We have guests to meet

Lyra had hardly slept a wink through the night. Casian being upset with her left her restless, her mind tangled with thoughts she couldn't escape. But just when exhaustion finally started to weigh on her, the morning light spilled into the room, and Penny stepped inside.

"My lady, the Alpha has asked you to have breakfast with him," Penny announced, causing Lyra's brows to furrow in confusion.

It had been two days since she'd barely stepped out of her chamber, let alone shared a meal with Casian. The abrupt request unsettled her, but it also gave her an opportunity—an opening to apologize for the other night.

Heart pounding, she quickly climbed out of bed and rushed through her morning routine before stepping out of the chamber, her steps light but hesitant as she made her way toward the vast dining hall.

The sheer size of the table made her pause, but it was the man seated at the far end that truly stole her breath. Casian sat there, composed yet unreadable, his focus fixed on his meal as if her presence meant nothing.

Her palms pressed together as nervousness tightened her chest. It was unusual to share space with him in front of the staff, but what unsettled her even more was the way he continued to ignore her.

Summoning her courage, she made her way to the chair across from him and sat down. The servants moved swiftly, setting an array of delicacies before her. Lyra glanced down at the lavish spread, unfamiliar with most of the dishes. Over the past two days, she had been given meals to keep her strength up, but nothing like this.

Her gaze flickered to Casian. The tension was suffocating. She was expected to eat, yet instead of lifting her fork, she hesitated.

Gathering her thoughts, she finally spoke through their bond.

"Last night… I didn't mean to disobey you."

Casian's reaction was immediate. A low chuckle rumbled from his chest.

The unexpected sound sent a ripple of unease through the servants standing nearby. The Alpha rarely expressed amusement, and now, seeing him chuckle—of all things—at breakfast left them visibly on edge.

Then, without warning, Casian leaned back in his chair and issued a single command.

"Privacy."

The staff exchanged confused glances but knew better than to question him. Without another word, they quickly exited the room, leaving Lyra alone with the Alpha.

The moment the doors shut behind them, silence thickened the air between them.

Lyra swallowed hard, her pulse quickening as she met Casian's unwavering gaze. His piercing blue eyes seemed to strip away every barrier she had built, reading into her soul with unnerving ease. Her lips parted slightly, quivering in anticipation, but her mind turned blank under the weight of his scrutiny.

"Eat."

His deep voice was like a command wrapped in steel, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine. Without another glance in her direction, he resumed his breakfast, as though their exchange had never happened.

Lyra hesitated, unsure whether his silence was a sign of anger or simple disinterest. Was he deliberately ignoring her, or was he simply too hungry to engage in a conversation? Whatever the case, she decided to drop the subject—at least for now—and focus on her meal.

The tension between them lingered as breakfast continued in near silence. Lyra kept stealing glances at Casian, wondering when—if ever—he would speak to her properly. But before she could make another attempt to reach him, a sudden interruption shattered the quiet.

"Alpha, they are here."

Darius's voice cut through the air, and Lyra instinctively turned to look at Casian. His expression had shifted instantly, his features going blank—emotionless, unreadable.

With a single nod, he stood up from his chair, his movements precise and deliberate. Then, without warning, he approached her.

"Come. We have guests to meet."

His words sent a ripple of confusion through her. Guests? Who?

Before she could voice her thoughts, Casian grasped her wrist firmly and guided her out of the dining hall, his grip unyielding yet not forceful.

***

[Living Hall]

"Why do you think the Alpha summoned us here? It's rare for him to invite anyone into his fortress."

Miranda Grifford's voice wavered slightly as she surveyed the grand yet ominous living hall. Its sheer extravagance was undeniable, but an eerie air of mystery clung to its dark corners, making her uneasy.

"Be quiet, Miranda, or someone might hear you," her mother, Cecelie, hissed in warning, casting a cautious glance around.

Norman Grifford cleared his throat pointedly, his sharp gaze silencing them both.

The moment a messenger from the Shadow Pack had arrived with an invitation from Alpha Casian, Norman had known something was wrong. And now, standing in the heart of the infamous Alpha's domain, surrounded by an unsettling quiet, he couldn't shake the feeling that they were about to face something far worse than a simple meeting.

Sweat beaded on Norman's palms, his unease growing by the second. The sheer weight of the Shadow Pack's fortress, the chilling silence pressing against his ears—it was suffocating. And then, a deep, authoritative voice shattered his nervous thoughts.

"Alpha Norman, it's kind of you to visit me on such short notice."

Norman, along with Miranda and Cecelie, hastily stood to greet Casian, but the moment their eyes landed on the woman beside him, they froze.

"Lyra?" Miranda's voice cracked with shock, her face paling as if she had seen a ghost.

Before she could react further, Cecelie's hand clamped around her wrist in warning, forcing her into a respectful bow toward the Alpha. But Cecelie herself was struggling to mask her own disbelief. The girl they had discarded like trash—the weak, wolfless burden they had cast aside—now stood tall beside the most feared Alpha in the region.

How?

'I just want to claw their hearts out for hurting my mate,' Hunter's growl echoed in Casian's mind, his wolf seething with barely restrained rage.

Casian clenched his jaw, fingers tightening around Lyra's hand as he wrestled for control. He had already sensed Hunter's anger bubbling beneath the surface, but he forced his wolf to stand down. Not yet.

Lyra, meanwhile, felt rooted to the spot, her body refusing to move. The sight of her family, standing mere feet away, sent an ice-cold fear slithering through her veins. Her fingers trembled, her breath uneven as memories threatened to drag her under.

'What are they doing here?' she whispered through their bond.

Casian shifted slightly, his firm grasp on her hand breaking through her turmoil. He tucked her fingers into his palm, grounding her in his warmth.

"I'm sure you must be happy to see your family," he murmured near her ear, his voice smooth, yet edged with something dangerous. "But they won't be."

A shiver ran down her spine at the ominous certainty in his tone. She turned to him, eyes wide with silent worry.

'What are you going to do to them?' She asked through the bond, but Casian only smiled—a slow, unreadable curve of his lips that sent a fresh wave of unease coursing through her.

Without another word, he gestured for them to take their seats, leading Lyra with him as they faced their unwelcome guests.