Chapter Four : Trapped by three
1526 Words
Chapter Four
Lyra POV
I blink through heavy eyelids. An unfamiliar room greets me. I sit up, and a groan tears out of me at the pain in the back of my head. Nothing here is mine. My eyes drop to the bloodstained dress. My heart slams against my ribs.
I'm hurt.
I check myself for wounds. No cuts. No torn skin. Nothing. I let out a breath.
Then whose blood is this?
My brain answers before I'm ready. The memory surfaces slowly, and then all at once. The emotions rise like sea waves and turn my stomach. I roll out of bed and rush to the bathroom, and throw up. My body shakes as I peel the dress off. I get in the shower. Dirt and grime and tears run down the drain. I crouch under the water, crying and sniffling, with my hands wrapped around my frame. I shut my eyes.
All I can see is Emma.
She smiled at the wedding altar, wide and happy, like nothing in the world could touch her. A few hours later, that same face withered in pain. Her eyes lost their light while I held her.
Regret crawls under my skin. I couldn't save her. I trained to be a doctor to save lives, and I failed.
They were right.
The people at my medical institute told me to go work in a human hospital. You can't be a wolf doctor without wolf power.
I manage to step out of the shower and knot the bathrobe tight. I walk to the antique wardrobe and open it. All my clothes are here, folded and hung, already set up.
It wasn't a dream. My father really sold me.
I look around the strange room, and it answers me. The layout is nothing like my home. I move fast, checking for the Alphas. A voice carries from somewhere down the hall, and I follow it to a door left ajar. Three Alphas. Real. Not a dream. My heart pounds with worry. I turn to go, and then I stop in my tracks.
"You're kidding me? You think marrying Lyra was a moral decision, Caden," Dante snaps.
"Dante, relax, man. I know you hate whatever Caden thinks. This plan to marry Lyra will make those old elder f***s step back." Landon's voice is smooth, working the tension down. I lean in and peek through the gap. Dante's shoulders are squared, his look full of disdain. Caden doesn't seem bothered by it at all. Landon glances between them, annoyance sitting on his face.
"Like marrying her will solve our problems," Dante scoffs. "What if our fated mates show up? Then what? Maybe those elders should've come up with a better plan."
"You need an Alpha's daughter to carry an heir. Even if you have a mate." Caden's deep, rumbling voice cuts the argument off at the knees. "The marriage with Lyra has already been made public."
"Yeah, dude. We can't do anything about the marriage thing. My girlfriend snapped at me when she heard. I had to block her until she cooled off so I could explain. You'll have to explain it to your girl too once she calms down." Landon goes quiet under Dante's furious gaze. He sighs.
A hand shoves me from behind into the room. I catch my footing and land in the middle of three stares. My head throbs, and then I remember what I'm wearing.
Damn it. A stupid bathrobe.
"Alpha, I found her listening in on your conversation." A man's voice behind me. I turn to look at him. "So I brought her in."
"Joel. You're here." Caden's tone doesn't shift. "Where's Laura?"
"She went to run an errand." Joel answers with a poker face. He's tall and thick with muscle, an inch or two under Caden. His hazel eyes catch me staring. I look away.
"Prying into our conversation," Landon looks at me with a subtle heat, a quick sweep from head to toe. "Impressive choice of clothes. Planning to consummate the marriage right away? See, Dante, she's taking this positively."
Dante scoffs at the remark. I can't bring myself to look at anyone in this room.
"Lyra." My head snaps up at Caden's deep, gravelly voice "My Omega, Laura, will be here to help you with anything you need."
"I think my Omega would be better suited to helping Lyra settle into the mansion," Landon says.
"I'm okay." My voice comes out steadier than I expect. "I don't need anyone's help."
"Not asking you. Laura and Joel will stay around to protect you once we leave for our packs." Caden's gravel voice leaves no room to argue.
If all three of them are leaving, good. Then I can breathe. Then I can plan a way out of this hellhole.
I find Dante's onyx gaze already on mine.
"Don't leave anyone behind," he says. His voice is hollow, and it makes my skin crawl.
"Are you sure he's calling dibs on her?" There's a hint of jealousy under Landon's question. His smile stays charming. His shoulders square off.
"No one calls dibs on me." I surprise myself. I have never used that tone with my father or my brother. Not once.
"This marriage was forced on me. I won't let any of you come near me. Forget about carrying an heir."
You're doing good, Lyra.
Emma would have said that to me right now. Just like that. The pain flutters through my heart and settles there. The room goes tense.
I feel it press against my skin.
I can't say sorry. Hell no. I won't. Three sets of Alpha eyes zero in on me.
"You're married to three of us, Icey. You don't have a say in this," Landon says.
"I wasn't aware that those documents were marriage papers ."
"Not our problem. Your brother fooled you. Your father was the first one to suggest it, the first one to agree to you marrying us, and he worked the trick out with Elder Beau. Be angry at the family who already sold you off. Frosty." Dante's words land like a fist to the gut. "You're not in any state to make demands."
"You can't force yourself on me."
He scoffs.
"Like I'd even want to touch you," Dante mocks.
"Enough." Caden's voice cuts through the room. Every head snaps his way. His amber eyes settle on me, then move to Dante. "Joel and Laura will be here."
"No. I made myself clear, Caden." Dante's tone carries a warning. "Don't push your people on her when I'm around her." Caden stands. The tight, full-sleeved shirt does nothing to hide the size of him. He steps close to Dante, and I feel it. The hate coming off Dante's body. The Alpha aura. The heavy weight of testosterone thickening the air.
I step between them before the thought fully forms. Caden's amber eyes drop to me. He looks at me instead of Dante. Behind me, the hate keeps rolling off Dante in waves.
"Step out of my way, Frosty." The cold in Dante's voice straightens my spine.
"I'm okay with Laura. I'll be fine around another woman. I can deal with three annoying Alphas." The words come out in a rush. Landon hides his amusement, but not fast enough. I feel the tension drain from Caden's body. Not from Dante's.
He says it with a straight face.
"I'll send her over so you have to deal with less of the annoying Alphas." I blink. All I can do is gawk at his back as he leaves the room. Joel, Caden's Beta, goes out right behind him.
"I'm off too, Mateless. See you around." Landon says it with such ease, like the fight didn't just happen, like his words didn't cut, like everything is fine.
I hate him for that. He leaves. Which puts me alone with a fuming Alpha Dante at my back. I don't dare turn around. My spine tingles.
"You find me annoying," he mutters. I swallow hard.
I regret saying it. He isn't going to let this one go.
"Turn around, Frosty." His hollow voice moves me before I decide to move. I meet his dark onyx gaze and find nothing but hate in it, shining like a night sky.
""You know the Omega is going to take a while to get here." I should have asked one of the Alphas to stay. Or Joel. Someone to keep him off me. His eyes stay on me. Predatory.
"You and I need to have a talk. Husband and wife." His tone held no warmth.
"Caden's men watched you for three years, Frosty." He takes one step closer. "He doesn't do that for just anyone."
I try to push away the anxiety crawling up my throat. My heart won't slow down.
"So here's what I want to know." His voice drops, quiet and dangerous. "What exactly are you to him?" The air between us goes still.
"No wrong answers, Frosty." A warning wrapped in cold. "Tell me the truth, and I won't bother you."
He won't believe it even if I do. I can feel that much.
- Writer
