Alpha's Caged Mate
dere
ar.
ait
out. These weren't strangers hurling profane slurs at her and glaring at her with such intense hatred in t
lves threatening to rise to the surface, to come tear Ava apart. These h
u fucking
ght Ava across the forehead. Ava hissed i
bitch!" The crowd erupted in a round of
r risk being dragged through the mud. Determined to maintain her dignity in spite of her rising sen
hether they liked it or not. She refused to s
ck a heavi
e weight of his gaze l
nd. Potential lover. Now
efore he'd inherited the title of Alpha of the Red Moon Pack, he'd been Xavi. He'd bee
ng had change
aring. A small stream ran through it and coupled with the break in
Samantha and Sophia's scents permeated the clearing, only overpowered by the overwhelming sc
inged musk intermingled with theirs. Faint enough to distinguish from her current presence in the area, but strong enough to
ness the trial and punishment of a so-called murderer. Standing in the center of th
proud, was his father, August, who telegraphed abs
her b
ilthy rogue
mer and current Alphas. Ava watched the males closely, eagerly
e. The exchange was nearly imperceivable, but Ava still caught the tiny nod Au
as practically vibrating with furious energy. "Peace, Wolves!
eady for the bloodshed to begin. Xavier nodded, satisfied that Pack ha
lf – just like she knew him. He didn't. Instead, he took her in, from the mussed pajamas she'd been wearing when she'd been dragged into cus
er of who he was and what they were there for. The admonishment worked as Xavier's expre
ne
va started
His voice
ou know I had noth
on whether or not you also want to openly defy its leader." Ava heard
ed herself to her knees before Xavier. He gave another satisfied
ng over the loss of two of our own. Ava Davis, you're under suspicion of making treacherous de
ting gaze back on Xavier, "You all know me – Xavier, you know me. Sophia a
e word 'sister' and Ava knew
a spot in the trees, he called out, "Victor, it was you w
and for years and was Sam's father. He shook with rage as he considered her, vengeful satisfaction filling his eyes as
t the crowd as Victor spun to address
er denial even as he conti
She's betrayed our trust." He spat, never once looki
that you're hu
aughter!" Victor spun
e turning to face the Pack again. Wrong or not, he'd resonated with them. Members, both male and female wer
mega." Xavier
lready judged her and found her guilty in their minds. E
nods from the masses. With a dejected heart, Ava saw Xavier's nostrils flare
ut of his coat pocket. The bejeweled leopard-print cas
need to talk.' Sent from the accused's phone number yesterday afternoon. Then, at half past midnight
leaking past her defenses, the last vestiges of her fa?a
, but this wasn't the human world. Here, Pack La
against her and that was enough. "Wh
uldn't!" Victor's im
rs of Samantha's budding relationship with Xavier had apparently been circulati
ggedly trained on Victor. His eyebrows were drawn low
vision the future she saw for them. Then, his gentle dismissal had crushed
, in fact she was known for being the brash one of their group. It wouldn't have come as a surprise to anyone to find out she'd propositioned their Alpha, not like
rank and honor. Retaliation on her part mig
ied for it," Victor continued. "What's more, our
indeed, had been beloved. She'd been warmth and levity, the kindest friend and fiercest protector. Vi
or! Mu
her Wolf, threatening to unleash herself to protect Ava from the
s is true." She supplicated herself t
tepped up to him for the first time since the trial had started
, but calm, with the subtle charisma of a master manipulato
her." Xavier said, though he seemed unsure of
he raging crowd, hyped up by Victor's angry chants for retribution. "This
nsed at the perceived encroachment on his control. August backed up a
ds and the increasingly hostile crowd calling for Ava's head.
our scent...It's too much, Ava. It
d as the insults
y dragged Av
ck," Xavier's voice boomed across the field like thunder. "As Alpha of the Red M
ent. The rest of her life would
ts in a final bid for salvation. She
's decision. After all, a Beta's
ng parents with a ruthless glare. "Do you obj
s response, Ava included. Under the Pack's scrutiny, her father's shoulders stra
pha." Her fath
aving sobs ripped from her chest, all semblance of
f the clearing past Xavier, he ut
ld've be