Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha-Chapter 171

Betrayed by Blood

Chapter 171

The room was eerily quiet.

Cain stood in the doorway, motionless. His gaze remained fixed on the bed... on her.

Avery lay perfectly still, her face pale against the dark sheets. If not for the slow, shallow rise and fall of her chest, she might have appeared lifeless.

His throat tightened.

Four days.

Four goddamn days since she had collapsed in his arms. Four days of burning and freezing at the same time, her body caught in a battle even the healers couldn’t explain.

Cain had barely left this room. Barely breathed without listening for hers. The only time he wasn’t watching over her was when he had no choice but to leave to handle affairs that refused to wait.

But every time he closed his eyes, he saw the dungeon. Saw her standing there, trembling. Saw the charred, burnt body of Hugh on the floor.

He had dismissed the guards’ claims at first, thinking them hysterical. But he had seen the aftermath. He had gone down there himself, had grabbed Hugh’s ruined, twitching form and thrashed him like a common thief.

He had seen the burns.

Had seen what Avery had done. The way Avery collapsed afterward, like something had been ripped from her.

"She burned him," the guards had said. "We saw fire come out of her."

It wasn’t simply impossible.

The knot in his chest tightened yet again. There was no answer as to why she was still

unconscious.

The healers had come and gone, never staying long, their faces tight with confusion. They had no answers. Only murmured speculations.

And Cain had no patience for murmured speculations.

He exhaled sharply through his nose, finally stepping back and pulling the door shut behind him, walking back to the office he’d taken temporarily. As soon as he opened the door, he wasn’t surprised to find Lydia already inside, a tray of food resting on the desk.

Cain’s eyes flickered to it before he spoke, his voice flat.

"I’m not hungry."

Lydia sighed. "I knew you’d say that." She didn’t move, didn’t argue. She simply stood there, waiting.

Cain ignored her, making his way to the chair by the table. He dragged a hand through his hair before slumping into it, exhaling.

"You have to eat something," Lydia said quietly. "It’s been four days since you last ate. That’s not good, Cain."

Cain scoffed, dragging a hand through his hair as he slumped into the chair. "I don’t give a damn about that."

Lydia sighed, placing the tray down with a soft clink. "Well, I do. And so will Avery. She’s not going to wake up to a half-dead mate."

Cain’s jaw clenched. He knew what she was doing. Using Avery against him. It should have pissed him off, but right now, he didn’t have the energy to fight.

Not when his mind kept circling back to Avery, still and silent.

He exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples. "Any updates?"

Lydia hesitated before answering. "None that make sense if that’s what you’re asking for." She paused, then continued. "We did get some news from the king, though," she said.

At this, Cain’s gaze snapped up. "Alaric? What does he want this time?"

Lydia sighed, grabbing a chair. "Nothing you haven’t predicted. He’s asking questions. Heard of what happened here and wants you to answer them. He’s summoning you to the palace yet again."

Cain scoffed, leaning back in his chair. "Of course he is."

He should have expected this. Alaric had eyes everywhere. The moment something unusual happened, he was the first to sniff it out like a bloodhound.

Lydia tilted her head. "What do you want to do?"

Cain drummed his fingers against the desk, jaw tight. He had no intention of answering Alaric’s summons, especially not now. Not when Avery was still unconscious.

"Ignore it."

Lydia didn’t look surprised. "You know he won’t like that."

Cain’s lips curled into something that wasn’t quite a smile. "He never does."

Lydia leaned forward. "Cain... this is different. He knows something happened here, and he’s not going to let it go." She hesitated.

Cain’s fingers stopped drumming. His eyes flashed dangerously.

Lydia swallowed. "I’m just saying... we should be careful." She stood up. "I’ll just divert the attention away from this for now," she said, turning to leave.

"Lydia." Cain’s voice stopped her, and she turned to see him.

"The food. Take it with you," he said.

She sighed and marched back to pick it. She’d been hoping he wouldn’t notice it, but of course, he did. He’s Cain, after all.

Hours had gone by yet again.

Now, Cain stood by the bed, arms crossed, his gaze locked onto Avery’s still form, staring down at her.

Another day had gone by, and she still wasn’t awake. Hadn’t so much as twitched. Her breathing was steady, but too shallow, her face far too pale.

Cain had seen her battered before, seen her bruised and broken. But never like this. Never so still. So lifeless. fгeewebnovёl.com

His fingers curled at his sides.

This was his fault.

He shouldn’t have brought her here. He shouldn’t have let her set foot back here. Shouldn’t have deceived her into coming, and now he was stuck.

Cain exhaled sharply, dragging a hand down his face. Was it worth it? Bringing her here? Facing her past?

A week ago, he would’ve said yes.

But now, standing here, watching her fight a battle he couldn’t see... he wasn’t so sure.

Cain clenched his jaw, an unfamiliar feeling curling in his chest, something too close to guilt.

He shut his eyes close, rolling his shoulders, and for the first time, he prayed to the moon goddess. He prayed that she would spare Avery this time and put all the pain on him.

He opened his eyes again, leaning down slightly and reached for her, just as he was about to touch her.

Avery’s fingers twitched against the sheets. Her eyelashes fluttered. And then, with a slow, unsteady movement...

Her eyes opened.