Chapter 2

Lyra's POV

My heart seized as I held his gaze, but I forced myself to remain steady.

With a nod from him, Mara quietly directed me forward.

Gulping hard, I took a few steps toward him and stopped a few feet away, while keeping my posture composed.

Maintaining a composed posture, I stopped a few feet away from him.

Across the room, his eyes slowly scanned me from head to toe, and I suddenly became conscious of the faded dress Sarah had forced me into.

His gaze lingered on the cheap outfit, and his brows drew together slightly in displeasure.

Then he turned his gaze back to my face, studying me more closely.

"Who did that?" he asked, staring down at the red print my father's hand had left on my cheek.

"Alpha Jake Red," I answered firmly.

His jaw tightened. "Why? Isn't he your father?"

"Because I called him a coward. And he's no longer my father," I replied, refusing to lower my gaze despite the nervous flutter in my stomach.

He studied me silently for a few seconds, his expression unreadable, before looking at Mara. "Take her to the room prepared for her," he said firmly.

"Yes, Alpha," Mara acknowledged with an incline of her head.

Without another word, I turned to follow Mara, sensing there was nothing more to discuss for now.

~

“This is your room,” Mara said, stepping aside as we finally entered one of the rooms upstairs.

I briefly observed the space before turning back toward her. “Am I allowed to leave the room?”

“Yes, but don't wander where you're not permitted,” she answered calmly.

I considered her words for a moment before speaking again. “Can I also leave the estate?”

“Only with the Alpha's permission,” she answered curtly.

I hesitated for a moment before asking the question that had really been weighing on me. “And his other mistresses?”

“Only one remains,” she answered swiftly, her expression composed.

My eyes widened at her answer, and then Sarah's words suddenly echoed in my mind—Monsters like Valdren don't keep weak mistresses alive for very long anyway.

“With you, it's currently two,” Mara added before turning toward the door.

Even after she had left, I remained still, staring at the closed door as the reality of what truly awaited me finally settled in.

~

The following morning, I woke to pale sunlight slipping through the curtains, forgetting where I was for a moment.

Then I remembered Valdren's estate and slowly sat up.

After bathing, I stepped out of the room. Down the corridor, I found a guard standing nearby.

"I was told I could leave my room,” I said calmly.

"You may use the eastern wing and the gardens, Miss. But the western wing and Alpha's private quarters are off-limits unless you have the Alpha's permission," the guard answered.

I gave a curt nod in understanding and took the stairs. Following the eastern corridor, I reached a set of glass doors leading outside.

The moment I stepped out, two young female staff members with secateurs glanced at me before quickly looking away. Their reaction couldn't help but make me wonder what they had been told about me.

Pushing the thought aside, I walked deeper into the garden, where I spotted a woman sitting alone beneath a covered terrace.

With her long, shiny dark hair neatly falling over her shoulders, her elegant dress made it obvious she wasn't one of the house staff. And most importantly, she looked like she was in her early twenties, like me.

As I slowed, her eyes abruptly landed on me. For a moment, neither of us spoke and we stared at each other in silence.

Then, she gently stood. "You’re… Lyra," she muttered, raising her brow slightly.

"Yes, I am," I replied, staring her down.

"I'm Elena," she said softly, smiling faintly.

As her name settled in my mind, I suddenly became curious about her role in the estate. "Valdren's mistress?" The words left my mouth before I could stop myself.

Her smile instantly disappeared. "Yes. For eight months. The others didn't last eight days."

My eyes twitched at her sudden change in demeanor.

"If you value your life, don't make the mistake of thinking you're special to him," she added, her voice dropping.

I frowned. “Why would you say that?” I asked, even though I had no intention of seeing myself as someone special to Valdren.

She glanced at the glass doors before focusing back on me. "Because I've watched other beautiful women arrive here believing they were different."

My curiosity instantly sharpened. "And where are they now?"

"They didn't leave this estate alive," she answered quietly.

Her words sent an uncomfortable chill through me, and Sarah's words hit me again.

Before I could ask another question, footsteps approached from behind me. It was a guard.

"The Alpha wants you waiting in his bedroom, Ms. Elena," he instructed calmly.