CHAPTER 1

Lyra Vayne moved through the trees with the confidence of someone who belonged there. Stormfall pack wolves were trained young, but Lyra had been shaped more sharply than most. It was expected, as she was Alpha Thorne’s daughter, heir to the Stormfall pack, the one expected to lead their warriors into the next generation.

Every wolf in Stormfall knew exactly who she was. They bowed when she passed. They watched her with pride, expectation, and sometimes fear. Because of who she was, she never had any real friends. Not that she minded, less distractions meant she could train harder. But she would he lying if she said it wasn’t lonely.

Now that she had turned 25. She was officially old enough to take over the pack. Not that her father would give it up just yet. But it meant she was expected to do more. More patrols. More meetings. More training. And that was exactly what she was doing. She didn’t even mingle with the males of the pack, looking for a potential mate.

Her boots sank into the forest floor, dew clinging to the leather. The cold air stung her lungs, but she welcomed it. It kept her focused. It kept her mind sharp and in control.

Her patrol shift was nearly over. The sun hovered just below the horizon, casting a faint glow through the trees. The other wolves in her unit were already heading back towards the pack house, their voices fading into the distance. Lyra watched them go, then turned away.

She had told them that she wanted to do one more check and not to wait. Of course, no one questioned her. They never did. She was the Alpha’s daughter, the future of Stormfall. If she wanted to walk the border alone, she was allowed. It was expected, even.

But she wasn’t checking the border as she told them. She wanted space and a moment to breathe.

Lyra slipped deeper into the trees, following a narrow trail that wound toward the border. The forest changed subtly as she walked; she knew she was close to the border of their biggest enemy, the Bloodpine pack. Too close. But there was a section between the two packs that was neutral ground.

Her father’s voice echoed in her mind. If you see a Bloodpine wolf, you strike first. You don’t hesitate.

Lyra’s hand drifted to her blade, which was strapped to her waist. Sometimes it was quicker to pull a blade than it was to shift. She had never hesitated in a fight before. Not once. But lately… something inside her had begun to shift. A quiet, unwelcome curiosity. A wondering. Were the Bloodpine pack as terrible as they were told?

She had never encountered someone from Bloodpine before, and if she did, could she kill them? All because of this war they were in... even if they were innocent?

She pushed the thoughts away. It was a dangerous thought, treasonous even.

The neutral ground opened up ahead; it was quiet and peaceful. Lyra stood in the tree line, and she paused, letting her gaze sweep across the area, making sure she was alone. She was.

She walked out into the clearing and found a fallen log. She sat on it and looked up at the sky. Embracing the peace.

Suddenly, a twig snapped.

Her eyes flew open. Instinct surged through her, sharp and immediate. She spun toward the sound, blade drawn in a single fluid motion.

The scent hit her next. A female wolf, and unmistakably... a Bloodpine pack member.

Lyra’s pulse spiked. She shifted her stance, feet planted, blade angled to strike just as a figure stepped out from behind the tree line.

A woman, she looked younger than Lyra. Her auburn hair was in a high ponytail, freckles dusting her nose, posture tense but not aggressive. Her hands lifted slowly, palms open.

“I’m not here to fight,” she said quickly, voice steady despite the fear in her eyes. “I swear.”

Lyra’s heart hammered against her ribs. She tightened her grip on her blade. “You’re from Bloodpine.”

The woman nodded. “Talia. And you’re from Stormfall.”

Lyra didn’t lower her weapon. But she didn’t raise it either.

They stared at each other across the neutral area. Lyra’s mind raced, cataloguing every detail, her stance, her breathing, the way her fingers trembled just slightly.

She can see that Talia is scared. But she’s not attacking. Why isn’t she attacking?

Her father's words were screaming at her to strike. End the threat. Prove her loyalty. But something held her back. Then she saw it... Talia’s eyes.

There was fear there, yes. But also, something else. Something Lyra recognised a little too well.

Loneliness.

Her throat tightened. “What are you doing here?” she demanded, her voice low and controlled.

Talia hesitated. “I… wander. Sometimes. My father doesn’t know.”

Lyra blinked, then realisation dawned on her. “Your father is Alpha Kaelan Blackthorn. And you’re telling me you sneak out alone?”

Talia’s mouth twitched. “You say it as if you’ve never broken a rule.”

Lyra bristled. “You don’t know anything about me.”

“Maybe not,” Talia said softly. “But I know what it looks like when someone needs some time away from responsibilities.”

Her breath caught. How could this woman, this enemy, see her so clearly?

She should leave. She couldn't risk being caught talking to a member of Bloodpine, never mind the Alpha's daughter.

But she didn't; instead, she found herself asking, “Why aren’t you afraid of me?”

Talia’s gaze softened. “Because you didn’t attack me.”

Lyra’s grip on her blade faltered. Why didn’t I? She thought to herself. But she didn’t have an answer.

The forest rustled around them, the wind shifting. For a moment, the world froze, two women standing on opposite sides of a war they didn’t choose.

Talia took a small step forward. But Lyra didn’t move. She couldn’t.

“I’ve seen you before,” Talia admitted quietly. “Out here. You always look like you’re searching for something.”

Lyra's brows furrowed. “You’ve been watching me?”

“Not in a creepy way,” Talia said quickly. “Your red hair caught my attention first, then I was just… curious.”

She didn’t know whether to be alarmed or oddly flattered. Her hair usually had that affect, especially as her parents both had dark hair. And her wolf was the same colour.

"You know that's weird, right?" She said, stepping forward. "But, it's nice to meet you. I'm Lyra."

"Ah, also an Alpha's daughter," Talia said, smiling.

Lyra smiled back at her.

Enemy or not. They were both the same, just from two different packs.

There was something about Talia that she couldn’t put her finger on. But in this moment, it felt like the beginning of something.