Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha-Chapter 182

Ten hours later, they finally returned to the pack. It had been an extremely long and eventful day for Avery. Who would have thought that going out with Millie, Selena, and Lydia would be so chaotic? Lydia, who was supposed to be the rational one, seemed to have made a deal with the goddess to be anything but rational today.

Now, Avery stood in front of the mirror in her room, smoothing out the green dress she had bought. She turned around, and all their gazes fell on her.

"No. I don’t like this one," Selena said.

"Me too. It’s too dull and conservative," Lydia replied.

"Me three. It’s dull," Millie chimed in.

Avery looked at all three of their faces and rolled her eyes. She wasn’t surprised they were all against the dress, considering they had been against it at the store as well.

Lydia crossed her arms and gave Avery a pointed look. "You’re the Luna. You need something that will make Cain lose his mind, not... whatever this is." She gestured vaguely at the green dress.

Millie nodded vigorously. "Yeah! Something that screams, ’Look at me, I’m powerful, sexy, and I own this place.’"

Avery sighed, "I just wanted something comfortable."

Selena scoffed. "Comfortable is for bedtime. This is for making Alpha Cain forget how to breathe."

Before Avery could argue, Lydia suddenly grinned. "I have just the thing."

A sinking feeling settled in Avery’s stomach as Lydia reached into one of the shopping bags and pulled out—

Avery gasped in horror. "Lydia, no!"

Lydia held up a scandalous, lacy black lingerie set, the fabric leaving very little to the imagination. She might as well be naked if she wore this.

Millie let out a loud, dramatic gasp. "You did not."

Selena burst into laughter. "Oh, she absolutely did. This is wild and incredibly sexy."

Avery’s face turned a deep shade of red. "How did that even get in the bag? I made sure—"

Lydia smirked. "I may have... slipped it in."

Avery snatched it from her hands, frantically shoving it behind her back. "Oh goddess, are you insane? I’m not wearing this!"

"Why not?" Millie asked, completely serious. "I think Alpha Cain would love it. We see the way he stares at you. I’m certain he would like it."

"That’s exactly why I’m not wearing it!" Avery hissed.

Lydia rolled her eyes. "Oh, come on. Don’t be so uptight. This is for Cain."

Millie grinned. "And for you, obviously."

Selena dramatically flipped her hair. "Allow me to demonstrate."

Before Avery could stop her, Selena snatched the lingerie, bent down as though she wanted to pick something up, and then suddenly flipped, her hair tumbling back. She then flipped her imaginary skirt. "You have to walk in like this—"

Millie giggled uncontrollably before flopping onto the bed and arching ridiculously low. "Then you have to do this, and say—" She put on an airy, dramatic voice. "Oh, my big strong Alpha, take me now."

Avery let out a horrified squeak. "Stop!"

Lydia wiped away fake tears. "I’m not gonna lie. These are some wild imaginations."

Millie was howling with laughter at this point while Avery reached to snatch the lingerie back from Selena.

And that’s when the door swung open. It was Cain.

Cain stood in the doorway.

Avery froze, her entire soul leaving her body. This cannot be real.

His sharp gaze swept over the scene. Selena posed seductively, Millie sprawled across the bed, Lydia grinning like a damn troublemaker, and Avery, snatching the lingerie from Selena.

Millie jumped off the bed horrifyingly fast, and Selena straightened up. Now, nobody was laughing. The two bowed down incredibly low. Their heads were almost touching their feet. "Alpha." They chorused in shaky voices. If the situation wasn’t so insane, Avery would have burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of it all.

"Please excuse us. W-we should get back to work. B-beta Lydia—" they rushed out incoherently.

With one curt nod from Lydia, the two of them bowed their way out of the room, leaving Avery and Lydia behind.

Cain arched a brow, clearly amused as hell. "Should I be concerned?"

Avery, still clutching the lingerie behind her back like a criminal caught red-handed, felt her entire body heat up in mortification.

Lydia, ever the troublemaker, grinned and shrugged. "Not at all, Alpha. We were just... helping Avery with some outfit choices."

Cain’s gaze slowly dropped to Avery, taking in her stiff posture, red face, and the way she desperately tried to keep something hidden behind her back.

His eyes narrowed slightly, and Avery could tell....he knew.

"I see," he mused, stepping further into the room.

Avery’s throat went dry.

Lydia, the absolute traitor, patted Avery on the shoulder. "I’ll leave you two to... discuss."

And then she walked right out, closing the door behind her with a soft click. Avery swallowed hard as Cain took another step forward, his eyes never leaving her face.

"What exactly were you practicing?" he asked, his voice low.

"I—I wasn’t—" Avery started, her words stumbling over themselves as she backed up instinctively.

Cain’s gaze dropped to her hands, still clutching the lingerie behind her back.

She could practically hear the amusement in his voice when he said, "You’re hiding something."

Avery shook her head furiously. "Nope. Not at all. Nothing to see here."

Cain smirked knowingly and then, so damn fast, he reached behind her.

Avery let out a strangled yelp, twisting to avoid him, but it was hopeless. Cain was faster, stronger, and far too amused to let her escape.

The lingerie was no longer in her hands.

Avery froze in sheer horror.

Cain held up the sheer black lace, his brows lifting slightly as he took in exactly what it was.

Avery wanted to die.

Cain looked at her again, his gaze darkened. "Interesting choice." He murmured.

Avery choked on air. "It’s not—It wasn’t—I didn’t—"

Cain tilted his head, twirling it between his fingers, clearly enjoying every second of this.

"You bought this?"

Avery shook her head. "Lydia did. Without me knowing."

Cain hummed, unconvinced. "Yet you were hiding it like a secret."

Avery couldn’t handle this. "Just—will you give it back."

Cain took a step closer, his gaze intense on her. "Say please."

She choked on air. "Please?"

Cain smirked, clearly savoring her mortification. "Good girl."

Avery’s entire body ignited at the praise. It was insane how her body reacted to him.

He chuckled, and finally, handed it back.

Avery snatched it, turning away as quickly as possible to stuff it into the nearest drawer. Maybe if she pretended this entire situation never happened, her soul would recover.

But before she could will herself to move past the utter humiliation, she felt him behind her.

"Avery.." his voice was quieter now.

She turned around, and her breath hitched at their proximity. "W-what?"

"I love this dress on you." He said, and she stilled. She was still wearing the green dress the other three didn’t like, but somehow Cain loved it.

"Thank you." She said, her face burning a bright red.

Cain chuckled at seeing her reaction.

"I have a meeting," he murmured, already turning toward the door.

Just before he stepped out, he glanced back over his shoulder. His gaze dipped once, briefly, to the drawer she’d stuffed the lingerie in.

His smirk returned.

"I’m looking forward to seeing you in that." He winked and walked out, leaving Avery standing there.