Chapter Three.

LYRA’S POV

It was Kade.

I frowned, annoyed that he had stolen my kill.

“Thank you, but I was handling the situation really well,” I said, sliding into the passenger’s seat after shifting back. I was not in the back seat because the cab’s driver's lifeless body was there. Since my clothes were ruined from shifting, I was draped in a blanket Kade gave me. My hands did not leave my chest. I was scared that if it did, the blanket would fall and the last thing I wanted was for Kade to see me naked. I pulled the blanket tightly around me. I was sitting next to him, naked under wool.

“There would have been no situation to handle if you had let me take you home,” Kade said, starting the engine.

I rolled my eyes. I wanted to drive myself back home but that was not very possible. I was stark naked underneath the blanket.

“Why do you have a blanket in your car though?” A sword was okay. He was an Alpha after all, but a blanket was definitely the last thing I expected to see in this Alpha’s car.

“Why are you asking? Disappointed?” He smirked. “I’m not sure your fiancé would like to hear that his fiancée wanted to give me a show.”

My jaw tightened. “Don’t flatter yourself.”

He leaned closer and suddenly I tensed, clutching the blanket tighter. “What are you doing?”

His arms brushed against my shoulders. “I know it’s your wish, but…” he paused and at that moment I noticed that his fingers were on the seat belt. He pulled it and then a click followed.

“You did not tie the blanket properly. If you had tried to strap yourself in, you would have flashed me and I know you won’t ask for my help since...” his voice trailed off.

Our eyes met and damn, I never knew breathing could be so difficult. I quickly tore my eyes away and he pulled back.

“Just stop it,” I said quietly.

“Stop what?”

“Whatever you’re doing. In case you have forgotten, I’m engaged now.”

“So?”

I turned abruptly to him and a hard glare appeared on my face. “So you should keep your flirty jokes to yourself. I don’t want to hear them. They are not even funny and you’re just annoying the hell out of me.”

“You’re asking me to hold back. That will be a problem, because the last time I held back, I did not see you for eight years. I am not doing that again.”

I scoffed. “Well know your boundaries. I will soon get married and I am not interested in whatever this is.”

“It would have mattered if you would end up with him,” Kade said quietly. I frowned and looked away. The best thing was to ignore him. Whatever he thought never mattered in the first place. What did was where my heart was and it was with Conan.

“What do you even mean by that?” I had to ask. His confidence and delusion was annoying.

“For starters, I am the one here. Not him. You got into danger and he has not called yet.”

“Conan has always been there for me and you would not know that because you obviously don’t have any place in my life. And, if you did not notice, the head you unnecessarily chopped off is missing an eye. I did that. This damsel is no damsel in distress.”

For the first time since we met, Kade’s lips curled up in a smile that reached his eyes. “You’re right. You’re Lyra after all. Lyra is Lyra. My biggest mistake was not realizing that early enough.”

I wonder what he meant by that.

“If I were your man,” he continued. “I’d still offer to help fight your battles even if I know you’d do it better. If only I had not misused my opportunity.”

I snickered. This was becoming pathetic. “What do you plan to do with his body?” I asked, looking back at the body which had its head lying next to it.

“The pack scientist’s needed dead bodies to carry out an experiment. No one volunteers while they are still alive, so I’m volunteering for him. He decided to bring you here, when that was not what you wanted, didn’t he?.”

I laughed.

A real laugh.

I just could not help it.

“If you weren’t such an asshole in the past, we might’ve been best friends.”

“That’s sad. Just friends isn’t enough. I have to do better.”

“It’s not like you still have a chance,” I mumbled and I knew he heard it because he glanced sideways at me.

“You think I don’t?”

“Do you think you deserve a chance?”

He looked away from me and returned his stare back to the road. “I honestly don’t.”

His voice was soft. This time around, there was no teasing.

I hated it though. I hated how sincere he sounded.

It made hating him harder.

“Then, stop trying.”

“That’s impossible.”

I snorted and looked away. “It’s your funeral, not mine.”

We said nothing to each other afterwards and the rest of our journey was silent just the way I wanted it to be. By the time we pulled into the familiar driveway of my family’s mansion, my stomach twisted into a knot.

Nothing much had changed. I still saw staff that were around eight years ago and it made me nostalgic. Up until now, I had no idea that I had missed home this much. Everything got ruined by how every single one of the persons we came across greeted Alpha Kade before even acknowledging that the daughter of their master was back after eight years.

The engine stopped and my bare feet hit the cold gravel. Kade got out of the car too. “You should go. You’ve done enough al–.”

“Lyra.”

“Mom,” I screamed, excited. Next to her was my dad who had a big smile on his face until he saw that…

“Dad?” One of his eyebrows was arched. He looked solid just like he had always looked. Nothing about him had changed except that his once all black hair now had a streak of iron gray.

“Alpha Kade, thank you for bringing our daughter home,” my mom said to Kade, masking her confusion with a polite smile.

“Alpha Kade, we are grateful.” My father turned to look at me. “Why are you draped in a blanket though?”

“I took a cab because I thought Alpha Kade was an impostor, then it went wrong.”

“You took a what, because you thought what?” My mom glanced at Alpha Kade, then me and her lips curled in silent judgement. “You know what, it’s too early for this. It’s been eight years. Just give your old people a hug.”

Beaming, I scurried over to her and she hugged me. Dad joined us and I smiled, feeling like a child again. This was more like it. This was home.

I buried my face in my mother’s neck, breathing in her scent. I missed her and I knew she did too from how much tighter and desperate her hug was. When she pulled back, I noticed that the soft amber of her eyes was now duller.

“I missed you,” she whispered, brushing my hair backward like she used to.

My dad pulled me into another hug like he was waiting to get a turn. At first, his hug was stiff like he was trying to stay composed, then it became as desperate as mom’s own.

He pulled to look at me, his hands on my shoulders. “You’re still stubborn, but my princess has grown.”

“Stop making her feel special.”

My brother, Timren.

He leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, looking like a model posing for a magazine cover. Broader shoulders, square jaw and the same mischievous smile that hinted that he was still the same life of the party Tim. There was a quiet depth in this gaze though, like someone that had seen more. I could tell he was wiser now.

He stepped forward and ruffled my hair like he used to. His eyes moved from my face to the blanket and he began to laugh. “It’s good to see that you haven’t changed. Who tried to mess with you this time around?”

“Lyra, did something happen to you?” I froze when I saw the next person coming out to greet me.

“Conan?”

“I wanted to surprise y–”

Before he could complete his sentence, I ran to give him a hug. “You weren’t picking my calls. I got worried sick.”

“I’m sorry, I was at an important virtual meeting. I should be in my pack and even if I came here to surprise and welcome you back home, I had to make sure everything was good back home.” He cupped my face and my cheeks turned red. “At least I’m here, right?”

“Right.” I nodded and he pulled me into another tight hug. Almost immediately, a strong hand curled around my upper arm and pulled me back a step.

Kade.

“Don’t hug her.” Kade’s voice was low and unmistakably authoritative.

“Why shouldn’t he?” I asked, visibly annoyed. Everyone eyes were on us and I was sure they wanted to know why too.