Page 106 of Ava: Part Two

It would ruin his escape plan. He was going to use the rogue problem at home as a reason to be allowed access through the forest, but if his father took a stand against him now and things went sideways, then that excuse would be worthless. The academy would know if he was no longer part of the pack.

“I’m taking my daughter out of here. You and your father can measure each other’s dicks all you want after we’re gone,” Alpha Morgan said as he started going up the stairs without invitation.

“No! Ava stays with me,” he growled. “She’s my mate. I’ll keep her safe.”

Alpha Morgan tensed but didn’t lower his gaze, though it was Shadow who’d made that command.

“She’s my daught—”

“She is mine to protect,” he growled.

“Then go and do it. Why are you still standing there?” the Alpha growled back, but then he turned and continued up the stairs, probably to get his daughter anyway.

He watched Alpha Morgan only for a moment before he turned his attention outside again. This was no time to fight over Ava, and the Alpha had to know what being a true mate entailed. For better or worse, demon or not, Ava was stuck with him.

He rolled his shoulders before he walked to the door.

“Where do you want us?” Derek asked.

“Nowhere. Stay here. Don’t take sides; he’s still your Alpha,” he answered as he opened the door.

He could sense some magic in the air as his father’s car came up the driveway, confirming that he had indeed got something from the witches. And behind that were three other cars, including King Frederick’s. Gideon’s father. That was a move he had not expected. He’d made a lot of promises and assurances to Gideon, with the promise that King Frederick was on board with their alliance. Maybe hearing that they were on the Council’s radar had changed things.

His father came out of the car with Beta Lawrence, Gamma Jeffries, and the woman who would have been his mate.

“Ezekiel, you’ve gone too fucking far,” Alpha Ezra growled as he marched towards him.

“Not far enough, apparently,” he said as the rest of the cars emptied.

More Alphas, some witches, and beside the Vampire King stood the prince he had made a deal with. He didn’t like to think that had all been for nothing, but Gideon’s eyes gave nothing away.

“You’ve actually claimed the human?” Alpha Ezra said as he tried to come up the steps.

He blocked his father’s path, forcing him back down. Since he had become taller than him, his father preferred to take the higher ground when talking to him. Ezra snarled as he backed down, but this close, the magic on him was undeniable. What potion had he used? Whoever had given it to him was not as good as Mr Patrick because he could smell this one, unlike the one that had almost killed Ava.

“Why are you here, father? If I had known you wanted a party, I would have been more prepared,” he drawled. “And I see you’ve brought the allies I made for you instead of giving you the prince’s head on a platter like you asked. Hello, King Frederick.”

There were no expressions on the vampires’ faces, so he still couldn’t tell which side they were on. As the Alpha, it was Ezra they were supposed to align with.

“I would never ask you to break the Council’s rules,” Alpha Ezra lied with a growl.

“Uh-huh. So what can I do for you all?”

Derek’s and Myles’ father’s stood uneasily behind their Alpha. They were the only reason Shadow hadn’t yet demanded blood. He had more respect for those men than the wolf who had raised him.

He could sense wolves in his yard now. Way too close to Ava. But it was better this way. He’d assumed his father would attack behind his back like the coward he was. But even the wolves that were approaching from the back were cautious. No one really knew what Shadow was capable of yet, but they knew they were still in danger.

“Your father said he had something to show us, and after that, he will let bygones be bygones,” the vampire king said.

He was standing nowhere near the undead king, but he could feel his strength and aura rolling over his skin. He was surprised Alpha Ezra could even stand so close to him.

“And the rest of you?” he asked the wolves who had come in the other cars. He recognised one of them as the one who’d knocked himself unconscious when he’d attacked Ava. Shadow snarled but now wasn’t the time. The threat that was coming was bigger than the one he was facing now. They had to think things through.

“The human laid her hands on me,” the Alpha said as he came forward. He didn’t sound as confident as when he had threatened his mate. “Surely you can see that she needs to be punished. The Council has rules in place for this.”

The Alpha lowered his gaze before he had even finished speaking. Ava claimed his son was a coward; he could see where that had come from.

He catalogued all the people on his driveway and those surrounding the house before he looked at the woman he was supposed to have mated. He’d already forgotten her name.

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