002: The Alpha’s Bargain

Lyra’s POV

“The fuck are you saying?”

The words shot out of me before I could stop them, anger already bubbling in my chest.

Killian looked at me with an intensity that made my wolf whimper, strict but interested, like I was some kind of puzzle he wanted to solve.

His scent wrapped around me, pine and earth and something wildly masculine that made every instinct in me go haywire. The mate bond hummed between us, a living thing I couldn’t ignore. His arms were still locked around my waist, and before I could process what was happening, he swept me up in a bridal carry like I weighed nothing.

The Moon Goddess had just handed me a second chance at life, and I wasn’t about to waste it on some arrogant Alpha’s games.

“Go to hell.” I shoved at his chest, trying to wriggle free.

But Killian’s fingers brushed against the silk of my dress, and something dark flickered in those deep-set eyes of his. Gold bled into the brown for just a second, his wolf rising. The pressure around my waist tightened slightly, possessive, holding me in place.

“Let… let me go,” I demanded, pushing harder against him.

Killian’s smirk widened, clearly satisfied with himself. Then, without warning or expectation, he released me.

I landed on the ground, hitting my waist hard.

“Ahhh!” I screamed in pain.

“How dare you…” I said angrily, glaring up at him.

“You demanded I let you go,” Killian said smoothly, brushing imaginary dust off his sleeves. “And I just did.”

“Don’t you have sense to understand what I meant by let me go?” I snapped. “I didn’t say you should throw me like a ball!”

“Ohh!” Killian looked down at his shirt, then at his pants, his fingers trailing over the fabric mockingly. “You’ve rumpled and dirtied my clothes.”

I straightened immediately. I stood up from the ground, trying to collect what remained of my dignity. My ceremonial dress felt like it was strangling me. I bent down and yanked off my heels one by one, throwing them aside.

Killian watched the whole thing, still grinning like this was the most entertainment he’d had in months. Alpha energy radiated from him in waves, making my wolf pace restlessly inside me.

“So the bride is making a run for it, huh?” His voice was lazy, teasing. “Don’t want to show how gentlemanly your future mate is?”

Shame crashed over me like a wave.

The mating ceremony between the Massimos and Dominics had been the talk of Mexican City for over a month. Adrian had made sure of that. He’d personally visited every major pack leader, every Alpha in the city to hand-deliver invitations. He loved being the center of attention, loved being on top where he could look down at everyone else like they were beneath him.

Naturally, the Northern Pack had been invited too. Despite the rivalry between packs, Adrian wouldn’t dare exclude Killian. He wanted to show off that he was mating with the heiress of the Dominic pack… the daughter of an Alpha.

We’d been called for an interview a few days before our ceremony. Adrian had talked me into saying that I liked gentlemanly wolves like him and not wild dogs like Killian Castillo. No matter what Adrian did, he was always overshadowed by Killian. The Northern Pack was stronger, their Alpha bloodline purer, their territory larger. It was a constant source of bitter frustration for him, one he’d taken out on me more times than I could count in my past life.

I had been a fool in love. All those manipulations, I couldn’t see them because I was blinded by the bond I thought we had.

I felt tears prickling at the corners of my eyes. What was I supposed to do? The betrayal was killing me all over again.

Killian cleared his throat, and when he spoke, his tone had shifted, less mocking, more calculating. “You look like a bride in distress. Seems like someone who needs help. Maybe you thought you were getting a loyal mate, but you’re getting something else entirely.”

“Shut up and fuck off,” I spat.

“Lyra! Lyra!!” A voice called from the other end of the garden.

My blood turned cold.

If I went back inside, my fate would repeat itself. Adrian would complete the mating bond, and then later, when I’d served my purpose, he’d rip my heart out with his claws. If I ran away, how was I going to explain the situation? I clenched my fist on my ceremonial dress, the delicate fabric crumpling in my grip.

Killian seemed to notice my distress. His gaze sharpened, assessing. The playful smirk faded slightly.

“I’m willing to help you with whatever your problem is,” he said slowly, his voice carrying Alpha authority now, no longer playful. “But…”

He squatted slowly while keeping his eyes locked on mine.

Then, to my complete shock, he helped me put on the shoes I’d shoved off earlier, lifting my ceremonial dress slightly as he did. His fingers were surprisingly gentle, efficient. The mate bond sparked where his skin touched mine, sending shivers up my legs. He slipped one heel back on, then the other, like it was the most natural thing in the world.

He stood back up, hands sliding into his pockets.

“The only condition,” he said, his voice dropping lower, Alpha command threading through every word, “is that you’ll be a slave to this dog. Kneel at my feet whenever I want.”

I stared at him, speechless. My mind raced. Was he serious? Was this some kind of sick joke?

But his expression didn’t waver. He wasn’t smiling anymore. Those brown eyes held mine with absolute certainty, gold flickering at the edges. He was dead serious.

My wolf whimpered inside me, torn between submission to our mate and fury at his demand.

Just then, my stepmother’s shrill voice cut through the moment like a knife.

“Lyra!”

She appeared at the gate, her face twisted with barely concealed irritation.

“What the hell are you doing here? Everybody is waiting!“​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​