Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha-Chapter 92

Betrayed by Blood~

Cain sat at the head of the long oak table, the weight of his pack’s affairs bearing down on him. His circle of advisors sat quietly, shuffling through reports and updates, but Cain’s mind was elsewhere.

Avery.

The image of her burned hand flashed in his mind, followed by the way she flinched under his touch. His jaw tightened. He hated the feeling that surged through him—the knot of guilt tangled with something he refused to name. The frustration was maddening. He’d spent the last ten minutes nodding at Callum’s report without actually hearing a word of it.

"Alpha?" Callum’s voice cut through the fog in Cain’s mind.

Cain blinked and shifted in his seat, the sharpness in his gaze returning as he focused on the man across the table. "Repeat that," he commanded curtly.

Callum cleared his throat, "Lydia was saying that-" he was cut off.

"I was saying that," Lydia said, "The northern ridge pack is requesting mediation. It’s a minor dispute over rogue borders, but it could escalate if left unattended. I’ll leave immediately if you wish."

Cain nodded. He had been hearing of the dispute between the two alphas in the northern ridge, and since they were directly under Cain’s command, he had to settle it. He waved a hand dismissively. "Fine. Handle it. Report back when it’s done."

Lydia nodded briskly, stood up, and left without another word. Cain sank back into his chair, rubbing his temples.

Minutes after she left and the others had disappeared, Callum cleared his throat, drawing Cain’s attention back to the table. "Alpha, there’s news of Xander," he began.

Cain’s focus sharpened instantly. "Speak."

Callum straightened. "He’s been sighted in the southern region, near the river crossing. Our warriors are closing in on him as we speak."

Cain nodded, getting up to his feet. He walked towards the window, his gaze flickering across the landscape. "Make sure they don’t lose him this time. I want him caught alive. Xander needs to pay for his crime."

Callum gave a sharp nod. "Yes, Alpha. Please excuse me, I’ll go see to it." He said, and Cain dismissed him.

A smirk tugged on Cain’s lips. Callum’s words rang in his mind. After all this time, it was time for Xander to answer to him.

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Martha walked as fast as her legs could take her, her jaw clenched hard and fists tightened at her sides. How dare Julie tell her to go clean the stables. The disrespect was too much for Martha to bear now. Carol, who she thought would have her back at least, had done nothing but go in and out of the pack ever since her daughter’s banishment. It was like she gave up on the plan, and Kendra? Don’t even let her get started on Kendra. Even after the message she sent to the lady, she focused to take charge.

The least Kendra could’ve done after getting the message was break her punishment and drive down to Vehiron as soon as possible. At least, that was what Martha had been expecting, but what did she get in return? Nothing! Not even an acknowledgment of the message. Martha was sure the two women had given up on their quest to make Kendra Cain’s mate and wife. Pathetic, really. Now she was all on her own, she couldn’t even use Kendra’s influence to get herself out of ridiculous positions like the one Julie had put her in.

Just as she rounded the corner, about to burst out the door and head to the stables, Martha’s gaze landed on something. She froze in her steps, quickly hiding behind the wall, her head peeking out. It was Lydia heading towards her car with Sir Nathan. From where Martha stood, she could hear them talking. The more she listened, the more her smile grew, luck just shone on Martha. Lydia was leaving the pack for two days. Two whole days! Suddenly, it was the best day of Martha’s life.

She watched as Lydia hopped into her car and drove away. She slowly stepped out of the corner she’d been hiding, a wide smile on her face. "Perfect timing," she muttered with a smile and turned around, heading back the same way she’d come.

She knew Lydia’s routines well, and she knew exactly where to look.

Entering Lydia’s room, Martha closed the door quietly behind her and turned to look around the space. It was neat, almost annoyingly so. But she didn’t have time to dwell on that. She knew Lydia had packed her stuff from her office to her room. She had been watching, and so she was certain the beta had placed that envelope in here. Her eyes scanned the desk, the shelves, the locked cabinet in the corner.

She started with the cabinet, immediately pulling them open and searched through it. Her hands moved with ease, rummaging through drawers and papers. She was careful not to disturb anything too obviously. She couldn’t afford to make any kind of mistake.

She moved to the shelves, her fingers moving between each book quickly and yet found nothing. She gritted her teeth tightly, her gaze sweeping over the room once more. She rushed over to the desk and immediately started to search. Sweat beads formed over her forehead, her lip bitten raw from anxiety. She pulled some books in a compartment beside the desk and searched it but found nothing. A frustrated grunt escaped her lips. She moved to put the books back where she’d found them and then, she found it—a folded letter tucked carefully between the books. freewebnσvel.cѳm

Martha’s eyes widened; she quickly pulled it out. Unfolding it, Martha’s eyes darted over the words, her smirk widening with each passing line. "Oh, Lydia," she whispered mockingly. "You should’ve been more careful."

She folded the letter again and slipped it into her pocket. With this in her hands, Lydia’s position wasn’t as secure as she thought. Now, Martha had the upper hand, and Lydia would dance to her tunes whether she wanted to or not.