The Warrior's Broken Mate

CHAPTER 7

LYRA POV

I could sense that Alpha Elias was uneasy. His heartbeat quickened, and the sound of it unsettled me. Why was he nervous? Where were we going? As if in response, my own heart began to race. He glanced at me, wide-eyed, like he was dreading something.

“It’s a few hours away,” he said eventually. “We live pretty secluded. I should probably warn you—it’s not like your old packhouse. It’s nothing fancy. Definitely not as luxurious as what you were used to.”

His heart was still thumping loudly. Was that why he was anxious? Was he worried I’d be disappointed with a less impressive house? That didn’t make any sense.

“Less for me to clean,” I replied simply.

He gave me a strange look that I didn’t understand. I wasn’t joking or trying to be clever—I was just being honest. A smaller house meant less work. I knew my father’s mate never cooked or cleaned. That was always my job. That’s what mates were for, weren’t they? I didn’t expect anything different.

The drive was slow and quiet, like neither of us was in a hurry to get where we were going. I didn’t talk much. I wasn’t used to real conversations. I’d only ever read about them in books. That’s how I learned to speak, by reading and imagining dialogue. Alpha Elias kept glancing over at me, probably trying to figure out what to say. I knew I wasn’t exactly pleasant company. Even I knew that much.

“So… what kind of books do you like?” he asked, catching me playing with the frayed hem of my dress, something I did when I was feeling anxious. But his voice was calm and kind—not the tone I expected from someone who carried the title of Alpha.

“I like a bit of everything,” I answered. “I loved the Harry Potter books. They were great. I also liked A Tale of Two Cities. And I’ve read a lot of V.C. Andrews. Her stories are really interesting.”

As I spoke, I stopped picking at my dress without even realizing it. I turned my gaze to the front windshield, and for the first time in a long while, I felt a small sense of calm settle over me. I caught a glimpse of Alpha Elias smiling softly.

“Well then, I’ll make sure to get you every one of those books again,” he said, still smiling.

I let out a quiet laugh before instinctively clapping my hands over my mouth. His eyebrows pulled together in confusion.

“I’m sorry—I didn’t mean to laugh at you,” I said quickly.

“What do you mean?” he asked, clearly puzzled. “There’s nothing wrong with laughing.”

But I knew better. I wasn’t supposed to laugh at anyone. Especially not at men.

“I’m not allowed to laugh at people,” I said quietly. “It’s considered rude, and I get punished.”

He stiffened at that, the tension in his shoulders returning, but he took a few slow breaths and seemed to calm himself down.

“It’s okay,” he said gently. “You can laugh. What was so funny, anyway?”

“Well… you said your house wasn’t very big. And I was thinking, if you’re planning to replace all the books I left behind, you might need a bigger house after all,” I said, sneaking a glance at him from the corner of my eye.

I was terrified that he’d be angry. But instead, he burst into laughter. I jumped at the sudden sound—it was loud—but when I realized he was genuinely laughing, I relaxed back into my seat, a small smile forming on my lips.

I knew I had already left the Crystal River pack behind the moment we crossed the border, but I still didn’t know what Alpha Elias expected from me. I was only fifteen. I was broken. I wasn’t the kind of mate he probably wanted. I had no idea how to be someone’s mate—let alone a Luna. The more I thought about it, the more impossible it all sounded.

I noticed Alpha Elias sneaking glances at me, and I tried my best to ignore it, but resisting the urge to glance back at him was difficult. I didn’t understand what he saw in me. He claimed I was his mate, yet he was ten years older than I was.

That thought led me down a spiral. What did he expect from me once we arrived at his pack? How far did he want things to go? The panic started to rise again, creeping into my chest, and I knew he noticed it right away.

“Lyra,” Alpha Elias said gently. “You don’t have to be afraid anymore. Where I’m taking you, there are no slaves. No one will beat you.”

“Father’s going to be furious when you take me back,” I muttered, barely above a whisper.

“What? No. I’m not taking you back. I’m never taking you back there. I swear it,” he said firmly.

“I can’t give you what you want,” I said, voice cracking. “You’re not going to want me as your mate. You’ll realize I’m not what you hoped for and send me back to him.”

Tears welled in my eyes, and I tried to blink them away, but the moment I said that, Elias pulled the car off the road and brought it to a full stop. He turned to face me, eyes locked on mine.

“Lyra,” he said slowly, his tone intense but steady. “I didn’t take you away to hurt you or to demand anything from you. I would never do that. I won’t force you to do anything. Ever. If anything happens between us, it’ll be because you want it, and because you feel safe. I promise I’ll never harm you.”

I didn’t know how to respond. All I could do was nod.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered.

“You don’t need to apologize,” he said. “Lyra, have you ever spent time with anyone besides your father and Luna?”

I shook my head. “No. I was never allowed. I don’t even know if the rest of the pack knew I existed.”

“I don’t think they did,” he admitted.

I wasn’t shocked. Deep down, I’d always suspected it. There was clearly a reason my father had kept me hidden—he didn’t want anyone knowing I was alive. That thought had always lingered in the back of my mind, but I never let myself fully acknowledge it. I didn’t want to. I knew no one would stand up to him, no one from his pack would ever risk helping me. I had accepted that a long time ago.

But now I couldn’t help wondering—why keep me alive just to treat me like a servant? Why let everyone think I was dead? If he hated me so much, why not get rid of me? And if he didn’t want me, why was he so desperate to keep me? Was it just his pride—refusing to let anyone, especially Alpha Elias, “take” something that belonged to him?

I hadn’t even been gone that long, and already these questions were gnawing at me, filling my head with confusion. None of it made sense.

Then, suddenly, Alpha Elias’s head jerked to the side, and I saw his eyes glaze over. He was mind-linking someone, and his body immediately tensed.

I looked around, trying to spot what had him so alert, but I didn’t see anything. Without a word, he started the car again and slammed his foot on the gas. The tires screeched as we sped down the highway.

“What’s going on?” I asked, gripping the dashboard as the car swerved at high speed.

“We’re being followed,” he replied grimly. “And they’re not coming to say hello.”

I peered into the darkness outside, but the woods on either side of the road were too thick and shadowed to make anything out. Whoever it was, they were using the trees as cover.

Then, out of nowhere, something massive landed on the roof of the car with a deafening thud. The entire roof caved slightly under the force, and I let out a terrified scream, shrinking into my seat.