Chapter 4: A Heart of Ice

The silver dagger rested against Lyra’s throat.

One small movement.

One slip.

And her life would end.

The forest fell deathly silent.

Every Blackwood warrior held their breath.

The rogue leader smiled, his crimson eyes fixed on Alpha Karl.

“Well?” he taunted. “Answer me.”

“If she means nothing to you…”

“Why are you here?”

Karl’s massive black wolf stood as still as a statue.

His silver eyes burned with murderous intent, but his expression revealed nothing.

After a long moment, he shifted back into his human form.

His black clothes were torn from the transformation, exposing the powerful muscles of his chest and arms. Moonlight illuminated the scar that ran across his shoulder a mark earned during his first battle as Alpha.

He stared directly at the rogue.

“I came because you crossed my territory.”

His voice was cold.

Emotionless.

“You attacked my pack.”

The rogue chuckled.

“So it has nothing to do with the girl?”

“Nothing.”

Lyra felt as though the little strength she had left drained from her body.

Even now…

Even with death staring her in the face…

He couldn’t admit she mattered.

The rogue glanced at Lyra before laughing loudly.

“Did you hear that?”

“You truly are unwanted.”

The other rogues burst into cruel laughter.

One of the Blackwood warriors lowered his head, unable to watch.

Even Beta Damien frowned.

Karl’s words had been unnecessarily harsh.

But Karl never looked away from the rogue leader.

“Release her.”

The rogue tilted his head.

“And if I don’t?”

Karl’s silver eyes darkened.

“You die.”

The air instantly became suffocating.

Even the rogues took an unconscious step backward.

The Alpha’s aura rolled through the clearing like an approaching storm.

The rogue leader’s smile faded.

“So be it.”

Without warning

He shoved Lyra toward another rogue and lunged at Karl.

Clang!

Their weapons collided with a shower of sparks.

“Kill the girl!” the rogue leader roared.

Everything exploded into chaos.

The clearing erupted into violence.

Blackwood warriors shifted into wolves and charged.

The rogues answered with deafening snarls.

Teeth tore through flesh.

Claws ripped bark from ancient trees.

The peaceful forest became a battlefield.

Lyra tried to crawl away.

Her injured back screamed in protest.

She had barely moved a few feet when someone grabbed her ankle.

She gasped.

A scarred rogue dragged her across the dirt.

“Where do you think you’re going?”

He raised his claws.

Lyra shut her eyes.

Suddenly

Thud!

The rogue froze.

His eyes widened in disbelief.

A silver arrow protruded from his chest.

He collapsed beside her.

Lyra looked up.

Standing on a nearby ridge was Beta Damien.

Another arrow was already fitted to his bow.

He nodded toward her.

“Run!”

She didn’t hesitate.

Ignoring the pain, Lyra forced herself to her feet and disappeared into the forest.

Karl noticed.

For the first time since the battle began, relief flickered across his face.

His wolf rumbled approvingly.

She’s safe.

“Don’t lose focus!” the rogue leader shouted, swinging his blade.

Karl blocked the attack effortlessly.

“You should worry about yourself.”

His voice was almost a whisper.

Then…

He disappeared.

The rogue blinked.

“What”

A crushing fist slammed into his ribs.

Crack!

Bones shattered.

Before the rogue could recover, Karl seized him by the throat and lifted him effortlessly off the ground.

The clearing fell silent.

Every warrior stopped fighting.

Every rogue stared in horror.

Karl’s silver eyes glowed unnaturally.

“You made one fatal mistake.”

His grip tightened.

“You entered my land.”

The rogue clawed desperately at Karl’s arm.

“You’ll… regret this…”

Karl’s expression never changed.

“I don’t regret killing monsters.”

With one swift movement

Snap!

The rogue’s neck broke.

His lifeless body hit the ground with a dull thud.

The remaining rogues froze.

Their leader was dead.

Fear spread through their ranks.

“Retreat!”

Within seconds, the surviving rogues fled into the darkness.

None of the Blackwood warriors pursued them.

The battle was over.

Karl stood silently in the middle of the ruined clearing.

Bodies littered the ground.

The scent of blood filled the air.

Beta Damien approached slowly.

“The girl escaped.”

Karl nodded once.

“Good.”

Damien studied him carefully.

“You risked yourself tonight.”

“I protected my territory.”

Damien sighed.

“You can keep telling yourself that.”

Karl shot him a warning glance.

But Damien didn’t back down.

“You rejected your mate.”

“I know.”

“You watched her be humiliated.”

“I know.”

“And yet the first thing you looked for after the battle…”

Damien paused.

“…was her.”

Karl said nothing.

Because Damien was right.

His eyes had searched for Lyra before anyone else.

His wolf spoke quietly inside his mind.

You’re lying to everyone.

Especially yourself.

Karl clenched his fists.

“I don’t want a human mate.”

His wolf’s reply came immediately.

Maybe.

But she’s already the only one your heart is looking for.

Far away, hidden beneath the roots of a fallen oak tree, Lyra curled into herself, trembling from exhaustion and fear.

She could still hear Karl’s words echoing in her mind.

“Nothing.”

Tears slipped silently down her cheeks.

She looked up at the moon peeking through the trees.

Her voice was barely above a whisper.

“I don’t want him anymore.”

“I refuse my Alpha.”

The moment the words left her lips, a strange silver light flickered beneath the skin of her wrist so faint that she never noticed it.

But deep within the ancient Moon Temple, an old priestess opened her eyes in alarm.

“The Mark…”

“It has awakened.”