LYRA’S POV
The Hart family mansion stood before me like something out of a dream.
White exterior walls gleamed in the afternoon sun, arched corridors stretched in every direction, and tall palm trees swayed gently in the courtyard.
In the distance, a private pool shimmered like blue glass.
Kael led me down a long corridor, his hand hovering just behind my back.
He never quite touched me, but the gesture was there—a quiet reminder that I was under his protection.
We entered the living room, and I had to stop myself from gasping.
It was enormous, filled with expensive furnishings that probably cost more than the entire Silvercrest Pack House.
A crystal chandelier hung overhead, flooding the room with light.
Several people sat on the black leather sofas, and every head turned toward us as we entered.
An elderly woman with a full head of silver hair sat in the main seat.
Despite her age, she looked vibrant and cheerful, yet carried an effortless authority that needed no words.
Beside her sat two other women.
One looked about my age, her expression carefully neutral.
The older one looked as though she would rather be anywhere else.
“You little rascal,” the elderly woman said, warm but scolding.
“You came over without even calling Grandma.
I didn’t even have time to prepare dinner.”
Grandma.
This was Kael’s grandmother.
Her gaze shifted to me, and her whole face lit up.
“This is the girl from Moonveil Pack?” She opened her arms.
“Come, let Grandma take a look at you.”
I stepped forward, and she took my hand, looking me over with obvious delight.
The way she lit up around Kael made it obvious how much she adored her grandson.
For a moment, I wished my own grandmother were still alive to fuss over me like this.
I wiped my damp palms against my dress, then leaned in to hug her.
“Hello.
I’m Lyra Ravenwood.”
“Lyra Hart,” Kael corrected gently from behind me.
“Right.” I smiled.
“Lyra Hart.”
The older woman beside Grandma swept her gaze over me, her mouth tightening with barely concealed dislike.
I ignored it and politely greeted the other two women before turning my attention back to Grandma.
She looked me over from head to toe and nodded approvingly.
“You’re beautiful,” she declared.
Then she frowned.
“But you’re so thin!
Kael, what have you been doing?
Not feeding your wife properly?”
Her kindness caught me off guard.
As the former Luna of a rival pack, I had expected Kael’s family to dislike me, resent me, maybe even treat me like an enemy.
Instead…
“Grandma, we just got married,” I said quickly.
“And Kael is already treating me well.
Really.”
Her eyes brightened.
“Is that so?
Good.”
I glanced at Kael, who had been unusually quiet.
He lounged on the sofa with his long legs crossed, turning a silver lighter over in one hand.
The metal cap opened and closed with a crisp click.
I wondered if he smoked.
As if he felt me watching, he looked up.
His gaze was calm and steady.
“You really are beautiful.”
I turned as a woman approached with a glass of wine.
She handed it to me, then offered her hand with a warm smile.
“Elisa,” she said.
“Kael’s cousin.”
“Lyra.
It’s nice to meet you.” I shook her hand.
“And polite too?” Elisa’s smile widened.
“No wonder Kael agreed to a marriage meant to bring him good luck.”
I blinked.
“A marriage to bring good luck?”
I looked instinctively at Kael.
He was still lounging on the sofa, still turning the lighter between his fingers, but something in his posture told me he didn’t like where the conversation was going.
Were the rumors back in Moonveil true?
Was he really ill?
I thought about the pills I’d seen him take and how careful he had seemed with his meals.
My fingers tightened around the wineglass.
No wonder he hadn’t married before now.
Who would willingly sign up to become a widow?
Still, I couldn’t help stealing another glance at him.
For someone rumored to be dying, he looked perfectly healthy.
His color was good, and there was nothing weak or sickly about him.
Did he really need a marriage to ward off bad luck?
I had questions, but Grandma was still holding my hand and looking me over with increasing delight.
“She’s so pretty,” she said, turning to Kael’s other cousin, Elena.
“Look at her.
She’s such a good match for our Kael.”
Elena’s mouth twitched, but she said nothing.
I finally gathered the courage to ask.
“Grandma,” I said carefully, “is Kael ill?”
Kael’s head snapped toward me, his eyes narrowing.
I pretended not to notice and kept my attention on Grandma.
Her expression softened.
“You have no idea, my dear.
Kael was diagnosed with that illness years ago.
He became so sick it scared me to death.”
“Grandma!” Kael snapped.
She ignored him and continued.
“I consulted a healer who said we should arrange a marriage to bring him good fortune.
He compared so many birth charts, and yours was the most compatible with his.”
“Mine?” I stared at her.
“You considered me for this?”
She nodded.
“The healer said the marriage would bring good fortune to both husband and wife and ward off disaster.
Kael refused at first.
He said he wouldn’t use a woman to protect himself from bad luck.
He only agreed to consider it after the healer assured him the bride wouldn’t be harmed.”
I let out a quiet breath of relief.
Grandma glanced at Kael with a teasing look.
“I was worried he still wouldn’t agree, even after the healer reassured him.
I certainly didn’t expect—”
“Grandma, that’s enough.” Kael looked up, his tone casual.
“Stop scaring her.”
“How am I scaring her?” Grandma glared at him.
“I’m just happy you finally have a wife!”
“At first, we were simply desperate enough to try anything,” Elisa added.
“But to everyone’s surprise, Kael’s condition improved within days.
Now he’s even well enough to go out and pick you up himself.
Maybe the good-luck marriage really did work.”
I nodded thoughtfully and glanced at Kael again.
Grandma turned back to me.
“You studied abroad, didn’t you?”
“Yes, ma’am.
In London.”
She smiled.
“What did you study?”
“Arts management.”
She nodded approvingly.
“No wonder you carry yourself so well.”
Suddenly, someone switched on more lights.
The brightness hit my eyes like a blow.
“Ah!” I gasped and ducked my head, shielding my eyes.
“What’s wrong, dear?” Grandma asked, alarmed.
I couldn’t answer.
The light burned.
Kael was beside me immediately, placing himself between me and the brightest part of the room.
“Turn them off,” he said.
“Why?” Elena asked.
“It’s a little dark in here—”
“I said turn them off!”
His growl made me flinch, and my knees nearly buckled.
His arm came around me, steadying me.
The extra lights went off at once.
I slowly raised my head, blinking until the pain eased.
“Are you okay?” Kael asked.
I nodded.
“I’m fine.”
A few minutes later, once he was sure I was all right, Kael returned to his seat.
Grandma pulled me closer.
“What happened?
Tell me.”
Before I could answer, Kael said, “Her eyes are sensitive to bright light.”
Concern filled Grandma’s face.
“Oh, dear.
I had no idea.
I’m so sorry.”
I smiled weakly.
“It’s okay, Grandma.”
She took my hand and patted it gently.
“From now on, we’re family.
Feel free to talk to me about anything.
As you just saw, Kael has a cold personality and a short temper, so please be patient with him.
If he bullies you, tell me.
Grandma will stand up for you.”
A genuine smile pulled at my lips.
“Thank you, Grandma.”
“All right, it’s getting late,” she said.
Kael glanced at his watch, then stood.
“Come on.
We should head home.”
Grandma frowned.
“Home?
To your new house?
You keep more than a dozen fierce dogs there.
Don’t scare Lyra with them.”
“Grandma, I’m not—”
“If she doesn’t like dogs, find another place.
There are plenty of empty houses on the estate.”
I blinked.
More than a dozen fierce dogs.
That was not what I had expected.
What exactly was I walking into?