“Stop it, both of you!” I snapped, my voice rising above the sound of the rain. “This isn’t about you or your rivalry. This is about me, and I’m standing right here, listening to every word. I don’t need either of you to tell me where I can and can’t go.”
Lucas’s gaze softened just a fraction as he looked at me, his expression torn between anger and concern. “Lyra… I just want to protect you. Derek isn’t who you think he is. He’s the alpha of a pack that would destroy everything you know, everything you care about. You have no idea what he’s capable of.”
I swallowed, feeling a strange, twisting doubt. I looked back at Derek, who met my gaze with a steady calm. His eyes held something genuine, something that told me he wasn’t a threat — at least not to me. But the tension between him and
