Trapped with the Alpha King (Althea) novel Chapter 87

The Abyssal Order

“My Lady!” Melva cried, rushing to her side as soon as she saw her on the ground, clutching her chest. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

Melva helped her up while Althea scanned the room. “Someone’s here. I felt it!” she blurted.

She clearly felt that sudden surge of energy pulsed through her, sharp and heavy, as if unseen fingers were probing the very core of her inner power. It wasn’t like the usual stir of her magic—it felt foreign, invasive, almost testing her limits.

Her breath caught in her throat, and her hands clenched against her dress as her body stiffened in alarm.

“There’s no one here, My Lady. If someone was, we would have seen them by now,” Melva said, frowning.

“No, someone is here and I’m sure of it,” Althea firmly replied. “They must have used a concealment spell. It’s possible to hide yourself with magic.”

She remembered her mother’s lessons. To cast or break such spells, she would need to recall certain rites and perform them exactly, or risk a backlash.

“Should I tell Rudy about this?” Melva asked, worry in her voice.

“Not yet. Keep it between us for now,” Althea murmured. She didn’t want to stir unnecessary trouble, especially without evidence. Still, she knew she would eventually have to tell the Alpha King about it.

She moved to the parapet and peered over the courtyard and into every shadowed corner.

The surge she had felt was gone. The air was still back to normal.

‘Who could it be?’ she thought, frowning. She hated being watched, especially by someone hiding in the dark and poking at her inner energy.

“Who could that be? Someone from the Bureau of Magic and Healing? The Archmage? Or maybe a spy sent by the Queen Mother or Lady Ava?” Melva muttered as she guided Althea back to the nearest chair.

“I only came to bring you some cut fruits,” Melva added quickly.

“When I saw you on the ground, I thought something terrible had happened! Are you sure you’re alright? Should we call a healer just to be safe? Can you check again if you’re really not harmed?” Her words tumbled out in a rush as she looked Althea over from head to toe, searching for any sign of injury.

“Don’t worry, I’m fine,” Althea reassured her, though her brows remained furrowed. “Whoever it was didn’t hurt me. But I know what I felt, someone was trying to prod at my inner energy from the shadows.”

Her expression darkened. “Next time, I’ll make sure I catch that person, whoever it is.”

******

At the Southern Borders of the Werewolf Kingdom

A full day had passed since Gavriel left the Capital. Normally, he would send only his men to deal with breaches at the borders. But this time was different. He had chosen to come himself.

This breach was no ordinary incident—it carried the same traces of black magic as the one in the northwest. Gavriel knew at once this could not be ignored. He would not allow his enemies to spread corruption within his territory.

The Alpha King straightened, his dark cloak sweeping across the dirt. He knew what he had just witnessed was only the beginning.

Black magic was not something that wandered freely across borders. It was summoned, cultivated, and spread with intent. Whoever this Abyssal Order was, they had a plan. And now, Gavriel had a name—something to begin hunting down.

The sorcerer coughed weakly, still smiling through broken lips. “You’re too late, Alpha King. The cracks are already spreading. Your wolves will devour one another. And you—” His grin stretched wider. “You’ll watch them die first.”

Gavriel’s jaw tightened. The sorcerer’s words might have been meant to frighten him, but he did not answer. Instead, he let silence settle heavy as stone, daring the man to choke on his own madness.

Then Gavriel exhaled a frustrated sigh as he finally made his decision.

“Bring me my breeder,” Gavriel ordered, his voice low but final.

Althea could read minds, and he planned to use her to pry the bastard’s every secret, squeezing every detail from his thoughts.

Gustav’s brows furrowed slightly. He had expected the command to continue the torture, not summon the woman the king had recently claimed. Still, he bowed without hesitation. “As you command, Your Majesty.”

“Hold on,” Gavriel said, stopping Gustav before he could summon the portal. With a low sigh, he added, “I’ll go with you.”