An Alpha's Payment

LIRA He stormed in with bloodshot eyes, his fury pulsing through the room like a heatwave. “Where the hell is she?” Beta Riven’s voice thundered down the hall. I didn’t need to ask who he meant. As the only servant in this house, it was always me. With a quiet groan, I pushed myself up, grabbed the cleaning basket, and trudged toward the chaos I knew was waiting. The moment he laid eyes on me, his strides turned to stomps, and without hesitation, his hand cracked across my cheek. The sting lit my skin, but I didn’t make a sound. I’d learned long ago—stay quiet, stay small, speak only when spoken to. Pain was a daily language here. “Alpha Corin and I are expecting company, and the office is still a mess,” he growled, practically spitting the words in my face. I nodded slowly, tightening my grip on the basket. A dark part of me burned with the urge to swing it at his skull. But I didn’t. He was stronger, crueler, and I couldn’t afford another week locked away with no food. My stomach already ached from the last punishment. “We need to make a good impression on Alpha Kael. Do you even understand how important this alliance is?!” I didn’t answer. It was a trap. Any word out of my mouth could be twisted into an excuse for more pain. I dropped my gaze to the floor, letting him rage while I became invisible. Alpha Kael. His name was a whisper passed between the pack members when they thought I wasn’t listening. They said he was brutal, the kind of Alpha who didn’t play games. A man who ruled the largest pack in existence—Black Shadow. Feared. Respected. Dangerous. “We need him,” Beta Riven snapped again, though he never explained why. Our pack had never been under attack. We’d never gone to war. So why were we so desperate for backup now? He grabbed my shoulders, his nails digging into my already-thin skin, and spun me around. A sharp kick landed against my backside, sending me stumbling forward. “Useless f*****g wolf,” he muttered, storming off. I quietly shut the office door behind me and leaned against it, my eyes scanning the space. It was spotless. The office was already pristine, ready for any kind of meeting—especially one with some almighty Alpha. Sighing, I slid down the door to the floor and closed my eyes for a moment. I hated this house. I used to believe that turning eighteen would mean freedom. That was four years ago. I was still here—trapped, overworked, and invisible. A ghost in my own home. Alpha Corin, my brother, ruled. And Beta Riven, my former mate, never missed a chance to remind me how worthless I was. A throat cleared. I froze. I had thought I was alone. Peering forward, I spotted a man seated in a chair just beyond the corner of the room. One foot rested casually on his knee, a glass of amber liquid in his hand. His hair was dark and cropped short, but it was his eyes that unsettled me—deep crimson, too vivid, too wrong. Then those eyes turned to me, sharp and unblinking. My heart slammed against my ribs as I instinctively pressed myself back against the door, pulse roaring in my ears. “Is this how you greet all Alphas?” His voice is deep and steady, laced with quiet amusement—but there’s a sharp edge beneath it, like a blade sheathed in velvet. “I’m sorry,” I whisper, scrambling to my feet. “I... I thought I was alone.” I didn’t recognize him, but I didn’t need to. Power radiated off him like heat, thick and suffocating—even without my Wolf, I could feel it coil around the room. He doesn’t offer his name, and I don’t ask. People like him don’t explain themselves to people like me. “Come forward,” he commands, and my throat tightens instantly. Alpha Corin would kill me for this. Still, I obey, stepping fully into view. I close my eyes, bracing myself for whatever comes next. “You smell... off. But you are a Wolf, aren’t you?” I nod, hesitant. Most people laugh when they realize what I am. “I’d rather you speak,” he growls. “I’m not here to play guessing games.” “Yes,” I whisper, heart hammering. I couldn’t help thinking of the punishment waiting for me. A lashing maybe. Or another week without food. My ribs still ached from the last one. “Why do you smell strange? And how could you not notice I was in the room? You should’ve sensed me the second you stepped in.” “I...” My voice falters. I hate this question. “Spit it out,” he snaps, tipping back his drink. “I haven’t got all damn day.” I know exactly why I didn’t sense him. I know why my instincts are dull, why I feel hollow where my Wolf should be. But explaining it never helps. No one cares about the truth—they just mock me for it. “You should open your eyes when someone is speaking to you,” he adds, voice like a low growl. “Did your Alpha teach you nothing?” Slowly, I lift my eyelids, but I keep my gaze low. Eye contact was dangerous. “My Wolf was... bound,” I mutter. Twice, I want to add. It happened twice. But that detail wouldn’t matter to him. He leans forward, resting his glass on the small table beside him. I feel his stare like a weight on my skin. “And why would anyone do that to you?” I know better than to answer honestly. If this is Alpha Kael—the same Alpha my brother is trying to impress—then saying too much could blow everything up. And Alpha Corin would make me pay for that. “It was a punishment,” I whisper. Not a lie. Just not the whole truth. His jaw ticks. Something flashes in his crimson eyes—anger? Pity? Amusement? I can’t tell. The door swings open hard enough to rattle the frame. “Lira, what the f**k are you doing in my office?” Alpha Corin’s voice is shrill with rage. Then he sees who’s seated. “My apologies, Alpha Kael,” he stammers. “I didn’t realize my sister was bothering you.” Oh no. It is him. Corin turns on me, hand raised, ready to strike. But the blow never lands. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Alpha Kael’s voice cuts through the tension like a blade. Peeking through barely-open eyes, I see him on his feet, one hand wrapped around my brother’s wrist. He’s taller than Corin, broader too. His stance screams dominance. “Lira,” he says, my name strangely soft in his mouth, “was kind enough to escort me here after you failed to meet me at the front door, as I clearly instructed. At least someone in this house knows the value of this negotiation.” What? Why was he lying for me? Corin’s glare burns through me. His jaw clenches so tight I think it might crack. I’ll suffer for this later, no doubt. I’ll have to find a way to sneak food or water. “Fetch Beta Riven,” Corin snarls, not taking his eyes off me. “Let him know our guest has arrived.” I nod quickly and retreat, eager to escape the thick tension choking the room. --- “Beta Riven,” I whisper as I step into the dining hall. He’s hunched over a newspaper, but the second he hears my voice, his eyes narrow like a predator spotting prey. I’d spoken without permission. Again. “Alpha Corin and Alpha Kael are in the office,” I say carefully. “He asked me to come get you.” With a grunt, Riven slaps the paper down and stands. His dark eyes stay locked on me as he passes. “You’re lucky the Alpha sent you,” he mutters. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t be seeing daylight for a few days.” He stops just behind me. I freeze. Rough fingers twist into my hair, yanking my head back. He leans in close, hot breath skating across my cheek. He doesn’t speak. He doesn’t need to. This was just his way of reminding me—he can do whatever he wants, whenever he wants. And there’s nothing I can do to stop him. I try to keep myself occupied, hoping to avoid the office altogether. But my short-lived peace shatters when my brother’s voice echoes down the hall, calling for me. With a quiet sigh, I make my way to the office, pasting a neutral smile on my face before stepping inside. “Lira, bring the champagne and a few glasses. We’re celebrating,” he announces. I nod quickly and hurry toward the drinks cabinet. My hands work fast, retrieving the bottle and flutes. As I return to the room, I can feel Alpha Kael’s eyes following every movement I make. It prickles along my skin like static. No one ever pays me this much attention—especially not like this. As I approach the small table beside his chair, I begin to pour the champagne. Before I can finish, Alpha Kael reaches over and gently takes the bottle from me. “I can handle my own drink,” he says, voice low but firm. My face heats—not from embarrassment, but dread. I should’ve been faster. I should’ve had the drinks ready before they asked. I should’ve predicted what was expected. The flash of anger in my brother’s eyes confirms what I already know—there will be consequences. “Lira is your sister, right?” Alpha Kael asks my brother. “She is,” Alpha Corin answers stiffly, tone thick with disapproval. He doesn’t even glance at me now, his focus solely on the man across from him. “Then why do you treat her like trash?” Alpha Kael’s question cuts clean through the room, blunt and unapologetic. My brother’s jaw tightens. He doesn’t like being confronted—especially not like this. No one ever dares question how my brother treats me. In fact, most encourage it. The pack thrives off my suffering. I stand frozen in place, uncertain whether to run or vanish. If this deal falls apart, it’ll be pinned on me. Everything always is. “Lira is the reason our parents are dead,” Corin finally snaps. My body tenses, my eyes shut instinctively to hold back the wave of emotion rising fast. Alpha Kael’s tone shifts, now deeper, colder. “Explain.” “She poisoned them,” my brother growls. “Wolfsbane, in their food.”