Chapter 5: Alpha Lyric
1147 Words
The Shadowfang Pack House always feels like a second home to me. The scent of the forest mixes with the musky, familiar air of the stone walls, and I can’t help but let out a quiet breath of relief as I step inside. The weight of the outside world seems to disappear the moment I cross the threshold.
I’ve been to many packs, but none of them have the same energy as Kael’s place. Maybe it’s because I’ve known Kael since we were both pups, maybe it’s the sheer power that hums in the air here. Whatever it is, it’s like I’m back where I belong.
Kael had called me earlier, said we needed to discuss the rogue attacks happening on the outskirts of our territories. Nothing major, but enough to warrant a good conversation. So, I’ve come for business, but I know Kael well enough to expect something more than just a strategy session. We’ve shared too many nights discussing everything from pack politics to our worst fears over the years. There’s a comfort here, even in the chaos.
I walk down the hallway, my footsteps echoing in the quiet house. My mind’s already working through potential plans for the rogue situation. I’m distracted, but when I round the corner, my steps falter.
She’s standing there—just standing in the middle of the hallway, looking like she doesn’t belong. Her clothes are disheveled, her long brown hair tangled and unkempt, and her wide, confused eyes scan her surroundings like a deer caught in the headlights. There’s a sort of lost, uncertain energy about her, and I can’t tear my eyes away.
Something isn’t right.
I start to take a step forward, intending to ask if she’s lost or needs help, but before I can, a maid rushes out of nowhere, nearly colliding with me. She’s flustered, her hands wringing together as she hurries toward the woman.
“Oh, I’m so sorry, Alpha!” The maid’s voice is high-pitched with embarrassment. “She wasn’t supposed to be out here.”
I watch as the maid grabs the woman’s arm with a touch that’s more urgent than gentle and starts dragging her away. The woman doesn’t resist, but there’s a strange flicker of recognition in her eyes as she glances at me. It’s gone in an instant, but I could’ve sworn I saw something—like she knew me, or had seen me before.
“Please, forgive the disturbance,” the maid mutters, barely looking up at me as she yanks the woman down the hallway.
I stand there, frozen for a moment, my heart racing as my mind tries to piece together what just happened. What the hell was that all about? A woman, clearly out of place, appearing out of nowhere in the pack house... and now she’s being dragged off like a nuisance.
Confusion gnaws at me, but I can’t let it go.
I walk to Kael’s office, the strange encounter still gnawing at my insides. The door is slightly ajar, and I don’t hesitate to push it open. Kael looks up from his desk, the usual calm and control in his eyes as he greets me.
"Lyric, good to see you, my friend," he says, standing up to give me a firm handshake.
"Always a pleasure, Kael." I settle into the chair across from his desk, my gaze automatically flickering to the window behind him.
“Ready to discuss the rogues?” Kael asks, but I can’t focus on that yet. The woman... her image keeps resurfacing in my mind, her face a strange blend of confusion and something else I can’t quite place.
“About that rogue situation... first, I’ve got a question. Who was that woman I saw in the hallway?” I ask, trying to sound casual, but my tone is more clipped than I intend.
Kael’s eyes narrow, and for a moment, there’s a flicker of something in his expression—something guarded, almost defensive. He leans back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest.
“Her?” Kael’s voice is neutral, but I can hear the tension just beneath the surface. “Don’t worry about her. She’s nothing.”
I raise an eyebrow, skeptical. “Nothing? She looked... out of place. She was lost, Kael. She wasn’t supposed to be here, was she?”
Kael sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. “She’s a spy. From one of the other packs, no doubt. I don’t know who sent her, but she’s not our problem. I’ve got it handled.”
A spy. That explanation should be enough to put my questions to rest, but it doesn’t. Kael’s dismissive tone doesn’t sit right with me. He’s always been straightforward with me, never one to hide things unless they were truly serious. And this... it doesn’t feel like something to dismiss so easily.
“Spy?” I repeat, leaning forward, my voice low. “Are you sure? She seemed... I don’t know, confused. She didn’t look like someone who was here to spy on you.”
Kael waves a hand, brushing me off. “She’s not important, Lyric. Let it go. We’ve got bigger things to worry about.”
But something about his reaction feels wrong, like he’s hiding something—like he’s holding back a piece of the story.
I decide not to press him further, though. He’s got his reasons, whatever they are, but I can’t shake the feeling that there’s more to this than he’s letting on.
After the meeting, I find myself wandering the halls again. I’m not sure what I’m doing, but my feet carry me toward the guest rooms, toward the room where I think the woman was taken. Maybe it’s nothing, but something about her has me... unsettled. I need to know more.
I turn the corner, and there it is—the door to the guest room is slightly ajar. My pulse quickens. I shouldn’t be here. I know I shouldn’t. But something compels me to move forward, quietly, silently.
I stand outside the door, heart pounding in my chest, torn between the desire to turn away and the undeniable urge to know what’s behind it.
And then, her voice.
“I know you’re out there... why are you watching me?”
My breath catches in my throat, and I freeze. How did she know? The door creaks open slightly, just enough for me to see her silhouette through the crack. Her voice—quiet, but knowing—shivers down my spine.
It’s like she’s reading me, seeing through me in a way no one ever has.
I open my mouth, but no words come out. What the hell do I even say to that?
“Why are you watching me?” she asks again, her tone softer now, almost like a challenge.
And that’s when I realize: She's human.
- Writer
