Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha
Chapter 56

Chapter 56: Chapter 56

Betrayed by Blood~

Matt stood by the window, the cool evening air brushing against his face as he exhaled a cloud of smoke. His eyes lazily followed the movement of the pack below, his thoughts far away from the chaos. The soft squeak of the door barely registered before it opened fully, and he didn’t need to turn to know who it was.

"We leave tomorrow—"

"Did you have anything to do with what just happened?"

The sudden question froze him, his cigarette hanging loosely from his lips. Slowly, he turned his head, raising an eyebrow. His mother stood at the door, her sharp gaze fixed on him.

"Mother, what are you talking about?" He asked calmly.

Victoria stepped into the room, shutting the door behind her. "What happened at the feast. The attack on Cain. You didn’t have anything to do with it, right?" She asked.

Matt’s lips curved into a small smirk as he plucked the cigarette from his lips, a trail of smoke leaving his lips. He turned fully to face her, leaning casually against the window frame.

"You really think I’d be that reckless?" he asked, his tone calm.

Victoria’s eyes narrowed as she stepped closer, her arms crossing over her chest. "That’s not an answer, Matthew. I know how you operate. You’re calculated, always thinking five steps ahead. Tell me now—did you have anything to do with this?"

"I hate the man, Mother. I hate him to death, but I didn’t do that." He replied gruffly as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Although, I wish I had thought of it sooner. I wish I had paid assassins to kill him." He huffed out.

Victoria’s eyes widened at his words. She leaped forward, clasping her hand over his mouth. "You can’t talk like that so openly. The walls have ears, don’t you know that?" She huffed out impatiently.

Matt pulled her hand off irritatedly, the cigarette already crumpled. He pulled it out of his mouth and dumped it into the bin. "What the hell, mother?" He snapped. "The culprit has already been found. Xander did it. Why are you so jumpy?"

Victoria rolled her eyes, her arms wrapped around her chest. "You have to be kidding me if you think Xander did that. Why would he want to kill his alpha? It’s highly unlikely." She replied.

Matt turned towards the window again, shrugging, a faint smirk on his lips. "What can I say, mother? Love makes one do crazy things." He replied.

Victoria blinked, her mouth opening slightly before she quickly shut it again. "Xander? In love with Cain’s mate?" she repeated, her voice low and full of disbelief.

"The maid? The maid is Cain’s mate?" She asked, and Matt chuckled, turning to lean casually against the windowsill, his green eyes glinting with amusement. "You seem surprised. Surely, you’ve noticed the way he looks at her. It’s painfully obvious. The fool couldn’t hide it if he tried."

She shook her head, pacing the room. "Even if that’s true," she said, stopping to face him, "it doesn’t mean he’d try to kill Cain. That’s a death wish, Matt. Xander may be foolish, but he’s not suicidal."

Matt shrugged nonchalantly as he reached into his pocket for another cigarette. "Desperation makes men do strange things, Mother. Who’s to say his love didn’t push him over the edge?" He lit the cigarette, inhaling deeply before exhaling a thin stream of smoke. "Or maybe someone else gave him a little... nudge."

Victoria froze, her sharp eyes narrowing as she stared at him. "And what exactly are you implying?"

Matt’s lips twitched into a smirk, but he said nothing, letting the silence stretch between them.

"Matthew," she said, her voice hardening, "if you had anything to do with this—"

"Relax, Mother," Matt interrupted, "I told you, I didn’t. But if someone did, they’d be brilliant, don’t you think? Stirring chaos, planting doubt in Cain’s mind... It’s a perfect distraction."

Victoria stepped closer, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Distractions can only last so long, Matthew. Cain isn’t a man who lets things go. If he finds out—"

Matt cut her off again, his smirk vanishing as his gaze turned cold. "He won’t find out." He said firmly, his jaw clenched tight. "You worry too much, Mother. Let Cain deal with his so-called traitors. We’ll be gone tomorrow, and none of this will matter."

Victoria hesitated, searching his face for a second. Finally, she sighed, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "I hope you’re right. I can’t bear another loss, not after your father and Rowan. Leave Cain be." She replied then walked out of the room.

Matt’s expression only hardened, her words echoing in his head again. ’Your father and Rowan.’ Both were dead all because of Cain Knight and his father, Edward Knight.

________________________________________

Avery untied the apron around her waist, her fingers trembling slightly as she yanked it off. Her skin was clammy, her chest heaving as beads of sweat slid down her temple. Millie, who was wiping down a nearby table, glanced up and frowned at the sight of her.

Her eyes darted around, making sure the head Maia wasn’t there yet, and so she stepped closer, her eyebrows furrowed, "Avery, are you alright?" Millie whispered. "You’re sweating like it’s summer, and it’s freezing in here. Are you feeling sick?"

Avery blinked, her eyes darting around the room. The other pack members were bundled in thick shawls and sweaters to keep the cold off. She, on the other hand, felt suffocated. Her skin burned as though she were standing too close to a fire.

"I’m fine," she murmured weakly. She forced a smile, shaking her head. "I probably just need to rest for a bit."

Millie didn’t look convinced. "Maybe you should see the pack doctor—"

"No! I’m fine." Avery blurted out. She didn’t want to go back to the pack doctor’s place. "Really, I’ll be okay. Just tired. I’ll head to the room."

Millie hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line before she finally nodded meekly, "Alright. But if you feel worse, just call for me, and I’ll be there in seconds."

Avery nodded, knowing she couldn’t be doing that. Millie was just starting to get out of her shell and mix with the other servants. Avery wasn’t going to bother her for something as little as sweating or feeling weak.

The cold air outside should have been a relief, but it wasn’t. The harsh wind did nothing to help her overheated body. Her limbs felt heavy, her vision blurring slightly as she trudged toward the maid quarters.

By the time she reached her door, her legs were trembling. She reached out, gripping the doorknob for support before pushing it open.

The sight that greeted her made her freeze.

Cain was there, dressed in regal clothes. He paced around the room tirelessly, waiting for her. He stopped mid-step as the door creaked open, his gaze snapping to her.

"You’re late," he growled, his voice low and edged with irritation.

His expression shifted the second he saw her face. His brows furrowed, and he took a step closer. "What’s wrong? Are you-"

Avery blinked, leaning heavily against the doorframe. She couldn’t hear a thing that came out of his mouth; his words were slurred. She opened her mouth to reply, but nothing came out. The heat in her body surged suddenly, making her knees buckle. The last thing she saw was Cain’s face twisting in alarm as she fell to the ground.