Tangled

127 Lucas: The Dark Side of Alpha

LUCAS

I’m going to hell.

I’m going straight to hell on a VIP plane.

Pressing a soft kiss against my phone screen after Ava hangs up isn’t why.

Having a raging boner from the sound of her little laugh? That’s not why, either… exactly.

But what deranged psychopath gets hard from listening to their mate while slicing body parts off a

corpse?

Granted, he’s still groaning a little, so he isn’t a corpse yet. But he’s close.

“Did you fix the chainsaw?”

“Got it working again.” Vester holds it up, its teeth gleaming wetly in the dim light. The damn sound of it starting up again had almost ruined my conversation with my mate..

I nod, tearing my gaze away from the screen, Ava’s

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127 Lucas: The Dark Side of Alpha

sweet laughter still echoing in my ears. “Let’s get this done, then.”

The knife clatters onto the tray as I set it aside. I barely remember picking it up, so distracted by the sound of my mate’s voice. Her presence lingers, a phantom touch against my cheek. But reality crashes back in as I survey the mess on the floor.

I kick at his head, to the side in a glistening pool of blood. His eyes stare blankly, mouth slack. He stopped screaming a while ago, his healing abilities no match for Vester’s ruthless blade, but even so, the occasional groan comes out. He should have been dead already, but his body hasn’t realized it yet, still trying to fight the pain.

Fucking Blackwood spy. Thought he could infiltrate my borders, gather intel for that snake Renard. Not on my

watch.

We aren’t usually into dismembering, but it has its place.

“What’s the plan for all these bits and pieces?” Vester asks, wiping his hands on a rag that’s more red than white.

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in my chest. “We’re going to spread Renard’s little spy all around the perimeter of the Unregistered city. Let him catch

“Sending a message?”

been a long night. Weeks, really. Ever since Ava escaped her family’s clutches, it’s been a constant game of cat and mouse,

of a wolf.

her. It eats at me, being away from her. Hearing her voice, that sweet laughter… it’s a balm and a curse; soothing my ragged edges while stoking the fire in my veins. I want to be

Ava needs

so distant. If all it takes is letting her go to to

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picking up her

shoulder,

“I’ll get the boys

needs doing. Even the ugly shit. “Sounds good.” Hopefully Ava never hears of these sordid details, the shadowy

up to me–and it is–she’s going to live in peace.

and a beautiful world.

places like this.

about her again,

or some shit.”

bark of laughter escapes me. “Fuck off. You make me sound like a serial killer or something.” But there’s no heat in it. He’s not wrong:

want before.

be a better man.

future

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The Dark

never considered myself

pain I’ve brought into her

scum of this earth.

ago. Would have been, if I hadn’t been

getting to be

the overpowering smell of blood, metallic in the back of

is the smell of Ava’s unique scent. All I can see is her gorgeous face and the way she pulls her bottom lip in when she’s worried. How her face changes when she smiles. How she moans when I touch

I’m insane.

be thinking like

it

took was that little laugh of hers, to realize

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Dark Side

of that hospital room

sweetly her body

Fuck.

have a

Aside from bloodthirsty tendencies, he doesn’t care about anything except Ava and Selene. He’s been somewhat soothed since we’d made love on the

Damn it.

have to get

to her. Mate her. Mark her.