Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha-Chapter 28

Betrayed by Blood~

The harsh clanking sound of the gates being opened pulled Avery out of her thoughts. She snapped her head up to see the guard unlocking the bars, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"You’re free to go," he said gruffly, stepping aside.

"What? Why?" Avery asked, rushing to her feet. She couldn’t believe her ears. She had made peace with the fact that she would be locked up for weeks, if not months, only for this to happen.

"Thank the Goddess," the guard replied, his voice carrying a note of finality. "The real culprit has been found."

Avery’s heart leaped at the guard’s words, disbelief filling her eyes. "They have? Who? Who was it?"

Before the guard could respond, a familiar voice cut through instantly. "It was Martha," the voice said.

Avery looked up only to see Lydia walking towards her with a smile on her face. "The head maid?" Avery asked, and Lydia nodded.

Avery swallowed hard, feeling different types of emotions coursing through her veins. She felt so many things, and the one that stood out was sadness. She had never done anything to Martha and had always tried to satisfy the woman, regardless of how rigorous the work she gave Avery was, yet she still did this to her.

"She planted the jewelry in your room and framed you. Her hatred blinded her, and her lies caught up to her. Justice is being served as we speak," Lydia continued. She then placed her hand on Avery’s shoulder. "You’re free," she said.

Avery let out a deep breath and nodded. There were so many thoughts running through her mind. Her lips parted as if to ask more, but she stopped, nodding again.

"Come on," Lydia said, gesturing for her to follow. "Let’s get you out of here."

Avery stepped out into the open air, squinting her eyes from the sun. The sharp air hit her whole body, and she shuddered internally. She was only locked up for two days, but it felt like it had been much longer than that. She trailed behind Lydia, still feeling very disturbed.

They walked towards the pack yard, but the place was filled with pack members instead, all gathered in a circle, murmuring to themselves while watching something. In the middle of the yard was Martha. She knelt on the hard ground, her back exposed as she trembled.

The sound of the whip filled the air, followed immediately by the sickening crack as it met flesh. Martha screamed, her cry raw and loud.

Avery halted in her steps, her eyes widening in horror as she watched Martha get whipped publicly.

Lydia stopped in her tracks and turned back to see Avery frozen and staring at the scene unfolding. She walked back to the girl. "Keep walking. She brought this on herself," Lydia said.

Avery couldn’t, though. It felt like her feet were deeply rooted into the ground, her gaze stuck on Martha, like she couldn’t look away. Blood filled Martha’s back, her face scrunched in pain, and as though she could sense Avery staring at her, Martha’s head snapped up, her tear-filled eyes locking onto Avery’s.

Avery inhaled sharply the second their eyes met. For a brief second, she expected to see remorse, regret, or maybe she was reaching, but even an apology. She didn’t, though. Instead, what she saw was worse. Martha stared at her with the same hatred Avery had only seen in her uncle Hugh’s eyes when he pushed her off the cliff.

Avery flinched hard, her stomach twisting inexplicably. She quickly looked away, her heart thumping harder at the realization

that Martha truly hated her.

"Let’s go," Lydia’s voice jolted her back to reality, and she nodded quietly, forcing her legs to work. She didn’t know what scared her the most. The way Martha was being punished or the way she stared at her with such undiluted hatred.

Minutes later, Avery was back in her room.

"You can stay in your quarters now, but I can have it cleaned up even more if you feel off about it, especially after what’s happened," Lydia said.

Avery nodded wordlessly, her steps faltering as they neared the door. She turned around and bowed to Lydia. "Thank you," she whispered, not missing the way Lydia’s gaze softened.

"You’ve endured more than you should have," Lydia said softly. "But justice has been served. Remember that."

Justice? That word was so foreign to her ears now. Justice hadn’t been served yet. This wasn’t even justice. Real justice is when her uncle and his entire family rot after what they did to her and her family.

Avery forced a smile on her face and nodded before stepping into the room. She closed the door quietly and leaned against it, her chest rising and falling shakily. She rubbed her arms absently, remembering how Martha had stared at her. Lydia said the woman had now been stripped of her title as head maid for what she did. As much as Avery liked being free of the accusations, she couldn’t help but worry about what was to come next. At this point, it seemed like the goddess had it out for her.

A knock on the door jolted her from her spiraling thoughts. Avery tensed up and moved away from the door a bit. She dragged her hand over her face before pulling the door open, hoping it was another maid or something.

Her eyes widened when she laid eyes on Xander. He stood on the other side, hands slipped into his pockets, jaw clenched. His gaze relaxed when he laid eyes on her.

"Avery," he said quietly, his eyes dark and heavy on her.

"I wanted to make sure you’re alright," he said, and she was taken aback. He wanted to make sure she was alright?

She blinked, a little thrown off by his words. "I’m fine," she replied quietly.

Xander stared at her for a moment longer, his gaze sharp, although there was a flicker of something—concern?

"I just wanted to make sure you’re truly alright," he repeated again, but it was as though he wanted to say something else.

Avery nodded again. "Thank you," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

Xander’s jaw tightened, but he gave a small nod. He hesitated for a moment before turning to leave.

"I’ll let you be," he said quietly, his back to her now. "But if you need anything..." he trailed off again.

Avery stood still as he left, the door closing softly behind him, wondering what that was about.

Cain sat in his study, cocooned in the pile of reports and papers that needed his attention. But his mind was elsewhere, wandering relentlessly. His wolf was restless, more restless than ever, clawing at him, demanding his attention. The need to claim, to possess, to take what was his, though Cain still refused to acknowledge what that even meant, was becoming unbearable.

The bond was tugging hard with each passing second. Cain leaned against the chair, running his fingers through his hair frustratedly. He couldn’t continue like this anymore. He had to do something soon.

The door squeaked open, and Lucas stepped in meekly. The man bowed his head before looking at Cain. "Alpha, Avery Jae is back in the pack and now in her quarters," Lucas said.

Cain’s immediate reaction was one of relief. The gnawing in his chest, the constant agitation of the bond, dulled. He let out a deep breath, the tension easing from his shoulders as he heard those words.

He nodded, dismissing Lucas with a wave of the hand. The man bowed again before turning to leave, only to stop at the door, hesitating slightly. He then turned around again. "Alpha," he called out to Cain, who snapped his head up.

"Sir Xander was with her."

Cain’s jaw clenched at the mention of Xander’s name, and just like that, the storm in his head was back again, like it never left. Cain’s hands tightened into a fist.

"I see," Cain muttered, his voice low and cold. "That will be all, Lucas. You may leave." The man bowed again before walking off.

Cain leaned back against the chair, anger simmering inside of him. Xander was playing the role of the caring, concerned figure, and that burned Cain more than he wanted to admit.

His fingers dug into the armrest of the chair. Xander needed to be reminded of where he stood. He was crossing lines by acting so impulsively. Cain’s thoughts ran wild, and only one stood out. Xander needed a reality check.