Chapter 4 4
He looked at me with an internal struggle visible on his face, but he didn't answer. Taking advantage of the fact that the door was unlocked, I broke free from his grip and ran to the kitchen.
I entered feeling the weight of his jacket on me; it was as if he had marked me in front of everyone without saying a word.
“Damn, what happened, Lyra? Why are you wearing that Alpha's jacket?” Sienna asked, dropping a tray.
I couldn't answer. I just stood there, smelling Silas' scent with every breath. This was crazy. That jerk had undressed me and covered me with his own clothes? Was this a nightmare?
With no answer, I forced myself back to reality. Orders were coming out, and the restaurant depended on us. But when I looked at the next order, my heart stopped: I had to serve Silas's table. And I was wearing his jacket. Could this get any worse?
With my legs buckling, I approached the Golden Mountains Pack's table. I could immediately tell that Silas was stiff, his eyes fixed on the jacket I was wearing, while Wyatt kept laughing acidly, turning my stomach.
“Well, looks like the traitor is serving food now. Did they teach you to kneel so quickly in exile, or did you come here with practice, Lyra?” Wyatt spat, causing the other wolves to let out a dirty chuckle.
My hands trembled as I set the plates down. When I reached Silas, the weight of his gaze caused the porcelain plate to slip.
However, before the plate touched the table, Silas's hand, quick as a whip, caught it in midair. His fingers brushed mine intentionally, and I felt a jolt of hatred and electricity run down my spine.
Without another word, Silas set the plate down with exasperating slowness, never taking his eyes off me.
But at that moment, Wyatt knocked over a pair of glasses, shattering them at my feet.
“Clean up this mess, traitor. Move,” he ordered, revelling in my humiliation.
“Right away...” I whispered out of pure survival instinct.
I knelt down to pick up the glass while feeling his eyes on my back, on my buttocks barely covered by the red dress under Silas' jacket.
It was the longest humiliation of my life.
Luckily, I finished quickly and hid in the kitchen for the rest of the night, until the men finally got up and left the place in a deathly silence.
With that, I breathed a sigh of relief and the girls and I cleaned the tables. After that, I finished my shift and went out to the parking lot.
However, as I walked toward the woods to take a shortcut home, I heard voices behind a concrete pillar. With a look of curiosity, I pressed myself against the wall, holding my breath.
“I can't believe that bitch is still breathing,” Wyatt said in a voice thick with venom.
“Shut up, Wyatt,” Silas' voice sounded like a low thunderclap.
“Damn, bro, did you see how that dress fit her? It's obvious she was begging for someone to put her in her place.”
Silas seemed to let out an annoyed growl. “She's nothing but a useless human without a wolf, not worth a minute,” he said in the same tone he used to insult me.
"Oh, come on, Silas. Don't tell me you didn't see those curves. If she's as useless as you say, at least she's good for one night. After all, no one will miss her if she wakes up in a ditch after we've had our fun with her," Wyatt said again.
“I said leave her alone!” Silas growled, and I heard the sound of metal crunching, probably the car's bumper under his force. "She's a traitor and a starving woman. Don't sully your lineage by touching someone who doesn't even have a wolf's soul. Let's go!"
Those words made me clench my teeth as my eyes reddened. I knew Silas hated me, but once again his insults were like going back to the past.
Without further ado, I just walked away and walked down the road, feeling the February cold on my face. Everything was lonely and dark when suddenly the roar of an engine forced me to jump to the side of the road.
A black luxury car stopped beside me. Curiously, I looked up at the window to see Silas staring at me with dark eyes.
“Get in. It's not safe for a woman to walk alone on the road at this hour,” he said in a commanding voice.
At that, I shook my head and kept walking, clutching his jacket to my body.
I thought he would leave, but instead, he stopped the car and got out with a roar. I didn't even notice when Silas took a huge stride and stood in front of me, blocking my path.
“I'm not playing games, Lyra. Get in the damn car!”
“Why? I'm just useless, remember?” I snapped, looking him in the face.
He tensed, his eyes turning black with pure frustration. “Damn it... What happened at the restaurant... Wyatt is an idiot. He shouldn't have treated you like that.”
“I don't need your belated apologies. Now leave me alone,” I said, walking to the side to continue on my way home.
I didn't know where I had gotten such courage. I just wanted to get away from him as fast as I could.
On the other hand, Silas walked toward me with that predatory confidence. “Get in the damn car, Lyra. You can't walk through the woods alone...”
“Fuck you, Silas. I'd rather be devoured by coyotes than share the same air as you!” I snapped forcefully.
He let out a dry laugh and stood in my way again, forcing me to bump into his firm chest.
“I see you still have a big mouth for someone who lives off tips. Get in. The streets are full of men who won't be as ‘polite’ as me.”
“Polite? You dragged me through the mud, took everything from me, and now you're playing the gentleman?” I snapped, pushing him away. “Here, take your trash.”
I quickly and angrily unzipped my jacket, standing in the middle of the road wearing only my bra and miniskirt. Without hesitation, I threw the garment in his face.
“There you go! Now you have no excuse to keep harassing me.”
Silas grabbed the jacket, but his eyes darkened until they turned coal black. His gaze drifted down to my exposed breasts, lingering on the lace of my bra with a possessive hunger that made me recoil.
With a quick movement, he grabbed my jaw, forcing me to look at him. His breath, smelling of mint and danger, clouded my senses.
“Get in the car before I have to carry you in.”
“You're crazy!” I yelled.
“Damn it, Lyra!”
He rambled on for a few seconds, and I broke free from his grip with a slap and ran toward the woods, ignoring his shouts.
The next morning, I got up before the sun had finished painting the sky and headed to the restaurant, hoping that the day would pass quickly and the Alphas would leave once and for all.
But as I walked through the door of “The Iron Chalice,” I stopped dead in my tracks. The place was in total chaos.
“What the hell is going on here?” I asked, dodging a supplier carrying boxes of expensive wine. “Wasn't the town supposed to be closed today for the main festival?”
“Lyra, haven't you heard?” Sienna shouted from behind the bar, polishing crystal glasses frantically.
“What happened?” I asked, intrigued.
“The Alphas decided yesterday that our kitchen will be in charge of the grand dinner in the public square! The whole town will be there, and the most powerful Alphas in the north will taste our food! It's our golden opportunity!” she said excitedly.
