Chapter 62: Reclaimed

Ava POV

I ran down the long hallway with Raven right beside me. Our feet hit the stone floor so fast that the sound echoed through the silent building. My heart beat wildly in my chest. Raven’s breathing was sharp, almost painful, and I could feel the fear rolling off her. She kept calling Ryan’s name softly, like she hoped he would somehow hear her voice through the walls.

We checked room after room, pushing open doors with shaking hands. Empty. Empty. All empty. The more empty rooms we found, the more terrified Raven became. Her fingers dug into my arm every few seconds, and I didn’t pull away. I knew how frightened she was.

“Where is he?” she whispered in a broken voice.

“We’ll find him,” I said. “We’re close. I can feel it.”

Finally, at the end of the hallway, we saw a heavy wooden door with iron bars. Something inside me told me that was the room. Raven rushed forward before I even reached the door. She pushed it open, and both of us froze.

Ryan was there.

He was tied to a chair with thick rope, his head down, his hair falling over his face. His clothes were torn, and his body looked thin, too thin. Like he hadn’t eaten in days. His skin looked pale, and his chest rose and fell weakly. The sight of him made my breath catch.

Raven broke instantly.

She let out a sharp cry and fell to her knees in front of him. Tears poured down her cheeks as she touched his face carefully, afraid she might hurt him.

“Ryan… oh, Ryan…” she sobbed. “What did they do to you?”

At the sound of her voice, Ryan weakly lifted his head. His eyes opened, and when he saw Raven, a faint smile appeared on his face, small, tired, but full of love.

“Raven…” he whispered. “You came.”

“Of course I came,” she cried. “I’m here, my love. I’m here.”

I swallowed hard, my chest tightening. The bond between mates was something powerful, something that always hit straight to the heart.

Raymond stepped closer and pulled his dagger from my belt. Raven moved aside only long enough for him to cut the ropes. Ryan groaned when the tension on his arms released, and he sagged forward. Raven caught him quickly, holding him against her.

“Help me,” she said.

Raymond and I wrapped Ryan’s other arm around our shoulder. Together, we lifted him slowly. He tried to stand, but his legs shook badly. It didn’t matter. We would carry him if we had to.

“We’re taking you home,” Raven whispered to him.

Ryan gave a weak nod.

We walked out of the room, supporting him on both sides. The hallway felt longer than before, but we kept going. Ryan leaned heavily on us, but he was alive. That was all that mattered.

When we reached the main doors leading to the throne room, I felt my heart steady. Cain was in there. Cain had won. And everything was finally ending.

We pushed the doors open.

The moment we stepped inside, the atmosphere changed. Power filled the room—raw, strong, dominant. Cain stood in front of the throne, tall and victorious, his dark hair falling over his forehead, his clothes stained from battle but still looking like a king. Papers, documents, and seals of authority were spread before him on a long wooden table. The elders stood nearby, watching him with deep respect.

Cain was reclaiming everything, every right, every land, every resource Finn had stolen.

When Cain looked up and saw us, his eyes went straight to Ryan. And for a moment, I saw something terrifying and wild burn inside his gaze, pure fury.

Finn had locked Ryan up. Tortured him. Left him to starve.

If Finn were to rise from the dead at that very moment, Cain would kill him again without hesitation.

Raven tightened her hold on Ryan, as if protecting him even though the danger was gone. Ryan lifted his head and looked at Cain.

“Alpha…” Ryan’s voice cracked. “You came back.”

Cain nodded once. He didn’t smile, didn’t show much emotion, but I knew my mate. I knew his heart. He was relieved. He was grateful Ryan was alive. He just didn’t show it the way others did.

“You’re safe now,” Cain said simply.

Ryan’s eyes shone with emotion, even though tears didn’t fall. “Thank you.”

Cain turned away and picked up the final set of documents. He pressed his seal into the paper, marking it with the royal symbol once again.

The pack was officially his again.

Raymond stepped forward with his wings half spread, waiting for orders. Cain looked at him.

“Return to the kingdom above,” Cain commanded. “Tell them everything is settled here. I will join you soon. I still have affairs to finish.”

Raymond bowed deeply. “Yes, my king.”

He shifted and flew upward, leaving through the high window. His wings beat strongly, and he disappeared into the sky within seconds.

The elders murmured among themselves, Displeased but somewhat relieved. The throne room felt lighter, safer, more alive than it had in a long time.

But even in that moment of victory, the atmosphere shifted slightly.

Emma stood on the left side of the room. She had been silent the whole time, watching everything unfold. And when I looked her way, I caught her staring at me.

Not with admiration. Not with respect.

But with hatred.

She didn’t hide it anymore. Her eyes were cold, dark, and full of bitterness. She hated that Cain had chosen me. She hated that I stood by his side. She hated everything about me.

But I didn’t care. Not now. Not after everything we had survived.

My eyes went back to Cain, my mate, my king, the man who fought for all of us and reclaimed everything that was his.

Raven was still holding Ryan, whispering softly to him as he leaned against her. Elders bowed their heads. Guards stood tall again. The throne glowed under the light, looking right again, belonging to the man who owned it.

The pack was safe.

The kingdom above was safe.

And Cain… Cain had won.

A deep breath filled my lungs. My chest warmed. For the first time in a long time, peace touched my heart.