CHAPTER FOUR

Lyra Veyra

“Unchain her!” The man's voice sounded very cold as Darius rushed to us and the rogues hesitated on letting me loose on seeing him, their eyes flicking nervously between him and Darius. 

Darius stepped forward, his eyes blazing with anger like he hated being confronted, a sneer on his face. “Alpha Keal, you don't get to —”

The sentence ended in a spray of blood as I surged at the sight of it. Keal moved without hesitation as his hand had barely flicked, and Darius’s body hit the ground, motionless. The others froze that instant, their eyes wide and then in a blink of an eye, they all scattered.

I blinked, my heart was beating so fast as I watched the remaining rogues flee into darkness, leaving their dead scattered around. The scent of blood was very thick but I even barely noticed that because I was too focused on the man in front of me.

Kael’s gaze didn't waver, it was cold and controlled and his grey eyes never left mine, for a moment I couldn't breathe. He then turned to his warriors. “Bring her.”

I tried to stand, winching as my back ached from the ropes that already gave marks on my hand. My legs weren't steady on the ground and my arms were stiff and sore but I pushed myself upright. “Why did you call me yours?” I demanded coldly, my voice sounded so low and dangerous, I barely even recognised I was the one speaking, and my eyes blazed with anger. “What did you mean by that?”

Kael didn't answer, he only stepped closer, calm as he tossed his cloak over my torn dress. The fabric was heavy on me but warm, and it smelled faintly of him. His warriors moved forward, surrounding me as they waited.

“Move,” he finally said.

I shook my head. “No.” My voice cracked. “I'd rather die than belong to another Alpha after what I went through in my pack. I am not yours, I am not anyone's.”

Kael’s jaw tightened but he didn't flinch nor did he argue with me, he just simply signaled to his men, and two of them came closer. “We go now,” he said again.

I planted my feet to the ground, pulling my hands that reached for me. “I said no!” My voice echoed. “I will not follow you. I will not —”

Out of impatience, one of his warriors grunted, ready to enforce the command, but Kael stopped him with a wave of his hand. He took a step closer, the aura around him undeniable. “You don't get a choice tonight,” he said quietly. “Not because I want it, but because it's the only way you survive.”

I spat to the side. “ I don't need you to protect me. I need nothing from anyone!” My hands flexed, wanting to fight him, to shove him away and to prove I wasn't weak.

His eyes didn't soften, it was still cold and still commanding, still the Alpha I heard rumors about. Yet, something in his stance told me he wasn't going to hurt me unnecessarily and he wasn't like the others.

“I saved your life once tonight. Don’t waste it on words.”

I swallowed, fighting to steady my breath. I wanted to scream, lash out, but my body was too tired and my muscles were too sore. My mind ran over the night, how he had killed the rogue, how quickly the others had fled and how easily he controlled the situation.

I slowly stepped back, refusing his reach for me, my hands were shaking and I finally spoke, this time, I spoke carefully. “I said I won't belong to you,” I said again. “After Blackfang, I belong to no one.”

Kael’s expression didn’t change. He simply tilted his head, then slowly gestured to his warriors. “Enough talk,” he said. “Bring her.”

“You don't get to choose, Lyra,” he said, but softly this time. “Not when rogues and your own pack both want you destroyed. Do you know why?”

“W—Why?” I stammered, asking him.

“Because you're not ordinary, Lyra, you aren't.” 

I frowned at what he said but I knew I couldn't force him to say more. Because a man who knew the name of an ordinary Omega, will know more.

But then, I couldn't trust him, I couldn't trust anyone. Lucian also deceived me into believing I was saved from all the troubles and I didn't underestimate anyone else. “You're not different from Lucian,” I snapped. 

I watched his face twitch but I didn't care why. His mouth slowly curved, it wasn't soft nor kind, just maybe, the faint pull of someone amused. “He was a fool to let you go,” he said. “I won't make the same mistake.”

Confusion flooded on my face, my nails digging into my palms. The stares from his warriors added to the nervousness I was trying my best to hide.

“Now move,” He said.

Deep down, I only had two options, stay back and I'd finally get killed by those Rouges or follow these people and see what fate had for me.

We kept walking until the trees thinned and the scent of territory markers hit my nose. Dawn broke faint and pale, painting the sky gray.

Then, I watched a man step forward, he looked like one of the councils of the pack. He then bowed his head slightly. “Alpha Throne,” he said, his eyes landing on me and going back to him. “Bringing an outsider across the border could cause unrest. The pack —”

“Enough!” Kael's voice cut across his words, he sounded much more cold and angry.

Immediately, the council's eyes met the ground and his mouth snapped shut.

“She is no outsider,” Kael said, stepping forward. “This is Lyra Veyra Kane. She is the new Luna of Ironclaw.”

Gasps immediately went on and on in the pack as we walked in. The ground felt like it dropped under me as my breath caught that instant and my body froze. Luna?! The word rang in my head like a blow.

I looked up at him, searching for a mocking expression on his face but he was actually serious. His expression was hard and cold as he said that.

He wasn't joking?!

Behind him, his warriors stiffened, some exchanged quick glances, but no one dared to speak or challenge what he had just said. Their eyes dropped to me and I could only see the blank faces of the people around me, like they would get killed if they did make a bad expression against me.

Luna. New Luna. Ironclaw.

“Now take her in!” Kael instructed angrily as I watched the council walk close to me, before walking me off, when Kael wasn't looking, he whispered into my ears.

“You don't know exactly what you have done.”