Chapter 16 Punishment
Lyra's POV.
I bowed deeply to all of them but didn't say a word. Seraphina's voice rose again.
“Answer the question. What are you doing here?” She snapped.
Lord Kael responded to her before I could. “Father invited her for breakfast. He said she's a part of the family”
Seraphina couldn't say anything but just seethed in anger.
Lord Kael's eyes locked on me and we held each other's gaze for a moment. My body was starting to react in a way I didn't know how I'd explain but I knew it was the mate bond.
He was the first to take his face away and he walked into the hall without a word.
I let the rest too move inside before I walked in behind them.
The alpha was already seated by the time we got there and also my mother.
We all bowed in respect to the both of them and the alpha had a wide smile on his face.
“Sit” he ordered everyone.
I let everyone take the seats they wanted before I finally took a seat which happened to be beside lord Elias.
The Alpha's gaze moved from everyone and landed on me.
He chuckled loudly. “It's nice to have you here, Lyra,” he said.
I didn't know he could commit my name to his memory like that.
I smiled and bowed slightly. “Thank you, Alpha”
“But……” he looked over at me like he was trying to read me. “When you come for dinner, dress in a more nicer cloth and leave this dress be for a while”
I blinked. What? Dinner?
Seraphina's eyes snapped to the alpha. “What do you mean, alpha?”
“You mean, she'll be here to have dinner with us too?’ she asked with her face blinking in disbelief.
“Why?” The alpha asked. “Is there supposed to be a problem with that?”
“No, of course not,” she quickly said.
“Lyra is my stepdaughter. I only accepted that she keeps working as a maid because Kael wanted it” he said. “That doesn't change the fact that she's my family”
I could see Mom smile from where she was sitting.
Seraphina didn't respond anymore and lord Kael only sighed.
I knew it. My presence at this table would make things awkward.
Maids served the meal but I couldn't get it off my head that it should be what I should do.
When the maids left to stand at a distance, the mealtime started.
Everybody dug their cutleries into their meal and I ate in silence.
The meal they served here was different from the one they usually served the maid.
And right now, I could feel the difference. Everything was different, the taste, the feeling one gets when they finish munching and gulping it down the throat…. Everything was refreshing.
A few moments later, I saw that the alpha had finished the water in his glass and needed a refill.
Before the maid could get closer to him, I stood up and held the mug, pouring the water into his glass.
I didn't know why that made everyone stop eating as they looked at me with faces that made me so nervous.
“A maid will always be a maid” lord Kael muttered but it was loud enough for me to hear.
Elias only chuckled like he was making jest of me while Seraphina rolled her eyes at me.
The alpha chuckled, his voice breaking the tension in the room.
“Let the maids do it, Lyra. You should respect the table manners and just sit still” he said.
I bowed slightly and sank my butts back into the chair.
Lord Elias also gulped the water in his glass and stretched the glass over to me.
“Will you do me the favor of pouring me a glass too?” He said with a smirk.
“Of course” I muttered and filled his glass with water before I continued eating.
There were a lot of other things which I held back from doing and I couldn't wait for the breakfast to end.
Soon, it ended and I was tempted to clear the dishes and clean the table too.
I stood up, wanting to leave before the Alpha's heir and his people would step out. The Alpha's voice rose.
“Show up for dinner tonight, Lyra,” he said. “And dress in a more better cloth”
“Yes, Alpha” I bowed my head.
He continued. “You look like you haven't slept, do you?”
I was surprised at how caring the alpha was becoming as each second passed by.
I had expected him to be cold towards me like the rest, but instead he's accommodating and shows that he wants to be around me.
My face moved to Seraphina for a moment and she was also looking at me.
Her face delivered nothing to me but I knew she was earnestly anticipating my response.
“I got some sleep, Alpha. I'm fine, thank you” I replied.
But the truth is, I slept outside in front of the river, I did laundry till it was so damn late at night all because Lady Seraphina asked me to do it.
“Alright. You should get some more sleep” he said.
I bowed and walked outside before I would be delayed with more work.
I got back to the main mansion where I knew I might already have the day's work waiting for me.
The maids talked about me in whispers as I walked about. Were they still talking about how Seraphina was treating me? Or was there something new to talk about?
A maid approached me and stopped in front of me. “Hey, Lyra”
“The headmaid is looking for you in the kitchen. She have dishes for you to wash”
I thanked her and walked to the mini kitchen where the washing of dishes usually takes place.
I froze when I saw the dirty dishes that stared back at me.
Gina's voice rose behind me. “I heard. Everyone heard” she said, her eyes looking at me dangerously.
I turned to her. What did they hear? Was that why I was being given so many dishes to wash? Because of what they've heard?