Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha-Chapter 41

Betrayed by Blood~

"You called for me, my king," Carol says, a sultry smile at the corner of her lips as she gently shut the door behind her. Alaric stood by the window, a pipe between his lips, smoke curling through the room. Carol licked her lips as his gaze flickered over her. She had her own agenda, of course, but she was allowed to enjoy herself even while planning.

The king was more of a man than her husband had ever been in all his years of living. Right now, she had the opportunity to be with a real man. A man who knows what to do with his woman.

King Alaric turned around, his eyes narrowed at her, a smug smirk on his lips. "I did," he replied coolly, beckoning her with a stiff finger.

Carol walked towards him, every step laced with seduction, the sway of her hips. She slowly pulled the coat wrapped around her body off, the coat dropping to the ground with a thud. She had made sure to wear her tightest dress, a black see-through dress, her breasts practically spilling out of their hold. The king’s gaze darkened, his Adam’s apple bobbing at the sight of her.

Carol smirked, finally standing in front of him. "Yes, my king," she slurred out. She was a master at this, weaving herself into the man’s heart with each breakfast they shared...she made sure to be right there when he went on his walks around the pack. She made sure to be there when he had breakfast, lunch, and even dinner. With how close she’d been with him, his queen had been practically non-existent. Initially, Carol had thought Iris would be an issue, but she was a wimp. A mere coward who couldn’t even fight for what was hers. She let the king slip, and Carol was willing to catch him.

She fluttered her eyelashes at the man, her breath hitching as he gripped her neck, forcing her even closer, the tips of their noses meeting. Alaric grinned, "Are you seducing me, Carol?" he said, his voice thick and hoarse.

Carol huffed out a smile, "Is it working, my king?" she asked.

Alaric gripped her closer, his eyes gleaming with need. "It is working, Carol. It’s working so well," he gritted out before slamming his lips against hers in a rough kiss.

Carol smirked into the kiss, the two of them pressing their bodies against each other, their feet moving until they reached the bed. She pulled back, pressing a finger to the king’s chest and pushed him onto the bed.

"I’m gonna rock your world so bad, my king," Carol whispered before getting on top of him.

Avery gathered the last cloth on the clothing line and folded it. She had one more task left, and then she’d be done for the day. A tired smile made its way to her lips. She placed the folded shirt into the basket and turned to leave.

She barely made it across the yard when she stumbled into the same alpha who had interrupted when Martha decided to become a pain in the ass.

Avery took a step back, bowing her head in respect. "Alpha Matt," she said.

The man stood tall, his gaze heavy on her, almost like he was trying to decipher something.

"Thank you for the other day. I’m grateful for your help," she replied, seeing as the man kept quiet, just staring at her.

Matt’s expression softened. "Avery is it? You have nothing to thank me for. That’s what being an alpha is all about. Helping," he replied smoothly, and she nodded, a polite smile on her lips.

She tried walking away only to be stopped by the said man. "You must’ve been working for the pack for a while now, right?" he asked, his head tilted sideways.

Avery shook her head, her lips pressed into a thin line. "No, Alpha. It hasn’t been so long since I joined the pack," she replied. His gaze strayed to her wrist, where he saw that there wasn’t any pack mark on her yet.

"It’s rare to see someone working so hard for a pack that hasn’t officially claimed them. You must be quite...special, Avery," he said, his lips curling into a smile.

"No, it isn’t. I’m already a pack member, with or without the pack mark," a deep voice interrupted before Avery could speak. She looked up to see Xander; he had overheard what Alpha Matt was saying.

Xander’s gaze flickered between the two, his jaw clenched tight as his gaze settled on Alpha Matt. ƒrēenovelkiss.com

"Xander," Matt greeted coolly, his lips curling into a faint smile. "I didn’t realize you were back."

"Clearly," Xander replied, his tone edged with a subtle warning. His attention shifted briefly to Avery, softening for a second before looking at Matt again. "Avery doesn’t need to justify her place in the pack to anyone."

Alpha Matt’s lips quirked into a smile. "Xander. I was only curious. It’s not often you see someone working so hard for a pack that hasn’t officially claimed them."

Avery swallowed hard, her grip on the basket tightening at the man’s words. It was like it was her choice to work in the pack like this. Cain forced her.

"She’s more of a pack member than most people here," Xander said, his voice calm yet firm. "And she doesn’t need your approval to prove it." Xander shot back at the man, surprising Avery even more.

Matt chuckled, a low, humorless sound, his eyes darting between Xander and her. "You’re quite protective of her, aren’t you?"

Xander’s jaw tightened, but he didn’t respond immediately. Instead, his eyes flickered back to Avery, who was staring down at the ground. "That’s none of your business, Matt. One would think after your brother’s death, you would learn, but no! You’re just as much of a nuisance as your brother."

Matt’s gaze darkened at the mention of Rowan, his expression hardening. "Watch your tone, Xander. I’m a guest of Vehiron and a pack alpha. You’re a mere warrior," he spat out, taking a step back, his gaze flickering to Avery once again. "It was nice talking to you, Avery. We’ll meet again under better circumstances," he said before stepping away.

Avery let out a breath she didn’t even realize she was holding. She looked up only to find Xander’s eyes on her. "Thank you, Xander," she replied.

Xander’s intense gaze softened as Avery looked up at him. For a brief moment, he allowed himself to forget the boundaries that surrounded them. "Avery," he said, his voice quieter now, "you don’t need to thank me. And you definitely don’t need to call me ’sir.’ Just Xander."

Avery hesitated, unsure how to respond. She wasn’t accustomed to kindness—not from someone like him, not in this place. "Alright," she said softly, "Xander."

A smile slowly made its way to his lips, and he stepped forward a little more, his Adam’s apple bobbing. For a moment, neither of them spoke. Xander’s jaw clenched, and his hands curled into fists as if he were holding back words he wanted to say. Avery shifted uncomfortably.

"I should get—"Avery began, her voice shaky, but Xander interrupted her, his words spilling out before he could stop them.

"Avery, wait." His tone was urgent and thick with desperation, making her pause mid-step. She glanced up at him.

"I need you to hear me out."

She blinked, startled by the urgency in his voice. "What is it?" she asked cautiously.

He stared at her for what seemed like an eternity. He needed to get the words off his chest. He knew that much. "I like you, Avery," he confessed, the words leaving his lips quietly, his gaze heavy on her. "More than I should. More than I ever intended to."

Avery’s breath hitched. She stared at him, wide-eyed and frozen, unsure of how to respond. "I know this complicates everything," Xander continued, his voice softer now, "But I needed you to know. You deserve to be seen for who you are. Not for your bond with Cain. I know you’re stuck in this sham of a relationship with him, but I want you to know that I-" He stopped, he stepped closer again, "I care about you, Avery. More than I can explain."

Avery’s lips parted, but no words came. Her heart raced as she struggled to find the words, but there were none. Never had she imagined something of this sort. Xander confessing to her? It felt like she was in an alternate reality.

"You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know..." Xander said softly, now taking a step back. "You can think about it or.." he trailed off.

"I should go," Avery replied, her voice trembling. She didn’t want to listen to the rest.

Xander nodded stiffly, he stepped aside to let her leave. His gaze stuck on her retreating figure as she practically scampered away. Oblivious to the person who had just overheard his confession.

From the shadows, Cain watched, his green eyes blazing with anger. His teeth clenched so hard it sent a sharp ache through his jaw. Every word of Xander played over and over in his mind.

Cain’s fingers curled into fists at his sides, his wolf snarling for control. He was done trying to keep things with Xander. Clearly, the other had lost every bit of loyalty left in him, and now he would be treated just like a traitor. Xander would learn what it meant to defy him.