Defying the Rogue Alpha
Chapter 182: Surge

Chapter 182: Surge

"Yes?" Zoe replied. "Go on..."

"We have a situation in the dungeons," he announced.

Ava sat upright immediately, placing her teacup down. "What kind of situation?" she asked.

"It’s... King...my apologies....Herod," the guard corrected himself quickly. "He is dead."

Zoe stood up slowly from the surge of instincts. Her fists clenched unconsciously at her sides, already moving.

Ava, still graceful even in a hurry, followed her down the winding halls and into the stone corridors of the lower level.

Zoe didn’t know what emotion was expected of her as she descended into the darkness. Grief? Rage? Closure? But as she walked, all she felt was... nothing.

No sadness.

No joy.

Just... stillness.

Her mind wandered to the memories of people who had died at his command. Not just rebels, not just rivals but innocents. Whole families. Mothers, fathers, children. Those who suffered in silence, who had no voice, no shield. She remembered the fear that used to grip her as a child whenever Herod entered a room. She remembered the torture.

He deserved to die.

And yet... this was not the triumph she had imagined it would be.

Ava, watching Zoe closely, reached over and lightly squeezed her hand as they approached the heavy dungeon door. "Whatever you feel, or don’t feel," she said softly, "is okay."

Zoe managed a faint smile, more for Ava’s benefit than her own. She was thankful for the gesture, even if her heart was still suspended somewhere between relief and emptiness.

The dungeon guards opened the door. Herod was dangling from the window beam, lifeless, swaying slightly, the same man who once sat on a golden throne and believed he was untouchable.

When they reached the dungeon, Ava and Zoe stood just inside the threshold.

Dangling like a grotesque puppet from the narrow cell window, was Herod’s body swaying slightly, the rope snugly coiled around his neck. His feet barely grazed the wall behind him, and his face was contorted in a frozen final moment that looked neither peaceful nor penitent. His eyes, though lifeless, seemed to accuse the world one last time.

Ava took a single step forward, her lips pressed tightly together. Her gut twisted from fury. A cold, simmering rage built inside her, clawing at the back of her throat.

This wasn’t suicide.

Her fists clenched at her sides as she took another slow look at the scene.

Turning sharply, she faced one of the guards. "Find me Lucia. Immediately. I want her down here in the next sixty seconds."

"Yes, Luna!" the guard barked and disappeared.

Zoe tore her gaze away from her father’s body. "What’s going on?"

"I don’t know yet," Ava replied. Her mind was already sifting through memories of that morning. Something didn’t sit right.

"This is the coward’s way out," Zoe said, sneering as she crossed her arms. "He deserves way worse."

Ava didn’t answer immediately. "Uhn uhn," she murmured distractedly, still staring at the doorway, waiting for Lucia.

Zoe narrowed her eyes at her. "Are you sure you’re okay? This... does this bother you?"

"I’m fine," Ava said with a forced smile. "I just need to confirm something."

Zoe sighed. "Well, that’s not ominous at all."

Before Ava could respond, footsteps echoed down the corridor, quick and hurried. A moment later, Lucia appeared, led by the same guard. She looked pale and confused.

"Luna? You called for me?"

Ava nodded once and pointed toward the cell. "Take a look in there."

Lucia hesitated for a second before cautiously stepping forward. She peeked into the cell and immediately recoiled with a gasp. Her hand flew to her mouth, and she spun away, nearly colliding with the wall as she turned. "Oh goddess," she whispered, visibly shaken.

"Lucia, I need you to look!"

Lucia flinched as though the air itself had cracked like a whip. She hesitated, her legs uncertain beneath her, and then slowly, she edged toward the cell door again. Her eyes peeked past the iron bars, locking once more on the horrifying sight of Herod’s lifeless body swaying.

"Yes, Luna," Lucia whispered, swallowing hard.

"You see the rope he’s hanging from?"

Lucia nodded once, eyes darting nervously between the rope and Ava’s face.

"I saw that exact rope with you this morning," Ava continued, stepping in closer. "Now remind me again...who did you say requested it?"

Lucia turned, pale and trembling. "Alpha Lucas."

Ava’s jaw clenched. "And what did he want with it?"

"He asked me to wrap it up and have it delivered here. To the dungeons. I...I didn’t ask questions."

Ava’s entire body tightened. "That son of a bitch!" she hissed, her eyes flashing with fury. Her hand trembled with barely restrained power. Her skin shimmered subtly, betraying the primal anger rising within her like a volcano just before it erupted.

Zoe stepped between her and the others, trying to hold the situation together with a weary sigh. "Ava! Come on. It’s not like Herod didn’t deserve this. Do you really want to get mad at Lucas over him?"

"You think this is about Herod?" she snapped. "Mercy was never for him. It was for us, goddamnit. We had to be different. Better."

She turned abruptly and stormed out of the dungeon. Her skin began to shimmer more noticeably now, silver threads of magic rippling beneath the surface as her emotions surged. Her pregnancy made her powers volatile, and her rage made them dangerous.

Lucia stayed frozen, whispering prayers under her breath. Zoe stared after Ava, then looked back at Herod’s body, her mouth twisting. "Well," she muttered, "at least he’s not my problem anymore."

*****

In the castle yard, Lucas and Dennis sat at a large table, a detailed map of the Northern territories stretched out between them. The breeze ruffled the edges of the parchment. Birds chirped somewhere above.

"The North is quite huge, Lucas," Dennis said, dragging a palm across his brow. "This is practically a country on its own."

Lucas sighed, his fingers tapping on the edge of the table. "Yeah, I noticed."

"Herod made this place the capital, but he didn’t want to share power. He removed governors, alphas, councils, anyone who had a say."

Lucas leaned forward, squinting at the map. "So, now it’s our job to put the pieces back together. Appoint local leaders, rebuild shattered alliances."

"Basically," Dennis muttered.

Lucas groaned and leaned back. "Why did I agree to stay behind for this again?"

"Because your brother is getting married and you love me." Dennis grinned.

"I do not love you," Lucas said, jabbing a finger at him. "I tolerate you."

"Uhm... Brother?" Dennis’s voice pitched up nervously as he stared at the approaching figure. He blinked twice, hoping his eyes were playing tricks on him. "What did you do?"

Lucas didn’t even look up from the map. "What? Nothing. Why?"

Dennis stared, slack-jawed. "Because your wife is marching toward us and she looks like she’s about to melt your face off."

Lucas finally glanced up. His eyes widened. "Fuck."

"Yup," Dennis said, already pushing his chair away like a man preparing to survive a nuclear blast. "I’m going to go find safety."

Lucas stood abruptly, turning fully to face the storm coming toward him. Ava was walking with terrifying purpose, her eyes blazing silver, the very air around her crackling. Even the birds stopped chirping.

"Herod is dead," Lucas muttered under his breath. "On a scale of one to ten, how pissed do you think she is?"

Dennis gave her one long look. "I’d say... one million."

Ava reached them with a forceful energy that bent the light around her. She was practically glowing. Every guard within earshot found an excuse to inspect a distant brick.

"Hey... darling," Lucas began, with the bravest grin he could muster. "You look delightfully brilliant today. Have I told you how radiant you are when you’re incandescent with fury?"

"You son of a bitch!" Ava roared, her voice echoing across the courtyard as she shoved him squarely in the chest.

Lucas stumbled back a step but caught himself. He immediately reached for her wrists, gripping them gently but firmly. As soon as he made contact, he felt the familiar jolt of her energy, a sizzling undercurrent of lightning that danced just beneath her skin. Her anger was not just visible, it was alive.

"Ava," he said, "the baby doesn’t need any stress."

"Oh, don’t you dare!" she snapped, trying to yank her arms free. "Don’t you dare bring the baby into this as if that excuses what you did!"

Lucas winced. "I didn’t exactly..."

"You used your powers on him, didn’t you?" she accused, eyes wide with fury and hurt. "Is that the new plan? Walk around whispering death into people’s heads? Make them do it themselves so you can keep your shiny hands clean? That’s not justice, Lucas, that’s manipulation. That’s Herod with better manners!"

The crowd around them thickened, though everyone pretended not to be watching while absolutely watching.

"What the fuck are you talking about?!" Lucas barked, the teasing tone gone from his voice. "I didn’t use any powers!"