Chapter 4
1431 Words
Lyra's POV
The journey back to our pack was torture. Not because of the distance. Because of the silence.
Selene drove ahead of me through the forest as though nothing had happened. As though she hadn't just appeared inside Kael's territory after sending me there in the first place.
As though my entire life hadn't been turned upside down in a matter of hours.
My wolf paced restlessly under my skin. Quite irritating to be honest.
"Go faster," she growled
"Why?" I asked her back l.
"Because I want answers," she said as her control slowly started to slip.
"So do I," I whispered back.
That made her growl. We reached the pack borders just before sunrise. The guards immediately stepped aside.
Every single one of them lowered their heads the moment Selene appeared. Alpha. The realization still felt strange.
Most packs inherited their Alphas. Ours didn't. Selene had built this one from nothing.
Rogues. Outcasts. Abandoned wolves.
She gathered them all and somehow turned them into something stronger.
Something feared. Something respected. Which only made everything worse. Because if anyone was capable of orchestrating whatever was happening... It was her.
The moment we stepped into the pack house, I stopped walking. Selene continued forward.
I didn't. After several steps, she finally turned around.
"What?" She asked me.
I stared at her. For years, I had never questioned her. Not really. Now I couldn't stop.
"What is happening?" I asked her.
"What do you mean?" The calmness in her voice nearly made me laugh.
"What do I mean?" I asked as I took a step forward.
"You sent me there," I almost screamed again, "You knew he was my mate."
I was met with silence. And just like that.. my temper snapped.
"Stop doing that," The words echoed through the room.
Several wolves nearby immediately looked away. Smart. Very smart. Because everyone in this room knew exactly what was coming.
Selene folded her arms.
"What exactly would you like me to say?" She asked me.
"I would like the truth," I bared my teeth at her.
"You couldn't handle it," she was calm. Way too calm and I hated it.
My wolf growled. I growled too. The sound echoed through the hall. For the first time, Selene's expression hardened.
"There she is," Selene smiled at me.
I hated that. I hated that she sounded pleased. As though my anger was somehow expected.
"Asking questions now?" she continued, "It took ten years"
The insult landed perfectly. Because it was true. I should have asked questions years ago. Instead, I accepted everything she told me.
Every story. Every explanation. Every mission.
"Did you know he was my mate?" I asked her.
Her gaze sharpened slightly. Finally.. a reaction. But it vanished before I could understand it. A master of masking.
"You think I can predict fate?" She asked back.
"Why did you send me there?" I asked, taking another step forward.
"You already know why," she smirked, with a small shake of her head.
"No," The word came out sharper than intended.
"Then figure it out," she said in a dismissal tone.
That was it. That was the final push. My wolf, Snow, lunged forward inside me.
The shift happened before I could stop it. My claws extended. My eyes burned gold. The room exploded into movement.
Several wolves immediately backed away. Others moved closer. Watching. Waiting. Selene didn't move. She simply stared at me. Disappointed.
"You are acting like a child," She shook her head in disappointment.
I launched myself at her. Gasps erupted throughout the room. Selene moved at the last second. My claws sliced through empty air.
I landed, spun and attacked again. This time she blocked. The impact rattled through my bones.
For someone only a few years older than me, Selene was terrifying. She caught my wrist and twisted. I slipped free.
Years of training took over. Years of HER training, ironically. Our movements mirrored each other.
The room erupted with cheers. Idiots.
Apparently, the possibility of their Alpha and second in command destroying each other counted as entertainment.
My wolf snapped at them. They wisely shut up. Selene ducked beneath my next strike.
"You think this changes anything?" She asked me but I ignored her.
She blocked another attack.
"Lyra," she called for me but I was in no mood to listen to her.
I swung again. My fist connected this time. The room went silent. Because I had actually hit her.
Selene touched her split lip slowly. Then she smiled. Oh no.
I had exactly one second to regret my life choices. Then Selene attacked. The next five minutes were deeply educational. Mostly about how many different ways she could throw me across a room.
I hit a table. Then a wall. Then somebody unfortunate enough to be standing nearby.
The poor wolf immediately left. Smart man. By the time the fight finally stopped, both of us were breathing heavily.
The room looked like a battlefield. Broken furniture littered the floor. Several wolves had retreated to safer locations. I sat on top of what used to be a table.
Selene stood across from me. Neither of us looked particularly dignified. My chest rose and fell heavily.
"So?" Selene arched a brow, with her glare so wild.
"So?" I wanted to scream.
"Still no answers?" I asked her again.
"No," she said and I wanted to throw my hands again.
I laughed but the sound carried no humor. For a brief moment, neither of us spoke. Then I stood. Every eye in the room followed me.
I looked directly at Selene. At the woman who had raised me. Protected me. Trained me. Lied to me. Or maybe not. I didn't even know anymore.
But I knew one thing. One thing with absolute certainty.
"I became a sword because I wanted to tear people apart," I whispered.
The room went silent. Nobody moved. Nobody spoke. I kept my eyes on Selene.
"The people who betrayed me," I said again.
Something flickered across her face. Gone instantly. Too fast to identify. Like I said.. master of masking.
"Lyra..." She trailed.
"I don't care who the betrayer is," I said. The warning hung heavily between us.
For the first time since I'd known her... Selene didn't immediately have a response. Good. I turned around and walked away.
Nobody stopped me. Not even her.
.
.
An hour later, I stood beneath steaming water. Finally alone. The heat washed away dirt. Blood. And exhaustion.
Unfortunately, it couldn't wash away confusion. Or Kael. Especially Kael.
Eventually, I shut off the water and stepped out of the shower.
The room was quiet. Too quiet. My wolf immediately went alert. Someone's here.
I froze. Slowly, I reached for the dagger hidden behind the drawer. Then I turned.
A man sat casually in the chair beside my bed. One ankle resting over his knee. Completely relaxed. Completely uninvited.
Then his blue eyes met mine. My heart betrayed me instantly. That's my mate.!
Kael smiled. The arrogant bastard actually smiled.
"Your guards are terrible," he shook his head at me.
I stared at him. For several seconds, my brain simply stopped working. Because there were many questions.
How did he get here? Why was he here? How was he alive? How had he found me? None of them made it past my lips.
Because Kael stood. Crossed the room. And stopped directly in front of me.
"What are you-" my words were cut off as he spoke.
"You shouldn't have followed her," he said as he shook his head at me.
The words came out rough. Accusing. Or concerned. Probably both. I glared at him.
"You shouldn't have followed me," I shook my head at him.
His eyes darkened. Something shifted between us. The bond tightened. Neither of us looked away. Neither of us stepped back.
Kael's gaze dropped briefly to my lips. Then returned to my eyes.
"You still trust her," he whispered.
It wasn't a question. I swallowed.
"You broke into my room to discuss trust?" I asked him back.
One corner of his mouth lifted. Then he took another step closer. My breath caught. The space between us disappeared completely.
And suddenly... I couldn't remember why I was angry. All I could think about was him.
His scent. His warmth. The way his eyes never left mine.
"That's not why I came," his voice was low as he said it.
My pulse stumbled. Before I could answer... Before I could think... Before I could stop him...
Kael kissed me.
And the world disappeared.
- Writer
