My Alpha’s Betrayal: Burning In The Flames Of His Vengeance Chapter 116

26. Iyara YILEYNA My heart squeezed at those words. Mixed with the sadness I felt for the young woman who had been murdered for loving him, I felt something else. Theon closed his eyes, and I could almost see him shattering, my own eyes stung with tears. I didn‘t like seeing him in pain, it was obvious he had been through a lot. 1 Cadoran continued as if he had wanted to spill the burden the weighed upon him.

“It was one of the final steps to shape you into the man you would become. Your father wanted you to become his mirror, his shadow, his–”

“I will never be him.” Theon cut off, his eyes blazing. “What else has he done, tell me!”

“Aside from selling the women and killing those who disobeyed him, I know not what is true or what not, but there were rumours that he had a dark power in his grasp. Something that.”

“Arabella. We know. Anything else?”

Theon‘s anger was at breaking point, and he was fuelling his pain into rage, worrying me. “Nothing, I‘m sorry.” Cadoran‘s fear had returned, and he cowered away.

It was obvious he would do anything to survive, and deep down I knew if someone came here asking about us, he would also oust us.

“Thank you for your information. If anyone passes here asking for us, no matter who, you will not tell anyone.” I commanded, my alpha aura rolling off me, my eyes blazed as Cadoran paled, my order absolute.

“I–I would ne–never.” “Good.” I said quietly. “Come Theon.”

He didn‘t reply as we both left the small cabin, Cadoran was a man who wanted to live but cared for nothing more than himself. I wondered what kind of person could be happy like that, but at least he had told us something. Even if it was just to survive, we still got some answers. I was grateful for his answers, despite the dark revelations, it was, helping in opening Theon‘s eyes.

Iyara. His first love.

I wondered what she was like? The fact that his father had killed her had shaken him. “Let‘s shift, we will go to the dark Moon Pack.” He said, pulling his shirt off. I frowned, knowing he would rip open his wounds if he did so. “Theon, you yourself said.”

“She‘s been sold, Yileyna! I need to find her.” Desperation and agony were in his voice. I couldn‘t refuse him, so I nodded.

The moment he unbuckled his pants I turned away, taking my clothes off, placing the necklace given to me by Lavina safely inside them and gathering them up, I shifted into my wolf. I felt her excitement when she turned towards Theon, her elation rushing through me. Although we had rejected one another, her feelings for him were there, just like mine. The moment he shifted, I flinched as his wounds stretched and tore, fresh blood dripping onto the floor.

He jerked his head to the left, picking up his bundle of clothing before breaking into a run. His frustration and rage were a storm around him, and he ran fast, that amber aura glowing around him fuelling his speed. I noticed every time his paws hit the floor, scorch marks or little embers of fire flickered for a moment. What exactly was his power?

I wasn‘t able to ask in wolf form, and now wasn‘t the time. We just needed to get to the Dark Moon Pack, and I hoped we could get out of here discreetly, because we didn‘t need Theoden alerted to Theon learning his truth.

A few hours later we had finally slowed, when we reached a small river in the woods. Night was falling, and the glow of the setting sun was shining through the trees. We drank some water, and I realised I hadn‘t even noticed that I was parched. The moment Theon had his fill, he shifted. My core clenched at the sight of him in his naked glory, but those thoughts vanished when I saw the huge gashes across his chest.

My stomach twisted, sickeningly. They were far worse than I thought, and the fact that I had done that...

He turned away from me, pulling on his pants. My heart thumped as I shifted back and put my own clothes on, as Theon opened his bag and took out a roll of gauze. “Let me do it.” I said quietly, approaching him. He didn‘t respond, allowing me to take the roll from him as he sat down. His breathing was shallow and laboured, I knew he had exerted himself. “You pushed yourself too far.”

I murmured, looking at the deep gashes. Was there nothing I could do to help him? “Oh yeah? Or did you just find it a struggle to keep up?” “Oh please, I was completely fine. I probably could have been faster.” I replied haughtily, sending a cooling breeze over his burning injuries. I wasn‘t so sure, he had been extremely fast. He hissed and I tensed, looking up at him. “Sorry.”

“It‘s fine.” He replied, looking into my eyes.

I nodded, before I slowly began wrapping the bandage around him.

“Iyara... what was she like?” I asked softly, the fear of him getting angry flitted through my mind but I no longer feared his reaction, or planned to walk on eggshells like I once did long ago...

We were not a couple, and if I pushed him, I had nothing to lose.

He stayed silent and I thought he wasn‘t going to reply. My fingers grazed his skin here and there, and often our eyes met, that intense connection swirling around us and only when I was able to move back did I feel I could breathe once again.

“She was the first who was special to me... We were friends before those feelings became more... She hoped we‘d be mates but we weren‘t, yet we still thought we could be... I treated her the way I did you... I left her after she gave me her all because I knew my life was meant for revenge. I couldn‘t have her caught up in it all.”

His voice was emotionless, but I knew him better than that.

“I‘m sorry.” I whispered. “What was she like?”

“The opposite of you in most ways, she was innocent, cherished things like the sunset or sunrise... carefree and gentle.”

Was it wrong to feel a pang of jealousy for a woman I didn‘t know? But I couldn‘t deny it. I should have known Theon possibly had someone else, but it never crossed my mind... “I was innocent until you corrupted me.” I mumbled.

He raised his eyebrow.

“The girl who used to go perv at the White Dove?”

I frowned at him, and he looked at the sky. “You were innocent too, but you two were different... I was able to walk away from her.” His voice became quieter before he looked over at me. Our eyes met, and when his gaze dipped to my lips, my heart pounded, and I knew he could hear it. I knew what he was saying... He hadn‘t been able to walk away from me... that‘s why everything got worse... We became embroiled in something far greater than us, and it was our feelings for one another that suffered.

He looked at the river as he continued. “He told me it was an attack from Andres that killed her, only fuelling my hatred for him.

I‘m beginning to question even the smallest thing...” I wanted to move closer, but I didn‘t trust myself. He was still sitting there shirtless. His defined abs, those muscular biceps... his chiselled cuts and grooves of his body. A work of art that I was hungry to devour, and so I stayed put. “You aren‘t him. Like I said the other day; you have good in you, you have been fed lies from a young age and our parents‘ influence plays a huge part in our upbringing.”

“It‘s not an excuse. Come on, we should head out; I don‘t plan to cause a scene, but I am going to find her and I will kill anyone who has hurt her.” He stood up, his eyes filled with burning hatred.

I couldn‘t argue with him, just the thought of what may have happened to her made me sick with worry.

“Let‘s go.” I said, picking up the rest of our belongings...

Fire.

The Dark Moon Pack was one huge bonfire, but I couldn‘t fault Theon. Women in barely any clothing were chained and treated like slaves, along with a few men who were of more slender build and prettier features.

When we had finally gotten close enough, we realised the Dark Moon pack was a horrible place. Drunk men lazed around whilst the women served them, doing their bidding, whether that was feeding them, massaging them or taking care of their sexual needs. To the side, two women had been whipped for disobeying, their bodies a bloody mess.

It was one horrifying scene that I knew I‘d never be able to forget.

The only words I remembered Theon whisper were:

‘Those are my people.‘ And then he had unleashed his wrath upon them all. Theoden had done one thing, and that was creating a killing machine. His amber eyes blazed gold as he dealt the hand of judgement upon them all. Slaying any who he had witnessed committing a crime. Only the abused remained, along with the women and children, and a handful of men, but none were warriors. 2 Two hours later the remnants of the warriors of the pack were rounded up, whilst the dead were burned.

I had commanded the pack women to give the women and men who had been chained clothing. From their state, it was obvious they were only for breeding, beaten, with most pregnant and clearly exhausted. “She isn‘t here.” Theon said quietly as I helped one of the women, who had been beaten, drink some water.

My heart sank as I looked around.

Thea.

“Have you asked anyone if there‘s a dungeon or anything?” I asked, standing up, seeing the desperation and fear in his eyes.

“No one is speaking; they have all been through too much and aren‘t in their right minds. We have over a hundred men and women who are beaten and abused here. No one knows anything and there‘s no order.” He ran a hand through his hair, and I placed my hand on his arm. “The Alpha, did you ask him before you killed him?” He shook his head.

“He didn‘t say anything, even when I asked.”

“We will find her. She‘s your sister Theon, there is no way that anything could have happened to her.” I reassured him, hoping that we found her.

He nodded and I took a few steps away from him, trying to clear my mind, wondering if becoming one with the earth would help.

It was worth a try, it was similar to how I could sense people from the air and the ice.

Finding a place free from fire and ash, I knelt and placed my hands on the ground, trying to look for life that perhaps we had not noticed...

Something slithered beneath the earth, two feet deep.... Insects... hundreds of them... the injured.... Theon... I went farther out and it was then when I sensed two living beings.

My heart skipped a beat, and I looked up at Theon, who was watching me.

“To the northwest, there‘s rockier terrain, there are two people there!” 4 He gave me a small nod before jogging off, I wanted to follow him but there were people here who needed me. I just prayed it was her. 1