THE ANSWERING HOWL
1018 Words
Then it came again.
A howl rose from somewhere beyond the mountain walls, deep enough to vibrate through the stone beneath Lyra's feet.
This time, Nyx answered.
The sound tore from Lyra's throat before she could stop it.
She clapped both hands over her mouth.
Too late.
The answering howl rolled through Moon Hall, raw and unfamiliar, yet somehow carrying a note that made every hair along Lyra's arms rise.
Silence followed.
Absolute silence.
Lyra slowly lowered her hands.
Her chest heaved.
"I didn't do that."
No one answered.
The wolves around her remained frozen.
Some had their heads bowed. Others stared at her as if she had grown another face.
Kael looked horrified.
Selene had taken several steps backward.
Only Draven appeared to understand something.
His eyes were fixed on Lyra.
Not with surprise.
With calculation.
"What was that?" Kael demanded.
Lyra looked at him.
"I don't know."
"Your wolf answered it."
"I know what I heard."
Kael stepped toward her.
Draven moved at the same time.
He placed himself between them.
Kael stopped.
The two men stared at one another.
"You stay where you are," Draven said.
Kael's expression hardened.
"This is my territory."
"And she is no longer your concern."
Kael's jaw tightened.
"She's a member of my clan."
Draven's gaze sharpened.
"Then your clan should have protected her."
The words struck the room harder than a shout.
Kael's hands curled into fists.
Lyra looked away.
She didn't want to hear them arguing about her.
Not again.
Not when her chest still felt hollow from the bond that had been torn apart.
A low growl came from the warriors nearest the entrance.
Everyone turned.
One of the royal guards had drawn his sword.
Another reached for the weapon at his hip.
Draven didn't look away from Kael.
"Seal the hall."
The guards moved immediately.
Heavy bolts slammed into place across the doors.
Lyra flinched at the sound.
"Wait."
No one stopped.
She stepped forward.
"Why are you locking us in?"
Draven turned.
"Because whatever is outside knows you're here."
Her stomach dropped.
"How do you know?"
"The howl."
"That's not an answer."
"It answered you."
Lyra shook her head.
"I didn't call it."
"No."
Draven's eyes remained on hers.
"But it heard you."
Another howl sounded outside.
Closer.
The windows trembled.
Lyra's wolf stirred.
Not frightened this time.
Listening.
Waiting.
She pressed a hand against her chest.
"Nyx."
The name slipped out quietly.
Nothing.
She closed her eyes.
"Nyx, what are you doing?"
A sensation moved through her.
Not words.
A pull.
Toward the forest.
Lyra opened her eyes.
Draven was watching her.
"You felt it."
She swallowed.
"What?"
"The pull."
Her heart skipped.
"How do you know?"
"Because Varg felt it too."
Lyra stared at him.
"You can feel what your wolf feels?"
"Sometimes."
"And now?"
Draven's expression darkened.
"Now he's trying to get out."
Lyra looked toward the sealed doors.
Her pulse accelerated.
"Why?"
Draven didn't answer.
Kael did.
"Because whatever is outside is challenging him."
Draven slowly turned his head.
"Be careful, Alpha."
Kael didn't back down.
"You're not the only wolf in this room who understands what that howl means."
Draven's eyes narrowed.
"Then tell me."
Kael hesitated.
Lyra looked at him.
"You know?"
Kael's attention shifted to her.
"I know enough."
Her stomach tightened.
"Then tell me."
Kael said nothing.
Lyra took a step toward him.
"Kael."
He looked away.
Something inside her snapped.
"Don't you dare."
His eyes returned to hers.
"Don't you dare stand there pretending you know something about me and decide I don't deserve to hear it."
"Lyra, it's complicated."
She laughed bitterly.
"Everything is complicated when the truth is inconvenient."
Kael flinched.
Draven watched them in silence.
Lyra turned toward him.
"Do you know?"
His answer came immediately.
"No."
She blinked.
"I don't know what that creature is," Draven said. "But I know it shouldn't be here."
"Then why did it answer me?"
"I don't know."
"Why did my wolf answer it?"
"I don't know."
"Why does everyone keep looking at me like I'm some kind of—"
She stopped.
The word caught in her throat.
Monster.
She couldn't say it.
Not yet.
Draven seemed to understand anyway.
He stepped closer.
"You are not a monster."
Lyra looked up at him.
His voice was quiet enough that only she could hear.
"Whatever you are, you're not that."
Something about the certainty in his voice unsettled her.
She looked away.
Another growl echoed from outside.
This one wasn't a howl.
It was lower.
Closer.
The royal guards tightened their formation.
Draven turned toward them.
"How far?"
One guard listened.
His expression changed.
"Perhaps three hundred yards."
"How many?"
"One set of tracks."
Draven's eyes narrowed.
"One?"
"Yes, Your Majesty."
Lyra's wolf pulled again.
Harder.
She gasped.
Her feet moved before she could stop them.
One step toward the eastern doors.
Draven caught her wrist.
Lyra spun around.
"Let go."
"Where are you going?"
"I don't know."
"That's not an answer."
"I know."
She tried to pull free.
His fingers tightened slightly.
Not enough to hurt.
Enough to stop her.
"Something is pulling me."
Draven stared at her.
"Where?"
Lyra looked toward the doors.
"The forest."
Draven's face went still.
Kael stepped forward.
"You're not going out there."
Lyra looked at him.
"You don't get to decide that anymore."
Kael stopped.
The words landed.
His expression darkened with pain.
But Lyra didn't take them back.
Draven released her wrist.
For one moment, his hand remained suspended between them.
Then he lowered it.
"Fine."
Lyra frowned.
"Fine?"
"You want answers."
"Yes."
"Then we'll find them."
Kael immediately objected.
"Your Majesty—"
Draven didn't even look at him.
"Open the eastern passage."
The guards hesitated.
Lyra stared at Draven.
"You said you wouldn't force me."
"I won't."
He met her eyes.
"But I'm not letting you walk into that forest alone."
Outside, the creature howled again.
Nyx answered.
And this time, Lyra felt something else beneath the sound.
A word.
Not spoken by her.
Not spoken by Draven.
A word carried through the bond between wolves.
Mother.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD