Defying the Rogue Alpha
Chapter 94: Archive

Chapter 94: Archive

Leon hesitated. A part of him wanted to lie. But the other part knew he needed to get this over with.

He licked his lips and took a small step forward. "Before I tell you who got into the archive, you have to promise to inform Alpha Lucas that I knew nothing about it."

Kade’s expression remained impassive. "Who is it?"

Leon’s eye twitched.

Sighing, he braced himself. "Jake. He visited the archive a few days after the battle before he left to take over as the Alpha of the Bloodhound pack."

"That fucking son of a bitch." Kade let out a slow, simmering breath. "Ava’s brother?"

"Stepbrother, actually," Leon corrected. "And they never really saw eye to eye while she was here. I was surprised when Alpha Lucas assigned him to lead the Bloodhound pack."

Kade always knew Jake was the type of wolf who smiled while plotting ways to stab you in the back. The fact that he had been trusted with leadership was wild.

"Someone else must have told him about his father’s death, and he thought to get back at Alpha Lucas."

Leon ran a hand through his hair, stress curling in his gut. "Yeah, it wouldn’t be shocking. Jake was never one to take an insult lightly. And by insult, I mean literally anything that didn’t benefit him directly. So what next?"

Kade exhaled through his nose. "I need to speak with Alpha Lucas first. If I need you, I’ll send you a message."

Leon shifted on his feet, rubbing his arms. "But seriously, why is this happening? What do these people want?"

Kade took a step back, adjusting his hoodie as he spoke. "I know there are forces that don’t want Ava as the Luna of Silver Pack. And we need to find proof."

Leon let out a low whistle. "Man, she’s got more enemies than I do ex-mates."

Kade ignored the remark, his sharp gaze still scanning the woods like he expected someone to leap out at any moment. After a beat, he turned to leave.

Leon watched as he disappeared into the shadows, slipping into the night as if he had never been there in the first place.

With a sigh, Leon ran a hand down his face. "I should never have been alpha." he muttered to himself before trudging back.

*****

Lucas already knew what the goddamned meeting was about before the council members even stepped foot in the room. In fact, he had known the moment he received the summons, because of course they wanted to discuss Ava. Again.

It was always about Ava.

If it weren’t against werewolf laws, he would’ve stripped every single one of them of their council titles and thrown them the fuck out of his pack. He’d do it with pleasure, too. Because all they did, day in and day out, was sit around and find ways to go against him.

It was exhausting.

Lucas leaned back in his chair, rubbing at the tension in his temples as the group settled in. He already felt a migraine coming. It didn’t help that Dorian was also sitting comfortably among them.

Councilman Thalric cleared his throat. "We heard Ava is currently hiding in Dennis’s pack."

And here we go.

"So?" he said flatly, casting a slow, deliberate glance in Dorian’s direction.

Dorian had rallied the council members together, stirring them up. But as much as Lucas wanted to drag him across the table and introduce his face to the floor, he reined in his anger.

No. Not now.

Just go along with everything until it all crumbles around them.

"We request that she be brought in to face judgment," Thalric continued.

Lucas arched a brow. "And how do you propose we do that?"

Vaelin, the most annoying person in the room started, "You call Dennis for a meeting..."

Lucas laughed. "Call Dennis for a meeting?" he repeated, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "How? Where? Should I send a fucking invitation? Perhaps with a bouquet of flowers?"

Vaelin had the nerve to look annoyed.

Lucas scoffed. "Dennis was banished for a reason, Vaelin. In case you’ve all conveniently forgotten."

"And yet," Thalric cut in smoothly, "he is still on your land. The land of rogues is Silver Pack territory," Thalric continued. "That alone gives the High Council great concern. You allow traitors, bandits, and outcasts to remain on your land, freely, unchecked. But our concern right now is not about Dennis." He leaned forward slightly. "Our concern is Ava."

Thalric’s voice darkened. "She must be brought in to face execution. It will serve as a lesson to future Lunas."

They wanted to make an example of her.

His Ava. The woman he had loved.

The woman who still had his soul in a fucking chokehold.

The rage inside him was molten-hot, threatening to burst from his skin, but Lucas swallowed it down. Buried it deep.

He nodded once, stiffly. "Fine," he said. "Send a message to Dennis. If he responds, fine. If he doesn’t, there is nothing else I can do."

Vaelin’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. "It does seem like you aren’t quite interested in letting Ava face justice."

Lucas stared at Vaelin.

"Vaelin," he said, "I am not a man to be tested right now."

Lucas’s gaze swept over the council members, his wolf simmering just beneath the surface.

"I loved that woman," he continued. "She was going to be my Luna. Has it ever occurred to any of you to consider how I might feel about this? No? Of course not." His lip curled. "All you ever want is your big, bad, ruthless Alpha. Your warrior. Your weapon. Fine," he said coldly. "Get Dennis to agree to a meeting." His chair scraped against the floor as he stood, towering over them. "Now do me a favor and get the fuck out of my sight."

The council members exchanged wary glances before filing out one by one.

Dorian remained seated.

"The next time you decide to use the council for your personal vendetta," he growled, "I will skin you alive, Dorian."

Lucas took a step forward, his presence all-consuming. "I killed your son." The words were blunt, cruel. He watched as Dorian’s jaw clenched, his fingers twitching. "I did it. Me. Not Ava. Not Dennis. Me." His eyes darkened. "So if you have a fucking problem, be a man and face your Alpha."

Dorian’s face remained carefully blank, but Lucas knew him too well. Beneath that mask was rage.

Dorian got up, bowed slightly and turned on his heel, striding out of the conference room.

(I think Dorian needs to get laid.)

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