Alpha's Daughter: Surviving The Claim

Retribution

“Conri,” one of the guards barked. “Come with me. The elders have requested to see you.”

Catherine’s eyes darted over to the man, examining him from where she sat in the reading nook of the common area. The twins looked over at her, concern evident in their faces.

Then Catherine noticed Christian standing beside the guard— his usual smirk was no where to be found. Instead, he eyed her with concern, a boiling rage churning beneath the surface of his eyes when he noted the very faint, pale pink scar on her left cheek.

“Why is he here?” She snapped, glaring at Christian.

“Miss Conri,” the guard sighed, obviously over her already. “Please don’t make this difficult.”

Not doubting at all they’d just pick her up and force her to go, Catherine angrily slammed her book shut and approached them. The guard motioned her forward, and Christian followed closely in her heels, hovering uncomfortably close.

“Wolfsbane,” Christian murmured so low only she could hear it. “In your food. That’s why it left a scar.”

Awareness settled over her, sending shockwaves through her body. They were poisoning her. It’s no wonder she felt so poorly. But more importantly.. why was Killian’s Beta telling her this? What did they benefit from her knowing?

She examined Christian, trying to see any signs of deceit in his face. She didn’t see any. In fact, he looked sincere.

Catherine followed the guard closely, Christian trailing behind her, lingering almost protectively at her back. They were headed out to the gardens. Confused, Catherine glanced around her. It seemed odd that the elders would want to meet her out here. She passed through the lattices of moon flowers, all the buds closed due to the overhead sun. She could still smell the beautiful aroma they let off though— vibrant and fresh.

They’d stopped in a dark tunnel, the thick vines on the lattice overhead blocking out the sun. The guard turned around, looking back at Christian.

“He’s got ten minutes,” he hissed. “And my debt to Blood Moon is wiped clear.”

“A deal is a deal, Reginald.”

Catherine jumped.

Because the voice she heard wasn’t Christian— it was a deep, rich voice she had heard over and over again in her head. Cold, ruthless, and calculating— but still leaving goosebumps all over her skin in the most delicious way.

She turned slowly as Killian approached from the dark corner.

His black eyes met hers— endless and full of as many colors as an oil slick— and as much as she hated it, as much as she wanted to scream and fight and claw his throat out, the world around them faded away.

Everything around her seemed to cease to exist, and Tala purred in her head.

“I had to see for myself that you were well,” he grimaced, his hand reaching up to trace the faint pink scar on her cheek, and his touch felt like it scorched her skin.

She took two steps back, frowning. “Where did they go?” She glanced around her.

“Giving us a bit of privacy,” his eyebrows pulled together. “I f*****g hate you, you know.”

Stunned, Catherine looked up at him. His eyes were tormented.

“I never wanted a mate bond. I was told from a young age that I was cursed to never have one— to never know that kind of peace. And yet here you stand.. the embodiment of everything I thought I would never have. And I f*****g despise it.”

“But,” he continued before she could speak. “You enter the arena tomorrow, mate. And I thought you should know that I have zero intention of letting any other male walk out of there with you in his arms. You should be prepared for the violence I will rain down upon them in your honor— and accept that violence— unless you make this easy, and let me mark you in the arena.”

“For what?” Anger boiled under Catherine’s skin, and she spat the words venomously at Killian. “So you can treat me like an incubator and kill me after? You’re a murderer.” She glared at him, icy blue eyes cold. “And you’ll never be anything but a murderer to me.”

Tala whined in her head, too weak to really vocalize, and a pang of regret radiated through Catherine’s chest. It was fleeting.

Rage filled Killian’s black eyes, and his entire body tensed. Catherine felt power radiating off of him in waves, and she instinctively barred her neck to him without even realizing it. Shame filled her as she stared at the ground. Killian was powerful— she knew that much. Immensely so.

“You have no idea what I intend for you, mate,” he spat the word at her. He stepped closer to her and bent down, his nose skimming across the skin of her throat and the hollow beneath her ear. Her eyes almost rolled back in her head as heat sizzled across her skin, goosebumps covering her pale flesh. She had the sudden urge to cross her legs and press her thighs together as wetness pooled between them.

Killian let out a low growl as he breathed in her scent, his nose tickling her skin. His nose trailed up to her ear, and Catherine let out a soft whimper of pleasure at the electricity running up her spine.

“Get your rest, love,” he nipped at her ear, his voice menancing. “You’re going to need it.”