Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha-Chapter 14

Betrayed by Blood~

The world swayed around me, the faint scent of blood and earth filled my nose. I tried to open my eyes, but they were too heavy. My body ached, the pain sharp, but I couldn’t move. Voices swirled in the distance—growls and muffled shouts blending together—but none of it made sense.

I felt the ground beneath me shift, and a sensation as though I was being lifted. I drifted in and out of awareness, catching glimpses of light and shadows until I could no longer.

When I finally woke up, the air was different—cleaner, cooler. The faint hum of voices had faded, replaced by silence. My body ached, every nerve was screaming, but there was no growling, no snarling.

I blinked, trying to clear out the blurry lines in my eyes. Slowly, the room came into focus. The first thing I noticed was the sunlight, and the second was the softness of the bed. I’d never been on anything like it, so large and so soft. For a moment, I didn’t move, unsure if I was still dreaming.

I saw a shadow move from the corner of my eyes, and I turned my head, wincing at the movement. Standing at the foot of the bed, arms crossed, was Xander. His arms were crossed over his chest, his eyes intently on me.

My stomach dropped at the sight of him, and I immediately tried to sit up, wincing as the pain shot through my body. Xander stepped forward, his eyebrows knitted together.

"You shouldn’t move," he said firmly, and I froze. Did I make a mistake again?

"I’m sorry," I croaked, my throat dry and hoarse. "I didn’t mean to cause trouble," I replied. Now, I was sure I wasn’t dreaming. The room was far different than I was used to; everything in it screamed wealth. I looked at Xander again and immediately connected the dots. I’m in his room, that would be the reason he’s here watching me, but then again, why am I in his room?

I watched as Xander poured water into a cup, then handed it over to me. He cocked his eyebrows when I didn’t take it instantly. I immediately grabbed the cup and drank the water. I could feel his gaze on me, heavy, and forced myself to keep drinking.

"That’s enough, you’re going to choke," he said, and I dropped it.

"I’m sorry," I responded. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I knew I was in his room, and for that, I should be thankful.

Xander collected the cup from me with a sigh. "Why are you so apologetic?" he muttered under his breath, but I heard it.

"I- I don’t remember exactly what happened... My memory is slightly fuzzy... but..." I hesitated.

Xander’s brow furrowed at my words, but he didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he simply placed the empty cup on the table beside the bed.

I swallowed hard, my gaze falling to my lap. Flashes of what happened played in my mind. The fear, the growls, the sharp pain I felt when my head hit the floor, and then the feeling of being lifted. For a moment, I remembered being cradled against someone, strong arms carrying me.

Was it Xander? The thought filled my mind, but I knew it had to be him. My memory had been too blurry to make out a face, but it made sense. He was here now, after all, and I know for a fact no one would’ve bothered with me. It’s a miracle I’m still here because back then, I was certain I would never make it.

"Thank you for saving me," I said and looked at him.

Xander’s brow furrowed, and for a moment, he didn’t respond. Then, he said quietly, "Don’t thank me, thank Alpha Cain."

My breath hitched at his words. Cain?

No, that couldn’t be right. Cain would never save me. He hated me—despised me, even. The very sight of me irritated him. If anything, he would’ve been relieved if I hadn’t survived. He would be free from this cursed bond he despised so much.

I stared at Xander, confusion swirling in my mind. "Cain?" I whispered, my voice quiet.

Xander nodded once, his expression unreadable again. "He was the one who brought you back."

I shook my head slightly, the motion sending a dull throb of pain through my skull. "That doesn’t make sense," I muttered more to myself than to him.

~~~~~~~~

Cain paced back and forth in his study, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. His wolf growled inside him, restless and agitated. It hadn’t stopped since the moment he’d heard the words ’Avery Jae was sent to the eastern border.’

He’d barely been able to sit still through the meeting after that. When news of the rogue attack broke, something inside him had snapped. He hadn’t stopped to think, hadn’t stopped to consider how it would look—he had simply acted.

Now, the memory bothered him. His instincts had completely taken over, pulling him to the border with a force he couldn’t control, faster than even his guards could keep up.

Cain raked a hand through his hair, frustration boiling inside him. What the hell is wrong with me?

He told himself it was duty—nothing more. She stays in his pack, it was his responsibility as Pack Alpha, and that’s what he did.

He stopped pacing, his jaw tightening as the memory flashed through his mind again. Avery lying motionless on the ground, bloodied and bruised. Something animalistic had roared to life within him at the sight. His wolf had demanded action, and for once, he hadn’t been able to suppress it.

A knock at the door pulled him from his thoughts.

"Come in," Cain barked, his voice sharper than he intended.

The door opened, and Lydia stepped inside cautiously. "She’s awake," she said softly, her eyes searching his face.

Cain didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he turned his back to her, staring out the window as if the view would give him answers to the chaos inside his mind.

"Is she... well?" he asked after a moment, his tone flat.

"She’s bruised but alive," Lydia replied, stepping closer. "Xander’s with her."

Cain nodded stiffly, his jaw clenching again.

"You care more than you let on," Lydia said quietly.

Cain snapped his face at her, his eyes narrowing, his jaw clenched tightly.

"Don’t read into this," he snapped. "I don’t care about her. She’s a problem—a reminder of a bond I never wanted." freёnovelkiss.com

Lydia raised an eyebrow. "If that’s the case, then why did you move heaven and earth to save her?"

Cain’s eyes darkened, but he didn’t answer. He didn’t have an answer, and so he glared at her. "Leave." He ordered.

Lydia hesitated for a second before bowing and then walked out.

Cain ran his hands through his hair for the umpteenth time. This bond was making him lose his mind. The goddess was fucking with him so hard.