Lyra
As Lyra rushed through the village, smoke’s acrid bite stung her nostrils. Homes smoldered. Everything was in ruins.
She scrambled through collapsing buildings looking for signs of life. But the streets were vacant, eerie silence weaving through the heat. Then, a faint cry near the old well drew her attention.
Aunt Maris lay on the ground. Blood stained her clothes. When she heard Lyra approach, her eyes fluttered open. Maris smiled weakly as she kneeled beside her.
The cold, damp ground sent a shiver through her, the metallic scent of blood making her stomach twist. Warmth faded from Maris’s hand as Lyra gripped it in her own.
“Aunt Maris!” She blurted, trying to stop the bleeding pooling beneath her.
Maris’s chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven breaths. Lips tinged blue.
“Lyra…” Maris gasped, her dull gaze filled with love.
Lyra’s heart throbbed in anguish. “Don’t talk. Save your strength,” she pleaded.
Maris’s fingers twitched in Lyra’s grasp. “They took them…” she sputtered, “Your father… Selene and Seraphina... They’re prisoners now.”
Prisoners? Images of her father’s stern face, Selene’s cold eyes, and Seraphina’s cruel smirk flashed through her head. Lyra sighed, a knot releasing in her chest.
Relief? Am I really relieved?
Maris coughed weakly and blood spurted up from her mouth. “I… I’m not long for this world.”
“No!” Lyra cried, her voice cracking with desperation. She stood. “I’ll find help!” She spun around, calling, “Someone—anyone! Help!”
But Maris spoke weakly. “No time... little wolf...”
Lyra froze. Little wolf. It was her aunts’ affectionate term for her. But it felt like so much more now. What did Maris see? Could she ever live up to it?
“It’s up to you, Only you…” Maris's hoarse whisper faded as a cold sweat broke out across Lyra’s back.
Me? Her heart thudded in her chest, shaking her head in disbelief. I am nothing. An exile.Maris’s breath grew more ragged, her body convulsed. She grimaced.
“Kyline…” Maris whispered. “She’s… she’s with Alpha Veyron. You must find her.”
The words didn’t make sense. Kyline... with him? He led the attack—why would she...?”
“What does that mean?” Lyra asked.
Maris’s grip tightened. “She’ll help you,” Maris rasped, “But the Alpha… you’ll need him… You have to save them, Lyra.”
“Save who?” Lyra asked. “My family?”
Her heart beat heavier, enveloping her in panic. She had no power, no pack—only her broken heart and Maris’s dying plea. How could she face an army with nothing?
“You have to. The moon… wanes... goddess awakens...”
“I don’t understand,” Lyra’s voice cracked, each syllable harder to form as tears ran down her cheeks.
Maris barely nodded, her grip weak but insistent. “The power… it’s in you, Lyra. The world… chaos, rebirth.”
Lyra trembled as she cupped her aunt’s face, slick with tears.
“I wish I could’ve done more for you, Lyra…” Maris’s smile grew faint. “You’re braver than me... You’ll need that strength.”
“Don’t go. Please, don’t leave me.”
She pressed her forehead to Maris’s, trying to hold on to what little was left of her. Maris’s body grew unnaturally cold, and her breathing ceased. Lyra screamed, her misery echoing through the desolation.
****
Lyra rushed through the forest, worn boots crushing emerald moss and scattering wildflowers. Bird song faded into the hum of insects.
She had to go. Had to find Kyline.
At the edge of a crumbling outpost, stones veined with moss, Lyra stopped to breathe.There was something ancient about this place that she couldn't explain.
Voices carried through the trees. Alpha Veyron’s patrols. Heart racing, she darted into the shadows of the ruin, pushing against the cold stone wall, as their footsteps grew closer.
The soldiers would attack first and ask questions later. They wouldn’t listen. She was a threat to be eliminated.
Lyra grazed the rough-hewn stones, finding irregular grooves etched into its surface. She turned to look.
Faded sigils were carved, words half-obscured by time, but still legible enough to send chills down her spine.
When the moon grows dark, the Luna Stone bound to its heart, the goddess shall awaken…
The goddess awakens... Maris’s last words haunted her.
It reminded her of fairy tales Kyline would tell her at bedtime. Just Fantasy. Right?
Lyra followed the words with her palm, feeling an arcane pulse beneath the surface.
... a new age will begin...
What did it mean? She brushed the moss aside to read the next line, so faint she could barely make any of it out:
...time of chaos… or ruin… She shall decide… Destroy the world.
She gasped as the words ran through her mind, “The power… it’s in you, Lyra. The world… chaos, rebirth...”
Goosebumps tingled along her arms, and she jerked her hand back.
An end, a beginning... and a power tied to her.
She stumbled back, and collided into something solid and unmoving. Molten panic ran through her veins as she whipped around. A patrolman loomed over her, eyes wide with surprise.
Everything blurred. With a final, desperate inhale, her vision went black, and she crumpled into unconsciousness.
LyraThe ride stretched on for the better part of the day, the steady rhythm of hooves against the earth a distant hum beneath their conversation. The forest behind them thinned into dry scrub, the scent of pine giving way to dust and sunbaked stone. Grass grew sparse. The air thickened with heat. In this desert, the land shed its vibrant green skin, surrendering to shades of ochre and gold.But as they crossed the invisible threshold marking the edge of Veyron’s domain, Lyra felt… lighter. The grip of his territorial magic released her like a breath she didn’t know she was holding.Yet Vespera’s magic still itched beneath her skin like a fever, her body betraying her with a thrum of desire any time her mind strayed too close to him, or she found herself the center of attention. Every bump in the road made her thighs clench tighter, her face hotter, her patience thinner. Yet, she tried to focus on Daphne’s teachings.“The more influential a werewolf is, the more land they can hold,”
LyraWarmth. That was the first thing Lyra noticed as she drifted toward wakefulness, a pleasant heat cocooning her against the chill of the morning air. Then came the slow, steady rise and fall of breath—not hers. The rhythmic motion rocked her slightly, comforting in a way that sent her sinking deeper into the warmth before realization struck her like a bolt of lightning.Her eyes snapped open, and she stiffened.Oh gods.She was curled against Rivenn, his arm draped lazily over her waist, their legs tangled as if they’d spent the entire night like this. Her cheek on his chest, his steady heartbeat thrummed beneath her skin.What happened last night?Flashes of hazy memories surfaced—the warmth of the fire, the way the liquor had made her dizzy and giggly, the laughter that had bubbled up so freely. She remembered the taste of Brann’s awful liquor, the way they had cheered her on. But had something happened with Rivenn?Her gaze darted around the campsite, taking in the disarray.Da
VeyronVeyron stalked through the woods, his steps heavy, controlled, yet aimless. He didn’t know where he was going—only that he needed to move. To breathe. To get away from the sight of Rivenn’s hands on her, the sound of her laughter mixing with Brann’s deep, rumbling voice.His jaw ached from clenching it so hard. She’s laughing with them. The gate murmured. At us.His fists clenched, nails biting into his palms. A rustle behind him had him slowing, scenting who it was before she spoke.“You good, Veyron?” Eryssa’s voice was calm, but her eyes took him in with quiet scrutiny.He exhaled through his nose. “Just taking a damn piss.”She quirked a brow but didn’t push. “Right.”Another set of footsteps approached, and Veyron tensed as Delvin stepped into view.They know why you’re here. Eryx warned, low and wary. They know you’re upset over the girl. They’ve come to check on you—like a damn pup.Veyron sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. Delvin slung an arm around his shoulder. “Y
LyraLyra turned to Brann, flashing him a playful smile. “So, Brann, tell me—are all warriors as fearless as you, or are you just special?”Brann, caught mid-drink, nearly choked on his ale. “I—I suppose I’m just special?”Rivenn barked out a laugh. Across the fire, Veyron finally looked up.His eyes flashed feral, his muscles coiling with restraint. She smiled, letting her fingers graze Brann’s arm, a bolt of heat shot through her at the contact. If Veyron wanted distance, she would give it to him. But she wasn’t about to disappear into the shadows.Veyron abruptly stood. His shoulders rigid as he stalked away from the fire, disappearing into the darkness beyond its glow. Silence fell over the group.Brann hesitated before speaking, quieter than usual. “I’m worried about him.”Delvin nodded solemnly. “Yeah.” Rivenn exhaled, rubbing his jaw. “He’s much darker than we’re used to. More moody. More volatile.” Genuine concern replaced his teasing lilt.“We need to keep an eye on him.” E
Lyra The fire crackled, sending embers swirling into the night as laughter rolled through the camp. Brann was mid-story, tankard in hand, weaving an exaggerated tale with the kind of energy only he could muster.“And then…” Brann’s voice boomed over the crackling fire, “Veyron, not even flinching, just leaps right at the beast, his cloak billowing behind him like the wings of some dark omen! He—get this—grabs its horns and yanks it to the ground like it’s nothing! He looked like some ancient god of war, practically glowing in the moonlight!”Delvin gave a dry smile, his arms crossed, leaning slightly away from Lyra as she sat dwarfed between him and Rivenn, who casually stroked a lock of Daphne’s hair with one hand and subtly brushed the back of Lyra’s.. “He looked more like a man trying not to die, if you ask me.”Brann shot Delvin a glance, but didn't let it derail him. “No, no. His shirt shimmered under the light of the fire. It was magnificent, really.”Rivenn leaned in closer t
VeyronThe warmth of the fire heated Veyron’s back, the crackling flames filling the tense silence. “What did you say to her?” Delvin asked. “To make her run off like that?”Veyron clenched his jaw. “I said nothing, Delvin,” he snapped. He didn’t want to discuss it.Delvin hesitated, studying him. “She really needs to be careful in these woods,” he said quietly. “There are wild creatures out here. It’s the border of your territory, not sure what might wander over. Just… stay alert. We’ll find her.”If he came looking for her, she would run. A vision of Lyra fleeing from him flashed before his eyes. Her face full of fear as she ran, with the wolf in him chasing, taking over. The excitement that tore through him at the thought twisted in his stomach, nauseating him.“Do you need me to help?” he asked, the words heavy.Delvin shook his head, gaze softening. “Nah, we’ve got it. You just stay here. We’ll bring her back.”With that, Delvin turned and joined the others in the search for the