Sold To The Alpha King

Chapter Four

The morning sun felt warm against my face as I stood outside the Alpha King’s house, my heart pounding with nervous anticipation. Everything I owned was packed into a small bag slung over my shoulder, but the weight of my belongings was nothing compared to the weight of my father’s words from the day before.

Seduce the Alpha King. That was my so-called mission. I had the sudden urge to throw up just from the thought of it.

My father loitered around the house, refusing to leave just yet. He seemed too comfortable in the Alpha King’s domain, his eyes scanning every detail like a hawk circling prey. It felt as if leaving me there was a time bomb for him and he wasn’t sure about it.

I stayed silent beside him, glancing around at my new surroundings. The Alpha King’s pack was nothing like ours. It was obviously larger, more structured, with an air of authority that made me feel smaller than I already did.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, my father seemed satisfied. He exchanged a few more words with a servant, most likely ensuring that I would follow his orders to the letter, before he turned to me.

“Remember what I told you,” he said, his voice low and menacing. “Don’t disappoint me, Lila. You are worth nothing until you prove your worth.”

I didn’t respond. What was there to say? I just stood there, watching as he finally walked away, my pulse racing in my ears. This was it. I was alone now, left to fend for myself in a new place.

Moments later, a servant came up to me, her expression neutral but polite. “Miss, I’ll take you to your room.”

I quietly followed her through the halls of the Alpha King’s house. The place was as intimidating as it was beautiful, with high ceilings and polished marble floors that almost reflected whoever walked upon them. Everything screamed wealth and power like no other.

When we arrived at my room, the servant opened the door and gestured for me to step inside. It was a modest space compared to the rest of the house, but it was more than enough. Bigger than the one back at my old pack.

A large bed sat against one wall, and a window overlooked the pack grounds outside. I set my bag down on the bed, exhausted from the journey.

“You are only needed when the Alpha King calls for you,” the servant said with an overly formal tone. “You are free to do as you wish during your other hours.”

I blinked, not expecting that. I had assumed I would be under constant watch or given an endless list of tasks to complete. Free time sounded like mercy that I very much appreciated.

“Thank you,” I said quietly, and she nodded before leaving the room, closing the door behind her.

I exhaled and stretched to ease the tension in my shoulders. I didn’t know what exactly to expect, but I could at least make the most of the time I had to myself. I unpacked my bag, carefully placing my clothes in the drawers and trying to make the space feel a little more like mine.

Once I was done, I glanced out the window. The afternoon sun was high in the sky, casting a golden glow over the pack grounds. I decided that a walk would clear my head. I needed to think and figure out how to survive in this place without giving in to my father’s demands before I could run away.

I stepped out of my room and made my way outside, the cool breeze a welcome change from the tension that had followed me all day.

The pack was larger than I’d thought, with winding paths that stretched between tall trees and open fields. I walked for what felt like hours in search for the simple blessing of peace.

No matter how far I walked, I could hear my father’s voice echoing in the back of my mind, his threat hanging over me like a dark cloud. I shook my head, pushing those thoughts aside. I couldn’t afford to dwell on that right now. I had to focus on surviving, on finding a way to stay out of trouble.

“I have to get out of here,” I said to myself as I walked back to the house.

By the time I returned to the house, the sun was beginning to set. I climbed the stairs slowly, lost in thought.

As I reached the stairwell, something caught my eye—a large glass portrait hanging on the wall.

The woman in the portrait was beautiful. Her long, red hair framed a delicate face, her eyes soft yet filled with a strength that drew me in. I stopped in my tracks, staring at her, captivated by the quiet grace she seemed to possess. I had not noticed the portrait until now and I was mesmerized.

Who was she? I’d never seen her before, but there was something almost familiar about her. I stepped closer, reaching out to touch the edge of the frame, curiosity getting the better of me. My fingers brushed against the smooth glass, but as I leaned in, the bottom of the portrait snagged on my sleeve.

Before I could react, the portrait slipped from the wall, crashing to the ground with a deafening shatter as all the glasses separated and made their way across the floor.

I froze, and my heart stopped in my chest as the sound echoed through the stairwell. Shards of glass littered the floor, the once beautiful portrait now lying in pieces at my feet.

“No, no, no!” I muttered as I looked down at the pieces of glass helplessly.

A gasp came from behind me, and I whipped around to see a woman standing at the base of the stairs, her eyes wide with horror.

“What have you done?” she whispered, her voice trembling with nothing but pure fear.

“I-I didn’t mean to,” I stuttered as I felt my throat run dry. “It was an accident—”

“That portrait,” she interrupted, her voice rising with panic. “That’s the Alpha Christian’s mate. She died almost two years ago, and no one is allowed to touch it except for Christian himself! Why did you do it!? What have you done!?”

I felt my stomach drop as dread seeped into my bones. I had just broken a portrait of the Alpha King’s mate. The one person he had probably loved more than anything.

As if things couldn’t get any worse, I felt a presence at the top of the stairs. Slowly, I looked up, and there he was. Alpha Christian was standing on the landing, his eyes blazing with fury as he stared down at the shattered portrait.

My heart pounded in my chest, and it suddenly felt as if all the air was sucked out of me. He didn’t speak, but the anger in his eyes said everything. He was beyond furious. I had done something unforgivable, something that couldn’t be fixed with an apology.

For a long moment, none of us moved. The silence stretched on, thick with tension and the threat of what was to come. I could feel the weight of Christian’s gaze burning into my skull, and I knew I was in more trouble than I had ever been in my life.

The woman beside me stepped back, her hands clasped over her mouth as if she couldn’t bear to watch what might happen next. I stood there, rooted to the spot, too scared to move, too scared to speak.

“What have you done?” He asked me, his eyes blazing gold now as if he was about to shift into his wolf form.

I had not felt true fear until then.