Rejected By The Alpha, Claimed By The Beast

His Weakness

Chapter Seven

Kaelthar

Marigold chuckled, pulling me closer as she looped her arm through mine again. Together, we moved deeper into the massive hall.

Alphas from all over the kingdom were there, each of them taking note of the woman on my arm. They had never seen me with anyone like this before. As much as I indulged in women, they were never more than fleeting pleasures to me, a means to satisfy my needs and s****l desires. I never let any of them get too close.

I could see the surprise in the eyes of the alphas as they greeted her with respectful nods, admiration gleaming in their eyes.

No doubt, Marigold was stunning. But that only made it more satisfying. I couldn’t wait to turn that beauty into something twisted and broken. To make her so shattered that she wouldn’t even bear to look at her own reflection. That was my true goal. Just like they destroyed my sister, I’d make sure she lived the rest of her pitiful life in pain. And maybe, just maybe, I’d spare her. If only she was lucky.

We moved through the hall, the Alphas still staring at Mari? But my attention wasn’t on them. It was on him.

Marigold’s brother. The one who had been part of the nightmare that ruined Kaia’s life. My jaw tightened as I watched him across the room, my fingers digging into Marigold’s soft skin. I wished I could walk right over to him and rip his throat out. But no. That wouldn’t be the right move.

Not yet. Just not yet.

Instead, I would make him watch—watch as I tore his sister apart, piece by piece, just like they had done to mine. That would be far sweeter. The thought alone was enough to stir my blood, but as I kept my eyes on him, my anger only festered.

A waiter passed by with a tray of drinks. I grabbed one without a word, tossing it back in a single gulp. But it did nothing to quell the rage rising in my chest. I needed a moment to regain my composure before I did something reckless.

"Excuse me," I said, leaning down to brush my lips against Marigold’s ear. "I’ll be right back."

She looked up, concern flickering in her eyes, but she nodded. "Okay."

I walked away quickly, heading for the restroom. When I got there, I watched my face, the cold water helped me steady the storm brewing inside of me. I clenched the edges of the sink, staring at my reflection. Trying to calm myself. Calm down. Focus. There’s a plan, and it’s working.

I tried to talk myself back to my composure, but it wasn’t working. My heart kept pounding hard in my chest until it felt so suffocating, as though it would burst out. My breathing became raspy and short. I reached out for my inhaler in my jacket, my hands trembling as I brought it to my mouth. Two puffs were all it took to get me back to myself.

I leaned back on the sink, splashing water over my face. I was stronger than I used to be, I had everything I needed, but this… this was my weakness. Asthma. I had been living with it ever since the incident when I was young. Emeric had locked us in the penthouse that day and burned it down. I was able to escape with Kaia. I had difficulty in breathing and had been stuck with an inhaler since then. Even Kaia didn’t know I had this problem, and I wasn’t even ready to let her know. I never want her to get another thought that I wouldn’t be able to fulfill that promise I made to her. If she finds out that I wasn’t as healthy as I used to be, she’d make sure I put an end or every plan I might have towards revenge and I didn’t want that.

They mustn’t go scot free, none of them should. Every single person who had wronged us in one way or the other had to pay for it, and in the most deadly way possible.

I took deep breaths in and out, and when I finally felt in control again, I straightened, drying my hands before stepping back into the hallway, ready to pick up my plan from where I left off.

That was when I saw her. Marigold was there, standing just a few feet away, facing a man whose back was to me. Even though I couldn’t see his face, something about him seemed so familiar, though I couldn’t place it.

I moved closer, intending to interrupt whatever conversation they were having, but I froze when the man spoke.

"How are you still alive, Marigold?" He mocked.

My blood ran cold immediately. I recognized that voice. I recognized the person. The memory hit me like a punch to the gut, the anger that had simmered inside me now roaring back to life. It was him. Emeric. My stepbrother. The other enemy I had been hunting for years.

And he was standing there, talking to Marigold like they had an unfinished business, like they knew each other. What was happening? Does he remember my face and was trying to get Mari to talk?

"The question should be how I managed to live after you and and that b***h tried to kill me!” She yelled.

I got the answers to my questions immediately. He was the ex-husband that left her to die. I should have known. I should have guessed. He was the ex-husband, the one who had nearly destroyed her.

Unbelievable.

My fingers curled into fists at my sides, and for a moment, I considered rushing forward and ending him right there. I had been waiting for the day I’d see him again, and this seemed like the perfect moment. It would be so easy. But no—this was too perfect. Emeric had no idea who I was. He had no idea the trap he had walked into. And soon, he would see. They both would.

This was about to get even more interesting. I could destroy them both at once. Perfect!