Defying the Rogue Alpha-Chapter 35: Control

Lucas fought against him for control, his voice sharp and panicked in their shared mind.

Not now, Manic. Not here!

Manic ignored him. "She is ours," he growled, his fangs pressing into her skin.

Lucas roared internally, shoving against his wolf's control.

Ava stiffened. She hadn't seen this coming, she had never thought that at some point, Lucas would mark her as his, binding their souls together. It couldn't be now. Not when Lucas himself hadn't decided. Not when she hadn't fully wrapped her head around what it meant.

For a split second, panic flared in her chest.

"Manic, wait!" she gasped, gripping his face.

That was the distraction Lucas needed.

With a guttural growl, Manic reeled back, his body jerking as Lucas wrestled for dominance.

Ava watched, wide-eyed, as Lucas staggered away from her, his breathing heavy, his entire body trembling. His golden eyes flickered, fading back to their usual stormy blue.

For a long moment, neither of them spoke.

Then, Lucas let out a slow, controlled breath and ran a hand through his hair. "That... was close."

Ava, still pinned against the wall, let out a nervous chuckle. "No kidding. I was about ten seconds away from a lifelong commitment I wasn't exactly prepared for."

Lucas met her gaze, something unreadable flickering in his eyes. He took a slow step toward her, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "And if you were ready?"

Ava hesitated, her heart skipping a beat.

Lucas was back in control now, but his intensity hadn't faded. It wasn't just Manic that wanted her, it was him.

"You have a habit of asking dangerous questions," she murmured.

Lucas smirked, his lips brushing against her ear as he worked on taking off her clothes. "And you have a habit of giving dangerous answers."

His mouth found hers again, softer this time, but no less possessive. Ava let herself melt into the kiss, her fingers tangling in his hair, her body pressing into his.

The danger in his eyes hadn't fully faded. It lingered, simmering just beneath the surface, restrained only by the thin thread of his self-control. Ava could feel it in the way Lucas touched her, his fingers tracing the place on her neck where his mark should be. The hesitation in his grip told her that he was still fighting Manic for control.

"You're holding back," she murmured, running her hands up his chest. "Since when do you do that?"

Lucas exhaled sharply, pressing his forehead to hers. "Since I almost marked you without your consent," he admitted. His voice was rough, laced with frustration.

Ava tilted her head, eyes glinting with amusement. "Since when are you big on consent?"

Lucas let out a low growl. "Don't test me, Ava."

"Or what?" She smirked, knowing exactly what she was doing.

In a flash, he had her back against the wall, his hands gripping her hips with the kind of possessiveness that sent heat spiraling through her veins. The tension between them was thick. With the adrenaline from the fight still pumping through her, she needed release.

She reached for the buckle of his trousers, her fingers working swiftly. But Lucas caught her wrist before she could finish, his grip firm but not forceful.

"Say it," he demanded.

Ava's lips parted, and she saw the challenge in his gaze. He wasn't going to let her take without asking.

"Lucas," she breathed. "Fuck me."

That was all it took.

The second his mouth crashed into hers, she lost herself in him. His hands were everywhere, claiming, memorizing. He lifted her effortlessly, pressing her against the wall as their bodies aligned, his warmth searing into her skin. Every touch, every kiss was a silent declaration of what they both already knew but refused to say aloud.

Ava gasped as his lips left hers, moving down her throat, across her collarbone. He was slow, almost torturous, taking his time in a way that made her squirm in frustration.

"Lucas," she said again, her voice impatient.

He chuckled against her skin, the sound deep and smug. "Patience, Ava."

"Not my strong suit," she shot back.

"Yeah, I noticed."

His grip on her tightened, and when he finally moved, the pleasure was so intense that Ava swore she saw stars. She dug her fingers into his shoulders, anchoring herself, her breath catching with every movement.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew this was more than just physical. It always had been.

*****

Lucas left Ava sleeping, the warmth of her body still lingering on his skin as he dressed in silence. He could watch her forever, wrapped in the sheets, hair tangled, lips slightly parted. Peaceful. Innocent. Unaware.

He wished he could keep it that way.

But life had a twisted sense of humor.

As he fastened his belt, his mind drifted back to the conversation they had before sleep claimed her.

"I hear I'm meant to be taking contraceptives."

He had frozen at her words. It wasn't the accusation that stunned him, nor the knowledge that he had neglected to address it. No, it was the fact that he had never once considered giving her any.

"The other concubines take them."

"Why haven't you instructed them to give me mine?"

He had searched for an answer, something smooth and dismissive, but the truth was ugly.

"Must have slipped my mind."

Liar. The thought of Ava carrying his child had buried itself deep inside him, an unspoken desire curling around his heart. Ever since Lanaya mentioned it, he had pictured it, dreamed it, hoped for it.

Declaring her his Luna-to-be might have been a strategic move to ensure her respect within Crimson pack, but now, it was becoming painfully clear; Ava wasn't just a pawn in his game.

She was his something more.

And that terrified him.

Lucas arrived at Alpha Leon's office, finding him and Luna Selene locked in a hushed argument.

"Alpha Lucas," Leon started, his tone strained. "I'd like to apologize..."

"Cut the crap." Lucas wasn't here for diplomacy. He folded his arms, his presence alone making the room feel smaller. "What I want to hear is that Sharon has been given the proper punishment. And when I say proper, I mean I hope that, as we speak, she no longer exists."

Selene sighed dramatically, as if dealing with an insufferable child. "That isn't going to happen." She flicked her nails against the desk. "She's my cousin. Royal blood."

Lucas stared. "And?"

Selene's lips curled into something wicked. "Would you rather I tell Ava how you brutally killed her father?"

The words slammed into him.

He barely registered Leon's weak attempt at protest because suddenly, the room felt too small, too bright, too loud.

"What are you talking about?" His voice was quiet.

Selene leaned back in satisfaction, her eyes gleaming. "Your fated mate, Mara? remember her? She was Ava's mother."

Everything snapped into place.

The way he had been drawn to Ava from the start. The strange sense of familiarity that went beyond attraction. The way her wolf felt like an echo of something he had once known.

Fate wasn't just cruel; it was a twisted, sadistic bitch.

Lucas' breath came fast, sharp. He turned to Kade. "Get out."

Kade hesitated but bowed and left. He knew better than to disobey when Lucas was like this.

Lucas turned back to Selene, his hands trembling as rage coiled inside him. He needed Manic. Now.

Manic answered his silent call, clawing his way to the surface, half-shifting in an instant. Lucas' eyes glowed, claws extending, fur beginning to sprout along his arms.

Selene's smirk vanished. She scrambled behind her husband, her bravado gone in the face of a real threat.

Leon, to his credit, didn't move. "You think you can scare me?" Lucas growled, his voice a distortion of his own. "I will drink your blood for breakfast, worm."

Leon lifted his hands. "Alpha Lucas, all we want is peace."

Lucas laughed, cold and humorless. "Peace? Peace went out the window the moment your Luna threatened me." His claws dug into the wooden desk, cracking it like it was nothing more than a brittle bone. "You sit there like a spineless wimp and let her control your pack! She protects her cousin, but you never protected your own fated mate. Just like Wishbone."

Leon flinched at the accusation.

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Good.

"Wishbone got what he deserved," Lucas spat. "And if you breathe a word about this to Ava, I swear on my pack, I will end every single member of your pathetic excuse of a bloodline."

Selene's breath hitched, real fear creeping in now.

Lucas turned his full attention to her. "I want your cousin dead. It doesn't matter what you do. My Luna was disrespected in your pack, and I will take it up with the High Council if I must. But I am not a wimp like your husband. I handle my own problems." His eyes darkened further. "You, Luna Selene, have just made yourself my problem."