After My Alpha Chose Her, I Found the Lycan Prince

I didn't look back as I stepped across the pack house threshold, Muffin nestled securely in my arms. The weight on my shoulders lifted slightly with each step away from the life I was leaving behind. The mate bond I'd never truly had was finally breaking—not with a ceremony or words, but with the simple act of walking away from a man who never chose me. The evening air felt crisp against my tear-stained cheeks, carrying the scent of pine and freedom.

Then, without warning, I collided with something solid.

'Whoa there,' a deep, warm voice said above me.

I stumbled backward, clutching Muffin tighter as I looked up into the most striking pair of amber eyes I'd ever seen. They belonged to a tall man with broad shoulders and an air of quiet authority that seemed to radiate from him. There was something vaguely familiar about his features, though I couldn't place it.

'I'm so sorry,' I whispered, my voice still raw from suppressed tears. 'I wasn't looking where—'

'Lia Watson,' he said, my name sounding different in his mouth. 'And you're leaving?'

I froze. He knew my name. But how? I was just an Omega, invisible to most.

He stepped closer, and I caught his scent—cedar and something distinctly powerful. Lycan. My instincts recognized what my mind was still processing.

'Prince Cyrus,' I breathed, suddenly understanding. The pack house landlord. Collin's uncle. The Lycan royalty who rarely made appearances at Moonveil.

His eyes softened as they took in my packed duffel bag and Muffin's anxious form. 'What happened?'

Nothing in his tone demanded an answer. It was a genuine question, offered without pressure.

'Nothing that matters now,' I replied, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. 'I'm just...'

'Leaving,' he finished for me, his gaze drifting to the pack house behind me. Something flickered across his face—concern, perhaps even anger—but it vanished so quickly I wondered if I'd imagined it.

Before I could respond, Muffin wiggled free from my arms. To my shock, she padded directly to Cyrus's feet and settled there, looking up at him with complete trust. My wolf pup, who growled at strangers and even some pack members, had just voluntarily approached a Lycan Prince she'd never met.

Cyrus knelt down, his large hand gently stroking Muffin's fur. 'Hello, little one,' he murmured. 'You're as beautiful as your mother.'

'I—she doesn't usually—' I stammered, bewildered by Muffin's behavior.

His eyes met mine again. 'It's not safe for an unescorted Omega to leave pack territory at night,' he said, his voice firm but kind. 'Especially not with rogues reported in the area.'

'I'll be fine,' I insisted, though the thought of facing rogues alone made my stomach twist.

'I insist,' he said, and there was a subtle shift in his tone—the gentle authority of a Lycan Prince, not demanding but absolute. 'You'll stay in the pack house tonight.'

My heart sank. 'I can't go back there.'

'Not there,' he clarified, gesturing toward the main pack quarters. 'With me. In my private wing.'

I stared at him, certain I'd misheard. 'Your wing?'

'Yes,' he said simply. 'It's the safest place for you right now, and I have rooms to spare.'

I hesitated, torn between gratitude and wariness. But Muffin had already made her choice, pressing against Cyrus's legs as if she'd known him forever.

'Okay,' I finally whispered.

He smiled then—a genuine smile that reached his eyes and somehow made him look younger, less imposing. 'Good. Let's get you both settled.'

---

Later that night, I stood in the doorway of my new room in Cyrus's wing. It was easily three times the size of my Omega quarters, with a real bed, a desk, and a window overlooking the forest. After Cyrus had shown me around, I'd showered and changed into clean clothes, feeling almost human again.

Muffin was curled up on the plush carpet, finally asleep after her earlier excitement. But thirst had driven me from the room in search of water.

The hallway was surprisingly bright. Every light was on, casting a warm glow that chased away shadows. I'd grown so accustomed to the dark, cramped corridors of the Omega quarters that this illumination felt almost overwhelming.

'Can't sleep?' Cyrus's voice came from behind me.

I turned to find him standing there in casual clothes, his powerful frame somehow less intimidating without the formal Lycan regalia.

'I was just getting water,' I explained. 'But... why are all the lights on?'

He seemed to understand immediately. 'The Omega quarters are isolated,' he said quietly. 'Dark. I thought... I wanted you to feel safe.'

The simple consideration hit me harder than I expected. No one had ever left a light on for me before. No one had ever thought about what might make me feel safe.

'Thank you,' I whispered, the words inadequate for the warmth spreading through my chest.

He nodded, his amber eyes holding mine for a moment longer than necessary. 'Get your water, Lia. And try to rest. Tomorrow is a new day.'

As I watched him walk away, Muffin's odd behavior and his unexpected kindness circled in my mind. There was something about Cyrus Knight that felt like a puzzle piece I hadn't known was missing—something that made me wonder what other surprises this Lycan Prince might have in store.