THREE
1183 Words
“LYRA, ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO YOURSELF?!”
Freya’s eyes were so wide they could fall out of their sockets. She had crossed the small room
at least a dozen times, her steps sharp and uneven, hands clenching and unclenching at her
sides. she let out exhales, sighs and then looked at Lyra all over again, impatiently waiting for
her to tell her it was all a joke.
“Okay, so let me get what you said straight,” she said for the dozenth time. “You met the man
who killed your family. And then for some sick twisted reason, he turned out to be your mate.
And then, you told him to meet you in the forest. And now, you, Lyra, are planning to go to that
forest to kill him? Just like that?!”
Lyra watched her quietly from the edge of the bed, her expression calm in stark contrast to her
friend’s growing panic. She had expected this reaction.
“I’ve trained for this,” she said with an exhale. “For eight years. So yes, I’m going to kill him
tonight and nothing’s going to stop me.”
“Lyra, I’m not against you finally getting the revenge you’ve basically lived,” Freya said, finally
stopping in front of her. “It’s just that, you said it yourself. Not only did he kill your entire family
without hesitation eight years ago, he’s now the Alpha of the Ashwyn Pack. I don’t want to
imagine how much stronger he has gotten now. If he could kill so easily back then, Lyra, what if
he kills you?”
“He won’t,” Lyra tightened her grip on the knife she picked up, adding it to her collection. She
reached beneath her jacket and lifted the hem just enough for Freya to see the blades strapped
to her thighs, the slim daggers secured carefully along her waist. “Trust me, Freya. I’ve waited
my whole life for this.”
“I don’t know, Lyra,” Freya swallowed hard, her eyes shining with fear. “I don’t like this. I don’t
like any of it.”
“I’ll come back,” Lyra softened then, just a fraction. She reached out and squeezed Freya’s
hand. “I promise you I’ll come back alive.”
With him dead.
She offered her a small smile then left the room, Freya’s words of disapproval still audible until
she was far enough from the house. She didn’t stop as she made her way towards the forest,
determination fueling her every move.
Her steps were calculated- almost rehearsed. She had chosen that forest on purpose. She
knew it like the back of her hand. Knew all the ways to sneak around it without anyone noticing.
Which was exactly how she was able to lay her eyes on him from a distance without him having
the slightest idea of her presence.
Kael Silverwyn stood in a small clearing ahead, his back to her, tall and unmoving. Even from a
distance, his presence was unmistakable- the same way she didn’t forget him or eigjt years. Her
pulse quickened, but she forced herself to breathe through it, grounding herself in muscle
memory and discipline.
“This is it.”
She lowered herself, circling wider, using the trees for cover. Her plan was simple. Clean.
Efficient. Strike from behind. End it before he could react.
Her hand closed around the hilt of a blade.
One step.
Then—
Pain exploded across her back.
Lyra cried out, the sound tearing from her throat as she was thrown forward, crashing hard
against the forest floor. The air left her lungs in a sharp gasp. Before she could roll or reach for
a weapon, another blow struck her side.
The sound of her shout echoed through the trees.
And Kael heard it.
He turned instantly, the sound hitting him like a blade to the chest. The bond surged violently,
panic ripping through him as he caught sight of her on the ground—and the figure looming over
her.
“No!” he roared.
He moved faster than thought, faster than fear, colliding with the attacker in a blur of motion.
The fight was brief and brutal, ending with the threat driven back into the darkness where it
vanished, leaving only silence behind.
Kael dropped to his knees beside Lyra, his hands hovering over her as if afraid to touch her. Her
eyes fluttered open, pain clouding them, confusion flashing when she realized where she
was—and who was kneeling beside her.
She was breathing. Alive.
The relief was crushing. And it vanished almost immediately she realized she wasn’t the only
one alive.
“Lyra,” he said hoarsely. “Lyra—look at me.”
She looked around her, the sharp pain from her back almost forcing a wince out of her. Her
dagger was nowhere to be found and Kael was right in front of her.
What had happened? Who attacked her so suddenly?
“Shit.”
She wasn’t ready to give up though. His eyes were fixed on her, creating the perfect
opportunity for her to slide her hand to her thigh and take out her spare weapon.
“Are you okay?”
She didn’t answer him, Kael’s chest heaving as he dragged a hand through his hair. The
thought of losing her—of watching another woman bleed out before him—had nearly broken
something inside his chest.
“We should have met somewhere else. Why did you choose this forest of all places? So late at
night too?!”
She could feel the tip of the dagger already. All that was left was to pull it out. And then send it
to his sides.
“This wasn’t how I wanted this to happen,” he went on, completely oblivious to the game her
fingers were playing. “But you know what, I’ve never been one to beat around the bush so this
won’t be my first.”
The dagger was already out. She just needed him to lean forward so she could hit the right spot.
“I need a Luna,” Kael continued. “And now that I’ve seen my mate, it’s only right that she stands
beside me. That she ascends the throne with me.”
The dagger almost slipped out of Lyra’s hands.
“I know this is a lot,” he went on, quieter now. “Too much. I won’t force an answer from you
tonight. I’ll give you time to think. Real time.”
Her jaw tightened, her grip around the dagger tightening.
“But,” he added, leaving no room for argument. “You will take that time in my palace. I’m not
leaving you here again.”
The dagger immediately slipped out of her hands.
“I won’t leave you alone again,” Kael said, his gaze unwavering. “Not after tonight. Not knowing
how dangerous it can be. Whether you like it or not, Lyra, you are under my protection now.”
As my mate and my future Luna.
- Writer
