Betrayed by Blood, Claimed by the Alpha

Betrayed by Blood

It had been two days since Cain yelled at her. Two days of silence, two days of avoiding his presence like her life depended on it. Avery ensured she was nowhere near him—never in the same room, never breathing the same air. She’d become a master at slipping through corridors unnoticed and finding reasons to stay busy in places Cain rarely frequented.

But the goddess clearly had other plans for her.

Unfortunately for her, she was assigned to clean Cain’s quarters for the entire week. It was like a curse, like a cruel joke—a punishment sent by the goddess herself. What other explanation could there be? After the argument with Cain, the thought of being in his room made her chest tighten with dread.

Thankfully, Millie had come to her rescue. When Avery hesitantly asked if they could trade chores for a few days, Millie had agreed without hesitation. She even offered a comforting smile.

For two days now, Avery had taken over Millie’s assigned tasks, which mostly involved tending to the guards stationed at the outer grounds. It was hard work—hauling firewood, cleaning weapons, and preparing meals, but Avery was glad she didn’t have to face Cain.

Now, Avery knelt by the bonfire pit, carefully stacking pieces of wood. The flames flickered against the cold breeze, and she shuddered internally. She pulled her scarf tighter around her neck, shivering as the cold crept into her bones. She puffed air into her mouth, hoping to be done with the fire quickly so she could head back to the pack house.

Tending to the guards was physically exhausting, but at least it kept her mind occupied. She focused on arranging the firewood in neat rows. "Avery," one of the guards called out from a nearby table, where they were cleaning their blades. "Any chance you’ve got more coffee brewing? It’s freezing out here."

She nodded. "I’ll get it started in a minute," she replied, brushing stray hair from her face with the back of her hand.

The guard grinned. "Thanks. You’re a lifesaver."

She smiled faintly and turned back to the fire pit.