Claimed By The Rival Alpha

Chapter 98: Chapter 98

Kael

Dawn had barely begun to lighten the sky when the frantic knocking on my chamber door dragged me from sleep.

I was already awake by the second knock. "Alpha!"

The urgency in the warrior’s voice made me sit upright. "What is it?"

"The warrior we sent to spy on Redgrave Castle is back."

I threw the covers aside. "Where is he?" I asked immediately.

"Outside, Alpha. He is badly injured."

I was out of the room before the warrior could finish speaking.

I hurried down the corridor and out toward the inn’s entrance, where our carriage stood. The moment I stepped outside, I saw two of my warriors supporting a third between them.

Blood stained his clothes. His face was pale, and one side of his forehead was swollen badly. His breathing was uneven.

"What happened?" I demanded.

The injured warrior tried to straighten. "Alpha..."

"Save your strength." I stepped closer, examining him. "Get him to the healer."

They immediately carried him inside.

I followed them into the inn and watched as the healer began examining his wounds. The warrior’s eyes kept moving toward me. "Alpha, I found..."

I immediately mindlinked him. "Not here!" His lips closed.

I did not need him announcing whatever he had discovered in the middle of an open inn.

I waited until the healer had finished treating his worst injuries and the room was quiet before taking him into my chamber.

The moment the door closed, I turned toward him. "Now tell me."

The warrior sat carefully on the edge of the bed. "I waited several hours before I could move. Their guards were everywhere. They were patrolling almost every corridor."

"Then how did you get inside?"

"I waited until they changed shifts. There was a servant entrance on the eastern side. I managed to slip through and eventually reached the upper floors."

I folded my arms. "Go on."

"I found the guest quarters." My attention sharpened as he continued. "Alpha Cian’s chamber was there. There was a guard outside, but I managed to take him down quietly."

"Did you kill him?"

"No, Alpha. I simply knocked him out.

"Good."

The warrior swallowed. "I stayed outside the chamber and listened."

"So what did you hear?" I eagerly asked.

"At first, Alpha Cian was speaking with Alpha Lorcan about their sons."

My jaw tightened. "Were they grieving?"

"Alpha Lorcan was still furious about the death of his son."

I almost smiled. "I expected that."

"He blamed you for their deaths."

"Yes, he should. After all, I didn’t deny killing them."

The warrior hesitated. "Then their conversation changed to something else."

"To what?"

"To Alpha William’s daughter, Selena."

My entire body became still on hearing her name being mentioned. "What about her?"

"They asked whether she really was the one."

I stepped closer as that instantly peaked my interest. "The one for what?"

"They weren’t certain. Alpha Lorcan asked whether all the effort and the losses were worth it for someone who had already been marked by a vampire lord."

My brows pulled together as I still wasn’t getting what they meant by that. "What did they mean?"

The warrior looked confused. "I don’t know, Alpha. But they spoke as though Selena was something they had been searching for."

I exhaled slowly. "Just tell me exactly what they said."

"They believed she possessed some kind of power."

I stared at him in disbelief. "What kind of power?"

"They didn’t know exactly. They only believed it could be awakened. They said that if they managed to unleash it within their lands, their packs would experience eternal prosperity."

I rubbed my jaw. "That is what they have been doing?"

"Yes." He uttered and I shook my head.

I had travelled all the way to the Redgrave pack expecting answers about three dead assassins, only to discover that those three had been sent after Selena because of some ridiculous belief about a hidden power.

For a moment, I wondered whether I had wasted my time coming here in the first place.

Then the warrior spoke again. "They sounded really serious about the whole power thing."

I looked at him. "You’re sure they weren’t just saying nonsense?"

"They weren’t joking, Alpha. They spoke about it as something they genuinely believed."

"Did they mention how long they have been searching for Selena?" I couldn’t help but ask.

"They mentioned almost two decades."

I stared at him in awe. "Two decades?"

"Yes." He said and a strange silence settled between us.

Selena had barely lived two decades. The idea that three Alpha families had been searching for her for nearly her entire life was absurd.

Yet the seriousness in my warrior’s voice prevented me from dismissing it completely.

"Then how did you get injured?"

His expression darkened. "I became too invested in their conversation. I didn’t notice another guard approaching. He attacked me before I could escape."

"And the rest?"

"I managed to fight my way out, but more guards came after me. I escaped through one of the windows and made it back here."

I nodded slowly.

So they knew or at least they suspected someone had been listening.

That changed everything. "There is no point sneaking around anymore."

The warrior looked at me. "What do you mean, Alpha?"

"They know we’re interested." I turned toward the window. "Get the other warriors to prepare the horses."

"What’s the plan, Alpha?"

"We’re going back to the Redgrave pack." I uttered with a look that said I wasn’t backing down.

Within minutes, my warriors were ready and we rode hard.

The moment Redgrave Castle came into view, I knew we had been expected.

Guards stood across the entrance. They had already prepared for us.

I did not slow down. "Shift!" I yelled out the order and my warriors shifted instantly and so did I.

The moment we reached the gates, we attacked. The guards barely had time to react.

Claws tore through armor. Bodies crashed against stone. Horses screamed and reared as chaos erupted around the entrance.

My warriors had one purpose... to create an opening and they did.

I surged through the gap and more guards rushed toward me. I struck them aside and continued forward.

The castle erupted into panic. Maids screamed as they fled down corridors. Servants pressed themselves against walls while guards rushed toward the commotion.

I ignored them because I knew exactly where I was going. Alpha Conall’s throne room.

I burst through the doors. Alpha Conall stood with Alpha Lorcan and Alpha Cian.

Their expressions changed the moment they saw me. "Alpha Kael," Alpha Conall said.

I barely gave him time to speak as I stepped forward. "What exactly are you planning with Selena?"

Alpha Conall’s lips curved into a smirk. "Why do you care so much about her?"

"Answer me!" I roared into his face.

"You’ve risked the wrath of the great Alpha William to keep her."

"There is nothing great about Alpha William." I pointed out squarely.

Alpha Conall’s smile faded slightly. "He is still her father."

"He is just an over glorified coward!!!"

Alpha Cian stepped forward. "You should watch your mouth."

I looked at him. "Or what?" I asked with a smirk.

Alpha Conall lifted his hand. "Just give her to us."

I laughed once. "You believe I’ll do that?"

"I would protect her better than you do." Alpha Conall said and I almost chuckled.

"You couldn’t protect your own son!" I throwed at his face.

Alpha Lorcan snarled. "You murdered him!"

"And he came into my territory intending to murder my people."

Before anyone could respond, Alpha Conall spoke again. "We know Alpha William already knows she’s in your pack."

My claws slid from my fingertips. "What do you want with her?"

Alpha Conall’s expression changed. "She’s more important than you can understand."

"Then explain."

"Give her to us."

I crossed the distance between us and gripped his throat. His eyes widened. "Explain!"

His hands grabbed my wrist. "You’ll regret..."

I tightened my grip even more. "Explain now!"

Alpha Cian finally spoke. "There is an ancient prophecy."

I glanced toward him. "What prophecy?"

Alpha Conall struggled beneath my grip. "A being born of a she-wolf will possess the power to bring light upon any land she sets her foot upon."

I slowly released him. "A prophecy?"

"Yes."

"And you believe Selena is this being?"

Alpha Conall rubbed his throat. "We believe she could be."

"How?"

Alpha Cian answered. "A powerful seer once pointed toward the Vargwyn region as the source of the power we sought."

I frowned still not getting how it connects to Selena. "And?"

"The prophecy described a she-wolf born of a powerful healer."

My mind immediately returned to everything I knew about Selena.

Alpha Cian continued. "That narrowed our search considerably."

"And Selena became your first choice?" I didn’t know if I should laugh.

"Yes."

Alpha Conall stepped closer. "Bring her to us. We can help awaken whatever power she possesses."

I stared at him. "And what happens after?"

"You could benefit from it as well."

I laughed bitterly. "You expect me to hand over Selena because you promise me prosperity?"

His expression hardened. "You have little choice."

I raised my brow. "Do I?"

"We have connections with the vampires." My expression darkened. "We could use those connections against you."

He continued. "We could unleash the wrath of the vampires upon Blackbourne."

I said nothing as he continued.

"Or we could manipulate the High Council into punishing you for abducting another Alpha’s heiress."

My claws curled.

"Or?" Alpha Conall smiled. "We could simply assist Alpha William in waging war against you."

He leaned closer. "He already sent us a request regarding it."

Something inside me snapped and I headbutted him making his nose crack beneath the impact and he screamed.

I grabbed his hair and slammed my fist into his face. Once. Twice and again.

Alpha Lorcan and Alpha Cian rushed me.

I turned and struck Alpha Lorcan across the chest, sending him crashing into the floor. Alpha Cian lunged, but I caught him and threw him against the wall.

Then I grabbed Alpha Conall by the hair. "You threatened my pack."

I dragged him from the throne room while he struggled against my hold. "Alpha Kael!"

I ignored him as I dragged him through the corridors and out into the front yard.

The fighting had spread across the grounds so I quickly raised my voice. "Stop!"

My warriors immediately pulled back while the Redgrave guards hesitated.

I tightened my grip on Alpha Conall’s hair. "Stop fighting my men unless you want your Alpha dead."

The guards froze while Alpha Conall looked at them. "Stand down!"

They obeyed so I threw him onto the ground and continued beating him.

Every punch carried the anger I had been holding since the day those assassins entered my pack.

The thought of them wanting to take Selena away from me... Every threat against her. Every threat against Blackbourne. Every attempt to use vampires against me.

I let it fuel me. Soon Alpha Conall was barely able to lift his head.

"Please..." I could barely hear his words.

I stopped and crouched beside him. "Do you still want Selena?"

He coughed. "No."

I leaned closer. "Say it properly."

"I wouldn’t dare."

I finally stood up and turned toward my warriors. "Prepare the carriage."

They were bruised and exhausted, but they immediately obeyed.

I faced the people of Redgrave. "Your Alpha crossed me."

The courtyard was silent.

"What you witnessed was a simple warning. If he crosses me again, what happens next will be far worse than this."

I looked toward the guards. "Bring me your great seer."

Nobody moved. Then Alpha Conall, barely conscious, raised his hand. "Obey him."

A few moments later, they brought someone forward. A tiny, cranky-looking man walked between two guards.

His old clothes hung loosely from his narrow body, and he was acting all creepy and irritating that I immediately doubted whether this was truly the great seer everyone spoke about.

He stared at me while I stared back. "You’re the seer?"

He frowned. "Yes."

I studied him for a while before turning away to face my warriors. "We’re leaving."

My warriors brought the carriage forward and the seer was taken with us.

As I climbed inside, I looked back once at Redgrave Castle. I had arrived seeking answers about three dead assassins.

Instead, I had discovered a prophecy. A prophecy that could explain Selena.

I settled into the carriage. We were heading home but this time, I had a new mission.

I needed to find out more about Selena and the prophecy I had just learned of.

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