The Price to Pay

Lyra

Growing up, I had always been told that there was no greater love in the world than the love in a matebond. It was deeper than love, stronger than loyalty, and more powerful than anything else.

But then, I had also been told about the darker side of the bond. A love this strong could become a blessing… or the cruelest curse imaginable.

I remembered hearing stories about rejected mates who never recovered from the pain. Wolves who became empty shadows of themselves after the person tied to their soul cast them aside.

The pain of rejection wasn’t ordinary heartbreak.

It was said to feel like your soul was being ripped apart slowly from the inside, like burning claws tearing through your chest repeatedly while your heart shattered over and over again without mercy.

I never truly understood those stories before. Now I did. Now I understood every single word.

Three days.

For three entire days, I had suffered through the backlash of Alpha Kael’s rejection.

And those three days had been hell.

There were moments when the pain became so unbearable that I lost consciousness completely. Then I would wake up again only to continue suffering.

Sometimes the ache in my chest became so sharp that I genuinely thought I was dying.

Agnes had been the only reason I managed to survive through most of it.

The older woman occasionally came to check on me throughout the day. She brought herbal teas that dulled the pain slightly and cool cloths whenever the fever from the rejection became unbearable.

She never spoke much, but somehow, her quiet presence made things a little less horrible.

Today was the fourth day.

And finally, the pain was gone.

I still felt weak, exhausted, and broken, but at least I could breathe without feeling like knives were slicing through my chest.

My fingers tightened around the silver amulet hanging around my neck.

Father’s words suddenly echoed painfully inside my mind.

I remembered the night I confessed my fears to him after overhearing two servants gossiping about me being wolfless and never being able to find my mate.

I had been terrified.

“What if my mate rejects me one day?” I had asked him quietly.

Father had looked at me for a long moment before pulling me into his arms.

“Listen to me carefully, Lyra,” he had said firmly. “The man destined for you will love you for who you are, not because of whether you have a wolf or not.”

“But what if he doesn’t?”

Father smiled softly.

“Then he would be a fool who never deserved you in the first place.”

A sob escaped my lips at the memory.

Father was gone.

Mother was gone.

And the mate I had spent my entire life dreaming about had shattered me completely.

The door suddenly opened, pulling me from my memories. I assumed it was Agnes, but the moment my eyes landed on the tall figure stepping into the room, my entire body immediately tensed.

Alpha Kael.

His dark eyes locked onto me immediately.

“Agnes tells me you want to leave the pack.”

His deep voice sent an unpleasant shiver down my spine. Anger surged violently through me almost instantly.

This man.

This man had caused me nothing but pain since the moment I arrived here.

I stood up from the bed and stared directly at him.

“Yes,” I answered coldly. “I want to leave.”

For a brief moment, he didn’t say anything. Then he walked closer, his expression unreadable as he stopped a few feet away from me.

“Leaving Stormfang Pack right now would not be a wise decision, Lyra.”

A bitter laugh escaped me before I could stop it. The emotions I had been suppressing for days suddenly exploded.

“Wise decision? Was it also your wise decision to reject me only hours after I lost my parents and everything I knew? Did I choose to be wolfless? Did I create myself this way?! Answer me!”

Alpha Kael’s expression hardened.

I knew I had crossed a line speaking to an Alpha that way. Any other wolf would probably be trembling in fear by now.

But honestly? I didn’t care.

“Your parents entrusted your safety to me,” he spoke again. “I cannot allow you to leave this pack and put your life at risk again. I will not permit it.”

“You don’t get to decide that!” I snapped. “I’m not your prisoner! I came here on my own accord. You have no right to keep me here against my will. I’m leaving. Even if I have to involve the elders of your pack themselves, I will leave this pack and never return.”

A dangerous silence filled the room.

Alpha Kael’s brows slowly drew together into a deep frown as he stared at me intensely.

I didn’t wait for his response and turned immediately toward the door.

I had nowhere to go.

No money. No plan. No family left.

But staying here with the man who rejected me felt unbearable. I just needed to get away from him.

I barely made it two steps before a strong hand suddenly wrapped around my wrist and pulled me back. Caught completely off guard, I lost my balance instantly and crashed directly into Alpha Kael’s chest.

Warmth.

The feeling hit me so suddenly that my breath caught. The exact same warmth and comfort I felt the first time he touched me spread through my body again.

Strong arms steadied me automatically.

And despite everything...

Despite the pain and rejection, my body shamelessly melted into that warmth for one weak moment.

No, this was wrong. I should have pushed him away immediately and screamed at him, but my body betrayed me completely.

After days of endless pain, the warmth pouring from him felt like relief.

I hated myself for it.

He had already rejected me… so why did I still feel this way?

Alpha Kael slowly stepped back just enough to look down at me. His eyes were filled with raw, intense desire.

His fingers brushed gently along my arm, and a delicious shiver ran through my spine instantly.

“Be my mistress.”

Everything inside me froze. For a moment, I genuinely thought I heard him wrong.

“Asher, my wolf, has been restless for the past three days, and I haven’t been able to get you off my mind either. If you agree to become mine, I’ll provide for you and…”

Doot.

Doot.

Doot.

Those words rang through my mind like warning bells.

Mistress.

Not mate.

Not Luna.

Mistress.

The meaning of his words crashed into me fully. He wanted my body… nothing more. Suddenly, all the warmth I felt moments ago vanished completely, replaced by rage.

Before I could even think properly—

SMACK!

The sound echoed loudly across the room. My palm stung sharply from the force of the slap.

Alpha Kael’s head turned slightly from the impact. For the first time since meeting him, genuine disbelief flashed across his face.

His expression darkened dangerously, but my anger burned hotter. I shoved him away from me immediately.

“You must be insane! Be your mistress? Do I look like some damn whore to you? Your damn convenient toy?!”

I turned toward the door immediately.

I couldn’t stay here another second.

But then his next words stopped me completely.

“Your mother is alive.”

Everything inside me froze. I turned back toward him.

“You would go as far as to lie just to get what you want, right?” I demanded angrily. “Pathetic.”

He suddenly reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone.

“Ever since you arrived here with that letter,” he said calmly, “I’ve been investigating the attack on your resort. One of my private investigators sent this to me earlier today.”

Then he turned the phone toward me.

The moment I saw the picture, the world around me tilted. My knees nearly gave out beneath me.

No. No, it couldn’t be.

Tears flooded my eyes instantly.

The blurry image on the screen showed the side profile of a woman wearing a black coat with a hood partially covering her face. But I knew that face. I would recognize her anywhere.

Mother…

Her expression looked tense and alert, like she was running from something. I looked closely and noticed an eye patch covering her left eye.

“Oh my goddess…”

My voice broke completely.

I remembered seeing one of the feral rogues pounce directly onto her back. I thought she died… but then, I also remembered that I never actually saw her body being torn apart.

Could she truly have survived?

Hope. Terrifying, fragile hope suddenly spread through my chest as tears streamed down my face.

“I can deploy the best trackers in Stormfang Pack to locate her,” Alpha Kael continued. “They can find her, protect her, and bring her here safely… but only if you agree to my request.”

I stared at him in disbelief as my chest tightened painfully. He was bargaining with my mother’s life.

Every instinct inside me screamed to refuse him, to leave, to run as far away from this place as possible.

But what if this was Mother’s only chance?

Stormfang was powerful, and Alpha Kael had resources… which was most likely the reason Mother sent me here.

I squeezed my eyes shut tightly, then opened them again.

Mother had sacrificed everything, including her life, to save me. She stayed behind knowing she might die.

How could I do any less for her? She was all I had now.

Alpha Kael watched me carefully.

I hated him. At that moment, I truly did, but I loved my mother more. And if becoming his mistress was the price required to save her life… then I would pay it, even if it destroyed me completely.

My voice trembled slightly as I finally forced out the words.

“Yes. I’ll be your mistress.”