Betrothed to the Alpha After being betrayed by her half-sister, Lyra, a young wolf with a difficult past, left her pack to go abroad and escape her family's plots. Three years later, she returns, determined to turn the page, but is forced to accept an arranged marriage to protect the interests of her sick grandmother and, secretly, in the hope of revenge on those who have betrayed. To her great surprise, the Alpha she must marry is not Finn, the Alpha who had betrayed her and with whom her half-sister had humiliated her. Instead, she finds herself face to face with a stranger, a mysterious Alpha whom she has never met, but whose powerful gaze and imposing presence destabilize her. What happened with Finn? Why is this unknown Alpha now her fiancé? Lyra then discovers that her half-sister and stepmother have learned that Finn is an impostor with no claim to the throne of the pack. They engineered this marriage to find the legitimate heir, thinking of manipulating Lyra for their own interests. But they don't know that the Alpha they have chosen is much more dangerous and influential than Finn, and that he is the true leader of the Knight pack. This mysterious Alpha, Xavier, has returned from exile to claim his territory and establish his power. In this arranged marriage, Lyra finds herself at the heart of a power game, between family loyalty, forbidden love, and pack secrets. She must navigate between her desire for revenge and the magnetic attraction she feels for this Alpha she is supposed to hate. Can Lyra uncover the truth behind the family conspiracy and decide where her loyalties and her heart lie?
Chapter 1 Chapitre 1
Chapter 1
The sun slowly set behind the mountains, casting long, mysterious shadows across the wooded paths Lyra took. The air was cool, stinging her skin slightly as she took steps, each step bringing her a little closer to the pack she had left three years ago. His heart was pounding, a mixture of nervousness, anger, and apprehension fighting to dominate his thoughts. Everything here seemed unchanged, but inside her, everything was different.
She took a deep breath, remembering why she had come back. Three years of silence, solitude, personal reconstruction. She had to leave everything, abandon the security of the pack, of her family, to rebuild herself abroad, far from betrayals, far from those who had abandoned her. And now she was coming back, forced by circumstances she would have liked to avoid.
As soon as she arrived at the gates of the pack, she felt eyes turn towards her, curious, suspicious eyes, as if they were seeing a ghost. She straightened up, keeping an impassive mask on her face. She wasn't going to show them how much this hurt her, how much it hurt to be here. She would not give them this satisfaction.
She walked along the main path to the family home, a large wooden chalet, surrounded by majestic pines. The flickering light from the lamps peeked through the windows, forming familiar, reassuring shapes. Inside, the faces of his loved ones waited for him, each with a different expression. She tried to remain stoic, even as she saw her half-sister, Luna, staring at her with a smirk. Luna... the one who had broken his trust and pushed him into this exile. Lyra felt almost paralyzed, as if her half-sister's betrayal was still fresh, burning.
But that evening, she hadn't come to settle scores with Luna. A soft, but tired voice pulled her from her thoughts.
"Lyra, my darling, you are finally back. »
She turned around and saw her grandmother, frailer than she remembered. With a pale complexion and trembling hands, her grandmother no longer had that strong and indestructible appearance of the past. Lyra felt her heart tighten, a wave of emotion washing over her.
"Grandma..."
She approached, taking the old woman's hands in hers. The touch of his cold skin made her shiver. "What's happening to you? »
Her grandmother gave a tired smile. "Old age, my little one... but it's good that you're here now. I need you. »
Lyra frowned, a mixture of worry and anger taking over her. "Why did you bring me back? I was good where I was. Why call me back now? »
She knew the question would seem cruel, but she couldn't suppress her resentment. She had fled to escape the plots, the power games, and now she found herself embroiled again in this dysfunctional family.
The old woman looked down, as if ashamed. "Because there is something more important than our quarrels, Lyra. I need you to marry the Alpha. »
A heavy silence settled in, heavy, almost suffocating. Lyra felt her stomach drop. She searched for words, but they eluded her, slipping between her thoughts like grains of sand.
"Arranged marriage? » she finally whispered, her voice trembling with indignation. "I'm supposed to come back and just accept this? »
Her grandmother nodded slowly, as if the answer was obvious. "Yes, for the sake of the family. You know how vulnerable the pack is without a strong alliance. There is no one else who can take on this role. »
Lyra felt anger boiling within her, but she also knew that refusing was a decision she could not afford. Her grandmother, as ill as she was, had always been an important figure in her life, and she asked for this sacrifice because the situation must have been truly desperate.
"Very well," she said finally, with cold determination. "I will marry the Alpha, for the good of the pack. But don't think for a moment that I have forgotten what this family did to me. »
She felt Luna's gaze on her, a spark of contempt in her eyes, but she ignored it. She tried to keep her head held high, not to let the rage and injustice that was tearing her apart show through.
Later that evening, Lyra slipped away for some alone time. She sat outside, under an old oak tree that had been her refuge in her childhood, where she often went to hide to escape arguments and family pressures. She looked up at the sky, seeking some comfort in the brightness of the stars.
As she tried to calm her thoughts, a deep, deep voice spoke from behind her. "So you are the famous Lyra. »
She jumped, turning around to face an imposing man with harsh features and an intimidating aura. It wasn't Finn, the one she had loved and who had betrayed her. It was someone else, a stranger. His gaze was dark, piercing, as if searching his soul.
"And you, are you the Alpha? » she replied, hiding her surprise behind a confident tone.
He gave an amused smile. " Indeed. My name is Xavier. I am here to take back what is rightfully mine. »
She stared at him, searching his unfathomable eyes for answers. Xavier was far from the image she had created. He didn't have Finn's seductive and treacherous look. No, he was of another type, more formidable, more impenetrable. She couldn't help but feel a sort of fascination, mixed with a dull apprehension.
"So, Xavier, what do you expect from me? » she said, lifting her chin to hide her confusion.
He held her gaze, an enigmatic smile stretching his lips. "That you play your part, Lyra. This marriage is much more than just a union. It is a pact, an alliance which will strengthen my position and which will give you a place that no one can contest. »
She felt her heart beat faster, a glint of defiance lighting up in her eyes. "What if I refuse? »
His smile widened, but his gaze grew colder. "You have a choice, of course. But your family is in a critical situation, and you know as well as I that this marriage is their only chance of survival. »
The silence fell again, heavy. She then understood that this marriage was not a simple formality. It was a game of power, a chessboard on which everyone had to place their pieces carefully. She also understood that she could use this situation to her advantage, not only to help her family, but also to obtain justice, to avenge the wounds inflicted by those who had betrayed her.
"Very well," she whispered, a glint of determination in her eyes. "I'll play along. But know one thing, Xavier: I'm not a docile pawn. If you want me to be on your side, you'll have to earn my respect too. »
He tilted his head, his intense gaze never leaving hers. "I expected nothing less from you, Lyra. »
As he walked away, she stood there, alone under the starry sky, thoughts swirling in her mind. She knew that the path ahead would be strewn with pitfalls, sacrifices and difficult choices. But for the first time in a long time, she felt a glimmer of hope, a possibility of renewal.
In his heart, anger and resentment still simmered, but now they were tinged with a strange impatience, a thirst for revenge. She promised herself that she would take advantage of this marriage, not to submit, but to claim what she deserved, to become much more than just the Alpha's bride.
And so, Lyra began her return to the pack, determined to prove that she would not be broken or manipulated again.
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