All Chapters of THE ALPHA'S BETRAYAL: Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

Carlos’s arms were too steady for a man who had just admitted I’d been gone a month. My body felt like it didn’t belong to me, weak and weightless, but the way he held me—like I was the only thing anchoring him—forced my heart to thud hard against my ribs.He set me back on the bed, careful, his fingers lingering against my skin as if letting go meant I would vanish. His eyes, dark and sharp, wouldn’t leave mine.“You were found by the creeks,” he said again, softer this time, like repeating it would make it real for both of us.The words twisted inside me. A month lost. A body dragged from the water. None of it felt possible. “I don’t remember,” I whispered. My throat tightened.“You’re alive. That’s what matters.” His jaw worked as if he wanted to say more, but the silence between us was thick enough to choke on.I shifted, trying to push myself upright, but my legs betrayed me. The moment I swayed, his hands caught me again, fingers gripping my waist. Too close. Too warm. The air t

The door shut again, the sound final, locking me in with my own heartbeat.I sat there on the bed, staring at the place where Carlos had stood. His words echoed in my head. You don’t come out. Whatever happens.A shiver ran through me. The room was quiet now, too quiet after the storm of noise outside. I slid off the bed and paced. It didn’t last long—my legs still trembled from standing too long earlier, and I had to grab the nightstand to steady myself.I hated this weakness. A month ago, I would’ve stormed into the courtyard myself, demanded answers, screamed until Lars admitted why he betrayed me. Now I could barely stand on my own.The door unlocked without warning.Carlos stepped back in, slower this time, like he’d left the weight of command outside. His shirt was gone, his chest streaked with sweat and dirt, and his hair stuck to his forehead like he’d just come from a fight.I froze halfway to the bed.He caught my eyes and for a moment didn’t move, didn’t speak. The tension

Amelia’s body still felt weak when Carlos carried her back to the bed. She hated that she couldn’t even stand on her own two feet, hated that her hands clung to his shirt like she needed him to breathe.He set her down gently, brushing a damp strand of hair from her face. His thumb lingered at her temple longer than it should have.“You shouldn’t have gone near the door,” he said softly.Her throat felt dry. “You told me I’ve been gone for a month.”“Yes.” His voice was hoarse, like the words hurt him.Her chest squeezed. A month. That was long enough to erase someone from memory, long enough for everyone to stop looking.But he hadn’t.“Carlos…” Her voice trembled. “How did you even find me?”“Not now.” His jaw flexed. “I’ll explain everything later. Right now you need to rest.”“I can’t rest.” Her voice broke as tears stung her eyes. “You said they found my body. By the creeks. Like I was dead—”He moved before she could finish, closing the space between them, his hand cupping her f

Amelia didn’t mean to overhear.She had been pacing the room, unable to sleep, when she heard raised voices echoing faintly from somewhere down the hall.Curiosity tugged at her.She opened the door quietly, careful not to alert the guards stationed outside.The voices got clearer as she crept closer.“…she cannot stay here forever,” a deep voice said. Carlos’s father.“She stays until she’s strong enough to leave on her own terms,” Carlos shot back.“Carlos—”“No,” he said sharply. “We don’t send her back out there just to make your council feel safer.”“You’re not thinking clearly,” his father said, voice hard now. “This isn’t just about her. This is about the pack. If Lars finds out she’s alive—”“Then we protect her,” Carlos growled.“You cannot protect her and everyone else at the same time.”The room fell silent for a beat. Amelia could practically feel the weight of the words.When his father spoke again, his voice was quieter, almost tired.“She’s not your responsibility.”“Ye

The house didn’t feel safe anymore.Not after the way Lars’s voice had cut through the air like a blade.Amelia sat on the edge of the bed long after Carlos left, her body trembling even though the night air was warm. Her wolf was restless, pacing inside her chest, straining toward the bond.She hated it. Hated that a single growl from Lars could undo her like this.He had thrown her off a cliff. He had chosen to break her. And still her heart raced at the memory of his scent filling the hallway.The door creaked open, and she flinched — but it was only one of Carlos’s guards, stepping inside long enough to set down a tray of food.“You need to eat,” he said gruffly before stepping back out and locking the door again.Her stomach churned. The sight of food made her throat ache. Still, she forced herself to pick up a piece of bread and chew. If Carlos was right — if Lars really was coming back — she needed strength.The door opened again some time later.This time it was Carlos.He loo