CHAPTER 3 - LYRA

"Lyra! Come on! We're going to be late for school! Again." Ethan's voice boomed from downstairs.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror and rolled my eyes. "Coming!" I called back, knowing he'd easily catch the amusement in my tone.

"That's what you said ten minutes ago!"

"I know!" I quickly grabbed my bag and took one last glance at myself. Senior year of high school, and I was still late almost every single morning.

I looked down at my dress and sighed. Getting ready had become a lot more complicated lately—not because I lacked options (my closet was full), but because I'd started paying too much attention to how people looked at me.

Specifically, at my scar.

My fingers moved automatically toward my right cheek, tracing the deep mark that had been there for as long as I could remember. Nobody knew where it came from. Whenever I asked about it as a kid, I never got an answer that made sense. Doctor Mira had examined it plenty of times and confirmed it was harmless, but I still hated the way people stared.

I knew it wasn't ugly—at least, that's what everyone kept telling me. But knowing something in your head and feeling it in your heart were two completely different things.

Grabbing my bag, I stepped out of my room. The moment my foot hit the top step, Ethan yelled again. "Finally!"

"You could have come upstairs and helped me," I teased as I walked down.

"Rule number one: I value my life."

Ethan was leaning near the front door, shaking his head at me. "You know, one day we will get expelled because of you."

"One day?" I asked, feigning innocence.

He gave me a deadpan look. "Okay... we are in danger of being expelled almost every day."

I shoved his shoulder playfully. "You're annoying."

"And yet, I'm still your best friend."

"Unfortunately," I smiled.

"Exactly," he grinned.

That was Ethan. He'd been a constant in my life for as long as I could remember. We grew up together, argued over stupid things, shared secrets, stole food from the kitchen, and blamed each other whenever something went wrong. No matter how much I complained about him, I couldn't imagine growing up without him.

By the time we made it to school, our friends were already waiting by the entrance.

Maya spotted us first. "There they are!"

Elena turned around and shook her head. "I told you Lyra would be late."

"I wasn't late!" I protested.

Ethan checked his watch and gave me a smirk. "You're only five minutes late."

"See?"

"That's still late," Maya laughed, pulling me into a quick hug. Elena joined in, and a second later Elliot appeared behind them.

The four of them had become my core group over the years. Maya was loud, funny, and impossible to ignore. Elena was calmer, but she noticed every tiny detail. Elliot was the voice of reason who constantly tried to keep us out of trouble. And Ethan? Ethan was just Ethan. He caused half the trouble, and I was usually right beside him when it happened.

With our senior status, graduation was drawing near, signifying a key event ahead.

Prom!

"You're coming, right?" Maya asked, locking eyes with me.

"Yes," I promised.

Elena smiled. "Good. Because we're going dress shopping tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?" I blinked. "Why so soon?"

"Because if we wait any longer, there won't be anything good left," Maya insisted.

Elliot snorted. "You girls have been talking about dresses all week."

"Because prom is important," Maya countered, crossing her arms.

"It's just one night."

Maya stared at him in utter disbelief. "And that is why you're a guy."

Ethan burst out laughing, and I couldn't help joining in.

The girls spent most of the day whispering about the mall trip—even during class. At one point, our teacher stopped mid-lecture and glared directly at our row. "Would you like to share your conversation with the entire class?"

All three of us went dead silent. Ethan leaned over from the desk beside me and whispered, "You're in trouble," making it almost impossible to hold back a snort.

By the time the last bell rang, we had set the plan: Saturday morning at the mall, dress shopping, lunch, and according to Maya, trying on "at least fifty dresses." She wasn't joking.

When I got home, I walked into the dining room to find Dad and Mum at the table.

"There's my girl," Dad said warmly, looking up from his papers.

"Hi, Dad." I sat down beside Mum. "The girls and I are going dress shopping tomorrow."

Mum's face lit up instantly. "Prom shopping? That's wonderful! You've been looking forward to this."

"I guess I have," I admitted, feeling a flush of excitement.

Dad leaned back in his chair. "Who's going?"

"Me, Elena, Maya... and probably Ethan and Elliot."

Cassian nodded thoughtfully. "Good. I've already spoken to Ethan."

I groaned. "Dad, really?"

"He'll go with you," he chuckled.

Mum smiled gently. "He'll watch over you girls, sweetheart."

"We don't need a bodyguard!" I argued.

From the doorway behind me, Ethan's voice piped up. "Yes, you do."

I spun around. "Were you listening?"

"Of course."

I tossed my napkin at his head, and he laughed as he ducked out of the way.

Dinner was warm and easy, full of chatter about the trip. It felt safe. Normal. Sometimes I wondered how different my life could have been. I didn't know who my biological parents were, where I came from, or why someone left me at the gates of the Lunar Crest Pack as a baby.

But I had never felt unwanted here. Cassian and Seraphina raised me as their own, never making me feel like less of a daughter just because I did not share the same blood as they. I was simply Lyra, their adopted daughter, their family. And most of the time, that was enough for me.

Later that evening, I stood in front of my mirror again, tracing the faint ridge of the scar on my cheek. Who gave it to me? Why? Was it tied to the past I couldn't remember? I didn't have answers, and I figured I never would. With a sigh, I climbed into bed and forced myself to stop overthinking. Tomorrow was a new day.

Saturday morning came fast. I woke up earlier than usual with one simple goal: I would not be late. Elena and Maya were always punctual, and I wasn't giving them another reason to tease me.

After a long shower and way too much time spent picking out an outfit, I gave up and settled on something simple. When I walked into the kitchen, the smell of bacon, pancakes, and eggs made my mouth water immediately.

"Good morning, sunshine!" Ethan said from the table, already halfway through a mountain of food.

"Morning. How'd you sleep?"

"Like a log."

I grabbed a plate and piled it high. Ethan stared at my portion. "Planning to feed the whole mall?"

"I'm hungry."

"Clearly."

I sat next to him, and he leaned in closer. "The Alpha told me I'm coming with you girls. And Elliot's coming too, so I don't die of boredom."

I smacked his arm. "You love spending time with us."

"Of course," he grinned. "Especially when you spend six hours picking out one dress."

"Maybe we'll make you carry all the bags."

His grin instantly vanished. "I take it back."

The mall teemed with teenagers, families, and loud music from every store when we arrived. I've never loved crowds, so I stayed close to Elena and Maya as they dragged me into the first shop.

"We're starting here!" Maya announced, pulling me through the entrance.

The store was filled with gowns in every shade and style imaginable. Maya immediately grabbed a short red dress and held it against herself. "Look!"

"That is so you," Elena laughed.

Elena soon found an emerald green gown with delicate gold details along the neckline. "What do you think?"

"It's perfect," I told her, and I meant it.

Then both of them turned toward me with matching grins. "Your turn."

I browsed through the racks with little luck until a long black dress caught my eye. It was elegant and dramatic, styled with subtle dark-violet accents that gave it a mysterious, fairy-tale look.

I stopped dead in my tracks. "Wow."

Elena followed my gaze, her mouth dropping open. "Oh, my goodness."

Maya grabbed my arm. "You must try it."

A few minutes later, I stepped out of the dressing room. Silence fell over the two of them.

"Well?" I asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

"Lyra..." Elena breathed out.

"You're buying that," Maya insisted, her eyes wide.

I walked over to the full-length mirror and paused. I barely recognized the girl looking back at me. The dress fit perfectly—not too tight, not too revealing. It just made me feel‌ beautiful. For the first time in a long while, I wasn't thinking about the scar on my cheek or worrying if people were staring at it. I was just looking at myself, and I liked what I saw.

A saleswoman in her fifties approached us with a warm, kind smile, but as her eyes landed on me, her expression shifted into visible shock.

"Are you all right?" Elena asked her.

The woman blinked, quickly pulling herself together. "I'm sorry. You just... strongly remind me of someone."

I frowned slightly. "Someone you know?"

She shook her head slowly, her voice carrying a strange weight. "No. Someone I knew a very long time ago."

Her eyes lingered on my cheek, right over my scar, before meeting mine again. "There is something very familiar about you."

My stomach tightened into a knot. "Have we met before?"

"No," she whispered, though she seemed certain. "But you have a face I don't think I could ever forget."

"Thank you," I offered with a nervous little laugh, not knowing what else to say.

"I hope you enjoy the dress," she said, nodding politely before turning back toward the counter.

Elena watched her walk away, leaning in close to me. "That was strange. She looked at you as if she knew you."

"I might just resemble someone from her past," I said with a shrug, though I failed to convince myself.

We bought the dress along with a pair of matching sandals. As we left the store, I couldn't stop myself from glancing back one last time. The saleswoman was still standing near the counter, watching me walk away. I spun around.

"Let me go find the boys," I said.

Elena looked at me closely. "Do you think she actually knows something about you?"

"I don't know," I lied softly.

An uncomfortable weight settled deep in my chest. Try as I might, I couldn't shake her words: You have a face I don't think I could ever forget.

I looked down at the shopping bag in my hand. In a single instant, all the excitement about prom faded, replaced by a question I had spent years trying to push down: Who was I before I arrived at the Lunar Crest Pack?

And for the first time in my life, I wondered if someone out there actually had the answer.