempting.

Before he could stop himself, before he could think, before he could even breathe, he bent his head and kissed her.

For a second, she didn’t react, as if her mind was still catching up with what had just happened. Then she jerked back, eyes wide, lips slightly parted in shock.

Dennis didn’t let go.

His grip on her arm remained firm, his breathing uneven. Her lips were intoxicating, warm, and slightly parted, and he had the insane urge to kiss her again.

When he finally released her, she scrambled back. Ava caught the flash of gold in his eyes; a telltale sign that his wolf was dangerously close to the surface.

A loud howl echoed in the distance.

Ava’s chest rose and fell rapidly as she stared at him. "I...I’m sorry," Dennis said, his voice rough with guilt. "I shouldn’t have."

"It’s okay," Ava said. "It wasn’t you... I kept pushing for your wolf."

Dennis clenched his jaw. "No, Ava. That was me."

Ava looked away, exhaling slowly. "Dennis, this can’t happen. It shouldn’t happen." She stood abruptly. "Good night. See you tomorrow."

"Ava..." Dennis called after her, but she was already gone, disappearing into the night.

He let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.

Another howl pierced the quiet.

Dennis turned toward the distant hills, eyes narrowing. He could sense his brother up there, even though he couldn’t see him. But he felt him...felt the raw, unbridled rage in that howl.

Lucas had seen.

Dennis chuckled darkly. You let her go, brother. That makes her fair game.

For a long moment, he stood there, staring at the hills, making sure Lucas knew he could sense him.

Then, without another word, he turned back toward the house, a smirk tugging at his lips.

*****

Lucas was stark raving mad.

His breath came in sharp, ragged bursts, his fists clenching and unclenching as he stormed through the woods, each step heavier than the last. His entire body shook with anger, Lucas had just gained control back from Manic who was demanding blood and vengeance.

His mind replayed the moment over and over again.

His brother. His fucking brother.

Kissing his mate.

Lucas’s vision burned red as Manic, howled inside him, thrashing, roaring in pure fury. Every single instinct in him wanted to turn around, march back down there, and burn that entire fucking place to the ground.

He had to stop walking for a second, sucking in a breath as his nails elongated into claws. He dug them into the bark of a tree, snapping it clean in half.

That backstabbing traitorous son of a bitch.

Lucas stormed through the underbrush, branches snapping under his boots, the night air barely cooling the rage burning through his veins.

What the actual fuck was Dennis thinking?!

His own brother...his own blood couldn’t respect him enough to keep his paws off his woman?!

He had seen the way Ava had shuffled away from Dennis, the way she had pulled back in shock, rejecting him. Good girl, he thought savagely.

But Dennis? What the hell was he playing at?

Was this some kind of twisted game to him? A power move?

Dennis wasn’t calculating like that. He was a sentimental fool, always looking for some kind of connection.

And right now, he was looking for one with Ava.

There was supposed to be a code. A line that shouldn’t be crossed.

Lucas had tried.

He had tried to be patient.

Tried to be diplomatic.

Tried to wait.

But fuck that.

He was done playing politics.

Ava had his mark. She belonged to him. He was going to get her back.

And if Dennis thought he could just take her...

A deep, guttural growl rumbled in his chest.

He had to get Ava out of there. Now.

Before Dennis succeeded in seducing her.

The stupid bastard.

Lucas’s hands shook. He should have killed him when he had the chance.

*****

The gate keeper informed Dennis someone was approaching the gate. He wasn’t expecting anyone. Not tonight. His fingers twitched toward the dagger hidden in his waistband, a habit ingrained from years of living on the edge.

But when he saw him, Dennis didn’t even hesitate. He threw open the gate, barely able to believe his own eyes.

"You son of a bitch," Dennis breathed.

The two men crashed into each other in a rough, brotherly hug, slapping each other’s backs with enough force to break bones.

They didn’t let go for a long moment, both laughing like idiots, the sheer absurdity of the situation hitting them at once.

"I was told you were dead," Dennis finally said, stepping back and looking Kade up and down. The guy looked rough and carrying the kind of exhaustion that came from more than just sleepless nights.

"I almost was," Kade admitted, stretching his arms out as if testing whether he was still in one piece.

Dennis’s brow furrowed. "How?"

(Its a new month guys! I hope April brings lots of love for you all. So, everything has been reset. its another month to try and get to the top of the chart guys. DRA did so good in March, Thank you. We can do better and for every milestone scaled, I promise loads of mass release)

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