Mated To Alpha Kessler

Lyra’s POVText property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

A sleek car is parked nearby, its door held open by a man who bows his head respectfully as he gestures for me to enter.

I hesitate, torn between trust and doubt, unsure if I should go back or proceed with Shawn’s plan.

Shawn has always been reliable, but I can’t shake the nagging doubts. What if he’s changed after all these years?

Sasha finally breaks the silence, voicing her concern. “What if he has changed?” she wonders aloud.

I roll my eyes at her, Ignoring Sasha’s teasing, I take a moment to collect my thoughts.

Despite my reservations, I know I can’t afford to let fear hold me back. Trusting Shawn might be my only option at this point.

“There’s no crime in taking risks,” I remind myself, trying to quell the rising unease as I settle into the sleek car.

As I make myself comfortable, my heart begins to pound in my chest at the sight of the stern-faced men around me.

They all seem too serious for my liking, not a single one bothering to initiate the conversation to ease my mind.

The silence weighs heavily in the air, intensifying the swirling thoughts in my mind. Despite my attempts to remain composed, the tension in the car is palpable.

As we gradually move away from Moonpeak pack, I steal a glance back to see the view fading into the distance. With a heavy heart, I turn my gaze forward, focusing on the road ahead.

The car pulls into a gas station, and the driver stops to refill the tank. But it feels like an eternity as I wrestle with my thoughts.

“Let’s escape right now. We can’t die like this,” Sasha’s voice whines in my head.

I feel a surge of panic and uncertainty grip me as I consider her words. The temptation to flee is strong, but I know that running away won’t solve anything.

With a deep breath, I steel myself and push aside the impulse to escape, determined to see this through to the end, whatever it may be.

“Stop being dramatic, nothing is going to happen,” I say to Sasha, attempting to reassure her, but my erratic breath betrays my unease.

“It’s obvious you are not calm, Lyra. If this is your idea of calmness with that rapid heartbeat, then I doubt your honesty,” Sasha retorts, her skepticism evident.

I take a deep breath, trying to steady my nerves as Sasha requests some space to think. With a resigned sigh, I watch as she rolls her head and slumps dramatically.

One of the men also comes over, carrying chicken and chips. He hands it to me, and I mutter a thank you, but I’m not hungry.

However, my stomach betrays me with a loud growl, causing a small smirk to play on his lips. It’s a clear cue for me to take the food.

I realize I haven’t eaten much lately, aside from the ice cream Julie brought to my room. Reluctantly, I accept the food, knowing I need to keep up my strength for whatever lies ahead.

As I nibble on the food, my thoughts drift to Julie, who has always been a source of comfort and support for me. She’s been there through every tear, every moment of weakness, offering a steady shoulder to lean on. I can’t count the number of times she’s witnessed my tears, all of them seemingly tied to Kessler.

I can’t help but wonder if Kessler would notice my absence from the pack. A pang of jealousy and resentment flares up as I envision him with Annie, now that she’s assumed the role of Luna. The mere thought churns my stomach, and I push it aside.

“What do you care about? At least you rejected him,” Sasha interjects.

“Shut up, Sasha. Stop supporting that son of an alpha,” I snap back, my frustration bubbling to the surface. “He’s conflicted about us and not ready to fight for our mate bond.”

As I continue to munch on the chicken and chips, I can’t help but notice the piercing gaze of the man who brought me the food. His eyes seem to bore into me.

I try to make it subtle as if I’m not affected by his piercing gaze, but every time I glance up, I find myself meeting his eyes once again. The intensity of his stare becomes unbearable, and I finally reach my breaking point.

“What… what is it?” I ask, unable to contain my curiosity any longer.

He responds with a lazy smile, casually toying with the glass cup in his hand. “I’m just amused at the way your mind is darting back and forth, with thoughts.”

How did he know that I’d been thinking heavily? Cara also complains about this whenever I’m thinking hard, showing too much of my demeanor.

How will Cara feel knowing that I’ve left the pack? I’ll communicate with her since I have her contact number. I’m sure that if I get through to Cara, I will also reach Julie.

I’m glad she is with her mate. She will only miss me once in a while, but her mate is there to help her forget all about me.

“Will Kessler ever find out that Shawn helped me? Shawn is too smart to get himself caught,” I ponder aloud, feeling a mix of apprehension and hope.

“You are still doing it. Can you just stop and enjoy your chicken and chips, by not overthinking?” He interjects, his voice tinged with exasperation.

I take a deep breath, realizing the need to lighten the tense atmosphere. Offering a playful salute. “Yes, sir!”

He smiles, his dimple showing prominently.

“I want to see more of that,” I say, pointing to his dimple.

He’s taken aback by my comment. “What?”

“That dimple sure suits you with a smile. Keep it up,” I add, trying to lighten the mood.

“Ok, ma, I’m sorry. I haven’t introduced myself. I’m Conor,” he says, gesturing to himself. “This is Steve, and that big man driving is Kaden.”

“Nice meeting you guys, I’m Lyra,” I say with a smile, attempting to lighten the mood after my earlier unease. “This is what you should have done instead of making me feel like I had fallen into the wrong hands.”

They all laugh out loud, and I feel a sense of relief wash over me. Relaxing a bit, I dig into my chicken, breaking all the bones in an unladylike way.

Conor shakes his head at me, a hint of amusement in his eyes, as he hands me a tissue to help clean my hands.

“Thank you,” I mutter gratefully, as I clear the takeaway pack into the trash bin.

We were moving deep into the city, and I could see streetlights and cars buzzing as they found their way home.

I noticed Kaden swaying the car into a large expanse of compound. It screamed of wealth and opulence.

The view was breathtaking, with a fountain flowing down. The building was magnificent and painted white.

We didn’t need to come down to open the gate. Once the gate senses any approaching car, it scans it before allowing access to the compound.

My mouth was left ajar as I marveled at the grandeur of the compound.

As we entered the compound, the car came to a halt, and Conor hurriedly emerged from the side of his car to help me open my door.

“Thank you, such a gentleman,” I say gratefully, touched by his chivalry.

I hadn’t been given preferential treatment like this before, and I couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of validation, even as I pondered the reasons behind my departure from the pack.

“Let me take you to your room,” Conor offers, but I protest and express my desire to see Holly.

“Holly?” he questions, and I nod.

“I was told to inform you to take a shower and rest well. Tomorrow, you will get to meet her,” Conor explains.

“Oh,” is all I say as I follow him. He shows me to the room, and once I’m alone, I take my time to retrieve my phone and send a text to Shawn.

Shawn replies, advising me to trash the SIM card to avoid being traced. Without hesitation, I understand the necessity and bring out the SIM card, breaking it into two.