Chapter Two

Lydia 

 Trembling, I mustered the courage to speak up, my voice barely above a whisper. "W...who are you?" I asked, my heart pounding in my chest like a drum. 

The man standing in front of me was tall, muscular, and intimidating, with a stern expression etched onto his face. Despite his extremely good looks, there was an air of danger around him that sent shivers down my spine.

Finally finding a way to get up on my own, I stood in front of him, trying to steady my nerves. I was taken aback by the intensity of his gaze, which seemed to penetrate my soul. We both knew that we were mates, but his piercing stare made me feel exposed and vulnerable.

As I took in my surroundings, I realized that I was deep in the Alpha's palace for sure, the last place I would have imagined ever meeting my mate. It was a breathtaking sight, with ornate decorations adorning the walls and floors, and a sense of power and majesty emanating from every corner. Although I was supposed to be excited about finally meeting my mate, the fear of his wrath was almost palpable.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking the questions? Who are you and why are you here? Do you not know where this place is?" he asked in a harsh, impatient tone. His words stung like a whip, and I winced at his sharp tone.

I stumbled over my words, trying to explain myself. "I'm so sorry that I'm here even when I know that I shouldn't be, but this is my first day here, and I just got lost without even realizing it. I know that I might be asking too much from you, but please don't tell on me to the Alpha because I honestly don't want to get into trouble on my first day here," I blurted out, hoping he would show some mercy.

I desperately wanted him to be the kind and loving mate I had always dreamed of. However, the coldness in his eyes made me doubt that was possible. I wondered if he would report me to the Alpha and get me in trouble, even though he was my mate.

"Don't you think it's already too late for that? You've already gotten in trouble with the Alpha because you're standing right in front of him," he replied coldly, causing me to choke on my own words.

"W...what d...did you just say?" I asked, hoping that I had misheard him.

He repeated himself with a sneer. "Now you're trying to make me repeat myself?" he asked, his tone dripping with disdain.

"No, no, no, no, heaven forbid I try to do such a thing," I stammered in reply to his accusation. My nerves were getting the best of me, and I was struggling to articulate my thoughts.

 "I'm just a little confused and afraid right now, and I wanted to confirm if what I heard was true or if my nervousness was making me hear things," I explained. 

My heart was pounding in my chest, and I was desperately hoping that this conversation wouldn't escalate any further.

"Well, you heard right. I'm the Alpha," he confirmed with a hint of irritation in his voice. As soon as I heard those words, my heart stopped. My mind was racing, trying to process what was happening. I didn't know what to say or how to react.

There were so many reasons to be shocked, but the most surprising of them all was that the man standing in front of me was my mate, and he was an Alpha.

 The mere thought of it was both thrilling and intimidating, but I couldn't express how I felt because his expression was not pleasant at all. I could tell that he wasn't pleased to have met me.

"I believe every new employee is informed beforehand that some places are prohibited, and you should have asked for proper guidance before wandering off," he spoke harshly, his words cutting through my racing thoughts. 

With each passing second, I became more and more afraid of what he intended to do with me.

"I p...promise that I'll n...never come near this area ever again," I stuttered out, desperately hoping to appeal to his mercy. 

"I swear to you, Alpha. P... please, forgive me. I'll never come anywhere near this place ever again. Please, show me mercy, Alpha. I'll never do such a thing again," I begged desperately, stuttering my words because my mind wasn't clear.

He didn't respond to me, instead turning his back and walking away. As soon as he did, I knew that I was in trouble, and nothing would save me from his wrath.

For a few seconds, I contemplated whether I should keep apologizing in hopes of changing his mind or if it would be better for me to run back in the direction from which I had come.

 After some thought, I decided to turn and run back to the kitchen. However, before I could even take a step backward, two huge men came out of nowhere and grabbed me by my arm, their grip unbreakable.

Trembling with fear and confusion, I felt tears threatening to spill down my cheeks as I looked up at the two men who had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

 My mind raced with questions, but I could barely form the words as I stammered out, "What's going on? Where are you taking me? What are you going to do to me?"

The men didn't answer, but the dark, menacing look in their eyes spoke volumes. I couldn't help but feel a cold, creeping sense of dread as they moved closer, their massive forms seeming to loom over me like mountains. 

But it wasn't just their size that frightened me; it was the palpable sense of danger that surrounded them, as though they were predators on the hunt.

As the realization of what was happening dawned on me, I felt a sickening sensation in the pit of my stomach. The Alpha...my mate...hadn't taken kindly to my trespassing in a forbidden area, and now I was about to pay the price.

For a moment, I forgot that this man was supposed to be my mate. The anger and hatred I saw in his eyes made me feel sick to my stomach, and I wished more than anything that I could go back in time and undo what I had done. But it was too late now. I was at his mercy.

As the larger of the two men roughly grabbed my arm, I flinched and tried to pull away, but it was no use.

"Q-quietly come with us if you don't want to be knocked out," the man with darker hair commanded, his voice low and menacing. I could feel the danger emanating from him, and I knew that he was not someone to be trifled with.

I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest as I struggled to keep my composure. I could not bring myself to scream or even say anything else because I didn't want to get knocked out, and I also wouldn't want to worsen my situation by provoking them.

 All I could do was nod my head meekly and allow them to lead me away, my mind racing with fear and uncertainty.

****

The sound of the cell door slamming shut still echoed in my mind. I couldn't believe that the Alpha, my mate, had ordered his men to lock me up. 

My heart pounded with fear and confusion. I knew I had broken the rules, but I never expected this kind of punishment. Wasn't jail too extreme?

I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down, but it felt like the walls of the cell were closing in on me. The tiny space felt suffocating, and I couldn't help but wonder how long I would be trapped in here. It was supposed to be one of the best days of my life, but now, everything had turned upside down.

"Excuse me, how long do I have to be here?" I asked the guard standing in front of my cell, but he acted as if I was invisible. I let out a frustrated sigh.

 "Can you please just tell me how long I have to be here?" I asked again, this time raising my voice so he couldn't ignore me.

But the guard just sneered at me with a callous expression on his face. "You make one more sound and I'll gag you, do you understand?"

I couldn't help but fire back. "Feel free to gag me after telling me how long I need to be here, stupid!" My voice trembled with fear as I tried to appear tough and unafraid, but I was currently shitting my pants for talking back.

The guard just scoffed at me, clearly not intimidated by my words. I realized then that I had no clue what these men were capable of, and what the Alpha could have instructed them to do. 

I needed to be careful about the things I said and did, but I couldn't allow myself to just sit here and wait without any knowledge of my fate.

As I sat alone in the cell, my mind raced with questions and fear. Would I be stuck here forever? Would I be punished in other ways? What did the Alpha want from me?

 I didn't have any answers, but one thing was for sure: my life had taken a drastic turn, and I had no control over what was going to happen next. 

"In case you haven't realized," the guard bellowed, his voice echoing off the walls of the cell, "you don't have any right to demand anything here!" 

His words were like daggers, piercing my skin and causing me to shrink back against the wall. His face contorted into an expression of anger, and his eyes glinted with malice.

 "And if you refuse to listen and be obedient, I'm going to make you obey instructions the hard way. And trust me, you wouldn't want me to go that far," he added with a threatening growl. I swallowed hard, my heart pounding in my chest.

 This wasn't how I'd imagined my day turning out.

I opened my mouth to respond, to plead with him to tell me how long I'd be trapped in this tiny cell, but I was interrupted by a familiar scent that made my stomach churn. 

The Alpha was here.

"Welcome Alpha," the guard greeted as soon as he arrived, his tone subservient and deferential. I avoided his gaze, my heart racing with fear. I knew that the Alpha was angry with me, and I had no idea what he was capable of.

"Look up, little lady," the Alpha ordered, his voice low and menacing.

 "I'm not biting you. At least, not yet." I felt a shiver run down my spine, and I slowly raised my eyes to meet his. His face was twisted into a sinister grin, and something about his eyes filled me with dread.

"Haven't you bitten me enough already?" I blurted out in a shaky voice. The Alpha chuckled dryly, and I felt a wave of revulsion wash over me.

"You and I are only just getting started, little lady," he replied, his voice dripping with malice. "So prepare yourself." His words hung in the air like a death sentence, and I knew then that I wasn't getting out of here anytime soon.

I tried to steel myself, to prepare for whatever horrors lay ahead, but the fear gnawed at me, threatening to overwhelm me completely. I had no idea what the Alpha had planned for me, but I knew it wasn't going to be pleasant. 

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, trying to find some semblance of peace amid my fear. But all I could hear was the sound of my own heartbeat, pounding in my chest like a drum.