The Forbidden Heiress At The All Male Alpha Academy-Chapter 209: The Alpha’s Test

The platform slowed.

Theo braced instinctively, shifting Ava higher on her back and tightening her grip around the Sinclair heir. Her lungs burned with fear, but she didn’t loosen her grip. She could feel Ava’s shallow breaths against her neck, and the faint tremor of the wolf in her arms.

"Theo...," Ava cracked softly, "They’re coming..."

"Who?"

"Wolves... Cain’s...for you...for us,"

"Well, they’d have to step over my dead body before they touch any of you. I’m getting you out tonight, whether they like it or not," She had already steeled her mind.

The elevator came to a stop, and Theo heard the soft click echo as the stone slab above began to part.

She expected darkness before, but light spilled in this time. Cain’s room was bright with lights spilling at every corner. The platform fully rose into place, sealing with a muted thud behind her.

And there he was, waiting for them to arrive.

He stood just beyond the opening, one hand resting casually in his pocket, the other leaning against the wall as though he’d simply been passing time. He didn’t seem angry or surprised. In fact, the dang man was smiling.

"Well," Cain drawled, his gaze flicking from Ava’s limp form, to the unconscious Sinclair heir, and finally settling on Theo’s face, "That was faster than I expected, "

Theo’s grip tightened reflexively, and her pulse thundered in her ears, but she lifted her chin anyway, forcing herself to meet his eyes, "Move," she said hoarsely.

Cain chuckled, his eyes hinting at something cruel, "You break into my room. Break into my facility and do as you please," The smirk curled less, "And you still think you’re the one giving orders?"

"They’re not your property," Theo snapped. "They’re people,"

"Ah." He tilted his head slightly. "That’s where you and I differ."

His gaze dropped to the Sinclair heir, lingering there longer than necessary. Something dark passed behind his eyes.

"You know," Cain continued calmly, "I wondered how long it would take you to find the elevator. Curiosity has always been your weakness,"

"You knew," Theo said, her stomach twisting hard.

"Of course I did." His smile widened, "I let you. How else would it have been so easy for you to break into the Alpha’s room, go down his secret elevator and retrieve two very important...specimens,"

Seraphina recoiled violently inside her, a sharp spike of fear and fury colliding.

He wanted this, she whispered.

"They’re not specimens! They’re people! They’re wolves like you! How could you do such a thing?!"

He shrugged indignantly, "It’s simple, Runaway," He paused, "Power,"

"Don’t you already have enough?! Must have taken everything?!"

"True power, Runaway," He took a step closer, his eyes brimming with darkness, "Is when you’re a hundred per cent sure that no kind of blood, or wolf can interfere with you. Any kind of wolf that reeks of special powers will belong to me,"

"You’re a maniac," She shook her head, "You’re such a maniac, Cain,"

"And you always fell for my baits, Runaway. All I needed to do was suppress the seer’s hold back and she was able to tap into her powers and communicate with you. Twenty-four hours later, the little runaway is on her way to save her,"

Theo swallowed hard, "Why? You already took everything away from me, so why??!"

Cain stepped close enough that his presence pressed against her senses, heavy and suffocating. She looked up at him, her eyes bleeding with pain she couldn’t describe.

"Because," he said softly, "I needed to see how far you’d go when you thought you had nothing left to lose," His gaze lifted to Ava’s pale face, "Turns out... very far."

"Let us leave," She stated, her voice steady.

Cain laughed outright this time, "Leave?" He shook his head slowly, "Theo, Theo. You misunderstand the situation,"

His eyes darkened, locking onto hers with frightening intensity, "You see... You were never meant to walk back out of that facility with them,"

Her heart slammed against her ribs.

"Put them down," Cain said, his voice suddenly colder, "Before you hurt yourself,"

She felt Ava’s arms tighten around her back, her face buried against Theo’s back.

Theo’s fingers dug into the fabric of Ava’s clothes, "No."

A faint pulse of power rippled through the room, and whatever aura he’d been withholding descended into the room. Theo suddenly felt like she was holding five people and not two, so heavy that her knees buckled.

Cain sighed, as though he was disappointed, "You’re already breaking the terms of our agreement,"

"The only agreement we made was a week, Cain," She hissed, "And you’re insane to even ask me to drop them. They’re leaving tonight, and they will be free from you!"

For a moment, Cain only studied her. The way her knees shook, and how she still didn’t let go. Something like admiration flickered across his face.

"...You really are extraordinary," he murmured, "Even when you’re terrified,"

His gaze slid to the door behind him, "But unfortunately," He continued, "This little rescue attempt changes things,"

"What’s that supposed to mean?!"

"It means," He said quietly, "The procedure won’t be waiting a week anymore,"

Seraphina screamed somewhere at the back of her head, and Theo’s vision blurred for a moment, but her grip never loosened.

"Touch them," Theo said, her voice shaking but unyielding, "And I swear I’ll tear this place apart,"

He nodded, his eyes falling close for a brief moment, "Let’s make an agreement, then," He began.

Just then, she heard paws pounding on the floor hurriedly, heading toward the room. Her eyes narrowed dangerously as the air became charged with tension and hunger for blood.

The next second, Cain’s room was thrown open and a dozen wolves stood there, snarling their canines at her.

"If you can defeat them all, I’ll set your friends free," Cain added.

She snapped her eyes at him, bewildered.

"How about that?" He asked.

"I don’t believe you," Her eyes moved between the wolves and Cain again, "I will never believe a word you say!"

"Then I’ll make it a promise," He said.

"A promise?!"

His eyes suddenly changed colour to a bright red. Theo took a cautious step back, fear gripping her heart as she stared at him.

"I promise...,"

His wolf was speaking.

And with that, she understood why it was so powerful. The voice alone was enough to compel her to lower her head. The wolves by the door had already bowed the moment his eyes changed colour, unable to fight the Alpha wolf’s sheer intensity.

"to set those two free if you defeat all twelve wolves right here, right now,"

Cain’s regular eyes returned, "Good enough?!"

She still didn’t know whether to believe him, "Why do you want me to fight them, Cain? What are you taking out of this? What’s in it for you?! You just said these two are very important to you?!"

"Because," he said calmly, stepping aside so the wolves were fully in her line of sight, "I don’t just want obedience anymore,"

The wolves shifted restlessly by the door. Some of them paced and snarled low, deep in their throats, watching her like predators sizing up prey.

"I want confirmation,"

"Confirmation of what?" She demanded, her voice strained as the weight of his aura still pressed down on her bones.

"That you’re worth what I’m risking," Cain replied, "That everything I’ve invested in you wasn’t a mistake."

"So this is a test," She murmured under her breath.

He heard her, "Yes," His eyes gleamed, "And a spectacle,"

Theo’s heart pounded violently in her chest so hard it began to ache, "You said the Sinclair heir and Ava are important to you. If that’s true, why gamble their lives?"

"They’re important as resources," He shrugged lightly, "You’re important as a solution."

"If you can’t defeat twelve trained wolves right now after developing the audacity to break into my lair," he continued, his voice smooth as poison, "Then you were never going to survive what comes next anyway,"

"God, you’re so insane,"

"I’m efficient," His voice lowered, "Very efficient,"

Theo’s chest tightened painfully, "What happens if I lose?" she asked quietly. 𝕗𝐫𝚎𝗲𝘄𝐞𝕓𝐧𝕠𝘃𝕖𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝚖

Cain didn’t hesitate, "They die,"

She shivered.

"And you," he added gently, "Will be sedated and taken straight to the table,"

Seraphina writhed inside her, *He’s cornered us,* she whispered, *There is no third option.*

"And if I win?!"

Cain’s gaze flicked briefly to Ava, then to the Sinclair heir, "They walk out of this room alive, and untouched. I personally make sure of it,"

"Room...house...or territory?!"

Cain smiled broadly, "Territory,"

"Swear it," Theo said immediately.

A slow smile curved Cain’s lips, "You already heard my wolf promise," he replied, "You know I can’t break that."

She did know. That was the cruellest part.

Theo’s eyes burned as she looked at the wolves again. Twelve of them. All strong. All armed with teeth and claws. And she couldn’t even shift at all. The only thing she could manage were claws and canines.

And yet, if she didn’t agree, Ava and the Sinclair heir would die. And everything she’d risked to get them out of here would mean nothing.

Theo drew in a shaking breath.

Carefully, she lowered Ava from her back and eased her down against the wall. Ava’s eyes widened in panic.

"Theo—"

"I need you to stay here," Theo whispered urgently, brushing Ava’s hair back, "No matter what happens."

"No, you’re no match against them like this," Ava cried, "What if you die?"

"I won’t," Theo said strongly, "I promise,"

"No—no!" Ava gripped her arm, "These wolves...they aren’t wolves in training. They’re part of his army, Theo. One of the best ones! Their strength is terrifying,"

"It’s what I have to overcome to get you out of here, and I’m doing it. I’m your boyfriend, remember?" Theo smiled.

"This is not the time to make jokes!"

"Just watch me, Ava. When everything falls, I’ll be the only one standing. I’m not gonna die because of this,"

"No—no...NO!"

Her gaze flicked to the Sinclair heir, still unconscious. She adjusted his position beside Ava, shielding both of them with her body as much as she could.

"See you very soon, Ava,"

She turned around and straightened, her eyes harder than steel, "I’ll do it," she said hoarsely.

A hush fell over the room, then a satisfied look settled in his eyes.

"But," Theo continued, lifting her chin, "if even one of them is touched while I’m fighting, if I smell blood that isn’t mine, I will rip your entire kingdom apart before you ever get me on that table,"

The wolves growled.

Cain laughed softly, "There she is,"

There is as brief pause as he finished his dark chuckle.

Then, he lifted his hand, "Twelve against one," he announced, "No interference, no weapons, and no mercy,"

His gaze locked onto Theo, "Survive," he said, almost kindly, "And they’re free,"

Theo exhaled slowly, and she stepped forward.