LOGINLYRA POV I didn't go to the forest. Instead, my feet carried me to Hayden's house on the outskirts of the village. I needed to do something productive, something that would help Audrey and give me a sense of control over this impossible situation.Hayden opened the door looking surprised to see me. "Luna. I wasn't expecting you today.""I'm ready to continue our practice," I announced, stepping inside without waiting for an invitation. "We've lost enough time already."His expression shifted to something uncomfortable. "I'm afraid I can't do that. The Lycan gave me strict instructions to stop all further lessons until he orders otherwise."Fury exploded through me, hot and immediate. "He did what?""He sent word this morning that training was to be suspended—""And who exactly is receiving this training?" I interrupted, my voice sharp. "Who is the student here?""You are, Luna. But the Alpha was very clear—""I am your Luna," I stated firmly, drawing myself up to my full height. "And
IAN POV Marcus woke me before dawn, which immediately told me something unusual was happening. I dressed quickly and met him and Annabelle in my office, both of them looking far too alert for this early hour."This had better be good," I grumbled, pouring myself a drink despite the time. "What's so urgent it couldn't wait until a decent hour?""We're meeting someone," Annabelle announced without preamble. "Someone from Blood Moon pack who has important information to share."That got my attention. I set down my glass and focused on them properly. "What kind of information?""We don't know exactly," Marcus admitted. "But they reached out to us through intermediaries. Said they had intelligence about the pack that could benefit us. Possibly even lead to an alliance."I frowned. "And you're only telling me about this now? How long have you been communicating with this person?""A few days," Annabelle responded, having the grace to look slightly apologetic. "We wanted to verify they were
LYRA POV I stood at the forest edge, watching the scene unfold before me. Damon had Alec by the throat, rage written across every line of his face. Eric was trying to calm him down, pulling at his arm. And Alec looked genuinely terrified for perhaps the first time since I'd met him.Part of me wanted to intervene. To stop Damon before he did something he'd regret. But another part—the hurt, angry part—wanted to let him face the consequences of his actions on his own.Then Damon's eyes found mine across the distance, and everything else fell away.How long had he been looking for me? How worried had he been? And more importantly, how much did he actually care, versus how much was just about keeping his healer safe?Eric spotted me a second later and rushed over immediately, relief flooding his features. "Luna! Thank the Moon Goddess. We've been searching everywhere for you. Are you all right? Are you hurt?""I'm fine," I managed, though my voice sounded hollow even to my own ears.
DAMONWhen I returned to our chambers and found them empty, panic immediately set in. The breakfast tray sat untouched on the bed, and there was no sign of Lyra anywhere.I checked the washroom. Empty. I looked in the wardrobe, as if she might somehow be hiding there. Nothing."Lyra?" I called out, knowing she couldn't hear me but needing to say her name anyway.No response.I rushed back into the corridor and grabbed the first guard I saw. "Have you seen the Luna? When did she leave her chambers?""I haven't seen her, Lycan. I've been on duty for the past hour and she hasn't come this way."I tried the mindlink, reaching out to every guard and pack member I could think of. "Has anyone seen Luna Lyra? She's missing from her chambers."The responses came back negative. No one had seen her. No one knew where she'd gone.My wolf began pacing frantically inside my mind, demanding I find her, protect her, make sure she was safe. After yesterday's explosion, after how weak she'd been, she h
LYRA POV I sat by the waterfall, my hand still pressed against my stomach, trying to wrap my mind around everything that had just been revealed."You don't have a choice," Lumina's voice broke through my thoughts. "You have to tell Damon he's going to be a father. Today.""How do you even know for certain?" I challenged, desperation creeping into my mental voice. "You could be wrong. Maybe what you're sensing is something else entirely.""I'm a werewolf," Lumina reminded me patiently. "You're a healer. Our senses are designed to detect these things. I can hear the heartbeat inside you, it's tiny, yes, but definitely there. I'm honestly surprised Damon hasn't sensed it yet. Once he does, he won't let you do anything that might risk the baby."I closed my eyes, reality crashing down on me. "This is really messed up. The pregnancy is going to limit everything I can do. I won't be able to train as hard. I'll have to be careful about using my powers. But I need to save Audrey. She's runni
LYRA POV The sound of the door opening pulled me from sleep. I stirred, blinking groggily as Damon entered the room carrying another tray of food. The smell of fresh bread and cooked meat filled the air."How are you feeling?" he asked, settling onto the bed beside me and placing the tray within easy reach.I pushed myself up to sitting, my body protesting the movement. "Weaker than last night, actually. I thought I'd feel better after sleeping.""That's probably because your healing reserves are completely empty. You need to eat more before you'll start feeling normal again." He frowned slightly. "Though I don't really know how your healing power works. How it gets filled up, I mean. That's something you'll need to figure out."I shrugged, reaching for a piece of bread. "I don't know either. Guess I'll learn as I go.""Eat everything on that tray," he instructed, standing to leave. "I have a meeting to attend, but I'll come check on you later to make sure you're resting properly."







