Defying the Rogue Alpha
Chapter 180: Retired

Chapter 180: Retired

"Well, we have guests from the pack out here every once in a while. The gossip keeps me busy."

Kade chuckled and shook his head, only half-surprised. "I see life is treating you quite well."

"Well, thanks to Alpha Lucas," Nelly said, stretching out luxuriously. "Turns out retiring as a concubine isn’t so bad. And honey, the humans know how to have fun. No claws. No power struggles."

Kade arched an eyebrow. "And yet you still manage to stay looped into our chaos."

"Oh please, a girl never forgets where she came from...speaking of chaos...I heard Sarah and Dorian are traitors and she’s pregnant with his child."

Kade groaned. "How much time do you spend on gossip, for heaven’s sake?"

Nelly shrugged innocently. "Roughly... all of it."

He shook his head with a sigh and leaned back into the chaise lounge beside her. The sun was warm, the breeze was light, but the thoughts in his head were anything but. "Actually, that’s why I came."

"Oh?" Nelly sat up, curious now. "Do tell."

"I have a favor to ask."

"Shoot!"

"Sarah is indeed pregnant with my father’s child and well... he’s dead."

Nelly’s face fell. "Oh my goddess, Kade. I’m so sorry."

He nodded once. "It’s okay. But the child, she didn’t ask to be born into any of this mess. Into betrayal and scandal. I was thinking..." he paused, choosing his words carefully, "of raising the child far from all of it. Somewhere peaceful. Away from the whispers."

Nelly watched him. "You want to protect her."

"I do. But I can’t raise her myself either," Kade said, rubbing a hand down his face. "Lucas appointed me as his beta. It’s a huge responsibility and... honestly, I’m not the parenting type. I’d probably try to train her to fight before she even walks."

"Say no more, darling. The child is welcome here. It’ll keep me busy and maybe finally keep me away from pack gossip," Nelly laughed, waving her hand dramatically.

Kade chuckled, the sound low and genuine, easing some of the tension he didn’t realize he was holding. "Thank you. Truly. I’ll bring the child when she’s born."

Nelly’s eyes lit up. "Oh, I cannot wait! I’m going to shop till I drop. What’s going to happen to Sarah, though?"

Kade’s smile dimmed. "Luna Ava left the decision to me," he said slowly. "But Sarah has committed too many crimes against the Alpha’s family for us to just let her walk. It would seem like I was playing favorites."

"Would you be?" Nelly asked gently, watching his face.

Kade hesitated. "No. I mean... maybe. I don’t know." He scrubbed a hand down his face. "I can’t let her stay."

Nelly’s smile faded. "Banishment, then?"

"It’s the best I can think of right now," Kade admitted. "Luna Ava has a thing against executions even though she can be quite vicious when she wants to be."

Nelly tilted her head. "It’s amazing how far she’s come. I still remember the day she arrived at the pack, looking all broken and innocent."

"She’s a force..." Kade’s voice trailed off, his eyes unfocused. Suddenly, everything changed.

The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. His breath caught in his throat. His heart started to pound.

His hands trembled.

Nelly sat up. "Kade?"

He didn’t answer. He was already on his feet.

The shift in the air was unmistakable. It tasted like iron and electricity. His wolf stirred beneath his skin, restless, growling low.

"Kade? Is everything alright?" Nelly asked, her brows furrowed.

"Is anyone in your house?" he asked.

"Oh...that would be my maid. She must have returned from errands." Nelly tilted her head curiously.

Kade didn’t wait for more details. He turned and walked like a man led by invisible chains, each step dragging him deeper. His wolf was howling endlessly in recognition. The pull was undeniable.

"Kade!" Nelly called again, alarm rising in her voice. "You’re scaring me!"

Still, Kade didn’t respond. He pushed the back door open. The kitchen smelled of citrus and a cheerful hum filled the space. The girl probably nineteen or twenty was turned away, pouring orange juice into a glass as she wiggled slightly to her own beat. It was innocent.

Until Kade stepped in behind her.

He didn’t speak. He didn’t breathe.

He simply stood there, close enough to feel the warmth of her body, the invisible tether between them stretching tight.

"Kade?" Nelly called again, this time appearing behind him, her kimono fluttering with the urgency in her steps. She froze in the doorway, eyes darting between the girl and her guest.

The maid turned, smiling, a glass of juice in her hand only to walk straight into Kade.

"Miss Nelly, I..." the girl gasped, startled as the juice slipped from her hand. The glass hit the ground with a dramatic crash, splattering orange juice. She looked up, blinking in shock at the intense, almost feral look on Kade’s face.

"Kade, you are freaking my maid out!" Nelly scolded, stomping one foot.

Kade blinked, coming out of his trance slightly. He turned to Nelly.

"Human?"

Nelly facepalmed herself. She had chosen a life of tranquility among humans, away from the complexities of pack politics. The human world was blissfully ignorant of their existence, with only a select few privy to their true nature. Yet, here she was, standing in her kitchen, witnessing a moment that could unravel her carefully constructed facade.

"What do you mean, human?" the maid asked, her voice trembling as her eyes darted between the imposing man before her and her employer.

Kade’s mind was a whirlwind. The realization that his mate was human was both shocking and perplexing. "What the fuck?" was all he could muster.

*****

Ava made her way to the throne room. Lucas had been engrossed in matters of the kingdom, particularly in preparing Zoe for leadership. Letters from concerned citizens had poured in, expressing their apprehensions about continuing the monarchy, especially under the lineage of Herod. Lucas hadn’t shared the details of his decision with her, but she respected his judgment.

As she approached the grand doors of the throne room, they creaked open, revealing Lucia stepping out, a rope in her hand.

"Lucia?" Ava called.

(A tiny detail in this Chapter, mentioned only once and yet it is of great importance. Plus who else is excited for Kade?! About time!!!)

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