Crimson Moon Redemption: My Alpha's Brutal Mistake
Chapter 43: Fate of traitors (Kari)

Chapter 43: Fate of traitors (Kari)

"This is the fate of traitors," Zach declared, and my heart clenched as I realized that the skeleton the warriors had callously tossed to the ground belonged to my mate.

I struggled to hold back tears as he continued, "Gamma Reid stole my signet ring, and for this unforgivable crime, he was fed alive to my pet mice."

"No," I whispered, but my protest went unheard. Since we hadn’t marked each other, I couldn’t feel his pain, but I sensed a fleeting connection in a brief mind link before it was abruptly severed.

Reid had not only betrayed Zach but also me, his mate. His attempt to seize Zach’s position had not been part of the plan, and now he lay dead, leaving me to carry on this deadly mission alone.

The pain that tore through my heart was excruciating, yet I had no one to turn to for solace.

"This skeleton is a disgrace to our tribe but will be ground up and fed to anyone who dares to betray me," Zach declared, his icy gaze briefly settling on me, leaving me feeling exposed in his presence.

It seemed as if he knew everything, all of our plans, but I doubted Reid would let it out. The next moment, his gaze softened as he walked up to me and wrapped his gloved hands around my shoulders.

Comfort enveloped me for just a brief moment before it turned to fear with his words. "You seem to be hit the hardest with the news, which I assume is due to your friendship with Reid, but I hope you think about our pup first and cheer up. For what Reid did, he doesn’t deserve to be mourned."

"Yes, no mourning for a traitor," the warriors echoed, their voices feeling like knives piercing my heart as I lifted my head, meeting Zach’s cold gaze.

It was soon replaced by a smile, but his expression was so distant and airy, a strange feeling overtook me. "Kari, if you shed another tear for him, I will think you like him better than me," he said. I quickly wiped the tears from my eyes, catching a cold smirk on his lips.

Reid did not deserve to be mourned for twisting the plan to suit himself, but the fact that he didn’t confess our relationship left my heart with the greatest hope there was.

"Much better," he said before addressing the tribe members. They had left their duty posts to gather here, but they all seemed content with it.

"There is now a vacancy for the gamma position. Interested applicants should register with Beta Gaius, and within three days, the contest for the position will begin."

The announcement excited the warriors. Who wouldn’t want to be elevated to the level of calling the pack house their home?

Reid’s remains were gathered by a few warriors, and I already knew they were going to begin the grinding process. If I am found out to be Reid’s mate or carrying his pup, I might be the first to drink of his remains. Reid must have betrayed me, but I couldn’t stop mourning for him. I have to find a way to inform Ivy about it.

Since we aren’t related by blood, I won’t be able to mindlink with her outside the confines of the tribe, and I have no idea where she is currently lodging.

There is only one way to reach her. "Zach, I think you are right. I should return to the coven for a while until you are ready to marry me."

At the coven, I will have the freedom to work externally but will be denied the opportunity to coordinate affairs here. In that case, I have to leave a trusted person behind, and our speed will also be slowed down to avoid any suspicions.

Little did I know that Zach was going to ruin my plans. "In that case, I will have Gaius accompany you to keep you and our unborn pup safe."

I almost fainted from shock at the mention of Gaius. He was impossible to manipulate.

"Zach, Reid is gone, and Gaius is your only right-hand man. You need him more than I do," I tried to reason, more to my advantage than his, but determination sat in his eyes.

"You and my pup are the most important, so Gaius will be with you until I send him news to bring you back."

Things were becoming more complicated than I had anticipated, and I couldn’t understand why Zach was no longer falling for my words. Had he stopped adding his special flavors to his drinks? Ivy had assured me that as long as he continued to drink them, he would always obey my commands.

"Zach, I don’t get along well with Gaius, so in that case, I’d rather stay here," I stated, feeling uneasy about my decision.

With none of his sisters around and now with Reid gone as well, being here was becoming quite dull. I wasn’t as tough as I pretended to be and kept coming up with excuses to avoid training.

Zach always granted my requests without hesitation, but today, I sensed that something was amiss, perhaps due to Reid’s betrayal affecting him.

"Alpha, a she-wolf omega of the silver rank has lost her pup during labor. The others are threatening to use herbs to terminate theirs if a solution is not found to this predicament," an omega from the fatuous rank reported, fear evident in her eyes.

Zach’s expression was instantly bitter, but he managed a smile when he turned to me. "You must have a solution, right?"

This problem started just a week ago, and we lost two pups due to stillbirth. Initially, we thought it was normal, but now this is the third she-wolf going into labor and experiencing the same issue.

It was evident that something was amiss. Upon my arrival at this tribe, I overheard some maids gossiping about strange boils affecting pack members in the past, but that had ceased over a month ago.

Some even credited my presence for the change, but now with this recurring issue, it couldn’t be due to me. Could Annabelle be the chosen one? How do I navigate this predicament?