บททั้งหมดของ The Alpha's Bargain: บทที่ 131 - บทที่ 140

(Kieran POV)The wolf erupted beneath my skin with fury so pure it felt like swallowing fire. Every instinct I possessed screamed for immediate violence—tear out this messenger's throat, scatter his remains across ancient stones as warning to anyone else who might consider similar threats.But killing envoys under flags of truce was the kind of behavior that started wars no one could win, that destroyed the delicate balance of supernatural politics through actions that couldn't be taken back. Even if every fiber of my being demanded blood in payment for the casual way this creature had spoken of taking my mate.My hands began to shake with the effort of holding human form. Bones ached with pressure of transformation held back through sheer force of will, muscles bulging as supernatural strength tried to find expression through violence that would feel like justice but accomplish nothing productive.The envoy noticed, of course. Creatures like us were too attuned to dominance displays

(Catherine POV)I found Mary in the kitchen, her capable hands moving through bread preparation with the kind of unconscious efficiency that spoke of decades spent feeding people who depended on her care. She looked up when I entered, her weathered face creasing into a smile that held genuine warmth despite whatever tensions were currently gripping the castle."Miss Catherine," she said, dusting flour from her hands before gesturing toward the tea service that always seemed to appear whenever she sensed someone needed comfort. "You look peaked. Everything all right?"Everything all right. Such a loaded question when nothing had been all right since the moment I'd stepped through Kieran's gates and begun the process of falling in love with a man who could become a monster under moonlight."Just tired," I said, accepting the cup she pressed into my hands with movements that carried more ritual than actual thirst. "The recent excitement has been... a lot to process."Mary's sharp eyes

(Kieran POV)Branches tore at my fur as I pushed through underbrush that hadn't been disturbed by passage in decades, following scent trails that grew stronger with each mile. Catherine had made good time for someone traveling on foot through terrain that challenged even supernatural endurance, but she was still human. Still limited by biology that made lengthy pursuits exercises in eventual failure.The rogues had been tracking her for at least an hour, their scent markers growing more concentrated as forest paths narrowed toward the inevitable confrontation I could smell approaching. They weren't trying to hide their presence—probably wanted her to know she was being hunted, wanted fear to make her more compliant when they finally closed distance.Amateurs. Anyone who'd spent time observing Catherine would understand that fear made her stubborn rather than submissive, dangerous rather than docile. But they saw human woman and assumed weakness, saw political asset and missed the ste

(Catherine POV)From my position near the clearing's edge, I could see the pack's coordination in action—decades of training and shared combat experience translating into movements that looked choreographed despite their lethal spontaneity. They fought as a unit, each member aware of their packmates' positions, covering vulnerabilities and capitalizing on opportunities with precision that spoke of trust earned through countless shared dangers.Marcus took point, his injuries from Blackwood's assault apparently healed enough to allow the kind of aggressive tactics that cleared paths for others to exploit. Elena flanked whatever enemies presented themselves, her smaller size allowing speed that larger opponents couldn't match. Thomas and the twins moved as connected units, their coordination so seamless it looked like telepathy rather than merely superior training.And through it all, Lucas orchestrated with gestures that probably carried meanings I couldn't interpret, directing his p

(Kieran POV)Warmth spread from where Catherine pressed her palms against the deepest wound, heat that seemed to flow directly from her skin into tissue that had been going cold with silver poisoning. Not supernatural healing—humans didn't possess that kind of regenerative ability—but something else, something that felt like life force shared through sheer determination."Stay with me," she whispered, her voice cutting through the static that had been filling my head since blood loss reached critical levels. "Don't you dare leave me now, not after everything we've been through."Her hands were steady despite the fear I could smell rolling off her in waves, despite the blood that was probably staining clothes she'd never be able to clean properly. She held pressure against wounds that should have been healing but weren't, trying to stem blood loss through purely human techniques that felt inadequate against supernatural trauma.But it was working. Somehow, impossibly, her touch was sl