Kira’s POV

The first thing I learned growing up in the Beta house was this:

Beautiful girls were forgiven for everything. Their beauty screamed favor. They always have opportunities.

Girls like me were not.

“Careful with that!”

The maid slammed into my shoulder before I could move away fast enough, nearly knocking the silver tray from my hands. Wine glasses rattled violently, drawing attention instantly, and every servant in the hallway turned toward me like they were waiting for me to embarrass myself.

“I—I’m sorry,” I whispered automatically.

Even when it wasn’t my fault. I already caused enough hazards today. I had mistakenly stepped on the guard dog’s tail, Jack, earlier this morning. Selene had yelled the hell at me.

The maid rolled her eyes before walking away.

Of course.

I stood there for a second longer, gripping the tray tightly while voices and footsteps swallowed the mansion around me.

The entire Beta estate looked like it had lost its mind. Servants rushed through the hallways carrying flowers, expensive wine, polished silver trays, dresses, jewelry boxes, and anything Lady Selene screamed for every five minutes.

Because today mattered.

Today, the great Alpha Kael was arriving.

The alpha every unmated woman in the pack secretly dreamed about.

He is powerful, untouchable, tall, very masculine, and dangerously handsome, according to literally everyone.

And unfortunately for the rest of the female population…

He was already promised to my stepsister.

“You’re standing in the middle of the hallway again.”

I looked up instantly.

Selene’s sharp voice sliced through the noise effortlessly as she descended the grand staircase, every servant around her straightening immediately.

She looked elegant in dark green silk, cold and graceful like the kind of woman who could smile while ruining your life.

Then Jasmine appeared behind her.

And suddenly I remembered exactly why nobody ever noticed me.

My stepsister looked beautiful enough to make people stop breathing for a second. The perfection of royalty. Her golden dress hugged her perfectly while maids carefully fixed the loose curls falling over her shoulders.

Even the guards near the entrance looked distracted.

Jasmine noticed it too.

She always noticed when people looked at her.

Selene’s eyes landed on me seconds later, and her expression immediately tightened.

“You’re wearing that?”

I looked down at my plain black dress, and suddenly, it felt uglier than before.

“It’s clean,” I answered quietly.

“That wasn’t my question.”

Heat crawled slowly up my neck. This day should end already; everywhere felt awkward.

Around us, servants pretended not to listen while listening to absolutely everything.

Selene sighed softly like my existence exhausted her personally.

“At least stay out of sight tonight,” she said. “The last thing we need is another awkward scene in front of the Alpha.”

Another awkward scene. Right.

Like the one last winter where I accidentally spilled tea during dinner after Father asked me a question in front of guests and my stupid throat closed up so badly I couldn’t answer without crying.

It was very humiliating.

I could still hear Jasmine’s friends laughing about it weeks later.

“I think she looks fine,” Jasmine said suddenly.

Her soft voice, sweet smile, and fake concern. I hated it, not because she insulted me openly.

Because she never needed to.

People like Jasmine destroyed you politely.

Selene adjusted Jasmine’s necklace proudly before ignoring me again.

“Remember to smile more tonight,” she told her daughter gently. “This contract will change your future.”

Contract.

That word had practically become decoration inside this house.

Every conversation somehow led back to Alpha Kael and the alliance marriage.

I still didn’t fully understand why powerful people loved turning relationships into business deals.

Then again, maybe love has always been business for people like them.

Jasmine smiled beautifully.

“I know, Mother.”

Mother.

Such a simple word for almost everyone.

Yet hearing it always left this ugly empty feeling inside my chest.

My own mother died giving birth to me and Remi.

And honestly?

Sometimes I wondered if Father blamed us for it.

Because people don’t look at daughters they love the way he looked at us.

They don’t speak to them like obligations.

They don’t forget them so easily.

“Try not to embarrass yourself tonight, Kira."

Selene added casually before walking away with Jasmine beside her.

Like I was some stain on the expensive floors.

The moment they disappeared, I released the breath trapped painfully inside my lungs.

“You know,” a familiar voice muttered behind me, “one day I’m actually going to poison that woman.”

I turned quickly.

Remi leaned against the doorway holding two stolen strawberries, completely relaxed despite the chaos around us.

Unlike me, my twin always knew how to breathe inside this house.

“You say that every week,” I muttered.

“And one day I’ll mean it.”

I snorted quietly before taking the strawberry she offered me.

Remi watched me carefully for a second.

“You okay?”

“No.”

“At least you’re honest today.”

I leaned tiredly against the wall beside her.

The truth was… something about tonight felt strange already. The house felt heavy.

Like the house itself was waiting for something, or someone.

“Do you think he’s really as handsome as they say?” Remi asked suddenly.

“The Alpha?”

She nodded immediately.

I shrugged.

“Probably.”

“You sound uninterested.”

“I am uninterested.”

Remi gave me a look that clearly said liar.

Not because I cared about Alpha Kael specifically, but because everyone else cared.

Girls whispered about him constantly.

"Strong Alpha," "future legend," and "cold personality" are the least of things I've heard about him.

Some say he has a beautiful face.

As if the Moon Goddess herself handcrafted him for obsession.

Honestly, it sounded exhausting.

Then suddenly—

The massive entrance doors opened downstairs.

The entire mansion went silent.

Everywhere went completely silent.

Even the servants froze.

A strange pressure swept through the hallway almost instantly, powerful enough to make my stomach tighten.

The Alpha's presence.

I had heard people describe it before.

But hearing about it and actually feeling it were two different things entirely.

Slow footsteps echoed through the entrance hall below.

They were controlled, heavy, and dangerous.

And for some reason…

My heart skipped.

Remi grabbed my wrist immediately before dragging me toward the staircase.

“Kira.”

“What?”

“He’s here.”