Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha-Chapter 139

Betrayed by Blood

Chapter 139

Cain stood up, his chair scraping against the floor. They were finally done with the meeting and had concluded on who would be assuming leadership under Cain’s command in the Silvermoon pack.

Cain walked towards his table, taking out a couple of documents he needed to work on. He paused for a second, lifting his head up towards Lydia, who was just about to step out of the office too.

"Lydia," he called out.

She froze mid-step, turning back to face him.

"Yes, Alpha?"

"Avery. Take her out from the servant quarters and move her into my quarters."

Lydia blinked, momentarily stunned. "Your quarters?"

Cain arched his eyebrows. "Yes, my quarters."

"But that means she will no longer be a servant in Vehiron," Lydia replied, her eyes on him.

Cain cleared his throat and looked away. "Yes, I’m lifting her status. She wasn’t a servant anyway."

Lydia couldn’t help the smile that stretched on her lips. Whatever was going on with Cain, she hoped it never stopped. She had been hoping for a day like this where he would actually open his eyes and see Avery in a different light.

"Okay, Alpha. I’ll set her up in the room opposite yours," Lydia replied with a smile and walked out of the office.

Cain stood still, his gaze on the door Lydia had just stepped out from. He sighed, turning towards the window. It had been on his mind for a while. His wolf had been bugging him about it, and he finally gave in today. Avery shouldn’t be in the servant quarters anymore.

Before Cain could get lost in his thoughts, the sound of footsteps dragging against the wooden floor pulled him back. He looked up to see Callum standing by the door. The other bowed.

"Alpha."

"Come in, Callum," Cain said, taking a seat. He leaned back against the chair, watching as Callum shut the door behind him.

"What do you want?"

Callum shifted hesitantly, the silence between them dragging on a bit. Cain watched an eyebrow up. "Callum?" he called out.

Callum cleared his throat. "Just a quick discussion, Alpha. It’s just about Xander."

At this, Cain’s ears perked up. He leaned back against the chair, his sharp eyes on the man. "What about Xander?"

Callum took a step closer. "Are you sure sending Xander to Silvermoon is a good idea? I mean, after everything that’s happened between Xander and this pack. Is it really wise to send Xander to Silvermoon when—"

"Are you questioning my intelligence, Callum? Is that what this is?" Cain snapped, and the man’s lips shut tight. "N-No Alpha, I would never question—"

"Then what is the question here? Did I ask you for your opinion, Callum?"

Cain stood slowly, the chair screeching beneath him as he leaned forward, resting his hands flat on the desk. His voice dropped low and deep.

"I didn’t ask for your thoughts, Callum. And I sure as hell don’t need your doubts clouding my judgment." Cain paused. "I gave Xander this responsibility because he deserves it. Matt set him up, and now I put him in charge of Matt’s pack. Whatever I do is my decision—my authority. And you?"

Callum’s fists clenched at his sides, his frustration palpable. "I could go instead," he offered, though his voice lacked the conviction it once had. "You know I’d handle it without complication. I’m just... concerned about Xander. His loyalty hasn’t exactly been proven after everything that’s happened."

"You’re standing on thin ice, questioning my decision, Callum."

Callum’s jaw tightened, fists curling until his knuckles turned white. "I would never, Alpha. I only meant to—" freēwēbnovel.com

"Mean less." Cain’s voice dropped to a dangerous whisper. "You failed me once, Callum. You’re lucky I didn’t tear your throat out for your incompetence. Xander—one-armed, disgraced, hunted—still proves his worth more than you ever have. You were unable to fulfill the responsibilities I entrusted to you. And now, suddenly, you think you can do a better job in Silvermoon? Before all that happened with Xander, he was a far better warrior than you, and even now—despite losing an arm, he proves his worth. I suggest you perfect your skills before you dare dish out opinions no one asked for."

The sting of Cain’s words hit Callum hard, his lips pressed into a thin line, each word gnawing at his chest. Quietly, Callum’s gaze dropped. "Yes, Alpha," he replied through clenched teeth.

"Get out of my sight. And remember your place before I decide you don’t have one in my pack at all."

Callum bowed stiffly, swallowing his anger, and left the office with a broken pride.

~~~~~~~~~~~

The quiet hum of the servant quarters was all too familiar to Avery. She sat on the edge of her narrow bed, fingers tracing the

fabric of the blanket she used to keep the cold away. The ache in her ribs still throbbed from the attack days earlier, but the pain was dull now, fading with the help of her wolf’s newfound strength.

A knock at the door startled her. Before she could answer, Lydia stepped inside, a warm smile on her face.

"Avery," Lydia said gently, clutching a small set of keys in her hand.

Avery blinked in confusion. She jumped to her feet, her eyes wide with panic. "Lydia? What—?"

"You’re being moved," Lydia announced, her voice light, almost cheerful.

Moved? The word struck Avery like a blow. Her mind immediately raced to the worst—was Cain sending her away? Punishing her in some new, cruel way?

"I... What did I do?" Avery whispered, her voice tight with fear.

Lydia’s smile softened. "No, no. You’re not being punished, Avery. You’re being moved into the Alpha’s quarters."

The words didn’t make sense at first. His quarters?

Avery’s heart skipped painfully in her chest. "That can’t be right. There’s no way Cain would—"

"Cain ordered it himself," Lydia interrupted gently, stepping closer. "You’ll have your own room, opposite his. You’re no longer a servant in Vehiron."

The breath whooshed out of Avery’s lungs like she’d been struck. She stared blankly at Lydia, struggling to process the weight of those words.

"Are you sure?" Avery asked. It wasn’t making sense.

Her heart pounded hard in her chest. "There has to be some mistake," she muttered. "He wouldn’t... he doesn’t... Cain doesn’t care about me like that."

Lydia’s eyes softened with sympathy. "It’s not a mistake, Avery. You’re his mate, and he should’ve treated you as such a long time ago. Regardless, I’m glad you’re out of here now."

Avery moved mechanically, following Lydia out of the servant quarters, and soon they arrived at the Alpha’s quarters. Of course, it was the largest part in the pack house. He used it alone, and that meant he alone stayed there, but now she would too.

They stopped outside a massive door. Lydia unlocked it and stepped aside, gesturing for Avery to enter.

It was nothing like the cold, bare servant quarters she was used to. The bed was massive, draped in thick blankets that looked too soft.

The room was warm, touched with soft light spilling from the large windows. The air smelled clean. Her eyes caught on the wardrobe in the corner, the vanity by the wall. It all felt too much. Too real.

Lydia turned to leave but paused at the doorway, her gaze softening. "I’ll give you a moment to settle in. Just... wait here for now. I need to fetch something for you," she said with a smile on her face and then slipped out, the door clicking softly behind her.

Avery stood frozen for a moment. She let out a breath and turned, letting her eyes flicker across the room again. Everything felt too grand, too foreign—like she had stepped into someone else’s life entirely.

She slowly walked towards the vanity, admiring the way it had been crafted. She looked up only to catch her reflection in the mirror.

She froze. The image she saw in there. It was different. Even more different than what she had seen that night.

Her reflection didn’t feel like her own.

The white streak in her hair seemed to glow. The blonde part of her hair was beginning to get dark, which was impossible. She leaned in closer, rubbing her eyes, convinced it was just a trick of exhaustion or the strange lighting in the room. But when she looked again, it was still there—glowing faintly, pulsing like it had a life of its own.

What is happening to me?

And then—she heard it.

Not her wolf.

Not her own thoughts.

It was something else entirely, soft yet powerful, a whisper that seemed to come from deep within her mind.

"I’m here."

Avery staggered back from the mirror, her heart slamming against her ribs. Her breath came shallow, panic clawing at her throat.

That wasn’t me... and it wasn’t my wolf.

Her eyes darted around the room, but she was still alone.

Then what the hell was that?