Alex's nose twitched as the familiar but strange scent of blood drifted through the evening air. His heightened senses immediately picked it up—sharp, fresh, but laced with an innocence so pure it almost made his wolf stir with unease. He followed the faint trail through the grass, moving silently like a shadow.
The scent led him straight to Mira.
She was tending to the gardens again, unaware of his watchful gaze, her foot leaving small, bloody prints as she limped from the thorn's earlier cut.
Alex's eyes darkened slightly.
I wonder if she's doing this to get my attention, he thought coldly. I thought she was different.
Annoyed with himself for even caring, he scoffed under his breath and turned away, deciding he had no time for such distractions. He left the Lunas and the playing field behind without a second glance, making his way back to his chambers.
Inside, a woman awaited him—a slut from the pack, desperate for his attention.
Without a word, Alex grabbed her harshly, pushing her against the cold stone wall. He took her roughly, his mind blank, his heart empty. The woman cried out, begging for mercy under his brutal thrusts, but Alex didn't care. He wasn't making love; he was punishing himself, drowning the unwanted emotions Mira stirred within him.
When he was done, he threw her a cloth to cover herself and motioned for her to leave. She scurried away, limping, as Alex collapsed heavily into his chair, the rage and frustration inside him unspent.
"Get me wine," he growled to his watchman.
Hours later, Mira entered quietly, carrying a silver tray with a fine bottle and goblet. The heavy scent of sweat and sex hit her immediately. Mira almost gagged, but she quickly masked her expression, lowering her gaze respectfully.
Alex watched her reaction out of the corner of his eye, secretly amused by her discomfort.
"Pour," he commanded.
Mira obeyed, her fingers trembling slightly as she filled his goblet. Alex said nothing as he took the wine from her hands, their fingers brushing briefly. A jolt ran up Mira's arm at the touch, but she quickly stepped back, bowing her head.
"You seem troubled," Alex said lazily, swirling the wine in his goblet.
"No, master," Mira replied, her voice steady.
Alex smirked. "Good. Because in this castle, weakness is a death sentence."
He took a slow sip of his wine, his piercing eyes never leaving her.
Mira bowed again and tried to leave but he stopped her, he didn't know why. He walked towards her .
Mira shifted closer to the wall, her chest rising and falling heavily. She could feel the raw heat radiating off Alpha Alex's body as he towered over her. Her heart pounded so loudly in her ears she wondered if he could hear it too.
Alex narrowed his eyes at her, his jaw clenching.
"You're scared of me," he said, voice low, almost a growl. He had admired her braveness beforehand .
Mira shook her head immediately, her lips trembling but no words coming out. She wasn't scared of him — at least, not the way he thought. She was scared of herself, of how her body reacted whenever he was near.
He took another step closer, their bodies just inches apart now. Mira pressed her back harder against the wall, willing herself not to shiver under his intense gaze.
"Say something," he commanded, his fingers lightly brushing against a strand of her hair.
"I... I'm not scared, my Lord," Mira finally managed to say, her voice barely a whisper.
Alex's eyes darkened even more, a storm brewing within them. For a moment, he looked like he might lose all control. But then, as if remembering himself, he cursed under his breath and stepped back, running a hand through his messy dark hair.
"Leave," he said sharply, his voice strained.
Mira didn't need to be told twice. She bowed quickly, turned, and rushed out of the chamber, her legs feeling like jelly.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Alex punched the wall, his breathing ragged.
"What's wrong with me?" he muttered.
No slut, no Luna, no other woman had ever made him feel this powerless.
And it terrified him.
Alex's furious voice thundered through the castle corridors as he stormed straight toward the head cook. Everyone cleared out of his way, bowing their heads low in fear.
"You!" he barked, pointing directly at the trembling woman.
"I don't ever want to see that maid — Mira — anywhere near my chambers again. If I ever do, I will personally see to it that your head is cut off."
The head cook nearly collapsed in fear.
"Y-yes, Master. It will be done immediately."
Alex didn't wait for a reply. He turned and walked away, his long strides full of rage. His chest heaved as he tried to calm the fire burning inside him. He hated how she made him feel — weak, distracted, human.
Mira, outside the castle walls, was still arranging herbs and tidying up the gardens. She hadn't heard the threat but felt the heavy, hostile energy shift in the air. All the workers who had overheard the Alpha's orders now glanced at her with wide, fearful eyes.
The head cook marched toward her, face pale and tight.
"You are never to step near the Alpha's chambers again. From now on, you'll work only in the lower quarters or outside. Do you understand?"
Mira nodded silently, a lump forming in her throat. She had no idea what she had done wrong, but it was clear she was being punished for something. From being posted to the garden to being posted at the lower quarters.
She bent her head lower, focusing on her tasks, pretending not to feel the sting of humiliation.
Inside his chambers, Alex sat alone, his fists clenched so tightly his knuckles turned white. He growled under his breath, furious at himself. The memory of how close she had been, how she smelled, how her wide, innocent eyes had stared up at him without fear — it haunted him.
He slammed his hand against the table, causing a deep crack in the thick wood.
"This is for the best," he muttered, trying to convince himself.
"She's just a maid. Nothing more."
But even as he spoke, a hollow feeling grew inside him — a feeling he hated to accept.