The alphas runt

The Moon Goddess

Lyra could barely remember what sunlight looked like anymore.

Days blurred together inside the underground stone prison where Magnus kept her hidden beneath the northern mountains. The small lantern hanging outside her cell flickered endlessly between dim gold and darkness, making time impossible to track.

Only the bond told her how long she’d been gone.

Weakening.

Fading.

Dying.

Lyra curled tightly beneath thin blankets on the cold stone floor, trembling violently despite the fever burning through her body. Her white hair clung damply against pale skin while exhaustion hollowed her out more every hour.

She was so tired.

Too tired.

The pregnancy drained what little strength she had left, and the wolfsbane constantly mixed into her water kept her wolf weak and disoriented.

Everything hurt.

Her head.

Her stomach.

Her chest.

Especially her chest.

Because the bond connecting her to Kael had become faint enough now that she sometimes panicked, believing it had finally snapped completely.

Those moments terrified her more than Magnus ever could.

Mine.

The bond whispered weakly now.

Distant.

Broken sounding.

Lyra squeezed her eyes shut against fresh tears.

“Kael…”

Her voice barely worked anymore.

No one answered.

Of course no one answered.

The guards rarely spoke to her now. Most avoided looking directly at her altogether. Some seemed uncomfortable around her.

Others afraid.

One omega servant who occasionally brought food had quietly whispered apologies the day before while setting down stale bread and water.

“They didn’t tell us you were carrying the alpha heir.”

Lyra hadn’t answered.

She no longer had energy for anger.

Only survival.

The heavy iron door suddenly creaked open again.

Lyra flinched automatically.

One of Magnus’ wolves stepped inside carrying another tray.

Food.

Water.

Wolfsbane.

Always wolfsbane.

The male crouched carefully near her without meeting her eyes.

“You need to eat.”

Lyra stared blankly at the stone wall.

The smell alone made nausea twist violently through her stomach.

“I can’t.”

The male hesitated.

“You’ll die if you stop trying.”

Maybe.

Part of her almost wanted to.

Because every second without Kael felt unbearable now.

The guard finally stood awkwardly.

“They’re searching everywhere for you.”

Her chest tightened painfully.

Kael.

The bond pulsed faintly again at the thought of him.

Still there.

Still searching.

The male glanced toward her one final time before quietly leaving.

The heavy door slammed shut behind him.

Silence returned.

Cold.

Lonely silence.

Lyra curled tighter beneath the blankets, tears slipping silently down her cheeks.

She missed him so much it physically hurt.

His voice.

His warmth.

The way his massive arms wrapped protectively around her at night.

The way he looked at her like she mattered.

Like she was precious.

Wanted.

Loved.

A soft sob escaped her before she could stop it.

“I’m trying,” she whispered brokenly into the darkness. “I’m trying so hard.”

But she was losing.

She could feel it.

Her body weakened every day.

And the bond…

Gods, the bond hurt now.

Sometimes she hallucinated from exhaustion and fever.

She heard Kael’s voice in the darkness.

Felt phantom touches against her skin.

Once she even woke convinced his arms wrapped around her—

Only to find cold stone instead.

Cruel.

Everything felt cruel.

Hours passed.

Or maybe minutes.

Lyra no longer knew.

The fever worsened sometime later.

Her breathing turned shallow while dizziness crashed violently through her body again. The room spun endlessly around her until she squeezed her eyes shut against it.

Too weak.

She was becoming too weak.

Fear finally pierced through the numb exhaustion then.

Her pup.

What if something happened to the baby?

Panic clawed sharply through her chest.

“No…”

She pressed trembling hands protectively over her stomach.

Please.

Please survive.

The bond suddenly pulsed again.

Faint.

But different this time.

Warm.

Lyra’s eyes slowly opened.

And froze.

Moonlight filled the room.

Impossible soft silver light spilled across the cold stone walls despite there being no windows underground.

The entire cell glowed gently.

Lyra stared weakly upward.

A woman stood near the doorway.

Beautiful.

Ethereal.

Silver hair flowed endlessly around pale glowing skin while ancient blue eyes shimmered like stars themselves.

The Moon Goddess.

Lyra’s breath caught painfully.

Hallucination.

It had to be.

Yet the warmth spreading through the room felt real.

Comforting.

Safe.

The woman stepped closer slowly.

And smiled.

Not coldly.

Lovingly.

“You are stronger than you believe, little wolf.”

Lyra’s tears fell harder instantly.

“I can’t do this anymore.”

The goddess crouched before her carefully.

“You already are.”

Her voice sounded like moonlight itself.

Soft.

Ancient.

Gentle.

Lyra trembled violently.

“Kael can’t find me.”

“He will.”

The certainty in those words pierced straight through her despair.

Lyra shook her head weakly.

“The bond is fading.”

The goddess’ expression softened.

“No.” Her glowing fingers brushed lightly against Lyra’s forehead. “The bond is fighting.”

Warmth exploded suddenly through Lyra’s chest.

Not painful warmth.

Strength.

The bond flared brighter than it had in days.

Kael.

Mine.

The connection sharpened instantly for one brief glorious moment.

Lyra gasped softly.

“He’s close.”

“Yes.”

Hope slammed through her so hard it nearly hurt.

The Moon Goddess smiled gently.

“You must hold on a little longer.”

Tears streamed freely down Lyra’s face now.

“I’m scared.”

“I know.”

The goddess touched her stomach softly.

“But you are not alone.”

Warmth spread gently beneath Lyra’s skin where the touch lingered.

Strength.

Real strength.

Not enough to heal her completely.

But enough.

Enough to keep fighting.

The silver light slowly began fading around the room.

“No—”

The goddess smiled one final time.

“Call him.”

Then she disappeared.

Darkness returned instantly.

Silence followed.

But something inside Lyra had changed.

Hope.

Tiny fragile hope.

The bond pulsed stronger again.

Kael.

She could feel him more clearly now.

Pain.

Rage.

Desperation.

Searching.

Always searching.

Lyra forced herself upright against the wall despite the dizziness nearly making her collapse again.

Focus.

She needed to focus.

Mind links between mates required strength.

Connection.

Emotion.

Normally distance made them impossible.

But bonded mates…

Bonded mates could do extraordinary things.

Especially desperate ones.

Lyra squeezed her eyes shut tightly.

Kael.

Nothing.

Her breathing quickened weakly.

Please.

The bond flickered painfully.

Kael.

Still nothing.

Tears slipped down her face again.

Then suddenly—

The connection snapped violently open.

Pain exploded through her skull.

But she felt him.

Kael.

Raw panic and fury flooded instantly between them.

LYRA.

The sound of his voice inside her mind nearly shattered her completely.

Kael.

His relief hit her like a tidal wave.

WHERE ARE YOU?

Too weak.

Gods she was too weak.

Words slipped apart inside her head.

Dark.

Cold.

Underground.

KAEL.

The bond strained violently.

She could feel him trying desperately to hold the connection open.

WHO TOOK YOU?

Lyra’s vision blurred again.

Magnus.

The name barely formed.

But Kael heard it.

Silence slammed through the bond instantly.

Then came rage.

Pure horrifying rage.

Lyra flinched violently at the sheer force of it.

MAGNUS.

The connection began breaking apart.

No.

Please—

Kael’s voice came one last time.

Hold on.

Then everything went dark again.

—

Kael staggered backward so violently the desk behind him shattered beneath his weight.

The entire war room froze.

Damien shot upright instantly.

“What happened?”

Kael’s silver eyes glowed murderously now.

“Magnus.”

Silence.

Dead silence.

Then the beta’s expression darkened with terrifying understanding.

“Oh… I’m going to kill him.”

Kael was already moving.

The bond still trembled painfully inside his chest after hearing her voice.

Weak.

Fading.

But alive.

She was alive.

And Magnus had taken her.

Rage unlike anything Kael had ever experienced detonated through him completely.

The elder had touched his mate.

His pregnant mate.

Mine.

Kael stormed through the estate like death itself while warriors scrambled desperately out of his path.

Nobody tried stopping him.

Nobody dared.

Because the alpha looked beyond furious now.

He looked biblical.

The council chamber doors exploded inward beneath one kick.

Magnus barely had time to stand before Kael slammed him violently against the stone wall.

The entire room shook.

“You took her.”

The elder’s eyes widened briefly.

Then smoothed.

“I don’t know what you—”

Kael’s hand tightened around his throat instantly.

“Wrong answer.”

Magnus gasped harshly as silver eyes burned inches from his face.

“She contacted me.”

Fear finally flickered across the elder’s expression.

“She’s alive?” Magnus asked before stopping himself.

Mistake.

Huge mistake.

Kael smiled then.

A terrible terrifying smile.

“You just confirmed it.”

The elder struggled weakly against the alpha’s grip.

Kael slammed him harder into the wall.

“WHERE IS SHE?”

“I was protecting the pack!”

Kael nearly tore the room apart at the sentence alone.

“You poisoned her.”

“You weakened us!”

“No,” Kael snarled viciously. “She healed us.”

The entire council chamber fell silent.

Because everyone knew it was true now.

Magnus saw it too.

Too late.

Kael’s wolf pushed violently beneath his skin.

“You have ten seconds before I start removing limbs.”

For the first time in centuries—

Elder Magnus looked genuinely terrified.

And hours later, beneath a sky darkened by incoming snowstorms, Alpha Kael Draven stood at the edge of the northern mountains with an army of warriors behind him.

Ronan Blackwood waited beside him silently.

Magnus’ location finally revealed one thing:

Lyra was somewhere beneath the abandoned mining tunnels deep within the mountains.

Kael’s silver eyes remained fixed on the darkness ahead.

The bond pulsed weakly.

Faint.

Fragile.

But there.

Still there.

Hold on.

His wolf snarled violently beneath his skin.

Because after weeks of agony—

He was finally coming for his mate.