Sometimes what we see isn't always the reality

Meanwhile, inside the Grifford household, Norman and his family were still recovering from the life-threatening experience they had endured in Casian's presence.

They had thought it was the end of their lives. But when they were suddenly deported back to their house, a lingering unease settled over them. They had been spared, yet the warning Casian had issued still echoed in their minds, enough to keep them at bay before making another reckless move.

"That Lyra! How can she be Alpha Casian's mate? She isn't even worthy to stand next to him," Miranda spat in disdain. Her body still trembled from the fear she had felt when Casian exposed her affairs. But knowing that a useless omega had become his partner made her blood boil.

"I never expected Alpha Casian to uncover the truth, but now that he has, the chances of you becoming his Luna are impossible," Cecelia said.

Miranda's eyes darkened with fury. "How can you say that, Mother? Do you realize how much I was looking forward to this? And now you're telling me it's over?"

Norman, who had been silent the entire time, suddenly snapped. "And whose fault is that? You whore around with men, ruining every opportunity. If you hadn't been so cheap, maybe we could have secured a future brighter than what we already have. But now, I can't even lift my head before the royals after the truth about your disgraceful image has been exposed!"

Miranda's face contorted at Norman's harsh words. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears before she turned on her heels and stormed into her room.

Norman had thought concealing Miranda's scent would be an easy task. But he had underestimated the man he was dealing with.

Casian was not just any Alpha. He was the Alpha of the Shadow Pack, soon to be the king of all Alphas.

"How come you never defended me before the Alpha? Did you know he was the one who auctioned her?" Cecelia's sudden question broke the silence, making Norman press his lips into a thin line.

Cecelia rolled her eyes in disbelief. The day she had discarded that girl, she had never once inquired about her fate. But now, it was clear her husband had been keeping tabs on her all along.

"And yet you never told me," she sneered. "You let us make fools of ourselves, and now the truth about your illegitimate daughter is out."

She stood abruptly, her gaze drilling into Norman with barely restrained fury, before she turned and walked away.

Norman knew he had made a mess of things, but he wasn't one to admit defeat. Sooner or later, he would find a way back into Casian's good graces and this time, his pawn would be Lyra.

***

Back inside the chamber, Lyra lowered her gaze, a faint blush creeping onto her cheeks as she shook her head, denying Penny's remark.

Yes, she had been staring at Casian but not in admiration. It was curiosity, nothing more. Yet, when Penny teasingly pointed it out, Lyra's face flushed pink in response.

With a huff, she turned away, walking back to her bed and sinking onto the mattress.

She wasn't used to such a laid-back lifestyle. Sitting around and doing nothing only made her feel useless.

"You might never admit it, but I know my lady is curious about the Alpha," Penny continued to prattle on, but Lyra was too lost in her own thoughts to respond.

She had met the woman named Linda earlier, and the encounter still churned her stomach. There was something about Linda's presence that unsettled her.

Lyra knew she wasn't accepted here. The glares, the whispers—they all made it clear. But no matter how much she wanted to resist, she was too weak to defy Casian's orders. What unsettled her most, however, was the way her heart refused to object to him.

Grabbing the small notebook beside her, she quickly scribbled down a message before showing it to Penny.

"Penny," she wrote, her fingers tightening around the book.

Penny leaned in, reading as Lyra continued.

"Who was that woman?" Lyra asked, despite already having been told about her earlier.

Penny noticed the hesitation in Lyra's eyes as she stared at her expectantly.

"That was Lady Linda, the Alpha's childhood friend and also Luna Lilith's twin sister," Penny said, her voice lowering by the end of the statement. It didn't feel right to bring up Lilith's name before Lyra, but since she had asked, Penny couldn't refuse. She was her lady, after all.

Lyra's eyes fluttered as she absorbed the details Penny provided. It all made sense now why Linda clung so closely to Casian. But wasn't it improper for a woman to cling to a man who already had a mate?

A bitter feeling crawled into Lyra's chest as she recalled how comfortable Casian had seemed with Linda beside him. But then another thought struck her, and her discomfort withered.

'He doesn't acknowledge this bond, Lyra. Neither do you,' she reminded herself.

Quickly, she scribbled a response and showed it to Penny.

"I can see they are comfortable around each other."

Penny pursed her lips as she read those words. Yes, Casian and Linda were comfortable—but only a few were truly aware of Linda's real intentions.

The Alpha may have only seen her as a childhood friend and Lilith's sister, but Linda wanted something far more than friendship.

"Sometimes, what we see isn't always the reality, my lady," Penny said softly. "People may pretend to show one thing, but inside, they harbor entirely different motives."

Lyra furrowed her brows, Penny's words stirring confusion within her. But when she met Penny's serious gaze, something inside her shifted.

Penny was usually friendly and cheerful, but this particular look carried a silent warning.One that Lyra couldn't ignore.

She nodded absentmindedly, uncertain of what to make of Penny's caution. Though skepticism lingered in her mind, she chose not to dwell on it. Instead, she simply accepted it and continued to spend her time inside her chamber.