Chapter 17 — Fury Unleashed

~ LYRA ~

When I heard Maura exclaim, "Oh dear," I had thought it was because of what Silas had said, but when a deep sound penetrates the air, carrying on the wind, I finally realize that the noise, the horrible, distorted growl, is coming from me.

Maura suddenly disappears from my side, leaving me standing alone as my hands ball into fists and my vision shifts, casting the world in a haze of red. As if under someone else's control, I lift my head and lock eyes with the man who raised me.

He'd kill Ronan if given the chance. I could feel it in my bones. He'd pull the trigger and put a bullet in the body of the man who belonged to me. Try to take him away from me, which will, in turn, force me back inside the caged life that I've been living my entire life.

I will never let that happen. Ever.

I refuse to exist without the one person I need the most.

Raw fury bubbles from within me and boils over. The tips of my fingers begin to burn, and my gums start to itch. Blood pounds inside my ears as violence like I'd never known stir inside me in an attempt to claw its way out.

"Put the gun down," I snarl in a voice that isn't entirely mine.

I'm twitching at the possibility of an impending fight, my vocal cords vibrating as I growl. I see my stepfather's pale gaze, his hands trembling as he gawks at me. I smile wickedly, ready to show him not to fuck with what's mine when a peppery hotness slams into my nose.

I recognize the scent immediately. Fear. The scent is so strong I can almost taste it.

I grinned. Delicious. It's so freaking delicious.

A firm hand suddenly wraps around the back of my neck. Before I can react, Ronan's authoritative reprimand fills my ears, "You listen to me, and only me, mate. Back the fuck off, right now."

Unlike the last time, the force inside me fights his command this time.

I begin to snarl, prepared to yank away from his hold. But then something I don't recognize slams into me, scorching me as molten fire travels from Ronan's hand into my body. His fingers dig into the soft flesh of my neck and his voice changes, a low growl that commands obedience.

"You have one second to retreat before I bend you over and show you who's boss in front of your parents."

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~ RONAN ~

Shit on a stick.

I let my beast reach out, calling on my power as an Alpha as I force my mate to back down. Now I'm sure, without a shadow of a doubt, that Lyra will be able to shift. Her wolf is too powerful to be contained. Even now it fights me, wanting to remain in control, to take over the human portion of my female and enact revenge on the human who dared to threaten her mate.

Damn it.

I should have waited to bring her home before I knew exactly what I was dealing with. I hadn’t expected her to react this way. Her wolf is determined to protect me from her own family if necessary. In wolves, the behavior is expected. No one—friend, family, or otherwise—comes between mates. Attempting to do so results in injury or death.

"Back down," I repeat, trying to use as little influence as necessary. If I’m not careful, I could make the situation worse. I give Lyra a firm shake, my wolf snarling at its female, demanding her submission.

I know the precise moment her wolf subsides, the prickles of energy fading as Lyra’s human half takes over. I catch her before she falls, lifting her into my arms. Until the full moon, when she officially claims her beast, she doesn't have the strength necessary to call on the bestial portion of her.

I look up, eyes narrowed as my gaze lands on her parents. They're standing together on the porch with looks of atrocity on their faces. "You knew this was coming, didn’t you?" I snarl, livid that the ignorant humans kept my female from those she needed most. "You should have warned her—you should have prepared her."

"You should come inside," Maura informs me, bringing a hand to her throat, fingers playing at the collar of her shirt. "I assume there are things you’d like to discuss."

Hell yes, there are things I’d like to discuss.

Lots of fucking things.

I hike my chin, my eyes settling on her stepfather and the gun in his hands. "I suggest you put that away."

Silas's eyes drift to his hands. He gives a pained nod, lowers the weapon, and turns to walk into the house with his wife. I almost feel sorry for him, noting how defeated the man looks. Something bad has happened to this family. Something in the past continues to haunt their lives.

A growl creeps up my throat. I have a good idea of who’s responsible.

Magnus fucking Dusk.

I nod at Maura as I stride past her into their home. The house is old but tidy, everything in its proper place. I spot a couch and walk to the furniture. Lyra doesn’t protest when I lay her down, sighing as I rest her head on one of the soft brown pillows at the end. She’s tired, but she’ll recover. If I want to speak to Silas, I have to do it while she’s out.

The clock is ticking.

I rise and look at Lyra’s stepmother. "She’s fine. Don’t worry," I reassure the worried-looking woman and turn my attention to the man who is propping his gun behind the door. "If you want to talk, now’s the time."

Silas sighs, rubbing a wrinkled hand over his face. "This way."

With a final glance at Lyra, I follow the man as he leaves the room. Pictures adorn the walls, most of them of Lyra from infancy to adulthood. A couple of the pictures are of another young woman—with dark hair, a happy smile, and bright blue eyes. She’s a mixture of Maura and Lyra. She has to be Lyra’s mother.

Silas opens a door to the right, steps inside, and moves to the wall to allow me to enter. The office is as clean as the rest of the house, the large desk across from me free of dust. Silas closes the door and waves at the chairs in front of the desk as he walks around it.

"Take a seat."

Although I prefer to stand, I sink into a chair and immediately cut straight to the chase. "So, what do you know about Lyra’s father?"