Mated To The Crippled Alpha-Chapter 191: The Trap

In the thick silence of night, the past always finds me.

No matter how warm the bed is, no matter how steady Lewis’s arms feel around me, memories still creep in. The betrayal. The humiliation. The violence. It’s like an old wound that healed badly closed on the surface, infected underneath.

Lewis has given me safety. Respect. A mate’s protection.

But Camilla...

Camilla is still a thorn buried deep in my spirit. I can’t pull her out. I can only wait for the pain to fade or for justice to rip her free.

Sleep refused to come again.

Carefully, I slipped out of bed and got dressed. The house was quiet when I went downstairs, but the living room lights were still on.

Julian sat there alone, a cigarette between his fingers. The ashtray was overflowing. He must have been there for hours.

He glanced at me. "Why are you still awake?"

"I can’t sleep," I answered honestly.

His gaze drifted lower to the faint mark above my collarbone. The mark Lewis left. A subtle claim. A reminder of who I belong to.

"You and him..." Julian started.

I didn’t hesitate. "Lewis and I are mated. We’re married."

The word settled heavily between us.

A bitter smile curved his lips. He knew. He understood there was nothing he could change now.

"This is for the best," he murmured, almost to himself. "This is for the best."

He stood slowly, as if something inside him had aged years in one night. His shoulders were heavy. His scent carried regret.

He walked away without another word.

If he had known it would end like this, why did he choose Camilla?

I poured myself a glass of water and stood there for a long time, staring at nothing.

I wondered if Camilla was sleeping peacefully tonight.

The next morning, I looked fresh and composed. No one would guess I hadn’t slept properly. That’s something I’ve learned well how to wear calm like armor.

The Morrigans family name still carries weight in this city. Their cross-pack alliance has attracted powerful guests from everywhere. The hotel lobby was filled with expensive suits, sharp perfumes, and restrained dominance.

Camilla stood near the entrance, dressed in a custom wedding gown. The white fabric shimmered under the lights. Yenick stood beside her.

She looked radiant.

Almost innocent.

As if fate hadn’t already started circling her.

I walked forward with a polite smile.

"Ms. Morrigans, you look beautiful today."

"Mrs. Hale," she replied smoothly. "You’re too kind. Please come in. Forgive me if anything is lacking."

To anyone watching, we looked cordial. Civil. Almost friendly.

No one could see the quiet war between us.

I scanned the room for Lincy. Where was she? She should have been here by now.

Grant and my mom were already seated, so I walked over.

"Riley," my mom said softly, reaching for my hand.

"Mom, sit down. Don’t stand too long."

She laughed lightly. "I’m not that fragile. My morning sickness has eased a lot lately. I feel fine."

I crouched slightly so we were eye level. "The first three months are important. You have to be careful."

She squeezed my hand. "Alright. I’ll listen to you."

Seeing her pregnant makes something inside me tighten. I know too well how fragile new life can be.

As I looked around again, familiar faces appeared one by one.

Then I saw him.

Zack.

Monica’s cheating husband.

His stomach pushed so tightly against his shirt it looked ready to burst. The image of that livestream flashed in my mind his pale belly exposed like a swollen fruit.

And now he had the nerve to show up here.

Worse, he was walking straight toward Grant.

"Mr. Ashbourne," Zack said loudly, all false charm. "What a coincidence. And this must be Mrs. Ashbourne."

His eyes slid toward my mom.

My fingers curled slightly at my sides.

The way Zack looked at my mom made my skin crawl.

It wasn’t just appreciation. It was possession. Calculation. Like he was measuring something that didn’t belong to him.

The air around him felt greasy.

Grant didn’t seem interested in playing along. He gave a small nod. "Hello, Mr. Harrison."

Zack’s face had grown rounder over the years. His features were swollen, almost soft, like a man who indulged too much and feared too little. It made it harder to see how much Lincy resembled him.

But I saw it.

Grant’s dismissive tone should have been enough to send him away. But Zack didn’t step back.

Instead, he smiled wider.

"Mrs. Ashbourne looks so young and beautiful," he said, his eyes lingering too long. "Mr. Ashbourne, you’re truly blessed. You two must be deeply in love."

My mom’s expression cooled instantly.

Before she could answer, I stepped forward.

"Not as blessed as you, Mr. Harrison," I said lightly. "Five children, right? That must be a strong bond."

Silence.

Grant and my mom both looked at me.

Zack’s smile stiffened.

It was subtle but I saw it. The way his jaw tightened. The way his eyes flickered.

Even Grant, who knew nothing of Zack’s private life, looked surprised that I knew so much. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Zack was calculating now.

How much does she know?

"Do we know each other, Ms. Ashbourne?" he asked carefully.

I smiled politely. "Of course. You built your company from nothing. Took it public. A true inspiration. Your perseverance is something we younger people admire."

The praise sounded clean.

After muttering something hollow, Zack excused himself quickly.

Coward.

He probably thought he was clever sleeping with Grant’s woman, letting Grant unknowingly raise what wasn’t his. Playing games behind the scenes.

Men like him mistake secrecy for intelligence.

Grant might be flawed. But Zack? Zack climbs by stepping on women and hiding behind money.

Here, in Snowville, inside Hale territory, I wasn’t afraid.

Lewis was here.

His presence wrapped around this place like an invisible barrier. Anyone with instincts could feel it. This was claimed ground.

If Zack wanted to scheme, let him.

If he pushed too far and exposed Monica’s affair in the process, that would only speed things up.

Grant frowned after Zack left. "He’s crooked. In business and in character. Stay away from him."

"I know," I replied calmly. "As long as he doesn’t do anything foolish."

Grant studied me like he sensed something under the surface, but he let it go.

"Stay on the sidelines today," he added. "The Hudson alliance may not be happening, but business ties remain. Don’t stir trouble."

"I understand."

But some trouble had already begun.

Zack had been staring at my mom’s stomach earlier.

He wasn’t just looking at her.

He was looking at the unborn child.

Grant had no idea that someone else was quietly plotting his downfall.

I didn’t want Grant dead.

I only wanted him divorced.

There’s a difference.

To be safe, I gave my mom clear instructions and made sure a bodyguard stayed within arm’s reach at all times. No wandering alone. No private conversations.

Only when I was satisfied did I finally relax.

Now I needed to find Lewis and Theo and see whether Lincy had arrived.

Lewis was surrounded by influential figures, his posture calm but dominant even in a seated position. Men twice his size still leaned slightly toward him when they spoke.

Instinct doesn’t lie.

Even without raising his voice, he commanded.

I started walking toward him.

"Ms. Ashbourne, we meet again."

I stopped.

Vito.

A glass of red wine in his hand. That faint, lazy smile.

I never liked him.

Maybe because the first time I saw him, it was in a scene that felt wrong. A woman cornered. His hand gripping too tightly. The scent of fear in the air.

"Mr. Blackwell," I replied coolly, giving him a brief nod before stepping past him.

I didn’t look back.

But I felt his gaze on my back.

Predatory.

Before I could reach Lewis, a group of children suddenly ran into me. Cake and juice splashed across my dress.

Cold. Sticky.

Melissa rushed over immediately. "Mrs. Hale! I’m so sorry!" She lightly tapped the children’s heads. "You’ve ruined her dress!"

Her apology was almost too smooth.

"Let me take you to the dressing room," she insisted.

I forced a polite smile. "Thank you."

She led me down a quiet corridor.

"Please wait here," Melissa said sweetly. "I’ll get you a new dress."

The door closed behind me.

Click.

Locked.

The sound was soft.

But in the silence, it was loud.

My body stilled.

I turned slowly.

Several men were already inside the room.

Their eyes roamed over me openly.

Malice rolled off them in waves.

"Mrs. Hale," one of them sneered. "Need help changing?"