Claimed By The Rival Alpha

Chapter 12: Chapter 12

Kael

"The Council?" Selena asked immediately. "You’re going?"

I folded the letter slowly and placed it on my desk without answering her. I could smell the fear rising in her scent already.

Beta Bastien stood quietly near the door, watching us both with crossed arms.

"Kael," Selena pressed again. "Are you going to attend the meeting?"

"The Council’s summons cannot be ignored," I said calmly.

Her face tightened immediately. "So you are going."

"I said it cannot be ignored."

"That means yes." She said again.

I leaned back in my chair and studied her. She looked genuinely terrified now, and annoyingly enough, my wolf reacted violently to it. Wanting me to protect her.

The instinct clawed through me immediately. ’Claim her.’ I ignored it ruthlessly.

"If my father tells them I’m here..." she began quietly.

"He won’t."I cut in immediately.

Her brows furrowed. "How can you be sure?"

"Because he has no proof."

"I’m sure he suspects."

"Suspicion is not enough inside the Council chamber."

Selena looked unconvinced as she said again. "They’ll believe him anyway. He controls half the Alphas there."

"That is exactly why you need to stop panicking and let me think." The sharpness in my tone silenced her briefly still, the fear remained.

"No one is sending you to the vampires," I said firmly. Her eyes searched mine and for one brief second, the room became dangerously quiet as the mate bond stirred warmly between us again.

I looked away first. "You should return to work," I muttered.

Selena did not move. "What if they force you to surrender me?"

"They won’t."

"And if they do?"

I stood from my chair slowly. "They would have to come through me first." freeweɓnovel.cøm

Her breathing hitched softly that I instantly regretted saying it aloud.

My wolf practically purred in satisfaction. ’Mine.’ I ignored it.

Selena stared at me for another second before finally turning toward the door while Beta Bastien stepped aside to let her pass.

Right before she exited, she paused. "You really think you can fool the Council?"

I smirked faintly. "If your father is a stubborn bastard, then I’ll simply prove I’m worse."

Then she finally left and the moment the door shut behind her, Beta Bastien sighed heavily.

"This is becoming dangerous."

I grabbed the Council letter again. "It was already dangerous the moment she stepped into my territory."

"She’s terrified."

"She should be."

Beta Bastien frowned slightly. "That’s not what I meant."

I ignored the comment. The truth was that Selena’s fear bothered me more than it should have. Far more.

My wolf hated the idea of her feeling unsafe inside my pack.

"She thinks the Council will hand her over," Beta Bastien continued.

"They can’t."

"They can if Alpha William convinces enough Alphas."

I rubbed my jaw thoughtfully as Bastien was right.

Alpha William held too much influence within the Council chamber. Most Alphas respected him. Some feared him. Others simply followed wherever the Nightbane pack led.

And if William openly accused me of hiding Selena— Half the Council would believe him immediately.

"She cannot be exposed," Beta Bastien muttered.

"She won’t."

"How exactly do you plan to prevent that?"

I remained silent for a moment then the answer came together naturally in my mind.

The answer was simple. If we wanted everyone to believe Selena was not inside the Blackbourne pack... Then we needed to behave exactly like people searching for her.

I looked toward Beta Bastien. "Prepare a small squad."

He blinked once. "For what?"

"For a mission."

"What kind of mission?"

I smirked faintly. "To search for Alpha William’s missing daughter."

Beta Bastien stared at me blankly for two seconds before realization dawned in his eyes then he laughed. "You manipulative bastard."

"The Council expects me to exploit Alpha William’s weakness."

"Because everyone knows you’d absolutely use his missing daughter against him."

"Exactly."

Beta Bastien shook his head with amusement. "If our warriors are seen searching nearby territories, rumors will spread naturally."

"And by the time the Council meeting begins," I continued, "everyone will already assume I’m hunting for Selena instead of hiding her."

Beta Bastien nodded slowly. "That might actually work."

"It will work."

He grinned slightly. "Sometimes I genuinely worry about the way your mind functions."

"That sounds like admiration." I said with a smirk. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ

"It isn’t." He quickly objected. I ignored him and moved toward the large map stretched across my desk.

"Choose trustworthy warriors only," I instructed. "No idiots. No loose tongues."

Beta Bastien nodded once. "I’ll handle it."

As he turned to leave, I stopped him again. "And make the mission visible."

He glanced back as understanding crossed his face immediately. "I definitely will."

Then he finally left the office and the room fell quiet afterward.

I returned my attention to the Nightbane market ledger Selena had given me.

There were several major trading points, supply routes, transport schedules but I still lacked one thing and that’s the security details.

I could have sent scouts normally, but most of my trusted scouts were currently occupied with more important assignments beyond the borders.

I exhaled slowly before mindlinking one of my warriors and the response came instantly. "Alpha."

"Report to my office."

Minutes later, a young warrior entered and bowed respectfully. He was easily the finest tracker to emerge from this year’s warriors academy.

He was fast,silent and smart enough to work alone.

"You summoned me, Alpha?"

I pointed toward the map."I need reconnaissance on these locations."

His eyes scanned the marked territories carefully. "Nightbane markets?"

"Yes."

He looked surprised but wisely hid most of it. "What exactly do you need?"

"Security rotations. Patrol structures. Entry weaknesses. Escape routes."

"Engage if discovered?"

"No." My voice sharpened immediately. "No engagement. No exposure. You are there to observe only."

He nodded firmly. "When do I leave?"

"You leave immediately." The warrior bowed once more before disappearing from the office and silence settled again afterward but unfortunately for me... My thoughts drifted toward Selena almost instantly.

I leaned back slowly in my chair and closed my eyes briefly. The image of her throwing that goblet at me earlier replayed inside my head.

The anger in her eyes, the fire and the defiance.

No one had dared raise their voice at me in years. Not any warriors, Not elders and not even rival Alphas.

Yet Selena had thrown a damn goblet at my head because I insulted her and somehow... I liked it.

My wolf certainly did. ’Mine,’ it growled possessively. I ignored it and reached toward the shelf beside my desk instead.

Several old records sat there regarding Alpha William and Nightbane pack. I already knew most of the information inside them. I had studied Alpha William for years.

I studied his politics, his military structures, his alliances and his weaknesses. Still, I found myself opening the records again anyway.

Only this time... I searched for Selena within the pages and I found the record quickly.

Daughter born eighteen years ago, Mother deceased during childbirth.

I frowned slightly and for some reason, rereading it now felt different.

He definitely sold his mate. The realization hit unpleasantly.

Alpha William’s mate had likely been sent to the vampires before her death and now he intended to send his daughter through the same fate.

My jaw tightened instantly as disgust curled through me and before I realized it, I was already leaving my office.

I walked through the castle hallways almost absentmindedly until I reached the servants’ quarters Then I saw her.

Selena sat outside with several maids while folding cleaned cloths beneath the evening light.

She laughed softly at something another girl said and the sound hit me strangely.

I stayed hidden nearby, simply watching and admiring her hair, her eyes and the stubborn little expressions she made whenever annoyed.

My wolf relaxed immediately at the sight of her.

Selena suddenly looked directly toward where I stood and our eyes locked instantly.

For a second, neither of us looked away then I forced myself to turn and leave first.

I headed straight toward my chamber afterward feeling frustrated and restless.

My wolf remained unbearably agitated beneath my skin.

I stripped quickly and entered the bathing room, sinking into the warm water with a low exhale.

But even there— Selena followed me. Not physically but in my thoughts.

I imagined her inside the tub with me naked. Her wet skin against mine, her legs wrapped around my waist while I—

My jaw clenched hard as I was so turned on it became genuinely irritating.

My hand nearly moved beneath the water to stroke my dick and help myself out but suddenly—

"Alpha..." A soft feminine voice drifted through the room.

I looked up immediately and saw Selena stood near the entrance completely naked.

My wolf surged violently as I rose from the tub instantly and began walking towards her.

Then suddenly— the illusion shattered and I discovered it was not Selena.

Rather, it was the same whore Bastien had brought me before.

She smiled slowly. "I saw you earlier in the hallway," she purred while stepping closer. "You looked tense and horny."

My wolf hissed angrily but I ignored it.

Maybe this would help. Maybe if I got rid of the desire physically, Selena would finally leave my head.

The woman stepped closer and slowly ran her fingers across my chest. "You need help relaxing, Alpha?"

Every instinct in me screamed no but I grabbed her waist anyway and allowed her to begin to caress me.