Chapter 4: PA PROBLEMS & PACK PANIC

LYRA'S POV

Five years later,

Being an Alpha can be a shit load of work and responsibilities. And being a mother is even worse.

Nobody warned me about how children can be even tougher than adults. My Ryan is the definition of "hard nut to crack". He's so stubborn to the extent that many pack members fear him.

Only, my beta, Thorne can properly contain his stubbornness.

A smile crawls up my face as the thoughts of Thorne crosses my mind.

I snap out of my thoughts as I hear the door open. Speak of the devil. There he is, Thorne, looking as handsome as ever, carrying a tray of dishes in his hand.

My smile widens as he sets down the tray before me.

"Why are you the one doing mundane tasks for me? Have the maids all suddenly disappeared??" I ask him.

"Probably." He teases, then adds, "I just wanted to be the one to serve you after a long day of meetings. You deserve that much pampering from someone after all the manly duties you have to do. And luckily, I happen to fit that role just perfectly."

I can't help but crack with laughter. "Thank you."

You see, after winning so many battles for blood moon pack, I became a high ranking officer, third in command to the alpha, after Thorne.

I used my healing abilities to their advantage, making the entire pack fall even more in love with me. In fact, even after some of them remembered who I really was in the past; it didn't matter to them any longer.

Shortly after, the alpha passed away in battle with no male heir. The usual tradition was to vote for an Alpha among eligible males— the strongest species. But surprisingly, everyone voted me in.

It was just like a dream. In one day, I became the Alpha Queen of the pack that I was once a slave. Truthfully speaking, juggling Alpha duties and pregnancy wasn't easy at first.

But with Thorne's constant encouragement and help, I was able to scale through. He stood by me every step of the way, most times filling in for my duties.

And down till I put to bed, Thorne never stopped lending me a hand. And now that my son, Ryan is five years old, he literally sees Thorne as his father.

"Pa." That's what he first called him.

"A penny for your thoughts?" Thorne's voice sounds so close to my ears it makes me shiver.

As if on a mission, he moves to the sofa beside me, and I suck in a sharp breath with how close he is. I don't know the reason, but for a long time now, my wolf has been acting so weird and overly excited around him.

But he on the other hand seems to be very oblivious to it. Maybe because I hide it so well. This isn't the time for any silly feelings.

It's unwanted and uncalled for.

I manage a stiff smile, trying hard not to buckle as Thorne's ice blue eyes bores into mine, relentlessly, almost like he's searching through my soul.

With sharp jawline, straight nose, and pitch black hair, Thorne is the human-equivalent of "sex on a stick".

The air suddenly feels charged as Thorne's gaze darkens and trails to my lips, causing my breath to hitch.

Bang bang!

A loud knock on the door snaps both of us from whatever funny idea we have going on in our heads.

I quickly get to the door only to see the pack's messenger.

"Good day, Alpha." He greets. "There's a letter from alpha prince Ryan's school."

I heave a sigh, knowing where that type of letter usually leads to.

"Did Ryan fight again?"

A look of hesitation crosses his face. "No, actually. He's— he's missing. But a search party has already been organized for him. They just wanted me to inform you."

"It's really nothing to panic about." He quickly adds as if that's supposed to keep me calm.

Nerves dance in my stomach, quickening my pulse and I begin to pace the room, raking nervous fingers through my hair.

"It's okay, you can leave. Thank you." I hear Thorne tell the messenger.

I turn to face him as soon as the door clicks shut. Concern is boldly written on his face as he places comforting hands on my shoulders.

For a moment, I'm distracted by how his touch sends a ripple of awareness down my spine. My breath shudders through my lungs.

Get a grip, Lyra! I chide myself.

"I'll handle the situation myself, Lyra. You get some rest and all will be fine." Thorne assures me.

But it's not working at all.

"How am I supposed to rest when my son is missing?" I counter visibly shaking with a temper.

Thorne opens his mouth to give another excuse but I can't wait to hear it any longer as I shove his hands off slightly then dash out the door.

If I don't act fast, things may get worse. Blood roars in my head as I head to the school. O get there in record time, only to meet a disoriented atmosphere.

Every staff member seems to be searching every corner. And when they see me, fear skitters through their faces.

"Alpha!" They all greet.

"Where is my son? What's the progress?" I can't help the panic in my voice.

They all seem uneasy as they try to come up with different excuses.

"We will surely find Ryan, Alpha. Please, just calm down a bit." The dean pleads.

I don't even give them a reply as I turn on my heels, agitation rushing through my body. Calm down? Only if they know why I'm so riled up this way. Only if they know what—

"Lyra!"

It's Thorne and the sheer dominance his words carries makes me freeze midway out the school.

He crosses the space between us, worry searing deep into his forehead.

"Can you just relax your nerves a bit, please? You know how stubborn Ryan is. Everyone does. This could be one of his adventures and even if he happens to be in danger, I can handle the risk myself since the primordial blood practically runs through me. For now, you need rest!"

I shake my head. He's not getting the point at all.

I know Ryan has done so many things kids his age have no idea how to do— even many adults. He has fought with wild creatures and devoured them. His entire school mates fear and respect him.

Of course, there's also the magical power aspect. Ryan has the ability to teleport himself which I'm pretty sure is the said adventure he’s trying out.

However, him getting into trouble at the so-called adventure isn’t my major fear, my worry is something even scarier.

"I'm not scared of the dangers Ryan is exposed to, Thorne," I confess. "What I'm scared about is the person he might become exposed to."

"The one person I've spent years hiding him from. I can’t risk letting Duncan set an eye on him. He would fight to take him away from me. He would cause trouble. He would ruin the peaceful life I’m having right now.”

Something icy flashes in Thorne's eyes and for a fleeting second, he looks like a totally different person. The aura his body exudes becomes so intimidating, or am I overthinking it?

"You shouldn't be bothered by that scumbag!" He says, his words laced with protectiveness. "He can't take him away from you!"

His voice rises an octave. "He wouldn't even dare, after everything he did to you. He once denied the pregnancy, didn't he?"

Thorne doesn't even hide the contempt that laced his words, and in a way, it puts my heart at ease that I have someone who is willing to support me no matter what.

Ever since I told him about my past with Duncan, Thorne has hated him with everything in him. In fact, his hatred is even worse than mine.

It's different— raw!

The very sound of Duncan's name makes his hair stand on end— it makes control snap from his grip, just like now.

When he realizes he has overreacted, he collects himself calmly and holds my hands.

“Look, I don’t have the best words to calm you down. But just know that Duncan is never going to take Ryan away from you. I’m not going to let that happen.”

I manage a smile, my voice breaking. "Thank you. I—"

"Luna!" A voice interrupts behind us. "Alpha prince Ryan has been found. A man brought him back and they are in the staff office."

A wave of relief spreads through me and I barely process her words before turning on my heels and starting towards the staff office. Thorne follows swiftly after me.

The moment I walk in, my gaze trains on Ryan who is seated quietly on one of the couches like he's the calmest kid in the world.

Then, I feel it.

That cold current in the atmosphere that screams all too loudly of one name. The name I dreaded the most in the whole world and beyond.

Horror grips me as my gaze slowly trains in the bigger duplicate of Ryan, more ferocious and heavily built, standing adjacent to the Dean.

Lycan king Duncan Smith, my ex-husband!

He still has that intimidating silver eyes and it pierces me the moment they shift towards me.

Our shock mirrors each other as we lock gazes but mine is worse.

“Ma’am, here’s the man that found your son. Alpha Duncan!”