Chapter Twenty-four

Lyra's POV

Life under the Toll Collector's protection wasn't perfect, but it was better than anything I'd had in weeks. I got real food and not scraps or leftovers, but actual meals. And most importantly, I had the ring Kyle had given me. It was simple looking, just a plain silver band, but it was special. It masked my wolf scent completely.

"With this," Kyle had told me when he put it on my finger, "no one below alpha rank can trace you. You'll be invisible to most hunters."

He was right. I'd been here for days now, and no pack warriors had come knocking. But the safety came with a price. I was completely alone, completely dependent on Kyle's money and protection. I had no idea what was happening outside these walls, no idea what came next.

I spent most of my time in the small room, staring out the dirty window at the pack house in the distance. It looked so far away now, like something from a dream. Sometimes I'd catch myself remembering better times, moments that felt like they