Chapter 6

Betrayed by blood~

The door slams shut behind me harshly, making me flinch, and I feel my heart drop into my stomach. My eyes dart around the small room, but I barely register the two girls sitting quietly on the other side. Their eyes quickly avert from mine, as if they, too, are afraid to look at me. I don't care.

I could only focus on the one thing I just saw out there. I felt bile rise up my throat and sunk to my knees, tears clouding my vision. The way he ripped that man's head off his body, so violently, so brutal.

The very man who did that is my mate?

This is a cruel joke.

I sunk to my knees, tears falling down my cheeks freely as I trembled. I can't stop the tears as they flow, each sob making it harder to breathe. How did this happen? How did I end up here? The Goddess cursed me. All I ever wanted was to be mated to Lucian, someone familiar, someone my parents had chosen for me. Not this monster.

I wipe at my face, but the tears keep coming. I can't breathe. I can't think. The only thing that exists right now is him. Cain. I knew the man was cruel, his reputation preceded him, but this. This was worse than I imagined. The way he stood over the body, his eyes devoid of remorse, drenched in blood as if it meant nothing. How can the goddess choose to give me a man like this?

I shook my head, wiping my face harshly. I can't do this. Between this and my uncle, I had no idea which was worse, but I knew for certain. I couldn't possibly stay here. I made a mistake in thinking I could stay for a few days or months, depending on when he wanted to discard me, but not anymore. After what I just saw, I can't stay here. I swallowed hard, shaking my head. I have to leave. I have to escape.

~~~~~~

Cain sat down, the remnants of the anger he felt still coursing through his veins but had vastly satisfied with Rowan's death. He poured himself another drink, downing it in one gulp before slamming the glass on the table.

The door to his office burst open, and Lydia stormed in, her eyes blazing red. "What the hell was that, Cain?"

He didn't even look up. "You're treading on thin ice, Lydia."

"I don't care," she gritted out, stepping further into the room. "You went too far. Rowan deserved punishment, yes, but that? In front of the entire pack? You tore his head off like a savage, Cain!"

Cain's jaw clenched, his fingers tightening around the glass. "He was a traitor. He got what he deserved."

"In front of the entire pack, Cain! Do you realize how it's going to be perceived? The council? The king? What message are you sending? You can't keep doing-"

Cain stood up from his chair slowly, His eyes glowed a faint red, almost like a warning. "Careful, Lydia. You're dangerously close to overstepping your bounds."

Lydia paused for a second as though to regulate her feelings. "Did you forget how hard you worked to build this pack? Vehiron is the envy of others, you've managed to uplift the glory of the pack, but I fear you'll destroy everything you've built. Your parents were-"

"Enough." The word was low, venomous.

The room went still, Lydia's mouth opened slightly as if she wanted to say more but she thought better of it.

"Do not," Cain growled, "bring those people into this." He paused, running his fingers through his hair. "You're lucky you've served me for as long as you have, Lydia. If it were anyone else, they'd be dead for speaking to me like this."

The door creaked open before Lydia could respond, and Kendra stepped in, her long wavy red hair announcing her arrival. "Alpha Cain-" she bowed, her eyes flickering between Cain and Lydia.

"Did I come at a wrong time? I'm sorry, I only wanted to praise your effort, Alpha. You did a phenomenal job, I'm sure no one would ever dare to cross you after this." Kendra started.

He gestured for Kendra to enter. "No, you're not interrupting," he said coldly. "Lydia was just leaving."

Lydia turned to glare at Kendra, her hands clenched into a fist. "You're always like this, Kendra. Maybe it's time you stay out of things that don't concern you."

Kendra tilted her head, a smug smile playing on her lips. "Oh, but everything concerning Alpha Cain and Vehiron concerns me." She replied smoothly. "Perhaps you should reflect on why that is, Lydia."

Lydia doesn't say a thing; she walks out of the office.

"She's so… dramatic, isn't she?"

Cain didn't answer immediately, his gaze lingering on the door. Finally, he turned back to Kendra. "She forgets her place sometimes."

Kendra stepped closer, her tongue darting out to lick her lips. "You shouldn't tolerate it, Alpha. People like her mistake leniency for weakness." She stopped a few feet away from him, her voice softening. "But you're not weak. Today, you reminded the pack of exactly who you are."

Cain poured himself another drink and downed it, "Rowan had it coming."

"He really did," Kendra agreed, leaning against the edge of his desk. She trailed her fingers along the polished wood. "Lydia will eventually come to understand that everything you do is for the pack."

Cain's lips curved into a smirk; he leaned toward her, gripping her chin, squeezing her lips a little. "You always know exactly what to say, don't you?"

"And everything that needs to be done," she replied. Her voice dipped lower. "Speaking of which… Avery Jae. What do you want me to do with her?"

The mention of her name had his mood souring. Cain leaned back, downing even more of the drink. Cain set his glass down, his expression hardening. "Break her. Completely. I want her to know what it means to be my mate."

Kendra grinned, her eyes glinting. Earlier when she'd heard the alpha had found his mate. She'd nearly gone mad from anger. She's done everything right, carefully leaving her trail over him just for the goddess to bring his mate? Kendra had gone ballistic that she'd even cut herself in the process but now….oh, how luck is in her favor. Cain despises his mate.

"Consider it done, Alpha. She won't know what hit her."

Cain leaned back in his chair, the faintest smirk playing on his lips as Kendra stood before him, eager and ready to carry out his will. He didn't need to say more; she thrived in the shadows of his commands. Yet, his satisfaction was short-lived.

The door to his office opened abruptly, and a guard stepped in, "Alpha Cain," the guard said, bowing slightly.

Cain's eyes darkened, "What is it?"

The guard hesitated for a brief moment, "Avery Jae, Alpha. She was caught trying to escape."

Cain's smirk vanished instantly, his blood running cold at the thought of her trying to leave. The image of her horrified face suddenly flashed in his mind.

"Where is she?"

"She's being held in the eastern wing, Alpha," The guard replied.

"Bring her to me," he ordered,

Kendra turned to him with a chuckle, "Should I discipline her, Alpha? This could be-"

"No, not now. Leave." Cain cuts her off sharply. Kendra's face drops but she's quick to mask it, "Of course, excuse me, Alpha." She says and stepped out.

Cain's fingers twitched as the door shut behind Kendra. The guard's words played on repeat in his mind like a taunting echo. She tried to escape.

His jaw clenched, his teeth grinding together. How dare she? She tried to leave him. To reject him. The thought made his chest tighten painfully, though he would never admit it. No one ran from him. No one. When he was done with someone, he made the decision to discard them. Her, trying to run away from him, it was a concept that gnawed at his pride.

He paced the room, his hands fisting and unfisting at his sides. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw her face, back in that room, shocked, disgusted, and terrified. She'd looked at him like he was a monster.

Why does this bother me so much?

Cain hated how much space she was already occupying in his mind. He was the Alpha of Vehiron, a force to be reckoned with. He shouldn't care about how she looked at him then. He shouldn't care that she's trying to run away from him. He simply shouldn't care.

But this was different.

'She's mine', his wolf growled from deep within him, the possessiveness lacing every word. 'No one runs from us.'

Cain stilled, his hands gripping the edge of his table until his knuckles turned white. He didn't want her. He's never wanted a mate and especially not one that looked at him as though he was a monster. But the idea of her leaving, when he didn't discard her infuriated him.

Avery Jae just made the very one mistake she never should've. No one runs from Cain.