Chapter 6
1316 Words
The next morning, the Blackthorne estate was already alive before the sun had fully risen.
Servants hurried through the corridors carrying bundles of evergreen branches, white roses, and silver ribbons. The kitchens were filled with the smell of fresh bread and roasted meats as everyone prepared for the Winter Moon Ceremony.
For as long as Lyra could remember, she had always been part of the preparations.
She would spend the morning helping decorate the Great Hall, arguing with Damon about where the banners should hang while Kael stole pastries from the kitchen. Rowan would quietly fix everything they ruined, and Elias would pretend not to laugh as Magnus shook his head at all of them.
Those memories had once felt permanent.
Now they felt like they belonged to someone else.
Lyra slowly walked downstairs, expecting someone to call her over the moment she entered the hall.
No one did.
Most of the servants simply smiled politely before carrying on with their work.
She followed the sound of voices until she reached the dining room.
The brothers were already gathered around the long oak table.
Selene sat between Rowan and Damon, smiling shyly as several beautifully wrapped boxes were placed in front of her.
Magnus stood nearby with a warm smile on his face.
"We thought you deserved a proper Winter Moon welcome," he said.
Selene looked from one face to another, her eyes already glistening.
"You really didn't have to do this."
"Nonsense," Damon replied with a grin. "You can't celebrate Winter Moon wearing those old clothes."
Kael slid one of the boxes towards her.
"Open this one first."
Selene carefully untied the ribbon before lifting the lid.
Inside was a thick white winter cloak trimmed with soft silver fur.
Her eyes widened.
"It's beautiful."
"You'll need it during the ceremony," Rowan said quietly.
She carefully ran her fingers across the fabric before looking back at him.
"I've never owned anything this nice."
"You do now," Rowan replied.
His voice was gentle.
The same gentle voice he used to reserve for Lyra.
Something inside her chest tightened.
She remained standing in the doorway, unnoticed.
Until Damon finally looked up.
"Oh."
His smile faded slightly.
"Morning, Lyra."
"Morning."
Kael looked over his shoulder.
"Come and see what we bought."
Lyra forced herself to walk over.
Another box was opened.
Inside lay a delicate silver necklace shaped like a snowflake.
"It matches the cloak," Elias said.
Selene smiled so brightly that the entire room seemed warmer.
"I don't know how to thank you."
"You don't have to," Magnus replied.
"You already have."
Lyra watched as Selene looked around the room with genuine gratitude.
She couldn't even bring herself to resent her.
Selene hadn't asked for any of this.
The brothers had given it to her willingly.
Magnus suddenly looked around the table.
"Where is Lyra's birthday gift?"
The room became quiet.
Kael frowned.
"I thought Damon bought it."
Damon immediately shook his head.
"No, Rowan said we'd all choose something together."
Rowan looked genuinely confused.
"I thought we agreed we'd do it after the market."
Another silence followed.
No one spoke.
No one moved.
Lyra felt every pair of eyes slowly turn towards her.
She smiled before anyone had the chance to apologise.
"It's alright."
Damon looked guilty.
"No, it isn't."
"We've just been busy," Kael admitted.
"We'll go this afternoon."
"You don't have to," Lyra replied softly.
"We forgot."
The words left her mouth before she could stop them.
Nobody corrected her.
Because they couldn't.
Selene looked horrified.
"I'm so sorry."
Lyra quickly shook her head.
"It isn't your fault."
Selene reached towards one of the unopened boxes.
"You can have one of mine."
Lyra stared at her.
The offer was genuine.
That somehow made it worse.
She slowly shook her head.
"No, thank you."
"I don't mind."
"I know."
Lyra smiled politely.
"But I don't want your presents."
Silence settled over the room once again.
Damon looked as though he wanted to say something.
Instead, he simply looked away.
A young warrior suddenly entered the hall and bowed his head.
"Alpha, the elders have arrived."
Magnus nodded.
"I'll be there in a moment."
He looked towards the five brothers.
"Come with me."
The brothers stood almost immediately.
Selene hesitated.
"I shouldn't come."
"You belong with us," Rowan said without thinking.
The words echoed through the room.
Lyra felt them like a knife twisting inside her chest.
You belong with us.
Once...
Those words had been hers.
Rowan finally glanced towards Lyra.
"I'll see you later."
She nodded.
"Of course."
He offered a small smile before following Selene from the room.
None of them noticed that Lyra remained standing exactly where they had left her.
Unable to bear the silence inside the estate any longer, Lyra wrapped herself in her coat and slipped outside.
Fresh snow covered the Blackthorne territory, turning the forests into a sea of white.
She followed the familiar path towards the frozen lake.
It had always been her favourite place.
Whenever she was upset as a child, one of the brothers would always find her here.
Usually Damon.
Sometimes Rowan.
Even Kael, although he always pretended he had only come because he was bored.
Today...
No one came.
Lyra sat on a fallen tree overlooking the frozen water.
Everything was perfectly still.
She remembered skating across the lake with Damon when she was twelve.
She remembered Rowan teaching her how to track wolves through the snow.
She remembered Kael throwing snowballs until Magnus made them all come inside.
Every memory included them.
Every happy moment included the family she loved.
So why did she suddenly feel like she no longer belonged?
"You've been hiding."
Lyra looked up.
Magnus approached slowly through the snow, his heavy boots leaving deep footprints behind him.
"I thought I'd find you here."
She managed a small smile.
"You always do."
Magnus sat beside her without saying another word.
For several minutes they simply watched the frozen lake together.
Finally, he spoke.
"The boys have hurt you."
It wasn't a question.
Lyra looked down at her hands.
"They don't mean to."
"I know."
"They're trying to help Selene."
"I know."
"They aren't bad people."
Magnus nodded.
"They're good men."
She swallowed the lump in her throat.
"So why does it hurt so much?"
Magnus was quiet for a long time.
"Because you're grieving."
Lyra frowned.
"I'm not grieving."
"You are."
He looked across the frozen lake.
"You're grieving the family you used to have."
Her eyes immediately filled with tears.
"They've changed."
"They have."
"I keep telling myself I'm imagining it."
"You're not."
The honesty surprised her.
Magnus sighed deeply.
"Sometimes people don't realise they're neglecting someone they love until that person starts pulling away."
Lyra wiped at her eyes.
"I don't want to pull away."
"No."
"You raised me to be part of this family."
"I did."
"So why do I feel like a guest in my own home?"
Magnus's expression softened with sadness.
"Because everyone has become so focused on protecting Selene that they have forgotten someone else also needs protecting."
A tear escaped before Lyra could stop it.
Magnus gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
"They still love you, Lyra."
"It doesn't feel like it."
"I know."
She stared across the frozen lake as the wind carried snowflakes across the ice.
"What if this is how things stay?"
Magnus didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he watched the falling snow.
Finally, he spoke so quietly that she almost missed it.
"Then they will lose something they don't yet realise they cannot live without."
Lyra looked at him.
"What do you mean?"
Magnus simply smiled.
"You'll understand soon enough."
For reasons she couldn't explain, his words left her with an uneasy feeling.
As though the Winter Moon Ceremony wasn't the only life-changing event waiting for her.
As though fate had already begun setting something much bigger into motion.
- Writer
