All Chapters of Oh My Beta!: Chapter 81 - Chapter 90

Claire’s POV I stayed at the tall window, fingers tracing idle patterns on the glass as the opening ceremony unfolded below like a well-rehearsed play. The pack had gathered in force along the ridge; wolves young and old, their breaths clouding in the sharp morning air, eyes bright with that familiar hunger for blood and glory. Banners snapped overhead in our colors, the elder canopy casting long shadows across the raked earth. Kade stood tall in the central circle, cloak discarded, training leathers hugging his frame. From up here he looked every inch the five-time champion. Untouchable.
But I knew better.
The tea was already threading through his veins, softening edges Riven had tried so desperately to sharpen. Cassius rose again, his pale sharp eyes cutting through the crowd like winter frost. His voice rolled out, deep and commanding. “Alphas and Betas of the allied packs! Today we honor the old ways. Strength tested. Loyalty proven. The weak culled so the strong may lead.” He

Claire’s POV The fight dragged on like a beautiful, brutal symphony I had composed myself. Kade refused to fall easily, stubborn alpha pride fueling him even as the poison whispered through his blood. He landed another sharp combination on Rorik, forcing the bigger wolf back two steps, and the Northridge section of the ridge exploded in renewed cheers. But I saw the truth in every labored breath, every delayed pivot. The tea had layered perfectly over the months of incense. His edge was dulling, blade turning to blunt iron right before the pack’s eyes. Riven looked ready to chew through the boundary markers. His gaze flicked between Kade and the elders, calculating, desperate. Let him watch. Let him taste the helplessness I’d felt watching Kade drain Shadowmere dry year after year. A low murmur rippled through the far side of the crowd. Heads turned toward the main path leading into the grounds. Hooves thudded on frozen earth, accompanied by the heavy rhythm of mounted wolves and th

Kade’s pov The roar of the crowd still echoed in my ears as I pushed through the door of my private chambers in the pack house, shoulders heavy, every muscle screaming from the fight I’d barely scraped through. Dust and blood caked my skin. My ribs throbbed with every breath. The strange surge of strength that had let me take Rorik down had burned out, leaving me hollow and raw. I kicked the door shut behind me with my heel and immediately started pulling off the torn, sweat-soaked training leathers. The fabric stuck to the cuts and bruises, peeling away with sharp stings that made my jaw clench. I needed a bath. Hot water. Something to wash away the dirt, the blood, and the lingering fog that still clung to the edges of my mind like cobwebs I couldn’t quite brush off. The shirt came off first, tossed carelessly onto the floor. Then the pants. I stood there half-naked, rolling my shoulders, trying to work out the knots, when the door slammed open hard enough to rattle the hinges. C

Kade’s POV I walked straight from the bathing chamber to the dining hall without letting my mind linger on what had just happened upstairs. No time for that. The trials were still unfolding, and the pack expected their alpha to carry himself with strength, not distraction. The long oak table was already set when I entered. Servants moved quietly, laying out platters of roasted meat, fresh bread, and steaming vegetables. The elders had gathered—Cassius with his pale, piercing eyes, Dorian looking sharp and watchful as ever. Dominic sat at the far end, flanked by a couple of his Shadowmere wolves, his expression carefully neutral but carrying an undercurrent of tension. Rorik, the Beta I had just beaten into the dirt, occupied a seat near him, nursing a tankard with a bruised jaw and a scowl that hadn’t quite faded. Claire was nowhere in sight. Good. I wasn’t ready for another confrontation yet. “Alpha Kade,” Cassius greeted, nodding as I took my seat at the head of the table. “You f

Kade’s POVDominic straightened his collar with deliberate calm, the mocking smile never leaving his face. He gave me one last lingering look, eyes bright with amusement, then pushed off the wall and walked toward the door without another word of challenge.“I’ll await your wish, Alpha Kade,” he called over his shoulder, voice smooth and laced with sarcasm. “Take all the time you need. We both know you have… other matters to settle first.”The door clicked shut behind him, leaving the dining hall feeling suddenly too large and too empty.I turned to Aria.She was still standing beside the table, the half-cut steak forgotten on her plate. Without thinking, I closed the distance between us and pulled her into my arms, one hand sliding to the small of her back while the other cupped the back of her head. She didn’t resist. Instead she leaned into me, her body fitting against mine with that same easy warmth from upstairs.“Stay away from him,” I murmured against her hair, voice low and ro