Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha-Chapter 35

Betrayed by Blood~

The king stormed into the room provided for him and the queen, his boots slamming against the floor. The queen hurriedly shut the door, licking her lips nervously. King Alaric ripped off his coat, tossing it to a nearby chair with enough force to knock it over.

"That arrogant dog," he hissed out angrily. "Who does he think he is flaunting his power in front of me?" He growled, his chest rumbling with anger, his voice venomous.

He couldn’t forget what just happened. The way Cain had blatantly disrespected him by not bowing to him, not even extending his hand for a handshake. How dare he act so pompous? The way Cain had refused to bow, his deliberate pause before addressing him as Your Majesty. Worst of all, that smug, infuriating smirk.

’Hmm...Perhaps your worry would be more valid in the confines of your majesty’s pack. This is Vehiron.’

The King’s teeth clenched at the memory, his face darkening with rage. Vehiron. Cain had all but declared Alaric’s pack weak and insignificant. His worry would be valid there? The fucking brute.

"And that smirk," the King growled, grabbing the nearest bottle of wine and hurling it against the wall. The wine crashed against the wall, dark red liquid splattering across the white walls like blood. "He’ll regret it. I’ll make sure of it," Alaric gritted out, his eyes red with rage, his hands clenched into tight fists.

He had put up with Cain’s behavior for too long. He had allowed the boy to rule his pack despite his tantrums and vile rulings. He had chosen to tread quietly without causing trouble in the region, but Cain seemed to have forgotten who he was. He was King Alaric, the lord over the region. His say was final.

Behind him, the queen flinched at the sound of the wine glass meeting the wall. She stood quietly, her eyes darting nervously between the wall and Alaric.

"My King," she began softly, her voice trembling, "perhaps—"

The slap came faster than she could react, the force of it sending her staggering back against the wall. She gasped, one hand flying to her stinging cheek, while the other braced against the wall for support.

"Did I give you permission to speak?" the King spat, his face twisted in anger. He hovered over her, his eyes filled with rage. "You will keep your mouth shut unless I demand otherwise. Do you understand?"

Tears brimmed in the Queen’s eyes, and she nodded quickly, bowing her head.

"Y-yes, my king."

The King straightened, turning away from her as though she was nothing but a flimsy piece of furniture. His hand gripped the edge of the table, his knuckles white.

"I’ll crush him," he muttered to himself, his tone low and thick with bitterness. "This hunt will remind everyone who the true ruler is. Cain might have his warriors and his wealth, but he’s still just an overgrown mutt," he said to himself as he paced around the room.

The Queen sat at the edge of a chair, her head bowed, one hand resting lightly on her cheek. She hadn’t dared to speak since he hit her, knowing better than to provoke him even more.

A soft knock came at the door, and a servant stepped in, bowing low. "Your Majesty, dinner will be served in thirty minutes," the young girl said timidly.

King Alaric didn’t turn to acknowledge the girl. "Get out," he snapped, and the girl practically ran out of the room in fear.

Alaric then turned to look at Iris, the queen. "I hope you remember your place tonight," he said coldly, not sparing her a glance as he adjusted his cufflinks. "You’re here to sit pretty and say nothing. One wrong word from your lips and you’ll face my wrath."

The Queen nodded stiffly, swallowing the lump in her throat. "Yes, my King."

The dinner hall was large and grand, used only for occasions such as this. Everyone of importance had gathered around the long table. The King and Queen sat at the head of the long table, flanked by their guards, while Cain sat at the other head of the table. Cain had organized the dinner with an elegance only an Alpha of his caliber could achieve. The scents of roasted meat and baked bread lingered in the air. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

Avery stepped out of the kitchen with two trays in her hands, followed by five other maids. They’d been tasked with serving the food for the dinner. Avery swallowed hard, feeling sweat beads forming on her forehead. She had begged Millie to help her with this particular task, but Millie had been no help as she was even more anxious than Avery. Millie had been trembling with fear all day and had done everything possible to avoid the dining hall. Now, Avery was stuck with serving.

With air stuck in her throat, Avery moved quietly around the table, serving everything as carefully and gracefully as she could. Earlier in the morning, they’d been called and warned seriously. No mistakes were allowed. Anyone who made the slightest mistake was to be thrown in the dungeon and whipped mercilessly.

Her hands trembled as she set down a plate, fear gripping her insides tightly. Her gaze darted towards the head of the table, and her breath hitched when she found Cain’s eyes on her, intense and dark. She quickly averted her gaze, now aware of his heavy gaze on her. She moved swiftly to the others and laid the plates for them, her eyes flickering to the royal family. It was the first time she’d seen the royal family.

King Alaric had an air about him that made her bones ache. His eyes were fixed on his wine glass, swirling the liquid as though he could see through it. The Queen, Iris, was sitting stiffly beside him, her hands clasped tightly in her lap. Her gaze was low, and although her head was bowed, Avery could see the strain in her shoulders.

As Avery moved, she caught sight of Kendra, who was sitting beside Cain, her gaze on Avery too, eyes filled with irritation that Avery could tell was directed at her. She swallowed hard and looked away, only to flinch slightly as Carol’s laughter boomed across the room.

Carol sat across from the King, her dress pulled low, the fabric resting just enough to push up her cleavage.

King Alaric’s gaze faltered for just a moment, lingering on her cleavage. A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips as he took a long sip of wine. "You’re quite the charmer, aren’t you, Carol?" he said smoothly.

Carol’s smile widened slightly, and she pushed herself forward just a bit, her cleavage showing even more, her fingers wrapping around her wine glass with ease. "I do try, Your Majesty."

"You’re a lovely addition to the evening, Carol," he said smoothly.

Carol leaned back, a sultry smile on her lips, her gaze fixed on him. "I always aim to please, Your Majesty."

King Alaric stared at her for a second longer before clearing his throat. "Dinner was lovely, Alpha Cain. The company was even lovelier," he said aloud, his gaze flickering to Carol. It was almost as if his mate, Iris, was invisible.

"I’m glad tonight’s dinner fits your majesty’s taste. I’ll have to be excused as there’s still a lot more preparation to be made. The guards will escort you to your quarters again. If that will be all, excuse me," Cain said smoothly as he stood up.