Finally

AVA

I stride past the guards stationed at the house, their faces a mask of horror at my bloodied state. As I step inside, Dominic at my side, I find my family in a heated argument with Abel about being confined to the house.

It’s hard to believe these are the people who were supposed to protect me.

My sister, Crystal, snickers at my appearance, making a snide comment about me getting what I deserved. I stop in my tracks, hand resting on my stomach, and turn to Abel.

“She’s going to regret that,” I declare, ensuring the coven knows there will be consequences.

My hand remains on my stomach, Dominic’s hand covering mine before he lifts me into his arms and carries me upstairs to my room.

He gently places me in the bath, carefully cleaning my wounds, paying extra attention to my neck and between my legs to avoid causing further pain.

With love in his eyes, he plants a kiss on my forehead before standing and reaching for a towel. Despite the pain, I can’t help but smile at him as I climb out of the bath.

Dominic dries me off, kissing the bite marks on my skin, then cuts his own lip and kisses my wounds, healing them with his blood.

“I love you so much, Dom,” I whisper as he kisses me, his blood mingling with mine, allowing me to feed from him as we often do. His blood heals me from the inside out.

I gently kiss his mark before sinking my teeth into it, drinking from him as he lets out a moan of pleasure. Once I’ve had my fill, he kisses me, licking away the traces of blood.

We dress in fresh clothes. It’s still early, only 11 a.m. I pull on a red cropped tank top, black shorts, and black heels. I braid my hair over one shoulder, leaving my mark exposed.

Dominic wraps his arms around my waist from behind, resting his head on top of mine.

“Are you sure you want to do this now? Maybe you should rest,” he suggests, worry evident in his voice.

I turn to him, planting a light kiss on his lips before smiling up at him. “I have to do this. They can’t get away with attacking me and the coven.

“If I let them go, others will hear about it and we’ll be seen as weak. I would give my life to protect this coven.

“They’ll keep trying now that I’m pregnant, because they don’t know you’re my mate—they think it’s some low-ranking wolf who sought refuge here. That’s why they thought they could get away with this.”

He nods, understanding my need for justice. As queen, it’s my duty to protect the coven, and ensuring its future is paramount.

As I prepare to leave the room, I notice Dominic hasn’t covered his mark either. He’s dressed in a loose black tank top, gray sweatpants, and black sneakers.

“Tell the guards to bring Alpha Black and his beta,” I instruct him. “I want them all present for this.” Dominic nods, trying to decipher my plan.

We make our way slowly down the hall and descend the stairs. Upon reaching the bottom, we find everyone watching as two men drag in Alpha Black and Louis.

I position myself in front of everyone, Dominic and Abel flanking me. Several guards are present, along with a few high-ranking women. Some mothers with their children are also in the house, as I’ve called for a meeting.

The room is filled with anxious chatter, everyone aware of what just happened to me. I raise my hand, silencing them all, then step forward to address the crowd and my former family.

“As most of you have heard by now, I was attacked and violated during my run this morning. I don’t want to dwell on it, but this act cannot go unpunished.

“I stand before you not as a victim, but as a fighter. I am not weak, I am not afraid, and I am not broken. I will do everything in my power to protect this coven.” I look out at my new family, feeling a surge of pride and strength.

Abel and Dominic are eyeing the alphas. I turn my attention to the wolves.

“Let me make sure I understand this, Red Claw and Treetop. You came to this coven to honor a treaty and to discover who I’ve mated with.

“Well, if you must know, my mate is none other than the grand elder, King Dominic. And I am the queen of this coven.”

The wolves look at him in shock, realizing the gravity of their actions. Dominic stands behind me, arms crossed over his chest, a look of anger in his eyes.

I approach my family. “Crystal, you had something to say when I walked in covered in blood this morning. What was it again?”

I stand before her, my face a mask of indifference, my hands clasped behind my back. I watch as she struggles to contain her fury.

“You got what you deserved,” she spits out. “You’re a traitor to your own kind. You—”

Before she can finish her sentence, I strike her across the face, sending her sprawling to the ground. She spits out blood and clutches her mouth as I lean over her. Her mate growls in response, and Dominic steps forward, asserting his authority.

I meet my sister’s gaze, my expression still unreadable, and wait for her to continue.

“Do you really think they want you?” she screams, her rage taking over. “You’re nothing but a runt, a slave to your own kind!”

I seize her hair, wrapping it around my fist, and pull her face close to mine—then slam her head into the marble floor. Blood begins to pool from the wound, staining her silver hair.

I rise to my feet, leaving her whimpering on the floor. I dust myself off and turn to face my brother and father.

“Now, tell me why you planned this. I’m not naive enough to believe you didn’t know what was going to happen when you brought him here. Did you think my mate would leave me if he thought I’d slept with my rejected mate?”

My brother glares at Dominic, growling as if ready to pounce. I turn to Dominic, who is wrestling with his own anger, and walk over to him. He keeps a wary eye on my family as he pulls me close.

As my sister sobs on the floor, my brother lunges at Dominic. Before Chris can reach my mate, I knock Dominic out of the way and take the brunt of the attack, my face and arms getting clawed in the process.

I sink my teeth into Chris’s neck, tearing off a chunk of flesh and spitting it out. I rise to my feet and deliver a powerful kick to his ribs, the sound of breaking bones echoing in the room.

“I don’t want to turn this into a bloodbath,” I say, using my alpha voice to command attention. “But I will if it means protecting my mate and my coven. I am ~not~ the weak wolf you think I am.”

Abel helps Dominic to his feet. My mate looks at me, concern etched on his face, worried I might push too far. Then it hits me. The wolves are trying to exhaust me so they can take control. I back up to Abel as my brother rises, growling.

~“Abel,”~ I link. ~“They’re trying to wear me down and manipulate the situation. But I have a plan. Keep an eye on Father and Beta Louis. They’ll strike last, thinking they’re not my priority.”~

I see him watching them as he holds Dominic back.

“Let’s try this again,” I say to my brother and Alpha Black. “Why attack me?” But neither of them responds.

Dominic moves to stand behind me, causing both of them to growl, each trying to assert their dominance. That’s when I understand.

“You both know this coven protects me. So, you thought if you made me look weak and then picked a fight with them for not protecting me, I’d run to save myself.”

Both alphas growl louder as I approach Louis. They think I’m only after the two of them.

I grab the beta by his arm and kick his leg out from under him, forcing him to his knees and breaking his arm. I pull his head back and press my knee into his spine, all the while keeping my eyes on my sister.

I want to see her face as I kill her mate, hear her pleas for mercy.

“What does it matter if I kill him? You came here to kill me…right?” I bend his back further, the sound of his bones cracking filling the room. “Any last words?” I ask.

“Fuck you,” he spits out. And with that, I snap his spine and tear his head from his neck, tossing it towards my sister.

Covered in blood, I rise to my feet and approach my brother, meeting his gaze. He looks ready to attack, but before he gets the chance, I thrust my hand into his chest.

Everyone gasps in shock at my brutality. Chris gasps for air as his heart slows.

“I’m sorry it had to end this way, brother. But you will never hurt me again.” I pull his heart out of his chest and drop it at his feet as he collapses to the ground.

“Crystal, Father, Alpha Black,” I say, turning to face them. “Humor me for a moment. Which one of you thought it would be a good idea to attack me while I was pregnant? I saw you all watching me this whole time, so I know you knew.”

The news of the wolves' plot to assassinate the royal heirs stirs a wave of anger through the coven. Dominic, however, raises his hand, restoring silence once more.

Abel approaches me, his grip firm on my sister as he locks eyes with her.

“No!” he bellows, his anger palpable. “I, Abel Castel, reject you as my mate.” He pauses, waiting for her response.

“Please, don’t!” she begs, aware that if her second-chance mate rejects her, her wolf will abandon her. Without their mate, they'd rather die than live.

“I don’t care what you want. Accept this rejection or live with the pain of knowing I’ll never be yours,” he retorts, releasing her and turning his back.

His gaze finds mine, pleading for help. I glance at Dominic, who nods, giving me permission to use the powers we’ve been exploring. “This may hurt,” I warn Abel as Dominic and two guards position themselves in front of us.

I place my hand on Abel’s heart, slowing it down as I would tame a storm with my weather magic. His yell of pain and my sister's scream of agony fill the air. I hold his gaze as he crumples to his knees.

Suddenly, there's a commotion behind me. My sister is attempting to attack, realizing I’m severing her bond manually.

Unable to stop without killing Abel, I lift my hand and use my wind magic to breathe into his mouth, infusing it with my blood.

Everyone watches as I use magic—a rare sight in our world. Witches are a dying breed. I know the sight must be horrifying—my blood seeping from my mouth into his as his eyes darken.

After a moment, I stop and watch as Abel gasps for breath. I catch Dominic’s eye and offer him a smirk.

“You bitch!” my sister shrieks. “You just couldn’t leave him for me, could you! He would grow to love me…but now I have nothing. My wolf is going to run!”

Ignoring her, I turn to Alpha Black and my father. They've remained silent throughout. Dominic watches me, trying to decipher our next move.

“Alpha Black,” I begin, my voice steady. “I hope you enjoyed what you did to me. Did it make you feel like a man, forcing yourself on someone? Now Dominic, what do you think we should do with him?

“He’s committed crimes against the coven and you personally. As king, I’m sure you can devise a fitting punishment. Death is too good for him.”

I smile at my mate as he feigns contemplation.

“Hmm,” Dominic muses. “Given that all your crimes warrant death, and my dear mate doesn’t want you to die easily, you’ll be confined in the dungeon for me to deal with personally.”

Dominic signals the guards to seize Alpha Black. But before they can reach him, he lunges, nearly attacking Dominic. I kick him with all my strength, causing him to yelp, but he recovers and charges at me.

I drop to the ground, causing him to trip over the corpses. Swiftly, I use the bodies to my advantage, shifting my weight and kneeing the back of his head, slamming it onto the floor and knocking him unconscious.

The guards haul him off to the dungeon. My father, who has remained stoic throughout, watches me, his expression as cold as stone. Despite being covered in blood from the fight, he smirks at me before finally speaking.

“Ava, for a wolf who rejected her blood and her pack, you’ve done well for yourself. I was unaware of the plan to attack you or the coven.

“Yes, I was upset when you joined a vampire coven after you fled, but when I realized you had two vampires protecting you, I decided it was for the best.

“When I heard you had a new mate, I tried to persuade your brother to welcome you back into the pack. I wanted to atone for the pain I’d caused you.

“But when I spoke to your mother, she lost control. She wanted to kill you and everyone who aided your escape, so I had to kill her.” My father looks at me, his expression pained, as if expecting me to accept his explanation.

“Red Claw Pack is on a path to its own destruction. I can’t justify what we did to you, but I know you’re the last wolf in our bloodline who can lead the pack. I’ve stepped down, for various reasons, and won’t rule anymore.”

He looks at me, his expression one of despair, as if he's run out of options.

“So you’re telling me that you want me to become alpha of a pack that abused me for nearly two decades?

“I can’t accept. I’m the leader of this coven. Your pack won’t welcome me or my mate, or our kind. I won’t risk my children for something that holds little value.” I give a nonchalant shrug and move towards Dominic, who gathers my hair into a neat bun.

Dominic, my mate, looks at me, his expression a mix of confusion and understanding. My coven has seen me demonstrate what happens to traitors or threats—I’m a force that won’t hesitate to kill to protect those I love.

My father gazes at me, his face filled with sorrow at the thought of his lineage no longer ruling the Red Claw Pack. I glance at Abel, who gives me a nod before I even utter a word.

“Father, what if I appoint someone as alpha in my place? With my endorsement and the backing of the covens, they’ll have enough clout to stake a claim since I’m the last in line for the role.

“I can mentor them and ensure my presence is felt so they won’t be challenged. And if they fail to produce any heirs, I can train one of my hybrids to take over as alpha,” I propose before Dominic can reject this plan.

“I guess if this person has enough backing,” my father concedes, “the pack will have to either accept or challenge them.

“And since the new alpha will be trained by both of us, they should be able to win a challenge, so I don’t foresee a problem.”

I turn to another hybrid in the coven and extend my hand towards him. “Father, meet Mattias Degress. He’s a former beta of the Blood Moon Pack. I want to appoint him as alpha.

“He’s been trained since his beta days, and I can further educate him in the full alpha law.”

The young man is taken aback that I even know his name. He looks at Dominic, who appears contemplative. The rest of the coven is grinning at my plan.

“This would be the optimal solution,” I assert. “Matt can draw from his experience with his former pack, and he has friends in the pack communities who will back his claim. The pack will have a strong alpha.”

I turn to face Mattias, who’s about my age. His eyes are filled with excitement and determination.

“Alright,” my father agrees. “I’ll take the lad with me, announce that all our bloodline has been wiped out except for you, and inform them that you’ve appointed a beta and hybrid as the new alpha.

“Many will want you dead, but seeing as he’s under your wing here and must be loyal, we’ll whip them into shape.” He goes to collect his bags and leaves, leaving us to deal with Crystal.

We quickly decide to send her to live among humans, where no one will believe her tale and she’ll be treated as an outsider.