Chapter 4 — Whispered WarningsLyra’s POV
1554 Words
Chapter 4 — Whispered Warnings
Lyra’s POV
The air in the laundry room felt colder after Raine walked out, leaving the scent of pine and smoke behind him. Even though I told myself to breathe, calm down, and stop thinking about how he had looked at me, my hands still shook as I folded the last set of clothes.
Like he knew something was up.
Like I should have known something too.
But I didn’t. I couldn’t. Omegas weren’t meant to think beyond orders.
When I finished my work, I stepped into the hallway, hugging the clean clothes basket to my chest. A few members of the pack walked by and talked in low voices. Their words were soft, but whispers always found a way to get through the cracks in a pack.
"Did you hear about the signs?" one woman said in a low voice.
“Fated mates,” another replied. "The elders say the bond shows itself long before the truth is spoken."
My steps faltered.
Fated mates.
My heart beat hard against my ribs.
They kept talking as they walked away, not noticing me pressed against the wall.
“They say the wolf grows restless first,” the second voice continued. “The Alpha most of all. He feels the pull before anyone else.
The first woman scoffed. “Alpha Raine? Feeling restless? Please. He doesn’t get attached to anyone, not even other Alphas.”
Their voices faded, but the words stayed.
Fated mate.
Alpha.
Restless.
I swallowed hard and made myself move. I didn't want to think these things. I didn't want to think about the Alpha feeling anything. especially toward someone like me.
Someone hebarely see .
Someone he never should see.
Mira jumped out from behind the door and grabbed my arm when I got to the servants' quarters.
“You look pale,” she said, pulling me inside before anyone else saw. “What happened?”
I shook my head. "Nothing."
"Lyra." Her tone shifted—firm, almost scared. “Nothing” always means something when you say it.
I sat on the edge of her bed and finally let myself exhale. "He came into the laundry room."
Mira’s eyes widened. "Alpha Raine?" Alone? With you?
I quickly nodded. “He didn’t do anything. He just stared at me. And asked me why I was running.
Mira frozed. “Why you ran? You never told me you ran.
"Because there was no reason to tell anyone," I whispered. “I just panicked and—”
"And he noticed," she said in a whisper. "Lyra... Alphas don't notice to omegas doing chores. They don’t care enough.”
The room suddenly seemed too small.
I rubbed my hands together to try to warm them up. "Maybe I'm just imagining things."
"No," Mira said. "You aren't. You've been acting... differently. Since yesterday.”
My throat got tight. I didn’t know how to explain the strange pressure in my chest, the odd awareness that grew whenever he was near. The feelings I kept pushing away because they didn't make sense.
"How do fated mate bonds work?" I asked softly.
Mira blinked. "Why are you even—"
“Just tell me.”
She thought about it for a while before answering.
“A warm pull,” she said. “A spark when eyes meet. The wolf inside you reacts first. Then the Alpha feels the connection harder than anyone. But…” Her voice got quieter. "Not every bond between mates is good, Lyra. Some are dangerous. Some are forbidden.”
I lowered my head.
Forbidden.
Yes. That word fit too perfectly.
I could feel her hand squeeze mine. "Lyra, please tell me what's wrong."
"I don't know," I said softly. “I just… feel something I shouldn’t.”
Her face softened. "It's not your fault." No matter what this is, it's not your fault.
Before I could answer, a loud bell rang from the main hall.
Mira sighed. "Dinner preparation. Come on.”
We hurried out and joined the other omegas rushing through the kitchen. I focused on chopping vegetables, scraping plates, avoiding everyone’s eyes—anything to keep my thoughts straight.
But every time the doors opened and I heard heavy footsteps in the main hall, my heart raced.
He was out there.
Alpha Rain.
Keeping an eye on the pack. Leading them. Being in charge of everything.
Would he look at me again tonight? Would he notice me again?
I bit my lip so hard that I tasted blood.
Focus, Lyra.
You're nothing but just a servant.
Mira whispered next to me, "Be careful with your fingers," and nudged my arm. "You are cutting too quickly."
I blinked at the shaky pattern of slices below me. "Sorry."
She looked at me with worry. “It’s him, isn’t it?”
I didn't say anything. I didn’t need to.
Because I already knew she was right.
When the last set of dishes was brought into the dining hall, the omegas were allowed to step back and wait against the wall. The Alpha sat at the long table with the warriors, speaking quietly, drinking from a carved cup.
I tried not to look at him.
But I could feel him.
His presence was heavy, sharp, and hard to ignore. My wolf, who was usually small and quiet, pushed against my senses, wanting to lift her head and look.
No.
No, no, no.
I kept my eyes on the floor. My heart hurt with every beat.
And yet, the awareness grew stronger.
“Lyra,” Mira whispered under her breath. "He's looking at you."
I don't move. I didn’t breathe.
She nudged me harder. "I'm serious."
Slowly, against every scream of fear in my chest, I lifted my gaze.
Alpha Raine’s eyes were already on me.
Dark. Intense. Unreadable.
A shock ran through my body, so sudden I had to grab the wall behind me to stay standing.
His jaw tightened. His strong, wild wolf pushed behind his stare, as if it were trying to reach me. Connect with me.
Why?
Why me?
I looked away fast, heat crawling up my neck.
The hall went quiet for a moment, like the whole pack felt something shift—even if they didn’t understand what.
I prayed Raine would ignore it. pretend it never happened.
Maybe I could pretend too.
But fate had other plans.
When dinner ended, the omegas cleaned quickly. I grabbed a tray and headed toward the back door, wanting air, needing space. I took a shaky breath as soon as I stepped outside into the cool night.
The trees were whispering softly, and the moon was bright.
I closed my eyes.
"Lyra."
His voice.
My eyes snapped open.
Alpha Raine stood in the doorway with his arms crossed and a blank look on his face. Shadows fell around him. The moonlight hit his eyes, and something in them flickered—something wild and dangerous.
I froze. "Alpha..."
He stepped closer, slow and steady.
My heartbeat struggled to keep up.
He said in a low, deep voice, "What happened earlier in there... you felt it too." Didn't you?
My mouth went dry. "I don't know what you mean."
"You do." His eyes got a little softer. “Your wolf reacted to me.”
"I don't—"
"Don't lie," he said in a soft voice.
The night air felt too thin and too heavy.
"I can't," I whispered. "I'm an omega." Omegas don't—
He cut me off with a low growl. He wasn't angry, but he was annoyed.
"This pull," he said, taking another step toward me, "shouldn't exist. Not with you.
A sharp pain hit my chest.
Not with you.
Of course.
I backed up until my back hit the wall of the building. "Then... then stop looking at me," I said quietly. "Stop noticing at me."
His breathing hitched. Just once. Then he moved even closer.
"I've tried," he said.
I thought he could hear my heart pounding.
He was so close to me that I could feel his warmth on my skin.
"Alpha—"
Something rustled in the trees.
We both turned sharply.
A figure stepped out of the shadows.
A woman.
Very tall. Very pretty. Classy.
With cold eyes that felt like claws on me.
"Raine," she said, her voice smooth and threatening. "We need to talk." Now.
Raine got tense beside me.
"Not now," he said.
She ignored him and looked straight at me.
"What is she doing with you?"
I swallowed hard.
She stepped closer, her lips curling. "Unless... you haven't told her yet."
“Told me what?” I whispered.
The woman smiled, and it was sharp and mean.
“That you’re nothing but a mistake fate will soon correct.”
Raine growled, but he didn't deny it.
My breath caught.
My knees weakened.
Mistake.
Before I could say anything, before I could even run, the woman leaned in and whispered something that only I could hear:
"You aren't safe."
The world spun.
And then—
A scream tore through the night behind us.
A man shouted, “Rogues! There are rogues at the border!
Raine turned his head quickly to the sound.
The woman smirked.
And I—
I stood frozen as the alarms began to ring.
The pack was under attacked.
- Writer
