My Fated Alphas Cruel Game novel Chapter 6

6 Chapter 6 Price of Betrayal

Elena’s POVO

Death felt like a possibility when the agony first hit me. Wave after wave of searing pain crashed through my body until I thought I might actually break apart. When the torture finally ended, I dragged myself upright, drenched in sweat, and stumbled to my bedroom mirror.

I lifted my shirt with trembling fingers. A dark bruise was already forming beneath my breast, spreading across my ribs like spilled ink. At its center sat a small, weeping wound that made my stomach turn.

I grabbed gauze and surgical tape from my first aid kit, pressing the bandage against the raw flesh. My hands shook as I secured it in place.

This was the cruel reality of the mate bond. When your other half betrayed you, your body paid the price in blood and pain. Marcus was somewhere with Viviana, taking what should have been mine, and I was left bleeding for his sins.

That heartless bastard.

The worst part? If I ever dared to do the same to him, if I caused him even a fraction of this agony, he would have me executed without blinking. The Alpha’s justice was swift and merciless, but only when it served his purposes.

I peeled off my sweat–soaked clothes and pulled on a fresh shirt and shorts before sinking to the floor against my couch. The clock on my nightstand glowed three in the morning.

Sleep became impossible after that. I crawled back into bed and stared out the window, watching darkness slowly give way to dawn while the wound beneath my ribs throbbed in rhythm with my heartbeat.

When Mom finally stirred, she moved like someone twice her age. Shadow circles shadowed her eyes as she prepared for another early shift at a different diner across the pack territory.

“You should call in sick and get some rest,” I said, watching her fumble with her uniform.

“Can’t afford it.” Her voice was flat, defeated.

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6 Chapter 6 Price of Betrayal

“You’re running yourself into the ground, Mom. You can’t keep this pace up

“I’m managing. I can’t miss work.”

“You have twelve different jobs. Surely you can take one morning off?”

She paused, her shoulders sagging. “Alpha Marcus raised our rent last week.”

My blood turned to ice. “He what? When did this happen?”

“Last week. We now owe twelve hundred a month.”

forever.”

“Twelve hundred dollars for this rotting trailer?” The words exploded out of me. “This place isn’t worth half that!”

“Keep your voice down, Elena. Don’t make waves. There’s nothing we can do about it.”

“He’s a complete asshole.”

“Watch your mouth.” Fear flickered across her features. “If anyone hears you talking about the Alpha like that, he’ll make sure you’re punished. Severely.”

“He has no right to bleed us dry like this. And I’m not scared of that prick.”

“You should be terrified. The only people with power to stop him are the werewolf council, and they don’t listen to people like us. Not our rank. They ignore complaints from omegas and anyone below that station.”

I knew she was right, but it didn’t make the injustice burn any less.

“Get going. You’ll be late for school, especially limping on that ankle,” she said.

“Have

you thought more about what we discussed last night?”

“I haven’t had time to think about anything except surviving. Give me more time to decide”

“Alright. I hope I see you tonight.”

At school, Beta Hugo stood posted beside the main entrance like a guard dog. Every student who passed offered him respectful greetings, but his attention was laser–focused on me the moment I appeared.

I glared at him as I limped up the steps, feeling his eyes burning into my back. He followed me inside, staying close enough that his presence was impossible to ignore. Students began to stare and whisper, their attention making my skin crawl.

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< 6 Chapter 6 Price of Betrayal

At least when they bullied me or pretended I didn’t exist, I knew the rules of engagement. This strange new dynamic left me completely off balance.

I spun around suddenly, and he nearly collided with me.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I demanded.

“The school has surveillance cameras. Alpha Marcus knows about the bullying,” he stated matter–of–factly.

Everyone knew about the cameras, but Marcus had never cared about my suffering before. Years of abuse, and now he suddenly developed a conscience?

“Why does he care now?” I asked.

Beta Hugo leaned closer, his voice dropping to barely a whisper. “You’re still his mate.”

I whispered back through gritted teeth, “If I’m still his mate, maybe he should stop screwing his girlfriend.”

Something shifted in Beta Hugo’s expression, and then I caught sight of Marcus striding down the hallway. The realization hit me like a punch to the gut. Beta Hugo had been mind–linking with the Alpha, feeding him every word of our conversation.

Marcus grabbed my arm and hauled me into an empty classroom, positioning Beta Hugo outside as a guard.

“How do you know I’m sleeping with Viviana?” His voice was dangerously quiet. “Are you spying on me?”

I scoffed and lifted my shirt, peeling back the gauze to reveal the angry wound on my

torso.

“I don’t need to spy on you. The mate bond tells me everything I need to know.”

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