Lost To Alpha Kael

Chapter3

KAEL

I’ve always hated council mornings. They’re always too long, too loud, and too full of pointless arguments about borders and territory. The elders never want to listen unless I repeat myself three times and make it sound like their idea. And of course today was no different.

“The Shadowfang pack has crossed into our northern ridge again,” Elder Varric growled, slamming his fist on the table. “Three scouts vanished last night. We cannot continue to ignore this.”

“We won’t,” I said, leaning back on my throne. “But storming into their territory blindly will only cost us more warriors. I want proof before I make the next move.”

“You and your proof,” Maen snorted. “They’re enemies, Kael. They’ve always been. Why wait for evidence when we already know what they’re capable of?”

“Because I don’t want another blood feud unless I have no other choice,” I said, my patience already wearing thin. I didn’t bother hiding it. “I will not order an attack based on fear and rumor.”

Silence followed immediately, as it should be. Most of them didn’t like the way I ruled. I wasn’t my father. I wasn’t their regular ruthless, impulsive, kill-first-think-later leader. I believed in strength, yes. But not in waste. And I had no interest in dragging my pack into a pointless war just to soothe their egos.

Before anyone could start another useless debate, the heavy doors of the throne room swung open. A group of patrol guards rushed in, dragging someone between them. Everyone turned and the attention shifted. They threw the figure to the ground and went on their knees.

“My lord,” one said, his voice low and respectful. “We found her unconscious on the southern ridge. And she had no scent we recognize.”

My eyes narrowed as I studied the body on the floor. It was a small fragile girl. She was covered in dirt and dried blood. Her dress was torn, and her wrists looked bruised, probably from scratching or struggling. She looked like she had been running for miles. And her pulse… It was strange. I couldn’t tell if it was a wolf or human.

I rose from the throne and walked down the steps slowly. The council murmured among themselves, but I ignored them. My focus was on the girl. There was something about her that I couldn’t look away from.

“She’s breathing,” Varric noted. “Barely. Could be a trap.”

I crouched beside her, ignoring his comment, and felt her pulse. He was right though. Her pulse was faint. “If this is a trap, it’s a clumsy one,” I said.

“Should we chain her?” Maen asked. “Until we know what she is?”

I didn’t answer. I was still studying her. Every scar on her body held answers I could only get if I studied properly. And then she moved.

At first, it was just a small twitch. Then her hand shifted. Accompanied with a soft sound that slipped from her throat. And finally, her eyelids fluttered open. Gasps filled the chamber as she began to stir fully.

“She’s waking,” someone shouted.

I didn’t respond. I stepped back and returned to my throne. But my eyes didn’t leave her.

She groaned and blinked. Her eyes furrowed in confusion, as she scanned the room. And then her gaze met mine.

That very moment, everything else faded. The whispers of the elders sounded like background noise. Even her panicked cries — asking who I was, where she was — meant nothing. It was just her eyes and mine. And just then, something deep inside me roared awake.

Heat exploded in my chest, spreading like fire through my veins. My eyes burned and shifted, glowing gold. Her breath hitched that instant. I couldn’t tell whether it was confusion or horror I saw in her eyes. But still, I couldn’t look away.

“Mine!” I roared before I could stop myself. The pillars shook with the sound. Gasps echoed across the hall. And every pair of eyes was wide with horror, including hers.

The room erupted into chaos as the elders began shouting over one another.

“What—”

“Impossible—”

“She’s a stranger!”

“She could be dangerous—”

“She should be executed—”

“She’s here to infiltrate—”

“Who are you?” I asked, my voice cutting through the noise. The room fell silent, at once.

She swallowed hard. “I… I don’t know where I am.”

“That’s not what I asked,” I said, calmer now. “But either way, you’re in Bloodmoon territory. My land.”

Her eyes darted around the hall, taking in the guards, the elders, the towering walls. “I wasn’t… I didn’t mean to come here. I was running, I think. And then—” She paused and clutched her head in pain, wincing. I felt a nudge in my chest as I saw her wince in pain. But I maintained my composure. “I don’t remember.”

“She’s lying,” Varric barked. “No one crosses that far south by accident.”

“I’m not lying!” she yelled, louder this time. “I swear I’m not. I was just… trying to get away.”

“From what?” I asked calmly.

She hesitated. “Everything.”

“What do you mean everything?” Maen snapped. “How did you find your way here? Who sent you?”

“No one sent me!” she shouted back. “I don’t even know where ‘here’ is!”

I watched her carefully. She was terrified. That much was clear. But there was no scent of deceit on her. Only fear and exhaustion.

“Your name,” I said quietly. “What is it?”

“Lyra,” she whispered.

The name sounded familiar, though I couldn’t place it. “Lyra what?”

“Lyra of…” She winced, like remembering hurt. “Bloodfang. I think. Yes. Bloodfang pack.”

“Bloodfang?” Maen spat. “That cursed line? We should have killed every last one of them generations ago.”

“She’s lying,” Varric said again. “Bloodfang territory is days from here. How could she get this far?”

“I ran,” she said weakly. “I just kept running.”

I stood slowly and walked to where she lay. I stopped to tower over her when I felt I was close enough for her to feel my breath. “And why were you running, Lyra of Bloodfang?”

Her lips trembled. “Because….. they…. Think I …. I killed her.”

The hall went silent. The elders exchanged confused looks.

“Who?” I asked, still calm.

“My mother.” Her voice cracked. “I didn’t — I swear I didn’t. Something happened. Something dark. She was trying to stop it. I was trying to help her. And then she was just… gone.”

Gasps echoed across the room.

“Who is your mother?” I asked again.

“Maren,” she whispered. “She’s the healer of the pack.”

At that name, I straightened. My glare hardened.

“Do you expect us to believe this?” Maen shouted. “That you just happened to be there when the Bloodfang healer died?”

“I didn’t kill her!” Lyra cried. “I would never! She was all I had left!”

“Enough.” My voice boomed through the chamber, and the room fell silent instantly.

I looked down at her again, my expression unreadable. “You said something dark. What do you mean?”

Lyra shook her head, tears streaking her dirty cheeks. “I don’t know. I just felt it. It wasn’t a wolf. It wasn’t anything I’d felt before. It was like… like the ground itself turned against us.”

“And this darkness killed your mother?” I pressed.

“I don’t know,” she whispered. And then she stopped talking. She just kept weeping silently, sniffing loudly. It was obvious she had more to say. But why do I feel that what she actually had left were questions?

I resumed my stare, intensifying my gaze on her while she bowed and sobbed.

“Take her to my chambers,” I ordered after the long silence, walking back to my throne.

I could feel it. The room froze. No one spoke and only glances were exchanged. The guards were reluctant at first, exchanging glances among themselves as they weren’t bold enough to question my orders. But once they had caught my stern gaze, they stepped forward and lifted her gently to her feet.

“Let’s get back to our discussion” I said after they had gone. I could feel the tension in the hall. But no one dared to openly oppose my order.