CHAPTER 13: AUDACITY 2

TRAVIS

“She belongs to me. Now… turn her over.”

The rage hits me first.

A violent, scorching fire in my veins, that makes my wolf snarl and claw to the surface.

He just said what?

Louisa. His Luna?

My mate?!!

The. Fucking. Bastard.

My hands clench into fists as my claws itch to rip into something- preferably Gaines' throat and my wolf… he is urging me, Kill him.

To tear him apart.

To let them all know who she belongs to.

But I can’t. Not yet.

Not in front of everyone.

It can end badly for me, especially with how stubborn Louisa is being

Still… I can't let him get away with this disrespect

And so I suck in a sharp breath, forcing my beast down.

I didn’t get to where I am by being reckless. Gaines wants me to be angry. He wants me to snap. But I’m not going to give him the satisfaction.

Instead, I smile. Slow. Calculated.

“You know,” I say, tilting my head, “for someone who calls himself an Alpha, you sure sound like a desperate little bitch right now.”

The wolves behind me chuckle under their breath, and I catch Mark smirking even as Gaines' jaw clenches and his wolves shift uncomfortably, clearly unnerved by my response.

They know how this looks- how weak it makes him seem.

Pity… I don't care

“You have someone of mine,” Gaines grits out. “Return her to me.”

I exhale a sharp laugh. “Someone of yours? Now, that is funny.” I step forward, eyes locked on his. “From what I remember, Louisa left your pack thirteen years ago. That’s over a damn decade, Gaines. If she ever wanted to be your Luna, don’t you think she would have found her way back to you?” I raise a brow. “But she didn’t, did she?”

His face darkens as a growl rises in his chest.

“No,” I continue, “instead, she found her way here. To my pack.” I let the words settle, my voice taunting. “Not yours. Mine.”

Let's just ignore the fact that she actually came here for her cubs.

He doesn't need to know that

In fact, the less he knows, the better.

His fingers twitch at his side like he is imagining wrapping them around my throat.

Good.

He is the one who started this fight, let him be angry.

“You don’t understand,” he growls. “Louisa belongs to me.”

At that, I laugh. A low, amused sound that I know will get under his skin.

“Belongs?” I repeat. “What the hell is wrong with you? She’s not a damn possession. She made a choice, and that choice sure as hell wasn’t you.”

His breathing turns heavy. I can see it- the frustration, the humiliation, the rage boiling under his skin. He wants to lash out. To attack.

And so I take another step closer, my voice dropping to a low, dangerous whisper. “You want to fight me, Gaines? Go ahead. Give me a reason. Just one pathetic excuse to wipe you and your pathetic inbred pack off the face of this earth.”

His wolves bristle, some shifting in unease. They know this fight would be suicide. Gaines should know it too. But he is too proud, too furious to back down.

I smirk. “Come on, Gaines. Show me what kind of Alpha you really are.”

For a second, I think he might actually do it. His muscles tense. His nostrils flare. His claws twitch at his sides. But then, something flickers in his eyes- hesitation.

Doubt.

That’s right. He’s realizing he walked into this like a dumbass. No plan. No backup strategy. Just pure emotion and foolish bravado. He lost before he even stepped foot here.

Did he really think I would turn her over just because he demanded it?

Forget that she is even my mate, I would rather die than give him anything.

His jaw tightens. His fists clench. Then, finally, he exhales sharply and takes a stiff step back.

Not today.

I smirk wider. “That’s what I thought.”

I turn on my heel without another glance, my warriors following as I walk away. The air is thick with tension, but I can hear it- the low, seething snarl Gaines lets out behind me.

Yeah, that pissed him off.

Good.

*****

The moment I step into my study, I slam the door shut. The rage I’ve been bottling finally cracks through. My claws sink into the edge of my desk, the wood splintering under my grip.

How dare that bastard try to claim what’s mine?

My wolf is still growling, still pushing, still demanding that I go to her.

Mark her. Make sure she never leaves.

But I know better.

Louisa isn’t someone I can just take. She isn’t some weak she-wolf who will roll over and accept what I say. If I push too hard, she’ll fight. And if she fights-

She will run.

I can’t let that happen.

A knock sounds at the door before Mark walks in, arms crossed. “Well. That was a fucking mess.”

I let out a harsh breath, running a hand through my hair. “No shit.”

He leans against the desk, eyes narrowing. “You knew he was coming for her, didn’t you?”

I nod. “I suspected.”

“But you didn’t think he would demand her as his Luna?”

“Not in a million damn years.” I scoff, leaning back against the desk. “The idiot actually thinks she would go back to him. Like she’s been waiting for him all this time.” I shake my head. “I don’t know what the hell is going through his mind.”

Mark studies me. “So, what now?”

I shrug. “Louisa’s not going anywhere. She won’t let herself be taken, not by him.”

“But?”

I exhale slowly. “But she’s unpredictable. She’s been on the run for thirteen years, Mark. The second she feels like she’s losing control of the situation, she’s gone.”

Mark tilts his head. “Then what’s the plan?”

“I don’t know yet,” I admit, jaw clenching. “But I need to think fast.”

Because if I know one thing about Louisa-

She doesn’t hesitate when she’s uncomfortable.

And if I don’t play this right-

She will be gone before I can stop her.

AUTHOR NOTES: Hello, my wonderful readers. A huge and gigantic thank you for selecting my book to read. It really warms my werewolf heart. I would love to hear from you all, your thoughts, opinions, feelings. Who pisses you off? Who do you absolutely love? Where do you think this story is going? I want to hear it all. So, please do comment and support my book. Your dear Author, Adeline Valois