THE ALPHA PACK

THE ALPHA PACK:BLOOD OATH

CHAPTER 2 - THE DEBT AND THE GIRL

*THE ALPHA PACK: BLOOD OATH*

*CHAPTER 2:THE DEBT AND THE GIRL

_3 DAYS LATER. VARGA DEN._

The snow was still falling.

The den was quiet for the first time in years.

No threats. No raids. No blood on the floors.

Just the fire. And 7 wolves licking wounds.

Lyra was healing.

Bruised, but alive.

She hadn’t left Kael’s side since they got back.

Kael hadn’t slept.

He was standing at the war table. Maps. Photos. Red string.

Rook stood next to him. Silent.

"Say it," Kael said.

Rook exhaled. "Doran had backers.

The Red Claw wasn’t acting alone.

Someone paid them to take Lyra."

Kael’s jaw ticked.

"Who?"

"We don’t know yet. But..."

Rook hesitated. "They left a message."

He slid a photo across the table.

A girl.

17. Dark hair. Bruises on her wrists.

Kneeling in the snow with a gun to her head.

On the back, written in blood:

*"ONE FOR ONE. SEND THE ALPHA'S BLOOD OR WE SEND HERS."*

The room went cold.

Sera hissed. "It’s not Lyra."

"No," Rook said. "It’s the mayor’s daughter.

Elena Cruz.

Doran kidnapped her 2 weeks ago.

We didn’t even know."

Draven slammed a fist on the table. "So what? Not our problem."

"She’s 17," Mira said quietly. "Same age as Lyra."

Kael didn’t blink.

Just stared at the photo.

"Where is she?" he asked.

"48 hours," Sera said. "That’s what the note says.

After that, they kill her and dump the body on our territory.

Start a war."

Jax cracked his knuckles. "Then we find them."

"No," Kael said.

Everyone looked at him.

"We don’t go in guns blazing this time."

He picked up the photo.

"If we hit them and she dies, Doran’s backers win.

We play this smart."

"And how do we do that, Alpha?" Cole asked.

Kael looked up. Storm cloud eyes.

"We give them what they want."

Silence.

"...You?" Rook said slowly. "You want to turn yourself in?"

"No."

Kael set the photo down.

"We give them someone who looks like me."

The twins both groaned.

"Oh no," Jax said. "No no."

"There’s only one person who can pull it off," Kael said.

"Someone small enough, fast enough, and stupid enough to lie to 40 armed men."

All eyes turned to the doorway.

Lyra.

Standing there. Arms crossed.

With a cut on her cheek and fire in her eyes.

"Absolutely not," Kael said immediately.

Lyra walked in. "You don’t get to decide that."

"I’m the Alpha."

"And I’m the reason we’re in this mess!"

Her voice cracked. "They took me because of you.

Let me fix it."

Kael moved so fast the chairs scraped.

He was in front of her in 2 seconds.

Not touching. Just there.

"You are not going," he said, low. Dangerous.

"I just got you back."

"And there’s another girl out there who won’t get that chance,"

Lyra whispered. "Unless we help her."

Kael stared at her.

For a long time.

Finally he stepped back.

Ran a hand down his face.

"Fine."

The word sounded like it hurt.

"But we do it my way.

You’re not alone for one second.

Rook with you. Sera watching. Twins on standby.

And if anyone touches you

"We burn the world down," the pack finished together.

Lyra nodded.

Tried to smile.

Failed.

That night, they prepped.

Fake IDs. Fake scars. Dyed her hair black to match Kael’s.

Mira taught her how to walk like him. Shoulders back. No fear.

At 2am, Lyra stood in front of the mirror.

She barely recognized herself.

Rook came up behind her.

"You don’t have to do this."

"I do."

She met his eyes in the mirror.

"Because pack means no one gets left behind.

Right?"

Rook’s throat bobbed.

"Right."

Outside, the trucks were ready.

Snow falling.

And 30 miles away, a girl was running out of time.

Kael stood at the door. Watching his sister.

His baby sister.

Walking into hell wearing his face.

He didn’t say anything.

He couldn’t.

He just made a vow to the snow, to the moon, to whatever was listening:

_If they touch her, there won’t be a Red Claw Pack left in the morning._