The Alpha’s Purchased Luna

Chapter 3

Lyra POV

The first night in Silverfang Pack passed in a blur of exhaustion, the cold stone of the packhouse pressing against her senses. Lyra barely slept, her mind torn between anger at her father, confusion over Kael’s presence, and the strange bond of her wolf, Nyx, thrumming against Fenrir.

When she awoke, the sunlight spilling through her window revealed a room far different from anything in Mooncrest.

Her chamber was modest but elegant. Smooth wooden floors gleamed faintly, warmed by sunlight streaming in from tall windows framed with heavy velvet drapes. A large bed dominated the center, draped in soft grey linens embroidered with the Silverfang crest. A carved desk held neatly stacked scrolls, a few ink pots, and writing instruments. A small wardrobe stood against the wall, filled with garments Kael’s housekeeper had already laid out—simple yet fine clothing, designed to fit the image of a political bride.

Nyx stirred inside her mind, sniffing the air.

“Not bad,” the wolf purred. “But it reeks of control. This place isn’t yours… yet.”

Lyra stretched and let the wolf’s words sink in. “Then I’ll make it mine,” she said quietly. “Piece by piece.”

⸻

The first meal of the day was breakfast in the main hall. Lyra’s heart beat quickly as she followed Darius, who had been polite the night before, down the long stone corridor to the dining hall. The scent of cooked meats, fresh bread, and roasted herbs filled the air. Silverfang pack members were already seated at the enormous oak tables: warriors, apprentices, and a few elder figures who nodded politely but reservedly at her passing.

Kael and Selene were already seated at the high table at the head of the hall. Kael’s back was straight, posture rigid, eyes cold. Selene sat close to him, her hand brushing lightly against his arm now and then. He ignored her touch—or so it seemed—but the faint tension radiating from him was unmistakable.

Lyra’s eyes scanned for another place to sit. Darius waved her over, and Elena smiled warmly. She had noticed Lyra from the night before, and there was something comforting in the Beta couple’s quiet acceptance.

“Good morning,” Elena said softly. “We thought you might want company.”

Lyra nodded, lowering herself onto the bench beside them. Across from her sat Ronan and his sister Mira. Ronan’s steel-grey eyes studied her carefully, while Mira’s warm smile immediately made her feel a little less like a purchased child and a little more like a person.

“Did you sleep well?” Mira asked, her voice gentle.

Lyra shrugged. “As well as you can when your father sells you to strangers.”

Ronan’s lips twitched in what might have been a suppressive smirk. “Fair enough,” he said. “Not exactly a welcoming gesture, but honest.”

Darius leaned forward slightly, giving her a reassuring nod. “You’ll find that not everyone here is like that,” he said. “We’ll make sure you’re safe.”

Nyx stirred in her mind, sensing Kael across the hall. Fenrir sat rigid beside him, muscles coiled under black fur, ever-watchful, ears flicking toward Lyra and her companions. The bond pulsed faintly in the distance, a tension neither Kael nor Lyra could fully hide yet.

Lyra lowered her gaze to her plate, trying not to draw attention, but she couldn’t help noticing the dynamics around the head table. Kael and Selene sat close together, exchanging quiet words, Selene’s hand brushing his with what looked like intimate familiarity. Kael’s expression remained unreadable, but Fenrir’s growl whispered constantly in her mind.

“Childhood sweetheart,” Nyx muttered.

Lyra’s eyes narrowed. “I know.”

She focused instead on the conversation around her. Ronan spoke quietly to Mira and then to her, discussing pack strategy, patrol schedules, and training regimens.

“You’ll need to get used to our ways quickly,” Ronan said. “We have warriors out on the borders constantly, and Silverfang doesn’t tolerate mistakes.”

Lyra nodded, keeping her voice calm. “I can handle it.”

Elena leaned closer, lowering her voice. “You’ll also want to pay attention to Kael’s… moods. He’s not cruel, but he’s… complicated. And protective.”

Lyra felt Nyx stir with anticipation. Protective? Yes. Too protective.

She caught the faint twitch in Fenrir’s stance across the hall. The wolf was aware of everything—her every movement, every glance—even from that distance.

Breakfast continued with polite small talk between the Beta couple and the Gamma siblings. Lyra found herself relaxing slightly, realizing she had allies here. Darius, Elena, Ronan, and Mira were kind without patronizing her. That small sense of acceptance was something she hadn’t felt since her father’s betrayal.

Meanwhile, Kael remained distant, his attention seemingly divided between Selene and his wolf’s instinctual awareness of Lyra. His sister, Isolde, had not acknowledged her at all, keeping her gaze pointed elsewhere with sharp judgment simmering beneath her perfect composure. Lyra sensed the silent criticism and disdain, but she refused to let it reach her.

Selene’s whispers reached Kael’s ear, but not Lyra’s, though she felt the intent—the protective familiarity, the claim in their quiet glances. Nyx growled softly, irritated, and Lyra felt a pulse of heat in her chest. She doesn’t get to touch him, Nyx growled.

Across the table, Ronan’s calm voice cut through her thoughts. “Do you have experience with combat?” he asked.

Lyra nodded. “Yes. Enough to survive against anyone foolish enough to underestimate me.”

Elena smiled faintly. “Good. You’ll need it here.”

Kael’s eyes flicked toward her briefly, sharp and assessing, before he turned back to Selene. That brief contact was enough to make Nyx restless. The wolf prowled inside her mind, aware of Fenrir’s gaze, aware of Kael’s tension, aware of something unspoken hovering between them.

Lyra kept her expression neutral, eating quietly, aware that every glance across the hall was being registered—by warriors, by the Beta couple, by the Gamma siblings, and by Kael himself.

The meal ended with polite nods and murmurs. Darius excused Lyra and walked her back toward the chambers, introducing her more formally to the pack members she would interact with during training. Mira offered to help her with her room, showing her where her belongings were placed.

Lyra’s room, though modest, had everything she needed: a sturdy bed, writing desk, wardrobe with freshly folded clothes, and a window overlooking the training grounds. From here, she could see warriors sparring, the Gamma moving among them, and even Kael occasionally watching from his balcony, like a shadow that refused to vanish.

As she unpacked the last of her things, Nyx growled softly. “This is just the beginning,” the silver wolf warned. “They will test you. And he—” Nyx’s growl deepened, “—he will not make it easy.”

Lyra clenched her fists. “Good. I like a challenge.”

Outside, the first true day in Silverfang Pack was just beginning.