132

Lucas

He smirked. "Really?" The contempt in his voice was unmistakable.

I nodded quickly, desperation clawing at my throat. "Yes."

He turned to face Scar, a cruel amusement dancing in his eyes. "Did you hear what he said? What do you think about that, mate?"

Mate! That familiar term of endearment never used for me sent waves of bitterness through my body, jealousy burning in my veins.

"This is the best arrangement, Alpha Dickson," I pressed on, fighting to keep my voice steady despite the fear threatening to consume me. "Consider it carefully. Scar doesn't have feelings for you; her heart belongs only to me. She loves me."

"What makes you believe I could ever love you?" Scar's voice cut through the air like ice, dripping with venom. My gaze shifted from him to her, and what I witnessed shattered something within me.

Her eyes burned with revulsion, raw hatred emanating from her like heat. She despised me. No, I couldn't accept this. A desperate hope clung to me. She must be pretending because of his presence.

"I understand you, Scar," I insisted, my voice filled with longing and disapproval. "I know that your heart belongs to me. Your love for me is profound, deeper than life itself. You would do anything to make me happy because I am your true love."

"Hahaha." Her laughter was like broken glass, vibrating with rage. "Love you? Do you think I could still love you after you treated me like an object?" Her voice rose in fury, trembling.

"After offering me to your friends, passing me around like a prize?" She gestured towards Jack and Alex, her hand shaking with resentment. "After putting me through absolute torment? You hurt me, destroyed me, and you still have the audacity to think I love you?" she hissed, tears of anger glistening in her eyes. "I absolutely despise you. I hate you with every fiber of my being."

"What did you just say?" Alpha Dickson howled, his voice dropping to a dangerous octave. "He did what?"

Scar didn't hesitate as she continued, her words sharp with revenge. "He made them rape me, beat me, and treat me like trash. Forced me to sit and watch him sleep with his maid. And after that, he threw me away."

His eyes turned red, blazing like hot coals in the dimness. Anger rolled out of him like waves, a visible force that seemed to distort the air around us.

His fists clenched tightly, his knuckles turning white, and his breathing grew heavy, each exhale accompanied by a low rumble.

The atmosphere felt heavy with his anger, as if the air itself was thickening with tension.

Shit. I moved back, cold dread washing over me. With the way things were looking, he could kill us all.

This new anger was different from when he fought me, deeper, more primal, like watching a dormant volcano suddenly awaken.

"Alex, Jack, I need you to run for your lives," I urgently communicated through our mind link, fear evident in my voice. "He's trying to kill us."

"I want them to pay," Scar continued, her words dripping with hatred as she stood behind Alpha Dickson, drawing strength from his rage. "They all made my life a living hell. They stepped on me and did all sorts of horrible things to me, and now he will stop at nothing to trap me forever in my own hell." Her eyes met mine, and I saw nothing but cold determination as she uttered her final command: "Kill them."

This bitch. I clenched my teeth together, rage and terror warring within me. Is my life going to end here? I should summon the warriors, but I am yet to be crowned the Alpha.

Only the Alpha has the power to command them at will. In that moment, I regretted hurting my father. I regretted poisoning him. If he were here, I wouldn't feel threatened like this.

I felt small in the presence of this powerful being, my arrogance crumbling like dust. I never knew this position came with something like this. I wished I knew.

I wished I knew I wasn't strong. Goddess, I let my pride destroy me, destroy everything my father built. I am such a bastard.

The realization crashed over me in waves of shame. I don't want to die, not when I am yet to be crowned the Alpha.

"I'm sorry, Scar. I didn't mean for all this to happen," I pleaded, desperately. "I wanted to make you my mistress even if I couldn't marry you."

"Hahaha. Do you hear him, Dickson?" Scar said, calling his name as if they were already intimate, her voice honeyed with mockery. "He wanted to make me his mistress."

She purred and touched his chest with deliberate slowness, her eyes never leaving mine as her fingers traced patterns on him. I watched as they displayed their affection, my stomach turning with a toxic mix of jealousy and fear.

This isn't the time to be jealous; this is the time to save my skin, my life.

Am I going to die at the hands of this rogue Alpha? The thought paralyzed me as I stood before him, watching death flicker in his crimson eyes.

"Go, Jack. Go call your father. Only he can save us. Alex and I will handle him until he arrives."

With his werewolf speed, Jack ran, but he was soon caught by Dickson.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked, gripping Jack's neck tightly, fingers digging into flesh with merciless force.

"Let him go," I snarled. Alex and I launched an attack on him, making him throw Jack away like a discarded toy.

We began fighting, our bodies moving in desperate synchrony, but no matter how hard we fought, he still conquered us. Each blow we landed seemed to do nothing while his strikes sent us reeling.

"It is time to say goodbye, little Alpha," he snarled, lips pulled back to reveal elongated canines.

He was about to land his final attack on me when we heard a powerful growl, so powerful that it made us tremble. The sound vibrated through the air, ancient and commanding.

"What do you think you are doing? Acting high in my pack?" In a flash, Dickson was thrown away. He let out a horrible scream as his body collided with something solid, the impact echoing through the clearing.

"Here. Stand up." Jack helped us up, his hands shaking but steady enough to pull us to our feet.

I was so weak and tired, my body a catalog of pain and exhaustion. Today was the worst day of my life. I thought I could have lost my life at his hands.

"Care to explain why you are acting so mighty in my pack?" a deep voice asked, streaming with rage. The former Beta stood tall, built, and powerful. His presence filled the space, commanding and unmistakable - Jack's father had arrived.

"You're here," Alpha Dickson said as Scar helped him up, his voice deceptively calm despite the blood trickling from his lip. "Long time no see, Beta."

"Shut up," he roared, attacking Alpha Dickson, punching him over and over, countless times. This is what it feels like to be powerful. In front of Jack's father, Alpha Dickson was nothing. He had no strength to even raise his fist against him. "How dare you hurt my son!"

I looked on, speechless. He was here only because of his son, not me. I wanted to speak up. I wanted to ask how he could look down on me, but I swallowed my pride. What if he refused to fight again and left with his son? By then, who could protect me from this demon?

"I'm sorry about that," Alpha Dickson said. He was apologizing. This monster knew how to apologize. I must become powerful. I must be strong at all costs. "They treated my mate like trash, so I am getting back at them. If you were in my shoes, Beta, wouldn't you fight back?"

Jack's father's eyes softened, the rage flickering momentarily with understanding.

"Don't listen to him," I quickly said, desperation making my words tumble out. "He wasn't fighting for his mate. He wanted to kill us. He wanted to kill me because I refused to lend him my warriors."

I needed to get rid of him, now and right here.

"Really?" Jack's father turned around and faced me, his expression shifting to skepticism. "Just because you refused him?"

"Yes, Beta. Kill him. He is a threat to our pack."

"You can't give me an order, acting Alpha," he growled at me, making me flinch. Acting Alpha. How dare he address me like that? "I will do what I want. You're not my Alpha."

"Sooner or later, I will become your Alpha, former Beta," I snarled, keeping my anger at bay. "Watch me."

"I don't care," he scoffed. He was more arrogant than I thought. "Alpha Dickson, leave and never come back again."

"What?" I screamed. I couldn't believe this. He was letting him go. "Kill him now!"

"Shut up." He slapped me across the face with the back of his hand, the blow sending pain radiating through my jaw. "You're not my Alpha. Do. Not. Command. Me."

"Yes," I whispered, hatred burning behind my eyes as I touched my stinging cheek.

Alpha Dickson smiled, victory gleaming in his gaze. "Thank you, Beta. I will remember your favor and repay you one day."

With his Alpha speed, he left with Scar. I watched as the former Beta left. None of them regarded me as their Alpha.

My old man must die. And after my father's death, I will do anything to see him suffer.