Chapter 5

Irene

My heart hammered wildly against my chest as the words left Luke's mouth. His words kept echoing in my head like a raging storm. 

I could not believe all of these were happening. It felt like a dream. 

"Thanks for taking the traitor's daughter off my hands."

I stared at Alpha Lucian, unable to process what I had just heard. Was this a joke? Indeed, there was some mistake. I was being mated to my father’s murderer like it was something normal. 

“Come on, Irene. You have to snap out of your illusion,” I said to myself, and I almost hit my palm against my face countless times. 

I watched as Lucian folded the document and tucked it into his jacket. He did all that with a calmness that infuriated me. 

When he was done, he turned to Luke and gave him a side-eye. 

“Pack up everything concerning the auction and send everyone home. It’s over,” he ordered and in return, Luke gave him a sharp nod. 

 “As you wish, Alpha.” He glanced at me briefly, and a mischievous sneer curled on his lips before he walked away, leaving me alone with Lucian.

For a moment, I could not breathe. 

My mind raced as I struggled to make sense of it all. My heart was like shattered glass already, and I doubted if I would be able to pick up the pieces together. 

It was wild and torturous. The man who ordered my father’s death now stood before me, calm and composed, as though he had not just ruined my life for the second time.

“Why?” After stuttering for some seconds, I finally found my voice, but to my disappointment, it came out as a whisper. 

My fists clenched at my sides, revealing my veins as I stepped closer to him.

“Why would you do this? Do you even understand the gravity of what you are about to do? Do you understand that this is all stupid?”

Lucian didn’t flinch. Instead, his cold and calculated dark eyes met mine, and a faint smirk appeared at the corners of his lips.

“Get over your emotions, lady,” he said sharply, dismissing my emotions like they were nothing. “They will do you no good here. Trust me, I won't repeat myself the second time.”

Then, a spark ignited inside me, and I refused to back down. I was going to challenge him with all I had, and I will make sure I get answers!

 “Get over my emotions, you say?” I repeated, and my voice began to rise slowly. “You think it's that easy? You murdered my father! You destroyed my family, and now you want to bind me to you like some possession?”

His deadly smirk disappeared. In one swift move, he grabbed my arm, and I flinched. 

His sudden action took me aback, and I feared he might have done something stupid to me. But thankfully, his grip was only firm but not painful. 

“Careful, lady!” he blurted out in a low and dangerous voice that sent chills down my spine. “You don’t want to test my patience. I have every right to deal with you however I please, and trust me, you won’t like the outcome.”

I tried to pull away, but his grip around my arm only tightened, and goosebumps appeared all over my body. 

No, these goosebumps didn't come as a result of fear; they came from something else entirely. 

There was a strange warmth that spread through me where his skin touched mine, and I hated myself for the way my body reacted. 

I felt like slapping myself countless times. How will my body react that way to the touch of this beast?

“Let go of me,” I struggled and spat in his face.

He released me immediately, and I kept breathing heavily as if I had been running since morning. 

“Your emotions are going to be your downfall,” he said, taking a step closer. “Here’s how this will work: from now on, I’m in charge of your movements. You will go where I tell you to go; do what I tell you to do. If you step out of line, I won’t hesitate to throw you into the dungeon. Do you understand?”

I glared at him, my blood boiling. 

“You are not lord over me. I won't take orders from you,” I said through gritted teeth.

Lucian’s eyes darkened, and for a moment, I thought he might strike me. I had really pissed him off countless times, and I was expecting a reaction from him. 

Instead, he leaned closer to me with his lips almost close to my ears. 

“You are in my territory now, lady. That makes you mine, whether you like it or not.”

His words sent a chill through me, making my spine stiffen, and I quickly stepped back. 

“You are insane,” I yelled out. 

“I’m practical,” he countered, straightening up his back. “And if you are smart, you will learn to be the same.”

I opened my mouth to argue, to tell him exactly what I thought of him and his so-called practicality, but before I could say a word, someone called out from behind us.

“Alpha Lucian!”

We both turned to see Chris, Lucian’s Beta, walking towards us. He looked like he had something urgent to discuss with Lucian, and I stared at him, suspecting every move. 

“What is it?” Lucian asked, feeling impatient. 

“We have a situation,” Chris said, glancing at me briefly before looking back at Lucian. “It needs your attention immediately. I will need to discuss it with you in private.”

Lucian sighed, rubbing his temples as though I were already giving him a headache.

 “Fine. I will see you in a minute.”

As soon as he said that, Lucian turned back to me with all seriousness. 

“This is not over,” he started. “Stay here and don’t cause any trouble. I will deal with you later.”

I crossed my arms on my chest, refusing to acknowledge his flimsy command.

Lucian’s gaze lingered on me for a moment as though he were deciding whether to say something else. Finally, he shook his head and walked away with Chris, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

The moment he left with Chris, I let out a shaky breath. My mind was messy. It was a whirlwind of anger, confusion, and betrayal.

I clenched my fists, trying to steady myself. One thing was clear: I needed to do something about this. 

But how was I supposed to fight someone who seemed to know exactly how to unravel me?