RAKSHAK: THE SECRET ALPHA

Chapter 4: Morning Light and an Unwanted Captivity

Kavya had no idea when she finally drifted off to sleep, caught between the howling wind rattling the windowpanes all night and the burning questions inside her head. When the first soft rays of morning light pierced through the heavy velvet curtains, the room looked like a dark, gloomy cave.

When Kavya opened her eyes, every single part of her body felt completely stiff and numb. She tried to sit up on the bed, but the cold had made her muscles stop working. She rubbed her hands together to summon a little bit of warmth, but the air inside was still trapped in a freezing chill.

The door was still locked from the outside.

All those moments from last night—Agin’s solid, iron frame, the touch of his burning fingers, and his dangerous whisper—were playing through her mind like a movie. A strange tremble filled her heart. She wanted to be furious, wanted to curse that man, but somewhere inside, a terrifying thought held her back—if he appeared again, she wouldn't be able to hold herself together.

Then... heavy boot heels echoed from outside the door.

Thump... thump... thump...

The footsteps were coming closer. Kavya’s heart leaped straight into her throat again. Pulling the sheet halfway over herself, she fixed her eyes on that heavy wooden door.

A quiet click echoed, and the door slowly swung inward.

It wasn't a servant or Vikram standing there—it was Agin himself. He was wearing a black t-shirt and gray track pants. His hair was slightly damp, as if he had just stepped out of the shower. His broad chest and tall frame made the doorway look small. There was no morning laziness on his face—just those same sharp, cold eyes targeting Kavya’s heart directly.

Agin stepped into the room. The sound of his footsteps echoed through the silent space.

"Are you awake, or do I need to use another way to wake you up?" Agin’s voice was deep, melodic, and just as icy cold as it had been last night.

Kavya lifted her gaze, filled with anger and resentment. Pulling the sheet tight around herself, she slid back slightly on the bed and tried to put every bit of firmness into her voice—

"What is the point of keeping me locked up like this? You blackmailed my father, forced me into this marriage, and now you have me trapped in this room like it's a basement! What do you want from me?"

Without wasting a single second, Agin walked straight up to the bed. His sudden closeness was enough to catch the breath in her throat. Placing one hand on the edge of the bed, he leaned down, coming right into her space. That wild scent of pine trees and raw wilderness wrapped around the entire room once again.

"Trapped?" A tiny, dangerous smile touched the corners of Agin’s lips. "This is your home, Kavya. And no one traps the lady of the house—she is kept safe."

"Safe?" Kavya let out a bitter laugh, though it was drenched in pain and helplessness. "You call this safety? Guards outside, a lock on the door, and I'm lying here like a prisoner! I want to go home. I want to go to my dad!"

"Your dad..." When Agin spoke those words, a strange sarcasm laced his tone. "He handed you over to me of his own free will, Kavya. To pay off that debt he piled onto his own head. Now, there is only one way out of this house—with me, and on my terms."

Agin’s blunt words made the ground vanish from under Kavya’s feet. She realized that no argument would ever work against this man. He was made of stone—a man who didn't care about anyone's tears.

"You aren't human..." Tears filled Kavya’s eyes, but she refused to let them fall. Blinking them back hard, she said, trembling with anger, "There is nothing human about your eyes... or the way you act. You act like some vicious animal!"

The moment he heard that word—animal—the expression on Agin’s face completely shifted.

The faint golden gleam that had flashed in his eyes last night flared up so bright this time that Kavya could see it clearly. Agin’s jaw clenched, and his knuckles turned stark white. In a flash, he yanked his hand off the bed and stood up straight. The temperature in the room plummeted once again.

Without saying a word, Agin locked his eyes onto Kavya’s face, then turned toward the door. As he walked out, he said without looking back—

"Get ready and be down in the dining hall in ten minutes. Breakfast should be on the table. If you're even a minute late, the consequences won't be pretty."

The door closed shut.

Kavya sat alone on the bed, breathing heavily. Her whole body shivered from a mix of rage and terror. The man she was tied to—or rather, the trap she had fallen into—was far away from the ordinary human world, and dangerous beyond belief.

Ten minutes later, Kavya pulled herself together, adjusted her clothes, and slowly stepped out of the room.

The wooden staircase leading down from the upper floor was long. As she walked down, she could feel the quiet hum of activity coming from the grand hall and the kitchen. The dining hall was massive, centered around a long, rich teakwood table.

Breakfast was laid out on the table, and sitting right at the head seat, Agin was silently reading the morning paper.

When Kavya stepped into the dining hall, Vikram stepped forward and pulled out a chair for her.

"Please sit, Miss... uh, Mrs. Rathore," Vikram said, quickly catching his words.

Without making eye contact with anyone, Kavya sat down and stared at the plate in front of her. Her hands were still trembling slightly.

Agin folded his newspaper, set it aside, and rested his cold gaze straight on Kavya’s face.

"Start getting used to life here, Kavya," Agin said, lifting his tea cup as steam drifted into the air. "Because in the days to come, these silent walls and this house... are going to be your whole world."

Kavya raised her eyes, looking straight into Agin's, and didn't touch a single bite. Her silence said everything—she wasn't going to give up that easily.