006

KNOWING MY PLACE

~TATE'S POV~

"You want to go for a tour around the house?" Myra asks, her voice light and inviting, as if the idea of showing me around is the most natural thing in the world.

We have been sitting in my room for about two hours, talking about nothing and everything all at once.

Myra seems like a genuinely nice person, someone I could see myself becoming close with. But despite her warmth, a knot of unease twists in my stomach.

I cannot shake the worry about why Mathias and Daxon brought me here. There is a reason, I am sure of it, but what it is remains a mystery.

"I don't know if I'm supposed to wander around the house," I say hesitantly. "Do the servants normally do that?"

Myra laughs, a soft, melodic sound that somehow eases some of my tension.

"You're not a servant, Tate. You go wherever you want, and no one says a thing. Are you still in pain? I get the wheelchair and give you a proper tour."

"I walk," I reply, though I am not entirely convinced this is a good idea. "But I don't know if this is the right time."

"Come on, Tate," Myra says, gesturing around the room.

"Look at this place. Do you think you'd have a room like this if you were one of the servants? Trust me, the servants don't get rooms like this."

I glance around, taking in the luxurious surroundings. She is right; the room is far too grand for servant quarters. But that does not make me feel any less out of place.

"Please," she adds, pouting dramatically.

"Fine," I say, giving in. "But if your brothers get mad, I'm blaming you."

"Whatever," she says with a grin. "Let's go."

We leave my room and begin our tour of the house.

As we move through the halls, I feel a sense of awe. The game room is a marvel, filled with video games, a bowling alley, and a pool table.

The movie theater is equally impressive, with its giant screen and plush seating. But it is the library that truly captures my heart.

Shelves upon shelves of books line the walls, and the scent of old paper and leather fills the air. I could spend hours there, lost in the stories.

It reminds me of the countless hours I had spent reading in the basement, escaping into imaginary worlds to forget my own.

Once the tour is over, Myra and I decide to sit by the pool in the backyard.

The scene is lively, with children playing under the watchful eyes of their parents and people my age splashing in the water.

It feels almost normal, though I know my situation is anything but.

"Hey, Myra, who's your friend?" a voice calls out.

I turn to see a guy approaching us. He is tall, with brown hair and eyes, and a toned body that is obvious even through his shirt.

He is attractive, though not as striking as Mathias and Daxon.

The thought makes me inwardly scold myself. I should not be thinking about them that way, not after what they did.

"This is Tate," Myra introduces us. "Tate, this is Kael."

"Hello, beautiful," Kael says, flashing a charming smile.

"Hi," I reply, feeling a little flustered.

"I would not flirt with her if I were you," Myra warns him.

"Why not?" Kael asks, raising an eyebrow.

"You'll see," Myra says cryptically.

Kael ignores her warning and continues to flirt, complimenting my eyes and making me laugh despite my uneasiness. It is a strange feeling; I am not used to this kind of attention.

Back at my old school, Holly made sure to spread rumors about me, and most guys avoided me like I carried some kind of plague.

It did not matter that none of it was true; people believed her without question.

"So, what brings you here?" Kael asks, catching me off guard.

I freeze, unsure how to answer.

Am I supposed to tell him the truth—that my uncle and aunt traded me to settle a debt? I glance at Myra, silently pleading for help.

"She's a close friend of the family," Myra says smoothly.

Kael looks at her, clearly surprised.

"Friend of the family? I didn't know you had friends like her. Do Alpha Mathias and Daxon know about her?"

Alpha. The word sticks in my mind. Why is everyone calling them Alpha? What does that even mean?

"Yes, we know about her," a deep voice says from behind me.

I turn to see Mathias and Daxon standing there, their presence commanding and undeniable.

"Do you mind if we talk to you somewhere private?" Mathias asks, his tone polite but firm.

"Sure," I say, surprised that he is asking rather than telling me.

We step into an elevator that takes us up to the sixth floor. Mathias swipes a card to access the floor, and when the doors open, we are met with a spacious living room.

"This is Daxon's and my floor," Mathias says as we step out.

"Have a seat," Daxon says, gesturing to the couch.

I sit down, feeling nervous about what they want to discuss. They take seats across from me, their expressions serious.

"How are you feeling?" Mathias asks, his voice surprisingly gentle.

"Fine," I reply, though my heart is racing as I think of many reasons that call for this meeting.

"We wanted to let you know that you'll be moving to this floor with us," Mathias says, his tone matter-of-fact.

"But I thought the room you gave me was mine," I say, confused.

"That was temporary," Mathias explains.

"There are enough rooms up here for you to choose the one you want."

'Well there goes my freedom and peace of mind' I think but nod, knowing I do not have a choice.

But at least I have my own space.

"Also, Lyra mentioned that you would like to finish your senior year of high school," Daxon says. "Starting Monday, you'll be going to Silverfang Academy with Myra."

'They have a school? If this is not crazy or what' I think again.

I feel a surge of relief. I had not expected them to let me continue my education, not after everything that happened.

"We went to your old house to get your things," Mathias adds. "But you didn't have much, so we'll be taking you shopping in the morning to get everything you need."

I am stunned. "Why?" I ask before I stop myself.

"Why what?" Mathias asks, tilting his head.

"Why would you buy me things and let me go to school?" I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.

"We told you before," Daxon says, meeting my gaze. "You're not our slave or our property. We want to make sure you have everything you need and that you're happy."

I am speechless.

'They want to make me happy' I scoff internally. Their words are kind, but I could not shake the feeling that there is more to this than they are letting on.

"Did you just scoff?" Daxon asks.

I look up at him, meeting his cold blue eyes. Shit, now I am in trouble.

"I am sorry," I quickly add.

"Stop scaring the girl, Dax," Mathias scolds his brother before turning to face me. "He is joking."

"I will not hurt you, cupcake. Come on," Daxon says, standing. "Let's pick your room."

I breathe out a breath of relief.

I follow them to a room with a bed, TV, bathroom, and walk-in closet. It is more than enough for me.

"I'll take this one," I say, though Daxon seems to have other ideas.

"Are you sure? There is more to choose from," he says, trying to sway me.

"Yeah, I'm sure," I reply firmly.

"There are better rooms," he insists, but I stand my ground.

"I like this one," I say, and they finally relent, leaving to talk to their sisters.

I sit on the bed, my mind racing.

I do not understand why the twins want to keep me. I had just been accepted into my dream school, and even though they have been kind, I am not going to let anyone own me.

I also could not shake the memory of them allowing someone to beat me up.

As soon as I have the chance, I am going to escape from this place.

**************************

But what I did not realize then was that my destiny had already been sealed the moment I stepped into the alpha twins' world.

There was no escaping.

No place to run or hide.

My life was about to change in ways I could not yet understand.