IY

f when I abruptly entered, and clothes spilled into a disorganized mess on th

, continuing her task of transferring the clothes from the luggage to the dresse

t to touch her arm. “He’s a monster, Grandma.

of me. Her eyes held an odd calmness. “I know, Aliyah. Th

“Are you saying that the entire house is full o

f made me even more uneasy and terrified. So all the Connors were unordinary, and that was in a bad way. It was as though anytime s

. The idea that we were literally trapped in this mansion with p

dear. I know it’s a lot to take in, b

h the fire of confusion burning inside me. Taking a deep breath, I sat down again in front of my grandmother, my questions bubbling up like a pot

ere are many things in this world that we don’t fully understand. And sometimes, those things find the

th shut, but I did listen as she continued to disclose the s

s. But soon, Brayden will take his father’s place as Alpha, and Brenda will be arranged to marry another A

it felt like my head was about to e

small smile, patting my hand reassuringly. “But for now, just k

of it. And to think we’re here because of Dad’s hospital bills, I

that life was cruel and unfair. Why do the less fortunate always bear the brunt of life’s hardships?

worked for them for years, and they never mentioned it before. They must know h

me enough comfort to ease my nerves. “Aliyah, don’t blame yourself or the Connors for o

can you say it’s not their fault? They’re forcing us to li

ther chose to work for them because he believed in their cause. The outer world i

n. But instead of pressing further, I chose to wrap my arm

le paused for a moment and squeezed my shoulder, saying, “Remember, Aliyah, you must call Theon ‘Alpha Theon’

’ll try to remember all of this. But please, promise me that we’ll

th determination as she took my

*

d me to serve in the upscale dining area as the other servants were already occupied with their tasks. Preparing for the evening made me feel both

g counted as well as my every step. The room’s luxurious atmosphere seemed to increase my nervousness, making me hyper-aware of the delicate china t

There is no way they will eat you. The foo

held a stern expression, making me feel even more self-conscious. Luna Layla, on the other hand, e

thoughts. She seemed to be doing her best to ignore the tension that

Bray

exposed like he was trying to pry open the thoughts that swirled inside my head. I couldn’t help but wonder if his curiosity

the serving dish I was holding. I felt my nerves heighten as every pair of eyes turned towards me.

heon. My name i

r loss, Aliyah. Your father, Ruben, passed away only a m

our grief, Aliyah. We are here for you during this difficult time,” Luna Layla added as she placed her t

dating presence, I hadn’t expected them to have such a tender and genuine side. They se

gazing down at the table. “I appreciate your kindn

“You are now free to leave and prepare your ow

how wrong my first thoughts about them had been. It made

dining hall when there were so many maids in the mansion? And why was Brayden staring at me as if I were

ting it to be Alpha Theon or Luna Layla, I turned and forced a smile, on

to talk

and he seemed to radiate a constant source of power from within. I trembled for a

here again, let me say this—friends?” He extended his hand. “Come on, I know it’s unbelievable,

t us to be

?’ Aside from our awkward first mee

to treat as

l comfortable. “No, it’s not that,” I replied with a smile. “It’s just that I

I’m just pretending to be nice so I can lure you in

g his gesture of friendship. “Friends, it is.” I beamed,

n the counter in front of me. “And as my first friendshi

da was. But then I remembered Grandma telling me about the Connor

ng a bite of the creamy food. It was delicious; the flavors mix

. “Thanks,” he said, looking pleased with himsel

struggling to come to terms with t

o me. “We’re not just humans; we’re also wolves. We have

genuinely intrigued. “So, do yo

all the time. Only when the moon is full or when my emotions get

’t want to pry too much. His unique situation genuinely

limented him, feeling a strange sense of comp

n mine that made me feel like I hadn’t f

as we finished our meal. I realized that my initial fears about living among w