HEALERS RECKONING

EPISODE THREE: THE ALPHA'S BURDEN

Kallian's POV

I watched Lyra stare at the new symbol with fear in her eyes and felt my wolf howl with rage. Someone was threatening my mate. Again. And this time I would not be a helpless puppet.

"What does the second phase do?" I forced the words out calmly even though everything in me wanted to tear something apart.

"It accelerates the drain." Lyra's voice was tight. "Whatever time you thought you had just got cut in half. Maybe less."

Beta Thorne cursed beside me. "How long do we have?"

"Days. Maybe a week if we are lucky." She turned to face us and I saw determination blazing in those violet eyes. "We need to move faster. I need access to your pack archives immediately. And I need to examine every inch of this mansion for more marks."

"Done." I was already pulling out my keys. "Thorne, gather our strongest warriors. I want guards posted at every entrance. No one gets in or out without my permission."

"Kallian, wait." Lyra grabbed my arm and I felt the mate bond flare hot between us. She pulled back quickly but not before I saw her reaction. She felt it too. The connection that should have been severed but somehow remained. "If you lock down the territory, Morgana will know we are onto her. We need her to think we are still fumbling in the dark."

She was right. I hated that she was right. "Then what do you suggest?"

"Business as usual on the surface. But we work in secret. You, me, Thorne, and Elder Mara. No one else can know what we are really doing."

"The pack deserves to know the truth," I argued.

"The pack is dying and desperate. If they find out a centuries-old witch is behind it and that I am her target, what do you think will happen?" Lyra's expression was hard. "Some will demand I leave. Others will want to hand me over to save themselves. Either way, it gives Morgana exactly what she wants. Division and chaos."

I wanted to argue, I wanted to believe my pack would never turn on her, but I had seen the fear in their eyes when they looked at her. Heard the whispers already starting.

"Fine. We keep it quiet for now." I started toward the mansion. "But the moment I think the pack is in more danger from not knowing, we tell them everything."

"Agreed."

We entered the mansion and I led her down to the archives. The room was windowless and dusty, filled with centuries of pack records. Lyra's eyes lit up when she saw the rows of document boxes.

"This is perfect. I can work here." She was already pulling out boxes, scanning labels. "I need everything from the year the original pact was made. Birth records, death records, any mention of Morgana Vale or unusual magical events."

I helped her search, pulling down boxes while Thorne stood guard at the door. We worked in silence for nearly an hour. The only sounds were rustling papers and Lyra's occasional hum of interest when she found something useful.

I found myself watching her more than searching. The way she moved with purpose now instead of the gentle hesitation she used to have. The way her silver hair caught the lamplight. The way she bit her lower lip when she was concentrating.

She was different. Harder. Scarred by what I had done to her. But she was still Lyra underneath it all. Still the woman I had fallen in love with before Morgana's magic ripped us apart.

"I can feel you staring," Lyra said without looking up from the journal she was reading.

"Sorry. I just cannot believe you are really here." The words came out before I could stop them. "I dreamed about you coming back so many times. But in those dreams, you were always happy to see me. Always forgave me instantly." I laughed bitterly. "Reality is much harder."

"Good." She still did not look at me. "You should suffer. Should know what it feels like to want something desperately and not be able to have it."

The words cut deep but I deserved them. "You are right. And I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you if you let me."

"I have not decided if I will let you yet." She finally met my eyes. "You broke me, Kallian. Shattered me into pieces. It took three years of hell to put myself back together and I am still not sure all the pieces fit right anymore."

"I know. And if I could go back, if I could fight Morgana's control, I would die before I hurt you like that again." I moved closer, careful not to invade her space. "But I cannot change what happened. I can only try to be worthy of a second chance."

"Pretty words." Her expression was unreadable. "But words are easy. Actions are what matter."

"Then let me act. Let me prove myself."

Before she could respond, Thorne's voice cut through the tension. "Alpha. We have a problem."

I turned to find my Beta looking grim. "What is it?"

"Councilman Aldric is demanding an emergency council meeting. Says the pack has a right to know who the strange woman is and why you are giving her unlimited access to pack territory."

I growled low in my throat. Aldric had always been a thorn in my side. Constantly questioning my decisions, trying to undermine my authority. "Tell him the council will meet tomorrow morning. Not before."

"He says if you do not meet tonight, he will call the meeting without you. He has enough support to do it."

That made me pause. If Aldric called a meeting without me, it would be a direct challenge to my authority as Alpha. The kind of challenge that could fracture the pack even further.

"Go," Lyra said quietly. "Deal with your council. I can work here alone."

"I do not want to leave you unprotected."

"I am more dangerous than anything in this mansion." She held up one hand and violet energy crackled around her fingers. "I will be fine. Go be their Alpha."

I hesitated but she was right. The pack needed to see me in control. Needed to know their Alpha was not falling apart while they suffered.

"Thorne stays with you. And you call for me immediately if anything happens."

"Fine. Now go before your councilman starts a mutiny."

I left reluctantly, feeling the mate bond stretch uncomfortably as I put distance between us. The sensation was familiar. I had felt it constantly during the three years she was gone. A constant ache that reminded me of what I had lost.

The council chamber was already full when I arrived. Eight pack members sat around the ancient oak table. Aldric stood at the head, clearly having taken my seat in my absence.

"Alpha Kallian," he said with false respect. "How good of you to join us."

I did not bother responding to the obvious jab. Just walked to my chair and stared at him until he moved. He did, but slowly. Making a show of it.

"Now then," I said once everyone was seated. "I understand there are concerns about our newest arrival."

"Concerns?" A female council member named Vera spoke up. "Kallian, that woman has dark magic. Her eyes glow. Her hair is white like death itself. And you just let her waltz back into our territory like nothing happened?"

"That woman has a name. Lyra Thorn. And yes, she has returned to help us find the source of the sickness killing our pack."

"How do we know she is not the source?" Aldric leaned forward. "She disappears for three years. Presumably dies in the Cursed Forest. Then suddenly returns right when our pack starts dying? That seems convenient."

Murmurs of agreement rippled around the table. I felt my wolf pressing against my control, wanting to tear into Aldric for daring to threaten my mate.

"Lyra is not our enemy," I said firmly. "She is a skilled healer and now has abilities that can help us identify the curse."

"Or she is a witch who cursed us herself out of revenge for being rejected," Aldric countered. "Everyone knows what you did to her at the mating ceremony. Can you blame her for wanting payback?"

"Enough!" My voice came out as a growl that made everyone flinch. "I will not sit here and listen to baseless accusations against someone who has already sacrificed more for this pack than any of you know."

"Then enlighten us, Alpha." Aldric's smile was cold. "Tell us why we should trust her. Tell us what you are not saying."

I was trapped. If I told them the truth about Morgana and the ancient pact, they would panic. Might even demand I hand Lyra over to save themselves. But if I said nothing, Aldric would continue poisoning them against her.

"There are things I cannot reveal yet for the safety of the pack," I said carefully. "But I can tell you this. Lyra is innocent. She is here to help. And anyone who threatens her or interferes with her work will answer to me personally. Is that clear?"

"Crystal clear, Alpha." Aldric stood. "You have made your position obvious. You would sacrifice the pack's safety for your rejected mate. I hope that decision does not destroy us all."

He walked out. Three other council members followed him.

The ones who remained looked uncertain. Divided. Exactly what I had feared.

"This meeting is over," I said tiredly. "Go home. Rest. Trust that I am doing everything possible to save us."

They left slowly, whispering among themselves. Only Vera remained.

"Be careful, Kallian," she said softly. "Aldric is gathering support. If you are not careful, he will challenge you for Alpha."

"Let him try."

She shook her head. "You are a good Alpha. But you are distracted. Weakened by the curse. And Aldric knows it. He is waiting for the perfect moment to strike."

"Then I will deal with him when that moment comes."

Vera left and I sat alone in the empty council chamber. My pack was fracturing. The curse was accelerating. And somewhere out there, Morgana was watching it all unfold exactly as she planned.

I needed to get back to Lyra. I needed to know she was safe.

I stood and headed for the archives. But as I walked through the mansion halls, I felt something was wrong. The air was too cold. Too still.

I started running.

When I burst into the archives, I found Thorne unconscious on the floor and Lyra gone. In her place was a single black rose with a note pinned to its stem.

I grabbed the note with shaking hands.

The words were written in blood.

"Tick tock, Alpha. Three weeks until the blood moon. Three weeks until I claim what is mine. Try to stop me and watch your precious pack burn. The game has only just begun. - M"

I crushed the note in my fist and threw back my head.

My roar of rage shook the entire mansion,Morgana had taken my mate.