She is Dangerous
Ava’s POV
I couldn’t stop the trembling. Every muscle in my body screamed from the pain Landon had inflicted, but it wasn’t just the physical wounds that hurt. It was the years of torment, the betrayal, the feeling of always being unworthy. The memories of what they had done to me in my past life haunted me like a never-ending nightmare, but I refused to be that broken girl again, I won't allow my fears to rule me again. With these thoughts running through my mind and Maya getting to fight, I see Raphael standing in front of me. He was like an iroko tree, one that can not be penetrated.
The moment Raphael stepped in, shielding me with his massive form, I felt a rush of relief. For the first time in my life, someone stood between me and the torment that had been my existence. The weight of his presence was like a warm shield against the icy cruelty I’d known my whole life.
Now, lying on his bed with my ribs aching but miraculously healing, I couldn’t shake the disbelief. This man, this Alpha Lycan, had not only protected me, but he cared. I saw it in his eyes and felt it in his touch. But why?
Why would someone as powerful as him care about me, the rejected, the unwanted?
And yet, in his arms, I felt...safe. More than safe. It was strange to feel anything besides fear or rage. His touch was warm, and tender, even though his power could be felt just beneath the surface. He could tear a man apart with a flick of his hand, but with me, his touch was gentle, I was carried like a human cherishes their pets.
"I’m sorry for leaving the room," I whispered again, unable to meet his gaze.
"Ava, stop apologizing," he said firmly, his voice commanding but not unkind. "You did nothing wrong."
I hesitated, glancing at him. His eyes were sharp, watching me with that intense gaze that always made my heart race and made me warm. How could he look at me like this? like I was more than just an unwanted girl Like I was something precious, something worth protecting.
He turned to face the door as another knock sounded, this one heavy, authoritative. I knew it was Gemma, but the presence behind her was unmistakable. Alpha Charles, Landon’s father.
My stomach twisted, the knot of fear tightening as I sat up. I knew what was coming. Retribution. Punishment. The way my father used to beat me, the way Helena used to sneer and laugh as I cried. I braced myself for whatever would come next. I do not know if I would be blamed but I won't let myself be trampled upon.
Raphael didn’t miss the change in my body language. His eyes flicked to me, narrowing slightly. "Ava, nothing will happen to you while I’m here." He said it as if he had read my mind.
His words were simple, but they carried a weight of promise that I wasn’t used to. A promise, I rolled the word in my mind. I looked at him, unsure of how to respond. No one had ever promised to protect me. I had always been alone in the fight, but here he was, saying that wouldn’t be the case anymore.
"Come in," Raphael called, his voice cold, the command in his tone undeniable.
The door opened, and Gemma entered first, her expression hard. Behind her, Alpha Charles stepped in, his face set in a scowl. He didn’t look at me, his eyes fixed solely on Raphael as if he were trying to figure out the Alpha King’s angle.
"My King," Charles said, bowing slightly, though there was no respect in his voice. As arrogant as always. "You called for me."
Raphael straightened, his back to me as he faced Charles. His entire attitude shifted, becoming even more authoritative. The warmth he’d shown me moments ago vanished, replaced by the cold, lethal power of the ruler he is.
"You let your son touch what’s mine," Raphael growled, the low rumble of his voice making the air around us thick with tension. "You allowed him to harm her, even after my orders.”
Charles stiffened, finally glancing in my direction. His eyes narrowed, roaming over me with disdain. "She’s nothing but trouble, my King. Wolf-less, worthless. You don’t understand the burden—"
"Enough," Raphael’s voice sliced through the air like a blade. "She is not wolf-less, and I will not tolerate any further disrespect toward her. From you or anyone in your pack."
I could feel the power radiating off Raphael, his rage barely contained. It was like standing near a storm about to break. My heart pounded in my chest as I watched the tension between the two men rise. I had seen this before when Raphael confronted Landon, but this was different. This was personal, and I was at the center of it.
Charles bristled, his pride probably wounded, but he wasn’t stupid enough to challenge Raphael. "She’s dangerous," he said, his voice low and angry. “We’ve seen the way she’s healed. Her wolf is unnatural."
Unnatural. The word stung, but it wasn’t unfamiliar. I had heard it whispered about me my whole life. The girl without a wolf. The girl who didn’t belong. But now, hearing it again, even after finally getting a wolf, I felt something stir inside me, something dark and powerful, a part of me I hadn’t fully understood until now.
Maya. She was livid as I am.
She has always been there, in the back of my mind, always waiting, always watching. She growled softly, her voice a low hum beneath my skin. "Let me out," she whispered. "Let me show him what an unnatural wolf can do."
I clenched my fists, trying to stay calm, but the rage building inside me was hard to control. Charles was wrong. I wasn’t unnatural. I was stronger than any of them could ever imagine, I can feel it after my rebirth. They might know that and now they are scared of me.
"Charles," Raphael said slowly and chilling, his voice a deadly calm before a tsunami. "You should be very careful about how you speak to me. If you insult her again, I will take it as a direct insult to me and my kingdom, and I will not hesitate to deal with you."
There was a heavy silence in the room. I could see the muscles in Charles’s jaw twitch as he swallowed his pride, knowing full well he was no match for a Lycan much less Raphael.
"My King," Charles said through gritted teeth. "I meant no offense. But you need to know she... she’s dangerous."
Raphael turned slightly, glancing at me over his shoulder, his gaze softening for just a moment before hardening again. "You have no idea what she’s capable of. But I do."
His words made my heart skip a beat. Did he believe in me? Did he see something in me that I couldn’t even see in myself?
Charles’s eyes flicked between us, uncertainty creeping into his expression. He didn’t understand. He couldn’t. To him, I was still the girl who had been cast aside all her life, who had never been worth anything.
But I wasn’t that girl anymore.
I stood up, ignoring the pain still coursing through my body, and faced Charles. The old me would have cowered and would have let the fear control her. But not this time.
"You think I’m dangerous?" I said, my voice steady, surprising even myself. "You’re right."
Charles’s eyes widened, and I could see the doubt and fear flicker across his face.
"Get out," Raphael growled. "Before I forget that you were once my sister’s mate."
Charles bowed stiffly, his face tight with barely concealed rage, before turning and stalking out of the room.
As the door closed behind him, the tension slowly began to fade, but I could still feel the weight of Raphael’s gaze on me.
"You didn’t have to do that," I whispered, my voice soft now that the danger had passed.
"I did," Raphael said simply, his voice a low rumble. "And I will, again if I have to. You’re under my protection now, Ava. No one will harm you. Not under my watch."
The warmth of his words filled the room, but all I could think about was the future. I had been given a second chance, a chance to become something more than the broken girl I once was.
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