RISE OF THE WARRIOR LUNA

CHAPTER 3

SHADOWS AND SECRETS

Lyra's POV

The frozen creek glittered under the moon, mocking me as Tessa and I sprinted toward the safe house, our boots slipping on ice. My arm stung where Rune’s blade had grazed it, blood soaking my tank top, and my nose was still dripping from that bondweaving flare. Freaking great, my cursed power was turning me into a walking glow stick, and four alphas were hot on our tails.

Finn’s “I’m your cousin” bombshell had my head spinning. Cousin? Finn Marek, my old sandbox buddy, was family? I didn’t have time to unpack that, not with Kael’s Shadowfang wolves howling, Rune’s Ironfang psychos snarling, and Jasper's Silverclaw stench closing in. Selene’s voice, “She’s ours,” echoed in my skull, her smug ass probably laughing from a safe distance.

“Move, Lyra!” Tessa barked, her pixie cut slick with snow, knife flashing in her hand. Her leather jacket was torn from a rogue’s claw, and her hazel eyes blazed gold. My best friend was a badass, but even she couldn’t outrun this shitstorm.

“I’m trying!” I snapped, my wolf clawing at my insides. My bondweaving pulsed, gold light sparking in my palms, begging to break something. That shadowy voice, the creepy-ass entity tied to Mom’s ritual, whispered, Take their loyalty. I shoved it down, but my head throbbed like I’d chugged bad whiskey. Last time I let it loose, I’d turned a Shadowfang wolf feral. Not exactly a party trick.

We hit the tree line, the safe house, a rundown cabin, barely visible through the pines. My chipped skull mug was history, smashed on Kael’s chest, but I’d kill for its comfort now. Stupid, Lyra, getting sentimental over ceramics. A howl ripped through the night, too damn close, and I tripped over a root, face-planting in the snow. “Screw this forest!” I growled, spitting frost.

Tessa yanked me up, her laugh half-crazed. “You’re a walking disaster, girl.”

“Love you too,” I muttered, but my gut twisted. Finn’s cousin claimed to be true and did not change everything. If he was family, why’d he vanish for years? And why was he chasing me with Kael’s broody ass, Rune’s unhinged grin, and Jasper's whiskey-soaked ego? My bondweaving was the answer, that cursed gift to bend or break pack bonds, but Selene, knowing about it, screamed trouble. How’d that snake find out?

A snarl cut my thoughts. Three Ironfang wolves burst from the trees, Rune leading, his green eyes glinting like a snake’s. His hoodie was splattered with blood, not his, and he twirled that damn blade like a kid with a fidget spinner. “Lyra, sweetheart”, he purred, “stop running". I just want to chat.”

“Chat with my fist!” I yelled, my bondweaving flaring. A gold light hit one of his wolves, and his loyalty snapped; he turned on Rune, clawing out. Rune dodged, laughing like a psycho, but my nose bled harder, and the shadowy voice roared: More! I stumbled, vision blurring.

Tessa threw her knife, nailing a wolf’s shoulder. “Keep moving!” she shouted, dragging me toward the cabin. But Kael’s cedar-and-steel scent hit me, and my wolf whined, that mate bond burning like a brand. He emerged from the snow, gray eyes glowing silver, his pack flanking him.

“Lyra, you’re going to hurt yourself,” Kael growled, his voice low and way too hot. “Let me help.”

“Help?” I scoffed, wiping blood from my lips. “You’re hunting me, jackass!” But my wolf wanted him badly, and it pissed me off. True mate or not, Kael had a problem, his touch back at the bar still tingling my arm.

Finn’s pine-and-leather scent joined the chaos, his rogue pack circling. “Lyra, listen!” he called, hazel eyes pleading. “I’m not with them, I’m here to protect you.”

“Cousin, huh?” I spat, my braid smacking my face as I backed toward the cabin. “Where were you when Jasper torched my life?”

His face fell, but before he could answer, Jasper’s howl shook the trees. Silverclaw wolves charged, and there he was, blond, polished, and reeking of whiskey, Selene at his side, her platinum hair glowing like a damn halo. She wasn’t fighting, just watching, her amber eyes locked on me like I was her next meal.

“Lyra!” Jasper barked, clawing out. “Submit, or you’re done.”

“Submit?” I laughed, my bondweaving surging. “You lost that right when you picked that skank!” Gold light exploded, and half his wolves froze, their loyalty to him fraying. The shadowy voice laughed, and my head screamed, blood dripping onto my chin. I was losing it.

Tessa kicked the cabin door open, shoving me inside. “Lock it!” she yelled, but a twist hit like a claw to the gut: the safe house was trashed, furniture smashed, walls clawed, and a bone dagger sat on the table, glowing faintly. My mom’s relic, the one tied to my bondweaving curse. How the hell was it here?

“Selene”, I growled, grabbing the dagger. Its hum made my skin crawl, the shadow voice purring, Use me. Tessa arched an eyebrow, her eyes now widened and speechless. Finn burst into the room with blood all over his face.

“Stop! "You are walking into a trap.” He screamed. “Selene's gang made it!”

Too late. Rune’s Ironfang wolves smashed through the windows, glass flying. Kael’s pack stormed the door, and Jasper's claws scraped outside.

My bondweaving went haywire, gold light flooded the cabin, and the dagger burnt in my hand. Another twist: the shadowy entity appeared as a massive, smoky wolf in the corner, its eyes locked on me. Not just a voice anymore. Real. Hungry.

“Lyra!” Kael roared, shoving past his wolves. “Drop the dagger!”

I couldn’t. My power was tied to it, and it was waking the entity. Tessa lunged for me, but Rune’s blade flew, pinning her jacket to the wall. Finn tackled an Ironfang wolf, snarling, “She’s family!” Jasper's voice boomed outside: “She’s mine!”

Selene’s laugh cut through, sharp and cold. “No, she’s ours.” A third twist slammed me: Selene stepped into the cabin, holding a vial of silver liquid, her cult mark tattooed on her wrist. “Drink, Lyra, or Tessa dies.”

My bondweaving flared, breaking another wolf’s bond, and he turned on Jasper’s pack, chaos erupting. The shadowed wolf growled, stepping closer, and my vision blacked at the edges. I gripped the dagger, blood pooling in my mouth, and faced Selene’s smirk. No way out. Not this time.