Ava’s POV
I stood in front of Mia, my arms stretched wide like I could shield her from everything, the Alpha’s wrath, his guards, this cursed fortress. My chest rose and fell fast but my legs refused to move. I would not step aside. Not for him, not ever.
Mia whimpered behind me, her voice broken, trembling. “Ava… don’t—”
“Stay behind me,” I whispered, my voice cracking under the weight of fear.
The Alpha chuckled. A low, cruel sound that slid under my skin like a blade. His red eyes burned brighter in the dim light of the dungeon. He looked at me not like I was defying him but like I was amusing him.
“You think you can protect her?” he taunte. “You couldn’t even protect yourself.”
His words sliced through me. My wolf whimpered inside, beaten down under the pressure of his aura but e
