The Memorial

(Lyra)

The scent of warm bread hit me at first. It was mixed with something herby and sweet.

My stomach clenched, then growled in a low, almost embarrassed way. I was hungry no, starving and I had not even noticed until that smell wrapped itself around me like a warm blanket.

The door swung open. A tall girl stepped in and she was carrying a tray which was balanced on her hip. Her curly dark hair was tied back with a thin cloth, and her hazel eyes lit up when they met mine.

“You’re awake,” she said, her voice bright but not too loud, like she was used to speaking around pain. “Good. I was starting to worry you’d sleep straight through the week.”

I blinked a few times, not sure what to say. My throat still felt raw, and my mind was as though it was filled with thick cotton and questions with no answers.

She walked toward me and set the tray down on a small table beside the bed. “Don’t worry. It’s nothing weird. Just soup, bread, and a little berry tea. I didn’t know what you’d like.

“Thank you,” I said quietly. The words felt too foreign in my mouth.

She smiled kindly at me. “I’m Fallon. And you’re the mystery girl.”

“I… I don’t know who I am,” I admitted to her. My voice cracked a bit at the end of the sentence. It was strange as saying it out loud made it feel more real. More terrifying.

Fallon’s face softened, and she nodded like she understood. “Memory loss isn’t uncommon in trauma cases. But the scentlessness… that’s rare. Packs always have a trace of something. Earth, ash, citrus, cedar…..something.”

I looked down at my hands. They were scraped roughly, the skin around my knuckles were raw and dry. I didn’t know how I’d gotten them. I didn’t know anything.

She pushed the tray a little closer. “Eat. You will need your strength. The Beta said you were found passed out in a clearing. You must have run through hell to get that far.”

I didn’t reply. My chest tightened as I picked up the spoon. The soup was rich and filled with root vegetables and soft bits of meat. It tasted like safety. Like a memory I couldn’t reach.

Fallon stayed with me while I ate, humming a tune softly under her breath. She didn’t ask any more questions, which I appreciated. The silence between us wasn’t heavy, it felt like a large blanket.

When I finally finished eating and pushed the tray aside, she stood up from the bed. “I’ll come back to check on you later, alright? You rest. And don’t wander too far yet… not until River gives the go ahead.”

“River?”I asked as the name felt familiar.

“The Beta.”

Right. The serious one with the cold eyes who kept studying me like I was some puzzle piece that didn’t belong to the box. At least he didn't hurt me.

I nodded and she went out of that room, returning it to its formet silence. I couldn’t rest. Not really.

My skin itched with unease. My legs wanted movement. Something inside me wanted me to get walk out of the room. It was as though it was reaching for something or someone.

I stood up slowly from the body, ignoring the jolts of pain that shot up my body. I pushed the door open and stepped into the hallway. It was narrow, with stone walls and wooden beams running along the ceiling. There were lit torches which lined the path, even though it was daylight. There were no guards posted throughout the hallway which surprised me. Either they didn’t see me as a threat… or they weren’t afraid of what I could become.

I walked out of the hallway until i found a stairwell and I walked down wondering where it led to. My bare feet made no sound on the stone steps and I was grateful for that.

I stepped out into the open air, and a cool breeze lifted strands of my hair. I had not realized how stiff I felt until that moment.

Some voices caught my attention and strained my ears to hear them properly.

“The memorial is tonight.”

“For the Luna?”

“Yes. The Alpha has not been the same since she died you know and its been two whole years.”

“Do you think he will show up tonight?”

“I don’t know. He didn't show for last year's memorial either. But she was everything to this pack.”

Luna. The word hit me like a blow to my stomach. My hands gripped both sides of my head as something sharp and cold sliced through my head. My breathing became faster as my chest pounded, and images burst behind my eyes.

I could see blood on snow.

I heard a scream cut short.

There were silver eyes glowing and looking at me with sorrow.

Then it was gone.

I staggered back from the path I stood on as my body trembed. The girls who had been talking didn’t notice me. I turned quickly turned back with my heart still pounding, and made my way back inside. But I didn’t get far.

“Out for a stroll?”

River stood at the entrance of the hallway. His arms were crossed. His posture looked causal but his dark eyes were anything but relaxed.

“I needed air,” I said.

“You needed rest,” he replied, just like Fallon had said. But unlike her, there was no softness in his tone.

I started to think as I was unsure if I should apologize or defend myself again, but he stepped forward.

“It’s not safe for you to be wandering the halls. Especially when the Alpha hasn’t decided what to do with you.”

“What do you mean?” I asked curiously.

“I mean,” he said as his eyes narrowed slightly, “you arrived without a scent, covered in blood, bearing the mark of a moon that vanished the second I saw it. You remember nothing. You can’t be tracked. And your energy, your aura, it doesn’t feel normal.”

I froze. “What are you saying? That I’m a threat?”

“I’m saying I don’t know what you are.” His voice wasn’t harsh, but it was honest. “And neither does the Alpha. Which is why he has asked to see you.”

I didn’t move out of fear.

“You’re not a prisoner,” he added after a moment. “No one will hurt you. But we need answers and you might be the only one who has them.”

I couldn’t remember anything so I knew I didn't have any answers.

Even if every time I tried to reach into the hole of my mind, I came up with jolts of pain and fear.

I swallowed the knot in my throat. “Then take me to him.”

River gave one short nod and signaled for me to follow.

We walked through the corridor in silence. I watched the way others moved out of his way with small nods of respect or fear. His presence commanded the room, but he didn’t throw his weight around. He didn’t need to.

The halls grew darker the deeper we went. It felt older. The scent of ancient wood and wild herbs clung to the walls. Torches shone even though it was midday, casting shifting shadows on the floor.

Finally, he stopped before a heavy door carved with symbols I didn’t recognize. He looked at me over his shoulder.

“Whatever happens in there, just tell the truth. Even if you don’t remember it yet. The Alpha can… sense lies.”

I didn’t have time to ask what that meant before he pushed the door open.

And I stepped into the presence of something that felt like it could tear apart the world.

But that wasn't the scary part.

It was the peace that overwhelmed me as my eyes fell on the seated figure.