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

13:50

1/8

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.

13:50

2/8

Dark Side

little spy all around

“Sending a message?”

roll my shoulders, trying to dispel the tension. It’s been a long night. Weeks, really. Ever since Ava escaped her family’s clutches,

of a wolf.

and a curse; soothing my ragged edges while stoking the fire in my veins.

Ava needs her

so distant. If all it takes is letting her go to to the occasional stupid party, it’s an

13:50

3/8

Dark

picking up her

claps me on the shoulder, startling me out of

get the boys to start

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

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

innocence and a beautiful

places

her again, aren’t you? You should go, before you

or some shit.”

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. For her. For our

future

13:50

4/8

Lucas: The Dark Side of Alpha

never considered myself lacking

into

of this earth.

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

we’re finally getting to

at a severed foot, I curse the erection that has yet to go down. You’d think the overpowering smell of blood, metallic in the back of my

way she pulls her bottom lip in when she’s worried. How her face changes when

I’m

be thinking like this?

it

to realize her walls had come down, and

13:50

5/8

<

The Dark Side of

toward memories of that hospital room

sweetly her body had-

Fuck.

have a

doesn’t care about anything except Ava and Selene. He’s been somewhat soothed since we’d made love on the hospital bed, her body

Damn it.

to get out

her. Mate