Claimed By The Rival Alpha

Chapter 100: Chapter 100

Kael

I knew something was wrong before I even stepped through the front doors of my castle.

The moment my boots touched the stone courtyard, an uneasy sensation settled over me. It wasn’t strong enough to identify as danger, but it was there, lingering beneath everything else.

The castle looked normal. The guards were at their stations, servants moved between the different wings, and warriors returning from their duties crossed the courtyard without any obvious signs of panic.

Yet something felt different.

I stopped beside my horse while one of the stable boys hurried forward to take the reins, but I barely noticed him.

My gaze swept across the castle entrance then I saw Beta Bastian.

He was already approaching me and his expression alone confirmed my suspicion.

"Where is Selena?" I asked the moment he got really close to me.

Beta Bastian slowed. For a moment, he didn’t answer and that was enough to make my chest tighten.

"Where is she?" I repeated.

"She is at House Hawthorne manor." He finally uttered.

I froze in my tracks. "What did you just say?"

Beta Bastian glanced around the courtyard. Several servants were nearby.

He stepped closer to me before muttering. "Not here, Alpha."

I stared at him. "What is she doing at House Hawthorne?" I asked as I still couldn’t stop myself.

Beta Bastian lowered his voice. "It’s connected to the revolution group. We need to discuss it somewhere private."

I still didn’t move. The thought of Selena not being in the castle was almost driving me nuts. "Tell me now!"

"Alpha Kael..." His tone carried enough warning to make me realize this wasn’t something we could discuss in the middle of the courtyard.

I reluctantly followed him inside.

We walked through the main corridor and entered my study. Beta Bastian shut the door behind us before turning to face me.

I remained standing. "Now tell me everything."

Beta Bastian sighed. "Selena has been trying to find a way to rescue the girl being kept at House Hawthorne. She believes the girl is impersonating the real lady Sophia."

"Also, did you know that Selena sneaked out of the castle to the Hawthorne manor without anyone’s knowledge, even threatened Lady Hawthorne?" He asked, while staring at me.

"Yes." I folded my arms. "I knew she went there."

Beta Bastian’s eyebrows rose. "You knew?"

"I knew Beta Bastian."

He scoffed. "Of course you did."

I ignored his tone. "What happened?"

Beta Bastian walked toward my desk. "The castle headmaid came to me after the Hawthorne headmaid arrived. Apparently, Selena had gone to the manor pretending to be a new maid. She infiltrated the house, entered their private quarters, and overheard a conversation between Henry and the girl."

I remained silent.

"She discovered what we suspected," he continued. "The girl isn’t Lady Sophia."

"I know."

Beta Bastian stared at me. "You know everything, don’t you?"

"Not everything."

He shook his head. "She shouldn’t have threatened Lady Hawthorne."

I raised an eyebrow. "That sounds like Selena."

"Alpha Kael..." His voice became serious.

"She went into a nobleman’s house, deceived their servants, eavesdropped on private conversations, and then threatened the lady of the house. She didn’t even think about what would happen if she were caught."

"She was trying to save someone."

"That doesn’t excuse recklessness."

I walked toward the cabinet and poured myself a cup of mead. "She is passionate."

"No, she’s reckless!"

I took a drink while Beta Bastian glared at me. "Stop pampering her every time she makes a rash decision."

I lowered the cup. "Pampering?"

"Yes." He stepped closer. "You know as well as I do that Selena isn’t an ordinary maid. She’s intelligent, stubborn, and capable of getting herself into trouble faster than anyone I’ve ever seen. She should have thought before walking into a noble house and threatening Lady Hawthorne."

I opened my mouth. "What did they do to her?"

Beta Bastian’s expression changed so I quickly placed the cup down. "What did they do to Selena?"

He sighed. "The Hawthorne headmaid explained everything and then demanded that Selena be returned to the manor."

"And what did you do?" I quickly asked.

"I agreed."

I stared at him in disbelief. "You agreed?"

"Yes, because I had my reasons."

"What do you think they will do to her?" I couldn’t help but ask.

"We don’t know."

My temper rose immediately. "What do you mean you don’t know?" I snapped at him.

"Alpha Kael..."

"What if they hurt her?" I yelled.

"They won’t hurt her."

"You don’t know that for sure!!!" At this point, I was already losing my mind.

Beta Bastian remained calm. "House Hawthorne has influence, Alpha Kael. They aren’t stupid enough to openly violate pack law."

I stepped closer to him, Beta Bastian fell silent the moment I grabbed the front of his shirt. "Don’t tell me about their respect for the law when you just told me they’re willing to hand an innocent girl over to vampires in place of their own daughter!"

His eyes met mine. "Calm down Alpha Kael..."

"What if they do something to Selena?"

"They won’t."

I tightened my grip. "You had better be right for your own sake."

Beta Bastian’s voice remained steady. "They wouldn’t dare."

I released him and for several seconds, neither of us spoke.

I forced myself to breathe. My anger wasn’t going to help Selena and I knew that.

"You should leave."

Bastian straightened his shirt. "Why Alpha?"

"Just go." He hesitated but I pointed toward the door. "Make sure the man I brought back is locked in a private chamber. I want guards outside his door at all times. He isn’t to speak with anyone."

Beta Bastian nodded. "Understood, Alpha."

He walked toward the door. "And Beta Bastian." He turned to face me.

"If anything happens to Selena..." I didn’t finish but he understood anyway.

Beta Bastian left and the door closed while I stood alone in the silence.

I reached for the wine this time because mead wasn’t going to calm me.

I removed the leather straps securing my gear and placed them aside. Then I pulled off the rest of my outer clothing before walking toward the large painting hanging on the far wall.

My father’s portrait... I stared at him.

There were moments when I wished he could speak. Tell me what he would do.

Tell me how an Alpha was supposed to protect his people while also protecting the laws that governed them.

I was the Alpha. That meant everyone expected strength from me.

But strength wasn’t always about tearing through every obstacle in front of me. Sometimes it was about restraint.

House Hawthorne had influence. Their family provided food to large portions of the pack. They helped shelter people. They supplied necessities to communities that depended on them.

If I moved against them without proper justification, they could turn people against me and with a war approaching, that was the last thing I needed.

I closed my eyes. Selena... My wolf stirred at the thought of her.

I hated that she wasn’t here. I hated even more that I didn’t know whether she was safe.

I instantly mindlinked Beta Bastian. "Is there anyone who knew the real daughter of Lady Hawthorne before she was replaced?"

His response came shortly afterward. "There is someone."

I straightened. "Who?"

"Young Lord Eion Black. He’s part of the revolution group. He knows Lord Henry Hawthorne fairly well. If anyone knows Lady Sophia, it would be him."

I thought for a moment. "Bring him to me now!" I ordered without a second thought before ending the connection.

I needed answers.

I walked into my private bathing chamber and took a shower. The hot water ran over my shoulders, but my thoughts refused to settle.

Instead, they returned to Selena. Her eyes, her voice, and the way she looked at me when we were alone.

The memories of our intimate moments came without warning.

I clenched my jaw. "Dammit."

I had no idea why being away from her was suddenly affecting me so much.

Perhaps it was because I knew she might be in danger.

Perhaps it was because my wolf knew she was somewhere else or perhaps I simply wanted her beside me.

Either way, the frustration only grew.

When I finished, I dressed and walked toward the decking overlooking the castle grounds .

As I crossed one of the corridors, I noticed several servants looking at me.

Their eyes lingered but I ignored them. I had more important things to worry about.

I stepped onto the decking and the cool air hit my face.

For a moment, I stood there quietly then a familiar voice came from behind me. "Alpha."

I turned to find Kieren. He approached with a serious expression.

"What is it, Kieren?" I asked.

"We got news, Alpha."

I studied him before asking. "What’s the news about?"

"It’s about Vaelthorn."

My attention sharpened as he came closer. "Sera and I received a tip. There’s supposedly a Vaelthorn tree in the Scorched Wastes."

I frowned. "The Scorched Wastes?"

"Yes."

The region sat at the edge of the southern territory of Zahram. It was small, dry, and brutally hot.

"Trees don’t grow there." I immediately uttered.

Kieren smiled faintly. "Normally, no."

"Then why would one grow there?" I asked with creased brows.

"It’s Vaelthorn." He said while I stared at him.

He shrugged before adding, "Anything seems possible with those trees."

I couldn’t argue with that.

"We need the wood badly," he continued. "If the information is accurate, this could give us enough material to produce more weapons."

I considered it.

The vampires were coming and we needed every advantage we could find.

Yet something inside me resisted. "Don’t leave yet. I have a feeling something is about to happen here."

"With respect, Alpha, stopping the vampires has to be our priority."

"It is."

"Then you should let us go..."

"I need everyone here, Kieren. I need every hand on deck."

Kieren shook his head. "Vaelthorn could make the difference so why wait?"

I walked toward him. "Because I said so."

He fell silent and I placed a hand on his shoulder. "You’ve stopped using the stocks to walk."

He looked down briefly then smiled. "I have."

I smiled back. "I noticed."

His loyalty had never been something I questioned. "You’ve shown me enough loyalty to know I can trust you," I said.

Kieren nodded. "I appreciate that, Alpha."

"But I need you to trust me on this. Have I ever misled you?" I asked.

He quickly shook his head. "No, Alpha."

"Then keep trusting me." I uttered.

Kieren stared at me for a moment before nodding. "Understood, Alpha."

Before either of us could say anything else, Beta Bastian’s voice entered my mind. "Alpha."

I answered immediately. "What?"

"Young Lord Eion Black is here. He’s waiting in your study."

I immediately dismissed Kieren before turning toward the castle.

I walked back inside and headed straight for my study. When I opened the door, a young man stood inside.

He immediately bowed while I studied him for a moment. Young Lord Eion Black...

If he truly knew Henry Hawthorne and had information about Sophia, then he might be able to give me something neither Selena nor the revolution group had managed to uncover.

I stepped into the room. "Sit."

Eion obeyed while I closed the door behind me and walked toward my desk.

Then I looked directly at him. "We have much to discuss."

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!