The Hybrid

Chapter 42

Kyra and Allie stepped into the common room, the warm glow of the fireplace casting flickering shadows across the space. Amber, Ethan, and Kyle sat on the couches and chairs, watching the flames dance, their conversation muted as they noticed Kyra and Allie enter.

Ryder and Gregory were by the window, locked in a quiet conversation. When Ryder saw Kyra, his focus shifted immediately. He walked toward her, his concern etched across his face. “You okay?” he asked softly.

Kyra nodded, taking a deep breath. “I’m sorry for earlier,” she murmured.

Ryder didn’t hesitate. He cupped her face gently and leaned in, kissing her softly on the lips in front of everyone, as though he didn’t care who saw. Amber’s jaw dropped at the sudden display of affection, and even Kyle and Ethan looked momentarily taken aback. Ryder’s kiss lingered for just a moment before he finally pulled back, he looked at Kyra with gentle but firm eyes. “You have nothing to be sorry for,” he said. “Do you understand me?”

Kyra bit her lip and nodded, her cheeks slightly pink.

But Ryder’s expression shifted, a flicker of hesitation in his eyes. “You’re probably going to be mad at me,” he said cautiously.

Kyra furrowed her brow. “Why would I be mad at you?”

The sound of the front door opening pulled everyone’s attention. Standing in the doorway was Rodrick, his face calm but his presence immediately igniting tension in the room.

Kyra froze for a heartbeat, and then the emotions hit her like a tidal wave—anger, pain, and sorrow crashing over her all at once. Her eyes blazed a fiery red, brighter than anyone had seen before.

Without hesitation, she dashed across the room, her movements too quick for anyone to stop. Her hand shot out, gripping Rodrick by the throat, and she slammed him against the wall with such force that the wood cracked under the impact.

Rodrick smirked despite the pressure on his neck. “There’s that fire,” he rasped, his voice strained.

Kyra tightened her grip, making it harder for him to breathe. “You knew the whole time,” she hissed, her voice trembling with fury. “You killed my mother and tried to kill me.”

Rodrick wheezed, struggling for air. “I was just trying to do the right thing,” he choked out. “We didn’t know what you would become.”

Tears welled in Kyra’s eyes, spilling down her cheeks. “You sent me away to live with a monster,” she spat. “When Wyatt found out what I was, he…” Her voice broke, unable to say the unspeakable things Wyatt had done to her in his attempts to dominate and control her.

Rodrick’s face began to turn purple. “We didn’t know he’d be power-hungry,” he croaked, his voice barely audible.

Ryder stepped forward slowly, his tone soothing but firm. “Kyra, love, let him go,” he said gently. “Unfortunately, we need him.”

Kyra’s breaths were ragged, her hand trembling as she contemplated snapping Rodrick’s neck and ending it all. But with a shuddering exhale, she released him. Rodrick fell to the ground with a heavy thud, gasping for air and clutching his bruised neck.

Kyra didn’t wait for anyone to speak. When Ryder reached out to gently touch her arm, she turned sharply and stormed down the hall, slamming the door to her room behind her.

The room was thick with tension. Amber, Allie, Ethan, and Kyle sat pale and wide-eyed, too stunned to speak. Gregory stood silently, watching the scene unfold.

Rodrick slowly got to his feet, brushing himself off and regaining his composure. “That’s the fire that could either save us or destroy us,” he said, his voice hoarse but steady.

Ryder’s jaw clenched, his heart aching for Kyra’s pain. “Yeah, well, she just found out her whole existence was already planned out before she was even born,” Ryder said coldly. His blue eyes darkened as he stepped closer to Rodrick, his tone low and commanding. “And now, you’re going to tell us everything.”

Rodrick cleared his throat, his voice steady despite the red marks around his neck. “Very well. Where should I begin?”

Ryder crossed his arms, his tone icy. “From the beginning. No excuses, no justifications. Just the truth.”

Rodrick stepped toward the fireplace, letting the warmth of the flames lick against his back. “The children should leave the room. This information is… sensitive.”

Ryder turned his head slightly, nodding at Allie, Amber, Ethan, and Kyle. “Out. Now.”

The group hesitated briefly but obeyed, casting curious glances at Rodrick as they exited the room. Once the door closed behind them, Rodrick glanced at Gregory, his expression questioning.

Gregory smirked and leaned casually against the wall. Ryder’s voice was sharp as he cut through the tension. “He stays. In case I don’t like what you have to say.”

Rodrick gave a faint smirk but nodded. “Very well.” He turned his attention back to the flames, his voice softening as he began. “Kyra’s mother, Lydia, was no ordinary werewolf. She was extraordinary—beautiful, intelligent, strong beyond measure. But there was something else, something unique. When I first encountered her, I was captivated, not just by her spirit but by all of her. I took her under my wing, became her mentor, even a father figure of sorts. She had no one else—both of her parents were killed when she was young.”

Rodrick paused, his expression darkening. “But it wasn’t until her first shift that I realized the truth. Lydia was from an ancient bloodline—the bloodline of the first werewolf.”

Ryder narrowed his eyes, his bright blue gaze fixed on Rodrick. “The first werewolf?”

Rodrick nodded solemnly. “A bloodline thought to be extinct, lost to time and myth. When I discovered this, I informed the elders. Together, we decided she needed protection—and her mate, if she found one, would have to be… worthy. But none of us could have imagined what would happen next.”

Rodrick’s face twisted with disgust. “Lydia’s mate turned out to be a vampire.”

Ryder’s brow furrowed, his disbelief evident. “That’s not possible.”

“Oh, it’s possible,” Rodrick snapped. “And it happened. His name was Dorian. By the time I discovered what was going on, it was already too late. He’d… tainted her, marked her as his.”

Gregory growled low in his throat but remained silent, letting Rodrick continue.

“They tried to run, to hide. When I finally found them, Lydia was carrying his child—an abom…” Rodrick stopped himself mid-word.

Ryder’s growl rumbled softly. “Choose your words carefully.”

“A hybrid,” Rodrick corrected.

Rodrick sighed and pressed on. “The elders and I didn’t believe such a thing was possible. Hybrids were myths, and in every story, they were dangerous, unpredictable, destructive. I made the hardest decision of my life: I killed Lydia after she gave birth. She wouldn’t give up the baby.”

Ryder’s body went rigid, his fury palpable, but he stayed silent, his jaw clenched tightly.

Rodrick’s voice cracked slightly, betraying a hint of emotion. “The child.. looked normal. Innocent. I was about to end it all, to ensure she wouldn’t become the monster we feared. But then… she appeared.”

“Who?” Gregory asked sharply.

Rodrick’s gaze turned distant. “An old woman, unlike anyone I’ve ever encountered. She appeared out of thin air, as if summoned by fate itself. She stopped me, saying the child was part of a prophecy—one that spoke of uniting or destroying the supernatural world. She said Kyra carried the blood of the first werewolf and the first vampire, and that her survival was essential.”

“And you believed her?” Ryder asked, his voice laced with disdain.

Rodrick’s jaw tightened. “I had no choice. The way she spoke, the power she carried… I knew she wasn’t lying. She warned me that Kyra’s existence would bring chaos, but also hope. So, I spared her. But I couldn’t raise her—not after what I’d done. So I entrusted Theodore and his wife, he owed me a favor. That’s when Wyatt came into the picture.”

Ryder’s eyes flashed with anger. “You handed her over to him.”

“I thought I was protecting her!” Rodrick snapped. “Wyatt was a respected Alpha, strong and capable. I thought he could control her, guide her. But I was wrong. I underestimated his greed, his lust for power.”

Gregory shook his head in disbelief. “You didn’t just underestimate him. You handed her over to a tyrant and condemned her to a life of hell.”

Rodrick’s voice dropped. “I know that now. I’ve seen the reports, heard the stories. I carry that guilt every day.”

Ryder stepped closer to Rodrick, his blue eyes blazing. “She’s not a tool or a weapon. She’s not your prophecy. She’s Kyra. And if you want to live to see tomorrow, you’d better start helping us fix this.”