Mated To The Crippled Alpha-Chapter 171: Look Closely

The moment it happened, it felt like all the blood rushed to my head and vanished at the same time. My fingers went cold. My chest tightened.

Had I been discovered?

I had been so careful. Every step. Every breath. Yet my instincts screamed danger, sharp and sudden, like a warning growl deep in my bones.

My mind raced. They wouldn’t dare touch me here, not inside the Hudson territory with so many eyes around. But they might have figured out who I really was. And if that happened, escaping later would be impossible.

I was still frozen in fear when a figure stepped forward.

Julain.

He walked out of the shadows, his expression icy and unreadable. His presence shifted the air around us, quiet but commanding.

"It’s me," he said flatly. "What are you two doing here?"

His tone carried authority the kind that came from status, bloodline, and the confidence of someone raised inside power. To anyone watching, it looked like a young Alpha heir questioning servants who had stepped out of line.

Silas and the woman stiffened.

That was my chance.

I slipped away without hesitation.

I moved fast, my boots crunching softly against the snow as cold wind sliced across my face. I didn’t look back. I didn’t slow down. Fear drove me forward, pushing my body faster than thought.

Who was really backing Camilla?

How many people were hidden inside this estate, pretending to be loyal staff while watching, waiting?

And what exactly were they planning?

"RIley."

Lewis’s voice cut through the chaos in my head.

I flinched, snapping back to the present.

A few steps away, Theo was pushing Lewis toward me. Lewis’s eyes narrowed slightly as he took in my pale face and tense posture.

"What’s wrong?" he asked quietly.

"Nothing," I replied too fast. "It’s just freezing outside. I wanted to get back in quickly."

He knew I was lying. I felt it in the way his gaze lingered on me, steady and protective. But he didn’t push. Not here.

The moment I stepped into the living room, warm air wrapped around me, thick with heat and light. Still, the cold inside my bones refused to leave.

While I had been moving pieces in the dark, Camilla had been doing the same.

She had suspected me for a long time.

This wasn’t simple rivalry. It was a silent war, fought with smiles and secrets instead of claws and blood.

Lincy and Nolan had already paid the price.

The room was alive with sound and color. Fresh flowers from the greenhouse filled crystal vases, their scent soft and clean. Women in elegant dresses laughed lightly, their perfect makeup untouched, a sharp contrast to the storm raging outside.

As Lewis and I entered, Fiona brought Camilla over.

The moment Camilla’s eyes landed on me, I felt it the sharp assessment, the silent probing. Her gaze flicked over my face, my posture, my breathing.

Suspicion flashed in her eyes.

If Lewis could sense something was off, there was no way Camilla wouldn’t.

I no longer moved like the old RIley. My instincts, my reactions everything had changed. Even if she couldn’t imagine something as impossible as rebirth, she knew one thing for certain.

I was no longer harmless.

"Mrs. Hale," Camilla said smoothly, her voice light but testing, "you don’t look well. Are you feeling alright?"

Of course she would test me too.

"I took a wrong turn outside," I said quickly. "I walked into the kitchen area and saw someone slaughtering a chicken. There was blood everywhere. It startled me."

A few older women nearby reacted at once.

"Oh dear, let’s not talk about bloody things during the New Year."

"It’s just a chicken," another said dismissively. "Why be so afraid?"

Before I could respond, my mom walked over from Grant’s side. Worry filled her eyes as she wrapped her arms around me.

"She’s been through a lot," she said gently. "Blood scares her. RIley, come sit with me."

I sat beside her and made no effort to hide the faint scars on my wrists.

"Mom," I said softly, "whenever I see blood, I remember the day I almost lost my life. I regret being so reckless back then."

Her arms tightened around me.

"It’s alright," she whispered. "I’m here."

Her embrace was warm and steady. She smelled clean, like soap and sunlight, not heavy perfume. Slowly, the tightness in my chest eased. My breathing steadied.

Lewis came over and placed a cup of hot tea in my hands.

"It’s okay," he said quietly.

I wrapped my fingers around the mug, letting the heat seep into my skin. As I lifted my eyes, I noticed Vivian sitting across the room.

She was watching me.

Closely.

She looked fragile, like the wind might knock her over if it blew too hard. Her face was thinner than I remembered, her eyes hollow and far away, as if part of her had never returned.

Losing her son had carved something out of her. Anyone with even a shred of instinct could feel it.

Vivian’s gaze locked onto me. It wasn’t anger. It wasn’t hatred. It was worse confusion mixed with longing, like she was staring at a ghost. Slowly, almost dreamlike, she stood and walked toward me.

"Elena," she said softly. "I’m here."

Before she could touch me, Lena moved.

My mother stepped forward and blocked her hand, her body firm, her presence sharp in a way I rarely saw. "Mrs. Morrigan," she said coolly, "this is my daughter. Please keep yourself in check."

The shift in the air was immediate.

Camilla reacted fast. She grabbed Vivian’s arm and pulled her back. "Mom," she said tightly, "have you forgotten? Elena has been gone for a long time."

Vivian blinked, like someone waking from a trance. Her eyes drifted to my forehead, then slowly cleared.

"Yes... my daughter has been gone for a long time," she murmured. "I’m sorry. I thought you were her."

"It’s alright," I replied calmly.

No bitterness. No mockery. Just truth.

Inside, though, I took note. This was a warning. Camilla was watching me closely now. I would need to be even more careful around her.

I leaned into my mother’s embrace and lowered my voice. "Mom, I promise I won’t ever do anything foolish again. I won’t make you worry."

She softened instantly, her hand stroking my arm. "That’s my good girl."

Vivian kept looking at me, her thoughts clearly somewhere else. Maybe she was lost in memories of another daughter, another time, another ending.

But those memories no longer belonged to me. 𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

For the rest of the night, I stayed close to my mom. Partly because of the baby she carried, partly because being near her grounded me. It also kept Camilla out of my immediate reach.

If RIley had survived what she went through, it would make sense for her to change. To try again. To live differently.

Yenik, however, was a different story.

His concern for Camilla was nothing but performance. What he truly cared about was the child she carried his future leverage, his safety net.

Thankfully, Lincy wasn’t here tonight. Her presence would have shattered the fragile balance and turned everything into chaos.

The Hudson household buzzed with excitement over the coming baby. Smiles were wide. Congratulations were loud. Invitations to the wedding after the New Year were already being passed around like promises no one questioned.

Sera sat beside Julain, serving him with quiet devotion. Every glance, every movement showed how deeply bonded she felt to him.

Watching her, something twisted in my chest.

I had been like that once living only for someone else, mistaking gratitude for love, losing myself completely in another person’s shadow.

Grant, meanwhile, acted like a fool.

He was overly attentive to my mother, far too familiar, especially with Nicholas standing nearby. It was obvious, forced, and uncomfortable.

I watched them all from a distance, detached and clear-headed, silently wondering how many smiles in that room were real.

It felt like a staged performance. Everyone playing their role. Everyone hiding something.

As the night wound down, guests slowly began to leave. I reminded my mother to rest, to take care of herself, then stood aside and watched her get into the car.

Nicholas lingered a short distance away, his eyes fixed on the vehicle as it disappeared down the drive. His expression was heavy, unresolved.

It wouldn’t be long now.

This Chapter was nearing its end.

I turned toward the Hales’ car, ready to leave

"RIley."

A voice called out from behind me.