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I noticed a massive, bull-like man struggling to silence Edward. Edward bit the man's hand as he attempted to cover Edward's mouth.

"Release him," Zen ordered, scowling at the two.

"Your arm tastes worse than bricks," Edward spat, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. The guard glared at Edward, nursing the bite mark on his hand, unable to believe that a human had just acted on an instinct considered a mating behavior for wolves.

I couldn’t maintain my composure any longer. I approached Edward and threw myself onto his chest, nuzzling my head affectionately against the warmth of his body and inhaling his beautiful scent deeply. How long had it been since I last hugged him like this? I wondered.

"People aren't here for a romantic drama," Zen said coldly.

"Why not? They're already witnessing a psychopathic one," Edward replied calmly, gently caressing my head.

"You have the nerve to talk back to me. Are you even aware of the situation you're in right now?" Zen questioned, jaw clenched. If looks could kill, Edward would be lying dead on the ground by now.

"How could I not be, when random men are bullying my wife?" Edward retorted, giving Zen a burning glare. "Stop addressing my wife in such a disrespectful manner."

A wicked smirk played on Zen's lips as he gazed at Edward and asked mockingly, "You have quite a temper, don't you? Random men? Do you even know what kind of bond Ella shares with me?"

"Do I look like I care?" Edward responded nonchalantly, still gently caressing my head. I could hear the entire arena gasping as they quietly observed the boldness of the human before them. It was unimaginable for the wolves to use such a tone with an Alpha Lord.

I chuckled inwardly. It was so typical of Edward. Even as a human, there was hardly anything he feared, except the thought of losing me. A surge of warmth rose within me as my eyes lingered on Edward's handsomely built shoulders, watching him continue to fight for his wife's dignity. It was no wonder I fell for this beautiful human being.

Edward's bold response only further provoked Zen. "You! How dare a mere human talk back to me!" Zen exclaimed.

"Why should I care if my words hurt you? I am Ella's husband, not yours. Besides, you're the one who disrespected my wife first. And I have no idea about the ridiculous claims you just made about my wife. But keep Ella out of this," Edward said, his mellow tone suddenly turning icy.

"Are you threatening me?" Zen asked coldly, staring at Edward dangerously.

"I'm simply having a conversation," Edward answered calmly, unfazed by the deathly glares from the entire arena. "Ella has already left this pack and is happy with her newfound life. Whatever this pack needs, Ella no longer has a connection to it. Therefore, I request you to release me and my wife."

"Do you think it matters what you think? Is it that easy to sever all connections after everything this pack has suffered because of that girl?" Zen questioned, clenching his jaw. "And I suggest you keep your mouth shut. If you continue to act as insolently as your words, you'll soon find yourself torn apart, left for the dogs, and turned into a bloody mess."

"No need to put so much effort into presenting your threats so crudely. I ignored them fine the first time," Edward retorted.

Zen was left speechless, his tongue-tied. The entire arena was stunned by the exchange, wondering just how much courage the human had summoned to speak so boldly.

"Please, don't escalate things further, Ed," I whispered in Edward's ear. I tucked his shirt, urging him to lean back. "We need to leave."

Sensing my unease, Edward took my hand in his, offering me comfort. I looked at him and saw a determined gleam in his eyes like never before.

Edward simply nodded and squeezed my shoulders, indicating he was on the same page.

I quickly scanned the arena. I couldn't shift into my wolf form anymore, and being pregnant, I couldn't run fast either.

The guards were positioned at a distance. It was possible to catch them off guard. Yet, I doubted we could escape the arena surrounded by thousands of wolves.

"You know what? I would love to get out of here," Edward attempted to divert the wolves' attention once more. "With my wife, of course. Just stay put," Edward said, turning abruptly and gently grabbing my wrist.

We aimed to capitalize on the split-second delay that would frustrate the wolves if we made a sudden dash for the exit. I wasn’t sure if I could shift; my wolf had stopped responding to me long ago. Still, I placed all my faith in her, hoping that my desperation would awaken Lexa once again.

But before I could attempt to shift, Zen had already guessed our intentions.

"Get them!" Zen sharply ordered the guards.