The Bride Who Returned From Death

Lyra’s POV “The fuck are you saying?”The words shot out of me before I could stop them, anger already bubbling in my chest.Killian looked at me with an intensity that made my wolf whimper, strict but interested, like I was some kind of puzzle he wanted to solve.His scent wrapped around me, pine and earth and something wildly masculine that made every instinct in me go haywire. The mate bond hummed between us, a living thing I couldn’t ignore. His arms were still locked around my waist, and before I could process what was happening, he swept me up in a bridal carry like I weighed nothing.The Moon Goddess had just handed me a second chance at life, and I wasn’t about to waste it on some arrogant Alpha’s games.“Go to hell.” I shoved at his chest, trying to wriggle free.But Killian’s fingers brushed against the silk of my dress, and something dark flickered in those deep-set eyes of his. Gold bled into the brown for just a second, his wolf rising. The pressure around my waist tight

Lyra’s POVThe sound of shattering glass cut through the chaos like a gunshot.My father had thrown his glass against the wall, and everyone froze. Alpha command radiated from him in waves so thick I could barely breathe. His eyes were fully gold now, his wolf surfacing with a fury I’d never seen before.Adrian lost control then. His wolf surfaced, eyes blazing amber, claws extending as he lunged toward Killian.“How dare you try to take what belongs to me! My mate!” Adrian snarled, murder written across his face.Killian didn’t even flinch.Instead, he released Alpha dominance so powerful it dropped Adrian to his knees. The sound of Adrian hitting the floor echoed through the silent hall.“Know your place,” Killian said coldly, keeping me behind him protectively.“Enough!” My father’s voice boomed as he stormed down from his seat.He grabbed me roughly by the arm, yanking me away from Killian with such force I stumbled. His grip was bruising, fingers digging into my skin.“How dare y

Lyra’s POVI couldn’t move. My legs felt like they’d been nailed to the floor.Killian’s eyes stayed locked on mine, even as his body tensed, even as he reached that final moment. The sound he made, low and guttural, sent a wave of something through me that I couldn’t name. Shame? Rage? The mate bond screamed inside me, clawing at my chest like a wild animal trying to break free.My wolf thrashed violently, howling in protest. She wanted to burst out, to tear that woman away from him, to claim what was ours. But I forced her down, my nails digging into my palms until I felt blood.The woman finally pulled away, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. She looked up at Killian with this adoring expression, like he’d just given her the world. Then her eyes found me standing in the doorway.“Is she another one?” she asked, her voice dripping with casual cruelty. “Part of your collection?”Killian didn’t answer right away. He adjusted himself slowly, deliberately, like he had all the t

Lyra’s POVI was ten years old, running through a forest I didn’t recognize but somehow knew by heart.The trees were tall, their branches creating a canopy above me that filtered the sunlight into golden streams. My feet were bare, and I could feel the soft earth beneath them, cool and damp. I was laughing, the sound light and carefree, a version of myself I’d forgotten existed.“Wait for me!” a boy’s voice called from behind.I turned, still running, my hair whipping around my face. He was chasing me, his movements quick and playful. I couldn’t see his face clearly. It was blurred, like looking through foggy glass, but I could make out his brown eyes, warm and familiar.“You’re too slow!” I shouted back, giggling.He caught up to me finally, grabbing my hand and pulling me to a stop. We were both breathing hard, smiling at each other.“I’ll always catch you,” he said, his voice serious despite his age.Something about the way he said it made my heart skip.We sat down under a large

Lyra’s POVMy body betrayed me completely.I leaned into him, drawn by his scent like a moth to flame. Every instinct screamed at me to close the distance, to press myself against him, and give in to what the mate bond was demanding.But some stubborn part of me held back.Killian noticed with the way he smirked.“Still fighting it?” he murmured, his lips brushing against my ear. “Let’s see how long that lasts.”Before I could respond, his hand slid up my thigh, pushing my dress higher. I gasped, my hands flying to his shoulders for support.“Killian…”“Shh!,” he whispered, his breath hot against my neck. “Don’t you want to feel the pleasure?”His fingers found the edge of my underwear, teasing, not quite touching where I desperately needed him to. I bit my lip, trying to stay quiet, trying to maintain some shred of control.Then his fingers slipped inside my underwear, and I lost the battle.“Oh god!,” I moaned, my head falling back against the wall.“So wet already,” Killian said, h