Betrayed Heiress: My Second Chance Mate is A Lycan King

Aira’s POV

I am unable to take my eyes off the view of the outside world. We drove through the forest in silence, and part of the reason I absolutely refused to take my eyes off the window is because of the fact that Alexander has been staring at me since the very second we stepped into this car.

He was not even trying to be discreet about it.

I noticed his change in demeanor the minute I walked out of the palace; he looked at me like a child would after seeing the prettiest person in their whole life. And Alexander was not a child, and I am certain I am not the prettiest person he has ever come across.

Perhaps he was in shock to find me wearing something other than rags and a dusty old maid’s uniform.

The ride back to the city is silent and awkward, and despite the fact that the air conditioner is blowing at full capacity, I still felt pretty hot. I could not tell if it was due to the fact that Alexander has been staring at me for an unhealthy amount of time or the fact that I was returning to the place I once called home.

Whatever it was, I sure did not like it.

I soon find peace in the outside world, but that peace vanishes the moment we enter the city. Not a bit of it has changed since the last time I was here.

The sky above it is still blue, the buildings are still standing tall and high, and the two categories of people still remain. The cheery children and the depressed adults.

I suppose that is just what I loved about living in this city-the fact that Jace was able to keep me a happy adult despite all the factors that threatened to make me a part of the matrix.

We drive by one of the ice cream parlors my sister and I used to go to with our parents. My gaze falls on two young girls, possibly around the age of six. They have similar features to Ana and me. One of them balls her eyes out as her ice cream falls all over the floor, while the other enjoys hers happily, not caring that her sister is sad.

Funny how I can remember this exact same thing happening between us.

We drive past the ice cream parlor and towards the old run-down club, where my friends and I would usually come to get drunk and live a bit irresponsibly. During this time, I hadn’t even met Jace; I was just a young teenager rebelling against the deaths of her parents and using alcohol as my solace.

The nights we spent in there getting drunk, dancing, and puking on strangers all come back to me. I feel a tear threaten to slip past my eye as we drive away from the club, the memories of those nights fading away.

And then I see it. the auditorium where it all started.

“This is where the ball is going to be held tomorrow morning,” I hear Alexander explain, and I manage to only hum in response. There is no point in telling him that I am already aware of that fact.

I know every inch and corner of this city, possibly even better than him.

For the first time since we got started on this trip, I tear my gaze away from the window. I would rather not reminisce about the night I met the man who shattered my heart and stole everything I owned.

Once again, I feel Alexander’s eyes on me, but I pay him no attention. Thankfully, it does not take long before the car finally comes to a stop. Alexander is the first to get out of the car, and I follow his lead.

The mansion before us has my jaw dropping. I did not know such homes actually existed in this city. It is two stories long and has glass for walls. It has a modern architectural touch that I just seem to fancy.

I take a look around to find that the house is surrounded by trees. A pathway leads down to a rather tall black-and-gold gate. A fitting residence for a king, if I must say.

Two men in uniform emerge from the house and bow at Alexander before taking our bags into the mansion.

“Let me show you to your room to freshen up,” Alexander says briskly before marching up the front porch. I follow him closely, getting an eyeful of his mansion as we step inside. This place screamed nothing but luxury.

From the crystal white couches to the platinum flat-screen TV to the black binds, air conditioner, chandelier, and even the damn kitchenette. Everything was just up to par.

He ascends the stairs, and I follow right after him. I notice that the entire building is plain. No paintings, no family photographs. There isn’t even a damn flowerpot in here.

He stops before a door and gestures for me to open it. and I do.

My eyes widen by a fraction once I step inside. There is a queen-sized bed situated in the middle of the room. a walk-in closet, a golden dresser, a mini couch, and a flat-screen TV. There is even a mini fridge as well.

“Do you like it?” Alexander asks, and I spin around to meet his eyes, which have already been watching me. He couldn’t possibly be nervous now, could he?

A small smile stretches my lips when I say, “I love it.”

He nods a bit and purses his lips. “Good,” he says, then turns his back and leaves. The guards have already brought in my bags, so I use the time to put some of my things in my closet.

Once I am done, a knock comes from the door. “Come in,” I say, and one of the guards from earlier walks in.

“Good evening, ma’am. The alpha has requested that you join him in the living room.”

“Oh, okay, thank you,” I say, and he bows his head before leaving. I leave my room and head straight downstairs. Alexander is standing by the door with a coat as an addition to his earlier attire. “You summoned me, my lord,” I say sarcastically, and I almost miss the second his lips twitch upwards.

“I am heading out to get dinner; you are coming with me,” he says, simply opening the door before stepping out.

“Oh, how can I forget that I don’t have a choice?” I mutter, even though I am certain he heard me. We get into the car and drive into town in silence.

We stop at one of my favorite restaurants, popularly known as Lucho. They have the best Italian cuisine. As we step out of the car, I can’t help but feel as though there are a thousand eyes on me.

Alexander appears by my side, and my body grows stiff when he wraps his hand around my waist. He brings his lips closer to my ears and whispers, “Keep your head down.”

I do as he says without question, and I let him lead me into the restaurant. I am a bit startled when cameras start flashing and the whispers of the people nearby fill my ears.

“It’s Alpha Alexander.”

“What is he doing in town?”

“He probably came to attend the ball tomorrow night.”

“I heard he doesn’t attend those kinds of things; I heard he is too proud.”

“Who is that woman beside him?”

Everything they say only leaves me more and more in question. When we enter the restaurant, all the buzz settles down. “You can lift your head now.” He says so, and I do. Lucho’s is a lot more pleasant now than the last time I visited here.

And yes, you guessed right, it was with Jace.

My shoulders slouch a bit as I watch a waiter walk up to us. “Your reservation is ready, Alpha Alexander.”

Alexander’s only response is a nod. We follow the waitress to our table before giving him our orders. He writes all of it down in his notebook before leaving.

“So, mind telling me what all that outside was about?” I ask Alexander, and he has the audacity to grin. It annoys me how handsome this man can look without even trying.

“I am a bit of a celebrity in this city, which is one of the reasons why I hate coming here. I can’t get anything done without people staring and watching my every move all the time,” he pauses, then digs into his pocket. “You know the ladies love me around here.”

A snort leaves my lips, and I roll my eyes. “Well, they are blind as hell.”

His eyes narrowed at me, almost jokingly. So the infamous Alpha Alexander is familiar with humor. Who would have thought?

“Don’t act like you haven’t fawned over my good looks before,” he says, and I will never admit to him that I do. Every day.

“You wish; you are just average to me,” I lie, and I know he can see right through it because he chuckles a bit.

“Would an average man give you this?” he asks before pulling out a box from his coat. He hands it over to me, and my eyes widen. I look back at him to find him watching me with amusement in his eyes.

“You got me an iPhone 15?” I ask, and he shrugs.

“Is that what it is? I just ordered that you get a good phone, so I suppose this was the best they could find,” he says casually, and my jaw is still pretty much on the floor.

“Oh my God, Alexander! I didn’t know you were capable of getting gifts for others,” I tell him, and he clears his throat, his hard expression returning.

“It’s not a gift. I am giving it to you because you are most likely to get lost or into some sort of trouble here. It’s better you have a way I can easily reach me or I can track you,” he says. I knew that was a blatant lie.

“Thank you,” I tell him softly, and as I watch his hard exterior soften, there is something that flashes in his eyes-an emotion. But it disappears before I can identify it.

“Thank you,” he says, then tears his gaze away from me.

The waiter returns with our dinner, and we eat in silence. I set up my phone while eating. There are times I would feel his eyes on me, but whenever I would lift my gaze, I would find him busy with his phone. Maybe it is all in my head.

We leave the restaurant shortly after, and I keep my head down until I am in the car. Throughout the ride, my eyes remained glued to my phone. I finish logging back into all my social media accounts, and my cheeks hurt from smiling too much.

“I am starting to regret getting you this,” Alexander mutters, and I chuckle.

We return to his mansion and step in together. Before going into my room, I stop and say, “Alexander?”

He turns around and lifts a brow. “Yeah?”

Without thinking, I close the distance between us and engulf him in a tight hug. His body grows rigid beneath my touch. “Thank you.”

I step away to find a surprised look on his face. He blinks it away and regains his composure in no time. “Uh, yeah, you are welcome.” He says that, then clears his throat. I watch him return to his room, not being able to help the smile on my face.

Maybe Alexander really is changing for the better.

That night I spent most of it scrolling through Instagram, and what I found was that the headlight made all the blood in my veins freeze.

On the headline of every news story is one picture and one caption.

ALPHA ALEXANDER RETURNS, BUT WITH A MYSTERY WOMAN, WHO IS SHE?

The picture is of Alexander and I entering and leaving the restaurant earlier today. My face is not completely visible, but anyone who knows me will clearly know that it is me.

Anyone like Jace or Ana?