Lyra POV

Marie laughs a little and smirks, "You're not as clever as you two think you are," seeing her son hide in the kitchen with her.

"Explain yourself." As they peek out the kitchen door and see Richard enter one of the conference rooms with Lyra and Andreas —the former seeming pleased, the latter still a little lost—York hisses and shushes her.

"So, where are your sentries, Alpha Lancaster, that powerful being?" Grinning, Lyra dives onto one of the revolving chairs arranged around the table.

When Richard clears his throat, his daughter silently obeys by closing her lips and sitting up straight. She understands that her dad seldom takes things seriously, so she has to shut up and listen.

She still doesn't understand that she has no idea what will happen and has been completely kept in the dark.

When Richard flings a change of clothing at Andreas, the latter returns the favour with a grateful expression. In less than a minute, he emerges from the restroom, his button-up shirt and formal pants squeezing him like they were painted on.

Lyra enjoys the view as she looks at him.

Lyra is seated at the head of the table, Andreas is to her right, and Richard is to her left.

Richard starts, "What I am going to ask concerns both of you," with a tentative expression.

He says, "I need your aid in identifying the Unfortunate Alpha, Andreas," and for a while, Andreas's forehead furrows.

What just happened to him? Sonya seems shocked.

To her wolf, Lyra replies, as perplexed, "Honestly, I have no idea."

"Why?" With his hands clasped together on the table before him, he asks with a raised eyebrow.

Curious about her father's next move, Lyra also leans forward.

"I want to set up a meeting between him and Lyra," he says, causing Lyra to leap out of her chair and flush.

"Dad," she growls, appearing prepared to jump at him and rip out his eyes.

Sensing this, Andreas jumps out of his seat as well, forcing her to return to her seat while keeping his hands on her shoulders and giving Richard an equal amount of attention.

That meeting wouldn't be amicable with Richard present.

He would be setting up this encounter so his daughter might meet someone.

Lyra urged Richard to leave things alone and let nature run its course. Still, he never gave up on finding her a partner despite being a wonderful father and never allowing anybody to speak poorly of her position.

Andreas says, "I won't put it up without Lyra's approval," the older guy twitches, staring at Andreas with two pairs of eyes.

Richard looks at the other man, saying, "Andreas, I am asking you, Alpha to Alpha."

Andreas releases Lyra's shoulders as he senses her rising. "Richard, I am asking you, as a parent, to consider what you are asking me and what this says about Lyra," Andreas adds.

Lyra gestures at her father while trembling with wrath.

He tries, "Lyra," but she shakes her head and furrows her brow.

She shouts, "I don't care; you had absolutely no right," Richard turns to approach his daughter, but Andreas moves to be in the way.

Andreas looks at Lyrain's case, snaps at her father, and adds softly, "With all due respect, Richard, I think she needs to cool off." "Her wolf isn't entirely recovered yet, yet she attacked me an hour ago."

Lyra can feel her rage building, but then she realises that Andreas is the Alpha everyone calls the peacekeeper, so she recognizes his name. That's why he never attends council meetings; he's too busy solving other people's issues.

Richard, all eyes on his daughter, seems to hear just half of what Andreas says before whispering, "Lyra, you have to understand - we can't see you suffer through another day like today or the previous times."

"A strike? Why did you assault him? After muttering something, Richard links Marie's thoughts to come and join him, deciding that the current issue is more essential.

She looks at her husband with a raised eyebrow as she enters the room and senses the tension.

How did you proceed? Linking him, she looks at the Alpha positioned between them, preventing her daughter from launching an attack on her husband.

He answers right away, hoping his wife can intervene. I requested him to assist me in arranging a meeting between Lyra and the Alpha, who is similar to her.

Marie furrows her brow, comes behind her husband, and draws him back a few paces.

"You ought to have given her the facts and allowed her to make the decision; it was a decision she had to make. She whispers in his ear, "You may as well be setting up a marriage for her, the way you've gone about this," Lyra nods in agreement.

Andreas moves away from them, appearing incredibly uncomfortable and uneasy.

"I didn't intend to go too far. He turns to go. "I'll be departing now, but don't hesitate to contact me if there are any more concerns or queries," he adds quietly.

Richard adds abruptly, "Take her with you." The other three exclaim, "What?" in response.

He hurriedly adds, "For training," wringing his hands in worry that his daughter would misunderstand.

"Explain yourself." With a thoughtful and cautious glance around, Alpha Andreas asks.

"She trained with six alphas, myself included. But she hasn't received her training in the West," Richard immediately clarifies.

His wife and children wonder where he's heading with this as they stare at him in utter dread.

York rushes into the conference room after receiving a mental link from his sister and mother telling him what's happening. His mother is horrified.

Andreas gives you the same bewildered expression as he glances back.

"In your area, she could meet someone she likes!" Richard continues, and Andreas inhales so forcefully that a button on his shirt comes off.

York looks at his sister with startled eyes and snaps, "Dad, you're not the Alpha anymore. Watch what you say about my subordinate."

Lyra turns to face York, and Marie gives a firm nod in response to the stern undertone in his speech.

Marie replies quietly and politely, "Andreas, if you wouldn't mind walking into the kitchen, I can have somebody prepare you some tea or coffee." She points to the door that leads to the kitchen.

Silently nodding, Andreas moves to where she indicated.

The family needs some alone time to chat.

Have you gone insane? The moment the other alpha leaves the room, Marie lets out a growl and turns on Richard.

It's time to yell or something else entirely.

York furrows his brows and takes Lyra's arm, guiding her across the room.

How absurd is that, Richard? "You don't just trade her; she's not land or a prisoner," Marie says, raising her voice and ire.

Standing there, looking a little confused, is Richard.

He stammers, "I simply wanted her to meet somebody and be happy," Marie becomes enraged, much like her daughter.

She cries, "She doesn't need anybody to make her happy," and the two Wilcott kids in attendance flinch slightly and lean back as though they're trying to avoid the intensity of her rage.

He was looking nervously over his shoulder at his angry mother and naive father; York tugged Lyrain toward the kitchen.

After seating Lyra at the kitchen table, he observes her while passing a glass of water in front of her.

He's terrified of Lyras since she acts aloof and frightened anytime she feels chilly and silent.

Andreas observes the interactions between the quiet siblings while perched on a high seat at the marble bar.

With a shrug, he says, "You may come to my pack if you wish."

York furrows his brows as he looks at him.

York fires at him, putting his arm around Lyra, who sips her water silently, saying, "I'd rather my deputy stays here where I need her to perform her job."

From there, she could carry out her tasks. Not that she would even need to go outside the packhouse. I would not be offended if she needed to go even for a week; I hope you understand. Andreas continues cautiously, keeping eye contact with York, "I don't think your father phrased some of the things he said in there as he meant to.

She has the last say. With a gentle squeeze on his elder sister, York says, "She can make her judgments."

Lyra mumbles, appearing extremely sad, "I want to go."