"I had already survived my family. A monster seemed almost simple in comparison."
— Seyra
006.
"He died because of me," Seyra whispered to herself.
She had taken a moment to actually gather her thoughts, and the only conclusion she could come to was this. She couldn’t help the guilt she felt.
If she had just let him be, if she hadn’t pestered him for information and had just let him go, he wouldn’t have died. She should have just listened when he told her it was the palace rules.
What was she thinking?
She looked down at the guard’s corpse. "I’m sorry," she whispered.
The lights flickered and she gasped. No one needed to tell her it was the Alpha’s way of telling her he was already impatient. There was no doubt. He was going to kill her.
She swallowed the lump in her throat and forced her legs to move. When she got to the wide-open door, she took a calming breath, said her last prayers to the moon goddess even though she knew the goddess wouldn’t answer, and walked in.
The foyer before the Alpha’s main chambers looked like another world on its own.
Dark marble covered the floor, reflecting the soft golden light coming through the tall windows. Huge pillars stood on either side of the room, while dark curtains framed the windows and gave the entire space a cold, imposing feel.
Everything looked expensive. Beautiful, even.
But there was something unsettling about the place that made Seyra’s skin crawl.
Her eyes moved around the foyer until they landed on another door at the far end.
It was large, dark, and unlike the other doors in the palace.
The Alpha’s inner chambers.
Seyra gulped.
There was no guard standing beside it this time. She slowly walked toward it, her heart pounding harder with every step. When she reached the door, she hesitated.
Then, with trembling fingers, she pushed it open.
And there he was.
Alpha Orin sat comfortably on a chair, one leg crossed over the other, a glass of red wine resting casually in his hand.
Seyra froze.
She wouldn’t have been surprised if it was blood he was drinking.
His masked face turned slowly toward her. Those unfeeling blue-grey eyes met hers.
"Close the door," he ordered.
"Wh... what?" she mumbled.
Orin looked at her like he couldn’t wait to tear her to shreds. The look unsettled Seyra. She quickly turned and closed the door.
Now she waited for him to do whatever he deemed fit with her.
She watched as Orin stood to his feet, one hand in his pocket as he took slow strides toward where she stood while swirling the wine in the glass he held in his other hand.
Seyra held her breath when he stopped in front of her.
"What is your name, child?" Orin asked.
"S-Seyra." Her voice came out so quietly that she wasn’t sure he heard her.
His eyes remained fixed on her. "Seyra," he repeated, as if testing the name on his tongue.
Seyra nodded.
"Look at me."
Her eyes widened. This was the same thing he told the guard before he killed him.
How was he going to kill her? She was sure that, after everything she had done since meeting him, Orin wouldn’t give her a quick death.
Orin watched her—the frail-looking she-wolf who had done everything but obey him since he met her. His hands tingled. What would it feel like to snap her neck right now?
By then, Seyra had already made her choice. If she raised her head and he killed her, then maybe this was where her cruel fate would end.
If he didn’t, she still had a chance to fight.
She slowly raised her head.
The moment their eyes met, something strange happened. Orin went completely still, his fingers stopping as he swirled the wine in his glass. For a brief second, his blue-grey eyes widened slightly behind the mask.
Seyra noticed it, but before she could wonder what had happened, his expression returned to normal.
"Do you know why you are here?"
"To serve you, Alpha."
His jaw tightened. "Is that what they told you?"
Seyra hesitated before nodding. "Yes."
"Hmm. What exactly did they tell you about me?"
Her fingers tightened around the fabric of her dress.
"That you were..." She swallowed. "A monster."
Silence filled the room.
Seyra immediately regretted saying it.
Orin stared at her for several seconds before taking another sip of his wine. "Interesting."
Seyra didn’t know what that meant.
He took another slow step toward her. "Do you believe I am a monster?"
She looked at him, then at the glass in his hand before looking back at his eyes.
"You just killed a man."
"I did."
"And you didn’t even touch him."
"No."
"So..." Her voice trembled. "I think you are dangerous."
For the first time, something that almost looked like amusement flashed in his eyes. "At least you are honest."
Seyra lowered her gaze. She wasn’t sure if honesty was going to save her or get her killed faster.
Orin moved past her and walked toward a large table near the window. "Why did your family send you here?"
Seyra frowned. "They owed you a debt."
"That wasn’t my question."
She looked at him.
Orin placed the wine glass on the table. "Why did they choose you?"
Seyra’s lips parted.
Because I was ugly.
Because I was useless.
Because nobody wanted me.
Because Astrid was more valuable.
The words sat heavily in her chest.
"My family didn’t want to lose my sister."
Orin turned toward her. "And you?"
Seyra’s eyes burned. "They didn’t care if they lost me."
Something changed in the room. She couldn’t explain it, but the air suddenly felt heavier.
Orin stared at her for a long moment before asking quietly, "Did you want to come here?"
Seyra almost laughed. "No."
"Then why did you?"
"Because they gave me two choices."
"And you chose me."
"Yes."
Orin’s gaze lingered on her face. "Why?"
Seyra swallowed. "Because I wanted to live."
He said nothing.
For some reason, that silence frightened her more than his threats.
Then Orin picked up his wine glass again. "You want to live?" he almost chuckled. "Tell me, Seyra. What made you think that you were going to live after meeting me?"