Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha-Chapter 172

Betrayed by Blood

Chapter 172

For a moment, there was nothing but silence.

Cain stood frozen, watching as Avery’s lashes fluttered, her gaze unfocused as she blinked up at the ceiling.

Then, her lips parted, a small, breathy exhale escaping. Confusion flickered across her face before her gaze slowly shifted to him.

Cain sucked in a breath; her eyes were clear. Not clouded. Not fevered.

Clear. Awake.

He moved before he could stop himself, lowering onto the bed, grasping her wrist. "Avery," he called out, unable to keep the panic out of his voice.

Avery’s eyebrows furrowed slightly as she looked at him. Then, to his complete and utter shock, she giggled the second she laid eyes on him.

Cain stiffened.

"What? What’s funny? Are you okay? Is this some kind of side effect?" he demanded, gripping her wrist tighter, eyes flickering over her body as though searching for the root of the problem. "I told those two to take it easy, but they kept wiping and rubbing so many things on you," he huffed out.

"Alpha... I’m okay," she whispered, her eyes on him, watching as he fussed over her.

Cain paused, his gaze flicking back to her. "You are?"

Avery nodded, "I am."

Cain scowled, his grip tightening slightly before he forced himself to relax. "So why did you laugh?"

Avery giggled yet again, "You. You made me laugh. I don’t think I’ve seen you look worried ever. It’s new and sweet too," she replied.

"You collapsed in my arms and didn’t wake up for four days, Avery. Forgive me if I give a damn. Sweet my foot."

Avery’s laughter softened, but her expression shifted slightly, as if she were just now processing what he’d said.

Four days.

Her smile faded. "I was out for that long?"

Cain exhaled, dragging a hand through his hair. "Yes. And it wasn’t just that." His voice was lower now, rough. "You were burning up one second and freezing the next. The healers had no clue what was happening to you."

Avery blinked at him, her brows knitting together. "Four days..." she whispered. She felt different, but it was a good different. It felt like she’d only slept for a few hours and woken up more energetic than before.

Cain stared at her, watching the confusion settle even more in her eyes. "Avery..." he called out her name, and she looked at him.

"What do you remember?"

"What do you mean?" she asked softly, eyes on him.

"Before you fainted. Do you remember what happened?" he asked, and as though his words commanded it, she instantly remembered. The screams, Hugh’s burnt body.

She looked away and nodded. "I remember." She had done that to him. How? She had no idea. All she knew was that he wouldn’t let go even after she asked him to. He wouldn’t leave her alone. The things he told her.

Avery looked away, nodding. "I remember." She repeated.

Cain studied her, but before he could say anything else, the door suddenly burst open.

Emma walked in with a bowl of cold water and a towel, ready to clean Avery’s body yet again. Her eyes widened the second she laid eyes on a conscious Avery. The bowl of water went crashing to the floor with a thud, all the water spilling.

"Avery!" she shrieked, not minding the fact that Cain was also in the room. She’d barely been able to look at the Alpha properly, but now, not even him could stop her.

Emma’s voice cracked as she rushed in, her face blotchy with tears. She barely paused before throwing herself onto the bed, wrapping her arms around Avery in a tight, sobbing embrace.

"I thought—I thought I lost you again," Emma wailed, clinging to her like she might disappear at any second. "Four days! Four! Do you know how awful that was? I was losing my mind! I was—"

Avery let out a breathless laugh, patting Emma’s back. "Emma, I’m fine. Really."

Emma only sobbed harder. "You weren’t fine! You just lay there, and no one could do anything, and I—I—"

Lydia entered more quietly behind her, arms crossed, but her face betrayed her relief. "She’s not wrong. It’s good to see you actually awake instead of just... sleeping."

Avery looked at her, smiling warmly at the beta. "Thanks, Lydia."

Lydia smiled back, caressing Avery’s shoulder. "Don’t mention it."

Meanwhile, Cain stood by the window now, watching it all unfold.

Avery turned her attention back to Emma, who was still sobbing into her shoulder. "Okay, okay, I get it. You can stop crying now."

Emma sniffled but didn’t let go. "No. You scared me. Let me have this."

Hours had passed since she’d woken, since Emma’s sobs had soaked into her shoulder and Lydia had given her a rare, relieved smile. The healers had come and gone, checking her over with murmured prayers to the goddess, calling her recovery a miracle.

Now, she stood on the balcony, the cool breeze brushing against her skin. Cain was beside her. Cain gently tucked a stray hair away, his gaze heavy on her. "What’s on your mind?" he asked.

Avery glanced at him, her lips bitten raw at this point. "Everything...it just feels surreal," she whispered.

Cain hummed, nodding his head. "I can imagine, but ground yourself into this moment, Avery. This is yours."

"This is mine?" she repeated.

"Yeah. It is yours."

For a while, neither of them spoke. It was peaceful. Safe.

Then Cain’s voice rumbled. "What do you plan to do with them?"

Avery blinked, tilting her head slightly to look at him. "With who?"

Cain’s fingers traced absent patterns along her arm. "The pack."

Avery frowned. "What do you mean?"

Cain exhaled, shifting so he could meet her gaze fully. "Blood-moon pack, Avery." His voice was steady, matter-of-fact. "It’s always been yours, but now it’s more jarring. The wolves here. This is your pack."

Avery was still reeling from Cain’s words when he spoke again, his voice quieter this time.

"The warriors have asked to pledge their allegiance to you."

Her head snapped toward him. "What?"

Cain’s gaze remained steady. "They want to swear their loyalty to you as their Luna and leader. Now it’s all up to you what you want, Avery." freeweɓnovel.cøm

Avery nodded slowly, her gaze shifting to the landscape of the pack. After everything that’s happened, she never thought she’d be back here in a setting such as this, but now... it was truly here.