_Anya's POV_

The moment I stepped inside the mansion, I felt smaller than I ever had before.

The entrance hall was enormous. The floor beneath my feet was polished stone so smooth that it caught the light from the high chandeliers above and threw it back in pale gold. The ceiling was so high that I had to tilt my head to see it properly. Long dark curtains hung beside tall windows and portraits of stern-looking men and women covered the walls. They all looked powerful and important.

Everything around me felt rich and heavy. It did not look anything like the Beta house where I had grown up. That house had been large too but it had never felt like this. This place felt like power had been built into every wall and every stone.

I pulled Alpha Jacob's coat tighter around myself.

He noticed.

"You are cold?" he asked.

"A little," I admitted.

His eyes lingered on my face for a second. "That will not be a problem for long."

I did not ask what he meant. He began to walk again and I followed because I had no choice.

As we moved deeper into the mansion, I looked around carefully. My heart was still racing but curiosity pushed through some of the fear. Wide hallways stretched in several directions. There were more staircases than I could count. Servants moved quietly through the corridors with lowered eyes. Some glanced at me quickly before looking away.

I could feel their curiosity. I could also feel their surprise. Of course they were surprised. Their Alpha had returned with a strange girl in torn clothes and had introduced her as his mate.

Alpha Jacob must have sensed my unease because he spoke without looking at me. "Do not worry about them. They know better than to disrespect you."

That did not comfort me much.

He gestured toward a wide archway on the left. "That is the main kitchen. There are smaller kitchens on the upper floors but most meals are prepared there."

I turned my head and saw a large bright room beyond the archway. Several women were working quickly inside. The smell of bread and meat drifted into the hall and my stomach twisted painfully at the scent. I had been starved for days. My body remembered that too well.

Alpha Jacob's gaze flicked toward me. "You will be fed properly here."

I lowered my eyes. I did not know why that simple sentence made my chest feel tight.

We kept walking. As we passed another corridor, he said, "The omegas and lower-ranking servants live on the lower floors. The upper floors are for higher-ranked wolves, guests and members of the main family."

That made sense. It was the same in many packs, though Fireblood seemed far stricter about order and rank than Silvercrest. Even the way the servants moved told me that.

Maya stirred inside me. This place feels too controlled.

Yes, I thought. Everything here feels watched.

We reached the grand staircase in the center of the mansion. It curved upward in a wide sweep, with dark railings and silver details worked into the metal. I stopped for a moment just to stare at it. It looked like something from a story. It was too grand and perfect to be real.

Alpha Jacob noticed my pause. "You have never seen a staircase before?" he asked and there was the smallest trace of amusement in his voice.

Heat rose to my face. "Not like this."

For a moment, he said nothing. Then his expression changed just slightly. "Well, you will see many things here that you have never seen before."

I could not tell if that was a promise or a warning.

We climbed the stairs together. My legs were still weak and by the time we reached the upper floor, I was already tired. Alpha Jacob slowed his pace without saying anything. I noticed that too.

The upper hallway was long and lined with closed doors, tall lamps and rich carpets that softened our footsteps. Then another hallway came after that....and then another. Each one looked almost the same as the last. It was beautiful...but also confusing.

I frowned and looked around, trying to keep track of where we were going, but after only a few turns I had already lost all sense of direction.

Alpha Jacob glanced at me. "What is it?"

"This house is too big," I said quietly. "It would be easy to get lost here."

His mouth curved faintly. "That is true."

He kept walking. "You will learn it in time."

I was not so sure.

At last, after what felt like far too many turns, we reached the end of a long hallway. There were only two doors there. They were facing each other across a small stretch of carpet.

Alpha Jacob stopped and pointed to the last door on the right. "This is my room."

I immediately became tense again. Then he turned slightly and pointed to the door beside it.

"You will stay here for now."

I blinked and looked at him.

He must have understood the question in my face because he continued in the same calm tone. "I know that you are not comfortable living with me directly. I will give you some time to adjust to the pack first. The room next to mine is yours for the time being."

I stared at him. That was not what I had expected.

"But," he added and his eyes held mine now, "after our marriage, you will stay with me."

My stomach tightened again.

Marriage.

Every time he said things like that, it felt as if I was hearing about someone else's life and not mine.

I said nothing.

Alpha Jacob opened the door and stepped aside for me to enter.

The moment I walked inside, I forgot how to breathe for a second.

The room was larger than the entire sleeping area I had been using in my former house. A huge bed stood against the far wall. It was covered in dark red and cream blankets so soft that they looked unreal. There was a fireplace with carved stone around it, a thick carpet under my feet and tall windows covered with elegant curtains. A cushioned chair sat near one corner beside a small table with books stacked neatly on it. There was even a dressing table with a mirror framed in silver and beyond another door, I could glimpse what looked like a private bathing room.

I turned slowly, taking it all in. I had never seen such a room in my life. Not even Talia had a room like this.

My throat tightened strangely. I did not belong in a place like this. I felt like a dirty thing someone had dropped by mistake into a room meant for someone better.

The Alpha was watching me carefully. "You do not like it?" he asked.

I looked at him quickly. "No. I mean... I do. It is just..."

"Too much?" he finished.

I gave a small nod.

For the first time since we had entered the mansion, he gave me a smile that looked almost real. "You will get used to it."

I doubted that.

A knock came at the open door. I turned and saw the dark-haired man who had sat in the front of the car when we arrived. He stepped inside with a straight posture and sharp eyes. He looked younger than Alpha Jacob, but there was still something powerful in him.

Alpha Jacob spoke first. "Anya, this is Dominic. He is my Beta."

Dominic bowed his head slightly toward me. "Luna."

I startled at once. "I am not..."

The Alpha cut in smoothly. "She will be."

Dominic's face did not change. "Understood, Alpha."

That small exchange made me feel even more awkward.

Alpha Jacob turned to Dominic. "Make sure all the servants understand that Anya is to be taken care of properly. I want no mistakes."

Dominic nodded. "Of course."

"And her lunch will be served in her room," Alpha Jacob continued. "I have a meeting and will be busy for several hours."

Dominic bowed his head again. "It will be done."

I felt a small rush of relief at that. I was not ready to sit in some great dining room surrounded by strangers staring at me. Eating in private sounded far better.

The Alpha glanced at me. "That is fine with you?"

"Yes," I said quickly. "I... I would rather stay here."

He studied me for a moment, then nodded as if he had expected that answer.

"To be honest," I added quietly, "I do not know how the others would treat me when you are not there."

His eyes sharpened slightly. "No one will mistreat you here."

That sounded firm enough to make Dominic go even straighter beside the door.

Alpha Jacob continued, "If you need anything, tell the maids. I will be back by evening. I have an important meeting to attend."

I nodded.

My mind was still trying to take in too many things at once. The room. The mansion. His strange kindness. His certainty that I belonged here. None of it felt real.

Then, before I understood what he intended, the Alpha stepped closer.

I froze.

He bent his head and pressed a light kiss to my cheek. The touch was brief and soft. It was completely unexpected. But it made heat rush through me so fast that I almost stepped back in shock.

When he pulled away, I could feel my face burning. He looked almost pleased by my reaction.

"Rest," he said quietly.

Then he turned and walked out with Dominic. The door closed behind them. For several seconds I did not move.

Maya's voice rose inside me at once. I do not like him.

My fingers lifted to my cheek where he had kissed me. "I do not know what to think of him."

You are blushing.

"I am not."

You are.

I was.

That only made me more upset.

I dropped my hand and moved farther into the room, trying to distract myself. I took off the heavy coat and set it across the chair. Then I sat carefully on the edge of the bed.

The mattress sank softly beneath me. Even that felt strange. Everything in the room was too soft....too clean....too warm.

I had spent the last few days in darkness, hunger, pain and fear. Now I was in a room fit for a princess. The change was too sudden. My mind could not keep up with it.

_Anya's POV_

At noon, a soft knock came at the door. I stood and opened it carefully.

A young girl stood outside holding a tray. She looked sweet-faced and nervous, with dark hair tied back neatly and kind brown eyes.

"Hello," she said softly. "My name is Jess. I brought your lunch."

I stepped aside to let her in.

She carried the tray to the table near the window and set it down carefully. As soon as she lifted the lid, the smell of warm food filled the room. There was fresh bread, roasted chicken, vegetables and a bowl of hot soup. The scent alone made my stomach tighten with hunger.

Jess looked at me shyly. "Do you need anything else?"

I looked down at my torn clothes. "I... I would like to change but I do not have any spare clothes."

Jess's expression changed at once. "Oh. Of course."

She looked me over quickly, then nodded to herself. "There should be clothes in your size."

"Really?"

"Yes. Wait here."

She hurried out and returned only a few minutes later carrying neatly folded dresses, underclothes and a simple robe.

She laid them on the bed with a smile. "Try these. If they do not fit, I can bring others."

"Thank you."

Her smile widened slightly. "You are welcome."

Then she left.

I stood there for a moment staring at the clothes. They were plain compared to the rich things I had seen downstairs. But to me they still looked expensive and too good for someone like me.

Maya nudged softly inside me. Eat first.

She was right.

I sat at the table and began to eat. At first I ate slowly because my stomach hurt but hunger quickly took over. The food was warm and tasty. More than once I had to stop because my eyes burned with sudden tears. No one had ever sent a meal like this to my room before.

When I finished, I changed into one of the dresses Jess had brought. It was simple, soft and it fit surprisingly well. Then, because I did not know what else to do with myself, I turned on the television in the corner of the room.

The moving images helped distract me for a little while but not for long. A strange heaviness began to settle over me.

At first I thought it was only exhaustion. That made sense. I had barely slept in days. My body was weak. My mind was worn thin. But this felt different too. It was deeper.....like something was pulling me downward.

My eyelids grew heavier and heavier.

Maya's voice sounded distant. Too sleepy.

"Yes," I murmured, already moving toward the bed.

I lay down only to rest for a moment. The moment I closed my eyes, sleep swallowed me whole.

Then the dream began.

I was in a forest.

The trees were thick and dark and the ground was uneven beneath my feet. Branches snapped somewhere ahead. I could hear harsh breathing and fast footsteps.

A woman was running through the woods.

She held something tightly against her chest and kept looking back over her shoulder. Her movements were desperate. Fear rolled off her so strongly that I felt it like it was my own. She stumbled once, caught herself and kept running.

Then I heard the men. A large group was chasing her. They crashed through the forest behind her, shouting to one another. I could not make out every word but I could feel the danger in their voices. They were hunting her.

I followed without understanding how.

The woman suddenly changed direction. She moved sharply to the left, vanished through a cluster of trees and somehow drew the men after her scent. But then, in the next instant, she slipped away again and ran in another direction entirely. She was trying to trick them. Trying to buy time.

The thing in her arms shifted.

My breath caught.

It was a tiny baby wrapped in white cloth.

The woman kept running until she reached a clearing. At the far end of it stood an old cottage. It was small and lonely beneath the trees. Smoke no longer rose from its chimney. It looked abandoned.

The woman rushed to the door. With shaking hands, she set the baby carefully on the doorstep. Then she leaned down and touched the child's face. Even from where I stood, I could feel the grief pouring out of her.

She turned then and I froze because the face looking back at me was my own. It was not exactly the same but it was close enough to make cold shock rush through me. The shape of her face was the same as mine. Her mouth and eyes were shaped like mine, yet her eyes were green and her hair was blonde. Everything else about her looked exactly like me.

"No," I whispered into the dream. "No..."

The woman looked toward the forest as if she could already hear the men coming closer. Then she looked back down at the baby one last time. Her lips moved. She said something but I could not hear it. I tried to run toward her but my feet would not move.

I was trapped where I stood.

The woman took one step backward. Then another. Then she turned and disappeared into the trees.

The baby began to cry.

The sound sliced through me.

I jolted awake with a gasp.

My whole body was shaking. My breath came fast and hard and my nightdress clung to my skin. For a few seconds I did not know where I was. The forest still seemed to follow me. The woman's face still burned in my mind.

Then the room slowly came back into focus. I pressed a trembling hand to my chest.

"What was that?" I whispered.

Maya was awake now too. She was restless and uneasy. That was no ordinary dream.

I swallowed hard and looked around as if someone might answer me.

My heart would not slow down. It had felt too real. I had never had a dream like that before. Never. Not once.

So why now?

And who was that woman?

Why did she have my face?

A cold shiver moved down my spine.

Outside the window, the light had already started to change. Evening was coming.

And somewhere deep inside me, a terrible feeling began to grow.

That dream had meant something.

I just did not know what it meant and that was what frightened me the most. Dreams like that did not come from nowhere. They felt too real and too painful to be only a dream.

"Maya," I whispered softly, "what was that?"

Maya was quiet for a moment before answering. I do not know. But it did not feel like an ordinary dream. It felt like a memory.

"A memory?" I repeated in a small voice. "That is impossible. I do not remember anything like that."

Maybe it is not your memory, Maya said slowly. Maybe it is your past.

I did not understand what she meant and the more I tried to think about it, the more confused I became. My head started to hurt, so I pressed my fingers lightly against my temple and closed my eyes for a moment.

"Why would I dream of a woman who looks like me?" I whispered. "And why did she leave that baby? And why did it feel like my heart was breaking when she walked away?"

Maya did not answer this time.

The room felt too quiet suddenly. I swung my legs slowly over the side of the bed and sat there, trying to calm my breathing. But no matter how much I tried, the image of the woman's face would not leave my mind.

"I do not like this," I whispered. "I do not like any of this."

Just then, there was a sudden knock on the door.

I jumped so badly that my heart slammed painfully against my ribs. For a moment I just stared at the door. I was too startled to move.

Then I heard Alpha Jacob's voice from the other side. "Anya. It is time for dinner."

_Anya's POV_

I walked slowly to the door. My heart was beating faster for no reason that I could explain. Maybe it was because I was still shaken by the dream. Maybe it was because I knew he was standing on the other side of the door.

I placed my hand on the handle and opened it.

The moment the door opened, I found myself standing face to face with Alpha Jacob.

For one second, neither of us spoke.

Then suddenly, I felt it.

A sharp pull inside my chest. It was not pain. It was something else. Something warm and strong that seemed to wrap around my heart and pull me toward him.

My breath caught.

Inside my head, Maya suddenly shouted, Mate. Mate. Mate.

The word echoed loudly in my mind and made my whole body go still.

I stared at him.

He was already looking at me and he was smiling slightly, but when he saw the strange expression on my face, his smile faded and his brows pulled together in concern.

"Are you alright?" he asked gently. "You look a little pale."

"I... I am fine," I said quickly but my voice sounded strange even to my own ears.

Inside my head, Maya was almost excited. Yes, it is him. He is our second chance mate. The Moon Goddess has blessed us, Anya. We are so lucky.

Was this what lucky felt like? My heart was beating so fast that I could feel it in my throat. My hands felt warm and my chest felt tight in a strange way.

I looked at Jacob again and this time I really looked at him.

He was very handsome. I had noticed it before but now it felt different. His blonde hair fell slightly over his forehead and his blue eyes were very clear and very focused on me. His shoulders were wide and he filled the doorway so easily that I suddenly felt small standing in front of him.

I noticed the way his lips moved when he spoke and for one shocking moment, a strange thought entered my mind. I wondered what it would feel like if he kissed me.

The thought came so suddenly that I almost stepped back in shock.

What is wrong with me? I thought.

But Maya only laughed softly inside my mind. That is the mate bond.

I swallowed and looked at him again. "I... I think I can feel it now," I said quietly.

"Feel what?" he asked.

"The mate bond," I said softly. "I think... I think I can feel the bond between us now."

For a moment, he looked very pleased. "That is good. I am glad that you can feel it now. It will make things easier for both of us. The mate bond will bring us closer."

Closer.

The word made my stomach flip in a way I did not understand.

He stepped back slightly and gestured down the hallway. "Come. Dinner is ready."

I followed him quietly.

The dining room was large but warm. The lights were soft and the table was already set with food. But I noticed something immediately.

There were only two plates on the table.

I stopped walking. "Where is everyone?" I asked.

"My mother is not here," he said as he pulled a chair for me. "She went to visit her sister. My aunt is very sick and my mother wanted to see her. I should have gone with her but I decided to stay here and take care of the pack."

"Oh," I said softly as I sat down.

"So tonight," he continued as he sat across from me, "it is just the two of us."

Just the two of us.

For some reason, that made me very nervous.

We started eating and for a few minutes, we ate quietly. But I could feel his eyes on me sometimes and every time I looked up, he was already looking at me.

It made my face feel warm.

Why am I feeling like this? I asked Maya.

Because he is our mate, she answered simply.

I tried to focus on my food but I kept noticing small things about him. The way he held his fork. The way his sleeves were rolled up slightly and I could see the muscles in his forearms. The way his lips moved when he spoke and when he ate.

I could not stop thinking about what it would feel like if he leaned across the table and kissed me. The image was so clear that I nearly dropped my fork.

I quickly looked down at my plate, my face burning.

He noticed. A small smile appeared on his lips. "Are you alright?" he asked. "You look very distracted tonight."

"I am fine," I said quickly. "I am just tired."

He leaned back slightly and studied me for a moment. There was something playful in his eyes now. "Tell me something. In your former pack, did you train? Did you go to the training grounds often?"

I shook my head slowly. "No. I did not train."

"Why not?"

I looked down at my hands. "Because I was not allowed to. My role in the house was only to cook, clean and do chores. I did not have time to train and no one thought it was important for me to learn."

His expression changed. He did not look amused anymore. "They did not allow you to train?" he asked slowly.

"No, I was only a servant there. Nothing more."

He was quiet for a few seconds and then he nodded slowly as if he had made a decision.

"Then I will train you."

I looked up in surprise. "You?"

"Yes," he said calmly. "From now on, you will train with me."

I stared at him. "But I do not know how to fight. I do not know how to use weapons. I do not know anything about training."

"That is exactly why you need to learn. The Fireblood pack has many warriors and many soldiers but we also have many enemies. I do not want to take any chances when it comes to your safety. You need to be able to defend yourself in any situation."

His words made something warm move in my chest.

He wants to protect us, Maya said softly.

I nodded slowly. "Then... I will learn. But I think I should start with the basics. I am a complete beginner."

He smiled slightly. "Do not worry. You will not have much difficulty. Your wolf is a white wolf. White wolves are strong and rare. They have special abilities. You will learn faster than others."

I froze.

My fork stopped in the air.

"How do you know that my wolf is white?" I asked slowly.

For the first time, he looked slightly surprised. But then he leaned back calmly and said, "My wolf, Storm, showed me an image of our mate before we met. I saw a white wolf. I saw you."

Inside my head, I turned to Maya quickly. Is that true? Did you show his wolf what you look like?

Maya was quiet for a moment. I do not remember doing that. But maybe I did. Wolves can communicate in ways humans do not understand.

I looked back at Jacob slowly. "Your wolf's name is Storm?"

"Yes," he said.

I turned to Maya again. What does Storm look like?

She was quiet for a few seconds and then she answered softly. He is completely black. His fur is black like night. I can feel his strength even from here. He is very strong. He will protect us well.

I felt something warm move inside my chest again when she said that. I looked at Jacob and suddenly a thought came into my mind.

Maybe he is testing me. Maybe he wants to see if I am strong enough to become his Luna. Maybe that is why he wants to train me.

I straightened slightly in my chair. If he was testing me, then I had to do my best. I could not be weak. I could not disappoint him.

"I will work hard," I said quietly. "I will learn everything properly."

He watched me for a moment and then he smiled again but this time his smile was softer.

"I believe you will," he said.

His voice was gentle and the way he was looking at me made my heart beat faster again.

We finished dinner slowly but the whole time, I could feel something changing between us. The mate bond was growing stronger and stronger and every time he looked at me, my heart would jump.

I did not know what the future was going to bring, but for the first time, I felt a small sense of hope.

My life was changing fast, and this time, I did not want to be weak anymore. I did not want to be the girl who could only cry and endure everything silently.

If I was going to stay in the Fireblood pack, then I had to become stronger. I had to learn how to fight, how to defend myself and how to survive in this new world.

Jacob said that he would train me and I decided that I would do my best. I would work hard and I would not complain.

I wanted to prove to him that bringing me here was not a mistake.

I wanted to prove that I was not weak.

And maybe one day, when he looked at me, he would not see a broken girl that he had rescued.

He would see his Luna.