Chapter Three

Lyra’s POV

“Lyra, where have you been? I’ve been calling since morning!” Mina’s voice came through the phone, tense with worry.

“Mina… you won’t believe what happened…” I said quietly as I drove, my fingers squeezed against the steering wheel.

“Eamon cheated on me with Mira, rejected me, and divorced me after he heard that…” I hesitated, I saw it shameful to tell her. Finally I spilled it, I said, “I’m barren, Mina. I can’t have a child.”

“What?” Her voice broke with shock. “But Lyra, how…”

“I’m so sorry, Lyra. That’s such a heavy thing to bear,” she said softly. “Whatever you need, I’ll be here. Always.”

“Do you want to come over and talk about it?” she asked gently.

“Thanks, Mina. You’re the only true friend I have.”

That was exactly what I needed, a shoulder to lean on. Above all, I knew that going back to that house after the scene at the meeting would be a death sentence.

I turned the car toward her house.

When I reached her gate, I parked and stepped out. She opened the door before I could knock, and the moment I stepped inside, she pulled me into a hug. My tears of pain mixed with hers of pity.

“I’m really sorry you had to go through that alone,” she whispered against my shoulder.

“It’s not your fault, Mina,” I said quietly.

We sat on the couch, and I told her everything.

“I saw him with Mira… in our room… while I was gone. I… I can’t even describe how it felt, Mina. My own twin sister… and the man I trusted more than anyone…?”

Tears ran down my cheeks as the words came out. I buried my face in my hands, sobbing.

“And Eamon… he didn’t stop there. He, he hit me. He said I wasn’t his mate anymore. That I wasn’t worth anything.”

I looked up at Mina, my eyes were swollen and red.

“I… I don’t even know. I thought I had moved past this. Everything I believed in, everything I loved… it’s gone. All I feel now is anger.”

“But you have me Lyra, I will be by your side no matter what. No one should ever go through what you went through, Lyra. You deserve better,” she said, crying.

“But Mina, this isn’t over,” I hissed, with rage in my voice. “I’ll make him pay for every ounce of pain he’s caused me. And Mira… her punishment will make his betrayal look like nothing.”

I didn’t tell her that I also planned to leave the pack. I knew she’d try to convince me to stay.

My phone buzzed. I looked at the screen. Dr. Sam.

“Hello?” I answered quickly.

“Am I speaking with Lyra?” His voice sounded tight with fear.

“Yes Doctor, it's me, what’s going on?” I asked, anxiety rising.

“There’s something I need to tell you, and it’s important. Could we meet right behind the old clock tower? I can’t say it over the phone, but… how soon can you get there?”

“Maybe thirty minutes…”

“Listen carefully… if anything happens to me, remember…” Before he could finish, the line went dead.

I stared at my phone, as my heart pounded harder. Something was terribly wrong.

Mina reached for my arm. “Lyra, what’s going on? What did the doctor say?”

“I… I don’t know yet,” I said, standing up. “But I have to go. Something’s happened to my doctor.”

She rose with me, brows knitted in worry. “Do you want me to come with you?”

I shook my head quickly. “No. Stay. I’ll explain later. I’ll keep you updated, I promise.”

“Please be careful,” she whispered, squeezing my hand.

I gave her a faint, grateful smile, then turned and headed for the door, my mind already racing toward what waited for me next.

I drove the car heading to the spot he said we'd meet.

On reaching, I didn't see any one there, I came out of my car hopping I might spot him coming from afar but he was no where to be found, after some time of waiting, I gave up heading to his clinic. But from afar I saw firefighters.

The clinic has been set on fire and according to them, it was a gas leak.

A gas leak? It just sounded too fishy. The question that caught me was I hope Dr. Sam wasn't there?

Then my phone rang again, it was Mira.

"Lyra, could you check the news? You need to see this." She said.

I checked the News station on my car's infotainment screen.

‎“…tragic incident at the Crescent Clinic earlier today. Authorities have confirmed the victim as Dr. Sam Mike, found dead inside after a gas leak caused an explosion and fire.”

‎

‎A photo of my doctor appeared on the screen.

I gripped the steering wheel, staring at the doctor’s photo on the screen. They called it a gas leak, but I knew better.

Dr. Sam’s face came back to me the way his voice trembled when he told me I was barren, how he couldn’t even look me in the eye. He had been hiding something, carrying a burden he couldn’t say out loud.

Now he was gone.

Tears fell, but I wiped them with the back of my hand. This wasn’t an accident.

Someone planned this. And I wouldn’t let it slide.

By the time I left the clinic's street, the sky was already dark. I drove straight to Mina’s house.

When she opened the door. “Could I stay for the night?” I asked

She smiled softly. “Lyra, don’t ask me that. You can stay here for as long as you want.”

Relief washed over me. “Thank you, Mina. I don’t know what I’d do without you.”

She handed me a folded set of clothes. “Here. These should fit. Change out of those, you’ll feel better.”

Later, we both stretched out on her bed, talking about anything that would make me forget what had happened, small memories, silly jokes, anything to keep my mind from the worries. Slowly, my eyes finally closed.

I was back in the packhouse, two years ago, still at my mating ceremony. Eamon’s face was calm, he poured wine into two glasses. He smiled at me in that way I once loved, handing me one of them.

But behind him… I saw Dr. Sam. He was holding a small vial, slipping it into Eamon’s palm. Eamon’s fingers moved quickly, tipping something into my drink before setting the vial aside.

My stomach turned as dream-me reached out and took the glass, unaware.

I jolted awake, it was already morning, my hands holding the sheets. It was only a dream… but it felt like a memory.