Claiming the Last Alpha She-Wolf
Chapter 33: His Escape Plan

Chapter 33: His Escape Plan

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Chapter 33

~Seraphina’s POV~

The hallway of the pack house seemed to close in as I ascended the staircase, my fingers skimmed the bannister with entitlement.

I didn’t bother hiding my presence.

Why would I?

This house had once opened its doors to me like a queen returned to her court—and one day, it would again. I still believed that. I had to.

But then I saw them when I climbed to the second floor.

Halfway down the second-floor corridor, there she was—Rhiannon—walking beside Lucien like she belonged.

They were too close, and his hand rested on hers while her other hand brushed his elbow as they turned the corner, and he didn’t flinch. If anything, he leaned into her.

I froze mid-step.

Lucien.

Of course, it would be him.

The man had always been guided by impulse, and I knew better than anyone the look in his eyes when he was hungry—for control, for chaos, or for someone warm and willing beneath him.

He’d worn that look too, on several occasions when he used to push me against the wall just to prove he could and then he’d fuck me silly in different positions while standing up.

They usually wanted me, all of them, they’d make love to me over and over, and sometimes they’d share me too.

Everyone in the pack already looked at me like their favourite, and indeed, I was that. It was only a matte rof time before they proposed me as their Luna, and everything else would fall into place.

My hand instinctively reached up to my neck where Lucien loved leaving hickey.

I had forgotten how their touch felt against my body since she came.

They’d grown cold... but now...

Now he was leading her down the hallway, like he had just finished one more round where he couldn’t wait for their wedding night to share her.

The bitterness was sharp, curling hot in my chest. But I swallowed it down, polished my expression, and painted on a smile sharp enough to bleed.

Let her enjoy this moment. Let her think she had won.

After all, Elder Mauris had said it best—let her rise. Let her have the position, the glory... only to fall harder.

The pack wouldn’t follow her forever. Not once I planted the right seeds. Not when I reminded them what a true Luna looked like.

I took a slow breath and smirked. "Rhiannon," I purred softly as they passed, sweet as poisoned honey and then bowed.

She didn’t even slow. Didn’t look at me. Lucien gave a grunt—barely that—something between amusement and dismissal.

And yet, I held my smile. Held it steady even as rage prickled under my skin.

She had their rings, but not their loyalty, not all of it yet and not where it mattered most.

And once they were out of sight, the smile fell. My steps quickened.

I crossed the hall, past the grand guest rooms and polished statues, until I reached a plain wooden door tucked away at the quiet end of the wing. Fitting. They always kept the fragile things far from the noise.

I knocked once before letting myself in.

The room was modest, dimly lit by a low-burning lamp near the bed. And there he was—Ryan Vale—her precious father, seated by the window, half-silhouetted in orange glow.

He turned slowly. His face was pale, drawn, but his eyes—those stubborn, defiant eyes—still burned.

"You’re not Rhiannon," he said.

I stepped inside, closing the door behind me with a soft click. "No," I replied smoothly. "I’m not. I am Seraphina."

His brow tightened, clearly not pleased or not trusting. "What do you want?"

I let the silence stretch between us a beat longer before stepping forward, letting my smile bloom with the slow curl of control.

"Relax, I am no wolf."

"But you reek of them," he spat bitterly.

"Yes, I do, and so will your daughter, as well as lots more." His eyes followed my movement as I began circling him.

"What do you want?" he asked again.

"I’ve come," I answered, voice velvet smooth, "with a proposition."

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~Rhiannon’s POV~

The reception was loud when I returned and clearly fake.

Not everyone wanted me to end up pissing off their alphas.

People clinked glasses of sparkling cider, dancers spun across the marble floors, and laughter echoed off the tall ceilings of the grand hall.

It was beautiful—gowns flowing, music lilting—but beneath the glamour, I could feel the tension. Everyone was watching me.

I’d given the speech. Smiled through the congratulations. Stood beside my new "mates," dressed in ceremony’s finest, offering polite thanks to wolves who once questioned my right to even be here.

But inside, I was worn to the bone.

When the final toast was done and the crowds began to thin, Kael appeared at my side, maintaining his composure.

"Come," he said simply.

I didn’t argue. I let him guide me out of the waning celebration, away from the noise, the lights, the hollow wishes for a happy union.

Kael led me back into the mansion but I was surprised he didn’t take me straight to my room or to my father. Instead we took the right wing.

The halls were quieter here, the polished floors dimmer beneath the flicker of wall sconces. As we walked, I tried to focus my thoughts.

Who had seen my father first? Riven had promised me I’d see him after the ceremony. Was it Lucien?

After Kael sensed I had been kissed, he obviously went to find him. Was he around?

Or if that wasn’t the case, who...

My thoughts spun until Kael suddenly stopped in front of a door. I blinked and looked up.

This... wasn’t my room. He never brought me to one of theirs either, and I was sure this wasn’t the mating night.

My brows drew together. "You missed the hallway."

Kael’s lips curved slightly. "No, I didn’t. This is your new room."

I raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And here I was thinking I’d earned the right to pick my own quarters."

"You can," he replied, almost too smoothly. "But protocol demands Luna’s chambers be close to the Alphas. And since you’re ours now..."

"Ours," I echoed, dryly. "You guys love that word."

He didn’t answer right away, just tilted his head. "You don’t like claiming?"

I smirked. "Not when I’m the one being claimed."

A low chuckle rumbled in his chest. "Then maybe next time, you’ll be the one doing the claiming."

"I’ll claim..." I was about to retort, but then he stepped closer.

I stepped back until my back hit the cool wall behind me, and Kael was in front of me, closing the distance.

His fingers brushed my jaw as his body leaned into mine, just enough to send heat zipping down my spine.

"I do the claiming, Rhiannon, not you... yet."

His eyelids fluttered shut, and in the next second, Kael leaned down and kissed me.

Deeply, more firmly and not like the ceremonial kiss before the crowd. This was real, different, intimate and possessive.

His mouth moved against mine with devastating control, tasting me, teasing me until I found myself gasping against him.

He swallowed the sound and deepened the kiss.

His hand found my waist, guiding me even closer until there was no space left. His scent wrapped around me like a memory I never had but somehow missed.

When he finally pulled back, my chest was heaving.

His eyes scanned my face, dark with something that made my knees waver.

"Goodnight, my Luna. Until tomorrow when I can rightfully have you."

I barely replied, but Kael turned and walked away without looking back.

I stayed frozen for a moment, letting the wall hold me up. Slowly, I turned the handle and entered the room.

It was bigger, warmer, and fully furnished in deep emerald and gold with some silver highlights here and there, like someone had carefully chosen the colours to match me.

And yet, it felt... empty.

I glanced back at the closed door. Kael was gone. So was my chance to ask about my father. So I exhaled, stepped further into the room, and closed the door behind me.

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~Ryan’s POV~

I couldn’t say if I could trust this Seraphina girl, but for what it’s worth, the Moonstone she gave me could ensure our escape before Rhiannon is bound to the Alphas for life.

I paced the length of the room they had given me. I had seen Rhiannon when she gave her speech. She wasn’t delighted, but deep down, I knew she belonged here, belonged to this world and this life.

She was a werewolf after all.

I had spent time writing something down in my journal back home. Now, I wonder if I’d be able to show her or explain to her the truth, with this risk I am about to take.

I looked down at my right hand, holding the glowing blue rock she had given me.

’It’s now or never. It has to be tonight.’

The midnight bell rang out into the night, and with it, my plan was about to be actualised. I kept the Moonstone and the Moon-blessed dagger in my pocket and at my side.

I immediately stepped out of my room, scanned the vicinity for guards, inhaled and hurried away.

Following the instructions I was given, I made my way to the right wing within minutes.

Just as I got to the Alphas’ wing, I saw a guard and immediately ducked into hiding just as he was about to turn.

My chest heaved, my heartbeat echoing loudly in my ears as I waited.

After a while, I was sure he had moved. I immediately walked out and headed straight for the rooms.

It did not take me long to find the first room, and without knocking, I slowly turned the doorknob and walked right in.

Darkness greeted my eyes but as quickly as I could, I adjusted my vision and used my heightened senses to locate my target deeper in the chamber.

Slowly, I made my way towards the bed and just as I reached close to the bedside lamp near he bed, I withdrew the dagger, lifted it above my head with both hands and without thinking, aimed it down at the bare chest on the bed.

"Aaahh!"

However, before my dagger could connect with the chest, a hand shot upward and in a split second, drove through my chest, squashing my heart.

As soon as it did, the door burst open as frantic, hurried footsteps rushed into the chambers, only skidding to a halt a few seconds later, and just as I looked sideways, I saw Rhiannon standing there.

At the same time, he yanked my heart out of my chest, my eyes going wide as blood spurted out of my lips, spraying his face, as a screeching sound tore through her lips.

"Nooooooo!!!"