Chapter 13
Far to the south, in a cavern lit by firelight, Cain’s roar shook the stone walls. His fists slammed into rock, leaving cracks and dust raining down.
“The Shadowthorn Pack is gone?” His voice was low, lethal. ᴛʜɪs ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ ɪs ᴜᴘᴅᴀᴛᴇ ʙʏ.net
The messenger dropped to his knees, trembling. “Y-Yes, Alpha. The Alpha King took it. He renamed it the Bloodrise Pack… his territory now p>
Cain’s nostrils flared. “And my daughter p>
The silence stretched.
“She’s… alive,” the warrior stammered. “But the Alpha King spared the pack only because Lady Althea offered herself. She begged him to take her life in exchange for the others. They say… she is now his breeder p>
CRACK! Stone shattered beneath Cain’s fist, shards scattering across the cavern floor. His breath came in ragged bursts, fury shaking his frame.
“A breeder?” His voice thundered. “That bastard dares use my daughter to shame me p>
“She saved them all,” the messenger whispered, trembling.
Rett, Cain’s eldest son, voice broke through, sharp with grief. “Then why was Mother killed!? Why her and not the rest p>
Cain’s bloodshot eyes found his son. His rage faltered for only a breath. “Because Althea bought us time. Gavriel’s mark on her does not change who she is. She remains my blood. My kin. And in the end, she will not be his p>
Rett’s face hardened. “So what now p>
Cain stepped closer to the fire. His shadow stretched high across the cavern wall, jagged and monstrous.
“Now,” he said, voice cold as steel, “we wait. Let Gavriel think he won. Let him believe Althea is his. Let him taste her loyalty, her warmth, her devotion p>
A cruel smile spread across his face.
“And when the time is right… we reclaim everything. Her. The pack. His throne p>
He leaned into the flames, his eyes burning red.
“Althea will be the one to destroy him p>
Back at the Alpha King’s tent, Gavriel wasn’t sure how long he had been standing there, just watching Althea sleep. Her breathing was steady, soft, unaware of the war tearing through him.
The Alpha King who had never once bent to emotion now found himself undone by a woman with Cain’s blood in her veins.
His jaw clenched. He could still see Riela—his sister—spiraling into madness because of Cain’s poison. The betrayal. The manipulation. The way Cain had broken her until nothing was left.
Gavriel had buried the scandal to shield Riela’s name, but his rage burned on.
One day, he would kill Cain with his bare hands.
His gaze fell back to Althea. The daughter Cain had cherished. The girl who carried his enemy’s blood… and yet lay here, breathing softly under Gavriel’s protection.
He had brought her to crush Cain’s pride, to use her as a weapon. But the truth was more dangerous. His instincts no longer allowed him to see her as a tool. His body betrayed him, his emotions in turmoil, and he hated himself for it.
Althea stirred, a faint sound leaving her lips, and his control slipped another inch. Gavriel tore his eyes away, growling low in his throat. If he stayed a second longer, he would do something reckless again.
He stormed out of the tent. The cold night air hit him, sharp against his skin, but it wasn’t enough to cool the fire raging inside.
“Alpha,” a voice cut through the dark. His Gamma, Simon, stepped forward, face tight with unease. “Some of the warriors… they whisper. They think the woman has bewitched you p>
Gavriel’s eyes flashed.
“Her name,” he snapped, his voice low and dangerous, “is Althea. Lady Althea. You will address her properly p>
Simon swallowed but did not back down. “She is Cain’s daughter. His blood runs in her veins. Shouldn’t she suffer as he made your sister suffer? She belongs in chains p>
“No.” Gavriel’s voice cut like a blade. “She is mine. Mine to break if I wish. Mine to protect if I choose. And no one—do you hear me?—no one touches her p>
Simon stiffened under the weight of his glare. Gavriel’s tone grew colder still.
“I showed no hesitation with Cara. Do you remember p>
Simon’s throat bobbed. “Yes, Alpha p>
“Cara was Alpha Ruel’s daughter. That didn’t save her. Althea’s life was nearly taken because of her schemes p>
Simon’s lips pressed into a thin line. “Do you think Alpha Ruel will believe your report of her death p>
Gavriel let out a harsh laugh. “He doesn’t need to believe. He only needs to fear. And fear spreads faster than truth p>
And with that, Gavriel turned away, pushed the tent flap aside and stepped back inside.
His sharp eyes froze on the sight before him. Althea was upright on the bed, clutching the sheets tightly against her chest, her bare skin glowing in the lantern light. Her hair tumbled over her shoulders, and her gaze locked onto him like steel meeting steel.
For a brief moment, Gavriel faltered. He had expected tears, maybe trembling. Not this fire.
Her voice cut through the heavy air. Steady. Defiant. “No matter what you do to me… I won’t break p>
The words hung between them like a blade.
Gavriel’s frown deepened, a flicker of something dangerous flashing in his eyes. Challenge. Amusement. Possession. He stepped closer, slow and deliberate, as if daring her to prove it.
But Althea didn’t look away. She didn’t flinch. Her knuckles whitened around the fabric, yet her spine stayed straight, her chin lifted.
Inside, her heart thundered, her body shaking with fear she refused to show. But she told herself again and again: I can’t break. Not for him. Not for anyone.
A smirk tugged at the corner of Gavriel’s mouth, sharp and unsettling, as he stepped toward her. “We’ll see p>
Althea lifted her chin, meeting the Alpha King’s piercing gaze without a hint of fear. Deep inside, she knew he wouldn’t harm her. He couldn’t. She was his fated mate—the woman he had marked as his own.
That mark, the bond between them, gave her a strange sense of safety. It was her only shield, her only leverage, even if he despised her… even if the blood running through her veins was the same blood he vowed to destroy.