CHAPTER 1

Lyra stood in the mini-arena, bewildered, trying to make sense of the situation around her.

Everyone gathered in groups, some in pairs or more, eagerly awaiting the opening of the grand hall. Most of them desired a toast with the Cursed Alpha king, Alpha Alexander is believed to be under a curse since he hasn't found his mate for years now but no one dared to say it to him.

Lyra stood still, lacking any interest in meeting the so-called Alpha King, yet she dared not move from her spot, fearful of the wrath of her uncle, Mr. Donald.

She leaned against the wall, resting her head, waiting for the grand hall to open.

"What's taking so long?" a voice behind her whispered. Lyra didn't bother turning because she knew the woman wasn't addressing her.

"I don't know! If he isn't coming out yet, he should let us all go," another voice chimed in.

"That's harsh, you know..." She stopped halfway, then intentionally reduced her voice to a whisper, "He might be looking for his fated mate to break his curse."

Lyra's attention was immediately captured… Her eyebrows furrowed. What curse were they talking about? She had thought it was just a rumor fabricated to defame the Alpha King due to his ruthlessness but how the ladies at the back spit it out with confidence it seems to be true.

May mocked, "He should wrap it up already, he won't find her!”"

"He is our Alpha. I hope he can overcome this," May's friend continued, but May interrupted, "Ew." twisting her face in disgust. "Why are you so naïve!"

Her friend chuckled and shuddered trying to shrug it off as a mere joke so she would be on the same page with her friend, but May scowled and walked away.

"Oh, May, wait for me, we are not quarreling," she grinned, trailing off to follow her friend. The two she-wolves quickly made up, their distant chatter echoing with laughter like they never just had a misunderstanding.

Lyra still stood where she was, frustrated. Her brows became tightly knitted… She couldn't wait for all this to be over so she could go home. She had no interest in meeting the Alpha or the attending dignitaries.

Even though she knew home was still hell, Her uncle had made it a living hell for her but still, she just wasn't comfortable being here. She had never wanted to come, but her uncle wouldn't let her stay back at home. He dictated who she would be friends with, and where and when she would go out like she was still an underage pup, She was twenty-one but her Uncle didn't care, and dictated her life for her, All Lyra ever prayed for was to meet her fated mate and so he would take her out from the hell she was living in.

He had burst into her room early this morning, cursing her when he called her, and she didn't reply. Being in the toilet she was too embarrassed to answer her uncle from there so she kept mute forcing her uncle to come at her unprovoked.

"You crazy girl! I don't know what you're up to, you little piece of shit! But get yourself ready. We're going to Alpha Alexander's birthday," he ordered.

That was how Lyra found herself in a place she never wanted to be.

The next minute, the once noisy place turned into a graveyard within seconds, jolting Lyra out of her thoughts as she raised her head and realized it was the Alpha's Beta, a wine glass in hand, as he addressed everyone.

“I thank every one of you for coming here, and Alpha Alexander equally appreciates everyone here.” he started.

"The grand hall is going to be opened now," he said, signaling the guards, who promptly opened the door to the hall. "Alpha wants to have a toast with everyone,” he added quickly before making his way into the hall first but he stopped within his steps, turning back to the crowd he raised his wine glass. “Cheers to a long life, Alpha Alexander!”

There was an awkward silence. Most of the guests didn’t like Alpha Alexander, but they needed to stay on his good side, so they didn’t miss his birthday. The hall was big and beautifully designed, with chandeliers and colorful lights in every corner… Mated and Unmated she-wolves rushed inside the hall, many of them eager to sit close to him hoping to be his fated mates while Most high-ranking officials from different packs increased their pace to get a close seat to Alpha Alexander. 

Lyra watched in awe while everyone struggled to enter the grand hall. Staring at them she wished she could turn back at this moment everyone was hastily rushing in, straining her eyes she looked for her uncle, but she couldn’t find him. She knew for sure that he would be sitting closest to the Alpha King.

Stomping her feet on the floor in an aggressive stance she seethed her teeth, she turned to go to the Lawn she had seen which caught her fancy when she came in with her uncle. Turning she decided to take a shorter route instead of turning around the compound to get to the lawn.

******

Alexander sat on his king-sized bed inside his room filled with different lights and beautiful chandeliers which exuded wealth. It was his 40th birthday and still no sign of his fated mate.

'Damn!' he muttered. Does it mean the curse was real or him not meeting his mate just a coincidence? 

"Sir the guests are here, They're waiting," Beta Jack jolted Alexander from his thoughts.

"Okay. I'll be there," 

He stood up, gazed at his figure in the mirror and buttoned up his shirt as he made his way out. Since the Grand Hall was a bit distant from his main palace he decided to take the shorter route to get there faster.

Absent-mindedly Lyra jugged her way through the short route without looking; she bumped into Alexander and fell back on her buttocks.

She looked up, and it was a man in black attire but her wolf growled Mate! Mate!.

'Too old, Maya.'She scoffed at her wolf's excitement about meeting her mate.

Alexander stood still glaring at her on the ground but surprisingly Lyra scowled at him and was ready to curse him out. She immediately noticed at his expensive piece that he might be a high-ranking official, and she didn’t want to create a scene.

She stood up and dusted her gown. She giggled, a sign of mockery before she apologized. “I’m sorry, sir, I wasn’t looking.”

Alexander gazed at her with a devilish grin; he knew she was faking the apology. Not only was she faking it, but she had also mocked him in his presence.

' Does she know who I'm?' he clenched his fists.

“Who brought you here?” he asked.

“Why do you care to know? I already apologized,” she interjected, staring into his fiery eyes. She wasn't sure why he needed to know who brought her. Did he want to report her to her uncle? That would create more problems for her.

He chimed in immediately, “Why is such a premature pup here?"

"Who brought you to the tiger’s pack?” He questioned her, his voice thick and filled with authority. Somehow, after hearing his voice, Lyra became scared. Looking at his face, she knew better than to offend him. And she knew her uncle would skin her alive if she caused any trouble there.

She turned her face to the ground and kept silent, but he continued mocking her this time.

“Which pack do you belong to? Answer me, premature pup.”

Raising her head in defiance, her eyes suddenly filled with guts,' She was twenty-one why would he call her a premature pup' She groaned inwardly, but as she raised her eyes to him, her eyes met his, and she calmed down immediately. His eyes were also fiery, but his were glowing red sending shivers down her spine. She knew better than to overstep; it might cost her her life.

“I’m not any premature pup,” she muttered under her breath 

“Oh, not really a premature one, but a mature one, I can see,” he said. His eyes roamed her body, and he was fixated on her chest. Lyra felt sexually harassed. She brought her arms together, folding them over her boobs… It was something she couldn't let go of. She fired back in a harsh tone, “I’m not any pup at all!”

Her voice drew people’s attention.

“Hey, Lyra!” A familiar voice beckoned her from behind. It was her uncle, She quickly hid that defiant look and covered it with a fake smile as she turned to her uncle.

“What happened?” he sneered.

Lyra turned, and surprisingly she could no longer find the man she was talking to, Anger surged through her veins like a torrential river, If only he had not bumped into her. Maybe her uncle wouldn't have met her here.

"Nothing, sir," she lied.

"Who were you talking to? I heard your voice," he confirmed, demanding an answer from her.

"It-It-It was just a playful banter," she stuttered, forcing a smile that she curled back when she noticed he wasn't buying his story, but that wasn't his problem now. He was having the time of his life sitting so close to Alexander so he won't let Lyra spoil his day.

He turned to leave when Lyra trailed off. "I want to go home, sir."

"Why the hell do you want to go home?" He asked, but Lyra just frowned and turned her head to the ground.

"The show just started. The Alpha is about to make an announcement, and he is looking for a…... Don't you…." He teased excitedly, suddenly smiling at Lyra.

Lyra raised her head immediately. She wasn't sure what she heard, and why her uncle suddenly started smiling. It's been a decade since he last smiled at her.

Does he want to sell her out?

"Can I go?" She asked again.

Her uncle frowned immediately. He had a devilish grin on his face, but Lyra didn't care. She just wanted to get the hell out of there.

"Suit yourself," he snapped, before turning back to the grand hall. Lyra quickly ran off. She was so happy going back home, but she kept thinking, who was the man who made her look like a psycho in front of her uncle? And why did his eyes look so fiery despite him being her mate?