The next morning, Ava arrived for breakfast before the others, hoping to grab food and get out before anyone else showed up.
But, of course, the universe hated her.
She had barely picked up a piece of toast when the devil herself strolled in.
Sarah's lips curled into a smirk, eyes glinting with cruel amusent.
"Running away with your tail between your legs, are you?" she taunted.
Ava's grip tightened on her plate. "Get away from ."
Sarah didn't move. "Relax. I don't enjoy mingling with losers anyway." Then, with a slow, smug smile, she leaned in slightly.
"And don't get any ideas for tonight," she whispered. "I'll be with the alpha again. He can't seem to get enough of ."
Ava's jaw clenched.
The words were ant to hurt.
But Ava refused to let it show.
She lifted her chin, eting Sarah's gaze with steel in her eyes.
Sarah's smirk widened. She flipped her hair and strutted away like she had won sothing.
Ava exhaled slowly, steadying herself.
How could a woman be proud of being a man's toy?
She shook her head. It didn't matter. Let Sarah gloat all she wanted.
Ava had no intention of being tossed aside like the rest.
No.
Her ti would co.
And when it did, she would take what she wanted—whether Alpha Lucas liked it or not.
*****
Zari strolled into Ava's room with a package. Ava looked at it sceptically. She was becoming papranoid. Maybe Sarah had sent her a snake in a bag.
"The alpha's assistant handed it to ," Zari said.
Yup, could still be a snake. Seeing as the alpha really hates her guts.
Zari extended the bag as if she didn't want to be held responsible for whatever was inside.
Ava sighed and took it. When she peered inside, she found a brand-new phone and a neatly folded card.
She flipped the card open and read:
Don't just barge in. Call first or wait for to send for you.
Ava let out an exaggerated gasp. "Oh, wow. A whole phone? Such generosity! I should kneel and weep at his feet," she said, clutching her chest dramatically.
Zari snorted, holding back a chuckle.
Ava rolled her eyes and dumped the phone on her dresser. "If this is an apology, he needs to keep trying."
*****
When Ava reached the training yard, she imdiately noticed the absence of Kade. He was usually always waiting for her before training.
She scanned the area and saw a guy who looked about her age step forward. He had the build of a fighter but the easy grin of soone who didn't take himself too seriously.
"Are you Ava?" he asked.
She gave him a once-over before nodding.
"I'm Nolan. Kade asked to take over your training today. He had so errands to run."
Ava huffed. "How responsible of him."
"Shall we?"
They got started with hand-to-hand combat. He was good, but Ava held her own. After a few rounds, they took a break.
Nolan stretched his arms before turning to her. "Gamma Kade told your training goal is to force your wolf out, but I may have another approach."
Ava sat up, suddenly interested. "I'm listening."
"Sotis, what delays a wolf isn't physical strength," he explained. "It can be ntal, spiritual, or even... sexual."
Ava nearly choked on the water she was drinking. "Excuse ?"
Nolan held up his hands. "Hey, don't look at like that. I'm just saying. I've seen the way you fight—definitely not Gamma material, but strong enough that your wolf should have engaged by now. Since you're the alpha's concubine, I assu it's not a sexual issue..."
Ava coughed into her fist. "Right. Definitely not."
If only you knew.
"So, it might be ntal or spiritual," Nolan continued as if he hadn't just made things awkward.
"And how do I deal with that?" she asked, relieved to move on.
"For ntal, you'd need ditation."
"Tried it. Didn't work," she admitted.
"Then you explore the spiritual route. I'll let Kade know, and he can arrange for you to et our pack's spiritualist... assuming Alpha Raventhorn approves."
Ava sighed dramatically. "Of course." Because what's life without endless hoops to jump through?
*****
After training, Ava returned to her room, took a long bath, and finally picked up the phone Lucas had sent her.
She turned it over in her hands, debating.
Then she sighed. No. He doesn't get to think he can buy my obedience, she thought.
The other concubines threw themselves at his feet, and where had that gotten them? Nowhere. If one approach didn't work, maybe the opposite would.
*****
Before dinner, Ava decided to take a walk outside the fortress. A little fresh air, a little exploration—what could go wrong?
Apparently, everything, judging by the two guards at the gate who imdiately stepped in her way.
"Where are you headed, ma'am?" one of them asked.
Ava blinked. "Ma'am?" She let out a short laugh. "How old do you think I am?"
The guard didn't look amused. "Doesn't matter. You're the Alpha's concubine."
Ah, yes. The grand title she accepted with expectations but nothing to show for it. "Right," she muttered. "I just want to take a walk around town."
The guards exchanged looks, and she already knew what was coming.
"I'm sorry," one of them said, "but we don't have permission to let you leave the fortress alone."
Ava crossed her arms. "I'm not a prisoner, am I?"
Before the guards could fumble through an answer, a familiar voice cut through the air.
"If it isn't the Alpha's little troublemaker."
Ava turned to find Beta Drogan standing there, smirking.
She scowled.
Drogan casually stepped closer. "You really don't like asking for permission, do you, Ava?"
"Am I a prisoner here?" she repeated.
"No."
"So I can co and go as I please."
"Of course." He smiled. "But as the Alpha's—"
"That's all I needed to hear. Now, if you'll kindly tell your dumbos to let through."
Drogan chuckled, giving a lazy nod to the guards. "Go ahead, then. Sothing tells you'll co back with your tail between your legs... Oh wait—no wolf." His smirk widened. "Apologies, weakling."
Ava glared at him so hard she was certain her face muscles were going to cramp. Instead of giving him the satisfaction of a coback, she huffed and stepped through the gate.
She had no idea where she was going, so she turned right, weaving through market stalls and storefronts.
Silver Pack was massive—a patchwork of smaller packs Alpha Raventhorn had conquered and absorbed over ti. As she walked, she noticed the scenery shifting. The polished buildings and fancy shops gradually gave way to simpler houses, cheaper clothes, and fewer expensive scents in the air.
Her legs ached, but curiosity kept her moving. Back in the Crimson Pack, the rich and poor lived side by side, even if the wealthy ones treated the rest like walking garbage. Here, the divide was stark.
Then she saw it.
The houses ahead weren't just small; they were barely standing. The streets were cracked, the air slled stale, and people looked like they were trying not to be seen. It was like stepping into the ghost of a town that once thrived but had been chewed up and spat out by ti.
Ava exhaled sharply and turned around. Maybe next ti, I'll explore the other side of town.
She scanned the street for a cab, already plotting her way back. That was when she heard it—
A scream.
Not the startled kind. The painful kind.
Her stomach clenched. She knew that scream. She had scread like that before.
She turned the corner and spotted them—three well-dressed boys surrounding a much smaller figure on the ground. One of them spat on the kid, and Ava saw red.
"Oh, hey! Dickheads!" she shouted. "Why don't you take on soone your own size?"
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