Lyra's POV
The dining hall buzzed with activity as we began serving the pack. Platters of roasted meats, bowls of seasoned vegetables, and freshly baked bread were placed on the long table. The clinking of utensils and the hum of low conversation filled the air.
Then the doors opened, and Alpha Kael walked in.
The room fell silent, his presence commanding the attention of everyone inside. Even the air seemed heavier, saturated with his dominance. I kept my head down, trying to make myself invisible. The weight of his aura pressed against my skin, and I felt my wolf, Hope, stir within me, unbidden.
I dared a glance at him. His dark eyes swept across the room, sharp and calculating. He carried himself with a grace that spoke of strength and control, his every step purposeful.
"Lyra," he said, his voice deep and cutting through the quiet.
My breath hitched. He was calling for me.
I moved forward hesitantly, keeping my head bowed as I approached him. My palms were slick with sweat, and my heart pounded in my chest like a drum.
When I stopped in front of him, I bowed deeply. "Alpha," I murmured.
"Raise your head," he commanded.
I hesitated, but his tone left no room for defiance. Slowly, I lifted my head, my gaze meeting his.
The moment our eyes locked, I felt it again—that pull, that magnetic connection that made Hope stir restlessly. She howled with excitement, her voice echoing in my mind, and I clenched my fists at my sides to keep her at bay.
Quiet, I warned her. Don't you dare.
Kael's eyes narrowed slightly, and my stomach dropped. It was as if he could sense something. His gaze seemed to penetrate deeper, searching for answers I couldn't afford to give. Hope, oblivious to my struggle, pressed against the walls I'd built around her, desperate to be seen.
His jaw tightened, his expression vague.
"Bring me my food," he said, his voice quieter but no less commanding.
I nodded quickly, eager to escape his scrutiny. "Yes, Alpha."
Turning on my heel, I hurried toward the kitchen, my heart thundering in my chest. I barely noticed the other servants as I moved past them, my mind racing.
What are you doing? I snapped at Hope. Do you want to expose us?
She didn't answer, but I could feel her pacing restlessly, her excitement bubbling beneath the surface.
You promised, I reminded her. We promised. No one can know.
By the time I reached the kitchen, my hands were trembling. I forced myself to take a deep breath, steadying the tray before carrying it back out to the Alpha.
But no matter how calm I tried to appear, I couldn't shake the feeling that Kael knew something.
By the time I returned to the dining hall with the Alpha's food, the whispers had already begun.
I caught fragments of conversations, muffled murmurs that didn't need to be loud for me to know what they were about. Omega. Weak. No shift.
Kiera had wasted no time spreading her venom.
I tried to ignore the stares and the occasional stifled laughter as I walked past the long table, balancing the tray in my hands. Hope stirred, growling faintly in the back of my mind, but I shoved her down with a stern warning. Not now. Not ever.
When I reached Kael's seat, I carefully placed the tray before him. His eyes were on me, that same piercing gaze from earlier. It burned into me, heavy and searching.
For a moment, I thought Kiera's rumors explained his interest. Maybe he, too, thought I was an Omega. But something in the way he looked at me—the intensity of it—made me feel there was more.
I straightened slowly, keeping my head slightly bowed as I stepped back. Yet his gaze didn't waver, pulling me into an invisible tether I couldn't break.
"Thank you," he said, his voice calm but laced with authority.
I nodded quickly, my throat too dry to respond. But before I could retreat, our eyes met again, locking in a way that made my stomach churn.
His expression remained unreadable, but there was something behind his dark eyes—something that stirred the part of me I had worked so hard to bury.
I bit the inside of my cheek, reminding myself of the truth: he couldn't know. Hope was hidden, tucked away so securely that no one could sense her, not even him. He already had a mate, his Luna. There was no reason for him to suspect anything, no reason for him to think I was his…
I swallowed hard, breaking eye contact as I stepped back further.
"If there's nothing else, Alpha," I managed to say, keeping my voice even.
For a moment, he didn't answer, his gaze still heavy on me. Then, finally, he gave a small nod, dismissing me.
As I turned to leave, I felt his eyes follow me, the weight of them lingering long after I exited the hall.
Back in the kitchen, I leaned against the counter, my hands trembling as I gripped its edge.
He can't know. He doesn't know. I repeated the words in my mind, trying to steady my nerves.
But deep down, a small voice whispered a dangerous truth: Kael might not know what I was—but he felt something. And that made him far more dangerous than I had anticipated.
The door creaked open behind me, and my stomach dropped.
"Lyra," a deep voice said, and I froze.
I turned slowly, my heart thundering in my chest. Kael stood in the doorway, his tall frame filling the space effortlessly. The energy in the room shifted, thick and charged, as his dark eyes locked onto mine.
"I need to ask you something," he said, stepping closer. His tone was calm but firm, leaving no room for avoidance.
"Yes, Alpha," I murmured, lowering my gaze.
"You can't shift?"
His words were straightforward, but his tone carried a weight that made my heart skip.
I swallowed hard and nodded.
"No, Alpha. I can't."
His gaze remained on me, intense and unrelenting.
"How old are you?"
"Seventeen," I replied softly, my voice barely above a whisper.
Kael's brow furrowed. His head tilted slightly as he studied me, his expression a mix of confusion and curiosity.
"Seventeen," he repeated, almost to himself.
His next question came quickly, and I barely had time to prepare.
"Can you feel your wolf?"
I forced myself to shake my head, my throat tightening. "No, Alpha."
He stepped closer, the space between us shrinking as he scrutinized me further. His gaze seemed to search for something, as if trying to peel back the layers of my being and uncover the truth I was so desperate to hide.
"Never?" he asked, his voice quieter now, almost disbelieving.
"No," I lied, keeping my expression neutral.
Kael raised an eyebrow, his skepticism clear. He didn't say anything for a moment, just stared at me, his piercing eyes making my skin prickle.
I held my ground, refusing to let my fear show. Don't falter. He can't know.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he nodded slightly, though the look in his eyes didn't soften. He turned to leave but paused at the door, glancing back at me one last time.
His gaze lingered, filled with an unspoken question I couldn't decipher. Then, without another word, he walked out, leaving me alone with my thoughts and the storm raging inside me.
I let out a shaky breath, gripping the counter as if it could anchor me. Hope remained quiet, but I could feel her unease matching mine.
Kael was suspicious—I could see it in the way he looked at me. And I wasn't sure how long I could keep up the lie before he uncovered the truth.