Betrayed Bloodlines: The Alpha’s Final Penalty のすべてのチャプター: チャプター 21 - チャプター 30

“He doesn’t even need to resort to enhancers when we’re knotted together, Lucian,” I snarled into the receiver, my voice dripping with a newfound, jagged edge. I felt the heat of Rowan’s gaze on me as I leaned closer to the phone, my inner wolf sensing his amusement. “Since you’re so concerned with my new life, maybe you should admit the truth. You couldn't stay hard because you were too busy treating our bond like a business transaction, or maybe it was just easier to tell me I wasn't enticing enough than to face your own failures.”“Serena!” Lucian’s voice barked through the speaker, tight with Alpha pride and a hint of desperation. “You’re out of your mind. You’re clearly intoxicated!”“I’m exactly where I need to be,” I retorted, swaying slightly in the chair. “Rowan is taking me to his territory now. He’s going to put me to bed, and unlike you, he actually knows how to guard my peace.”“And when she wakes up in her right mind,” Rowan’s voice rumbled, low and dangerous as he took

“It really is. I’ve never had a den that felt this much like my own territory. It’s perfect.”“You secured the lease for a steal, too. The Blackthorn Council must have been in a generous mood.”“I did. I still can’t wrap my head around how rapidly the stars aligned for this.”“Have you scented the air for Rowan lately? Any word from the Ashcroft?”I shrugged, trying to keep my heartbeat steady. “He checked in Sunday night through the mind-link, and I sent a message yesterday. He pinged me late last night to say he was finishing up the border negotiations in the West. Apparently, there were some heavy contractual disputes with the local Alphas.”“Did you actually speak to him?”“No,” I whispered, avoiding my brother’s sharp, predatory gaze.“Serena, what’s eating at your wolf?” Caleb asked softly, catching my hand and pulling me to sit on the edge of the new mattress. The muffled sounds of Valeria, Freya, and Meredith in the kitchen—arguing over where to stash the silver-plated cutlery

“I’ll hold you to that, Rowan.”“I’m counting on it, Serena. Now, close those eyes. Your wolf needs the rest, and I’ll be back within our borders before the moon sets.”“Safe flight. I’ll be waiting.”“Sleep well, beautiful.”The moment the line went dead, a rare sense of peace flooded my chest. The jagged anxiety that had been clawing at me for days finally smoothed out. I buried my face in the new pillows, the scent of the fresh linen acting like a balm, and let myself sink into a heavy, dreamless slumber.The first sensation was warmth—soft, lingering kisses trailing along the curve of my bare shoulder, pulling me back from a dream where I was running through the snow with a massive black wolf. In my half-awake state, I assumed Rowan had landed, tracked my scent, and used the key I’d left at the Graves Glass Estate to surprise me. I hummed, pressing back into his heat, waiting for the familiar, sharp aroma of cedar and storm-drenched earth.Instead, a cloying, heavy scent of design

“I’m with the Alpha of the Ashcroft pack now, Lucian. I don’t have to spend my nights staring at the ceiling waiting for you to find your rhythm.”“That isn't you talking,” he said, his voice dropping into that practiced, velvet tone he used during pack negotiations. He stepped closer, reaching out as if to brush a stray hair from my face. “You once told me you loved the way I was gentle with you. You said you liked it when I claimed you slowly.”“Not every single time!” I snarled, my inner wolf pacing behind my ribs. “It was boring, Lucian. It was as tedious as watching a blood-stain dry on stone. I accepted it because I thought it was our bond—I thought that was how you expressed your devotion. But it was a hollow lie. Do you know how much it shredded my pride to know you needed medicinal boosters to stay up for me, yet you could shift and breed with my sister whenever the urge struck?”He froze, his hand hovering inches from my cheek. “Is that what you believe?”“It’s what I know.

Rowan tilted his head, his dark eyes narrowing with a sharp, predatory intrigue. "Of course I'll take you there. Can I ask what sparked this sudden urgency to visit a storage unit at dawn?""You’re still planning to dismantle them, right? Every stone, every vault?" I met his gaze, my pulse thrumming with a newfound coldness."Yes. I’ve been maneuvering behind the scenes for months. My objective remains unchanged: by the turning of the winter solstice, the Ashcroft flag will fly over the Ironclaw Vaults and every subsidiary of the Graves empire."I leaned in, my voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "I’m not a strategist for pack wars or corporate infiltration, but while I was clearing out my digital trail at the Graves Glass Estate, I came across something. A hidden directory within the Alpha’s personal server.""Go on," Rowan rumbled, his body going perfectly still."It wasn't just pack logistics. There was a specific folder, heavily encrypted, containing detailed dossiers on e