Chapter 106 Still A Pawn
Althea sat with Melva on a makeshift bench, quietly watching the steady stream of people moving in and out of the manor. Pack members worked tirelessly, handing out relief goods to those who came for help.
She had tried several times to stand and lend a hand, but each attempt ended the same. A pack member would immediately rush to her side, guiding her back to a chair with polite firmness. They would offer her fruits, remind her she needed to rest, and insist that she focus on recovering.
In the end, Althea gave up. It felt as if the entire Nightwalker Pack had silently agreed that she must not lift a finger.
“My Lady,” one of them had told her earlier, “if you wish to move around, you may walk and enjoy the serenity of the manor grounds. And if the Alpha King permits, we will gladly tour you through the whole pack territory.”
The words had been repeated to her often enough that they almost sounded rehearsed.
With a small sigh, she popped another slice of apple into her mouth, chewing slowly. Her gaze shifted toward a group of children laughing and chasing each other nearby. The sight pulled a faint smile to her lips.
“I miss the twins, Melva,” she murmured softly.
She was speaking of Liah and Seth, her youngest half-siblings from her father’s third mistress, Naya. Only six years old, they were still innocent and playful—too young to understand the ugliness of the world they were born into.
Another long sigh escaped her as the ache of missing them settled in her chest. “I wonder how the twins are doing,” she muttered.
Althea’s sigh lingered in the air, and Melva gently reached over, resting her hand on Althea’s arm.
“My Lady, the twins are safe,” she reminded softly. “They’re at the manor with the rest of the pack. Simon told me himself. Even though security is still tight in our old pack, the Alpha King made sure they would all be treated fairly especially since they swore their loyalty to him. You don’t have to worry about them.”
Althea wanted to believe Melva’s words, and knowing Simon had given his assurance did comfort her. Still, her heart ached with longing.
Before she could reply, a group of children came running across the grass, their laughter ringing in the air. Althea couldn’t help but smile as they stopped in front of her, smiling brightly.
“My Lady, come play with us!” one of the little girls said, tugging at her hand.
“Please, just one game!” another boy added, his eyes wide with excitement.
Althea blinked in surprise, then laughed softly. She glanced at Melva, who only nodded with encouragement. Giving in, she set aside the plate of fruit and let the children pull her toward the open grass.
Soon, she was laughing and running with them, her gown brushing against the ground as they played simple chasing games. For the first time in days, her laughter was free and unguarded, echoing with the children’s joy.
Not far away, Gavriel stood watching. His arms were crossed, his face as stern as ever, but his eyes followed Althea’s every movement. The sound of her laughter reached him, and before he realized it, the corners of his lips curved upward. It was only a small smile, but it was there—soft, unbidden, and entirely unlike the ruthless Alpha King everyone knew.
Gavriel’s faint smile lingered as he watched Althea laugh with the children. Her joy seemed to light up the field, softening the air around her.
“Remarkable, isn’t she?”
The voice broke his thoughts. Gavriel turned his head to see Alpha Abner approaching with his gaze fixed on the same scene.
Abner’s expression was thoughtful as he stopped beside Gavriel. “Your breeder…” He shook his head with a quiet chuckle. “No, not just a breeder. If it weren’t for her blood tie to Cain, she could have been the perfect Luna and Queen for you. The people would love her easily. You can see it yourself.”
Gavriel’s eyes narrowed slightly, but he said nothing.
Abner went on, his tone calm but sincere. “She has a way with others. Even children are drawn to her without hesitation. The pack respects her already because of what she did for them. But her connection to Cain…” He let out a heavy breath. “Many will oppose it. Too many still hate him for the lives he destroyed. They will never see past that shadow. They will use it as a weapon against her… and against you.”
His words hung between them, unspoken weight pressing in.
Finally, Abner glanced at Gavriel and added, “But I can tell she’s more than Cain’s daughter. She carries herself differently.”
Gavriel’s jaw tightened as he shifted his gaze back to Althea. She was spinning in the grass with the children, laughter bubbling from her lips, her hair catching the light.
“But don’t let that blind you. I’ve been in enough battles to know when a person’s heart speaks louder than their bloodline. I can tell—Lady Althea is not her father. She carries herself with kindness, strength, and courage. That is how I see who she really is.”
Gavriel’s gaze flickered, his lips pressing into a hard line.
Abner pressed on. “You of all people know how dangerous it is to judge someone only by their blood. If you keep seeing Cain every time you look at her, you’ll miss the truth that stands before you. She has already saved lives here, and the people praise her not because of her name, but because of her deeds. That is what matters.”
Silence stretched for a moment before Abner added quietly, “You are the Alpha King. If you choose to, you can make the people see her as you do. But first, you must decide if you will see her for herself—or for Cain’s shadow.”
The faint sound of Althea’s laughter drifted toward them again, breaking the heavy silence.
Gavriel’s eyes followed Althea as she tumbled onto the grass with the children, their laughter echoing around her like a song. For a fleeting moment, something unguarded stirred in his chest, a warmth he had not allowed himself in years. Abner’s words pressed against him like a weight, too true to dismiss outright.
Yes, she was not Cain. She was not her father. She carried herself with a grace and fire that was her own. Gavriel knew it. Deep down, he had seen it from the first moment he claimed her.
But the shadow of Cain was not so easily forgotten.
“She’s different,” Gavriel muttered at last, his voice low, almost to himself. His eyes narrowed, the softness in them quickly hardening. “But she’s still a pawn… my only way to draw Cain out.”
Abner’s brows furrowed, but he said nothing.