The Luna's Claws of Revenge

*Lyra*The chains bite into my wrists as I’m led from the holding cell I spent last night in. The sun is so bright, I have to squint, fighting to stay oriented as two guards lead me down the path away from the jail to the common area.I have no idea what’s going on. Last night, the Alpha’s guards burst into my home, waking me from a dead sleep, and arrested me. They refused to tell me what I was being accused of. I struggled, of course, which earned me a fat lip, which I’m still sporting this morning. Now, about twelve hours later, I still have no idea what’s going on.All I know is that Alpha Kaelen, who has never liked me, has finally come up with a way to get rid of me, and the idea that he might actually have the upper hand has my wolf itching to break free and my soul ready to do whatever it takes to make this right.I haven’t done anything wrong.It’s Spring Solstice, so the entire pack is present when we make our way the short distance to the common area. The celebration will l

*Lyra*“What the hell are you doing here?”That was the question. A man dressed in ragged clothes with dark hair peppered with gray on the sides steps out of the woods. I’m in a panic, and he’s far away, so I’m not sure who I’m looking at. “Go away!” I shout. “I’ll kill you!”“You’ll kill me?” he snickers and walks closer. “With all due respect, darling, you’re the one chained to a tree. I don’t think you’d have much luck with that.”Slowly, I stand, not to try to prove him wrong but because I think I recognize him. “Jorin? Is that you?”“Yes, Lyra, it is me,” he replies, stepping even closer. “Why are you here?”“Why am I here?” I repeat, so thankful to see someone I know. Really, what are the chances out here in the woods. “I’m here because I was framed for murder,” I reply. “Why are you here?”“Framed for murder?” He doesn’t answer my question because he’s so shocked. “Who died?”“Arica,” I tell him and instantly watch his face fall. “I’m sorry. I know the two of you were friends.

*Lyra*It’s difficult to keep track of how many days have gone by. One of the first questions Jorin asked me was what day it was. He said he’d lost track. He’d been surprised that I’d been exiled on Spring Solstice, but then, once he considered how cruel Alpha Kaelen can be, he decided it wasn’t that shocking after all.Our days are all relatively the same. I did go back to Song Pack’s abandoned village to get some more clothes and was lucky enough to find some hygiene products for women as well, so thank the Goddess for that. Not that I feel like She’s been paying too much attention to me lately–unless She just likes punishing me.“I’m going out to hunt,” Jorin says to me nearly every morning. Sometimes he’s just gone when I wake up. We don’t have a refrigerator, unfortunately, and no way of keeping perishable food items cool, so one or both of us have to hunt pretty often. I’ve been setting some traps, and so far they’ve worked to catch small game, but of course, we are better hunte

*Lyra*More time passes. It’s hot as hell outside, but that doesn’t stop Jorin and me from training. Every day, after we eat breakfast, we go out to a nearby meadow and spar. Sometimes, we’re in our human forms. Other times, we shift and fight in our wolf forms. Either way, I learn a lot. We rotate where we train every day so that the rogues hopefully won’t smell us in the same spot and stalk us there. One thing I’ve learned about Jorin is that he’s always very cautious.One day, when the summer sun is high overhead, we’re fighting in our human forms, working on tricking our opponents, when a familiar odor hits me, and I freeze.Jorin isn’t expecting it, and he ends up kicking me in the side, hard. I wince.“So sorry, Lyra,” he says, rushing over to me. “Are you all right?”I place a hand on my side and press hard to try to make the pain ease down, but it’s not that noticeable to me. “I’m fine,” I assure him. “It’s not your fault. I got distracted. Do you smell that?”Jorin lifts his

*Bram*Nervous energy pulses through the pack of wolves as we make our way along the winding road north, toward Moon Falls Pack. I’m on high alert because of the letter I passed to Lyra earlier in the week. I think she found it because when I went back to the tree to see if it was still there, I picked up her scent.That wasn’t the only scent I noticed. She’s with the same male I smelled the last time I was out there, several months ago. I try not to be jealous, but I’ve never been comfortable with Lyra being around other males for reasons I can’t explain.It’s been months, though, since I’ve seen her with my own eyes, and I’m desperately worried about her. I’m trying to do everything I can to help her. So far, I’ve worked my way into a trustworthy position. Alpha Kaelen speaks openly to his advisors right in front of me. I hear more than I should. Yet, he talks about his plans in front of dozens of people, so he won’t suspect I had anything to do with this if Lyra is actually able t