Page 20 of Alpha Scorned

Lucas snarled right back. “Really? You haven’t claimed her, and she sure as shit hasn’t claimed you, so get out of my fucking way...Alpha,” he tagged on in a sneer.

I caught Rawson’s stare. His face was stoic, but his eyes were a storm of fury at my behaviour. For once I agreed with him. I was being a fool, one who had just put us all at Lina’s mercy. I allowed a smile to curl my mouth and forced myself to break Lucas’s challenging glare, glancing over my shoulder at Lina’s pale face. “Do you want to speak with him, Lina?” Her wide eyes looked from me to Lucas, and back again. Around us others looked on with interest, a small group of males edging closer. I kicked myself. Shit, shit, shit, I’d fucked up, big time.

Lina’s eyes lit with a spark of anger I hadn’t seen for years, not since she’d first escaped that prison. She captivated me and I couldn’t look away. “I want to speak withbothof you. But I will not speak to either of you tonight.” She turned to Lucas, who was still glaring at me. Part of me didn’t blame him. Lina was worth fighting for. Fuck, Rawson was right. I needed to either get the fuck out of her way, and let a strong male like Lucas pursue her, or fight for her. My fingers rolled into fists, my decision apparently made.

Selina’s glare turned to the other male. “Lucas. I will find you when I want to talk to you.” He snarled at her. And dammit, if her challenging snarl right back at him didn’t have my cock twitching in my jeans. She had fire in her blood...she just kept it buried most of the time.

“Fine,” he ground out between his clenched teeth. He looked at me. “We aren't done. I don’t give a shit about being Alpha here, but I will fight you tooth and fucking claw for her.”

“Lucas!” Lina barked. “Enough!. Stop!”

Thankfully the bastard did. Part of me respected him for stating he’d fight for her when I’d just walked away. I’d been such a bloody fool.

“And you!” Lina spun towards me, her nostrils flared, and her eyes bright. For a few beats we just stared at each other. Inexplicably, my chest warmed, a little of the ice that had settled around my heart since she’d scorned me melting just a touch. I stepped closer, inhaling her sweet scent. No other female affected me as she did, no matter how many I fucked in the back rooms of the Gambit. She raised her chin as I stepped close enough that her body heat warmed my naked chest. My wolf was still near the surface, but she didn't cringe away, even when I couldn’t help but send a wave of dominance over her. My smile was feral and lust filled, and I made sure she saw it. She was still mine. My Alpha compulsions would not work on my soulmate. Her ability to resist me had been there since we’d met—and it still was, no matter what she said about not wanting me.

Her eyes narrowed. “Stop with that shit. It doesn’t work on me and you know it,” she snapped.

“No,” I drawled, a predatory grin stretching my lips. She didn’t realise what she’d just admitted. “It doesn’t, does it, Lina? And that means you’re still mine.”

Her head jerked back, a flush staining her throat. She swallowed and glanced around us. I was conscious of the alphas who’d moved closer. I knew exactly where my brothers stood, where Devon stood with Lina’s friend, and that Zander had moved closer to him. I was aware that Lucas had left the cave, and I was doubly aware of my mate’s racing heart; not only could I hear it, I could see the pulse at the base of her neck fluttering.

“You don’t get to dictate who I do and don’t see, or have you forgotten our last conversation?”

All I wanted was to pull her against me and use everything in my arsenal to persuade her she was mine, but with pure steel will, I kept that small distance between us and didn’t touch her. I had no idea what was going on in her head, but I wasn’t going to blow this by pushing too quickly. “No. I haven’t. Not one bit of it.” My voice was low enough not even my brothers could hear my words with their shifter hearing. Daring her wrath, I lifted my hand and traced the gentle curve of her jaw with my finger. “But it doesn’t mean I’ve given up on you, on us.”

A keen thrill spread through my gut, my balls tightening as her pupils expanded and she inhaled shakily, her sweet scent deepening. Her eyes sparked and her lips parted. Gods, she was beautiful.

“O-wen?” a little voice said from nearby. Confusion swam in her gaze, and her brows dipped. I saw it, the moment that she shut down. I silently cursed as she pulled away, not physically, but emotionally.

She kept her voice low enough only I could hear. “Don’t interfere in my life, Owen. I’m not yours. What happened between us hasn’t gone away. Stay away from me, and I will stay away from you.”

She took Devon’s hand, pulling him away before I could get myself in gear enough to say anything to either of them. I hated that she was walking away from me again. Lucas might be outside the cave, waiting to slide his way into my mate’s life.

Rawson opened his mouth.

“Don’t!” I snapped, doing my best not to follow Lina.

Rawson ground his teeth. “Fine, you stupid fuck. You can deal with the mess you just made with Selina, tomorrow. Right now, you have three challengers.”

I cracked my neck, pleased there were at least some. I suddenly didn’t give a shit about spilling their blood. They were stupid enough to want a fight. Now they would get one. No mercy. I let my wolf’s strength blast out. It wasn’t as potent as Connor’s Prime power, but it was forceful enough that everyone except my brothers, and my mate who was still walking from the cave, dropped to their knees. Lina glanced over her shoulder, as did Devon, before she marched him out.

The challengers paled. I stalked over to them, holding them down with my compulsion. “Everyone else! Get out! Now!” I bellowed. I forced my wolf to back off, I wanted to fight them in human form, not wolf. I wanted to feel their bones crack under my knuckles.

Stone and Rawson ensured those not challenging me were out of the cave before I released a little of my hold on the stupid young fucks who had decided they were alpha enough to best me. Two of them staggered to their feet, strong enough to fight against my remaining power. Satisfaction spread through my gut. They would survive this fight; though they didn’t deserve any leniency. Without mercy I met my attackers head on. I didn't need to fight them one at a time.

Stone dragged the weaker one away by the scruff of his neck. That fucker didn’t know how lucky he was. He’d have died within seconds. Roaring, I slammed my fist into the first alpha’s face. Warm blood splattered my knuckles and forearm as I broke his nose. He went down, unconscious. I turned to the other alpha who looked at his friend, realisation clear on his pale face. He swallowed hard, and lifted his wide eyes to me. “That’s right, regretting it now, aren’t you?” I snarled. He knew he couldn’t ask for mercy, and running wasn’t in an alpha’s nature. I waited patiently until he made his move. It was a forceful yet clumsy punch. He was untrained. I side stepped and slammed the toe of my shitkickers into his chest, caving his sternum. The crack was loud, his scream of pain louder. He landed on his back and put his hands up in supplication.

“P-please, Alpha, I concede.”

I snarled. That was too damn easy. I needed more, more violence, more blood. The anger in my chest wasn’t even dulled…I lifted my foot to stamp it down on the alpha’s face, not giving a fuck if I killed him or not…

“Owen!” Stone barked.

I growled, and snapped my attention to my brother.

Stone’s fists curled and Rawson stepped closer, his face grim.

Silence descended on the cave, tension filling the air. Robin and the alphas she’d chosen to work with us were gathered nearby. They waited with tense faces to see if I would kill the challengers. I glanced down. They were young. The bloodlust cleared enough for me to see just how young.Idiots!Every pack needed strong, young alphas. The stench of their fear hit me, but it wasn’t that, or even the threat of my brothers that made me lower my foot, it was the tiny arms that encircled my thigh.

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