Rejected by My Alpha Now He Replaced Me with a Copycat Luna novel Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Raven’s POV

Marty’s chuckle faded as the door swung shut behind him. I forced myself to move casually toward my duffel bag near the back wall, tossing my wraps inside with deliberate slowness. Every instinct screamed at me to bolt, but that would raise more questions than it answered. So I

grabbed a towel from the stack in the corner, taking my sweet time wiping the sweat from my neck.

I dropped into my cooldown stretches, counting each second under my breath to keep from rushing. The guys were finishing up their workouts too-whether by coincidence or design, I wasn’t sure. Kael re-racking weights, Asher peeling tape from his knuckles, Ezra watching me with that

unnerving stillness. Only Nox seemed oblivious, still absorbed in whatever code was flashing across his screen.

Tossing the towel into the hamper, I slung my bag over my shoulder and made for the exit. Dexter appeared at my side in an instant, his hand

darting out to catch the door before I could.

“Leaving without so much as a ‘see you tomorrow, you gorgeous bastard”?” he teased, pressing a dramatic hand to his chest. “Cold, luv.

Absolutely glacial.”

I patted his pec with exaggerated sympathy. “Don’t worry, buddy. Your ego’s resilient enough to take the hit.”

Nox’s quiet snicker carried from the couch. “Worth it just to watch that vein in his forehead throb when you say ‘buddy.””

Some of the tension coiled in my shoulders eased. Of all of them, Dexter and Nox were the easiest to be around-less alpha posturing, more stupid banter.

Asher’s growl cut through the moment. “Can we fucking go? I’m starving.”

I fluttered my lashes at him. “Wouldn’t want Princess here to get cranky. Better feed him before he turns into a real monster.”

Kael barked a laugh, clapping Asher on the back as we stepped into the night. “She’s got your number.”

The parking lot yawned before us, darker than it should’ve been. My steps slowed as I scanned the perimeter-one of the overhead lights was out. A prickle of unease skittered down my spine.

Then the scent hit me.

Sulfur. Thick and cloying, clinging to the back of my throat like rancid oil.

Oh fuck.

My head snapped toward the tree line. Shadows moved where shadows shouldn’t-dozen-odd figures in tattered robes, their faces voids of absolute darkness. One raised skeletal hands, the air around them warping with gathering power.

My magic surged in response, a silent scream of warning. But I had seconds, maybe less.

“DOWN!” I roared.

The remaining lights exploded in a rain of glass and sparks, plunging us into darkness.

Kael’s commands cut through the chaos, but my attention stayed locked on the advancing figures. Dark magic rolled off them in waves, thick as tar and twice as suffocating. Where casters drew power from life-from the earth and wind and fire-these creatures siphoned theirs from pain and death. I knew the difference intimately.

My mother’s blood gave me access to that purer magic, but without training, I’d only scratched the surface of what I could do. Still, I pressed my palms together and whispered the protection incantation through gritted teeth. The strain of maintaining my scent wards while casting made

my vision swim, but I held firm.

“Raven!” Kael’s voice was steel wrapped in velvet. “Inside. Now.”

I whirled on him. “Are you fucking kidding me? You’re outnumbered three to one!”

His eyes flashed wolf gold in the darkness. “You don’t know what these things-”

My back teeth ground together. “Maybe not, but I can still help.” The maybe was the only thing that kept my words from being an outright lie.

Dexter’s voice carried over the growing tension as he pulled twin pistols from his bag. “Love the heroic speech, darling, but maybe save it for when your adorable backside isn’t about to get charbroiled?”

The dark mage laughed and threw his ball of smoke in Dexter’s direction. Dexter ducked, but the smoke hit my protection ward and stopped there. All the guys stared.

“What. The. Actual. Fuck. Was. That?” Asher snarled.

I glanced at him, taking in the fact that he now held what looked like a giant sniper rifle.

Since when did people just carry those around?

I frowned, confused, but quickly turned as the dark mage snarled in fury.

“Your magic is no match for mine.” The dark mage’s hood slipped back as he raised his hand, revealing skin so pale it was almost translucent and eyes that were pure white.

The hand raise was an order, and all the mages charged. “Asher. High ground,” Kael yelled.

Asher shot something like Batman’s grappling gun toward the roof that pulled him with it. Before long, he was shooting at the mages. I had to give it to them, they were fast. They dodged and wove, blocking with blades and magic.

That’s when I saw them. It wasn’t a dozen-plus dark mages-it was at least twice that many.

They hadn’t sent a dozen.

They’d sent an army.

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