LYRA’S POV
After what felt like forever, I finally stepped out of the room.
I’d chosen a white dress: flowing and elegant, with delicate lace detailing along the neckline and a fitted bodice that flared gently at the waist.
The hem fell just above my knees, and the fabric caught the light as I moved.
I paired it with black strappy heels that wrapped around my ankles, adding a touch of edge to the otherwise soft look.
I’d left my hair down, cascading in loose waves over my shoulders, and added a hint of gloss to my lips.
I was proud of how I looked.
It had been so long since I’d felt like myself.
As I descended the stairs, I saw Kael waiting at the bottom.
His arms were crossed, his jaw so tight it looked like it hurt.
His expression was unreadable, but those dark, intense eyes were locked on me.
I felt heat creep up my neck.
When I reached the last step, I offered a sheepish smile.
“Sorry I took longer than planned.
I couldn’t decide what to do with my hair.”
He didn’t respond.
His gaze moved slowly from my face to my heels and back again.
I followed his gaze and realized he was staring at the dress.
“You’re going to wear that out?” he asked, his voice flat.
“To the pack house?”
I glanced down at myself.
“What’s wrong?
Doesn’t the dress look good enough?”
He was quiet for a moment.
Then his eyes hardened.
“Go change.”
I blinked.
“Why?
I love this dress.
It’s pretty and comfortable…”
“Do I have to drag you upstairs myself?”
“Kael, you bought this dress for me.
And now you suddenly don’t like it?
What the fuck…”
He glared at me.
The look was sharp enough to cut glass, daring me to finish the sentence.
I sighed, deflating.
“I couldn’t change even if I wanted to.
It’s the last one I have.”
His jaw tightened.
He looked at the dress again, muttering something under his breath that I couldn’t quite catch.
Then he turned toward the door.
“Let’s go.”
I smiled triumphantly and followed.
“I told you the dress isn’t that bad.
If you actually look at it—”
“There’s no way you’re going out with me in that dress.” He held the door open but didn’t step through.
“We’re going shopping first.”
“What?
I thought you said we were running late…”
“We’ll make it work.”
We stepped outside, and I immediately froze.
There were about seven dogs in the courtyard.
Each one was massive and intimidating enough to make anyone nervous.
They stood in a loose formation, eyes alert and muscles coiled.
Then one of them broke free and ran straight toward me.
“Ahhh!” I screamed and instinctively clung to Kael, my arms wrapping around his neck.
“Cerberus!” Kael yelled.
“Down!”
The dog skidded to a halt, dropping to the ground with a soft whine.
I slowly pulled back from Kael, my heart pounding, and took a proper look at the dog.
Cerberus.
In the darkness the night before, he’d been terrifying.
But now, in broad daylight, I could see him clearly.
His coat was thick and glossy, a beautiful mix of black and deep brown.
His eyes were intelligent and curious.
Something about him drew me closer.
“What are you doing?” Kael tried to pull me back, but I crouched down, dropping my bag beside me.
I reached out slowly, tentatively, and rubbed Cerberus behind his ears.
He leaned into my touch, a low rumble of contentment escaping his throat.
“You like that, don’t you?” I cooed as I rubbed his ears, and he responded by pressing his head into my hand.
Then he nuzzled my face and licked my cheek.
I giggled, the sound bubbling out of me.
“It tickles!”
I looked up at Kael, my eyes bright.
“Can I have him?
Please?”
Before he could answer, his hand shot out.
He grabbed my arm and pulled me up roughly, then turned and struck Cerberus hard in the side, sending the dog skidding backward.
“Kael!” I yelled.
“What is wrong with you?”
“Get in the car, Lyra.”
His voice was cold, giving no room for argument.
I glared at him.
He’d just hit a dog.
A beautiful, loyal dog, all because it had licked me?
“What is wrong with you?” I repeated, my voice shaking.
“Cerberus didn’t do anything wrong.
He was just being friendly…”
“Lyra.” His eyes met mine, dark and unreadable.
“I said get in the car.”
I opened my mouth to argue… then closed it.
I walked to the car and climbed in, slamming the door behind me.
The car ride to the boutique was silent.
Suffocatingly so.
I kept glancing at Kael from the corner of my eye, waiting for him to say something, anything.
But he didn’t even look my way.
His gaze remained fixed out the window, his jaw still tight, his fingers still twirling that silver lighter.
He was angry.
But why?
Because I liked the dog?
Because I wanted to keep Cerberus?
I turned my face back to the window, pressing my forehead against the cool glass.
The city blurred past: tall buildings, crowded streets, wolves going about their daily lives.
Finally, the car stopped in front of a sleek, modern building with floor-to-ceiling windows and a minimalist facade.
The name “Hart & Co.
Boutique” gleamed in elegant gold lettering above the entrance.
So he owned a boutique?
Kael stepped out first.
I followed, smoothing down my dress.
The moment we walked through the doors, the atmosphere shifted.
The attendants, three women in crisp black uniforms, immediately snapped to attention.
“Alpha Kael!” The lead attendant bowed deeply.
“Welcome.
We weren’t expecting you.
How can we assist you today?”
Kael didn’t respond.
He walked past them to a sleek leather couch in the center of the boutique and sat down, crossing his long legs.
His expression remained unreadable.
I stood awkwardly by the door, watching the attendants exchange nervous glances.
Some of them looked at Kael with fear, their eyes darting away whenever he moved.
Others, the younger ones, had small smiles on their faces, their cheeks flushed.
He was used to this, I realized.
They were all terrified of him.
Or attracted to him.
Or maybe both.
Kael called one of the attendants over with a crook of his finger.
She hurried to his side and bent down to hear him.
A minute later, she returned with a rack of clothes.
Dozens of dresses in every color imaginable.
Kael waved me over.
“Try them on.”
I took a good look at the rack and gasped.
“You want me to try all of these on?”
He nodded and dismissed me with a wave of his hand.
I tried dress after dress.
The first was a deep red dress, elegant and fitted, with a thigh-high slit.
I stepped out with my head high.
“What do you think?”
Kael shook his head.
“Too revealing.”
I frowned.
“Revealing?
It’s just a slit…”
“Next.”
I went back in and emerged in a sleek black number, sophisticated and simple.
“Too short,” he said flatly.
“It’s knee-length!”
“Next.”
A royal blue gown with an open back.
He shook his head.
“The back is too exposed.”
A champagne-colored dress with a plunging neckline.
Kael frowned.
“Too low-cut.
People shouldn’t see that.”
A flowing emerald green dress with long sleeves.
“Too plain.”
A shimmering silver dress that hugged my curves.
“Too clingy.”
A soft pink dress with a modest neckline and a flowing skirt.
“Too girly.”
I stared at him in disbelief.
“What does that even mean?
I’ve tried on every dress in this rack, and you’ve hated all of them.”
He didn’t answer.
He just gestured for the next one.
What the fuck did he want from me?
My soul?
Finally, the last dress.
It was a soft ivory color, simple and elegant.
The neckline was modest, and the sleeves were long and flowing.
The fabric draped beautifully, with a delicate gold belt cinching it at the waist.
It moved like water around me as I walked.
I stepped out of the changing room, already bracing myself for another rejection.
But Kael didn’t shake his head.
He stood slowly, crossing the distance between us.
His eyes swept over me—from the dress’s neckline to its hem and back up again.
A small smile tugged at his lips.
The first one I’d seen all day.
He approached me from behind, his hand brushing along the side of the dress as he smoothed the fabric.
To him, it was probably just a simple, harmless touch.
To me, it was torture.
My skin lit up beneath his fingers.
Heat bloomed where he touched me, spreading through my entire body.
I closed my eyes, trying to breathe, trying to steady myself.
My heart raced.
My pulse pounded in my ears.
I swallowed hard and took a step back.
“We’re taking this one.” Kael’s voice was calm, businesslike.
He turned to the attendant.
“Arrange more of this design in other colors and styles.
Have them delivered to the estate.”
The attendant nodded quickly.
“Of course, Alpha.”
Kael turned to me.
“Write a list of anything else you need.
Give it to her.”
I nodded, still too flustered to speak.
Another ten minutes passed while I finished up.
Kael paid, and soon we were back in the car.
I couldn’t stop thinking about his touch.
The way his fingers had brushed against the dress.
The way my skin had burned beneath them.
It was nothing, I told myself.
Just the bond.
Just the mate bond.
It didn’t mean anything.
But it felt like everything.
The driver’s voice cut through my thoughts.
“Alpha.
We’ve arrived.”
I looked up.
The car had stopped in front of a massive gate.
Beyond it, I could see the pack house—grand, imposing, beautiful.
Kael stepped out first.
Then the gate swung open.
I stepped out after him, and my eyes widened.
Hundreds of people stood before us, arranged in neat rows.
Their heads were bowed in unison, their voices rising together in greeting.
“Welcome to the pack house, Luna Lyra.”
I froze.
My heart hammered in my chest.
This was real.
This was really happening.
I was the Luna of the Bloodmoon Pack.