5: New Home

DAISY'S POV

The East Wing was nothing like I had expected.

I thought Zordon would throw me into some dark, cold cell. I thought I'd be locked in a damp room with nothing but chains and nightmares. Instead, the chamber I was led to was nothing less than luxurious.

A massive four-poster bed dominated the space. It was draped in dark, silky sheets that was tempting the tiredness in me. A fireplace crackled softly on the far wall, casting flickering shadows over the thick lion rugs and ornate furniture. A wardrobe stood in the corner with its doors slightly ajar, revealing an array of dresses and clothes, none of them mine.

I clenched my fists as the guard left, the heavy door clicking shut behind him. There was no lock, but I wasn't stupid enough to think I could just walk out of here. Not when I could feel the weight of unseen eyes watching me.

I took a slow breath as my mind raced.

Dexter had thrown me to the wolves, literally. I was in Alpha Zordon's territory now, surrounded by his pack, trapped in his home.

And the worst part?

I had no idea what he planned to do with me.

With nothing else to do, I explored the rest of the room. The bathroom was lavish, stocked with scented soaps and warm towels. There was even a balcony overlooked a sprawling courtyard, where warriors trained beneath the moonlight. Beyond that, a dark forest loomed, thick and endless.

I wasn't just trapped in this fortress, I was trapped in a kingdom ruled by a man known for his ruthlessness.

I had to be careful.

Hours passed, but I couldn’t sleep. I lay awake, my mind replaying everything that had happened, every word Zordon had spoken, every look he had given me.

And when sleep finally came, his silver eyes haunted my dream.

By morning, a knock at the door jolted me upright.

I tensed as a woman stepped inside. She was tall, with dark hair tied into a tight braid, her expression neutral but sharp.

"You need to get dressed and come with me," she commanded. "Alpha Zordon's orders."

I stared at her.

"Why?" I asked.

The woman gave me a look that said don't be stupid.

"Because the alpha said so." she rolled her eyes at me.

I didn't move. "Who are you?"

"Isla," she answered simply. "Beta of this pack."

I stilled. "A female beta?"

Isla smirked. "Surprised?"

"Yes." I nodded my head.

Most packs never let women rise to positions of power, but Zordon's did. What kind of alpha was he?

I hesitated. "Why are you here?"

"Because I was ordered to escort you to breakfast," Isla said, crossing her arms. "And trust me, you don't want to keep Alpha Zordon waiting."

"Give me ten minutes so I can get dressed."

"You have five."

******

I followed Isla down the long stone corridors. I still couldn’t get over the fact that she held such a rank.

A female beta? That was rare. Most packs would never allow it.

Strength, leadership, and power only belonged to men. At least, that's what I had always been told.

But Zordon's pack was different.

What kind of alpha lets a woman rise so high?

More importantly, what kind of alpha was I now at the mercy of?

I swallowed hard, forcing my shoulders to stay squared. If I showed weakness, they'd eat me alive.

We reached the large wooden doors of the dining hall. "Wait here. I will be right back," Isla said as she slipped inside and left me in the corridors with the guards looking at me like I was meat.

"Our plan is in motion." I heard a male's voice say from the inside. When Isla went in, she forgot to shut the door properly.

"Yes it is," another voice spoke, and I recognized it immediately. I wasn't sure why, but something about Zordon's tone made my instincts scream at me to listen.

One of the guards raised an eyebrow at me, but my attention was already locked on the conversation inside.

"I almost feel bad for the fool," a deep voice chuckled.

"Daisy was the perfect bait." Zordon's voice was cold and calculated, as it had always been.

My breath caught in my throat.

"You made it too easy," the first man continued. "Dexter took the loans like a starving wolf chasing scraps, and now? He's already bleeding out," he mocked.

"The fool thought he could take those loans and crawl his way back to power. He never realized whose hands were feeding him," Zordon growled.

My stomach twisted violently.

Had this been a trap all along?

"I told you," Zordon said smoothly. "A desperate alpha is an easy alpha to destroy. He was so obsessed with keeping his power that he never saw the strings being pulled around him."

Realization crashed on me like a ton of bricks. They had planned this. They had deliberately pushed Dexter into debt, knowing he would eventually have no choice but to trade me away.

But why was I so important that Alpha Zordon would go to such lengths to get me?

A sharp pang of nausea curled in my stomach, but I forced myself to listen.

"Dexter, worthless as he is, had never stood a chance." A low laugh rumbled through the room. "By the time he realizes what happened, his pack will already belong to us."

"And offering up his own mate in exchange? That was just the final nail in the coffin," the other man added with a dark laugh.

Cold realization slammed into me. I had never been the price, I had been a bait.

A pawn in their game.

Dexter had been a fool, but this was something else. This was calculated destruction.

I gripped the door frame, my nails biting into the wood. Dexter had betrayed me. Used and discarded me to the wolves without a second thought.

But his pack; his people hadn't.

How many innocent lives were about to be crushed?

They had no idea they were about to be swallowed whole.

I didn't know what made my heart pound harder, the betrayal I had just uncovered or the fact that I was standing in the very den of the men who had orchestrated it.

"Daisy is here." Isla announced. Her voice jolted me back to reality. I barely had time to school my expression before the heavy doors swung open. "You may enter," Isla said. She grinned, giving me a knowing look.

Zordon sat at the head of the long dining table, one arm draped lazily over the back of his chair. I forced my expression into something neutral as I stepped into the dining hall. My heart was still pounding from what I had overheard, but I couldn't let it show.

Zordon was already watching me. His eyes tracked my every move as I made my way towards the table.

I kept my shoulders relaxed and my steps steady. I had to act as if nothing was wrong. As if I had not just learned that he had orchestrated Dexter's downfall. As if I had not just discovered that I was nothing more than bait in his game.

"Sit," Zordon instructed, gesturing to the chair across from him.

I did, keeping my hands in my lap to hide the fact that they were trembling.

The table was already set, filled with fresh bread, steaming eggs, fruit, and thick cuts of meat. It seemed inviting, but my stomach was too tight to even consider eating.

"Eat," Zordon ordered, picking up his fork. "You'll need your strength."

I hesitated only for a second before reaching for a slice of bread, forcing myself to take a bite. If I refused food, if I showed the wrong reaction, he might suspect something.

I chewed slowly, keeping my gaze fixed downward.

"You seem quiet. Is this how you’ve always been?" Zordon noted.

I stiffened slightly, then quickly forced myself to relax.

"I didn't sleep well," I answered smoothly, tearing another piece of bread apart with my fingers. "New place. New people." I glanced at him briefly before looking back down at my plate.

He hummed, taking a sip of his drink. "Understandable."

For a moment, I thought that was the end of it.

But then he threw another question at me.

"What do you think of my pack so far?" he asked.

I knew it wasn't an innocent question. He seemed to be testing me.

I forced myself to give a small shrug. "It's... different."

"Different how?"

I took another small bite of bread, using the extra second to compose my thoughts. "For one, your pack has a female beta." I gestured toward Isla, who was at the other end of the table, ripping into a turkey leg, watching our exchange with mild amusement. "Most alphas don't allow that."

The other men were also watching us, but the knot in my stomach told me to only look at Alpha Zordon or Isla.

Zordon smirked, but there was something calculating in his gaze. "You disapprove?"

"No," I said quickly, shaking my head. "Just... surprised."

"Hmm." He studied me for a moment, then set his fork down. "And what else have you noticed?"

My pulse jumped.

Was he trying to trip me up? Did he already suspect that I knew too much?

I made a show of thinking. "Everyone here seems disciplined and focused. It's different from my old pack."

Dexter's pack had been full of lazy wolves who only followed orders when it suited them. Zordon's wolves, on the other hand, were sharp and structured.

He gave a slow nod with his gaze still locked on me. "A good observation."

I felt Isla's eyes on me, too. Were they both studying me?

I reached for my cup, taking a sip to steady myself. I had to keep playing the fool.

I had to pretend that I hadn't just uncovered a dangerous truth.

The weight of Zordon's gaze lingered as I set my cup down.

It was obvious he wasn't done with me yet.

He leaned back in his chair, casually swirling the liquid in his cup.

"So, Daisy," he drawled, his voice deceptively smooth. "How loyal were you to your mate?"

I froze. The question seemed more like a trap and I knew if I answered wrong, I would be dead.

I forced myself to exhale, tilting my head as if I were truly considering his words. "Dexter and I had an arranged bond," I said carefully. "I did what was expected of me."

Zordon's lips twitched. "Expected?"

I nodded, forcing my fingers to loosen their grip on my lap. "I was raised to obey my mate, to support him, but loyalty..." I let out a soft, bitter laugh, shaking my head. "That goes both ways, doesn't it?"

Zordon studied me some more.

"You think he was disloyal to you?" he asked.

I gave another small shrug, keeping my expression neutral. "I think Dexter's loyalty has always been to himself first."

Isla let out an amused snort, but I didn't dare look at her.

Zordon tapped his fingers against the table. "Interesting."

Silence stretched between us.

He was still watching me.

I reached for my fork, forcing myself to pick at the food on my plate. If I hesitated too much, if I gave away even the slightest sign that I was rattled, he'd know.

"I suppose you don't miss him, then?" Zordon mused.

I stabbed a piece of fruit, lifting it to my lips before finally meeting his gaze. Did he not know that he chose another over me? Didn’t he know Dexter found his destined mate in Kendra? I decided not to tell him that, so I asked, "Should I?"

Zordon smirked.

"No," he said, and I could tell he was amused. "I suppose not."

But I wasn't foolish enough to think I had passed his test. Not when his next words made my stomach tighten.

"I'll have one of my guards escort you around the territory today," he announced. "That way you can get familiar with your new home."

"New home?"

The words tasted like poison.

Zordon's expression was unreadable, but I could feel the command beneath his remark. "Yes. Your new home."