Defying the Rogue Alpha
Chapter 75: Home

Chapter 75: Home

Lucas had been nothing but good to her. He had saved her. He had given her a home.

And she loved him.

She wasn’t some naive fool who would let a bitter, defeated enemy twist her reality.

By the time she finished bandaging the last of the wounded, the soldiers were settling down, laughing weakly, grateful to be alive. Tents were already being raised, and the scent of roasted meat filled the air, signaling that the post-battle feast was well underway.

She wiped her hands on a damp cloth and straightened, scanning the clearing for the one person she wanted to see the most.

Fresh from the hunt, his body was covered in a thin sheen of sweat, his muscles flexing as he moved. His eyes caught hers almost immediately, and his lips curled into a familiar, knowing smirk.

He stalked toward her, his movements fluid.

Ava smirked, crossing her arms as he approached. "Hey!"

Lucas grinned. "Hey, beautiful."

She blinked. "That’s a nice change of pace. Not ’my little virgin’ anymore?"

Lucas chuckled, a deep, rich sound that sent warmth pooling in her stomach. He pulled her close, his strong arms wrapping around her waist before lowering his mouth to her neck. His teeth grazed her mark, making her shiver.

"That’s for private situations, darling," he murmured against her throat.

Ava bit her lip, but her heartbeat betrayed her.

"I am so glad you found your wolf," he added.

Ava tilted her head slightly, arching an eyebrow. "Okay, I am happy too, but..." she trailed off, watching the almost boyish excitement in his expression. "Is there a reason you seem even more thrilled about this than I am?"

Lucas grinned.

"Because," he said, "the Silver Council won’t have any reason to oppose you being Luna now."

Ava studied his face carefully. "So you’re saying..."

"We can begin preparations as soon as we get back." His hands tightened slightly on her waist, his gaze locked onto hers.

A slow, delicious realization spread through her.

"So you’re saying..." she repeated, "we can get married?"

Lucas chuckled, rubbing a thumb over her lower lip. "Yes, babe. We can."

Ava felt a laugh bubble up from her chest, and before she could stop herself, she was giggling.

A full-on, unrestrained giggle.

Lucas looked down at her, amused. "Are you okay, or did you just malfunction?"

"I malfunctioned," she admitted between breathless laughs.

He shook his head. "You’re adorable."

She threw her arms around him, holding onto him tightly.

She had fought. She had won.

And now, she was about to become Luna.

Lucas’s Luna.

Her lips brushed against his ear. "I love you."

He kissed her.

It was slow, unrushed, filled with the kind of devotion that made her knees go weak.

*****

Leon adjusted the cuffs of his shirt, exhaling slowly as he prepared to leave the camp. It had been a long, exhausting day, and he had finished almost all of his business here.

His sharp eyes scanned the battlefield-turned-campsite until they landed on Ava.

She was standing with Lucas, his arm draped around her possessively, his head tilted down as he whispered something into her ear. She laughed. It was the kind of laugh that made a man feel like he was the center of the universe.

And there, sitting proudly on the curve of her neck, was his mark.

Leon sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets.

He had no right to feel anything about it.

Ava had moved on. She had found love again, found a place where she belonged, and it was obvious that Lucas was completely, hopelessly smitten with her.

Good. She deserved that.

She deserved someone who would tear the world apart for her if necessary. Someone strong enough to protect her but wise enough to cherish her.

With one last glance at the couple, he turned away and called for Kade.

The warrior approached swiftly. "Alpha Leon?"

Leon gave him a firm nod. "I’m leaving now. I just need you to give Alpha Lucas a few messages."

Kade nodded. "Okay."

Leon hesitated for a fraction of a second before speaking. "We need to discuss the leadership of the BloodHound Pack. Now that Dravon is out of the picture, there’s a power vacuum that needs to be addressed."

Kade didn’t argue. He simply nodded in agreement. The BloodHound Pack had been shattered, its Alpha defeated and disgraced. Now, it was a pack without direction, without a leader.

Leon continued, "Tell Lucas he can call me when he has the time."

Kade nodded again, waiting for more.

Leon inhaled sharply, glancing briefly in Ava’s direction before stepping closer to Kade. "And... tell him. Selene told Ava about her father’s death. She asked me, but I told her it wasn’t true."

Kade stiffened.

Leon gave him a moment to process the information.

They both instinctively turned toward Ava and Lucas again.

Ava was still smiling, still laughing.

Leon exhaled slowly. "Looks like she believed me," he muttered, almost to himself.

Kade, however, remained rigid.

"I can’t tell him," Kade said suddenly.

Leon frowned. "Why not?"

Kade hesitated. "I don’t know, but right now, I think it’s best not to. Besides... Ava might tell him herself." He ran a hand through his hair. "It would be better that way."

Leon narrowed his eyes. "And what if she doesn’t?"

Kade shrugged slightly. "Then she’s already made her choice."

Leon let that sink in for a moment.

It made sense.

If Ava never brought it up, it meant she didn’t want to bring it up. And that, in itself, was an answer.

"If we tell him," Kade continued after a beat, "his defenses might be triggered. He’ll be suspicious of her."

Leon sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. Leon knew what he was thinking.

He knew Lucas.

And if there was one thing about Alpha Raventhorn, it was that he didn’t do betrayal.

Even the whiff of it could send him into a dangerous spiral.

Leon exhaled sharply. "Well, you know your Alpha best," he said finally, stepping back.

Kade gave him a brief nod.

Leon studied him for a moment longer before finally turning on his heel.

He had done what he could. The rest was up to fate.

As Leon walked away, Kade glanced up.

A storm was coming.

His instincts screamed at him.

Search the lightnovelworld.cc website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.