Moon of Two Fates

The first thing Lyra Ashwood learned about fear was that it had a sound. Sometimes it was the sharp c***k of a belt against a wooden table. Sometimes it was the heavy footsteps echoing through the hallway outside her room. Most often, it was silence. The silence that settled over the Ashwood Pack whenever Alpha Darius entered a room. The silence that reminded everyone to lower their eyes and hold their tongues. The silence that had followed Lyra her entire life. She tightened her grip on the bucket in her hand and continued walking toward the pack’s training grounds. The morning air was cold enough to sting her skin, but she barely noticed. Years of waking before sunrise had made her numb to discomfort. Around her, pack members bustled through their daily routines. Warriors headed toward training. Hunters prepared for patrol. Children chased one another between cabins, laughing freely. No one laughed around Lyra. Some ignored her completely. Others whispered when they thought she couldn’t hear. “Still no wolf.” “Twenty-two years old and nothing.” “Maybe she’s cursed.” Lyra kept her gaze fixed on the dirt path. The words hurt less than they used to. Not because she had grown stronger. Because she had heard them too many times. Every werewolf shifted for the first time during adolescence. Every werewolf except Lyra. At twenty-two, she remained wolf-less. An embarrassment. A disappointment. A mystery. She reached the training grounds and set down the bucket filled with water. The warriors were already sparring. Among them stood Rowan, one of Darius’s strongest fighters. The large wolf shifter spotted her immediately. A smirk spread across his face. “Look who finally showed up.” Several warriors laughed. Lyra remained silent. Rowan stepped closer. “You know, I heard a rabbit challenging a wolf yesterday.” The others chuckled. “And?” “The rabbit put up a better fight than you.” More laughter. Lyra lowered her eyes. It was easier that way. If she didn’t react, eventually they would become bored. Most days. Not all. A shadow fell across her. She knew who it was before he spoke. “Is there a reason you’re standing around?” Her stomach tightened. Alpha Darius. The man who had raised her after her father’s death. The man everyone respected. The man Lyra feared most. “I brought the water,” she answered quietly. Darius’s dark eyes swept over her. Disappointment. Contempt. Coldness. She saw them every day. “You move too slowly.” “I’m sorry.” His jaw tightened. The apology only seemed to irritate him more. “Sorry doesn’t make you useful.” The training grounds fell silent. No one dared interfere. No one ever did. Lyra stared at the ground. She could feel dozens of eyes watching. Waiting. Humiliation burned through her chest. Darius leaned closer. “Perhaps if you spent less time daydreaming and more time trying to become a real wolf, you wouldn’t be such a burden.” The words landed exactly where he intended. A burden. The label he had repeated throughout her childhood. The one she secretly feared might be true. After a moment, he turned away. Just like that. As though breaking her apart required no more effort than swatting away a fly. The warriors resumed training. The laughter returned. Lyra picked up the empty bucket and walked away before anyone could see the tears gathering in her eyes. By afternoon, dark clouds had gathered overhead. Lyra escaped to the forest. It was the only place where she could breathe. The only place where no one expected anything from her. She followed a familiar path until she reached a small clearing hidden among ancient trees. The moment she stepped inside, tension slowly left her body. This place felt different. Safer. Almost alive. Sunlight filtered through the branches above despite the growing storm. A strange warmth spread through her chest. It happened every time she came here. As though something unseen recognized her. Waiting. Watching. She sat beneath a massive oak tree and closed her eyes. For a few precious moments, she allowed herself to imagine another life. A life where her father had never died. A life where she belonged. A life where she wasn’t broken. The c***k of a branch shattered the silence. Her eyes flew open. Someone stood at the edge of the clearing. An old woman. Her silver hair spilled down her back. Her pale robes moved gently in the wind. Lyra immediately rose to her feet. She had never seen the woman before. Yet something about her felt familiar. Ancient. Powerful. The stranger smiled softly. “There you are.” A chill ran down Lyra’s spine. “There, who is?” The woman’s expression deepened. “The child the moon has been searching for.” Lyra frowned. “I think you’ve mistaken me for someone else.” “No.” The old woman’s gaze locked onto hers. “That is impossible.” For reasons, she couldn’t explain, Lyra’s pulse quickened. The woman stepped forward. “The time is coming.” “What time?” “The beginning.” The answer made no sense. Before Lyra could ask another question, a sudden pain exploded through her chest. She gasped. Her knees nearly buckled. Heat surged beneath her skin. A strange silver light flashed briefly across her wrist. Then vanished. The woman wasn’t surprised. In fact, she looked relieved. “It has started.” Fear crawled through Lyra. “What has started?” The old woman stared toward the darkening sky. “The prophecy.” Thunder rumbled overhead. The wind suddenly howled through the clearing.mLeaves swirled around them.mFor the first time in her life, Lyra felt something moving deep inside her. Not pain. Not fear. Something alive. Something ancient. Something waking up. The old woman’s voice became almost a whisper. “They’re coming for you now.” Lyra’s heart pounded. “Who?” The woman’s eyes met hers one final time. “Wolves.” Another crash of thunder echoed through the forest. Lyra blinked. The old woman was gone. Simply gone. As though she had never been there at all. The clearing stood empty. Silent. Yet the strange warmth inside Lyra remained. Growing stronger. Far beyond the trees, a wolf howled. Then another. And another. A shiver raced down her spine. For the first time in twenty-two years, Lyra felt something answer the call. From somewhere deep within her soul. And it terrified her. To be continued…