Claimed By The Rival Alpha

Chapter 103: Chapter 103

Kael

I walked into my study and immediately found Eion and Beta Bastian waiting for me.

Eion was standing near the large window, his arms folded across his chest, while Beta Bastian was seated in one of the chairs before my desk. The moment I stepped inside, both of them turned toward me.

Eion looked like he had only just returned from his mission. There was still dust clinging to the edge of his cloak, and his expression told me that whatever he had found at House Hawthorne was worth discussing.

I closed the door behind me.

"Sit," I said, moving toward my desk. "And tell me everything."

Eion pulled out the chair beside Beta Bastian and sat down. Beta Bastian remained quiet, allowing the younger lord to speak first.

"I was able to speak with Henry Hawthorne," Eion began. "He was surprisingly willing to talk. I had to guide the conversation carefully, but eventually he started telling me things about the family’s businesses and the way they handle their workers."

I leaned back slightly. "What kind of things?"

Eion’s expression hardened before speaking, "The Hawthornes have been suppressing the wages of workers along the rivers and in the slaughterhouses. They make sure those people earn barely enough to survive, then offer them positions as servants in their manors, shops, and other businesses. Because the workers have nowhere else to go, they accept whatever the Hawthornes offer."

My fingers tightened against the armrest.

"Is Selena there?" The question left my mouth before I could ask anything else.

Eion nodded and my wolf immediately lifted his head. "She is."

For one brief moment, relief washed through me then Eion continued. "But she didn’t look like a maid."

My relief disappeared. "What do you mean?"

"I spotted her while I was leaving the archives. She was moving around quietly, almost as if she didn’t want anyone to notice her. She wasn’t working. She was searching for something."

Beta Bastian leaned forward. "If she wasn’t working, what was she doing?"

Eion looked between us. "I think she was a prisoner."

My wolf snarled. I kept my expression still, but the anger burning beneath my skin became almost unbearable.

Beta Bastian frowned and quickly engaged him on seeing my reaction. "You think she was a prisoner, yet you said she was sneaking around."

"She must have escaped her cell," Eion explained. "At least temporarily. I saw her moving through the manor as though she was looking for something. She was being careful, but there was determination in her eyes."

A prisoner... My mate had been imprisoned inside House Hawthorne.

The thought alone made my wolf claw violently against my control.

I wanted to leave immediately. I wanted to ride to that manor, tear down every door between Selena and me, and make whoever had locked her away regret touching her.

But I forced myself to remain seated.

Eion continued. "I think it’s actually useful that she’s looking around. We need information about House Hawthorne and their businesses. If she can find something useful from inside, it could help us."

I said nothing and Beta Bastian quickly took over the conversation. "What you discovered, are you sure of it? Did Henry really admit this himself?" Beta Bastian asked.

"Yes." Eion nodded.

Beta Bastian’s face brightened. "That alone could be enough to penalize the heads of the house. And if we can connect it to their exchanged daughter, we may finally expose what they are hiding."

I raised my hand. "Stop." Both men looked at me. "We don’t have proof."

Beta Bastian’s excitement faded. "Eion’s testimony is evidence."

"It’s a statement," I corrected. "Not proof."

I looked at Eion. "You spoke to Henry. He can deny everything tomorrow. He can claim you misunderstood him, that he was speaking about something else, or that you fabricated the conversation."

Eion nodded slowly while Beta Bastian eyes narrowed.

"The Hawthornes have influence. If we accuse them without something solid, they will turn the accusation against us."

Beta Bastian leaned back. "Then what do you suggest?"

"More voices." I uttered and silence filled the room. "If one worker speaks, they can call him disgruntled. If two speak, they can call it coincidence. But if dozens of workers tell the same story, they won’t be able to bury it so easily."

Eion’s expression became thoughtful. "We could speak with the river workers and the slaughterhouse workers. That way, we could spread what they tell us."

I nodded. "If enough of them admit what the Hawthornes have been doing, we can use their statements to call Lord Hawthorne in. Better yet, we can have grounds to order a thorough search of the manor."

Beta Bastian nodded. "That makes sense."

Eion rubbed his jaw. "But I don’t know where the slaughterhouses are."

"Others in the group should," Beta Bastian replied. "We can give them that mission."

I waved my hand at him. "Go do it now."

Beta Bastian nodded. "I will."

I turned toward Eion. "You wait behind."

He stopped, then Beta Bastian left my study.

I rose from my chair and walked around the desk. My voice became deliberately casual. "How was Selena?"

Eion stared at me for a moment before answering. "I didn’t see her for long."

"How did she look?" I asked more clearly.

"She didn’t seem uncomfortable." He said and my wolf eased slightly.

Eion continued. "If anything, she looked determined. She was sneaking around, but there was no fear in her eyes. She looked like someone who had already decided what she was going to do."

"She still seems focused on rescuing her," he said. "From what I know of Selena, I don’t think she’ll willingly leave that manor without accomplishing what she went there to do."

I looked away as that sounded exactly like her. Stubborn, brave, reckless and my mate.

"Leave," I said quietly.

Eion stood. "I’ll speak with the others and see what information we can gather."

"Good." I said and he left the study.

The moment the door closed behind him, I began pacing. My mind replayed his words.

She was a prisoner. She had escaped her cell. She was searching for something.

I could not stop thinking about it. How had they treated her? Had they threatened her? Has anyone laid a hand on her?

My wolf growled and I clenched my fists. I didn’t care about the mission anymore.

I didn’t care how much information Selena could gather from inside that manor.

I needed her out! I would find a way.

But remaining in my study and thinking about it was only making the anger worse. So I headed for the training yard.

When I arrived, several warriors were already there. They stopped when they saw me and their expressions were strange.

It was cold and distant.

I still knew there were words they wanted to say but were afraid to speak.

Kieren was among them so I looked at him. "What is this?"

He sighed. "They still believe the same thing."

"And what exactly is that?" I asked even though I already knew what he meant by that.

"That you prevent us from fighting."

I stared at him and Kieren continued. "They think you would rather negotiate with an enemy than fight them."

"I don’t prevent anyone from fighting," I said. "I prevent unnecessary deaths."

"They don’t understand that."

I looked at the warriors. "Then I’ll explain."

I raised my voice. "Everyone. Gather around me."

One by one, they approached and I looked at every face. "I’ve heard what some of you think about me."

No one spoke.

"You believe I hold warriors back because I’m afraid to fight. You believe I negotiate because I don’t have the courage to face an enemy."

A few exchanged glances.

"I am a tactician," I continued. "I don’t believe wars should be won through mindless brawling. I believe in strategies, preparation, and knowing exactly when to strike."

I stepped closer. "And whether you like it or not, that way of thinking has kept many of you alive."

The warriors remained silent.

"How many of you could decapitate another man within ten beats?"

No one answered but their faces said everything.

"Exactly." I let the silence linger before adding. "Now imagine fighting an enemy who can do it faster."

Their expressions changed.

"Vampires can decapitate a werewolf in less time than that."

Murmurs spread through the group.

"My withholding of warriors was never meant to punish you. It was preparation. Because when the vampire army comes, Blackbourne will not look the same."

The yard became completely silent.

"Darkness will fall over this territory. You will question everything you thought you knew about war. A straight battle will not bring us victory against them."

I paused. "Maybe even my tactics won’t be enough."

Their eyes remained fixed on me. "But it is the strategy that gives us the greatest chance of surviving."

One warrior finally spoke. "Are you saying they’re coming soon?"

"Yes." I said and a ripple of unease moved through the warriors.

"From this moment onward, your training changes. You will train to kill vampires."

I turned toward Kieren and mindlinked him. "Use the Vaelthorn spikes to coach them. Do not make them too available. They need to learn to fight without depending completely on them.

Kieren nodded.

That was enough because my head had cooled so I left the training yard and returned to my study.

An hour later, Beta Bastian returned and closed the door behind him.

"The group." He said and I waited for him to continue.

"I met with Selena’s revolution group. Most of them have agreed to investigate the cheap labor scheme in the city."

"Good." I uttered and leaned back.

"But..." Beta Bastian hesitated. "One of them is missing."

My attention sharpened. "Who is missing?"

He looked at me. "She isn’t just another member. To them, she’s almost like the second arm of leadership after Selena."

I frowned. "Where is she?"

"No one knows."

"How long has she been missing?"

"No one has seen her for hours..."

I considered it for a moment before speaking. "She may have personal matters to deal with outside the castle."

Beta Bastian shook his head. "The meeting was outside the castle. And according to the others, she was usually responsible for scheduling meetings and gathering everyone together."

My expression hardened.

Beta Bastian leaned forward. "Alpha Kael, I think she may have been abducted by suspicious people."

I stared at him as he added.

"She could be somewhere right now, being forced to reveal information about their group to people who don’t believe in what they’re fighting for."

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