Lyra didn’t know how long she had been there.
Time had stopped making sense.
No windows.
No sound except footsteps.
And voices that came and went like shifting walls.
They didn’t hurt her.
Not physically.
That was intentional.
Because this wasn’t about breaking her body.
It was about measuring her mind.
“Tell us about your bond with the Alpha King.”
Lyra lifted her gaze slowly.
The room was dim.
Controlled.
Three figures.
One speaking.
Two observing.
She didn’t answer immediately.
Because she understood the pattern now.
They wanted reaction.
Not truth.
“I’ve already answered that in my head,” she said quietly.
A pause.
The man tilted his head slightly.
“You’re resisting well.”
Lyra’s expression didn’t change.
“That’s not resistance,” she replied.
“That’s patience
