Claimed By The Rival Alpha

Chapter 81: Chapter 81

Selena

I couldn’t remember the last time I had been this afraid.

I paced back and forth across the old battlement, my arms folded tightly across my chest as the cold wind slipped through the cracks in the ancient stone walls.

Every few seconds, I glanced toward the entrance and saw nothing.

There’s no Alpha Kael. No Beta Bastian and no familiar face. Except only the two guards stationed with me.

"Any news?" I asked again.

The guard nearest the entrance shook his head. "No, Selena."

I stopped pacing. "You’ve been saying that for what feels like hours. What exactly are we waiting for?"

"We are waiting for orders from Alpha Kael."

I looked away. Alpha Kael. The thought of him made my chest tighten.

Where was he? What was happening inside the castle? And, most importantly... Where was Isadora?

I couldn’t shake the feeling that something terrible had happened to her.

I turned toward the guards again. "We need to go back."

They immediately shook their heads. "No."

I stared at them. "No?"

"We were ordered to keep you here."

"My friend Isadora is still in that castle."

"We know."

"Then we need to go back for her."

"We can’t."

My frustration boiled. "Why can’t we?"

"Because Alpha Kael specifically instructed us to bring you here."

I clenched my fists. Something was wrong... I could feel it.

The entire castle had changed before I’d even left. The guards were tense. The servants were whispering.

Alpha Kael and Beta Bastian had looked like they were preparing for war. And Isadora... She had looked terrified the last time I saw her.

I pressed my fingers against my forehead. "What if the vampires found her?"

The guards exchanged glances but neither answered.

I continued. "What if they discover the servants? What if they find out about the revolution?"

My stomach twisted. There were people inside Blackbourne who were ready to risk everything to fight the system that had ruined our lives.

Sally, Marqee and the others.

What would happen if vampires discovered them? Would they leave? Of course not.

They would want someone to blame. Someone to capture. Someone to use and if they discovered me... Everything would be over.

I turned toward the entrance again. "We’re going back."

The guard stepped in front of me. "No."

"I wasn’t asking."

"Alpha Kael orders are clear."

"And I’m telling you that you’re wasting time."

He frowned. "Who exactly are you to Alpha Kael?"

The question caught me off guard. "What?"

"You’ve been given unusual protection." He glanced toward his companion. "We’ve been ordered to guard you with our lives. You’re treated differently from the other servants." His eyes narrowed. "Who exactly are you?"

I stepped closer. "Someone you should listen to."

"That’s not an answer."

"It doesn’t need to be."

Before he could respond, a distant sound interrupted us. Hooves sound.

All three of us froze as a horse was galloping toward the battlement.

The guards immediately reached for their weapons.

"Stay quiet." One of them moved toward the entrance.

I whispered, "Who is it?"

"Don’t speak." He disappeared through the doorway, then a few moments later, he returned. "Someone’s outside."

"Who?"

"The person is cloaked and it could be one of Alpha Kael’s men."

"Then let him in."

The guard shook his head. "We don’t know that for sure because we aren’t certain."

I stared at him. "Then find out."

"We’ll wait."

I scoffed. "Wait?"

The guard looked annoyed as he responded. "Until we’re certain."

I lowered my voice. "Then distract him. Keep him occupied outside while we find out who he is instead of him coming in here."

The guard stared at me. "You’re giving me orders?"

"I’m telling you to stop wasting time."

His expression hardened. "Sincerely, who exactly are you to Alpha Kael?"

I stepped closer. "Someone whose safety apparently matters enough for your Alpha to hide me away."

I pointed toward the entrance. "So unless you want to explain to him why you allowed something to happen to me because you were too busy arguing, move."

He opened his mouth then stopped as a loud noise came from outside. We all turned.

One guard hurried toward the entrance. "Stay here."

The moment he disappeared, we heard a scream. A terrible scream.

Then a single word echoed through the battlement. "Vampire!"

My heart stopped as the guard beside me grabbed my arm. "Run! Now!"

He dragged me toward the back of the building. We rushed down a narrow flight of stairs that seemed to twist around the ancient stone structure.

My heart pounded. "Where are we going?"

"Up."

"Up?"

"The stairs lead to the top."

I stared at him. "Then why are we going there?" He didn’t answer.

We reached the top and I looked around... There was nowhere else to go.

The ground was far below and the only exit was the stairs we’d just climbed.

Then I heard footsteps. It was slow and deliberate then suddenly, the vampire appeared.

He was tall and pale.

His eyes immediately found me then a sinister smile crossed his face. "Selena Vale."

My blood turned cold.

The guard immediately stepped in front of me. "Stay back!"

The vampire laughed as he looked directly at me. "You definitely are Alpha William’s daughter."

The guard raised his sword. "Don’t come closer."

The vampire smiled, "How brave."

The guard charged at him as his sword swung toward the vampire’s neck.

The vampire simply stood there as he allowed the blade to pass close enough to his body then he caught the guard’s wrist.

The guard froze as the vampire slowly looked down at him. "You aren’t fast enough." The guard struggled against him.

The vampire smiled then he slammed him against the stone wall.

I screamed. "Stop!"

The guard tried again but the vampire was too strong as he pinned him down then his fangs appeared.

"No!" I screamed as the vampire sank his teeth into the guard’s neck.

The man’s scream tore through me. I couldn’t move. I could only watch helplessly as the vampire drank from him.

When he finally lifted his head, blood stained his mouth. Then he looked at me. "My Lord wants you."

He extended his hand. "Come."

I stared at him as my fear slowly transformed into anger. He thought I would simply walk into his arms?

"Fuck your lord." I spat out and his expression changed.

I immediately jumped straight over the edge. For a brief second, there was nothing beneath me. Only air.

Then I landed as pain shot through my legs, but I managed to keep my balance.

I rolled once and immediately got back up. Sometimes even I forgot who I was.

I wasn’t merely a frightened girl running from monsters. I was an Alpha female and not today... Today, I remembered.

I ran into the forest and it swallowed me. Branches scratched my arms as leaves slapped against my face.

My lungs burned and behind me came laughter. The vampire was following.

He wasn’t chasing. He was simply following and playing with me.

I’d read about vampires before. Their speed was legendary. If this one truly wanted me, I wouldn’t last more than a few seconds.

He was letting me run and that terrified me more than if he had simply attacked.

I needed another way out. I needed help so I kept running until I heard something ahead.

I broke through the trees and nearly collided with a moving horse attached to a massive metal carrier.

"Help!" I screamed at the top of my voice. The carrier slowed as I added, "Please!"

A head suddenly appeared from inside. "S-Selena?"

My eyes widened at who I was seeing. "Sera?"

There wasn’t time for questions so I screamed out. "A vampire is after me!"

Her face went pale. "What? Run!"

The vampire appeared between the trees as Sera grabbed my hand. "Come!" We immediately started running.

"What can we do?" I asked.

"Fire!" She spat out.

"What?"

"They’re vulnerable to fire." She looked over her shoulder. "And Vaelthorn wood."

"What’s Vaelthorn?"

"I’ll explain later!" We kept running until we saw it.

It’s an old cottage hidden beneath branches and dried shrubs. We rushed toward it and we were almost there when something slammed into us.

I hit the ground hard while Sera landed beside me. "Sera!"

She groaned as the vampire stood over us. His eyes gleamed then he suddenly grabbed Sera by the throat.

"Run!" Sera managed to gasp.

I froze in place instead. "Let her go, you blood sucking monster!"

He smiled before speaking. "Then stop running." He tightened his grip more around her neck.

I looked toward the cottage, remembering what Sera had said. Vaelthorn.

I didn’t know what it looked like but I had to find it so I ran inside while her scream followed me.

I searched frantically at the cabinets, the shelves, every single box in sight but still, I found nothing.

Then I saw a large casket so I pulled it open. Inside were pieces of wood and they were completely black while silver veins ran through them.

"This must be Vaelthorn."I grabbed one then ran outside and found the vampire was already licking Sera’s neck. His fangs were inches from her skin.

"Sera!" I charged at him but he swung his arm at me and the impact sent me crashing to the ground.

The Vaelthorn fell from my hand then the vampire turned back toward Sera.

I screamed. "No!" As I watched him sink his teeth into her neck as Sera screamed.

The sound ripped through me as my stomach turned while bile rose into my throat. "No!"

I looked at them. At the vampire then at Sera and the words came out before I could stop them.

"She’s my sister!"

The vampire immediately froze in place then he looked at me. "Your sister?"

His confusion lasted only a second but it was enough giving Sera an opportunity to act.

Sera’s fingers reached for the fallen piece of wood. She grabbed it then drove it straight into his chest.

The vampire’s body jerked as his eyes widened. A terrible choking sound escaped his throat as he staggered backward.

I stared at him totally frozen at where I stood.

He was still standing, still breathing but black veins began spreading across his pale face.

He looked at me while his hand reached toward me. I couldn’t move from where I was standing then Sera suddenly ran past me into the cottage.

The vampire staggered closer, his face becoming paler as the black veins spread farther.

His fingers continued to stretch toward me while I remained rooted to the ground.

Then Sera came running back out. She carried a brown barrel then lifted it and poured its contents over him.

The vampire screamed immediately while Sera grabbed a lit stick and threw it at him.

The flames touched the liquid and for one second... Nothing happened.

Then suddenly, the entire body of the vampire erupted as a violent combustion exploded through the clearing.

The force threw me backward and I hit the ground hard as the flames roared into the air.

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