CHAPTER 7

LYRA'S POV

I scrambled to my feet, my heart was beating so fast that I was gasping and exhaling long breaths almost simultaneously. Leaned against the wall waiting for the unsettling murmurs in the kitchen to slowly die down. Moments later, it was replaced by clattering of utensils and footsteps shortly before the switch was turned off. This was a cue I had to leave immediately before anyone saw me.

I quickly made my way back to my room with my thoughts racing with what I just heard. He murdered his mate? That couldn't be possible or could it? .

I badged into my room, quickly shutting the door behind me. My palms were sweating and my hands trembling. Could it be true? I wondered. But then, what do I truly know about him? He was an alpha, a leader forged in ruthlessness. Secrets were bound to exist.

The meeting with the council members had already left me shaken, and now this? It was a lot to process. I laid on the bed, sleep refusing to come until darkness overwhelmed me.

*****

I woke up to birds chirping outside my window. Dressing up quickly, I moved out determined to find answers to the ocean of thoughts brewing inside of me. I tried to act normal as I went about my duties.

“Good morning, Miss Lyra,” greetings echoed through my ears as I stepped into the laundry yard. The scent of lavender soap and steam filled the air as I pushed through white linens hanging on the lines.

“Good morning,” I responded, forcing a smile on my face but my eyes scanned for Abigail. I was hoping I could find out something, maybe anything at all from her.

“There she is,” I let out a sigh of relief as I approached her. Her back turned against me as she carefully clipped the linens on the lines.

“Abigail,” I called out. Her eyes immediately darted towards my direction.

“Good morning, Miss Lyra,” She dropped the sheet in her hands, slowly dipping into a hasty bow. “Would you like me to do anything for you ?”

“Oh..no, not at all,” I said, forcing a chuckle. “Ahh..I was wondering if I could assist you or something. It's quite boring around here, you know..” I said, biting hard on my lip and squinting my eyes with a mild smile, making funny gestures with my hands.

“Oh..uhh.. I appreciate your offer Miss Lyra, but it's really nothing special doing the laundry,” She said with a soft smile. “Plus, I wouldn't want my head hanging on a spike when Alpha Jake learns that I allowed his mate to do the laundry”.

I waved my hand dismissively. “ Oh, come off it, I can decide to do whatever I want around here, at least to some extent”

“Yes, I Know but not this.” She nodded, her stance remained unyielding.

For a few seconds, there was an odd silence between us. Then, I took my chance. “Abigail?” I started softly keeping my tone low. “ I heard something…and.. I was wondering if you could give me some answers.” I said nervously.

She hesitated a bit, looking around as to be sure no one was staring. “And.. what could that be?”

I stepped closer, lowering my voice. “Who is Alisha?”

Abigail's eyes widened and her face paled as if she had been stung by a bee. The clips in a bowl she held immediately fell off. She quickly bent down, scrambling to pick them up and I joined her.

“I don’t know anything about that,” she said quickly, avoiding my gaze.

I placed my hand over hers, stopping her movements. “Abigail, please. I’m not asking to cause trouble. I just… I need to know.”

She swallowed hard, her eyes darting toward the other workers in the laundry yard. “Miss Lyra, I can’t,” she whispered urgently. “If anyone hears…”

“I won’t tell anyone,” I promised, leaning in. “You have my word. I just want the truth.” Before I could get her to say anything, Lisa's voice interrupted the moment.

“Lyra”

I quickly straightened up, turning to see her walking towards me with a baby boy balancing on her hip.

“Hey, Lisa,” I said, forcing a smile.

She glanced at Abigail and back at me, her brows slightly furrowing. “Everything okay?”

“Yeah.. It's Nothing. Everything is fine,” I said almost too quickly with an awkward smile.

Abigail took the chance to grab her basket and hurried off. “I have to finish these,” she mumbled before disappearing into the house.

Lisa watched her leave before turning her gaze back to me. “ I came to drop off some outfits I designed for Tessa,” She said.

“Wow, I'm jealous right now. I wish I could do that too,” I said with a smile.

My foster mum had taught me how to knit, but I never learnt. I always loved art. I had lots of paintings of my favorite places. I once made a painting of me, my mum, my dad and my brother, but they all went up in flames 12 years ago.

“And who is this sweet little angel over here,” I gestured towards the baby she held. His chubby fingers clutching her dress tightly.

“Sweet light trouble you mean?” We laughed out loud. “He's my son, Jason”.

“I thought as much, he's a spitting image of your husband”. I reached out to carry him. “Hello, Jason”. He giggled slightly revealing his razor sharp incisors.

We all took a stroll over to a tree shade where we sat. Jason kept wriggling in my arms until I dropped him and he toddled his way around.

“He's so cute” I said, shifting my gaze to Lisa who was all smiles as she watched him take his baby steps.

“How are you coping..I mean generally since after the meeting with the council members?”

I swallowed hard. “It’s been… a lot. I feel like I’m constantly being watched. Waiting for when I take a wrong step” I sighed. “It's overwhelming you know”.

Lisa let out a mild chuckle. “I know exactly how you feel. It isn't easy to be in your position right now, but you have to be strong”

I nodded, a bitter laugh escaping me. “ I'd sure do my best”.

“How are you both getting along?” She said, nodded towards the black GLE driving out through the gate.

“Ohh.. Jake, he's quite a handful sometimes. He's everything a woman would want yet, distant”. I paused, staring at the car like the words I seek to express how I feel were written all over it.

“I was meaning to ask a question,” I turned back to Lisa who was cleaning Jaden’s hands- he had picked up mud.

“Who is Alisha?”

Lisa’s hands stilled as she wiped Jason’s tiny fingers, her expression shifting in a way that made my stomach tighten. Her lips parted, but no words came out at first.

“How did you hear that name?” she finally asked, her voice quieter than before.

I hesitated, debating how much to say. “I overheard some of the maids talking… after the council meeting.” I forced myself to keep my voice steady. “They mentioned her name. And Jake.”

Lisa exhaled slowly, her eyes flickering toward the packhouse, as if debating whether to tell me the truth. “Alisha was Jake’s mate,” she said at last. “She died during childbirth.”

A sharp pang cut through me. His mate. A woman he had once loved. My throat felt tight, but I pushed through it. “And the baby?”

Lisa’s jaw tensed slightly. “It didn’t make it.”

Something about how she said it felt like it was a pre-rehearsed story, something she had told before, maybe even to herself. If Alisha had simply died giving birth, why was Abigail jittery when I asked her? Why did she refuse to speak about it at all?

Lisa reached over, giving my hand a gentle squeeze. “Jake was never the same after she passed. He shut everyone out, focused only on the pack. He was broken, Lyra.” She offered me a small, reassuring smile. “But then he met you.”

I nodded, trying to swallow down the uneasy feeling creeping up my spine.

Lisa meant well, I could tell. But something wasn’t right. There were missing pieces and gaps in the story no one wanted to fill.