Betrayed by an alpha claimed by a lycan king

Chapter 137 Chapter 137 TITUS

I was looking around, studying the area. Somehow, this place reminds me of someone I didn't want to remember. It's been three years, yet the fire inside me still burns like a wildfire.

Every day, I imagined the pain I would inflict, the torment I would make her endure. The same anguish that had gnawed at me every single day since she disappeared. I wanted her to suffer as I had suffered. No, more than that.

I'd searched for her relentlessly over the years, following every whisper, every fleeting lead. And now, the trail had brought me here to this quiet, sleepy town. The kind of place where secrets could casily be buried, where people vanished without a trace.

I thought finding her would be easy after Scott confessed everything. He spilled every sordid detail about Sage's betrayal- how she had entered a blood pact with that hunter, forcing his cooperation. The very hunter who had intended to auction her off as a breeder.

The thought still made my blood boil. I didn't care who had been foolish enough to think they could claim her. They would've been nothing more than a minor obstacle-easily disposed of.

But the auction never happened. Sage had slipped through everyone's fingers, vanishing without a trace.

It didn't matter how clever she thought she was. No one could hide forever.

I clenched my fists, the sharp pain grounding me. My jaw tightened as I surveyed the quiet street, imagining all the ways hunt could end.

Soon, Sage.

Soon, I would find her. And when I did, there would be no escape. She'd face every consequence, every punishment she deserved.

The corner of my mouth curled into a cold, bitter smile.

She wouldn't know peace until I was done with her.

But that's not the reason why I'm here. I am here for official business. I was scanning the narrow streets, my senses heightened, when two children darted around the corner, nearly colliding with me.

The boy, lanky with messy silver hair, stumbled but managed to regain his footing. The girl, fiery red hair whipping behind. her, grabbed his hand, urging him to keep running.

"Come on, Cooper! Hurry!" She whispered urgently.

I raised a brow, intrigued. They looked about seven, wide-eyed and breathless as if they'd just escaped some mischief. Behind them, two burly men stormed down the street, their expressions a mix of anger and frustration. "There they are!" one of the men growled, pointing at the kids.

The children froze, glancing at each other with guilty expressions. My eyes flicked to the small toy clutched tightly in the boy's hand.

Gotcha now!" The larger man grabbed the boy by the arm while the other seized the girl.

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"Let me go!" the girl shouted, kicking and squirming. Her spirit reminded me of someone, though I couldn't immediately place it.

"We didn't mean to take it!" the boy pleaded. "We were gonna bring it back, I swear!"

The man holding him sneered. "Yeah, right. Little thieves always say that."

A flicker of amusement tugged at the corner of my mouth. The sight of these two fierce little runaways reminded me of.... no, that was impossible. "What's going on here?" I asked, my voice cold and commanding

The men stiffened, clearly not expecting to be challenged. The one gripping the boy sneered, "None of your business, pal. These brats stole from my store."

"Is that so?" I drawled, stepping closer, my eyes narrowing. "And manhandling children is your way of handling disputes?"

The man's grip faltered under my piercing gaze "They need to learn a lesson."

"Lesson learned," I said sharply. "Now let them go."

The second man shifted uneasily. "Look, we just want the toy back. That's all."

The boy hesitated, glancing at the toy clutched in his hand. His blue eyes flickered with guilt. Slowly, he extended it toward

the store owner.

"Sorry," he mumbled. "We didn't mean to steal it... Harper just wanted to see if it worked."

The red-haired girl scowled. "I told you we were gonna bring it back, Cooper!"

The men grumbled but relented, releasing the children.

"Go on," I ordered, my tone sharp, leaving no room for argument.

The store owner's eyes narrowed defiantly, his face turning red with indignation. "No, it doesn't work that way, pal," he spat, standing his ground. "These scoundrels disrupted my business. They need to pay for my losses." I raised an eyebrow, my gaze cold. "Losses? Over a single toy?"

He scoffed, pointing a stubby finger at the children. "It's not just the toy! They knocked over a whole display when they bolted out of the store. Stuff scattered everywhere, and I had to clean it up while customers walked out. That's money outta my pocket!" The girl clenched her fists, her face burning with a mix of embarrassment and defiance. "We said we were sorry! It was an accident!"

The man sneered. "Sorry doesn't fix my shop, little missy."

The boy looked down at his feet, guilt written all over his face. "We'll help clean up," he offered quietly, his voice barely audible. "We didn't mean to mess things up."

Before the man could respond, I stepped forward, my presence cutting through the tension like a blade. "That won't be necessary," I said icily. "How much are your 'losses,' exactly?"

The man blinked, caught off guard. "Huh?"

"You heard me." I said, pulling out a sleek wallet from my jacket. What's the damage?"

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His eyes gleamed with greed as he quickly recalculated his indignation. "Uh... well, let's say fifty bucks for the mess and the disruption."

I let out a short, humorless laugh. "Fifty bucks, huh?" I counted out the bills with deliberate precision and handed him a couple hundred bucks. "Here. That should cover your 'losses.' Now get out of my sight."

The man snatched the money, grumbling under his breath, but he didn't dare linger. "Fine. But you better keep those brats out of my store."

I watched him lumber away, his ego bruised but appeased.

Turning back to the kids, I studied them closely. The girl was still bristling with indignation, while the boy looked relieved but humbled.

"You two have a habit of getting into trouble, don't you?" I asked, folding my arms.

The girl glared at me defiantly. "We didn't steal it," she insisted.

The boy looked down, embarrassed..

"What's your name, kid?" I asked, my eyes lingering on his silver hair.

"Cooper," he said hesitantly.

My heart skipped a beat. A strange unease settled over me as I studied him more closely-the silver hair, the striking blue eyes. And the girl...

"Harper," she said boldly, as if daring me to scold her.

"You didn't have to do that," Cooper said quietly.

Harper, with the fiery-red hair, added, "Yeah, we could've handled it."

I smirked. "Sure looked like it."

Her blue eyes sparked with defiance. "We're not babies, you know."noveldrama

"No," I said thoughtfully, "I can see that."

But as I looked at them-the girl's fiery spirit and the boy's quiet strength-a gnawing suspicion crept into my chest. These two were no ordinary children, and something about them tugged at a part of me I hadn't felt in years. "Where are your parents?" I asked, my voice casual but probing.

The girl crossed her arms. "Why do you care?"

"Just curious," I said smoothly.

The boy hesitated before glancing toward the edge of town. "We gotta go. Thanks for.., um, helping."

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The kids were just about to disappear down the street when an older couple came hurrying toward them, their faces creased with concern. The woman, with soft silver hair pinned neatly back, was the first to speak. Her voice, though warm, held hint of panic.

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"Harper! Cooper! Thank goodness we found you," she said, relief washing over her features. "We were worried sick when you didn't show up at the meeting point."

The man beside her, taller and sturdy despite his age, glanced between the kids and me, his brow furrowing. "What's going on here?" he asked gruffly, his protective instincts evident.

"Just a misunderstanding at the store," I said smoothly, slipping my hands into my pockets. "It's all sorted now?

The older man's sharp gaze lingered on me, his eyes narrowing slightly. "And who are you, exactly?"

Before I could answer, Harper jumped in, her voice quick and defensive. "He helped us, Grandpa Robert. The store guy was being mean, and he paid him off so he'd leave us alone." Robert's expression softened just a fraction, though skepticism still lingered in his eyes. "Is that right?"

"Yes, Grandpa," Cooper added earnestly. "He was nice."

The woman, whom I guessed was their grandmother, smiled kindly at me. "Well, thank you, sir. We appreciate you stepping

in."

"Don't mention it," I said with a faint nod. "They're spirited kids.

Her smile widened. "That they are. Always getting into something." She turned to the children. "Now come on, let's get home. Your mama will be wondering where you are."

The mention of their mother sent a flicker of curiosity through me. I watched as they gathered around the couple, their

bond evident in the way the kids clung to them, their earlier bravado melting into affection.

As they started to walk away, Robert cast one last glance over his shoulder. "Thanks again," he said gruffly.

I nodded, but my mind was already spinning.

Their mother.

Something about those children nagged at me. Their eyes, their presence-it was too familiar to ignore.

I was lost in my thoughts about the children when Scott's familiar voice broke through the haze.

I was deep in thought about the children-those strange, spirited kids with eyes that tugged at something buried deep inside me-when a familiar voice cut through the din of the street.

"Your Majesty-" Scott began, but he caught himself mid-title, glancing around nervously at the unfamiliar surroundings. His breath was heavy, his chest rising and falling as he closed the distance between us.

I raised an eyebrow, biting back a smirk. "You really need to work on your stamina, Beta. You're getting out of breath just from following me."

Scott scowled, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. "It's because you keep sneaking off without a word!" he shot back, frustration lacing his tone. "Do you know how many miles I had to run to track you down?" I crossed my arms casually. "You managed, didn't you?"He shot me a dark look. "Barely."

"Then what's the problem?" I asked dryly, crossing my arms as I leaned casually against a nearby post.

Scott straightened, wiping sweat from his brow. "The problem is you're impossible to keep track of, and you always seem to

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find trouble wherever you go." His tone shifted to something more serious. "Speaking of which; I've got intel."

I raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

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"There's an auction set to take place just a few miles from this town," Scott said grimly. "Underground, discreet. Word is, it's for... rare goods."

My jaw clenched. "Goods, huh?"

He nodded, his expression hard. "That's what they're calling it, but we both know what it means-wolves, shifters, maybe even humans caught up in the trade."

A growl rumbled in my chest, low and menacing. "Slavers."

"Exactly," Scott said, his voice tight with disgust. "I got the location from one of our contacts. They're being careful, but not careful enough."

My thoughts immediately drifted back to the children I'd seen earlier their bright eyes, the uncanny familiarity about them. Could it be? But that's impossible. Those two look like they're about seven years old. "And you're sure it's happening near here?" I asked.

"Positive. If we time it right, we can intercept the whole operation before they scatter."

I nodded slowly, my mind already piecing together a plan. "Good work."

Scott gave me a sharp look. "So what's the play?"

"We wait and watch," I said, my tone leaving no room for debate. "When the time comes, we'll burn the whole thing to the ground."

Scott's lips curved into a dangerous smile.