Billionaire Alpha's Plus-Size Mate

Chapter 11 Just Mine

Lillian's POV

I had imagined Arrowfang Pack a thousand different ways.

People spoke about it as though it were another kingdom hidden inside Wildermore. The richest pack. The strongest pack. A place where even the roads looked better than those of ordinary towns. I used to think those stories were exaggerated.

They weren't.

As the carriage rolled through the enormous gates, I found myself staring through the window despite everything that had happened. Grand buildings stretched as far as I could see, their stone walls gleaming beneath the afternoon sun. The gardens were carefully tended, with flowers blooming in every direction, and wolves in elegant clothing walked through the streets as though wealth was the most ordinary thing in the world.

It was beautiful. Painfully beautiful.

I couldn't stop wondering how many people would give anything to live here.

Then the carriage took a different road.

The lively streets slowly disappeared behind us until we reached a much quieter part of the pack. There were fewer buildings here, and they stood much farther apart. Instead of stopping before the grand Pack House that towered over the rest of Arrowfang, the carriage came to a halt in front of a small cottage tucked away among tall trees.

I blinked. This… This was where they were taking me?

The door opened before I had gathered my thoughts.

A woman dressed neatly in black stood outside waiting for me. "My name is Lola," she introduced herself in a calm voice. "Please follow me."

She wasn't rude. Neither was she particularly warm.

She simply sounded like someone carrying out another day's work.

I followed her inside.

The apartment was much smaller, I had caught a glimpse of it from the road, but it was clean, peaceful and surprisingly beautiful. There was a comfortable sitting room, a tiny kitchen, one bedroom and a bathroom already filled with warm steam.

Lola stopped near the bathroom door.

"Your bath has been prepared," she said. "Please freshen up and change into clean clothes. A maid will bring your meal shortly."

Meal? My stomach chose that exact moment to betray me. It growled so loudly that I wished the floor would open and swallow me whole.

Lola didn't react. She simply gave a polite nod before leaving the room.

Once the door closed behind her, I let out the breath I hadn't realized I was holding.

So… This was to be my new home. At least until Alpha Hayes decided he no longer needed me.

I had barely stepped into the bathroom when another gentle knock came from the door.

A woman wearing a healer's uniform entered with a small wooden box in her hands.

"I'm sorry to disturb you," she said kindly. "I've been asked to treat your injuries first."

I looked down at my swollen ankle. I'd almost forgotten about it.

She worked quietly, cleaning the cuts on my toe before carefully examining my ankle. Every movement was gentle, and although it still hurt when she adjusted the joint back into place, she apologized each time she caused me pain.

"There," she said with a small smile after wrapping it securely. "You should be much more comfortable now."

Comfortable? The word felt strange.

Of course they wanted me healthy. A broken s*x toy wasn't much use to anyone.

When she left, I finally stepped into the bath. The warm water wrapped around me like a blanket, washing away the dust and dried blood that had clung to my skin since the auction.

For the first time that day, I allowed myself to close my eyes. Everything still felt unreal. Just yesterday I had been living in my parents' tiny house.

Today I belonged to the most feared Alpha in the kingdom. The thought alone made my stomach tighten.

After drying myself, I walked toward the wardrobe. The moment I opened it, I froze.

Rows of dresses hung neatly inside.

Soft sweaters. Comfortable nightwear. Shoes. Even undergarments. Every single piece looked new.

My fingers brushed over the fabric of a pale blue dress before moving to another covered with tiny embroidered flowers.

They were all… My size.

I stood there staring for a long moment. They knew. Before I had even arrived, someone had already prepared clothes that would fit me perfectly.

I slowly picked up the floral dress. It was beautiful. Far prettier than anything I had ever owned.

Jake had always complained whenever I wore bright colours. My parents insisted loose, dull clothing made me look smaller.

Looking at myself in the mirror now, I realized this was the first dress I'd worn in years that didn't make me feel ashamed of my own body.

Why? Why would Alpha Hayes go through all this trouble? I had expected something entirely different. A dark cell, chained with a guard outside the door.

Perhaps a servant arriving whenever the Alpha wished to summon his newest possession.

That was what happened to women bought at auctions. Wasn't it? Then why was I standing inside a cozy apartment with a wardrobe prepared especially for me?

Another knock interrupted my thoughts.

When I opened the door, the smell reached me before I even saw the food.

Fresh bread. Roasted chicken. Warm soup. Rice. Steamed vegetables. Fresh fruit.

For one embarrassing second, I honestly thought they had brought the meal to the wrong room.

Two maids carried the trays inside before placing everything neatly on the table.

I stared at the food. Then at them.

"I'm... sorry," I said hesitantly. "Is all of this for me?"

The two women exchanged puzzled glances. "Of course, Miss Lillian."

I looked back at the table. "So... I can eat all of it?"

One of the maids frowned ever so slightly.

"If you're hungry, yes."

I lowered my eyes. They didn't understand why I was asking.

Back home, every bite I took had been counted. Mother said I was already too fat. Father said I needed discipline.

Jake used to laugh whenever I reached for a second helping, reminding me that women who looked like me should be grateful for scraps.

Without thinking, I found myself calculating how much bread I should leave untouched. How much soup I was allowed.

Whether eating the fruit would be considered greedy.

The older maid noticed my hesitation.

"Is something wrong with the meal?"

I quickly shook my head. "No... I was just wondering..." My voice came out smaller than I intended. "How much am I allowed to eat?"

For a moment, neither woman spoke.

Then the younger maid blinked in confusion. "Allowed?"

She looked at the table before looking back at me. "It's your meal, Miss Lillian."

My throat tightened. No one had ever said those words to me before.

It's your meal. No conditions. No insults.

No one counting the pieces on my plate. Just… Mine.

The maids quietly excused themselves, but before reaching the door, one of them turned back.

"The Alpha will see you once you've finished."

Every bit of my appetite disappeared. The room suddenly felt much colder. The Alpha. Why did he want to see me already? Shouldn't he be resting after the auction? Wo

uldn't someone like him expect me to wait until he decided he needed me?