Alpha's STOLEN Mate (by Abigail Hayes) novel Chapter 257

Chapter 257

The temperature in the room seemed to drop. “Don’t.”

69

“The berserker blood runs in your veins,” Sera continued relentlessly. “Your father barely keeps his contained, and you’re stronger than he

ever was. That girl-that wild, defiant, uncontrolled Alpha-she inflames everything dangerous in you. Your rage. Your possessiveness.

Your need to dominate.”

“That’s not-

“The kneeling?” Sera’s voice turned sharp. “That wasn’t love, Kaius. That was submission. Trying to suppress your true nature by

performing the opposite. But it doesn’t work that way. The more you deny what you are, the more violently it will erupt.”

Images flashed through my mind-moments where I’d felt that darkness rising. When Ronan challenged Elowen. When my mother

suggested removing her Alpha status. The barely-controlled fury that had threatened to consume me.

“She needs to be controlled,” Sera said firmly. “Needs to learn submission. Not the other way around. This separation-it’s good. Let her

experience consequence. Let her understand that actions have prices. When she returns, humbled and grateful, then you can begin

properly training her-”

“GET OUT.”

The words came out in a growl that didn’t sound entirely human.

Sera stiffened. “Kaius-”

“I said GET OUT!” My voice rose to a roar. “Elowen is my mate! My equal! She doesn’t need to be trained or controlled or broken to fit

your twisted vision of what a Queen should be!”

“You’re proving my point!” Sera’s composure cracked, “Look at yourself! The rage, the loss of control-this is what she does to you! This is the berserker blood responding to chaos!”

“The only chaos here is YOU!” I advanced on her, and some distant part of me recognized I should stop, should calm down. But the fury was too strong, too righteous. “You’ve done nothing but undermine her since the moment she arrived! Challenged her authority, questioned her worth, tried to strip away everything that makes her who she is!”

“Because she’s POISON!” Sera’s mask finally fell completely. “She brings out the worst in you! The violence, the instability–”

Her hand lashed out, striking my face with shocking force.

The slap echoed in the sudden silence.

We both froze-her hand still raised, my cheek stinging, both of us realizing she’d crossed a line that could never be uncrossed.

1/3

14:49 Thu, Jan 22

Chapter 257

“Kaius, I she started.

The door burst open.

69

“What in the name of My father stopped short, taking in the scene. His eyes went from Sera’s raised hand to my reddening cheek, and his expression transformed into something I’d never seen before.

Pure, incandescent rage.

“Did you just strike our son?” His voice was barely above a whisper, but it carried more menace than any shout.

“Aldric, it’s not- Sera began.

“DID YOU STRIKE HIM?!”

The roar shook the windows. My father’s body began to change-not a full shift, but something worse. Partial transformation. His eyes

bled to gold. His muscles swelled. His hands curved into claws.

This was what Sera had warned about. The berserker blood. The rage that consumed reason.

And it wasn’t aimed at me. It was aimed at her.

“Father!” I moved between them as Aldric lunged. “Father, stop!”

He tried to push past me, his strength suddenly monstrous. “She STRUCK you! My SON! The KING!”

“I know! But you need to stop!” I grabbed his arms, using every ounce of Alpha authority. “This isn’t you! This is the blood talking!

ALDRIC!”

Using his name-not ‘Father’-seemed to penetrate the haze. His gold eyes flickered, showing confusion beneath the rage.

“Kaius?” His voice was rough, bestial. “I… what…”

“Breathe.” I kept my grip firm but not threatening. “Come back. You’re here. You’re in control.”

Slowly, painfully, the transformation reversed. The gold faded from his eyes. His muscles returned to normal proportions. His claws

retracted.

When he was fully himself again, he looked at his hands in horror.

“I nearly…” He swayed, and I steadied him. “I almost killed her. My mate. I would have-”

“But you didn’t.” I kept my voice steady, “I stopped you. You’re okay.”

2/3

10 Thu Han 23

Chapter 257

:.

Aldric looked at Sera, who stood pale and shaking against the wall. Something complex passed between them-recognition, fear, old pain.

“Were leaving,” Aldric said quietly. Tonight. Sera and I are leaving the pack.”

“Father, you don’t need to-

“Yes. I do.” He straightened, dignity returning despite his obvious shame. I almost murdered my mate in a rage. That’s not. I can’t stay

here. Can’t risk that happening again. He looked at me directly. And Kalus-she was wrong. About everything.”

Sera made a small sound of protest, but Aldric silenced her with a look.

“Elowen doesn’t bring out the worst in you. She brings out the truth.” His voice was firm. “The berserker blood-it responds to

authenticity. To passion. To real emotion instead of political games.” He smiled sadly. “Your mother and I… we’ve performed a marriage

for centuries. Duty and appearance. No real connection. That’s what breeds the rage. The suppression.”

He moved toward the door, gently taking Sera’s arm. She looked diminished somehow, all her certainty stripped away,

“We won’t interfere in your life anymore,” Aldric said. “Find your Queen, Kaius. Before it’s too late. And when you do-don’t ever let her

They left, and I stood alone in my office, mind reeling from everything that had just happened.

Then I felt it—a flutter through the mate bond. Not Elowen. But something else. A sense of… wrongness. Distance growing where there

should be closeness.

No.

I ran.

Comments

LIKE