The Border Crossing

Astra's POV

Astra's lungs burned as she ran. Tree branches hit her face, but she didn't slow down. Every step away from Alaric hurt like fire on her skin, but she kept going.

"Wait up!" Damon called from behind.

Astra looked back. Blood stained Damon's shirt from the fight with the guard. She slowed down.

"Are you okay?" she asked, breathing hard.

"I'll live," Damon winced, putting a hand to his side. "But we need to keep moving. They'll be after us soon."

They pushed through the thick forest. The mate mark on Astra's arm throbbed with each step. It felt like it was trying to pull her back to Alaric, back to the Alpha who hated her.

"The border is just ahead," Damon said. "Once we cross it—"

A howl cut through the night air. Then another. And another.

"They're coming!" Astra's heart beat. "Run!"

They ran toward the border. Astra could feel it – a strange energy in the air that marked where Northern Pack territory stopped. Just a few more steps and they'd be safe.

But before they could cross, four massive wolves jumped out, blocking their way. They shifted quickly into human form – Northern Pack guards with hard eyes and guns ready.

"Going somewhere?" The biggest one stepped forward, a cruel smile on his face.

Astra backed up against Damon. "Let us pass," she said, trying to sound brave despite her shaking legs.

The guard laughed. "Alpha Alaric wants his mate back. Can't say I blame him – even if you are just a dirty rogue."

He reached out to grab Astra's arm. The moment his fingers touched her skin, a blinding blue light burst between them. The guard flew backward, crashing into a tree ten feet away.

Everyone froze, staring in shock.

"What the—" The guard scrambled to his feet, eyes wide with fear. "What did you do?"

Astra looked at her hands, just as confused as they were. "I didn't do anything."

Another guard tried to grab her, and the same thing happened – blue light, and he was thrown back like he weighed nothing.

The guards looked at each other, then at Astra. Fear had replaced the hatred in their eyes.

"Take them to Alpha Alaric," the boss ordered. "Don't touch the girl. Just make sure they follow."

With guards on all sides, Astra and Damon had no choice but to go where they were told. They walked deeper into Northern Pack lands, headed toward a massive stone castle that rose above the trees.

"What was that?" Damon whispered. "The light?"

"I don't know," Astra whispered back. "It just happened."

"Has it ever happened before?"

Astra shook her head. Nothing like this had ever happened in her ten years as a rogue. But then again, she hadn't had a mate mark until today.

As they got closer to the castle, her heart beat faster. The pull of the mate bond grew stronger. Despite everything, part of her wanted to see Alaric again.

"This is bad," Damon whispered. "If they find out who I really am—"

"What do you mean?" Astra asked.

Before Damon could answer, they arrived at the castle gates. They were huge – carved with wolves and made of dark iron. The guards pushed them inside, through a courtyard filled with soldiers training with swords and spears.

Everyone stopped to stare at Astra. She kept her head high, unwilling to show fear.

They were led into a great hall with a high roof and stone walls. At the far end sat a chair made of bones and silver. And on that throne was Alaric.

He looked even more powerful here, surrounded by his troops. His ice-blue eyes locked onto Astra's, making her knees weak. The mate mark burned like hot metal against her skin.

"You tried to run from me," Alaric said. His voice was calm, but Astra could feel the anger behind it.

"You locked me up," she shot back. "What did you expect?"

Alaric stood up and walked toward her. Every step he took made the pull between them stronger. Astra had to fight not to move toward him.

"And now you bring a strange wolf into my territory," Alaric said, looking at Damon with cold eyes. "A wolf who smells of secrets and lies."

Damon dropped his head. "Alpha Alaric, I—"

"Silence!" Alaric's voice rang through the hall. "I'll deal with you later."

He turned back to Astra. "The guards say you have power. Show me."

"I don't know what they're talking about," Astra said. "I didn't do anything."

Alaric nodded to one of his men. The guy stepped forward and reached for Astra's arm. The blue light flashed again, throwing him across the room.

Gasps filled the hall. Some warriors backed away. Others drew guns.

Alaric's eyes widened slightly – the first real feeling Astra had seen from him.

"Interesting," he said. He stepped closer to Astra and raised his hand.

Astra flinched, but he didn't touch her. Instead, he held his hand near her face, so close she could feel the heat of his skin.

"The prophecy," someone whispered in the crowd. Others took up the word, passing it around the room like a secret.

"Prophecy?" Astra asked. "What prophecy?"

A commotion at the entrance of the hall stopped them. Guards were trying to hold someone back – a woman with long dark hair who fought like a wild animal.

"Let me through!" she screamed. "I need to see him!"

The guards were thrown aside, and the woman burst into the hall. She stopped when she saw Astra, her face going white with shock.

"It can't be," she whispered.

Astra felt like she'd been hit. She couldn't breathe. Couldn't think.

Because the woman standing in front of her was impossible. The woman had the same green eyes as Astra, the same dark hair, the same face shape.

It was like looking in a mirror.

"Lyra?" Astra whispered.

Lyra – her dead sister – stared back at her with tears in her eyes.

"Astra," she said. "My sister."

Alaric looked between them, his face blank. "You know each other?"

"She's my sister," Astra said, her voice breaking. "But she died. Ten years ago, she drowned."

"I didn't die," Lyra said, stepping closer. "I was saved. By him." She pointed at Alaric.

"What?" Astra turned to Alaric, confusion and anger rising inside her. "You knew my sister was alive? For ten years, while I thought she was dead?"

Before Alaric could answer, Lyra ran forward and grabbed Astra's hands. Unlike the guards, Lyra's touch didn't spark the blue light. Instead, their hands started to glow with a soft golden light.

"The Moon Sisters," someone gasped. "The prophecy is true!"

Alaric's face darkened. He pulled Lyra away from Astra.

"Take Astra to my quarters," he told the guards. "And lock him up." He pointed at Damon.

"No!" Astra cried, reaching for Damon. "Leave him alone!"

As guards dragged Damon away, he looked back at Astra with desperate eyes.

"Astra, listen to me!" he shouted. "Don't trust Lyra! She's not who you think she is!"

Before Astra could respond, Lyra stepped forward, her face twisted with rage.

"Liar!" she screamed, lunging at Damon with claws extended.

And that's when Astra saw it – the look that passed between Lyra and Alaric. A look of secret agreement.

A look that said they were hiding something big.

Something about Astra.