The Alphas Revenge: The Sin of Deceit

Chapter 48: Sick

Raven

I didn’t want to step out, but I was hungry. Skipping breakfast meant lunch would barely be enough to fill me.

My senses weren’t as sharp without a wolf, but they were still enough for me to know that they were having meat for breakfast—something that was rare, as most times it was wild potatoes, steamed in enough water to fill the pack.

Enough meat for the entire pack was rare and far too appetizing to stay cooped up in my room, even if the fear of stepping out was very real.

I took a deep breath and stepped out, closing the door firmly behind me before I could change my mind and return to my room. But barely had I taken a step forward, heading towards the kitchen building and the long queue, when I instantly felt eyes on me. freeωebnovēl.c૦m

Not brave enough to meet their gaze, I lowered my face to the ground and willed my legs to keep moving as I headed towards the queue. I wasn’t surprised to find it much shorter than it usually was.

I was the last person to line up and collect my food, but there was still enough meat that my mouth was already watering even before I received the bowl. Once I had it in my hands, warm and slightly heavy, I instantly turned around, intending to eat back in my sleeping place as I avoided everyone’s gaze.

My eyes didn’t even search for Xarna and Loel as I simply walked much faster than before, wanting to get back and close the door behind me. But I was barely halfway there when I heard my name.

"Raven!"

The voice was familiar, but I didn’t care as I kept walking, faster than before, heading straight to my sleeping place with my eyes glued to the ground as I heard more calls.

"Raven!"

This time it was louder and harsher, enough for me to recognize Xarna’s voice. Still, I kept walking, my pace quickening until suddenly I felt someone grab me from behind—hard enough to stop me and enough to shock me.

The plate in my hand clattered to the ground. It didn’t break, but it was heartbreaking to see my food spill onto the dusty ground. Instantly, I bent down, trying to rescue what I could, my hands trembling slightly as I picked pieces of meat that hadn’t been completely ruined.

"I’m so sorry!" Loel began to apologize quickly as I felt warm tears burn at my eyes, blurring my vision and making it hard to see what I was doing. Still, I kept reaching for whatever pieces I could salvage as I heard Loel continue speaking.

"I just didn’t understand why you were ignoring me!"

"Leave her alone! She slept with an Alpha, so she thinks she’s better than us!" Xarna snapped, anger sharp in her voice as I froze for a moment, my eyes widening.

I wiped my eyes quickly with the sleeve of one hand while holding the bowl tightly with the other.

"What? Why would I?" I gasped, staring at them in shock. "I thought you wouldn’t want to talk to me after what happened with Rex!"

Both of them looked at me with strange expressions on their faces, like they couldn’t quite believe what I had just said.

"Am I really that petty? He chose you! Next time it could be me!" Xarna responded with a huff, folding her arms slightly as I stared harder at her, trying to figure out if she was just saying what I wanted to hear or if she meant it.

"...Xarna can be petty, but we all saw it. He practically dragged you," Loel said, her voice much softer now, but still clear enough for me to hear. "He didn’t give you much of a choice. Moreover, he’s Alpha and you’re unbonded," she added, pointing it out as if stating a fact that couldn’t be denied.

Bonds were sacred and couldn’t be broken until one of the two partners chose to or until death.

"You should have more faith in us!" Loel continued, her tone making it clear that she was displeased with me as I met both her eyes and Xarna’s before beginning to apologize quickly.

I did want them to like me. I desperately wanted friends. And seeing them upset with me for running away from them only made my chest tighten strangely, a mix of guilt and something close to happiness, as I tried my best to hold back my tears.

"I’m... I’m sorry! I, I just thought..." My voice trembled, tears clouding my vision as I stared at them.

Loel let out a soft sigh before stepping closer, pulling me into a hug and gently taking the bowl from my hand before I could drop it again.

She guided me toward our usual corner as I struggled to keep the tears from falling.

"I didn’t know you were such a crybaby. I suspected, but not this much," Xarna sighed as I sat down, wiping my eyes repeatedly with my sleeves as the tears refused to stop.

"Xarna!" Loel snapped, clearly annoyed, but Xarna only sighed again.

"What? It’s true! Soon she’ll be eating more tears than soup," she said, her tone lighter now, almost teasing.

A small laugh escaped me despite myself as I finally looked at them properly, my eyes feeling heavier than before.

"Thanks," I told them quietly, even as Loel scrunched up her face in confusion.

"For what?" she asked.

"For not hating me," I responded honestly, watching their expressions shift into something unreadable again. But I didn’t care.

I smiled, brighter than I had in a while.

’For not rejecting me,’ I wanted to say, but I didn’t. Instead, I picked up my bowl and began eating what was left of my soup and meat, even the pieces I had washed off.

I ate quickly, almost too quickly, when Loel moved to give me some of hers, pushing her portion slightly toward me as Xarna chuckled and shook her head again.

"Urghh... why did you do that? She’ll just burst into tears again," Xarna said, rolling her eyes slightly.

Even though I shook my head vigorously, promising I wouldn’t cry, I still felt my eyes sting as I fought to keep the tears back.

It was nice.

I sat there, listening to them talk, occasionally laughing along. Even when Xarna started making jokes about mating and whether or not I liked my first time, I simply answered her.

Talking about it felt strange.

"It was horrible," I said honestly.

That earned more silence than laughter, and Xarna didn’t ask again as Loel shot her a sharp glare.

I found that funny.

It was... nice.

Sitting with them, talking and laughing, felt so warm that it almost hurt. It physically hurt to think that I would have to leave.

I didn’t need to go to Gessia to know that I was pregnant. After yesterday, it was inevitable.

Staying meant risking everything. It meant bearing the possibility that their smiles would turn into frowns, especially when the Alphas started choosing only me.

Xarna was fine now, but even though she tried to hide it, I could tell she didn’t like it. And why would she?

Finding out that the man you wanted chose your friend instead of you—it wasn’t something easy to accept.

Loel didn’t seem to care now, but what about later? What would happen when it became all the pack talked about? When whispers started following me everywhere I went?

Most importantly... was it bad that whatever baby was growing inside me...

I didn’t want it to die.

We left together, and I smiled with quiet excitement as I followed them, doing our daily duties and the pack’s laundry by the river.

But even then, my focus wasn’t fully there.

I was thinking.

Planning.

Searching for the best way to escape.

Stealing a horse wouldn’t work—that much I already knew.

Swimming across the river? I was too weak for that.

Which meant I needed help.

I needed to find someone who also wanted to leave—someone desperate enough to take the risk with me. Someone with a wolf that could run, so we could cover more ground and disappear before anyone noticed.

Crossing the river would be easier that way too.

But as I lay on the ground by the river, feeling the cool breeze against my skin, it hit me hard.

The only person I knew... the only one I could reach out to...

Was Lilian.

And worse, I didn’t even know if she would help me or sell me out.

Because her soul was simply that dark and hollow.

There was no reason for it. It was just who she was—something I had long since accepted.

She cared about herself first.

And no one else.

Which was why I was surprised when I asked around for her house and was eventually led to a small house that she shared with another family upstairs.

I stood there for a moment before knocking.

The door opened slowly.

Lilian stood there, a worried look flashing across her face before she quickly masked it the moment she saw me.

And behind her was Mother, she looked sick. Something I thought only humans were afflicted by.