Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha
Chapter 61

Chapter 61: Chapter 61

Betrayed by Blood

Kendra paced her room, her heels clicking against the polished marble floor. Her hands trembled restlessly, fists clenching and unclenching as her thoughts raced. Her mother’s warnings rang in her ears, but she refused to listen to them.

"Not yet," her mother had said. "You’ll only make things worse if you rush."

But Kendra didn’t care anymore. Her patience had run dry, she couldn’t sit still and watched as Cain slipped from her fingers. She knew she had to do something quickly.

She stood at the window, her eyes flickering around. She had made up her mind now. Kendra glanced at the door, her maid Maria stood by the door, wringing her hands nervously.

"Leave," Kendra snapped sharply.

"My lady, are you certain—"

"Now!" Kendra’s voice boomed throughout the room.

The maid flinched but obeyed, scurrying out without another word. Kendra waited until the door clicked shut, then reached for the phone on her desk. Her fingers moved quickly, dialing a number she knew by heart.

After a few tense seconds, the line connected.

"I need your help," Kendra blurted out, her voice cold. "It’s about Avery."

"What do you need me to do?" The voice on the other end asked.

"The rogues. You can still get them, right? I want her dead. She needs to disappear. Permanently. You can get them to do that, right?"

There was a pause, long enough to make Kendra’s heart pound harder.

"Consider it done," the voice replied and the line went dead.

A smile slowly made its way to Kendra’s lips. This is it. Finally, she would be rid of Avery once and for all. "Soon," she murmured to herself, "Finally, she’ll be gone. And Cain will be mine again."

Cain sat at the head of the long table in the office, his mind miles away from the reports being spoken about by his council. Maps and documents were scattered before him, outlining potential threats to the pack, but none of it seemed to register. His hand rested against his chin, his fingers tapping against his jawline as his thoughts circled relentlessly.

Avery.

Her scent clung to the corners of his mind. That soft, floral scent mixed with her natural warmth was driving him insane. He could almost hear her voice, sharp as she had dared to stand her ground against him. Her words echoed in his mind again. The memory made his blood rush, but it wasn’t anger that consumed him. It was something far more dangerous.

The need to claim her. To have her beneath him, wearing his scent, utterly his—gnawed at his control. His wolf was out of control. Her words made his wolf restless. No, not just restless—rabid. He’d barely been able to keep himself together without her words infecting his thoughts. He couldn’t stand it.

"Alpha Cain?"

The voice snapped him out of his reverie. Cain’s eyes flicked to the speaker, Callum, who had been delivering a report.

"What is it?" Cain snapped, his tone clipped, his patience wearing thin.

Callum hesitated, clearly uncertain whether to repeat himself or retreat.

"Enough," Cain said abruptly, standing from his chair. The entire room stiffened. "We’ll continue this later. Dismissed."

"Alpha?" another member called out to him, clearly startled by the sudden end to the meeting.

Cain’s sharp gaze silenced him. Without another word, he strode out of the room, leaving them exchanging wary glances.

As he walked through the halls of the packhouse, his mind was fixed on one goal: finding Avery. He could no longer resist the pull. He needed to see her. His wolf was going crazy, pumping out pheromones. The bond burned in his chest, a constant reminder that he was always going to be under its spell. He quickened his pace, letting his wolf take over.

But as he approached the courtyard, he stopped in his tracks. There she was, standing by the garden fountain. The sight of her made his breath hitch slightly, but what he saw next sent a dark wave of possessiveness crashing over him.

A male guard stood close to Avery, his hand brushing against hers as he wrapped a bandage around her finger. Avery was smiling at him. Her lips moved, though Cain couldn’t hear what she was saying, and the guard chuckled, his expression soft.

Something bitter, filled with anger, flared up inside his chest. His wolf snarled, clawing for dominance, demanding he tear the guard apart for daring to touch what was his.

Cain’s fists clenched at his sides. "Avery," he called, his voice low and deep. Both Avery and the guard turned to him, the smile fading from Avery’s face instantly.

"A-Alpha," she blurted out in surprise. She hadn’t seen him since the precepts day after she forcefully left his room. Fear had encapsulated every part of her being, and now seeing him here, like this, Avery swallowed hard.

The guard immediately stepped back, lowering his head in submission, but Cain’s glare didn’t waver. His eyes flicked to the bandage on Avery’s finger before locking onto hers, his jaw tightening.

"What’s going on here?" Cain demanded, his voice sharp and rough, making Avery shudder internally.

"I cut my finger, and he was helping me bandage it," she replied quietly. The entire courtyard had gone silent, all eyes on them.

Cain’s gaze darkened, his wolf growling in his head. "Helping you," he repeated, his tone dripping with disdain as he stepped closer.

The guard shifted uncomfortably, his body already trembling with fear. "Alpha, I was only—"

"Leave," Cain’s command was ice-cold, and the guard didn’t hesitate. He bowed hastily before scampering away with his tail between his legs.

Cain’s eyes bore into hers, a dangerous mix of anger and want swirling within them. "You let him touch you," he said, his voice low and deep.

Avery swallowed hard. "He was helping me. He didn’t—" she didn’t get to complete her words as he grabbed her by the arm and dragged her across the courtyard and into the packhouse.

_________________________________________

Betrayed by Blood~

Avery doesn’t get to finish her word as she’s dragged across the courtyard and into the pack house roughly. She could barely keep up with Cain’s long strides, her heart pounding hard in her chest, her head racking through all the things that just happened.

Cain stopped abruptly as they reached the hallway, making her jump into him. Avery quickly stepped back, her eyes wide, different emotions winning in her orbs. She watched Cain run his fingers through his hair, his jaw locked hard, face piping red; one would think he was going to war or something.

Avery took a step back as she swallowed hard, unable to say a thing but stare at him.

"What do you think you’re doing, Avery Jae?" He asked, his voice cold, sending a shudder down Avery’s spine.

"I-I don’t understand," she croaked out quietly, and he snapped his gaze to look at her.

"You don’t? What do you mean you do—" He doesn’t get to complete his words as a pack member interrupts him.

"Alpha-Alpha..." the woman rushed out, her head lowered in respect. Cain looked visibly frustrated at her interrupting him. He turned around to acknowledge the woman.

"How may I help you, Leah?" He asked, his jaw clenched tight. Avery shut her eyes for a second, thanking the goddess for the interruption. Not only was she absolutely confused by his behavior, she was utterly shocked by it too.

The woman, Leah finally looked up, her gaze flickering to Avery who stood behind Cain and then back at him. She cleared her throat. "I’m sorry to interrupt you, Alpha, but there’s trouble and it urgently needs your attention. Only yours," the woman said.

Cain nodded, his expression growing serious at the mention of trouble. He glanced at Avery for a second; he wanted to hash it all out right now, but he couldn’t ignore his duty either. Leah was one of the few pack members who wasn’t entirely scared of him. At least she had the balls to walk up to him.

"I will be back," he said to Avery before walking away with Leah behind him.

Avery let out a sigh of relief; it was almost as though the goddess heard her prayers and brought Leah as a distraction. Interaction. Whichever one it is. She was sure thankful for it. She turned around to leave only to bump into the head maid. The woman’s mouth fell open in a bid to apologize, but it all stops the second she realized who had bumped into her.

"You," she said, pointing a finger at Avery.

"What are you doing here?" She asked, and Avery opened her mouth to reply but doesn’t get to as the woman cut her off. "You know what? I don’t care why you’re here, but it’s good I found you. We’re short-staffed. I need you to fill in and help the queen with her luggage. They leave Vehiron tomorrow, and we have to give them the utmost treatment."

Avery froze at the mention of the Queen; she’s been actively avoiding the royals after what she learned about them, but now...

"Well, what are you still waiting for? Move along!" The woman practically yelled.

Avery flinched and hurried down the hall, unaware of what waited for her ahead.