The Enemy Alpha

The deeper Lyra walked into Nightfang territory, the more uneasy she became.

The trees grew thicker, blocking most of the morning sunlight. Strange scents clung to the air, and every unfamiliar sound made her glance over her shoulder.

Mara had warned her to stay away from unfamiliar wolves.

Unfortunately, Lyra had nowhere else to go.

She adjusted the strap of her bag and continued along a narrow path. Her stomach growled, reminding her that she hadn't eaten since morning. She stopped beside a stream, knelt, and cupped some water in her hands.

A branch snapped behind her.

Lyra froze.

She slowly turned.

Three wolves stood between the trees, watching her. They shifted into human form, revealing three men dressed in dark trousers. The largest of them stepped forward, his eyes narrowing as he caught her scent.

“Ashen Moon,” he said.

Lyra rose to her feet.

“I don't want trouble.”

“Then you've come to the wrong place.”

One of the men circled behind her, blocking the path she'd taken.

“What is an Ashen Moon stray doing on our land?” he asked.

“I'm passing through.”

The largest man laughed.

“Nobody passes through Nightfang territory without permission.”

“I didn't know where the boundary was.”

“That's a poor excuse.”

Lyra glanced between them. Her wolf stirred beneath her skin, sensing the danger, but she still struggled to understand the new instincts that came with it.

She had no idea how to fight three experienced wolves.

“Please,” she said, keeping her voice steady. “I'll leave.”

“You'll leave when we decide you've learned your lesson.”

The man reached for her arm.

Lyra pulled away.

“Don't touch me.”

His expression hardened.

“Careful, girl.”

He lunged.

Lyra ducked instinctively, but his hand caught her shoulder and sent her stumbling against a tree. Pain shot down her arm.

Her wolf surged forward.

For one frightening moment, she felt her bones begin to shift. Her fingers curled, her nails lengthened, and a growl escaped her throat.

The man hesitated.

Then he smiled.

“Look at that. The little stray has teeth.”

He attacked again.

Lyra raised her arms to protect herself, but before he could reach her, a deep voice cut through the forest.

“Step away from her.”

The three men went still.

Lyra looked past them.

A man emerged from between the trees, followed by two warriors. He was tall and broad-shouldered, dressed in a black shirt with his sleeves rolled to his elbows. His dark hair fell slightly across his forehead, and his expression held the kind of cold authority that made the men before him lower their heads.

“Alpha,” the largest man said quickly.

The stranger's gaze moved from him to Lyra, then to the hand gripping her shoulder.

“I gave you an order.”

The man released her.

“We found an intruder on our land. She's from Ashen Moon.”

“I can see that.”

The Alpha approached. The others stepped aside without being told.

Lyra tried to move away from the tree, but her injured shoulder throbbed. She kept her chin raised, refusing to show how frightened she was.

The stranger stopped in front of her.

“What is your name?”

“Lyra.”

“Lyra what?”

“Vale.”

His expression changed slightly.

“Why are you here, Lyra Vale?”

“I'm leaving my old pack.”

“People don't usually cross into enemy territory without a reason.”

“Perhaps I don't have anywhere else to go.”

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then the Alpha stepped closer.

His scent reached her first—cedar, cold air, and something dark she couldn't identify. Her wolf stirred violently, no longer frightened but suddenly alert.

Lyra's breath caught.

A strange warmth spread through her chest. Her heartbeat stumbled, and every instinct inside her seemed to turn toward the man standing before her.

No.

She barely knew him.

The Alpha went rigid.

His eyes widened for the briefest moment before his expression closed again. He drew in another breath, as if confirming something he desperately wished wasn't true.

Lyra stared at him.

“What is it?”

He didn't answer.

Instead, he looked at her as though the forest had just placed a dangerous secret at his feet.

One of the warriors shifted uneasily.

“Alpha Kael?”

The name struck Lyra like a warning bell.

Kael Draven.

The Alpha of Nightfang.

The man her pack had taught her to fear.

And for reasons she couldn't understand, her wolf was reaching for him.

Kael's jaw tightened. His gaze remained fixed on hers, but whatever she saw in his eyes was not welcome.

“Get her away from me,” he ordered.

Lyra's chest tightened.

She had no idea what she had done, but the rejection in his voice was unmistakable.

Then Kael turned away, leaving her standing among his warriors.

And somewhere deep inside her, her newly awakened wolf began to whimper.