The Alpha's Secret Mate

chapter 22

Luana

A faint smile tugged at my lips, though my chest still felt unbearably heavy after hearing Sara’s words. My instincts warned me that stepping into this pack would be anything but easy.

“I really appreciate your concern, Sara,” I said softly. “It’s comforting to know not everyone here is going to treat me like an enemy. If I need help, I’ll reach out to you.”

“No, seriously, my lady,” she replied quickly, her expression tightening with worry. “I’ve worked here for years, so I know this place better than most. The new Alpha may come across as cold and distant, but deep down, he’s kind-hearted.” Her voice lowered as she glanced toward the door. “I can’t say the same for the others.”

My brows furrowed slightly. “You mean Joanne?”

Sara hesitated for only a second before nodding.

I already knew the kind of woman Joanne was—someone who thrived on causing trouble. The thought of dealing with her every day during my stay here made exhaustion settle heavily in my chest.

“She’s not the only difficult one,” Sara continued, shaking her head. “There are also the Alpha’s children. You haven’t met them yet, have you?”

I slowly shook my head.

I had heard whispers about the Mason family before arriving here, but most of the stories revolved around the former Alpha, Mason, and his son, Kyle. Information about the rest of the family was scarce, almost as though the pack avoided speaking about them entirely.

Sara’s expression darkened, her tone turning serious.

“Then you should prepare yourself before meeting them, my lady.”

A nervous laugh escaped my lips as I tried to lighten the tension between us.

“Are they really that difficult?” I asked with a teasing smile. “I mean… how bad could a group of children possibly be?”

“The worst,” Sara answered without hesitation.

Her response sent an uneasy chill crawling down my spine.

After our conversation ended, I made my way back upstairs to my room. The day had already drained every ounce of energy from me, and if this was only my first day inside the Mason Manor, I could hardly imagine what the coming days would bring.

My thoughts swirled endlessly as I pushed open the bedroom door.

Then I froze.

A figure sat calmly in the chair near the window, his presence dominating the room before he even spoke a single word.

My breath caught instantly.

Kyle.

His piercing eyes locked onto mine with an intensity so primal it made my heart slam violently against my ribs. Power radiated from him effortlessly, overwhelming and impossible to ignore, like an emperor seated upon his throne.

The dim light from the fireplace cast a warm golden glow across his sharp features, making him appear even more dangerous… and devastatingly handsome.

“Where have you been all this time, little lamb?”

His voice, smooth as velvet, snapped me out of my daze. Heat rushed to my face as realization crashed over me—I had been staring at him. Shamelessly.

My ears burned with embarrassment, and I quickly looked away, pretending sudden interest in the edge of my seat. But it was too late. His sharp eyes had already caught me.

Had he been waiting for me to notice him?

The thought sent a violent flutter through my stomach. Nervously, I swallowed and forced myself to speak, though the words tangled on my tongue.

“I—I got lost.”

It sounded pathetic the moment it left my mouth.

Still, after everything that had happened earlier, perhaps getting lost wasn’t entirely unbelievable. The manor itself felt endless, its shadowed hallways twisting like a maze meant to swallow people whole.

He stepped closer, and the faint scent surrounding him wrapped around me immediately—warm, earthy, dangerously comforting. I couldn’t tell if it was expensive cologne or simply his natural scent, but either way, it clouded my thoughts.

One dark brow lifted in amusement.

“Finding the manor more captivating at night than men?”

A nervous laugh escaped me before I could stop it. I wrung my hands together, desperate to clear the misunderstanding.

“No, it’s not like that. I… well, you weren’t here earlier, and I thought maybe you were busy, so I—”

“So, you were looking for me?”

The teasing smile on his lips stole the breath from my lungs.

My heart stumbled violently against my ribs. He should smile more often, I thought helplessly. That smile was unfairly beautiful.

His thumb brushed softly against my cheek, the touch featherlight, yet it sent sparks racing beneath my skin. His voice dropped into a low whisper.

“Lovely.”

The single word ignited something dangerous inside me.

Warmth spread through my chest like fire catching dry leaves, wild and impossible to control. Every emotion I had tried so desperately to bury came rushing back at once.

After all the cruelty I had endured, I never expected kindness from another man again. Yet somehow, he had become the gentlest soul I had ever encountered.

Would this gentleness last?

Or would it disappear the way Carter’s affection once had?

The thought struck painfully.

No. I shouldn’t compare them.

Carter had never truly cared for me. To him, I had only been a game—something temporary, something disposable.

But this man…

What was I to him?

The question hovered at the tip of my tongue, begging to be asked, but fear swallowed my courage whole. Deep down, a quiet voice already whispered the answer I was too afraid to face.

My lips parted slightly, but no words came out.

Then I heard his soft chuckle.

The sound wrapped around me as warmth crept into my cheeks, and I quickly looked away, unable to bear the intensity of his gaze any longer.

“You're tired”

I offered a small, almost sheepish smile.

“A little… maybe.”

Before I could respond, he reached out. His fingers brushed against my wrist, warm and gentle, sending a strange tremor through me. Slowly, he guided me closer until my knees nearly brushed the edge of the bed.

My breath caught.

“Oh, Goddess…”

Heat flooded my cheeks so quickly it almost hurt. I instantly remembered that we were supposed to appear as a married couple for the night. Which meant… sharing the same bed.

Tyler settled himself against the mattress with effortless ease, leaning back slightly as though none of this affected him at all. Then he lifted his eyes to me and patted the empty space beside him.

“Come here.”

The invitation sounded far too intimate.

Swallowing hard, I tried to steady the panic rising inside me. It shouldn’t have been such a big deal. We were only sleeping beside each other for one night. Nothing more.

At least, that was what I kept telling myself.

Still, my feet refused to move, as though they had rooted themselves to the floor.

Drawing in a shaky breath, I closed my eyes briefly and forced myself forward. My heart pounded louder with every step until I finally sat on the very edge of the bed, careful to leave as much distance between us as possible.

When I glanced up, I found his brows furrowed slightly.

Panic fluttered in my chest.

Had I misunderstood him? Was this some kind of test? Had I already failed without realizing it?

Before my spiraling thoughts could consume me completely, his voice cut through them—low, calm, and impossibly commanding.

“There’s enough space between us for another person,” he murmured. “Come closer.”

The words wrapped around me like invisible chains, tugging me toward him.

A sharp shiver raced down my spine. For one terrifying second, I feared he might drag me into his arms himself. Yet beneath that fear was something even more dangerous—

anticipation.

My body betrayed me completely, responding to his voice with a warmth that spread beneath my skin like slow-burning fire.

Hesitantly, I shifted closer.

The air between us seemed to change instantly, thick with tension so heavy I could barely breathe through it. Every tiny movement felt amplified—the rustle of sheets, the brush of fabric, even the sound of his breathing.

Shivers danced across my arms.

Was this normal?

Did every newly married woman feel this restless the first time she shared a bed with her husband?

The thought alone made my cheeks burn hotter.

Eventually, we both lay down, but I quickly turned onto my side, facing away from him in a desperate attempt to hide the blush staining my face.

Even then, I could still feel his presence behind me.

Warm. Steady. Dangerous.

And no matter how tightly I shut my eyes, sleep refused to come.