My Alpha’s Betrayal: Burning In The Flames Of His Vengeance

82. Inner Conflict THEON The preparations for the evening event were in full swing. | had left the castle late in the afternoon, having things to do around the city. | now blended in, sticking to the shadows as | made my way to a certain location where | was to meet Dad again. | had stopped at the jeweller’s on the way here, even if it was not real... | planned on giving her a ring that | paid for rather than one the king had chosen... 3 “You will be engaged to Yileyna.” Andres’ words from earlier echoed in my mind.

Yileyna... There would be nothing disappointing in being tied to Yileyna... Waking and falling asleep to her face every night... In an ideal world, that would be perfection, a dream ctrue... but there was so much more to this than that. A dream of a content and complete life did not exist.

She was a pawn to use in both Andres’ and Dad's games... all for the ultimate goal, one of victory and power.

A power that should have been ours from the start.

But was it worth risking Yileyna’'s life over? No.

Fuck.

| had made the one mistake | shouldn't have. Fallen victim to a woman's seduction. This was why my mate bond was sealed alongside my powers, yet | still fell for her. Hard. Last night | almost messed up, | had almost blown my cover in my partially drunken state, but deep down there had been a part ofthat had wanted her to know... 3 Who was | trying to fool? I've never had an issue with holding my liquor, ever.

| had wanted to her to know that although I’m no fucking angel, we weren't the ones entirely in the wrong. But the biggest thing was her parents... not only were they collateral in this entire situation, but | had wanted them out of the picture, having them killed to make sure the king relied onwith William gone.

If she knew...

| sighed in frustration. 1 “What troubles you, son?” A deep voice said from behind me.

My eyes widened slightly, we were only a few metres away from the walls to the city, still in Westerfell. | wasn’t expecting him to be here. We had agreed to meet down by the coast. For Dad to be so close at such a twhen security was tight, he was indeed very confident in himself.

“Nothing.” | said, turning quietly. | walked deeper into the shadows until | stopped face-to face with him.

| saw the enchantment in his hand as he whispered something, activating the spell, and a dark smoke wrapped around us. A spell of concealment, no one would see or hear us now.

“Don’t lie to me, son.” His voice was calm, yet there was a clear warning in it.

“There is nothing troubling me, there's just been a lot of change within the castle, and | just want to make sure nothing comes in the way.” | lied smoothly.

He raised an eyebrow. “Changes?” I wonder how much he knew...

“Andres’s daughter, Charlene, isn’t his. She was born from an affair Soleil had,” | started.

Dad smirked. “I always knew that one was a snake. His loss. But then... does that mean... What of the heart?” His voice becserious, cold even, and | didn’t miss the urgency in it.

“We can take this kingdom with or without the heart, we don’t need it ” | replied quietly. Dad shook his head, his brows furrowed together, “We need it at all costs... There must be something. Didn't you say Wenyu confirmed it?” “Yes, there was another girl present. That's something | wanted to tell you. She is proved to be Andres’ daughter, born from an affair.” | replied.

| didn’t want to tell him this, but I should have known nothing would get by him. “Oh? Interesting... Who is she?” He asked sharply.

“The beta’s daughter.” | forced myself to reply. “Andres is announcing her today as his heir, and he wantsto get engaged to her.” “The woman you were attracted to...” Yeah, he remembered that too.

“Tell me, Theon, your heart is not weakening you is it? Are you worried that this fake relationship of yours should not start on lies?” His voice was harsh and rough, the dangerous underlying warning becoming clear. 1 “Not at all. This engagement is all a lie, all a goal to get what we want. Why would | feel guilty? “I replied icily.

“Good, get engaged to her, mark her and she is in your grasp. Yours to use and control however you wish.

Remember, that is all she is.” (1 “She isn’t that easy... She’s anything but meek, Dad, she’s a fighter. Strong, confident, and just. She remindsof Mom.” | said quietly, trying not to let my irritation out. “She won't bend to anyone.” He scoffed and slapped my shoulder.

“Your mother was one of a kind, no daughter of Andres can match to her.” He growled lowly.” Your mother submitted to me, no matter how strong she was, she still knew | was her alpha. Be a man and control her.” 6 | looked at him emotionlessly.

Words | myself would use but now... they fucking irked me.

“Andres didn’t raise her, nor is she fond of him.” | remarked instead, hiding my anger.

| don’t know what | was trying to prove, but he was wrong about her. His hand clamped down on my shoulder and he chuckled, a chuckle that held no humour or amusement.

“I actually want to meet this one, after all despite my constant warning, you seem a little too attached. It intrigues me. You have always disliked people disobeying you, even lyara was a gentle one. So | want to know what kind of magic has this one done on you.” His voice becdarker as he moved back.

“None.” | said coldly. “She is nothing to me.” Our eyes locked and | held his gaze, refusing to look away. After a moment, he nodded and turned away.

“Well, make sure this engagement goes through. If you get the chance to mark her, take it, but make sure she does not mark you.” 1 I nodded.

| wasn’t going to mark her, | needed her gone... ” “The heart is within our grasp, the power of this kingdom will be soon too. Nothing will stop us from taking our place as the true ruling family.” | glanced at him, seeing the rage and hunger for power in his eyes. 1 Revenge...1 “Anything more on the siren that killed Mom?” | asked. He looked atas if pulled from his thoughts.

“Hmm? No nothing yet.” , | nodded. “I chere knowing that you would handle that. Finding Mom and Thalia’s killer was far more important than taking over this pack-" A low menacing growl! ripped from his throat, and he grabbedby my arm. | twisted it, breaking free, my eyes flashing. 1 “I may be your son but | will not let you fucking disrespect me.” | growled warningly, fuelling my irritation into this conversation.

“We need to be in power! Do you think the Obsidian Shadow Pack can roam the seas openly with the current issues?” “I was, wasn’t I? | was out there. | know taking over the middle kingdom is important... but finding the siren who killed Mom is far more. That is where vengeance truly lies.” | said quietly.

The blackness was lifting as the spell began to dissipate. Our twas over. “Once | am Alpha, you are free to roam the seas.” He replied, trying to control his anger.

“Hmm. So, in the end, it will still bewho needs to do it? Perfect, at least I'll get the job done.” | replied, unable to keep the bitterness from filtering into my voice. Two years... wasted.

“Nathalia will be avenged. She was my true mate, | felt her death.” He said gravely.

| didn’t respond.

True mate.. vet. he had claimed her but refused to allow her to mark him... Just to save himself from an unforeseen death... It was something many chose to do... but now when it cto Yileyna, although she wasn’t my true mate, imagining marking her to claim her alone sounded ... sick. 1 How had Mom even allowed that? Questions that | would never have considered before were now flitting into my mind.

“I should go before I'm missed.” | said curtly.

“I'll be watching son; don’t worry, we are so close. We will bring this city to its knees.” “Yeah.” | gave him a bow of my head before | walked away. The bright lights of the city were warm and welcoming, but they did nothing to pullfrom the chilling thoughts that consumed my mind.

| had just returned to the castle, heading to my room to get ready for the night when | stopped in my tracks, spotting Charlene standing outside my door with a small, uncomfortable smile on her face. “Hey, Theon.” | raised an eyebrow, unlocking my door. “What do you want?” It was strange, someone | had simply hated for who their father was, was now of no importance... In ways, | wished it was her who had the heart. | wouldn't care what happened to her... but Yileyna...

“I wanted to tell you something.” She said, now holding out a bag she was carrying. “Sent by the royal tailors...” | took it from her, entering my room and looking at her coldly.

“What is it? Telland get out.” She nodded, staying in the doorway as if scared to be in the sroom alone as me. Smart. The memory of what happened the last tshe was here cto my mind.

“It’s about back when you first cto Westerfell... back when | saved you from that Naga...” | frowned. Where was this going? “Yeah, what of it?” | asked coldly.

She took a deep breath, as if readying herself for something big.

“It was Yilevna who saved you, she was the one who risked her life that day... | was... | was scared and | thought you were dead but she-she refused to leave you, saying what if there was a chance you were alive.” 2 My heart thudded as her words echoed in my mind.

“Yileyna? But you both said it was you, remember?” | said sharply.

A look of guilt washed over her face before she looked down. “No... | just... You were handsome, and | wanted to be the hero, so | asked her if | could say it was me.” She mumbled.

Yileyna had savedthat day... | was meant to end up on shore, injured but alive, but then a Naga had attacked me. In my state, | was unable to fight it and | had almost died...

Fuck she had saved me... “Why tellnow?” | asked quietly, unable to digest the new information.

Why was fate pullingto Yileyna every single fucking time? “Because... You two are going to be engaged, and she really is someone with a huge heart. She's selfless and she deserves the best. | know you don’t like me, and you only toleratedbecause | was the king's daughter, and maybe because you thought | saved you. But I'm neither of those things. Please treat her well. Don’t hurt her again.” Their bond was so strong, but seeing it hurt... It remindedsomewhat of the bond between Thea and Thalia...

a bond which left Thea broken after Thalia’s death. | hated how it brought back memories of them, and the thought of how Yileyna would feel once Charlene was taken from her...

“Leave.” | commanded. 1 She nodded before obeying and shutting the door behind her. My resolve and the road to revenge were becoming distorted. Yileyna may have been my saviour, but she was also becoming the reason behind my failure.

| entered the bathroom, stripping and stepping into the shower. My mind was still in turmoil as | got dressed in the suit that was given to me. Silver... the colour of this pack... | pulled on the shirt, which had a ruffle along the buttons. Where | usually would have cast it aside, | was far too caught up in my thoughts to care.

| looked at the small box containing the ring | had purchased earlier. If she knew my truth, she would castaside no matter who forced her to do this. She was already angry with me; | had hurt her plenty of times and | was about to do so again... soon... | sighed, snapping the box shut when a sudden thought cto my head. | knew what | needed to do.

My heart thundered knowing this could gettrouble... but... | didn’t care. | had to take the risk, | was losing my sanity knowing what was to come. | needed to try one last tto see if she'd see reason and if not... Then I'd have to do this the hard way... 5