THE HIDDEN PATH
746 Words
Lyra remained standing between the trees, staring at the place where the silver light had disappeared.
Her heart was still beating quickly.
She didn't know who the voice belonged to, and she wasn't sure whether she should trust it.
But she also knew she couldn't stay where she was.
She looked behind her.
The darkness of the forest stretched all the way back toward the pack.
Lyra quickly looked away.
She wasn't ready to return.
Then she heard the voice again.
"Keep walking."
Lyra froze.
"Where?"
There was a short silence.
"Follow the path ahead of you."
She looked down.
At first, she couldn't see anything. Then, beneath the faint moonlight, she noticed a narrow path between the trees
Lyra hesitated.
"Where does it lead?"
"You will find out."
She frowned.
That wasn't much of an answer.
Still, she slowly stepped onto the path.
She walked carefully, listening to every sound around her. The deeper she went, the quieter the forest became.
After some time, Lyra noticed something strange.
The trees around the path were much older than the ones she had passed earlier. Their trunks were thick, and their branches twisted together above her head.
She stopped.
"Where am I?"
"Keep walking."
Lyra sighed.
"You're not very helpful."
For the first time, she thought she heard something that sounded almost like a quiet laugh.
She continued walking.
After several minutes, the trees suddenly opened.
Lyra stopped.
In front of her was a small clearing.
Moonlight covered the ground, making the grass look almost silver. At the center of the clearing stood a large, ancient stone covered with strange markings.
Lyra slowly approached it.
"What is this place?"
"You are safe here."
She looked around.
"Safe from what?"
There was no answer.
Lyra sighed and sat on a nearby rock.
She was exhausted.
Her body hurt from running, and her eyes were swollen from crying.
For a moment, she simply stared at the ancient stone.
Then she noticed something.
The mark on her palm was glowing again.
Lyra quickly covered it with her other hand.
"What is happening?"
The voice spoke softly.
"Do not be afraid."
"I'm not afraid," Lyra replied quickly.
"You are."
She frowned.
Maybe the voice was right.
Lyra looked at her palm again.
"I don't understand this."
"You don't need to understand everything tonight."
"Then what am I supposed to do?"
"Rest."
Lyra looked around the strange clearing.
"That's it?"
"For tonight."
She slowly nodded.
For the first time since leaving the pack, Lyra felt a little calmer.
She lay beneath the ancient tree beside the clearing and closed her eyes.
She didn't know who the voice belonged to.
She didn't know why it had chosen her.
And she certainly didn't know what the strange mark on her hand meant.
But for now, she decided not to ask any more questions.
Tomorrow, she would find out.
---
Far away from the forest, inside the Alpha's residence, the atmosphere was very different.
The Alpha stood silently before his father.
His father looked at him with disappointment.
"You made a decision today," the older man said.
The Alpha remained silent.
"You rejected your mate."
His jaw tightened.
"I did what I believed was right."
His father shook his head.
"You may believe that now, but you are an Alpha. Your decisions do not affect only you."
The Alpha looked away.
His father continued.
"You cannot rule this pack forever without a Luna."
"I don't need a wife just because you want one."
"This is not about what you want."
His father stepped closer.
"It is about the future of the pack."
The Alpha said nothing.
"There is another kingdom willing to strengthen its alliance with us."
His eyes narrowed.
"What are you talking about?"
"You will meet their daughter."
The Alpha immediately understood.
"You want me to marry her?"
His father nodded.
"She is strong, respected, and comes from a powerful bloodline. She would make a suitable Luna."
The Alpha's expression hardened.
"I just rejected my mate."
"And now you must accept the consequences of that decision."
The Alpha looked toward the window.
Somewhere beyond the pack, Lyra was alone in the forest.
For a brief moment, something inside him felt strangely uneasy.
But he pushed the feeling away.
He had already made his choice.
At least, that was what he told himself.
And he had no idea that the girl he had rejected was about to begin a journey that would change everything.
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