Chapter 3 003

~LYKA~

The guards led me through the Pack House corridor, and I hissed in pain as I dragged the silver chain in my hand with great difficulty. I cursed the man inwardly for making life unbearable for us, though I knew this was only the tip of the iceberg compared to how rogues were treated here.

There were also male rogues who had been captured, and the treatment they received was far more brutal than ours. I closed my eyes, refusing to relive the horrors I had witnessed. They were all going to pay, I promised myself as I clenched my teeth together.

I lifted my gaze to the gigantic building ahead of me and frowned. What part of the Pack House had we been kept in all this time? This place looked entirely different. The guard led me deeper inside while several people glared at me openly. I rolled my eyes in frustration.

The building was majestic, and even as a princess who had grown up surrounded by luxury, I couldn’t help but gasp softly at the sight.

The guard stopped in front of a large door and knocked gently. The way he carried himself told me exactly who was inside, the Alpha.

He announced himself, but I couldn’t hear the response from within. The voice was too low, and with my abilities dulled by the silver chains, my senses were useless. The guard turned to me and gestured for me to go in.

“What?” I asked in confusion.

The hard glare he sent me was enough to make me knock on the door and step inside.

The scent of sandalwood filled my nose instantly, and I found myself momentarily mesmerized, not just by the refined design of the office, but by the man occupying it.

The Alpha looked like an Adonis, powerful and flawless, yet something about him made me feel strange… unsteady. I brushed the feeling aside, unwilling to dwell on it.

“Are you going to stand there forever?” His voice was melodic, cold, and commanding. I wondered if this was truly the same man who had barked orders in the arena yesterday, he felt entirely different now.

“Alpha… I..” I began, but the words tangled on my tongue.

I didn’t understand why I was stuttering. Perhaps his aura was simply too overwhelming.

I avoided looking at his face, my eyes darting around the room instead. The silence stretched awkwardly, making my discomfort grow.

Why was I feeling uneasy?

“Why are you standing on your toes?” he asked.

My eyes dropped immediately to my feet, and I froze in shock. I was standing on my toes.

What was going on with me? I screamed internally as I quickly lowered myself properly.

“Is it a habit?” he asked as he stood up from his chair.

I shook my head, confused. That behavior was strange even to me.

He remained standing, staring at me intensely as though trying to read my thoughts. I deliberately avoided his gaze. He was called the Demon Alpha for a reason.

“Come closer,” he commanded. Suspicion flared instantly. Why did he need me closer before speaking his mind?

“I am fine here, Alpha,” I replied. His expression darkened immediately.

Without another word, he strode toward me. Before I could react, or even ask what he was doing he grabbed me, lifting me effortlessly off the floor.

“What are you doing?” I yelled, panic surging through me.

Fear clawed at my chest. Was my worst fear about to come true? Was he one of those Alphas who used prisoners for his pleasure?

Moon Goddess… I’m in trouble.

He dropped me onto his table roughly, and I whimpered at the impact. Didn’t he know how to handle a woman gently? I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing myself for whatever barbaric act I imagined he would commit.

I didn’t want to see the ugly expression I assumed would be on his face. My heart wouldn’t survive it.

“Why are you closing your eyes?” his thunderous voice demanded.

I exhaled shakily. How had I managed to draw the Demon Alpha’s attention like this? Was it because I dared to meet his gaze in the arena?

“What do you mean?” I snapped bitterly. “Do you enjoy looking into a girl’s eyes while you devour them?” Disgust laced my voice.

He stared at me with a complicated expression.

“What do you think of me?” he asked.

I scoffed. “What… should I lie?” I shouted, trying to shield myself instinctively, though his terrifying aura alone was enough to make me want to disappear.

“Can you shut your running mouth for a second?” the Demon Alpha growled. With one sharp movement, he snapped the silver chains around my wrists.

I jolted in fear, but then I felt something else.

A surge of energy rushed through me, powerful and overwhelming. Another presence stirred deep within.

It was Elysia.

The moment the silver chains broke, I felt her immediately, and that wasn’t normal. It usually took time for her to resurface after silver exposure.

So what has changed?

I tried desperately to connect with her, afraid she might disappear again, but then I heard her whisper.

Her voice was unreal… and devastating.

“Mate,” she purred. “He is our mate.”

I froze.

My eyes lifted slowly to the man standing before me, the owner of the most striking red eyes I had ever seen. Shock widened my gaze as I noticed the expression on his face.

Did he know? No, wait.

Was he my mate? The Demon Alpha…my mate?

“What was that supposed to mean?” I whispered, staring at him in disbelief.