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Betrayed by Blood-
Kendra stood by the window, watching as the pack members prepared for the Hunt. The blood hunt is held once every five years, and this year it’s Vehiron’s turn to host the region. The blood hunt is exactly a week from now, which meant the guests would soon start to arrive.
The door slammed shut behind her, jolting Kendra from her thoughts. She flinched, her heart leaping in her chest as she turned to see her mother stepping into the room. Carol’s face was pinched in irritation, her lips pulled into a thin, unforgiving line.
“Mother, what’s-”
“Your father is arriving in two days,” Carol said, cutting Kendra off.
Kendra froze, her breath catching as she stared at her mother in disbelief. She’d been hoping her father would sit this hunt out. The family business had been crumbling for months, and Kendra thought for sure he would focus on salvaging what was left rather than involving himself in the hunt.
“What? Why? Shouldn’t he want to stay back and work?” Kendra asked, her voice rising with her confusion as her eyes followed Carol’s strides to the couch.
“He should,” Carol said sharply, “but since you’ve been so lazy with your tasks, he’s coming to do it himself.”
Kendra’s brows furrowed at her mother’s words, her own voice turning wary. “Lazy? I’ve been managing everything you asked for—”
“Don’t deflect, Kendra,” Carol snapped, “You can’t even manage your own duties properly without me having to pick up the slack. He’s coming to oversee everything, and that’s final.”
Kendra tried to steady her breathing, fighting the irritation that clawed at her from her mother’s words. “Father wants to sleep with Cain?” she mused aloud, the question slipping from her lips before she could stop it.
The moment the words left her mouth, Kendra shrank into herself as her mother glared hard at her.
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“Goddess, sometimes I think you’re smart and then you go ahead to prove me wrong Carol hissed out irritably, “It’s like you’re eager to make me see you as less, Kendra. As if failing me is your favorite pastime.” Carol spat out.
Kendra swallowed hard, her throat dry as she tried to find the words to respond but couldn’t. She cleared her throat, “What do you want me to do, mother?” she asked, and Carol looked at her.
“Nothing. You’ll do nothing for now. We will get our chance soon,” Carol replied, leaning back on the couch. Kendra’s brows furrowed in confusion.
“How? What do you mean, mother?” she asked, and Carol smirked.
“The blood hunt is coming up, isn’t it? We’ll have our chance then. I have someone who is very willing to help us. Avery’s chapter will be closed forever at the hunt,” Carol replied with a smug smile on her face.
Kendra rushed towards her mom and sat next to her, eyes filled with curiosity. “Who, mother? Who is it?” she asked, and Carol smirked, thinking back to what she’d met earlier in the day.
~~recap~~
Carol stepped out of the shadows she’d been in when she saw Avery coming, her gaze lingered on the other’s retreating figure for a bit before landing on the maid cleaning the horse’s excrement. She scrunched her nose up in disgust, gagging internally that she had to come all the way over to the stables.
“Martha,” she called out, and the maid looked up, their eyes meeting, and soon a smile came to rest on her face. Martha quickly got off the floor, bowing to Carol.
“Lady Williams,” she greeted, and the woman smiled.
“I tried searching for you in the pack house. I didn’t know you were out here now, how sad?” Carol said.
Martha’s smile faltered slightly, “It’s okay, my lady. I’m glad I could be of service to you,” she replied.
Carol then stepped forward, her eyebrows pinched in concentration. “What if I say you don’t have to clean this or be out here anymore?”
Martha’s eyes widened at her words, “W–what? How, my lady?” she said, and Carol
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smiled.
“You know the blood hunt is coming soon. I can see to it that you’re free from this. mess soon enough…all I’ll need from you is your cooperation. I’m sure you’ve had just about enough of Avery, haven’t you?”
At the mention of Avery, Martha frowned. “If it concerns Avery, I’ll do it willingly, my lady. I despise her to my bones,” Martha gritted out.
“Then that’s good. We share the same enemy and goals. I should head back now, but I’ll reach out to you very soon and get you away from here, just be patient.”
*end*
Carol smiled and stroked Kendra’s arm lightly. “Don’t bother yourself with that, Kendra. Instead, think of your father’s arrival in two days and be less lazy,” she replied with a smile just as Kendra’s smile vanished.
The border to the Vehiron pack was open wide, allowing the twenty exquisite black cars to drive into the pack. The king and the queen had finally arrived in the Vehiron pack. The pack members gathered together as they watched in awe; it was the first time the king was visiting the pack in years. The last time he came was the day Cain took control over the pack. Boundaries had been set by the young alpha then.
Cain stood at the entrance of the pack house; it was customary for him to be there. His fists were clenched at his sides, his jaw clenched hard. It was unfortunate that his pack was hosting the hunt. If it were up to Cain, he’d never host any of this.
Lydia glanced at him, her lips pressed into a thin line. She knew of Cain’s history with the king. She knew of his hatred towards the man, but she hoped for the week, for the hunt, he would suppress his feelings.
The car opened, and the king stepped out, draped in a rather expensive fur. Behind him was the queen. Cain briefly remembered the woman when he had been summoned to the king’s palace. The woman was pale, plump, and short. A right fit for a man such as King Alaric.
“King Alaric, welcome to Vehiron pack,” Cain said aloud. He didn’t miss the roles of gasps that tore through the people. Well, at least some of them. It was also customary to bow to the king as a sign of respect, but Cain did not bow. Instead, he stood tall, his
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hands clasped behind his back.
It was a blatant breach of decorum, but Cain didn’t care. His wolf growled in his head, refusing to submit to the man. The king wasn’t deserving of honor in Cain’s mind, and he wasn’t going to act differently towards him.
King Alaric’s smirk faltered for a second, his sharp blue eyes narrowing as they locked on Cain. “Alpha Cain,” he greeted, his voice dripping with condescension. “It’s been quite some time. It has been too long since I last set foot in your territory. The forests are as striking as ever, though the air feels… colder these days.”
“Perhaps the cold is simply the lack of warmth in your welcome,” the King added.
Cain’s lip twitched. “The warmth of a welcome depends on the worth of the guest, doesn’t it, Your Majesty?”
The queen’s gaze darted toward Cain, her lips parting as though she wanted to speak, but she quickly pressed them into a thin line. Cain spared her another glance, noticing the faint bruise peeking out from beneath the high collar of her gown. It was subtle, easily missed, but Cain’s sharp eyes caught it.
Ah, he wasn’t so different from his dear friend, was he?
Cain didn’t miss the way the king’s expression hardened at his words. He chuckled internally, knowing the man was seething internally.
“I trust the preparation for the hunt is coming well? Your pack is holding it for the first time in five years. It would be a shame if something were to go awry, wouldn’t it?” the king said with a light chuckle.
“Hmm…Perhaps your worry would be more valid in the confines of your majesty’s pack. This is Vehiron,” Cain replied curtly. He didn’t miss the frown that crossed the king’s features, nor did he miss the irritation in his eyes.
King Alaric cleared his throat, no longer smiling or whatever that was. “Of course. I trust the hunt will proceed smoothly even with the Silver Moon pack attending,” he replied. The Silver Moon pack, of course, was attending the hunt, after all, they’re a
He part of the region. Cain wondered for a brief second how Richard took to Vehiron hosting the hunt this year. He still remembered slashing Alpha Matt’s fa wondered if the scar would still be there. It would be such a shame if it wasn’t.
Cain chose to ignore the king’s slight jab and instead nodded, “I have pack matters to
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tend to, so I won’t be able to show you to your quarters, but Beta Lydia is more than willing to show you to your quarters,” Cain said.
At the mention of her name, Lydia stepped forward. “Of course, please come with me, and I’ll show you to your quarters,” Lydia said, already leading them into the house.
Cain watched as the king’s family and his entourage disappeared into the hallways. Now, it was truly beginning to feel like the Blood hunt season.
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