Mira sat quietly by the door, heart hammering in her chest as she stared at the alpha's unconscious form. The room smelled of blood and wine, a heavy reminder of the chaos that had unfolded hours ago. She hadn't meant to step inside, but curiosity—or perhaps something deeper—had pulled her in.
As she watched, her breath caught in her throat.
Before her very eyes, the wound on Alex's side began to knit itself back together. Slowly. Steadily. The torn skin sealed, the blood dried, leaving nothing but a faint scar.
Mira stumbled back in terror, her mind screaming that this was unnatural. Monsters healed like that, not men.
She turned to flee, but a strong hand caught her wrist.
She gasped. Alex's cold fingers tightened around her arm, pulling her back. His eyes snapped open—those cold, piercing eyes that always seemed to look right through her.
Mira dropped to her knees immediately, bowing her head low to the ground.
"I'm sorry, my lord!" she whispered, voice trembling. "I shouldn't have come inside. Forgive me, please!"
Alex said nothing. He only watched her, an unreadable expression on his face. Finally, he spoke, his voice low and sharp.
"Wine."
Mira scrambled up, her hands fumbling for the jug of wine by the table. For the first time since she had known him, her hands shook so badly she almost spilled it. She stammered a quiet apology, glancing at him from the corner of her eye.
He noticed.
He hadn't seen her afraid before—everyone feared him—but this fear was different. Deeper. Rawer. Mira could hardly meet his gaze.
He accepted the cup and drank deeply, his movements slow, deliberate.
"Did you see anything strange just now?" Alex asked, voice casual, but Mira heard the steel beneath it.
She froze for a moment, heart slamming against her ribs. Slowly, she shook her head.
"No, my lord. I saw nothing."
A long pause stretched between them. Alex studied her face as if weighing her words. His lips twitched slightly, almost in amusement. Before he could speak again, the door burst open.
"Alex!" His mother rushed in, skirts sweeping behind her.
Mira bowed quickly and moved aside. His mother didn't spare her a glance as she enveloped her son in a tight hug, murmuring words of comfort.
Mira took the opportunity to slip out, her mind racing.
---
Outside the room, Mira leaned against the cold wall, trying to calm herself. Her hands were still trembling. What did I just witness? she thought. Stories, rumors—tales of people who healed unnaturally fast—they were always dismissed as old wives' tales. And yet, she had seen it herself.
It frightened her more than anything she had ever faced.
---
Inside the room, Alex was speaking quietly to his mother.
"Release them," he said.
His mother's face hardened. "They tried to kill you, Alex."
"The son is dead," Alex said coldly. "The family knew nothing of his foolishness. They should not suffer for his sins."
"They are weak," his mother said, bitterness in her tone. "Weakness should be punished."
Alex fixed her with a hard stare. "Release them!"
His mother sighed heavily and waved her hand in dismissal. Alex signaled to one of his guards who left to free the imprisoned family.
Mira returned carrying a tray laden with food. She placed it carefully beside Alex, her movements careful and precise. Her eyes flickered over him, relief flooding through her at the sight of him sitting up, eating, alive.
Still, the memory of what she had seen haunted her.
As she turned to leave, Alex's voice stopped her.
"Stay."
She stiffened but obeyed, returning to his side to pour more wine into his cup. Her hands no longer shook, but she kept her gaze lowered, afraid of what he might read in her eyes.
His mother rose from her seat. "I must attend to something," she said, brushing a kiss against Alex's forehead. "Rest, my son."
Alex barely acknowledged her as she swept out of the room.
---
The door had barely shut when another figure slipped inside.
A woman—dressed scantily, her body curving in all the ways men admired—smiled coyly at Alex.
Mira's stomach turned. She recognized the woman: one of the palace's "entertainers."
"Take off your clothes," Alex ordered lazily.
Mira took a step back, intending to leave, but Alex's voice, sharper this time, cut through the air.
"Stay. Unless you wish to join her."
Mira froze, heat rising to her cheeks. She turned her face away, squeezing her eyes shut and pressing her hands over her ears.
She heard the rustle of fabric falling to the ground. The woman's soft moans, the murmured praises. She felt every moment crawl past her skin like an invisible fire, burning with shame and disgust.
---
When it was finally over, Mira opened her eyes cautiously. The woman was dressing herself again, satisfaction written all over her face.
Alex waved her away dismissively.
"Go."
The woman left, casting Mira a smirk as she passed.
Alex leaned back against the pillows, looking completely at ease. His wounds were completely gone now, his skin unmarred, as if nothing had happened.
"Pour me wine," he said.
Mira obeyed, her face pale. She barely managed to keep her expression neutral as she filled his cup. Inside, she wanted to scream.
Alex caught the look of disgust flickering across her face. His lips curved into a small, humorless smile. He said nothing about it, simply sipped his wine and rose from the bed.
Without sparing her another glance, he left the room, the heavy door shutting behind him with a thud.
Mira remained standing there, the tray of wine in her hands, her mind and heart in turmoil.
Mira's mind raced as she left Alex's chambers. What she had witnessed haunted her—his wounds healing before her eyes, his strange power. She couldn't make sense of it. As she mechanically washed the dishes, the image of his cold eyes kept resurfacing. She had never seen him so terrifying, yet strangely powerful.
Mira, tried to push aside her concerns. She had no place questioning the Alpha. She had her duties, and that was all. Yet, she couldn't shake the thoughts about Alex's mysterious powers.
After finishing her tasks, she returned to the servants' quarters, trying to find some peace. But the questions lingered. What was he really capable of?
Suddenly, Alex's mother, Lady Rahila, appeared in her room. "Mira, come with me."
Mira followed her quietly, her heart pounding. Lady Rahila looked at her with a knowing expression. "You've seen too much, Mira. Stay away from the Alpha. He's not what he seems. Understand?"
Mira nodded, confused and afraid. She didn't know what to make of the warning, but something told her that Lady Rahila's words weren't just for her safety—they were a warning of something darker to come.