Trapped with the Alpha King (Althea) novel Chapter 41

: Nothing But a Tool

“I was on my way back to the royal estate, but when I heard what happened here, I thought I should stop by and see it for myself. I’m fortunate to cross paths with you, My King,” Lady Ava said politely as she approached, her steps light, her poise flawless. She came to stand beside him, her presence calm yet commanding.

“The yearly hunt is approaching,” she continued. “The Queen Mother has asked me to assist in the preparations.” She paused, inhaling slowly before adding, “Should I include your breeder in the list? Do you intend to bring her to the event?”

Gavriel’s brow furrowed. Her voice carried no trace of malice—calm, composed, and perfectly polite. Ava was always like that: refined, proper, and steady no matter the situation. It was no secret that many desired their union. To everyone else, she seemed the perfect choice for his Luna.

But Gavriel remained silent.

Ava had been Rizza’s close friend, and she had stood beside him through countless trials. He trusted her, valued her presence, even considered her once as a potential Luna. She was capable, intelligent, and loyal.

For years, Ava had been his mistress, warming his bed whenever he desired. It was an arrangement without strings, one she had accepted because Gavriel had made himself clear from the start—he had no intention of taking a Luna.

“Yes. I’ll bring her with me,” he answered simply.

“Alright then,” Ava replied, her voice smooth, though her eyes flickered with something unreadable. “I’ll make the necessary arrangements for her. Are you planning to stay long here, or would you prefer to ride with me? We could stop along the way and perhaps—”

“You go ahead first, Ava. I still have matters to attend to,” Gavriel cut in, his tone firm, leaving no room for her to press further.

“I understand, My King,” she said with a faint smile, bowing politely before turning to leave.

Gavriel’s jaw tightened as he watched her retreat. Once, such an invitation from Ava would have stirred him, tempted him. But now… he felt nothing.

The thought of her touch no longer roused him the way it used to. Instead, an unfamiliar disinterest weighed on him, and he realized with a grimace that he wasn’t in the mood to seek comfort in Ava’s body at this rate.

“Alpha.”

Simon’s voice cut through his thoughts. The Gamma glanced around cautiously before leaning closer to whisper, “We have updates… about the origin of Althea’s mother.”

Gavriel’s eyes narrowed, a deep frown forming as Simon relayed every detail they had uncovered.

“Alpha King, how should we proceed?” Simon asked once he was finished, his tone careful.

Pieces began falling into place in Gavriel’s mind. It explained why Althea had been able to purge the poison from her body on her own. She had told him about her abilities—her gift for healing, her power to read minds—after recovering fragments of the memories she had lost when her mother died. But she had never spoken of her true origin.

Meanwhile, Ava continued her journey with a sullen mood inside her carriage. Her jaw tightened as she stared out the window, the wheels clattering against the road only fueling her irritation. She still couldn’t believe it—Gavriel had refused her. So easily. So coldly. Something he had never done before.

“Something’s off,” she hissed under her breath, her hands curling into fists on her lap.

She had left her work unfinished in the southwest, where she was overseeing the trade of her family’s business. The moment she heard the palace gossip, she abandoned it all to rush back.

The Alpha King had brought a woman into his chambers. Not just any woman—Cain’s daughter. The one he had declared as his breeder.

But what unsettled her most, what gnawed at her stomach, was the truth she could not ignore. That woman was his fated mate.

Ava knew well how much Gavriel despised Cain. That girl should have been nothing but a tool for him to break, a body to use and discard. Yet the matebond was dangerous—it was strong, insidious. And Ava’s greatest fear was that even Gavriel, ruthless as he was, would eventually bend to it.

“I won’t allow it,” Ava muttered through clenched teeth, her nails digging into her palms. “No woman deserves to stand by your side, Gavriel… except me.”