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Capítulo 02 | Josh

Josh

My motives were entirely selfish.

I had watched her grow up like a shadow in the hallways of my own home, always on the sidelines. Lyra was raised by the servants, hidden away in a separate wing for years so that the pack's fury wouldn't reach her. She was closest to one of them—an elderly woman who took her in when the world turned its back on her. But everything changed about five months ago, when my daughter pleaded for Lyra to live with us on the Alpha floor.

Since then, it has been a daily test of my self-control. I saw her walking through the halls, beautiful and proud, and every time our eyes met, she offered me a look of pure gratitude. She had no idea what that look did to me. I thought about the fact that she had never had a boyfriend, and I found myself imagining, in details that kept me awake at night, all the things I would love to do to her. That was why I was more than willing to help her hide from a mate. I didn't want anyone to claim her. No one but me.

I walked toward the healer’s cabin with possessiveness burning through my veins. I entered without announcing my presence.

"I need a favor," I began, my voice coming out raspier than usual. "I want a necklace for Lyra. She asked me for something that completely camouflages her scent and creates a barrier against a destined mate."

The healer, an old man who seemed to know more than he should, didn't even flinch. He turned slowly, picked up a small, intricately carved wooden box, and placed it on the counter between us.

"It’s already finished, Alpha," he said, a glint of amusement in his tired eyes.

I froze, arching my eyebrows in confusion.

"What? What do you mean it's already finished? I just got here to give you the specifications."

The old man gave a dry chuckle, pushing the box toward me.

"I’ve never seen you deny that girl anything, Josh. Whether it’s you or your wolf... if she asks, you do the impossible to deliver. I knew that the moment she knocked on your door with this wish, you would come here. So, I got a head start."

I took the necklace, feeling the vibration of the powerful magic contained within the jewelry.

"Will this actually work?" I asked, gripping the object.

"She won’t smell her mate, and he won’t smell her. As long as she wears this, destiny will be blind," the healer paused dramatically, staring deep into my eyes. "But there is one detail, Alpha. The Goddess's magic cannot be fully erased. The necklace will glow subtly—an almost invisible warning to anyone who doesn't know what to look for—when her chosen one approaches her."

I felt a surge of anger and possessiveness. A warning. A sign that destiny would try to steal what I considered mine.

"Does she know this?" I questioned, my Alpha aura flaring around me.

"No. She believes the barrier is absolute."

"Good. Let’s keep it that way," I replied, tucking the box into my pocket. "Keep that information to yourself. She doesn’t need to know about any glow."

Lyra didn't need to know that. Not at all.

***

The floor was silent when I arrived. My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I sighed as I pulled it out. It was my daughter, Maeve.

"Hey, sweetheart," I said, answering.

"Daddyyy!" she shouted from the other side. "How is Lyra?"

"I think she's fine," I murmured, feigning disinterest.

"I’m so upset to be away from her at such an important time," she sighed. "But Mom really needs me, you know."

"I know, and she understands too, I’m sure. Lyra has had you her whole life; I bet this won't shake your friendship."

"Nothing in this world could, Dad." She paused. "But I’m calling to ask you to keep an eye on her. Lyra has no one."

"I will, Maeve. I promise." My voice came out deeper than I intended—a promise that carried layers my daughter would never understand. "And how is your mother?"

"She’s great! But the quadruplets never give her a break, Dad. She’s exhausted, which is why I insist on helping."

I gave a small smirk. When we hung up, I tucked my phone away and leaned my head against the cold hallway wall for a moment. My thoughts drifted to how Maeve came into the world. Her mother was a childhood friend from the pack; one drunken night, a lapse in judgment, and a pregnancy that changed everything. We even tried to stay together, but there was never a real "us." When Maeve turned one, her mother found her mates—yes, two at once. I asked her to leave Maeve with me, and she agreed, as long as she could remain part of the girl’s life. Now, with four new babies at home, she needed help, and Maeve went willingly.

Which meant Lyra and I were alone on the Alpha floor. Exactly as I wanted.

I looked at the small wooden box in my hand, feeling the weight of the secret it carried, and walked toward her room. I knocked twice.

"Come in!" her voice called out, muffled from inside.

I opened the door and lost my breath. Lyra was lying on her stomach on the bed, her legs kicking back and forth in the air. She was wearing mini shorts that left very little to the imagination and a cropped top that rode up her back as she moved, focused on some game on the iPad I had given her two years ago.

I stood in the doorway, simply watching her. The contrast of her skin against the sheets, the curve of her hips... everything about her was an invitation to sin. She felt my presence and looked over her shoulder, flashing a smile that made my wolf claw at the walls of my consciousness.

"Can I help you, Alpha?" she asked in that sweet voice that tied my nerves in knots.

She knelt and turned toward me on the bed. I saw it all happen in slow motion: the movement of her hair, the way the fabric of her shorts rode up a bit higher on her thighs, the glint of expectation in her eyes. I cleared my throat, desperately trying to maintain my facade of the controlled Alpha, while my wolf stood right on the edge, ready to take over.

I approached her slowly, feeling the heat radiating from her, and held out the box.

"Happy Birthday," I said, my voice coming out in a tone I hoped sounded merely brotherly, but which betrayed every ounce of possessiveness I felt.