Lahat ng Kabanata ng Mates Deception : Kabanata 61 - Kabanata 70

Sirella’s POV The throne room was suffocating.Dark wooden beams loomed above me, casting deep shadows against the stone walls, the flickering torches doing little to warm the space. The scent of old parchment, burning firewood, and something darker—something metallic—lingered in the air. The weight of a dozen gazes pressed against my skin, watching, waiting.At the far end of the room, Alpha Donovan sat in his high-backed chair, the wolf-etched armrests worn from years of power resting heavy on them. He was a formidable man, broad-shouldered with silver streaking through his dark hair, his face carved from stone. Unlike Damien, whose beauty was almost effortless, Alpha Donovan’s presence demanded attention, his aura thick with dominance.And now, for reasons I couldn’t yet decipher, he had summoned me.A servant. A nobody.I forced my hands to remain at my sides, resisting the urge to clench them into fists."You must be wondering why you're here," he said finally, his voice smooth

Sirella’s povThe night was thick with silence, broken only by the crackle of the dying fire. The small cabin smelled of smoke and damp wood, the air heavy with something else—tension.I could feel Keiran’s presence before I even saw him. It was in the way the air shifted, the way my skin prickled, instinct screaming at me to be ready.I didn’t turn. Not yet.Instead, I kept my eyes on the single candle burning low on the wooden table, its weak flame flickering with the softest movement. I focused on my breathing, on the slow, controlled rhythm I had learned through training.I wouldn’t let him get to me.But I should’ve known better."Tell me, are you starting to like it here?"His voice slithered through the silence, smooth and lazy, yet laced with something sharp.I felt him before I saw him, his body heat pressing against my back, his presence too close.Slowly, I turned.Keiran leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, eyes glinting like steel under moonlight. He looked complet

Sirella’s povI barely had time to react before the door slammed shut behind me. Damien’s grip on my wrist was iron-tight, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths. “What the hell were you doing with him?” His voice was low, dangerous. I yanked at my arm, but he only squeezed harder. Pain shot up my wrist, but I refused to flinch. “With who?” I asked, forcing my voice to stay steady. His jaw clenched. “Don’t play stupid, Sirella.” I didn’t answer. I just stared at him, my heartbeat steady, waiting. “You think I don’t know?” His eyes darkened. “The guards talk. They see you sneaking off with that bastard Kieran.” I kept my face blank. I knew this was coming. Damien was always possessive, even when I was nothing more than a servant in his pack. But now? Now, I was a threat. And he knew it. “I asked you a question,” he growled, stepping closer. I didn’t move. I wouldn’t give him that satisfaction. His hand shot out, grabbing my other arm, shaking me. “Answer me

Sirella’s pov The traitor knelt before me, hands tied behind his back, head bowed. His breathing was uneven, shallow. He knew what was coming. I did too. Alpha Donovan stood beside me, arms crossed. His expression was unreadable, but his words weren’t. “Prove your loyalty.” The dagger in my hand felt heavier than it should. Cold. Unfamiliar. I had trained for this. I had been taught how to kill—where to aim, how to make it quick, how to make it hurt. But this was different. This wasn’t a training dummy. This wasn’t a lesson. This was a man. I could hear his heartbeat. Could see the sweat beading at his temple. He was afraid. My grip tightened around the handle. I wasn’t sure how long I stood there, but it must have been too long because Donovan spoke again. “Do it.” I swallowed. I could feel Keiran watching me from a few steps away, silent as ever. I didn’t look at him. I couldn’t. I wasn’t weak. I wasn’t weak. Then, for the first time, I met t

Sirella’s pov The fire burned low in the hearth, casting flickering shadows against the cabin walls. The air between us was thick—heavy with something unsaid, something sharp.Keiran sat across from me, one arm draped lazily over the chair, his expression unreadable beneath the dim glow of the flames. He looked as he always did—calm, unaffected, like none of this touched him. But I had spent enough time with him to know better.His stillness was dangerous.“You’re quiet,” he mused, tilting his head slightly. “I expected screaming. Maybe some threats.”I let out a breath, slow and controlled. “Would that change anything?”He didn’t answer.I stared at him for a long moment, searching his face for something—anything. But Keiran was an expert at revealing nothing.A laugh—low, bitter—slipped past my lips.“So my father wants me dead too?”The words felt foreign even as I said them. As if some part of me still refused to believe it. But why should I be surprised? I had never truly been h