"Stand there," Varek commanded.
He dragged Mira toward the center of the training grounds at the edge of the forest. The morning air was cold and windy, and the fresh grass was crunching under her bare feet.
Mira rubbed her sore wrist, her breath coming out in small white clouds. She looked around at the tall, dark pines surrounding them. "I won't spar with you, just kill me, I'm tired of the games."
"The Nightshade Pack said you were a broken thing. A servant who knew her place.. Let's see if they lied about that."
Varek said nothing. He took five long strides back and turned his back to the rising sun. A massive dark werewolf rose behind him, its presence forcing every living thing to submit except Mira.
Varek's eyes began to glow, a deep red that burned through the morning mist, and a low growl rumbled from his chest.
Seeing how Mira showed no reaction to his Alpha aura, he pushed harder, pouring more of his dominant will toward her, trying to force her to submit, but nothing changed.
Mira just stood there, narrowing her eyes in confusion.
"Are you... okay?" she asked softly.
The red glow in Varek's eyes flickered and died. He stumbled forward with heavy breathing, He looked at her as if she had just grown a second head.
"How are you still standing?" he hissed, his voice raw. "Why are you immune to my Alpha aura."
Mira looked down at her feet, then back at him. "I don't feel anything. Is something supposed to happen?"
Varek marched toward her, his face a mask of fury and confusion.
He grabbed her by the shoulders, his fingers digging into her skin. "Who are you? No Omega stays upright under my gaze, ignoring a direct command from an Alpha, who let out its aura."
"Like they told you!" Mira yelled, her own temper finally flaring. "I'm just an Omega. That's what I've been my whole life. The girl who cleans the floors and eats the scraps." She looked at his frustrated face and a spark of defiance lit up inside her. "Maybe... maybe your aura just isn't that strong."
The air turned ice-cold.
Varek's face went pale, as his blue eyes turned into dangerous red.
It was pure, unadulterated rage.
"I'm sor…"
He shoved her before she could apologise as she hit the hard cold ground.
She tried to get back up, but Varek was already over her, pinning her down with the sheer force of his shadow.
"Do not," he snarled, his voice dropping to a terrifyingly quiet level. "Ever, mock me again."
He leaned down until his nose was inches from hers.
"I don't know what trick you're playing, or what monster is hiding under that skin," he whispered, his grip on her shoulders tightening until she winced. "But I will break you. I will find the crack in that armor of yours, and when I do, you will wish you had just obeyed."
He stood up abruptly, leaving her shivering in the dirt.
"Get up," he snapped, already walking back toward the castle. "We aren't finished."
Mira watched his retreating back, her heart finally starting to race, wondering what was in her that intrigued him so much.
Back in the castle.
Mira sat huddled on the edge of the bed, her fingers tracing the patterns in the quilt until the door swung wide with a gentle creak.
Lucien walked in, holding a tray of food. Mira's stomach rumbled at the scent of roasted lamb and the sweet, heavy perfume of dark cherries.
"I imagine the dungeon menu isn't quite this refined," Lucien said, his voice a low, steady hum. He set the tray down on the small table by the window.
Mira looked at the food, then up at him. Her throat felt tight. "Wow, is… Is there any reason for this?"
Lucien pulled out a chair, the wood scraping softly against the stone floor. "No… I couldn't forget you after our first encounter, so I thought maybe Varek wasn't treating you well. I used this chance to see you again."
Mira hesitated, then reached for a thick slice of buttered bread. It was still warm. "Thank you, Lucien. I didn't think anyone here knew what kindness was."
"It's a rare luxury in the Blood Moon Pack," Lucien murmured, watching her eat. "But you're a rare girl, Mira. Even Varek can't decide if he wants to break you or study you."
Mira wanted to talk more about his brother but feared causing trouble between the two.
A slow smile spread across her face as she looked at him, he returned the gesture as well, but that ended when Varek stepped inside.
His presence felt heavy and suffocating. His gaze dropped to the tray, his lip curling to reveal a flash of fang. The sight terrified Mira and she stopped eating.
"Lucien," Varek growled
"Brother," Lucien replied. He didn't stand. He didn't even flinch. He just picked up a cherry and rolled it between his fingers.
"Since when do you play servant to my guests?"
"Since you started treating your guests like carcasses," Lucien shot back.
Varek's hand clenched into a fist. "She is my concern. My guest. My problem. You have no business being in this wing."
"I made it my business, I apologise if my gesture for your ... .guest disturbs you," Lucien said, finally standing. He was nearly as tall as Varek, but where Varek was a storm, Lucien was a deep, quiet river. "
"You can get out now. I have things to discuss with her that don't require your 'charity'."
Lucien turned to Mira, ignoring Varek's vibrating rage. "Eat up, Mira. Don't let his temper spoil the meal. You'll need the energy."
As Lucien stepped past him, Varek's shoulder shoved into his in a silent, brutal challenge.
Mira began to fear for Lucien as Varek followed him out of the room.
He slammed Lucien against the cold masonry, his fingers digging into his brother's collar.
"This is the last time I see you near her," Varek hissed, his eyes bleeding into a feral, pulsating red.
Lucien choked out a dry laugh. "Why so protective, Varek? I thought she was nothing to you. So why does it bother you if I feed her?"
"It bothers me because she is mine," Varek snarled, his claws pricking the skin of Lucien's neck. "Every breath she takes in this pack belongs to me. She was a gift to me and not to you, so stay clear."
Lucien's smirk faded, replaced by something sharper. "You're jealous, Varek. You're acting like a wolf who's found a mate he's too proud to claim."
"I am acting like an Alpha protecting his borders," Varek leaned in, his breath hot against Lucien's ear. "If I see you near her door again, I will forget we share a name. Do you understand?"
Lucien rubbed the mark Varek's claws left on his neck, his face was filled with a sly grin.
"Don't worry brother, I always take interest in things you try to hide."