THE UNLIKELY PAIR

I was asleep in my room when I felt someone shaking me like they wanted to dislocate my shoulders.

I just fell asleep not too long ago after being up all night speaking to my boyfriend, Kael. So imagine my vexation at this cruel person who dared to disturb me.

Without opening my eyes, I hit the hand off, hissing for effect as I turned away from whoever. Whatever it is can wait till morning.

"Lyra!"

My heart flies to my throat at my mother's sharp voice. I opened my eyes, partly annoyed and partly scared, to find my mother hovering over me with a terrified expression.

She looked agitated.

"Mum? What is it?" I blink sleepily at her, wondering why she is in my room at this time of the day. I went to sleep around 4:30, and it has not been more than an hour since I fell asleep, so I am guessing it is 5 am.

If she is here to wake me for training, then she shouldn't bother because I am not in the mood for that shit.

Every morning at five, Dad wakes us up to train with the warriors. I am down to being strong, but why does he have to do it at the crack of dawn? Does he not know that growing girls need their beauty sleep?

I am not a morning person, and I am not going to start now.

"You have to get up now!"

The sense of urgency in her voice confuses me. I may be awake, staring at her, but a part of my brain is still asleep, so I am a little slow on the uptake.

"Why?"

I am the kind of girl who has to know the reason for everything before I do it, especially when I don't want to.

Mum calls it me being bratty, but I see it as having a smart fucking sense not to be duped easily.

"There is no time to explain, baby. You have to go before they get here."

Mum not only looked flustered, but she sounded worried. I have never seen my mother like this, out of sorts and uncoordinated. She is always in her A game.

My mother is the oil that keeps our Pack running. Dad is the brawn, while Mum is the brain. Not saying my dad is stupid, because that is far from it. I bet you know what I mean.

So seeing my mum not in control worried me and let me know that shit is serious.

"What is happening, Mum?" I ask her as I get out of bed. I could hear the fear in my voice. Her agitation is highly contagious and is transmitted to me.

Aira feels my restlessness and stirs from her slumber.

"What is wrong?"

My wolf's question reminds me that Mum is yet to tell me why she is urgently asking me to dress up and is almost pushing me into my closet.

The sound of a blood-curdling scream stops me in my tracks, and I whirl around to face my Mum, my face etched with confusion.

"What is that?"

Mum looked faint as she muttered. "They are here."

I wanted to ask, but Mum is already pulling me out of the door, down the stairs. The idea of me getting dressed was all but forgotten.

The pandemonium that greeted me left me worried and more confused. There were warriors everywhere, most in their wolf forms.

When we get downstairs, what I see leaves my blood cold. I freeze in a spot when my eyes fall into their eerie crimson gaze.

Rogues!

Now I understand Mum's panic. Every wolf knows that when rogues attack a pack, they leave a death trail with no one spared.

There has been a series of rogue attacks over the last few months that have hit neighboring packs. I never believed that one day it would be our turn.

You know how you hear rumors of war happening in the country, and you are tucked away in your small town, believing it will never get to your doorstep, and then out of the blue, it comes knocking.

This is precisely how I am feeling right now.

"Mum, where is Dad?"

I needed my father's strong presence. I believe with him around, everything will be alright.

I see tears gather behind Mum's eyes, but they don't fall, which tells me that she is doing her best to hold herself together. To be strong.

Dad is probably at the front line fighting with the rogues. I send a quick prayer to the universe to keep my dad safe.

The idea of losing my dad ties up my heart in knots. I can't lose him. He is my best friend. My confidante.

As the only child of my parents, I am close to both of my parents, but closer to my dad. Maybe because I am a girl, and you know what they say about fathers and their daughters.

Sometimes Mum accuses Dad of loving me more than her, which is not true. My parents love each other dearly, and their relationship is the most fantastic thing I have ever seen, and I desire for myself.

"This way, Lyra," she says, gently pulling me toward the back door without answering my question.

I don't push her, knowing Mum is handling a lot right now.

When my great-great-grandpop, the first Alpha of our Pack, built the Pack house, he attached a back door that doesn't lead to the outside but leads to a tunnel that takes you out of our little town.

I don't know why pops built it, but it certainly comes in handy right now.

"Lyra!" I hear my name.

I snatch my hand away from Mum's grip and turn in the direction of the voice. My heart leaps to my throat when I see Kael.

I was so relieved to see he was okay that I ran to him and threw myself into his arms, not minding that he was as naked as the day he was burned.

The tense, chaotic situation had my body running on adrenaline, heightened by the sight of my boyfriend, whom I last saw yesterday evening.

Who knew, when we said our goodbyes yesterday, that we would have this to deal with the following day?

How things change in the blink of an eye.

I kissed Kael as I had never kissed him before. A kiss so deep that I almost swallowed his tongue. And he didn't mind—his grip tight around my waist.

"Lyra, we have to go. There is no time," Mum says urgently, cutting through the kiss.

I reluctantly pull away from Kael, my eyes trailing up to meet his. His brown eyes stare back at me with fire.

There was no doubt in my heart about how Kael feels about me. I could see the love in his eyes as clear as daylight.

"Come with us," I tugged at his hand.

He shakes his head even as his hand dislodges him from mine. He wears a look of regret.

My brow knots into a displeased frown. What are you doing? I look at him, wondering if he is insane and why he is not choosing to go to safety with me.

"I have to stay, Lyra," his deep voice speaks with regret, but also with the confidence of one who knows what is required of him and wants to do it with no regrets.

My eyes grow wet with tears as they plead with him to come. I know what happens when the rogue attacks, and I don't want to lose him.

The screams are getting louder, and I can see our warriors getting overwhelmed.

"Lyra, we have to go now!" Mum yells, and this time she wasn't just speaking, she was commanding me, using her authority as the Luna.

I lean up to kiss Kael one final time before I hurry after my mother.

We get to the iron door, and Mum pulls it apart with her wolf strength, creating a small space to contain one person at a time.

I went first and then turned around to watch my mother come through, but she didn't. She stays on the other side, speaking through the door.

"Lyra, when you get out, please go to the Nightshade Pack and to Alpha Derrick, who is a good friend of your father and will take you in. I love you, baby, and please be strong."

I blinked at my mother, wondering what was happening right now, but before I could organize my brain to utter a protest, Mum shut the door, throwing my world into darkness.