The Alpha Who Buried My Heart

Lyra had been told not to expect anything from the Blood Moon. That was probably why she had spent the entire evening expecting everything. She stood near the edge of the clearing, pretending to listen to Maya while her fingers kept worrying at the sleeve of her dress. “You're doing it again.” Lyra glanced down. “Doing what?” “Your sleeve.” She released it immediately. “I wasn't.” Maya gave her a look. “You've been pulling at it since we left the house.” Lyra looked at the silver fabric. “It doesn't fit properly.” “That's not why you're doing it.” “Then why am I doing it?” “Because you're nervous.” Lyra sighed. “I am not nervous.” “You nearly dropped a tray at breakfast.” “I was distracted.” “You put salt in your tea.” Lyra stared at her. “I did not.” “You did. I watched you.” A laugh slipped out before Lyra could stop it. “Fine. Maybe I'm a little nervous.” “Thank you.” Maya bumped her shoulder lightly. The clearing was alive with noise. Music played near the largest bonfire while children ran between the adults until someone called them back. The smell of roasted meat drifted through the air, mixed with smoke and the sweet scent of wine. For a moment, Lyra let herself take it all in. She liked the Blood Moon Festival. It was one of the few nights each year when the entire pack seemed to forget their differences and gather together. Tonight, though, she couldn't settle. Her gaze kept returning to the stone platform in the center of the clearing. The mate ceremony would begin soon. Maya followed her eyes. “You're thinking about it again.” Lyra smiled faintly. “Maybe.” “You've imagined this night a thousand times, haven't you?” “Not a thousand.” “Five hundred?” Lyra laughed. “Maybe five hundred.” Maya's teasing expression softened. “You really want to find your mate.” Lyra's smile faded. “I want to know what it's like to have someone choose me.” Maya didn't make another joke. She knew what Lyra meant. Lyra had grown up without much family. Her mother had died when she was young, and no one in the pack had ever given her a clear answer about her father. Whenever she asked, conversations ended too quickly. Eventually, she'd stopped asking. Not because she no longer wanted to know. She had simply learned that some questions made people uncomfortable. So she'd grown used to the empty spaces in her life. Maybe finding her mate would fill one of them. A deep bell sounded across the clearing. The conversations gradually died down. Maya straightened. “They're starting.” Lyra drew in a slow breath. Her heart was beating harder than it should have been. The Head Elder stepped onto the platform and raised his hands. “Tonight, beneath the Blood Moon, we honor the bond that has guided our kind for generations.” A cheer rose from the crowd. Lyra barely noticed. Something strange had happened. Warmth spread through her chest. She frowned. Her wolf stirred. Not gently. The sudden movement caught Lyra so off guard that she almost stumbled. Lyra. She steadied herself. Maya immediately noticed. “Are you okay?” Lyra opened her mouth, but no answer came. The warmth grew stronger. She looked around the clearing. Hundreds of people stood around her, but suddenly she could barely hear any of them. Her wolf pushed closer to the surface. Then came the word Lyra had spent years wondering about. Mate. Her breath caught. “No.” Maya frowned. “What?” Lyra didn't answer. She was already turning. The pull was coming from somewhere beyond the crowd. She didn't understand it. She only knew she had to follow. “Lyra?” “I'll be back.” “Where are you going?” “I don't know.” She walked before she could think better of it. Past the nearest bonfire. Past the dancers. Past the people who barely noticed her slipping away. The further she went, the quieter the celebration became. At the edge of the clearing stood the old Moon Tree. And beneath it was a man. Lyra stopped. Kael Ravencrest. She knew who he was, of course. Everyone did. He was the Alpha's son and one of the strongest young wolves in the territory. People spoke carefully whenever his name came up, especially when he was nearby. Lyra had never had a reason to speak to him. Until now. Kael turned. Their eyes met. Everything inside Lyra went still. The warmth in her chest surged. Her wolf practically slammed against her ribs. Him. Lyra couldn't breathe for a second. Kael didn't move either. His expression changed almost imperceptibly. Surprise. Then something else. Something she couldn't place. She took a cautious step forward. “You feel it too?” Kael's jaw tightened. He didn't answer. Lyra took another step. “Kael?” His eyes remained on hers. Then his expression hardened. That was when she knew something was wrong. Every instinct inside her was telling her to go closer. Kael looked as though he was fighting the urge to do the exact opposite. The noise from the festival had begun to fade behind them. Lyra swallowed. “You're my mate.” The words came out quieter than she'd intended. Kael looked at her for a long moment. “I know.” Her stomach tightened. “You know?” His gaze shifted briefly toward the clearing. “I need to speak with the elders.” “About me?” He didn't answer. Lyra folded her arms. “You could at least tell me what's happening.” His eyes returned to hers. For a brief second, she saw something in them. Fear. It vanished so quickly that she wondered if she'd imagined it. The Head Elder was already walking toward them. A few others followed. Whispers spread through the crowd. Lyra ignored them. She was watching Kael. The Head Elder stopped a short distance away. “Alpha Kael.” Kael gave a small nod. Then an elderly woman stepped forward. Lyra recognized her immediately. The High Seer. The woman had been part of the pack for as long as Lyra could remember, although Lyra had never spoken to her properly. The High Seer looked at Lyra. Then her eyes dropped to Lyra's wrist. Her expression changed. Lyra instinctively covered it. “What?” The woman's voice was barely more than a whisper. “Where did you get that?” Lyra looked down. A faint silver crescent was visible beneath her skin. She had never seen it before. “I don't know.” The High Seer took a small step backward. Kael noticed. “Seer?” The woman looked at him. Then back at Lyra. “You didn't know?” “Know what?” The High Seer didn't answer. Lyra's patience began to disappear. “What is happening?” The woman looked at Kael again. Then she said quietly, “Her mother never told her.” Lyra froze. “My mother?” The High Seer's silence answered her. “You knew my mother?” The woman looked away. Lyra stepped forward. “You knew her?” Kael's expression had become unreadable. The High Seer seemed unable to decide what to say. Lyra looked from one face to the other. “What did my mother have to do with this?” Still nothing. Something inside Lyra tightened. She had spent years being given half-answers. She wasn't going to accept another one tonight. “My mother is dead,” she said. “Whatever secret she was keeping can't hurt her anymore. So why is everyone acting like I'm the one who should be afraid?” Kael's eyes met hers. “Lyra.” “No.” Her voice shook, but she didn't look away. “I want an answer.” The High Seer closed her eyes briefly. Kael looked toward the elders. Then back at Lyra. “Take her away.” Lyra stared at him. “What?” “Now.” The word was quiet, but firm. Her chest tightened. “You're sending me away?” “It's for your safety.” “You don't even know me.” Something flashed across his face. “I know enough.” Lyra shook her head. “No. You don't.” She turned away before he could see how much his words had hurt. She had spent years imagining what it would feel like to finally meet her mate. She had imagined warmth. A sense of belonging. Maybe even relief. She hadn't imagined standing in front of him and feeling unwanted. “Lyra.” She stopped. Kael's voice had softened. She didn't turn around. “What?” There was a pause. “I didn't mean—” A sharp gasp came from behind them. The High Seer. Lyra turned. The old woman was staring at her wrist. The silver mark had grown brighter. Kael looked down at it too. His expression changed. Not confusion this time. Recognition. Lyra's heart began to pound. “What is it?” Neither of them answered. She looked at Kael. “Tell me.” His eyes met hers. For a moment, something passed between them that she couldn't understand. Fear. Concern. And something else. Something that made her wonder whether his rejection had anything to do with her at all. Kael looked away first. “Take her inside.” Lyra didn't move. She wanted to demand answers. She wanted to force him to explain why everyone suddenly seemed afraid of her. But before she could speak, the High Seer whispered something. Only two words. “Moonborn blood.” Kael's head snapped toward her. Lyra heard them clearly. She just didn't understand what they meant. Yet. And as she stood beneath the Blood Moon, watching the people around her exchange frightened looks, one thing became painfully clear. Finding her mate hadn't given Lyra the answers she'd spent her life searching for. It had opened a door. And everyone around her seemed terrified of what might be waiting on the other side.