Page 50 of The Alpha Wolf's Bullied Bride

“Flynn,” I call out, my voice nothing more than a gentle whisper of awe as he pivots over the rails and lands effortlessly on his feet in a cloud of smoke. It's like watching a superhero in action, leaving me transfixed and marveling at him with my mouth agape.

If I'm dreaming, I don't want to wake up. Not when he comes closer, carrying with him the sweet symphony of his distinct scent that fills my airways and soothes my being. When he's close enough, he meets my eyes and I see the relief washing over the intense amber of his stare.

It doesn't even matter if it's just my reflection I see in his eyes, my own relief to know that he cared enough to come find me. When he rushes forward, the sounds of chaos and destructive howls outside fade into the distance. I'm consumed by his presence as he grabs the metal bars in both hands and rips them away as if he's tearing paper. Not a flinch of strain is evident on his face, only relief as he grabs my shoulders, lifts me to my shaking feet, and rips the silver chains away. He picks me up and cradles me to his chest so tightly as I wind my weak arms around his neck.

He carries me forward, eyes piercing my soul as if searching for an answer to a question he doesn't speak. I say nothing either, only relishing the comfort of his arms as I find the answers to all of my questions. Questions I can't understand, but answers that lead to one truth.

Him.

It's always been him, who I've been drawn to for as long as I can remember. A childhood crush turned much, much more.

So much more than the fall from grace is a fatal blow when we emerge from the dungeon and Flynn calls out to my brother. Miles, in wolf form, comes racing toward us, while behind him, Delta Howard has Cynthia pinned to the ground.

It was her…

“Flynn! I'm sorry!” she cries out, desperation in her eyes as she weeps rivers of mascara down her cheeks. “Please, don't do this!”

Flynn grunts, turning to Miles before he says, “I never want to see her again.”

Miles nods his wolf head.

“Off with her head, and burn her at the stake.”

“What?!” I exclaim, turning horrified eyes on Flynn. “Behead her?”

Flynn shrugs. “It's what she deserves.”

I shake my head, unable to believe what I just heard. It's like the world around me has been detonated, crumbling to stone and tensing me in Flynn's arms.

“You can't be serious,” I whisper in disbelief.

He shrugs diffidently again. “Dead serious. No pun intended.”

I glance at Cynthia pinned on the ground, then at my brother, who strolls toward her with calculated steps. Slowly, I move my eyes to Flynn, who looks ahead with a blank stare.

Is he capable of such gruesome horror?

It's like I don't even know the man whose arms I'm being carried in.

A cold shiver passes through my spine, and I can't stand to watch this unfold before my eyes. Shaking my head, I push at his shoulders and hastily hop out of his arms, landing on frail feet and needing to steady myself for a moment.

“Lila!” he reaches out for my wrist, but I'm quick to dodge, glaring at him dubiously.

“No, Flynn!” I exclaim, shaking my head. “You can't do this! You can't be so cruel!”

The deep growl that cuts through the air from behind prompts me to turn around.

“Miles!” I call out to my brother, my heart pounding desperately when I see his distended claws lift in the air. “Stop! Don't do this!”

Despite the pains and aches in my body, I push through and propel myself forward on determined feet.

“Don't, Miles!” I cry out, lunging my body forward until I'm planted between my brother's wolf and Cynthia. “Don't do this,” I beg with clasped hands in front of my face to plead with him.

He whimpers, dropping his claw and his head simultaneously, as if he's bowing to me. It only hits me then that he's taking command from his Luna, and not his sister.

I don't know what's come over me, but I can't stand to witness bloodshed tonight. Not when it's the head of one of our own on the chopping block. Something inside me has flipped, leaving a residual sense of power and authority as I climb to my feet and turn to Cynthia just as Howard releases her.

“Youshouldthank me for sparing your life—”

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