THE ALPHA'S GENTLE TOUCH

Lyra's POV

My body stiffened the moment I heard the door click shut behind me.

My heart began to beat faster than ever, it was almost as fast as my mind. I wasn't exactly sure what he wanted from me, so, I took a deep breath, and prepared to plead, just like I had always done.

But before I managed to summon up the courage from within me to ask him about what he wanted, I felt a warm, large hand touch my back. I froze on the spot,

"What's wrong?" His deep concerned voice came from behind me.

I blinked, then swallowed, my mind racing faster as I tried to come up with an answer that wouldn’t leave me a stumbling mess. "S-Sorry,” I whispered under my breath, my eyes fixed on the floor.

It was my survival mechanism, and it usually helped me. But this was the first time I had ever been alone with a man, and I had no idea if it would work.

“Nothing’s wrong, My Alpha." I continued,

Even though I couldn’t see him, I could somehow sense his frown. Alpha Drake nodded, and he slowly removed his hand from my shoulder. "Are you afraid of me?" he asked, and this time, I could actually hear the concern in his voice, “Is that it?”

Well yes. That was a part of it.

There was no way I wouldn’t be afraid of him. I was pretty sure there was no man or woman alive in the north lands who could claim to not be afraid of the Beast. There was a reason that was his name, and if the stories I had heard about his savagery were even one percent true, then, I definitely didn’t want to be on his bad side.

He was Drake Thorne, for goddess’ sake. He was the Broken Alpha. The monster who did not have a wolf, but could tear apart other wolves with his bare hands.

He was the boogeyman, the man every kid had learned to fear over the past few decades, and yet, here I was. Right in his chambers.

I turned around, but kept my gaze lowered.

“Uh…”

I didn’t finish speaking, because Alpha Drake’s gaze dropped to my feet, and then, his frown deepened. "You're bleeding." he whispered, it wasn’t a question, it was a statement.

Confused, I looked down at my bleeding and bruised feet. The moment I did that, I began to feel the burns, and the pains. I had been so focused on the mating ceremony and the fact of what was going to happen, that I had been subconsciously blocking out the pain.

"Sit down," Alpha Drake spoke, and this time, it was clearly an order.

I nodded, then lowered myself onto the edge of the largest bed I had ever seen in my life.

Drake’s gaze swept over my foot once more before he turned around and walked out of the chambers. A couple of seconds later, I heard him through the open door backing orders to a couple of guards.

"I need some clean clothes, warm water, towels, and a herb box."

About a minute went by before the sound of a servant’s heavy breathing filled the hall. A couple of seconds later, Drake walked right back to the chambers, locked the door behind him, and to my surprise, he placed the towel, herb box and warm water beside me, and then, he knelt down, right in front of me.

I blinked, far too shocked to even think about what was happening.

"Give me your leg." Once again, this was an order, but this time, his tone was noticeably warmer than before.

I stared at him and replied with a stutter, "My leg?"

"Your feet need cleaning," he answered, “And I know your wolf will heal you, but it would be best if I cleaned the wound.”

I nodded with a blank gaze, and watched as he gently reached for my most injured leg before raising it up, so it wouldn’t hit the floor.

The moment I felt his touch, I stiffened. This time, he noticed me freezing. His brows furrowed as he looked up at me with eyes filled with an emotion I couldn't quite place.

"Does it hurt?" he asked,

I quickly shook my head. "No, Alpha."

“No,” he paused as he looked up and into my eyes, “I am not Alpha to you. Just Drake.”

I swallowed, but kept silent.

I had learned over the past couple of years that I didn’t have the authority to call anyone by their full name, and I wasn’t about to change now. What if he changed his mind later?

I shuddered just thinking about it.

My body tingled, and warmth began to spread across my chest as Alpha Drake slowly began to wipe away the dirt and blood. He gently cleaned each wound and blister on both my feet.

Even with his large hands, his movements were so gentle that I found myself simply staring at him in disbelief.

I still hadn’t come to terms with the fact that one of the most powerful men in the world was now kneeling before me, and cleaning my feet.

Wasn't this the same man everyone called the Beast? The same man I had been warned about? How was he a beast?

And why was I filled with so much warmth when I was close to him?

Whenever he spoke, my heart did a little leap, and whenever his warm fingers brushed against my skin, I felt a tingle begin to spread through my body.

It was a strange feeling, yes, but it was one I definitely didn't want to ever end.

He paused whenever his finger stopped on a scar on my feet that was clearly not from the walk through the snow. I could feel him struggle with something. Eventually, he took a deep breath, and spoke up.

"Your family should have treated you better."

I looked up at him with shock still in my eyes. Why was he so concerned? I had expected indifference from him, but why did it feel like he was actually treating me like his mate?

"They're my family," I whispered under my breath, repeating the words that had been drilled into me as a child, “Everything I suffer is what I deserve.”

Alpha Drake paused for a moment, but he took a deep breath, shook his head, and kept silent. He obviously had so much to say, but he was holding back.

Instead, he continued cleaning my wounds before applying medicine and carefully wrapping them.

"There. That should help," he said as he stood up and towered over me. "I had the bathhouse filled with hot water. It should be warm now. Shower, and change into some new clothes, then, get some sleep.”

My gaze followed his hands, and my eyes widened when I spotted a whole room filled with dresses. The clothes I could spot from the bed were all beautiful, and definitely made from silk.

These were the kind of dresses I would never have been permitted to touch back at home.

"Thank you," I whispered, and this time, I meant it.

Alpha Drake nodded, "You're my Luna now, Lyra. You don't have to thank me for treating you properly."

My eyes widened slightly as those words left his lips - My Luna.

I had never imagined hearing those words without an insult or a threat following them.

He turned towards the door, and without looking back, he spoke up.

"Get some rest. You've had a long day."

And with those words, he left, leaving me alone with my thoughts and with an emotion I had never felt before in my life – Hope.