All Chapters of Hunting The Alpha’s Heart: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

Lyra's POV"Lyra, how are you?"I turned toward Freya as I took the empty seat she had saved for me in the maids' dining hall. The room was packed, with nearly every chair occupied and the long tables filled with maids talking quietly while dinner was being served."I'm fine, thank you," I said with a smile. "I'm glad to see you."Her expression softened. "I'm glad you're back. When they told us you'd returned to the estate, I couldn't believe it at first. But seeing you now makes me feel relieved."The way she said relieved caught my attention, but before I could ask what she meant, Freya leaned closer."We'll talk later in the garden," she whispered.I frowned, but the look she gave me told me not to ask questions here, so I simply nodded.A moment later, Martha entered the dining hall, and everyone immediately straightened in their seats. The conversations stopped as she reminded us about our duties for the following morning. Even though I was now Caitlin's personal maid and excuse

Lyra's POVI had no right to be angry with Cole. He hadn't promised me anything, and whatever this strange mate bond meant, it didn't give me the right to expect anything from him.Still, I couldn't stop thinking about the restaurant.He had let me eat outside while Evelyn sat inside with him and her family with Caitlin. It shouldn't have bothered me. I was Caitlin's personal maid, nothing more, while Evelyn belonged in Cole's world. She was beautiful, sophisticated, and came from one of the Great Alpha Bloodlines.If she really was his girlfriend, it was none of my business.Yet my chest tightened at the thought, and I hated that part of me desperately hoped she wasn't.I still didn't fully understand the mate bond. All I knew was that whenever Cole was near, my entire body became painfully aware of him. I could sense his presence before I saw him, his scent overwhelmed me, and the slightest touch made something inside me respond before I could stop it.Thankfully, years of training

Lyra's POVI stared at the open passenger door.Every bit of training Grandpa had given me told me not to get into a stranger's car. I had been taught to be cautious, trust my instincts, and never put myself in a situation where someone else had control.So naturally, I got into the car.Maybe Cole Dravenford had temporarily damaged my common sense.You wanted to kiss me.His arrogant voice immediately returned to my head as I pulled the passenger door shut harder than necessary.He was the one who kissed me first!I hadn't asked him to kiss me or thrown myself at him. One second we had been fighting, and the next, his lips were on mine. Just because I had kissed him back, he had somehow decided that meant I had wanted it all along.Arrogant jerk.The worst part was that I hadn't even gotten the chance to tell him that to his face. Caitlin had appeared before I could remind her brother that he was the one who started everything.Now, instead of thinking about university like a normal

Lyra's POV"You don't need to accompany me, Carlos. I can take care of myself," I said as he walked beside me toward the Student Affairs Office, where I was supposed to get my university ID."I know you can.""Then why are you still following me?"Carlos glanced at me, amused. "Maybe I'm making sure you don't get lost.""I can read signs.""That remains to be seen."I rolled my eyes and continued walking beside him.Classes hadn't started yet, so Crestmont University wasn't as crowded as it probably would be once the semester officially began. Still, plenty of students were around completing enrollment requirements, collecting schedules, processing IDs, and preparing for the first day of classes.It didn't take long for me to notice something.People kept looking in our direction.At first, I assumed they were curious because they didn't recognize me, but after a while, I realized most of those looks weren't meant for me.They were for Carlos.Girls openly stared as we passed. Some wh

Lyra's POVI didn't know whether to laugh or glare at Cole. Everything he'd said about changing my contract was ridiculous. I needed permission before taking a day off, I wasn't allowed to go on dates, and apparently, getting too close to Carlos was suddenly a problem.He could call it whatever he wanted, but I wasn't stupid. Cole was jealous, and the realization should have annoyed me more than it did. Instead, a small, traitorous part of me felt strangely excited.Did that mean he wanted me for himself?The thought sent an unexpected thrill through me, but I refused to dwell on it. Cole Dravenford had kissed me that morning, yet somehow, he still acted as though I was the problem.The man was unbelievable.I glanced at him as we drove away from Crestmont University. His eyes remained fixed on the road, one hand resting on the steering wheel while the other occasionally moved to change gears. His expression was unreadable, and neither of us had said a word since getting into the car.