Chapter 2

Lyra’s POV

The car came to a stop; I read through the file on the road here. I had memorized the name of the friends with their faces. Stepping out of the car, police cars were parked right before the entrance of the forest. Seven cars parked blue and red lights flashing. The police office made his way around the car and stopped in front of me.

I raised one eyebrow, “Can I help you?” My voice annoyed.

“Listen, the captain isn’t very fond of reporters so keep your questions quick.” He said sharply.

Clearly, he wasn’t fond of playing an escort to a reporter. He hadn’t spoken a word to me on the drive here, I should have figured that not everyone was as friendly as the towns people. Since that one incident, that I went into a burning building cost me my right to be on the field. Almost everyone knew about the woman who rushed into a burning building when she heard a baby crying within.

I had to get the scoop on the fire, but then my body moved on its own and before I knew it, I was inside the building. The baby is safe if you were wondering, and I left unscratched. Surprisingly. That building was collapsing when I entered.

The children were standing together near an ambulance; their faces were pale and streaked with dirt. They clearly had a rough day. I stepped closer and crouched down taking out my notepad, my voice softening.

“Hey, my name is Lyra Hale, I’m from Moonvale news. I just need to ask you a few questions, if you’re up for it?”

One of the boys crossed his arms, “The cops already asked us all the questions.” He said with arrogance. Tom Hart. Arrogant, and a pain in the butt. He is going to be hard to win over.

“It came out of nowhere.” A girl spoke up in a soft gently tone, clearly more shaken up then Tom. Calla Monroe if I wasn’t mistaken. “I-it went straight for Alice.”

“What did sweetie?” I asked in a soft tone.

She didn’t answer and hid behind Tom. Then the other girl, Tessa Draven pointed towards the woods, I followed her trembling finger and looked into the direction. A strange chill ran down my spine. I stood, glancing over at the officers they were all busy talking to the parents and keeping the towns people away from the scene.

The woods seem to call me towards it, there was no sound coming from the area, but it was pulling me. Before I even realized it, my feet started moving, one slow step after the other until the voices and crackling static of radios faded.

When I came back to reality there were only trees and silence surrounding me. My heart pounded as I looked around, “How did I-?” I whispered to myself.

Then, a low growl echoed behind me.

My blood ran cold as I froze. I turned around slowly just to see a massive wolf emerge from the shadows. I wanted to turn and run, but my body was frozen in one spot, my throat dry as I tried to swallow.

“Nice puppy.” I said my voice trembling slightly.

I should not have said that because it then lunged toward me, muscles coiling, teeth bared. But before it could reach me, another shape collided with it midair. I stumbled back, losing my balance and I fell sitting on the ground. The two wolves crashed to the ground, snarling as they made their way to the feet, paws or whatever. They stared at each other with murder in their eyes. The second wolf was larger, darker. Pitch black.

It looked like the smaller one was challenging the larger one. The first wolf lunged at the second one, but it was faster, and it bit down on the smaller one’s throat slamming it against the ground. The smaller one let out a yelp then scattered to its paws and ran away, disappearing into the distance.

The larger one turned to face me, its teeth showing. It stepped closer, my breath came in ragged pulls. I couldn’t move even if I wanted to. My thoughts were blank. The sound of the wolf’s breathing held my attention.

Then our eyes met, his gold locking with my brown. Then something inside me awakened, it wasn’t pain, but it wasn’t peaceful either. It was consuming, raw, like my body recognizing something that it never knew. The wolf froze, its snarl dying instantly. There was something ancient and alive between us.

This feeling was strange; it was something I had never experienced before. There was a pull, an invisible thread laced between us, tugging, binding, burning.

A low whine left the wolf, almost human. It then lowered its head slightly as if torn between instinct and restraint. The golden glow in its eyes softened, like it was submitting to something, that there was something else behind them. There was something familiar.

I shook my head, turning away my gaze. Something snapped like a live wire, leaving a hollow ache in my chest. I slowly looked up to find the wolf had disappeared. Slowly I made my way to my feet, looking around for any further surprises but mostly searching for that wolf.

The sound of people talking and radios crackling echoed through the woods. I narrowed my eyes not understanding how I could hear everything, everything was silent a few minutes ago.

I made my way back to the police cars and children, no one seemed to notice I was gone. The children looked at him with concern and worry.

“Are you okay miss?” Tessa asked in a soft tone.

I gave her a reassuring smile, “Yeah. I’m all good. I’ll ask you guys questions at a later stage. You guys need to rest and calm yourselves. You’ve been through a lot today.”

Walking over to a woman carrying water bottles, she handed me one and gave me a warm smile. Then she grabbed my arm pulling me closer to her and in a low voice she whispered in my ear, “You cannot resist what is meant to be yours.”

I pulled away and looked at her with shock; my heart pounded in my chest. “What?” I said barely above whisper.

Her face turned back to its soft and gentle old woman look, “What’s wrong deary? You’re pale. It’s like you saw a ghost.”

“I-I’m fine. Thanks for the water.” I gave her a nod and walked away. Glancing over my shoulder she seemed to be herself, nothing strange to her. Not what I just experienced a few seconds ago.

First those wolves, then that weird feeling when I met that one wolf’s gaze. Now this. What the hell was going on?

***

I had asked one of the police officers to take me home, because today was just too much. Those words played through my mind, ‘You cannot resist what is meant to be yours’ what the hell did that even mean? Falling onto my bed and sighing.

My phone ran, and Maggie’s name popped up on my phone. I sat up and answered it, “Maggie.” I said rubbing my temples with my free hand.

“So, what’s the scoop? Are you still at the scene?” Her voice came through the phone.

“The kids are too shaken up to answer any of my questions.” I made my way to my feet and continued speaking as I walked over to the window, “I’ll make appointments with their parents to go and see them tomorrow." I stared out of the window, “Maybe then they might be a little-“ I stopped talking as I saw that same black wolf from earlier today standing at the edge of the woods.

“Lyra… Lyra, are you still with me?” Maggie’s voice blared through the phone; I flinched by her high pitch tone.

“Yeah. I’m still here.” I looked back out the window to find the wolf had disappeared. “I call you when I have more information.” Not saying goodbye, I disconnected the call. My gaze fixed on the forest where the wolf had stood.