Unclothed

Several hours into the ride, Lily woke with a start, hunger gnawing at her insides. The sky outside had darkened, and she wondered how far they had traveled from the pack.

She clenched her hands in her lap, anxiety tightening her chest. She was unsure how long she could endure this silence, yet the thought of speaking to him terrified her. Not that she would be able to force the words out, she had spent so long talking only to herself that forming a sentence aloud felt foreign. Since her education had been cut short, she had grown less confident in her speech, further trapping her in her own mind.

Suddenly, her stomach grumbled loudly, shattering the silence in the car. Her body stiffened, and her heartbeat spiked as she braced for his anger. He would never forgive her for such an embarrassment. What should she do? Squeezing her eyes shut, she clasped her hands together, silently praying.

"We will not be stopping. You will eat when we reach the pack house," he stated flatly.

Lily released a quiet breath, relief washing over her, but not because she would finally eat, but because he was not angry. A small smile threatened to form on her lips, but she quickly erased it, keeping her expression neutral.

The rest of the ride passed in silence until they finally arrived at their destination.

Lily jerked awake at the sensation of being lifted, her eyes widening in alarm. Her gaze darted around in search of who had picked her up, only to lock onto piercing blue eyes. Her breath caught. Up close, his features were even more striking than she had realized.

"Don't look at me," he snapped.

Lily immediately averted her gaze, curling into herself as he carried her inside.

The pack house was eerily silent, and she felt a wave of relief at the absence of onlookers. She had endured enough scrutiny for one day. More than anything, she longed for solitude, and a chance to clean herself, as the stench of blood and sweat clung to her skin.

Lucian strode through the corridors without hesitation, finally stopping at a door. He pushed it open, flicking on the light before unceremoniously setting her down.

Lily instinctively scrambled backward until her back met the wall, curling in on herself as she lowered her head.

"Listen," he said, his voice laced with venom. "Do not get any delusions because I married you. I did this to punish you for ruining my plans. You will never know happiness unless you find a way to fix your mistakes. Understood?"

His sudden outburst made her flinch, fear prickling at her skin as she shrank further against the wall.

"Ye… ye… yes, Alpha Lucian," she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper, trembling from head to toe.

"Do not expect a marriage ceremony, and if you know what is good for you, stay out of my sight," Lucian said coldly. "From tomorrow, you will work as a maid in the omega's quarters. Sleep here tonight."

A loud bang echoed through the room as the door slammed shut, leaving behind an unsettling silence.

The moment he was gone, Lily collapsed onto the floor, sobbing into her hands. She despised herself, despised her weakness, her helplessness. She knew he had claimed her for a reason, though she couldn't begin to fathom how she could possibly fix the mistake he so bitterly resented. But one thing she could promise was to stay out of his sight. As long as no one disturbed her, she would remain invisible forever.

Minutes after Lucian left, the door creaked open again. Lily instinctively scrambled to her feet, fearing his return, but her shoulders relaxed slightly when she realized it wasn't him.

"I brought your food, Lady?" a maid said, stepping inside with a tray in hand.

Lily lowered her head. "Li…" Her voice barely emerged, weak and uncertain.

"Pardon? I didn't hear you," the maid asked, leaning in slightly.

Lily flinched, the sudden pressure of being addressed directly stirring memories of past traumas.

"Ah! I am sorry if I startled you," the maid said quickly. "I will just leave your food here and set up the bath. You can freshen up first or eat, it's up to you." With that, she placed the tray on the table and disappeared into the bathroom.

Lily remained frozen in place until she heard the door close behind the maid as she finally left.

Only then did she rush to the food, hunger gnawing at her stomach. But just as she reached to take a bite, she hesitated, glancing down at her hands and the filth clinging to her skin. Disgust curled in her stomach. She couldn't eat like this.

Recalling the bath that had been prepared for her, she turned toward the bathroom without a second thought. Peeling off her tattered gown, she stepped into the tub, warmth embracing her weary body.

A small, fleeting smile crossed her lips.

This was a luxury she had never known. At her father's pack house, she had lived in a cramped cabin in the backyard, forced to bathe only when no one else was around. The sensation of being able to soak in clean, warm water, without fear or shame, was almost overwhelming.

She wished she could hold onto this feeling forever.

As her fingers trailed down her body, she winced at the sting she felt upon touching her core. The pain was a bitter reminder of what had happened. No matter how much she tried, the memory of last night remained a blank void. If only she could remember what transpired…

Shaking off the thought, she forced herself to focus on cleaning up. She scrubbed herself carefully, as if washing away the weight of the past hours.

Once finished, she stepped out of the tub, only to frown. There was no gown in sight. She glanced around for a wardrobe but found nothing. What was she supposed to wear now?

Wrapping her arms around herself, she hesitantly stepped out of the bathroom, eyes scanning the room for anything suitable.

Then, she froze.

Lucian stood before her.

Panic flared in her chest. She opened her mouth, searching for an excuse, a way to explain why she stood before him unclothed but the words never came. Heat flooded her face as she curled in on herself, lowering her gaze in embarrassment.

Lucian strode toward her, each step making her heart pound harder.

Lily squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for a strike, only to be yanked forward, his arm locking around her waist as he pulled her against his body.