Chapter 3

 Maya Pov 

I couldn't stop shaking.

The car was bigger than my storage closet room. Soft leather seats, tinted windows, and enough space that I didn't have to curl into a ball to fit. But my body didn't understand safety. It only knew fear.

Alpha Ryker sat across from me, watching with those ice-blue eyes. The other two men sat beside him—one with green eyes and brown hair, the other younger with a friendly face.

"Maya, this is Kade, my Beta," Alpha Ryker said, pointing to the green-eyed man. "And this is Owen, one of my warriors."

I nodded, not knowing what to say. My hands twisted in the fabric of my gray dress, the only dress I owned.

"Are you hurt?" Kade asked gently.

"No." The lie came automatically. I'd learned to hide injuries. Showing pain only invited more of it.

"Maya." Alpha Ryker's voice made me look up. "You're safe now. Nobody here will hurt you. But I need you to be honest with me. Are you injured?"

My throat felt tight. I didn't know how to do this—how to talk to people who weren't about to hit me. "I'm okay."

"Let me rephrase. Do you have injuries that need medical attention?"

I thought about the bruises on my ribs, the cut on my back from yesterday that wouldn't stop bleeding, the constant ache in my shoulder from when Sienna had twisted my arm last week.

"Some bruises," I admitted quietly.

"Recent?"

"This morning. And yesterday. And..." I trailed off. When wasn't I injured?

Alpha Ryker's jaw clenched but his voice stayed calm. "We'll have our doctor look at you when we arrive. Her name is Zara—she's kind. You'll like her."

A doctor. I'd never seen a doctor. When I got hurt in Silvercrest, I just waited for it to heal on its own. Or not heal, in some cases.

"How long until we're there?" I asked.

"About an hour." Alpha Ryker leaned back. "You can sleep if you want. We'll wake you when we arrive."

Sleep. In front of strangers. In a moving vehicle. My body screamed that it was a trap, that letting my guard down would only lead to pain.

But I was so tired. Tired of being afraid, tired of hurting, tired of everything.

"I'll stay awake," I whispered.

"Suit yourself." He pulled out a phone and started typing, giving me space.

I watched the scenery pass by the window. Trees I'd never seen before, roads I didn't recognize. Everything was new and terrifying and wonderful.

"Have you ever left Silvercrest territory?" Kade asked.

I shook my head.

"Not even for pack gatherings?"

"I wasn't allowed to leave the house."

The car went quiet. Owen looked away, his jaw tight. Kade's eyes darkened. Even Alpha Ryker stopped typing.

"Five years," I added, not sure why I was telling them. "I haven't been outside in five years. Except the backyard, sometimes, to hang laundry."

"Jesus," Owen muttered.

"How did you survive?" Kade's voice was soft.

I shrugged. "You just do. You wake up, you do your work, you try not to make anyone angry. You go to sleep. You do it again the next day."

"That's not living," Alpha Ryker said quietly. "That's existing."

"It's all I had."

He looked at me for a long moment. "Not anymore."

I wanted to believe him. But belief required hope, and hope had been beaten out of me a long time ago.

The car slowed and turned onto a long driveway. Through the trees, I caught glimpses of a huge house—no, a mansion. Three stories of stone and glass, with manicured lawns and gardens that probably took a team of people to maintain.

"Welcome to Shadowpeak," Alpha Ryker said.

The car stopped at the front entrance. Kade got out first, then Owen. Alpha Ryker stepped out and held the door for me.

I stared at his offered hand. Nobody offered to help me. Ever.

"I won't bite," he said with a slight smile.

Slowly, I placed my hand in his. His palm was warm and rough with calluses. He helped me out of the car, and I stood on shaky legs, staring up at the enormous house.

"Come on. Let me give you the tour." He kept his hand on my lower back, guiding me toward the entrance.

The inside was even more beautiful. Hardwood floors polished to a shine, artwork on the walls, high ceilings with crystal chandeliers. It looked like something from a magazine.

"The dining room is through there," he pointed left. "Kitchen is that way. Living areas are on the first and second floors. Third floor is private quarters."

I followed him through hallways that seemed to go on forever. Everything was so clean, so perfect. I was terrified to touch anything with my dirty hands.

We entered a large kitchen where a young woman with blonde hair was pulling something from the oven. She turned and smiled when she saw us.

"Ryker! You're back. And you brought—oh." Her ice-blue eyes widened as she looked at me. "Oh my god."

"Zara, this is Maya. Maya, my sister Zara. She's our pack doctor."

His sister. They had the same eyes, the same strong features. But where Alpha Ryker was intense and intimidating, Zara seemed warm and approachable.

"It's nice to meet you," Zara said, setting down her oven mitts. "Are you hungry? I just made fresh bread."

My stomach growled loudly in response. I felt my face heat with embarrassment.

"I'll take that as a yes." Zara started cutting thick slices of bread and spreading butter on them. "Ryker, why don't you show her the bedroom while I plate this up?"

"Good idea." He touched my back again. "This way."

We climbed a wide staircase to the third floor. The hallway was lined with doors, all closed. He stopped at one near the end and pushed it open.

"This is my room," he said. "Our room, now."

Our room. The words hit me like ice water. Of course. He'd taken me as part of a contract. He'd want something in return.

The room was massive, with a king-sized bed, large windows, and a bathroom that was bigger than my entire storage closet had been. Everything was done in dark blues and grays, masculine and clean.

"The bathroom is through there," he said, pointing. "Towels are in the closet. You can shower if you want."

"Okay." My voice came out small.

He studied my face. "What's wrong?"

Everything. Nothing. I didn't know how to answer. "When... when do you want me to..." I couldn't finish the sentence.

His brow furrowed. "Want you to what?"

"You brought me here for... for the contract. When do you want to..." Heat flooded my face. I couldn't say it.

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