Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha-Chapter 187

The first thing Avery noticed was the smell. It reeked. It reeked so bad she felt bile rise up to her throat. The smell of blood filled her nostrils. The second thing she noticed was the pain.

A searing ache at the side of her head, pulsing with every breath she took. Her wolf should have healed it by now, but it hadn’t. Heck! She couldn’t even feel her wolf. She instantly knew something was wrong.

The third thing she noticed was the cold.

The floor was rough and wet, the cold seeping through her clothes. She tried to move, but her wrists wouldn’t budge. A sharp clink echoed, and realization slammed into her.

Chains.

She was chained.

Her heart pounded. She forced her eyes open, blinking against the light. The room was small, but she wasn’t alone.

Avery sucked in a slow breath, forcing herself to stay calm. She could make out the shapes of five men. Rogues. Their postures were relaxed, but their eyes... their eyes were watching her too closely, too hungrily. She squeezed her eyes shut, emptied of the time she was taken back then filled her mind. This couldn’t be happening again. In fact, it was worse this time.

"Look who’s finally awake."

The voice was rough, drawing her eyes open again. A man with greasy hair and a scar down his jaw stepped forward, crouching at her side. His lips curled. "Slept well, sweetheart?" He smelled like sweat and decay, and when he smiled, his teeth were yellowed and chipped.

Avery didn’t answer. She tested the chains behind her. Thick irons. Too strong for her current state. Her wolf was silent; she couldn’t even feel it. Damn it. Whatever they had knocked her out with certainly did this.

Another rogue, broader, with a missing ear chuckled. "She doesn’t look too happy to see us..." He paused, glancing at the others before flashing a blackened, rotting smile. "Or maybe it’s just you."

The one crouched before her suddenly blew up in anger, his face sneered in a nasty frown. He grabbed Avery’s jaw, his fingers dug into her skin, rough and sharp, forcing her to look at him.

Avery clenched her teeth, refusing to show any sign of weakness. But her body betrayed her, a shudder ran down her spine, too slight for them to notice, but she felt it.

The rogue’s breath was disgusting, his face too close. "You think you’re tough, huh?" His grip tightened, nails biting into her jaw roughly. "We’ll see how tough you are when we—"

"Oi."

The missing-eared rogue cut him off, his grin widening. "Careful there, Vance. We’re supposed to deliver her alive."

Vance’s nostrils flared. He held Avery’s gaze for a second longer before shoving her face to the side, hard enough to rattle her brain.

Avery spat blood onto the floor, her breathing ragged. She swallowed back the pain, glaring up at them.

"Keep touching me," she rasped, "and my mate will make sure your corpse is unrecognizable."

That earned a roar of laughter from the others.

"She’s got fire," one of them snickered. "Shame it won’t do her any good."

Avery ignored their comment. "Where am I? Where have you brought me to? Who do you work for? You don’t have to die for this. Tell me who you work for, and I might let you live."

One ear tsked. "You ask the wrong question." He leaned in slightly, voice dropping to a mock whisper. "You should be asking what happens next."

She didn’t flinch; instead, she smirked. "What happens next is that my mate is going to rip your throats out. Or maybe, I’ll do it myself. I’ll rip those things you call eyes out of your sockets." She couldn’t do that, but if it would get them to fear her even just a little, then good.

They laughed even harder, falling and bending over with tears in their eyes from how hard they were laughing.

"Do you even realize the trouble you’ve invited for yourselves? Do you know who my mate is? He’s Cain Knight. The very same Cain. How do you idiots think he’s going to react when he realizes I’m no longer in my room getting ready for our mating ceremony?

They stopped laughing instantly, almost like they suddenly came to their senses. And for a second, a brief second, Avery hoped they would let her go.

The rogue with the missing ear was the first to recover, forcing out another chuckle, but it lacked the same amusement as before. "Cain Knight, huh?" He tilted his head, feigning boredom. "Big, bad Alpha of Vehiron."

He took a slow step closer. "And yet... here you are, all alone."

Avery smirked wider. "For now, but trust me when I tell you, You should dread what will happen to you when he gets here. None of you will survive his wrath."

Vance chuckled, "Get here? Sweetheart, he’s never getting here. Not after what has been planned for you. He’ll be lucky to find your corpse."

Avery’s heart dropped to her stomach. Lucky to find her corpse? This can’t be possible. It simply cannot.

"Who sent you? Who paid you to do this to me? Tell me! I can do better! I can give you a better offer. Tell me your price, and I’ll top it."

As she rambles on, a rogue from the corner groaned, rubbing his temples. "Enough with the chit-chat. She’s getting annoying. Shut her up."

Before Avery could react, hands grabbed her, yanking her head back. A damp cloth pressed against her nose. The scent hit her instantly. The same smell from before.

No.

She thrashed, twisting in their grip, but her limbs were sluggish, her body too weak. The damp cloth pressed harder against her nose.

No. No. No.

She bit down as hard as she could. freewёbnoνel.com

The rogue shouted, jerking his hand away, but another instantly replaced him, shoving her hard against the floor.

"Feisty little thing," one of them sneered.

Avery gasped, her vision blurring. The voices around her became muffled. The last thing she heard before darkness swallowed her whole was a deep chuckle.

"Sleep tight, sweetheart. You’re in for a long ride."