Married to the Ruthless Billionaire Alpha

MIRA'S POV They didn’t even look at me as they signed me away. My aunt stood at the edge of the room, arms folded like she couldn’t wait to get rid of me. Her voice was sharp, flat, businesslike. “She’s of age. Take her and go.” I just stood there, holding a plastic bag filled with the few things I owned. Three worn-out dresses, a toothbrush, a cracked comb, and an old paperback I’d read too many times. That was all I had left. They didn't say goodbye. No hug. No look back. Just silence. Then he entered. Tall. Dressed in black. Silent like the shadows followed him. The man didn’t speak when he stepped into the room. He didn’t have to. The air shifted around him like it was afraid. His boots made no sound on the wooden floor. His face was sharp—too sharp. High cheekbones, square jaw, no smile. He had the kind of beauty that didn’t belong in this world. But it was his eyes that made my stomach twist. Cold silver. Like moonlight on ice. This was the man my aunt had sold me to. A stranger. A monster. A buyer. He looked at me only once, then handed her a thick white envelope. She didn’t even count the money. She snatched it, nodded, and turned away. “You got what you wanted,” she muttered. “She’s yours now.” Yours. The word echoed in my head like a curse. The man turned to me. “Come.” Just that. One word. His voice was deep, smooth, commanding. Like something that could wrap around your throat and choke the air from your lungs if you didn’t listen. I didn’t move. I couldn’t. My aunt gave me a shove. “Go with him, Mira. Be useful for once.” I bit the inside of my cheek to stop myself from crying. Then I followed him. Down the stairs, out into the night, into the unknown. A sleek black car waited at the curb. The driver wore all black and dark glasses even though it was nearly sunset. He opened the door without a word. I slipped inside. The leather was cold. The air smelled like pine, smoke, and something else—something wild. The man sat beside me. Silent. Motionless. The door shut. The car started. And I left everything behind. We drove in silence for hours, through long roads that twisted through forests. Trees leaned in on both sides like they were trying to swallow the car whole. No towns. No lights. Just darkness and the steady hum of the engine. I glanced at him once. He hadn’t moved. His gaze was fixed on the road ahead, hands folded neatly on his lap. Like he was carved from stone. I had so many questions, but none dared leave my lips. Where are you taking me? What am I supposed to be? Am I a prisoner? A maid? Something worse? Instead, I clutched my bag tighter and stared out the window, hoping this was a nightmare I’d wake up from soon. The mansion appeared just as the sun vanished behind the trees. It was massive—dark stone walls, iron gates, towers that reached into the sky like claws. It didn’t look like a home. It looked like a fortress. The kind you build to keep something dangerous inside. The car stopped at the front steps. The driver opened the door. I stepped out, my knees stiff and unsteady. Cold air bit into my skin. The man stepped out beside me, tall as the trees, his coat swaying as he walked toward the doors. I followed like a shadow. The doors opened without a sound. Inside was dim and grand—stone floors, candlelight flickering along the walls, old portraits with eyes that seemed to follow me. The air was thick with silence. This place felt… ancient. And I felt small. “This is your home now,” the man said without turning around. I swallowed hard. “For how long?” He turned to face me. His silver eyes locked onto mine. “Until the debt is paid.” My brows knit together. “What debt?” “You don’t need to understand,” he said flatly. “You only need to obey.” Obey. I hated that word. “I didn’t choose this,” I whispered. “Neither did I,” he replied, and something flickered in his eyes—pain, maybe. Or regret. But just as quickly, it was gone. He turned to a woman standing near the grand staircase. She was tall, thin, with a tight bun and sharp eyes that made me feel like dirt under her shoes. “Prepare a room for her,” he said. The woman nodded. “Yes, Alpha.” Alpha? Before I could ask, he walked away. Long strides, no backward glance. Vanished into the shadows like he belonged to them. The woman looked down at me. “Follow me. No talking. No wandering. No touching anything that isn’t yours.” I followed. What choice did I have? As I walked deeper into the cold, silent halls of the mansion, I felt something stir in my chest—something between fear and fire. I didn’t know what I was yet. But I had a feeling this place would be the one to show me.