Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha-Chapter 149

Betrayed by Blood

Just as Fin was about to respond, a knock sounded at the door. Alaric’s gaze flickered toward it, irritation flashing across his features. "Enter."

A messenger stepped inside, bowing deeply before speaking. "My king, we have received word from Vehiron," the messenger announced.

Alaric hummed, waiting for him to continue. "Alpha Cain has refused your summons. He said he will not answer to the king."

Alaric’s smirk didn’t waver, but his grip on the glass in his hand tightened slightly. The messenger hesitated, not knowing what to do.

"Leave," Fin ordered, and the messenger scampered out of the office, leaving the two men alone.

Fin then turned to face Alaric, his expression firm. "Forgive me for saying, Your Majesty, but this was what I feared. At least before, he used to uphold appearances, if only for the sake of it. Now he’s outrightly refusing to come."

Alaric exhaled through his nose, swirling the wine in his glass. "I should’ve known he wouldn’t come after all he’s gotten Silvermoon."

Fin frowned. "What do you want to do now, Your Majesty?" ƒrēenovelkiss.com

Alaric took a slow sip before answering. "Find out when Cain plans to merge Vehiron and Silvermoon." His voice was smooth, but there was an edge to it. "I want to know his every move."

Fin gave a sharp nod and turned to leave, but Alaric’s voice stopped him at the door. "And Fin, send a message to our little friend in Vehiron." His eyes darkened slightly. "Remind them of their purpose there. They’ve been silent for too long, and I don’t recall placing them there for decoration. Make sure they understand what’s at stake."

Fin smirked. "Consider it done."

With that, he slipped out of the office, leaving Alaric alone with his thoughts, the amber liquid in his glass rippling slightly as he stared into its depths.

~~~~~~~~

The night air in Vehiron was crisp, carrying the faint scent of damp earth. The day had been long, filled with talks of Cain’s latest commands. The successful conquest of the Silvermoon pack and the fall from grace of the Luna and her daughters. Also, the day was filled with the servants talking about what had happened to Kendra. It had been a very eventful day filled with various gossips flying about. Now, as the torches flickered against the stone walls, the halls emptied one by one.

A small group of maids walked together, their hushed voices the only sound in the dim corridor. Their conversation was light, filled with quiet laughter and complaints about their daily tasks.

"I swear, if I have to scrub another set of armor, I might lose my mind," one of them grumbled.

Another girl giggled, nudging her playfully. "Better than kitchen duty. You don’t know pain until you’ve burned your hands on boiling water."

"Boiling water? Try packing the horses’ shit and see. I’d get burned with hot water a thousand times than have to pack those demonic things’ shit," one hissed out.

They reached a junction where their paths split, each turning toward their respective rooms. One by one, they murmured goodnight before disappearing into the servant quarters.

The last girl walked alone, her pace unhurried as she stretched her arms with a soft sigh. The dim glow from the torches cast long shadows on the walls, but she paid them little mind. It was just another quiet night. She reached her door, fingers curling around the handle as she stepped inside, shutting it behind her.

Before she could take another breath, a strong hand clamped over her mouth, shoving her roughly against the wall. The sudden impact forced air from her lungs, her gasp muffled against the firm hand silencing her.

"Quiet," a low voice warned, the scent of leather and steel flooding her senses. His hand remained tight over her mouth, his body pressing her firmly against the wall to keep her from struggling. "Don’t make a sound."

Her wide eyes flickered to his face, fear freezing her in place as she recognized him.

Fin.

Her heart pounded against her ribs as she swallowed hard, her muffled breathing ragged. His gaze bore into hers, sharp and unyielding, a smirk barely tugging at the corner of his lips.

"I think you and I need to have a little chat," he murmured, his grip never loosening. "It’s been a while since we’ve heard from you... and that’s a problem."

He let go of her, and she staggered backward, her face drained of color. She swallowed hard, her hands trembling at her sides. "Y-you."

Fin arched an eyebrow, "Yes, me." He said, making sure the door was locked shut so no one would interrupt them.

He then turned to face her; the smirk he wore previously was totally gone and replaced with a cold, chilling frown. "It’s been too long, Selena."

Selena shook her head, panic settling in her bones. "I-I have been doing what you said. I’ve done it all." She rushed out.

Fin tilted his head, amusement flickering in his dark eyes. "Don’t insult my intelligence, little bird." His tone was almost playful, but there was an unmistakable edge beneath it. "You’ve been silent for too long. The king is starting to wonder if you’ve forgotten why you’re here."

"I haven’t." Selena whispered, her gaze lowered.

"You haven’t, but we haven’t gotten a word from you so far? Why did you think you were sent here?"

Selena’s breath hitched as Fin took a slow, deliberate step toward her, his presence suffocating in the small room.

"You’re on thin ice," he murmured, his voice calm but edged with danger. "The king is not pleased with you. And if you think Cain is terrifying..." He leaned in slightly, his breath ghosting over her skin. "You have no idea what Alaric is capable of."

Selena swallowed, her body rigid as she forced herself to meet his gaze. "I haven’t—"

"Why did you compromise your mission?" Fin cut in sharply, his expression unreadable.

Her brows furrowed in confusion. "I didn’t."

Fin clicked his tongue, shaking his head as if disappointed. "You killed someone." His words were slow.

Selena’s heart pounded, but she lifted her chin defiantly. "Martha deserved it."

Fin let out a low chuckle, but there was no humor in it. "That’s not the question."

Before she could react, his hand shot out, gripping her jaw with bruising force. Selena let out a sharp gasp, her fingers instinctively flying to his wrist, but his grip was tight.

"You listen to me," he murmured, tilting her head up so she had no choice but to meet his gaze. "If you mess this up, I will personally make sure your dear brother never sees the light of day again."

Her eyes widened in horror, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps.

Fin smirked coldly, his grip loosening. "Now," he said, his grip loosening just enough to let her breathe. "Tell me, what have you learned so far."

Selena began to sweat, "I-I have been trying, I swear, but I haven’t gotten anything yet. I swear I am trying, but the—"

Fin cut her off sharply. "Hmm...You have two days to get news over to the king."

Selena breathed a sigh of relief, thanking the goddess for this narrow escape. She watched as Fin turned to leave the room only to stop at the last minute, turning to look at her; he then takes out a brown nylon she hadn’t noticed and throws it at her. She caught it swiftly, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"That is to remind you, you weren’t sent here to play besties. Find something worthwhile and don’t mess it up again. You have two days." He gritted out before pulling his hoodie over his head again and walked out of the room.

Selena let out a shaky breath, her hands trembling as she unwrapped the bag. A guttural scream escaped her lips the second she saw what was in it. The bag fell to the ground, and she quickly clasped her hand over her mouth.

Sweat beads formed around her forehead, her body trembling with fear racking through her veins. Slowly, she looked at the bag again, and a tear rolled down her cheek. In it was her brother’s finger.