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101. (Clay POV)
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Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 102. Home (Luke POV)
Ducking into the dense underbrush of the woods near Riverbend Apartments, I shifted back to human form. The sensation of bones rearranging and muscles contracting was oddly satisfying, an immediate stress release. I also knew I was taking a risk. Shifting wasn't allowed in the human world for a good reason, so I made it quick.Quickly dressing in the clothes I'd been carrying in my mouth, I grimaced at how they were soaked with saliva. But it was either that or run around here naked, and I'd had enough embarrassment for one day.As I approached the building, the doorman, Peter, was at his usual post. "Hey, you got any product on you?" I asked.Peter looked around cautiously before nodding. "Dude, you're in luck. I just restocked." I handed him the wad of cash that was stashed in the clothes, not bothering to count it, and in exchange, he gave me what was left of his stash. A lot, to be precise.Maybe too much.I reached my apartment only to realize I didn't have the keys. "Fucking b
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 103. Nearly Illegible (Clay POV)
The veins in my temples throbbed as I paced the living room, the phone pressed to my ear. "If neither my beta nor the current Rendon alpha wants the land, what exactly is the dispute here?" I practically growled into the receiver. The council member on the other end cited some archaic legalese that hardly made any sense. I wanted to reach through the phone and shake him. "Two days is the maximum I will agree to," I said firmly, my jaw clenching. A glance at Luke told me all I needed to know. He was wrapped in a blanket like a life-sized burrito, his eyes half-lidded and distant, his skin a shade paler than usual. The man was already dissolving into a physical hell, the first intense wave of withdrawal symptoms seeping into his muscles. My chest tightened. He was in for a rough ride, and the timing of this damn council meeting wasn't helping. Lexi walked in then, carrying a water bottle and a sense of purpose in her eyes. Looking at Luke, she approached him like a mama bear,
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 104. (Lexi POV)
Luke used to be full of life, his eyes sparkling with a reckless spirit that excited and unnerved me. Now, standing behind my reflection, his face showed the marks of physical and emotional battles, barely holding together.The change hit hard, a stark reminder of life's unpredictable shifts. Applying lip liner, I sought a touch of normalcy on a tense day. Luke, his hands shaking, fumbled with a razor by the sink.Clay intervened, his expression a blend of worry and determination. "Let me help," he offered, taking the razor from Luke's unsteady grip.With a sigh, Luke sat on the counter, exchanging a fleeting, heavy glance with me in the mirror.Watching them, I saw the depth of their bond in this tender moment. Clay's gentle handling of the razor and Luke's trusting tilt of his head was a silent affirmation of their deep trust for each other. It filled my heart, a poignant counterpoint to the morning's somberness."Luke, you might need a line or two before the meeting," Clay said, ch
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 105. My Own Worst Enemy (Luke POV)
In the parking lot, our calm was just a façade. Inside, I was a raging inferno. How the fuck did my name get on that treaty? I was knee-deep in coke three years ago, but I wasn't an idiot. I turned to Trevor and pinned him against his truck. "Explain this shit right now, little bro," I snarled, inches from his face. Lexi reached for me, trying to intervene, but I was beyond reason. "Not now, Lex! Back the fuck off," I snapped at her. The hurt that flashed in her eyes almost gutted me, but I was in too deep. Kyla pulled her away as Clay stepped up. Trevor threw his words like daggers, "A coked-out wreck of a brother, and you blame me? Fuck off, Luke. You created this mess." Blind rage consumed me. I swung at Trevor, intent on wiping that smug certainty off his face with my fist. Clay reacted immediately. His hand clamped on my arm like a vice before my fist connected. "NOT HERE!" His voice thundered, loaded with the authority of an alpha pushed to his limit. I jerked back violentl
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 106. (Clay POV)
We finally made it back to the pack house. As we pulled up, the healer was waiting, syringe in hand, ready to administer something to keep Luke under while they worked on his arm. Trevor and I carefully carried him into the med bay, Luke's body occasionally twitching and fighting against the drowsiness.Once inside, the healer instructed us to secure Luke to the bed. "We can't have him thrashing about," he said, his tone clinical but not unkind. We fastened his legs and his uninjured arm, ensuring he wouldn't injure himself further during the procedure.As the healer manipulated the broken bone back into place, Luke let out a blood-curdling scream, even through the meds. It was a sound that cut straight to the heart, raw and painful. He didn't wake, but he clearly felt it on some level.Beside me, Lexi nearly crumpled, her body trembling with each of Luke's muffled cries. I knew she didn't want my touch, but hell, I couldn't stand there and do nothing. I wrapped my arms around her, pu
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 107. Good Spot (Lexi POV)
Seeing Luke lose it in the parking lot was heart-wrenching. I had only wanted to help, to be the calm in his storm, but he screamed in my face, telling me to back off. Kyla's hands pulled me away, and I watched, helpless, as Luke lunged at Trevor. Clay grabbed his arm, and then the sickening sound of Luke's bone cracking filled the air. He was like a wild animal, a torrent of pain and anger, thrashing against everything and everyone, even himself.When Clay knocked him out, a mix of relief and anger surged within me. I understood why Clay did it, but seeing them resorting to physical force to subdue one another was jarring and painful.Now, in the bath, with Luke awake and clumsily joining me, clothes and all, water spilled everywhere. But in that moment, none of it mattered. I needed him close, needed to feel that he was still Luke, that this aggressive, pained version of him wasn't permanent.I nearly laughed when Clay jokingly warned Luke about getting his cast wet. The cast was al
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 108. Gallery (Luke POV)
Swinging my legs out of the truck, my boots hit the concrete with more force than I had intended. The withdrawal was deep this time, each moment a battle, but I welcomed it. The pain and the struggle were necessary to get to the other side. For the first time, I felt an absolute resolve to quit. I sensed the bottom approaching, and I was terrified of hitting it. I hoped, desperately, that she'd keep me afloat long enough for me to find my footing in this new, terrifyingly sober world. Lexi grabbed my hand, pulling me upright. I made a show of it, pretending she helped more than she did. Emotionally, she was the strongest person I knew. Physically, though, her small frame sometimes worried me, especially when she put herself between me and what she perceived as danger. As we walked to the gallery, her arm around my waist, Clay trailed behind, his gaze sharp and protective. It killed me to see him so wary around me with Lexi. I hated that my actions had caused this, that he felt he n
Rival Alphas: Dance of Desire 109. (Clay POV)
The buzz of excitement was high as I prepared to give Lexi the tattoo. It wasn't just about the ink but about marking a permanent bond between us three. I was eager to take Lexi to the gallery, to properly show her my world. The last time she was there, the circumstances had been far from ideal – it was the day she brought Luke in for the first time. This time would be different, a real introduction to the space that meant so much to me.But then, I remembered the damn mural in the bathroom back at the studio. I grabbed an extra trashcan from the back, hoping it would keep Luke from venturing in there. I had no idea how I'd explain that one if he did.As we settled in the studio, it wasn't long before Luke was heading for the bathroom. "Lexi, stay here," I said, seeing the concern flash in her eyes. "Don't worry, it's nothing bad. I hope anyway."After explaining to Luke that the mural was a product of my own withdrawal, we headed back out. I started tattooing Lexi's thigh, the needle
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