LOGINLyra Before I can even think of how to respond, a blur of dark hair and floral perfume barrels straight into me, nearly knocking me over. “Ellie—?!” She wraps her arms around me like I’ve just returned from war. Which, okay… fair. But still, this absolutely isn’t necessary. “I’m fine,” I grunt against her shoulder, but it doesn’t stop her from clutching me tighter like she’s worried I’ll vanish into thin air. “Oh my gods, Lyra,” she gasps, pulling back just enough to scan me up and down like I’ve sprouted extra limbs. “I didn’t even know anything happened until this morning. I’m so sorry I wasn’t there—I was in heat and I spent the day with…” My hand flies up, covering her mouth, and I gesture with my head towards the door. Finally, Ellie glances at her brother, who is very intently staring at a hinge. She sighs and waves it off. “Never mind.” Before I can say anything else, she grabs my hand and drags me across the room like it’s hers. “Sit.” She pushes me gently on
LYRA He knows now. I spilled it all like I’m in a therapy session and he’s my counsellor. Except he’s not. I was just his little monster-obsessed side quest. And I’m a moron for telling him anything. Because he doesn’t care, he was just curious. And now that he knows, he’ll go back to his bloodsucking parasite, Maria. Except… he doesn’t. He's still seated beside me, like I didn’t REPEATEDLY tell him to fuck off. The fucker actually makes himself comfortable, leaning back on his hands now, legs stretched in front of him like we’re sunbathing. I shoot him a look that I’m sure could curdle holy water. Nothing. He just keeps staring at me like I’m a puzzle he’s still trying to solve. ‘There’s nothing more to know, you dense bastard. So what more do you want from me?’ I want to shout, but decide to just ignore him. When I move to get up, his hand immediately shoots out and he catches my arm. He says only one word. “Stay.” I freeze, a growl vibrating in my chest.
ZANE I race through the woods, my wolf following her fresh scent. It’s darker out here. The trees are thicker, denser, and there is an almost unnatural chill curling through the air. Moonlight slants down through the branches in fractured beams, like blades trying to cut through the tension clamping down on my chest. My wolf snarls. Not to dominate. Not to punish. Just to find her. To get to her before she slips so far into her panic that she never comes back. How far have we gone? We’re nowhere near the Eclipse Pack anymore, we’re in Moonridge territory now. Is Lyra planning on running all the way back to her home? Does she even know where she’s going or has her lycan taken over? My paws slam into the dirt when her scent grows stronger. My mind is a mess of questions. When I find her, will her lycan recognise me? Will she see me as a threat? Will she try to fight me? How can I possibly subdue her? I can’t. It is as simple as that. Unless, she has shifted back? I’ve sparred
ZANE There’s no denying it anymore. Not after watching her heart nearly stop. Not after holding her cold, limp body in my arms. Not after seeing her bleed out and still wanting nothing more than to breathe her name into the dark until she came back to me. The idea of living in a world where Lyra Weston no longer existed, it was soul-crushing. Like staring into a future that had already been torn in half. At that moment, the reality I have been hiding from hit me like a slap in the face. I need her. This isn’t fascination. It is not lust. Not power, or danger, or curiosity. It is her. Everything about her. The way she laughs like the whole world is beneath her but still carries every broken piece inside her like armour. Her fighting spirit. Her voice. Her perfect, smug, sass-soaked ass, and her dirty mouth. And I know what she is now. A Lycan. Good gods. A creature whispered about in ancient scrolls as the alphas that stood above all others. They are feared. Revered. Man
ZANEOn my way to the hospital, I am already mentally linking the doctors and nurses to prepare.The harsh white lights are blinding as I crash through the doors. The air reeks of antiseptic, sharp enough to sting the back of my throat. Doctor Bennett is already waiting beside a gurney in the reception area as I enter, but as soon as he sees Lyra in my arms, he pales.“She’s been stabbed with silver. It’s in her heart.” I tell him. His nose twitches, clearly also smelling the strong scent of wolfsbane coming from the dagger.Doctor Bennett snaps into motion, gesturing for me to put Lyra on the gurney, but I shake my head. Undisturbed, he leads me to the first room on our left. A sterile white room with a single bed in the centre. The moment I set Lyra on the bed, a nurse begins connecting different machines to her, and the doctor inspects the wound. But he looks grim. “If we remove the dagger, she’ll bleed out before her body can heal. The location…” His voice trails off.I growl l
ZANEI do not see Lyra for the rest of the day. Somehow, I manage to keep my distance, even as everything in me screams to run to her. To find her and beg for forgiveness. I hate that I pushed her away. I hate every lie I told her. And I hate myself… for being such a bloody coward. Yesterday, logic told me to push her away. To put distance between us before she got too close to the monster I might become. If I don’t find the weapon… if I lose myself… she would be the one to suffer for it. She would never be able to defend herself against me. So I did what needed to be done. At the gathering, I drove the wedge between us. Cold and deliberate. Exactly as planned.But this morning wasn’t strategy. This morning was weakness.What happened last night still burned under my skin, and instead of mastering it, I let it master me. I pushed her harder than I needed to. Crueler than I intended. I wanted her to feel the same sting she gave me.Spite is an ugly thing. And I wore it well. For a m
ZANEI should be in the back seat. It is where I belong.The Alpha always sits in the back. The Beta drives. It’s tradition, it’s optics, it’s respect. Yet tonight, the back seat is occupied by three unconscious women who smell like alcohol, sweat, perfume, and horrible decisions.So here I am.In
LYRA“The final cadet starting warrior training — Maria López.”My stomach sinks. Tabitha didn’t make it.I swallow hard, forcing myself to keep my face neutral as the weight of it settles in. Tabitha fought like hell. She deserved better. And yet, Maria is staying in her place. Bittersweet doesn
LYRAThe next door opens, and I almost groan in relief. Thank fuck the stupid rock maze gave my arms just enough time to stop screaming. They still ache, but it’s the manageable kind now. The kind I can work through. The next room is long and wide, stark and industrial. Targets line the far wall
LYRAOf course this is what the next obstacle is would be. My arms are already aching in protest, but of course this is what we get.Right in front of us, there are two lanes, side by side, suspended over a large open space.Fucking monkey bars.The bars stretch for at least fifteen meters and they







