Chapter 7 – Awakened

Lyra’s POV

My eyes opened and I was no longer in the tent.

I was standing on a hill under a moon. The moon was so large it swallowed the sky. Silver light poured over everything, and the air tightened and hummed like a held breath.

"My child."

The voice came from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.

I turned, trying to find out where the voice was coming from...then I saw her.

The most beautiful woman I have ever seen in my life.

She stood at the edge of the hill, clothed in a light so bright I could barely look at her. Her hair moved like the waves. Her eyes held no colour,only reflection.

The Moon Goddess.

I have heard a lot of stories about her. But what was said did no justice to her.

My kneel hit the ground before I knew that I had fallen.

I stared at her and all the questions I had came hitting at me.

"Please,"I whispered. "I don't understand. Why did Aiden reject me? Why did the prophecy—"

"Not all prophecies speak truth my child."

Her voice wrapped around me like a shield,warm and terrible.

"Some speak choice."

There was a thundering sound, then flames erupted around me...not red or orange,but silver. They didn't burn. They just flowed from the tips of my finger to the rest of my body like they were a part of me.

I raised my trembling hands,and the flames rose with them.

"What is this?"I breathed. And I swore I saw smoke came out from my mouth.

"A gift,"The Goddess said. "Denied to your bloodline for generations. Awakened now, because the balance has been tipped."

I stared at my palms in wonder. Silver fire danced across my skin, and I couldn't stop looking at it.

"The prophecy was never about you my dear Lyra Nightshade."

My heart stopped. What?

"The Alpha's Luna shall betray him. His mate shall be his downfall."The Goddess tilted her head. "But I never mentioned you. Aiden just assumed,just like the priestess. And now the pack weakens because you are not there."

Tears spilled down my cheeks. So I just suffered for nothing.

"Why didn't you stop him? You could have."

"Yes I could have,but choices are sacred,"She said. "Even when it is wrong."

The the fire around me flared. I saw flashes... Chaoes at Howler. Aiden fighting alone. Zylia whispering in council chambers. Pack bonds fraying and old rope.

And my heart broke at the sight. This was my home.

"You must return my child,"The Goddess said. "Not for Aiden. But for the Pack. For the innocents who will burn if the Rogue King rises unchallenged."

What?

"Rogue King?"

The flames showed me a face . Older. Scarred. An eyes that mirrored my own.

"You father,"The Goddess said. "Exiled. Broken. And now,risen as a warlord."

I woke screaming and crying.

Raven was by my side in an instant,knife drawn,eyes wild. Behind her, Nicholas pushed through the tent flap, shirtless, breathing hard and eyes ready to spill some blood.

"What happened?"He demanded.

I clutched my chest hard. Trying to get my breathing back to normal. My hands still glowed faintly silver.

"I saw her,"I whispered. "The Moon Goddess."

Silence.

“I saw her,” I whispered. “The Moon Goddess.”

Silence.

They must think that I have gone mad.

Then Nicholas crouched in front of me,his dark eyes searching mine.

"Tell me everything"

I wrapped my face with the blanket that was half way down my body. My breath came in ragged gasps. The silver light faded from my palms ,but the warmth of it lingered under my skin like embers waiting to reignite.

"She said the prophecy wasn't about me. It was never about me,"I sobbed. "Aiden was wrong,the priestess assumed wrong. I was never going to betray him."

Raven lowered her knife slowly. Her sharo eyes didn't leave my face. She didn't look so surprise about the prophecy stuff... Guess Nicholas had told her.

"The Goddess showed me things,a lot of things,"I continued,my voice shaking. "Howler  Pack is falling apart . The Pack bonds are weakening. And there's a Rogue King. He's building an army."

Nicholas went very still at the mention of the Rogue King.

"She said he's my father,"I whispered, afraid of how this revelation will make them see me.

The tent felt colder. Raven exhaled through her teeth. Lighting up a cigarette and taking a long draw.

Guess that how she relief stress.

"Well,"Raven said dryly. "That explains why Nicholas didn't leave you for death."

Nicholas shot her a look sharp enough to cut. Then his gaze returned to me. Something in his expression had shifted. Softer. More careful.

"Are you sure?"He asked. "About what you saw?"

"I was standing on a hill under a moon large enough to cover the world,"I said. "Silver fire came out of my hands . I'm fairly sure I wasn't dreaming... Or if I was ,that it was real."

Nicholas stood up slowly. He ran a hand through his dark head like he was trying to absorb everything.

"The Rogue King has been a ghost for years," he said quietly. "We have heard rumors. Lycans gathering in the eastern mountains. Pack disappearing overnight. But no one knew who led them."

He looked at me. "Now we know. And I'm very sure he also knows about you."

My stomach dropped. "What do you mean?"

"You carry silver flame,Lyra. You dreamed of the Goddess herself. Something that has never happened " Nicholas's jaw tightened. "If the Rogue King is your father,and he knows he has a daughter,he won't want you dead. He'll want you beside him"

Well I didn't like the sound of that.

Raven grunted. "Guess you are not just an exiled Omega anymore. You're a weapon "

I pulled the blanket tightly up my body and around myself. "I don't want to be a weapon "I whispered.

"It no longer matters what you want."Nicholas's voice was blunt but not cruel. He was all business. "What matters is what you become now."

He crouched before me again,this time closer. Close enough that I could clearly see the faint scar cutting through his left eyebrow. Close enough that I caught his scent...pine and smoke and something wild.

"Can you call on the fire again?"He asked.

I looked at my hands. I focused on the warmth that was still buried in my chest. I tried reaching for it like I would a memory.

Nothing happened. I tried again. Still nothing.

"I don't know how,"I admitted finally giving up.

"Then we teach you." Nicholas stood and looked at Raven. "She starts training tomorrow. Weapons , hand-to-hand,and whatever that silver fire is."

Raven nodded once .

Nicholas walked towards the tent flap,then paused. He glanced back at over his shoulder.

"You are no longer nothing, Lyra Nightshade. You might be just what this camp needs"

Then he was gone.