Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha-Chapter 150

Recap for those who might’ve forgotten. This Chapter is about Avery’s family.

Her uncle Hugh ƒreeωebnovel.ƈom

Aunt Darla.

Jasmine and Lucian, the man she was supposed to marry.

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The cold, damp air of the dungeon clung to Lucian’s skin as he sat hunched against the wall, his hands bound in rusted chains. His parents sat across from him, their once-proud gazes now dulled by despair. The stench of mildew and unwashed bodies filled the air.

His father-in-law, no, the tyrant who had orchestrated his downfall, had played his game well. Manipulating, scheming, and finally forcing Lucian to sign away his birthright. Now, Hugh controlled not only his own pack but Lucian’s as well, merging them into one under his ruling.

Lucian’s mother let out a shaky breath. "How did it come to this?" Lucian clenched his fists. He had been a fool to trust Hugh.

The man had stripped him of everything. His pack, his home, his dignity. And worst of all, he had lost Jasmine. Not that she had ever truly belonged to him.

Jasmine.

His supposed mate. The woman who had stood by his side, not out of love, but out of obligation. She had played her role well, pretending to care about him while following her father’s command. Oh, if only he didn’t make that mistake. If only he was smart enough to realize what she was doing that night. If only he had stayed with Avery and not Jasmine.

The gates to the dungeon creaked open, and Lucian lifted his head, his breath hitching as Jasmine stepped inside. Her milky white skin seemed to glow even in the dim light, her dark curls cascading over her shoulders in effortless waves. She was as breathtaking as ever, but the beauty he once adored now felt like a cruel mockery.

Jasmine’s gaze swept over the cell, pausing momentarily on his father’s sick form before landing on Lucian. There was no softness in her expression, no pity—just cold

indifference.

"Why did you want to see me?" she asked boredly.

Lucian’s throat tightened. He forced himself to push aside the bitterness, the anger. "I need the antidote," he said, his voice rough with desperation. "My father—he won’t last much longer without it. Please, Jasmine."

She tilted her head, her lips curling in amusement. "And why would that be my concern?"

Lucian swallowed hard. "You poisoned him," he said, his voice shaking. "You did this. At least have the decency and help him. He won’t last, Jasmine. Please, where is your compassion?"

Jasmine sighed, rolling her eyes. "Compassion? What’s that?" She paused and chuckled. "Oh, Lucian. You’ve always been a little slow. Whatever happens to your fathers is none of my business anymore."

Lucian’s nails dug into his palms. "Jasmine—"

She held up a hand, silencing him. "I honored your request to see me this once, Lucian, but it will never happen again."

With that, she turned on her heel and strode toward the door.

"Jasmine," he called, his voice barely above a whisper.

She never looked back.

Jasmine strolled into the living room, stretching lazily as she joined her family. Her mother, Darla, and her brother were already deep in conversation, lounging comfortably. She plopped onto the couch beside her brother, stealing a strawberry from the bowl in front of him.

"Where are you coming from?" Darla asked, eyeing her daughter.

Jasmine exhaled heavily. "Lucian asked to see me. Again." She rolled her eyes, biting into the fruit. "I figured I’d humor him and see what he wanted this time."

"And?"

Jasmine smirked. "The usual. Antidote, begging, desperate little pleas." She stretched her legs, gesturing for a maid to massage her feet. "Honestly, when are we getting rid of them, Mom? I’m tired of the whining." She waved a hand dismissively. "It’s pathetic." She leaned back against the couch, signaling to a maid to massage her feet. "Besides, it’s not good for my wolf, perceiving his scent around every time. It gets her agitated."

Darla sighed, rubbing her temples. "I’ll ask your father; he should’ve decided what to-"

Before she could finish, Hugh strode into the room.

"There he is," Jasmine drawled, tossing the stem of her strawberry aside.

Hugh settled beside Darla, patting her back absently. "Ask me what?"

Darla leaned forward, her voice sharp. "When you’re getting rid of Lucian and his family."

"When you’re getting rid of Lucian and his family? I mean, we already got the pack we wanted and have merged them. What’s next? That old man is gonna die anytime soon, anyways." Darla hissed out.

Hugh exhaled slowly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. "Soon."

Jasmine huffed, crossing her arms. "You keep saying that."

Hugh leaned forward, his gaze sharp. "Because timing matters, Jasmine. Killing Lucian and his family is inevitable, but we need to think bigger than this."

Darla frowned. "Bigger?"

Hugh nodded, "We’ve been limiting ourselves to this region for too long. It’s time to expand. There are packs beyond these borders—packs ripe for the taking." He glanced at his daughter. "And if we play our cards right, we will rule over it all."

Jasmine’s interest piqued. "You want to conquer more packs?"

Hugh smiled. "Why stop at just one?" He leaned back, drumming his fingers against the armrest. "Lucian was weak because he thought like a leader. I think like a ruler." He looked at them; they were all sitting straighter, their interests piqued.

"To achieve these goals, we need power. We need stronger alliances. More power. More influence."

Darla nodded. "How do we achieve that?"

A wicked grin spread across his face. "Have you ever heard of Cain Knight?"

Her breath hitched. "Cain Knight? The Cain Knight?"

"The very same," Hugh confirmed. "The strongest Alpha, Ruthless, powerful, and ruling over one of the most formidable packs in existence. What better alliance could we seek?"

Darla tilted her head, intrigued. "And how do you plan to forge such an alliance? We are just a small pack on the east coast."

"I have two packs under my belt now, Darla. Don’t underestimate me."

Darla then hummed, "How do we even start to get to Cain Knight."

He leaned back, fingers tapping against the armrest of his chair. "We offer him Jasmine as a mate."