Page 115 of Ava: Part Two

"I've brought my son a mating present," Alpha Michelson said.

What was he doing? Such violence outside the training centre was against the school rules, and he was bringing it to his son's doorstep?

Some people—parents and students—were at the bottom of the driveway, just watching. So was it Zeke's pack that was in the woods as well?

"He's not here," she answered, looking down at Jared.

He was just looking down, not even trying to run. And there was a puddle of blood on the floor in front of him now. He wasn't healing.

Why would a grown man attack a boy a lot weaker than him?

"I know he's not here. Step aside, human."

She made direct eye contact with the Alpha and felt a spark of anger. Whatever game this man was playing wasn't going to end well. She could feel that just as much as she had felt Mr Patrick's fear and sensed his lie.

"Jared, get into the house," she said without looking away from the Alpha.

"I said step aside," Zeke's father snarled. "This is Blood Moon territory, and I'm the Alpha."

An Alpha who beat up children for the fuck of it. For the first time since she'd found out that she had a monster inside her, she wished it would come out and deal with this man. Just once, and just this man. But she pushed that thought aside because she didn't want to hurt anyone at all.

"Get in the house," she repeated.

"I can't. He's right, it's his territory," Jared said quietly.

"Get in the fucking house!"

Jared stiffened and looked up at her. She hadn't meant to sound so aggressive, but she knew where they could go to stay safe. The basement. It had been secure enough to hide in when the Council had come, which meant it would keep them safe from Zeke's father.

Jared started to get to his feet, but Alpha Michelson punched him back down.

The spark of anger became a flame. Where was this man's honour? How could he call himself the Alpha when he was doing all of this in front of his pack?

Zeke's father's expression changed, and she saw the hatred in his eyes.

"You think you can challenge me just because you've mated my son? You think that suddenly makes you one of us, human?"

"You don't want to know what I think," she snarled back.

"It doesn't matter what you think. You and this piece of shit are going to be dead in a few minutes. You mated without my blessing, so it's my right to punish my son as I wish."

"If it's me you want dead, why have you brought Jared here? He has nothing to do with this."

Alpha Michelson laughed and then shoved Jared as he tried to get back up.

"You think I'm going to get my hands dirty? I follow the rules, human. But imagine what Ezekiel's reaction is going to be when he finds his mate dead at the hands of his enemy."

Did he not love his son at all? She couldn't imagine her father ever doing that to any of his children.

"Jared, kill the bitch," Alpha Michelson said.

With the way Jared tensed, she knew that had been a command. Jared got to his feet slowly, still unsteady from the punch he'd received, and looked at her with watery eyes.

He was going to do it. And in her mind, she saw the blood, the carnage, that would be the consequence of his actions. It wouldn't be Zeke ripping all of these people apart when he came home. It would be the monster within her that would emerge and kill them all.

Where the hell was Mr Patrick? Why wasn't he doing something?

In her panic, she looked Jared in the eyes and saw the moment he was going to strike. He stepped into the house and raised his hand. His claws extended even though he had his eyes closed and tears on his bloody face.

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