Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha-Chapter 38

Betrayed by Blood~

Avery’s knees ached as she scrubbed the floor. It was already evening, and she still wasn’t done with her chores; instead, they were piling up even more. She was tired to her bones, her fingers were almost stiff from overworking. She wiped the sweat that trickled down her forehead, a tired grunt escaping her lips. With the blood hunt coming and more packs arriving in the pack, the workload had increased tenfold, which meant the lower-ranking maids got to do it all.

Avery had not been allowed even a drop of water all through the day. The break was for a minute, and it was back to work again. The scent of wax and disinfectant filled the air, and she shuddered internally. She shook her head, trying to focus on the one good thing that had happened since dawn. It was finally a month until she got her wolf. A month until Cain rejects her, and she’ll finally be done with this. She’s been trying to ask questions about cutting a bond earlier but hasn’t gotten any reasonable answer, and so while she’s still busy asking the ones who would not mind her voice, she’s also waiting for the one month to pass by easily.

She grabbed the bucket and cleaning supplies, about to move to another spot after all she was done scrubbing and wiping the floor clean till it was dry. It had taken her an hour and thirty minutes to be done, but at least she was finally done.

Just as she got ready to move, she felt it. A splash of dirty water splashed all over the floor she’d just wiped clean. Avery’s eyes widened in shock, the cold dirty water seeping through the hem of her skirt and soaking her shoes. Her stomach twisted in frustration. The place she had just cleaned was now even dirtier than it had been before. Frustration bubbled inside of her, her hands tightened into a fist. She looked up, ready to lash out at whoever it was, only to find Martha’s face peering down at her with a smug smile.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. The floor is dirty all over again. Such a waste of effort. Now, you’ll have to start all over again and clean it up till it’s sparkling clean and dry," Martha said with a mocking pout.

Avery’s eyes widened slightly on seeing Martha right in the pack house, wearing the same uniform that she used to as the head maid. Her heart beat tripled at the sight, and she swallowed hard. "M-Martha," she stammered.

Martha grinned, her dark orbs sparkling with something Avery couldn’t name. "In the flesh. Why? Are you shocked? Surprised?" She asked with a chuckle leaving her lips.

"I-I’ts good you’re back, but I just cleaned and you-" Avery bit her lips, swallowing the lump in her throat.

Martha tilted her head sideways, the smile on her face falling like it was never there. "Oh no, is that- are you sad? Because of the tiny water that poured? Oh goddess- what are you going to do when I kick this by mistake?" She asked, eyes wide with curiosity as she motioned at the cleaning supplies Avery had gotten to clean.

"Please don-" She doesn’t get to complete her words as Martha kicked the bottle over, spilling its content on the floor too.

Avery sucked in a breath at this; she’d been working since morning just for this to happen. "What do you want, Martha?" She asked quietly.

Martha stepped closer, her eyes filled with the same disdain Avery had seen when she was being whipped. "What do I want?" She scoffed, "What I want is for your miserable lying ass to remember your place. You think you’re special because you have the support of Beta Lydia?" She scoffed again. "You’re nothing here. You’re no one. Just a servant who scrubs floors and begs for crumbs."

Avery took a deep breath; she was tired to her bones, she couldn’t do this, not right now. She shook her head, dragging her hand over her face frustratedly. She couldn’t understand what she did to Martha in particular. She’s tried to be as polite and humbling as she could. She’s done everything to make the woman like her or at least not pick on her this much, but nothing’s worked. Instead, Martha has piled down on her daily until she was sent out of the pack house, and now that she’s back, she’s started again.

Avery exhaled shakily, "I’ve done nothing to you, Martha. I think you’re forgetting something here. You wronged me! I’ve stayed out of your way and done everything possible so you’d leave me be, but you’ve constantly made my life a living hell. You wronged me, and I even sought you out to apologize, and yet that still isn’t enough. What exactly have I done to you? What more do you want from me?" Avery snapped, her eyes red, and she couldn’t tell if it was from tiredness or frustration.

Martha scoffed, running her fingers through her hair like she couldn’t believe what Avery was saying. "What have you done to me? What have you-" she scoffed impatiently again, and before Avery could speak, Martha grabbed her hair, pulling her up, her fist wrapped around Avery’s hair tightly, it felt like her scalp was about to be torn.

Avery’s eyes burned with tears, her teeth clenched tightly. "Let go of me," she gritted out, managing to push Martha’s hand off her hair.

"Why won’t you leave me alone? I don’t bother you! I stay clear of you, but you won’t leave me alone," Avery cried out.

Martha grabbed her arm, her nails digging into Avery’s skin roughly, her eyes blazing red with rage. "I hate you. I despise your existence and wish nothing more but you to leave. The day you stepped into this pack was the day you offended me. There’s nothing you can do that will ever make me like you. Because of you, I had to spend those days in the horse stable, cleaning after those darn animals. I had to clean after those dirty pigs that call themselves the guards. All because of you, I was humiliated and lost my position. Everything bad that’s happened to me has all been because of you, and you ask why I don’t like you?" She scoffed, each word leaching her lips venomously, her eyes filled with hatred. "This is just the beginning because if you think your life was a living hell before, you’re about to be in hell itself with the devil. I will ruin your life in Vehiron."

"What the hell is going on here?" A deep voice called out, and Martha immediately let go of Avery, she stepped back, a forced smile on her face.

"Alpha Matt," she greeted, bowing her head at the Alpha.

Avery swallowed hard, roughly wiping the tear that trickled down her chin. She turned to see the alpha who had just stepped in. A tall young brown-haired man stood by the door, his brown eyes flickering between Martha and Avery. She proceeded to bow at the alpha too.

"What was going on here?" He asked again.

Martha glanced at Avery and back at the alpha, "Nothing, Alpha Matt. Avery and I were simply talking," she said.

Alpha Matt glanced at Avery, his eyebrows quirked up, "Is that correct?" He asked, and she nodded.

"Yes, Alpha," she replied.

Matt stared at the blonde-haired girl for a second longer; he obviously knew what was happening, but if she said it was nothing, then he’ll go with it, and so he looked at the other one. "You may leave." He ordered. She doesn’t waste any time before shuffling away, leaving him with the blonde-haired girl.

Avery sighed as she looked at the mountain of work Martha had just left her with. Again, she felt the urge to cry. She was done with it. She was, but Martha.....her lips quivered the more she thought of it. Her fingers already felt like they were gonna fall anytime soon, her back felt like it was gonna break from how much she was bending.

"Hey, hey, are you okay?" Matt’s deep voice jolted her out of her reverie. She looked up only to find the alpha inches away from her, his brows furrowed in concern. She thought he had left already.

"Oh, I’m okay, I’m sorry for troubling you, Alpha," Avery replied with a bow.

Matt nodded, his gaze running over the girl. She was different, skinny, long blonde hair with blue eyes and freckles that spread over her cheekbones. She was beautiful and certainly different. How could someone like this be a maid? It baffled him.

His gaze flickered even more, and just then does he see the swelling in her hand. His brows furrowed even more. "You should ask for a break. Someone else can continue with this-" he motioned at the water and dirt on the floor. Avery looked at him, confused at what he meant. He then gestured at her hand. "Your hand is swollen," he said.

She hadn’t realized the overwork had made her hand swollen already. Still, there was no one available to clean. She had to do it herself. She opened her mouth to talk only to be cut off by him.

"What’s going on here?"

His scent immediately wafting into her nostrils, and she stiffened.

Cain stood by the door; he had been walking by when he heard her voice and then his voice. Alpha Matt.

"Ah, Alpha Cain. Fancy seeing you here. I didn’t take you for the type," Alpha Matt said, and Cain cocked his brows up.

"Fancy seeing me in my home? Didn’t take me as the type to walk around in my home. That’s quite the assumption to make, Alpha Matt," Cain’s voice was as cold as ice. His eyes flickered to Avery for a moment before he shot a sharp look back at Matt.

Alpha Matt’s smile falters for a bit, "You don’t strike me as the type to be, you know...involved," he replied, but Avery could hear the underlying venom in his voice. "Besides, I was only helping your maid. She looked like she needed the help."

Cain’s eyes narrowed, his eyes flicked to her hand, his expression unreadable. "She’s fine," he snapped, though his gaze lingered on Avery for a moment longer than she would have liked. "I’m sure she can handle it. Don’t get involved in things that don’t concern you, Matt."

Avery’s stomach twisted at his words, the coldness of his voice digging into her skin. He didn’t care. He never did.

"Alright then," Matt said, raising his hands in mock surrender. "I’ll leave you to it, then." With one last look at Avery, Matt walked to leave; he paused at the door, glancing at the two for a second longer before shutting the door.

The door clicked shut, and Avery stood frozen; the air seemed stuffier with Cain’s scent in it. Avery didn’t dare move as she felt his eyes on her, her heart pounding.

"What was that about?" He said, his voice was low and commanding.

Avery snapped her head up to meet his gaze, forcing herself to stay steady despite the knot tightening in her stomach, "He was helping me like he said."

Cain’s gaze darkened at her words, his jaw clenched hard, and he took a step forward, his posture rigid, "Since when did he start helping you? Since when did you become the fucking Princess that needs help?" He gritted out.

Avery’s breath hitched. His words stung more than she cared to admit. "He was only..." she doesn’t get to complete her words as the door creaked open, cutting her off. Lucas stepped in, head bowed.

"Alpha, I’ve come to inform you that Sir Xander has returned to Vehiron."