"Please, I..." Ava had just begun when defiance snapped in her.
"Wait, why should I plead or kneel?" She thought to herself.
"No, I won't kneel before you. I may be a servant but I haven't done anything wrong to you." Ava maintained bravely, standing her ground even though she dreaded what Victoria would do to her.
Victoria's eyes flashed dangerously. She wasn't used to getting no, especially from people like Ava.
"Oh, is that so? Then let's see how defiant you are after this." Victoria stated and scoffed.
Without letting Ava process what she just said, Victoria lunged forward, grabbing Ava's hair and yanking her down.
"Ouch!" Ava cried out as her knees hit the floor hard.
"That is better. Now, let's talk about your delusions regarding my brother." Victoria smirked darkly, as she circled her.
"There is nothing to talk about." Ava gasped, trying to rise.
Then Victoria placed her foot harshly on her back, keeping her in place. Ava winced in pain.
"I saw the way you looked at him. The way you let him touch you. Did you really think someone like you could ever be worthy of him?" Victoria snapped.
"Please..." Ava struggled against the pressure.
"Please what? Please let you continue corrupting my brother? Please let you destroy our family's reputation?" Victoria asked rhetorically but pressed harder.
However, Victoria's precious moment was ruined when her door sprung open, splintering off its hinges.
Ethan stood in the doorway, his eyes burning gold with rage. He had tore down the door in fumes.
"Get. Away. From. Her." Ethan produced each word with a growl, his wolf was struggling to control his anger.
Victoria who had never seen her brother like that before, jumped back, releasing Ava.
"Brother, I was just—"
"Just what? Teaching her a lesson? Like the spoiled, cruel creature you are?" Ethan snarled, helping Ava to her feet.
"Cruel? I'm trying to protect our family's honor! While you are throwing it away for some omega whore!" Victoria protested wildly.
At that insult hurled on his beloved, Ethan growled loudly, shaking the walls but Ava grabbed his arm.
"Ethan, don't. She is not worth it. Please, just take me home." Ava said gently.
"You should consider yourself lucky today, Victoria. But trust me, the next time you try this again, I won't be able to control myself." Ethan warned his sister firmly.
Victoria gritted her teeth in silence.
~~~~~~~~~
Ethan held Ava's hand in his as they walked across the pack, in silence.
Ava's knees still ached from Victoria's assault, but she refused to show weakness.
"I am stronger than this... This can't break me." She thought to herself, trying to hold back her tears. She felt humiliated.
"I should have come sooner. I'm so sorry, Ava." Ethan said softly, tightening his grip on her hand lovingly.
"It is not your fault." Ava said dismissively but Ethan noticed the distant look in her eyes.
"There is something on your mind that you aren't telling me..." Ethan blurted out. Ava sighed heavily.
"I am just thinking that maybe... Perhaps Victoria is right." She muttered weakly.
"Don't." He stopped walking, turning to face her.
"Please, don't let her poison what we have." He pleaded.
"And what exactly do we have, Ethan? Stolen moments? Secret meetings? How long before your father finds out?" Ava questioned, her voice cracking.
"I don't care if he does. Even the moon goddess has allowed us to choose whoever we want to be with, as compared to the olden days, so my father won't choose for me. I will fight for us, Ava. I will fight them all if I have to." Ethan assured her and pulled her close.
"Ava!" A loud, angry voice interrupted their moment.
The two lovebirds sprang apart at Sophia's voice. She stood at their cottage door, looking livid.
"Mother! I was just—" Ava tried to speak but her angry mother wouldn't have it.
"Get inside. Now!" Sophia commanded.
Ava squeezed Ethan's hand before hurrying to the cottage while Sophia's eyes locked onto Ethan, something like fear and hatred were in her eyes for the boy.
"Good evening, Mrs. Wells." Ethan said politely.
"Leave my daughter alone. If you have any mercy in your heart, stay away from her." Sophia snapped at him.
"Mrs. Wells, I would never harm Ava. I lo—" He was going to express how much he loved her but Sophia's sharp voice cut him short.
"Don't say it. Just go. Please."
Reluctantly, Ethan left the place and started working back to the Alpha's manor.
Inside the cottage, Ava paced by the doorway as her mother entered, closing the door firmly.
"What were you thinking? Do you know how dangerous the Jenkins family is?" Sophia demanded, angrily.
"Ethan isn't dangerous, Mother. He's different." Ava defended.
"Different? Just like his father was different? You don't know what that family is capable of." Sophia said, letting out a bitter laugh.
"Then tell me! You are always speaking in riddles and warnings. If there is something I should know—" Ava's tone was pleading.
"No! I can't. I won't. Just trust me when I say nothing good can come from loving a Jenkins." Sophia insisted firmly.
"But—" Ava pressed on.
"You have to promise me that you will end this foolishness before it's too late." Sophia said, gripping Ava's shoulders and staring into her eyes.
Ava saw the fear in her mother's eyes, the desperate plea behind her words.
But all she could think of was Ethan's touch, his protective growl, the way he looked at her like she was his everything.
"I'm sorry, Mother. But I can't promise that." Ava whispered, but sounded determined.
Sophia turned away, her shoulder slumping in defeat.
"Dear moon goddess, please come to my aid. What do I do now? Because history is about to repeat itself, and this time, I fear the price will be even higher." Sophia murmured to herself but Ava heard with her heightened senses.
"What do you mean? What history?" Ava inquired curiously.
But Sophia just shook her head, tears dripping from her eyes. Ava was alarmed.