Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha
Chapter 70

Chapter 70: Chapter 70

Betrayed by Blood

The dungeon was dimly lit, with the smell of pee and sweat filling the air. Cain walked down the stairs, his boots echoing. Callum followed closely behind, his expression neutral, though the tension in his body was visible.

A guard rushed up to them, his eyes wide, "Alpha, you’re here," he exclaimed.

Cain looked around, his face stoic. He hadn’t been to this part of the dungeon in a very long time. He glanced at the guard, "Where is he?" he asked, his voice sharp.

The guard stiffened, his gaze flickering to Callum who stood behind Cain. Callum’s eyes narrowed, motioning to the guard.

"The intending warrior is in cell 45, Alpha," the guard replied.

"Bring him out," Cain ordered.

The guard nodded quickly, bowing his head before rushing deeper into the dungeon. Cain remained still, his piercing green eyes scanning the dimly lit corridor. The faint sounds of chains rattling and muffled groans echoed around him.

Moments later, the guard returned, dragging a shirtless young man by the arm. The warrior stumbled, his face pale and bruised. His wrists were bound, and the clinking of his chains filled the silence as they moved.

The guard pushed him forward roughly, and the young man fell to his knees before Cain. "Alpha," the guard said, stepping back and bowing his head.

Cain’s cold gaze fixed on the warrior. The man was trembling, his body littered with purple and pink bruises. "Look at me," he ordered.

The warrior hesitated for only a moment before raising his head. His eyes were red and swollen, his lips quivered, and tears filled his eyes. If Cain hadn’t been an alpha for so long and gotten used to these antics, he would doubt the man could have done what he was being accused of.

The silence stretched between them for seconds, and suddenly, the young man collapsed at Cain’s feet, wailing loudly. "Forgive me, Alpha. I made a mistake. A horrible mistake. Spare my life and forgive me," he wailed.

Cain stepped closer to the man, "Look at me," he ordered once again, and just like before, the young warrior hesitated for a second before looking up. He swallowed hard.

"I’m going to ask you this just once, and I want nothing but the truth," he said. The young man nodded frantically, almost snapping his head off in the process.

"Who sent you?"

The dungeon’s air was still as Cain’s words hung. The young warrior slowly opened his trembling mouth. "L-Lady Kendra, Alpha."

Call’s eyebrows furrowed for a second as Kendra’s name left the boy’s lips. "She paid me, told me to lure her towards the southern border. I didn’t know what she planned. My job was just to lure her to the southern border. I swear on my mother’s life, I didn’t know what she was planning," he rushed out, full-on sobbing now.

Cain stared down at the trembling young man, his piercing green eyes devoid of any empathy. The warrior’s sobs echoed through the dungeon, but Cain remained unmoved.

"Kendra," Cain repeated, his voice low and dangerous. "You’re telling me Kendra ordered you to lure a fellow pack member into a trap?"

The warrior nodded frantically, tears streaming down his face. "Y-Yes, Alpha. She said it was important. That she needed to be taken there. I—I didn’t know what would happen. She didn’t tell me!"

Cain’s expression darkened, his jaw tightening. "And you didn’t think to question her?"

The warrior’s sobs hiccupped as he shook his head. "I—I didn’t think—"

"No," Cain interrupted, his voice razor-sharp. "You didn’t think. And because of that, you endangered a pack member," Cain gritted out. "Do you know what I hate the most?" he asked.

"I hate betrayers and traitors, but I hate cowards even more. Pathetic, spineless cowards, and that’s what you are. You’re not just a traitor but also a coward. Tell me, what’s the first rule of being a warrior in Vehiron?" Cain asked, watching as the boy sobbed even louder at his words, his body trembling so much one would think he was convulsing.

Cain crouched down, his piercing green eyes locking onto the boy’s tear-streaked face. "Answer me," he growled, his voice laced with fury.

The boy stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "L-Loyalty... Loyalty to the Alpha and the pack... above all else."

Cain’s lips twisted into a cruel smirk. "Loyalty," he repeated, his voice dripping with disgust. "Loyalty to the Alpha and the pack. And yet, here you are—a spineless coward, betraying the very pack you swore to protect."

The boy flinched as if he was struck by lightning.

Cain straightened up, cleared his throat, and looked at the dungeon guard. "Get rid of him and hand his body to his family for burial."

The guard froze for a moment, his eyes widening at Cain’s order. "Yes, Alpha," he murmured, bowing his head. He stepped forward, gripping the sobbing warrior by the chains.

The young man’s cries became desperate as the guard pulled him back. "No! Alpha, please! Please have mercy! I didn’t mean to betray you! I swear I didn’t know. My mother is ill. I needed the money for her treatment. Please have mercy!" the boy screamed.

Cain stormed out of there, his chest heaving heavily with just one name echoing in his head: Kendra.

_________________________________________

The heavy doors of the pack house slammed open, the force rattling the wall. Cain stormed inside, his boots echoing loudly against the floors.

"KENDRA!" he growled angrily, silencing the chatter and laughter of those gathered around. Every head turned toward him, the pack instinctively stiffening at the rage in his tone.

Curiosity and fear coursed through the room like a dam, all of the pack members exchanged wary glances, already getting up to their feet.

"KENDRA!" Cain growled out again, more thunderous than the last.

In less than a second, Kendra came rushing down the stairs, her mother close behind her. Her crimson hair was loose around her shoulders, and her pale blue dress swished with every hurried step. "Alpha?" she called, her voice laced with confusion. She’d been in her room with her mother when Mari came rushing in, panicked and said Cain was calling for her.

Carol stepped forward, her gaze flickering around the hall to the many eyes watching them then back on Cain. "Alpha Cain, what’s the meaning of this?"

"What’s the meaning of this? How about you ask your daughter!" Cain barked out angrily, shifting his gaze to Kendra, dark and unforgiving.

Kendra froze, her face paling as though she could tell. Her mother stepped back, her grip loosening.

"You," Cain hissed, his finger pointing directly at Kendra. "You dare to stand before me, pretending to be loyal, while you plot against your pack and your Alpha?" His voice was cold, each word laced with venom.

Gasps rippled through the crowd at his words. This had never been heard or seen. Kendra wasn’t just anyone. Cain would not speak to her this way except whatever she did was insane.

"I don’t know what you mean," Kendra stammered, her voice trembling as she clutched at the fabric of her dress.

"Don’t lie to me!" Cain’s voice thundered, and she flinched as though struck. "You paid a warrior to lure Avery to the southern border. You put her life at risk, and by extension, the safety of the entire pack. Do you deny it?"

Kendra’s lips parted, her gaze darting toward her mother, who looked equally stunned. Carol had warned her, told her to let it go. She’ll do it all but of course Kendra didn’t listen. She didn’t, and now... "I—I didn’t—"

"You didn’t what?!" Cain interrupted, stepping closer. The sheer force of his anger made her stumble back. "You didn’t think I would find out? Didn’t think I’d deal with you the way you deserve, is that it, Kendra?"

"Enough!" Cain’s voice cut through her protest, his growl echoing in the air. "Do you think I would make accusations without evidence? A warrior confessed under oath. He named you. Do you deny paying him to lure Avery into danger?"

Kendra’s chest heaved, her mouth opening and closing. Around them, the pack murmured softly, their gazes darting between Kendra and Cain. Carol’s hand shot out, gripping Kendra’s arm tightly.

"Kendra..." Carol whispered. "Tell him it isn’t true. You wouldn’t do such." She gritted out tightly, her gaze intense on Kendra as though she was trying to pass a message. Kendra had to deny it, even if the evidence was dangling right in front of her face, she had to deny it. Carol refused to be humiliated this way.

Kendra squeezed her eyes shut, her hands trembling at her sides. "Fine! I did, but it was never to hurt the pack. They weren’t even rogues, just a bunch of savages, and they were only meant to teach her a lesson. That’s all I did.

"That’s all you did? You endangered the lives of everyone living in Vehiron, Kendra! You’re so tone-deaf you can’t even understand the gravity of what you’ve just done." Cain growled, and Kendra flinched.

Damn that warrior. Why was he still in the pack? How was he caught? She paid him handsomely to leave the pack, so why didn’t he leave immediately? Why did he stay back just to get her into more trouble!

Kendra swallowed hard, "I made a mistake, I agree, but I would never endanger the pack intentionally. I realize I made a mistake, but I only did it because—" she paused, her flickering to the one who stood some feet away from him, also watching what was happening. Avery.

Kendra’s expression tightened, and she took a step towards Cain, reaching for him. "I made a mistake. Please forgive me," she pleaded.

Cain jerked her hand off him, in the process pushing her to the floor roughly. "What you’ve done isn’t forgivable. You will be punished severely for this," Cain gritted out, and Kendra froze.

"From this day forward, Kendra is banished from Vehiron for two months. She will leave tonight—stripped of her title, her privileges to this pack."