LOGINZANEI am not surprised that Alexander ultimately was not Alpha enough to be hunted. At least, that's the conclusion I've reached after listening to him vehemently refuse to let Lyra hunt him through the forest.Apparently, being chased by his younger sister through several square kilometres of dense woodland was where he drew the line.His exact words had been, “Absolutely fucking not.”So much for brotherly enthusiasm, I suppose. Instead, he decided they should start their training session with sparring, which should also be incredibly interesting. Lyra has been unusually quiet ever since we arrived. She has not said a word other than asking Alexander to mindlink Nova, and that alone tells me everything I need to know. Her shoulders are slightly too rigid, her fingers repeatedly flexing at her sides, and every few seconds her gaze flicks toward Alexander before darting away again.I know there is no way on earth that her family will reject her after learning that she is a lycan,
LYRAI stare at my brother, who is staring at Zane. Zane is, apparently, oblivious to the fact that he has just stepped directly into the path of an oncoming train. Or he just isn’t bothered, which, okay, seems a lot more likely. The man is just sitting there with one arm draped casually over the back of the couch. His expression is infuriatingly calm, even when Alex’s isn’t.My brother’s jaw is still clenched, his arms folded firmly across his chest, and there is a very specific look in his eyes that tells me he is already imagining several different ways this day could end. None of them involve Zane walking away unscathed.Zane’s gaze flicks to me briefly, and something soft passes in his eyes. I’m not sure what it is, but it loosens the knot in my stomach just a little bit. “All right,” Zane finally sighs. “Then I shall simply sit in,” he says, his voice sounding completely indifferent. Wait what? One of Alex’s eyebrows rises, probably just as surprised as I am about Zane conc
ZANE I freeze as blue flames lick violently around the wooden blocks. Not orange. Not red. Blue. Bloody blue fire. My entire body goes rigid. What the hell? I stare at the child. Then the toys. Then the child again. Charlotte simply sits there, looking at her burning tower with enormous blue eyes. She doesn't scream or cry, simply reaches for another block. My head snaps towards the others, yet no one moves. Alex and Lyra are talking casually, while Nova casually reaches for her drink. Talia and Selene are both drinking their tea in silence, watching Aaron play with his own toys. No one grabs the child or throws a blanket over the flames. No one even looks remotely concerned. My gaze returns to the toddler. The flames dance around her tiny hands as she picks up yet another damn block like it’s the most normal thing in the world. My heart rate skyrockets. Just as I’m about to jump and snatch her up, her father sighs and moves to pick the girl up. The flames die instanta
ZANE Nova freezes at Lyra’s words. Her eyes flick from her sister… to me… to the blood still running down my chest… and something in her expression cracks. It is not much, barely noticeable in fact, but it is enough to give pause. Alex places his now-healed arm around her waist, murmuring something low into her ear. She snarls, because of course she does, but she does not fight him. Talia steps forward with her palms up. “Okay, how about we all put our claws away.” Nova shoots her a glare that could kill twelve grown men, but Talia just pats her gently, seemingly unfazed. That is Beta female privilege, apparently. Lyra stays in front of me, her shoulders squared, and her jaw set. She is still breathing hard, adamantly protecting me. Gods, Lyra is protecting me. The thought alone nearly drops me to my knees. I know this woman is more than capable of doing so, even if she should not have to. An Alpha is supposed to protect his Luna, it is our way of life. Yet here she is, st
ZANE The Arcane–Oracle pack looks exactly as I remember it. Nearly two years ago, I came here as a new Alpha scrambling to clean up my father’s mess, and swallowing pride to negotiate peace. I never expected to return like this. In love with Lyra Weston. It feels like a lifetime ago. Back then, the Eclipse Pack was fractured and bleeding, my father’s betrayal still poisoning the borders. I was furious at the mess he made. I was livid that the Weston princess got past my defenses, that I couldn’t read her, and that I didn't know what she was. Never in a million years would I have guessed she was a lycan. My other half. My calm and my storm. The guards open the gates the instant they see Lyra in the front seat, and I follow the winding road to the Alpha mansion. Our security detail is shown to their accommodation, while Lyra and I will be staying with her family. Lovely. The Alphas’ mansion rises from the earth like it was carved from the mountain itself. Dark granite an
LYRAZane is driving. Which, in itself, is really strange. Not because I don't trust his driving. I do. It's just the fact that the Alpha of the Eclipse Pack, who usually has an entire security detail and a personal driver at his disposal, is currently sitting behind the wheel of a black SUV like this is the most normal thing in the world.He looks weirdly casual behind the wheel. One hand rests on the steering wheel while the other occasionally finds my thigh, as though he can't quite resist touching me even while driving.We are surrounded by tinted windows, black leather seats, and enough technology built into the console to make me feel like I'm sitting inside a fucking spaceship, but the Alpha is the one driving, happily. I glance into the side mirror for the thousandth time in an hour, finding the same two black SUVs trailing us at a respectable distance. Those two cars are packed with Eclipse warriors, while another vehicle drives ahead of us, equally full of armed wolves.
ZANE The following morning finds me seated behind my desk at pack headquarters, my office bathed in pale morning light, a neat stack of reports laid out before me. I should be focused. I am focused—at least, that’s what I tell myself.The pack is thriving. Better than thriving.Our ventures in the
LYRAI’m fucking up today… A lot.Even more than usual.Maybe it’s the dream that threw me?Maybe it’s that even Nessa, the one cadet I actually formed a bond with, is icing me out. The fact that everyone did the obstacle course in pairs, and Nessa decided to rather be a third fucking wheel than sp
LYRA The knock echoes through the too-perfect house, and my stomach sinks. I raise a brow at Talia. “If that’s Zane, you better pretend I'm not here and release a rogue mouse in his kitchen.” But it’s not. It’s a beautiful woman with huge dimples, a riot of short, shiny black curls, and more su
LYRA My skin is still humming. My body is still singing from the way I moved today. I haven’t felt that alive in… goddess, since that night with Zane. The way the warriors looked at me when I took Damian down... and Noah down. They didn't fear me like so many at the Arcane-Oracle Pack. No. Sh







