Hated by the Alpha, Forced to Be His Mate

or's

e than thought. The healing quarters were never quiet-not truly. Even in the early hours, there was always someone groaning from a spa

t her he

om across the wooden table without looking up. "If yo

" Lyra sa

ffed. "You al

was no point. Words rarely

s passed through the hall, th

ispered, not even bothering

begged the Alpha bef

ter. Blood d

sed for half a s

tinued grind

o think about for too long. Not here. Not where walls had

," the second voice added wi

ey walked away, but the

he reached for the next bundle of herbs-only for a

ending you

d to look up to

i

rper tongue, Mira had made it her personal mis

cus on the herbs

ing wounds makes you useful? You th

anything," Lyra

ped. "You don't think. You just

tly quieter. People

nally l

es narrow

Lyra said calmly

did

the table and leaned in.

oug

through the ai

lo

ru

abso

one f

epped back i

stood one of the Alpha's enforcers. Tall,

alers are to prepare. Alpha Kael

room shifte

replaced by alertness. "T

red?" some

toward the room. "Minor resistance f

herbs, but somethin

elt it befor

pre

hat came befor

o one spoke of it open

ke a faint pull

wned sl

o

t

ag

be passing through the central

choed down

th

e in the room

t look up

he fe

aven did not

inated

ling quarters, every conversation

t her ga

stirred ben

fe

ubmis

hing

gnit

Kael's v

"Alpha, the border patrol injuries are being

t respond

ing across the room like a weight

it st

t on

tightened aro

o

't

n'

er

word shatte

hesitated

epped f

l

tro

ke he was restraining so

lly lifte

world

raven was wo

authority in his expression, or the f

s his

ark. Un

d entirel

uddenly uneasy. "Alpha, she

," Kae

ang

com

d speaking

mptied wit

ined wher

t stand.

ply wat

her hands. The crushed herbs.

ck to h

again, quieter

wed once. "

pa

us flickered acro

ing to your Al

you are,"

lowed was heavier th

tepped

ed awake inside her

ffened i

surged

o

no

right in fron

feel the heat radiating of

name," h

hesit

cost her more

a Va

shifted in

gnit

irrit

ething u

" he r

name tast

ra said c

tightened

lt too small. Too quiet. Even the wi

ome with me

linked

s imm

mp

na

ed slightly. "That

ated. "I have patients

I employ," he said col

ow, finally meeting

tween them

ong

ar

ared slightly befo

not

ng inside h

ue," she sa

s narrowed

ou feel

lic

a fli

was e

ardened instantly.

but it came out as so

t think

closer jus

ger

tro

ss me properly,

his gaze.

tween them

nd moved

touch her

stop her from stepping back, controlled

nct in the

haled s

nd exp

essure.

aught for ha

e at the

n them-something neithe

instinctively bef

p at him shar

didn'

something like confu

weak

rup

d forward benea

i

d wasn'

th of them li

breath

almost like she was rejecting t

er wrist instan

ween them col

k half a pace,

wallowed

nded harder than

at her for a

efore, he said, "Yo

lightly, trying to s

pa

lo

h

se I s

an answer,"

eyes fl

dangerous

an

hing

strained by

erritory," he said. "And I don

ole life," Lyra said.

s their

h caught

ghtly toward th

did

aid

shifte

d back at

tand what you're

lowered. "The

ing almost like conf

it wa

ming," he s

forward, the enforcers outsid

eyes na

e forc

idn't

s answe

jaw tig

hat much?" she

pau

or a s

u don't matter en

ave hurt more

g in her chest tighte

nd between the

ud

tab

iv

xhaled

she said carefully,

gaze sh

ommand," he

et his

st time, she di

to have a problem

int

ssion darken

prob

enough that the distance b

reacted i

them f

"Because I don

ickered in h

lmost like

turned

ng h

closer, Lyra realized one t

this bo

begun pulling t