LOGINLyra’s POVJust when I thought it was over, a familiar voice cut through the chaos.“LYRA!”My eyes flew open. I lifted my head and saw Prince Luca sprinting toward me, several guards trailing behind, his face twisted with a fear and fury I’d never seen on him before. “Prince Luca…” He was coming for me. He was actually coming back.The guards closed the distance behind him, but before any of them reached me, the air itself shifted. A powerful force swept across the mountain, and every one of them stopped in their tracks. Luca stopped too.“What is happening?” one of the guards asked.I didn’t know. Neither did I. The creature still loomed above me, ready to finish what it had started. But then my entire body began to burn not with pain, but with power. A strange warmth kindled deep in my chest and spread outward through every part of me, my heart slamming faster and faster until it felt ready to break free of my ribs. I gasped, my fingers trembling, my whole body shaking with it.“L
Lyra’s POVThe moment the bell rang, the three-headed creature lunged straight at me. I barely twisted out of its path in time. Its enormous claws struck the ground where I’d been standing a heartbeat earlier, sending stone chips flying in every direction. I stumbled back, my heart slamming violently against my ribs.I didn’t attack. I couldn’t. All I could do was run.The creature swung all three heads toward me and roared before charging again. I moved as fast as my legs would carry me, weaving side to side, desperate to stay alive. Another claw swept toward me, i ducked. Its tail whipped around I jumped clear as it crashed into the ground behind me hard enough to shake the entire arena. Dust exploded into the air, and I coughed, covering my mouth against it.“Move, Lyra!” someone screamed from the crowd. I didn’t know who. I didn’t have time to look.The beast came again, and everywhere I turned, it followed, as though it had been built for one purpose alone .. to end me. The crowd
Lyra’s POVI got dressed in the fighting clothes Silver Moon Academy had provided for the students participating in programs like this. The outfit was simple but strong enough to withstand the intensity of the battle. I tightened the straps around my wrists and took a deep breath, trying to calm the nervousness building inside me.Today was not an ordinary day at the academy.It was the day that would determine whether I was strong enough to move to the next class.At Silver Moon Academy, advancement was not decided by written examinations alone. For students like us, strength was part of our education, and every student had to prove that they were capable of surviving the dangers that came with being a Lycan.The promotional examination was held at the top of the mountain.One after another, students would climb the mountain, face the creature assigned to them, and fight for their place in the next class.But there was one important condition.Every student had to awaken their wolf.
Lyra’s POVWe were still talking when the door suddenly opened, and the sight of the person standing there made me immediately straighten my posture.It was Prince Luca’s father.The Alpha King.I quickly bowed my head in greeting.“Good morning, Your Majesty.”He looked at me for a few seconds, and then a strange, almost mischievous smile appeared on his face. I couldn’t understand why he was looking at me that way, and the smile made me feel slightly uncomfortable.He shifted his attention to Luca.“I don’t understand what is going on with you, son.”Luca’s expression changed immediately.“Dad, you……”His father raised his hand, cutting him off before he could finish.“But you must remember something, Luca.”His voice became more serious.“No Lycan has the ability to marry a wolfless girl.”My heart sank the moment those words left his mouth.I lowered my gaze. “A wolfless girl”.That was what I had always been called.A girl without a wolf.A girl who was never supposed to be impor
Lyra’s POVI got out of bed early that morning, still a little worn from everything that had happened over the past few days. For a moment I simply sat on the edge of the mattress, staring at the floor, trying to gather my thoughts before facing another day inside the palace. So much had happened in so little time that I sometimes wondered whether my life had always been this complicated, or whether everything had only unraveled once I arrived here.I pushed the thought aside and got dressed. Once ready, I stepped out into the hallway, where the palace was already stirring, guards moving quietly through the corridors, servants hurrying past with trays and morning errands. As I turned a corner, I spotted Princess Elara and Rowan standing together. The moment they noticed me, they both looked my way, and Rowan raised his hand in a thumbs-up. Elara did the same. I couldn’t help but smile, returning the gesture before continuing down the hall.For a few seconds, everything felt ordinary
Prince Kai’s POVI stared at Wendy for several seconds after her confession. So many pieces were finally sliding into place, and yet I felt more drained than relieved.Before I could say anything more, my father’s voice carried across the hall from the council chamber, still deep in talk of the glorious future he believed awaited our kingdom. I turned my head slightly toward the sound. He was consumed, as always, with power and stability, with everything he believed would make our kingdom stronger. But listening to him now felt different than it ever had. I remembered how he chased more, always more, even when he already held enough to make an entire kingdom tremble at his feet.And beside me stood Wendy, who had just admitted to planting a false letter through Lyra’s best friend ivy, just to keep me away from Lyra.I looked at her again. “So,” I said slowly, “you believe everything you did was justified?”She nodded quickly, wiping the tears from her face. “Yes. It was defense. Prot







