pte

semblance of control. She had only been back a few hours, and already the weight of the looks, the whispers and the insinuations followed her like a sh

her head. His intense gaze, so different from those she had encountered until then, haunted her. She knew it was no lon

d come to tell her earlier that she was expected in the great council room to formalize the engagement. Lyra grimaced. She wished she

her room, her eyes proud and her heart heavy. The pack's home echoed with t

r, and all eyes turned towards her. She met Luna's gaze, an almost mocking smile on her lips, but she didn't

ost austere clothes, but it was his posture and his gaze that made him imposing. Lyra felt her heart speed up despite hersel

if nothing around him mattered in the slightest. It was a cold, calculating look, but also deeply captivating. He looked

into his eyes, refusing to look away despite the intimidating weight

eared on Xavier's lips. "And you, you

e felt a shiver run through her skin. "I'm Lyra," she replied, refusing to

ly amused. " Interesting. A

e of the authoritarian and distant Alpha, one who viewed others as mere pawns.

rossing his dark eyes. "A meaningful life, you say? And h

as gone, leaving behind broken promises and broken bonds. But she wasn

don't intend to hinder you, Lyra. But know one thing: in this pack, the interests of the group co

ng her everything. He was testing her, observing her reactions, trying to find out how far

factly. "As long as you respect me,

ed, but she noticed this sl

f his palm, then she placed her hand in his. The contact of his skin against hers gave her a strange shiver, but she kept her face impassiv

ritual words. Throughout the ceremony, she felt Xavier's presence like a powerful, implacable shadow. She did not yet know how to interpret this

release the pressure. She gently removed her hand from Xavier's, but not before feeling the sligh

m the crowd. "I know you are here with your own go

nger and defiance in his eyes. "And I ad

imperceptible laugh. "I see that o

. "Don't expect me to

d strengths of the other. Then, without another word, Xavier turned on

d felt the magnetic attraction that emanated from him, but she also knew that Xavier represented a much greater danger than she

hat this arranged marriage was not a simple pact. It was the beginning of a power game, a dance between strength and defianc