All Chapters of The Alpha’s Traded Mate: Chapter 11 - Chapter 20

Zeva’s POV The announcement hit the packhouse before dawn floating through hallways, drifting between whispers, sliding under doors like poison gas.The readiness test has been delayed. Not canceled. Not reconsidered. Just… delayed. By the time I reached the lower corridor, the murmurs were already turning sharp.“The Alpha says she’s too weak to bear an heir.”“He refuses to touch her until she passes.”“Imagine, an Alpha mate who isn’t ready for him.”I walked faster. Their voices followed me anyway.“She’s lucky he hasn’t replaced her yet.”My wolf curled inward, small and shivering. The voices weren’t just cruel, they were confident. Certain. As if my worth could be measured by how quickly my body could give him an heir. When I stepped into the dining hall, every set of eyes turned toward me. Some are curious. Some were pitying. Most were judgmental.Aric stood at the head of the room, broad shoulders rigid, expression carved from stone. His Beta murmured something beside him, bu

Zeva’s POVThe chamber was colder than usual, the stone floor slick with the faint chill of early morning. I stepped inside as ordered, the echo of my boots loud in the silence. Aric was already there, his posture a rigid silhouette against the dim torchlight. He didn’t greet me. He didn’t even glance in my direction immediately.Roxie’s warning had preceded me: disobedience. The catch in her voice had been almost triumphant. I swallowed the spike of anger, forcing myself to breathe evenly, and kept my gaze forward. I would not show fear. Not now. Not ever, in front of him.Aric finally turned, his eyes narrowing as they met mine. There was no softness in them but none of the suppressed hesitation I had glimpsed before. Just pure, cold scrutiny. He stepped forward, and I felt it before I saw it, the bond pulsing like wildfire beneath my skin, violent and demanding. His wolf surged toward me, sharp and impatient, scenting me, aching to close the space between us.I stiffened, refusing

Zeva’s POVAric was still glaring in the direction Jacob disappeared when he turned sharply toward me, shoulders drawn tight, jaw clenched hard enough to crack stone.“Zeva,” he said, voice flat with Alpha authority, “listen carefully.”I folded my arms. “I’m listening.”“You are to stay away from him.”A beat of silence pulsed between us.“Excuse me?” I said, throat tightening.His eyes were ice. “I’m not repeating myself.”“You just did,” I snapped.Aric stepped closer, towering, his dominance curling through the air like smoke. “Jacob is dangerous. Unpredictable. He doesn’t respect boundaries, and he certainly doesn’t respect mates.”“He didn’t do anything wrong,” I argued. “He said hello.”“He didn’t say hello,” Aric growled. “He assessed you.”“Oh, so now I’m livestock? A weapon? Something to be ‘assessed’ by any man who walks by?”“That’s not what I meant.”“It’s exactly what you meant.”Aric inhaled sharply, as if restraining himself. “Zeva, he’s my cousin. I know how he is.”“

Zeva’s POVThe sound of boots echoed across the northern hall before the figure appeared, and I froze mid-step. My stomach churned with the same uneasy mix of dread and suspicion that had been gnawing at me since Jacob’s arrival.She was tall, impossibly poised, and walked with the kind of confidence that made it clear she belonged everywhere she went. Her hair was a deep chestnut, curling slightly at the ends, perfectly framing a face that was both beautiful and intimidating. The way she moved, the subtle sway of her hips, and the careful, almost predatory precision of her gestures made it clear she was no stranger to commanding attention.And then her gaze landed on him, Aric.Something in her smile made my stomach clench. It wasn’t the casual warmth of a friend. It was claiming, subtle yet undeniable. A silent assertion: I am here, and I still have a place in his life that belongs only to me.“Aric!” she called, her voice soft but melodious, filling the hall like a song I didn’t wa

Zeva’s POV The night was unusually still, the northern wind reduced to a faint whisper as I wandered the corridors of the packhouse, attempting to escape the oppressive weight that seemed to cling to every stone and shadow. I had been restless ever since dinner, my thoughts a tangle of unease that refused to settle. Something about the way Lorene had lingered at Aric’s side during the council meeting earlier gnawed at me, a constant itch under my skin that no amount of training could scratch.I paused outside the council chamber, drawn by muffled voices that filtered through the heavy oak door. At first, I tried to ignore it, tried to convince myself that I had no right to listen. But curiosity, and the subtle tug of my wolf, won. I crept closer, pressing my ear to the wood, heart hammering against my ribs.“…must ensure that the next heir is strong,” I heard Aric’s low, measured voice say. It carried the weight of command, each syllable deliberate, sharpened by authority. “The blood