The Cursed Heir

Denial

Nicholas watched Lyra and her guards from the headmaster’s window. He was no ordinary student, he was to be the alpha of the Red Crescent pack and the headmaster’s godson. Were it anyone else, Mr Emerson would not have pushed the issue but he knew his godson would not lie. The Lady Lebonair was Nicks mate, she just didn’t want to admit it- perhaps to herself.

“Patience Nick, she will come around.” He tried to reassure his godson.

“She’s going to keep her distance from me, she’s in denial.” He continued to stare at her retreating figure as she entered the girl’s dormitories.

“I will do what I can, in the meantime you should make yourself a fixture in her life here.” Nick groaned aloud, turning back to face Mr Emerson.

“How can I, you said that she hides in her room morning, day and night?” The older man laughed.

“Because I have not yet informed Lord Lebonair that she hasn’t been attending any of her lessons. I’ll make the phone call tonight; she will be in your next training class.” Was it meant to be so hard, Nick wondered, to have a mate.

Once alone in her room Lyra crumbled to the ground, silent tears streaming down her face. She didn’t know Nicholas Laurent and she didn’t want to, if losing Jason had taught her anything it was that no one she cared for would ever be safe. Her mother was just one force of evil in the world, not the last and not the worst.

She had already lost her first love, her best friend, her lifeline. No good could ever come from allowing Nick into her life, she would only destroy him too. It may break her from the inside but she would keep this facade of indifference if it meant protecting another from the same gruesome fate that Jason had faced.

She could not afford to love again; she could not bear the heartbreak of losing someone she cared for once more. Losing Jason had broken her, so much so that she no longer felt like Lyra Lebonair. She felt so lost, so alien and she could not lose anymore of herself either. It was the only plausible option for her to avoid him, to continue in her solitude until she returned home to the court.

Hours later Lyra could not sleep, it was past three and she was restless. She made her way outside, separating from her wolf and walking side by side. She stroked the soft silver fur behind her wolfs neck, feeling her other half leaning into her touch. At home she and Jason would often sneak out into the gardens at night, she had always felt at ease under the glow of the moonlight.

She had firmly believed that the moon goddess protected them when they were recklessly wandering around unguarded. How wrong she had been, for it had been on such a night that her mother had stolen them away from home. No one had protected them, no one had been watching out for them then. Now she was steadfast in believing there was no such Goddess.

Her wolf whimpered as they reached the edge of the pond, staring at their reflection. Lyra sat down on the ground, legs crossed and leaned her head against her wolf.

“If Jason were here he would have thrown me into this pond a hundred times by now.” She felt a few teardrops escape her, but she smiled a little at the thought.

Her wolf nudged her lightly, eyes also glassy but tongue out as though she too was laughing. She felt a slight breeze and in the distance saw a large black wolf, her heightened sense of smell told her it was Nicholas watching her, listening to her.

“If he were here I’d tell him to mark me, ask him why we bothered waiting so long when we both knew that we belonged together.” She said staring down into the water, knowing that her fated mate could hear every word she spoke.

Her wolf whined, Jason was a sore spot for the both of them. She meant what she had said though, she should have gone through with the marking. Then perhaps her mother wouldn’t have done what she had for fear of destroying her own daughters wolf. Or perhaps it would have changed nothing, but Lyra found herself pondering on the what ifs constantly. She was torturing herself reliving that night and all the events which led to it.

“Hindsight is twenty-twenty I guess.” She whispered, not for Nicholas to hear but because she truly felt it.

She allowed a few more tears to escape her before standing up, feeling suffocated by her own thought but also by Nick’s presence near the lake.

“Come on girl, perhaps we will see him in our dreams tonight.” She felt Nicholas’ eyes on her the whole way back to her room.

It was harder than she thought to ignore the pull she felt towards him. She would have to do her best to limit her visits out of her room, that way she could avoid the temptation wholly.

The next morning Lyra awoke to her phone vibrating on the bedside table. As a wolf and a light sleeper, the sound disrupted her as much as a bulldozer would have. Despite her frustration at being awoken after a particularly sleepless night she knew it could only be one of two people. Either her father, or if not him than perhaps her cousin Annabelle who had been checking in with her daily since Jason’s untimely death.

Dad she read on her phone screen, with a groan as she answered.

“Do you know how early it is?” She grumbled, not bothering to assume the persona of Lady Lebonair.

“Well considering that your first class begins in an hour, surely it is not early at all for you?” His tone was dry, unsympathetic to her tiredness.

“You can deliver the lecture in a few hours, I’m going back to sleep.” She replied, hoping he would give in and let her be.

“Lyra you will not be missing any more of your classes.” His tone made it clear that it wasn’t up for discussion but she tried her luck anyway.

“I highly doubt there is anything the teachers here can teach me. We both know that you didn’t send me here because of the curriculum.” The guilt card was one she knew would be most effective.

“Regardless, you will attend every class from this day onwards and that is an order.” Her brows furrowed at his insistence before she sighed.

“Yes sir.” Lyra’s voice took that same empty tone that Andre had become accustomed to, the same tone that terrified him more than anything.

“I’ll call you again when I can.” He said, not lying but not sure when soon would be.

“Don’t bother.” She hung up.