CHAPTER TWO

Lyra’s pov

I woke before the dawn horn, shivering against the cold damp of the dungeon floor. My body ached throbbing bruises along my ribs, my scraped palms stung, my head still heavy from where it had hit the stone floor. I barely noticed the clank of keys or the distant shuffle of footsteps until the door groaned open.

“Lyra.”

I flinched at the sound of my name.

My father stood there, back stiff as ever, his face grim in the flickering torchlight. For the first time in my life, he wasn’t scowling. He wasn’t ignoring me. His mouth was tight, eyes filled with something close to... sorrow?

“Get up.” His voice cracked. “We don’t have much time.”

I blinked at him, confused. “W-What…?”

“I said get up!” He grabbed my arm and yanked me to my feet. I winced as fire shot through my injured shoulder but he didn’t slow down.

His grip trembled.

Was he… afraid?

“This is the last thing I can ever do for you,” he muttered, dragging me down the dark corridor, away from the dungeon. “I should have done something sooner. Gods forgive me... I was a coward.”

I stared up at him, heart twisting. “Father…?”

He ignored me. “When we reach the courtyard, run. Run as fast as your legs can carry you.”

“Run? Where? They’ll hunt me down before sunrise. You know they will!” My voice broke as I whispered. “The King—he wants my head—”

“You’re going to the Forbidden Forest,” he said, low and harsh.

I stumbled, yanking my arm free. “The Forbidden Forest? Are you mad?! That place is death! No one goes in there, not unless they want to be torn apart by the mindless rogues—”

He grabbed my shoulders. “Listen to me, Lyra. It’s the only place they won’t follow. Not even the King’s wolves dare cross its borders. If you stay here, you’ll die before the sun fully rises. In the forest, you might—just might—survive. You have to trust me. It will all make sense soon...”

“Father, please…” My throat burned. I hated him. I hated him for every slap he ignored, every cruel word he let my stepmother and siblings spit at me. And yet here he was, finally seeing me, finally saving me... when it was too late.

His expression softened. “I am sorry, Lyra. Truly. I should have protected you. But this is all I can give you now. A chance. Run.”

Before I could speak again, he shoved me hard. I staggered into the courtyard, into the bitter cold and shadow of early dawn.

“Run!” he barked.

So I ran.

Barefoot, shivering, weak... I ran.

The Forbidden Forest could be seen ahead like the mouth of a great beast. Twisted trees, black as death, stretched toward the sky, their branches clawing the moon. My heart thudded painfully against my ribs. My wolf was still silent. As always.

Just as I began to put some food distance between myself and the castle…

I heard it then.

The hunting horn.

And after it, the howls.

They were coming.

“Faster!” I said to myself, tears blurring my vision. My legs burned, my chest heaved for air. My bare feet bled as I stumbled over roots and stones. Dawn broke behind me, painting the world in gold and with it came the hunters.

Wolves.

I heard the pounding of paws, the snapping of jaws. A furious snarl filled the air as something rammed into me from behind, sending me sprawling into the dirt. My head struck stone, pain exploded behind my eyes. Blood trickled warm down my temple as I lay dazed, gasping.

A growl rumbled above me. Hot breath against my neck. A heavy paw pressed into my back.

No.

No, no, no!

I twisted, panic lending me strength. My elbow smashed into the wolf’s snout, just enough for it to reel back, surprised. I scrambled to my feet and ran, stumbling, blind and dizzy but the line of trees was close now, close enough to reach—

I crossed the border of the Forbidden Forest.

Silence fell.

The wolves skidded to a halt behind me. I didn’t dare glance back. My breath caught in my throat. My limbs trembled. I could barely stand. But I kept running deeper, ignoring the ache in my side, the sticky wet of blood down my face.

Then I heard another growl.

From ahead.

I froze, heart in my mouth.

A wolf burst from a bush and slammed into me, knocking the air from my lungs as I hit the earth hard. Its teeth gleamed, breath fanning my face as it pinned me beneath its weight. But the scent was wrong.

Not Moonstone.

Not my pack.

Rogue.

I gasped in horror.

More wolves crept from the shadows, circling, eyes gleaming red in the morning light. They prowled closer, low and hungry, tongues lolling in anticipation. One swiped a claw across my leg, teasing. Playing.

They wanted to toy with me before the kill.

I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for death.

“Enough!” a voice rang out.

My eyes flew open.

A man’s voice.

The rogue on top of me froze.

Impossible. Rogues were mindless beasts. They didn’t listen. They didn’t obey.

But this one backed off, growling low as it shifted, bones cracking, fur retreating to reveal a tall man with dark hair and strange pale eyes. Naked, but unashamed.

Others stepped into the clearing. Some in wolf form, some clothed in dark leather armor marked with a crest I didn’t recognize— an arrow, silver symbol gleaming on their chests.

Who—what—were they?

“She’s from the Moonstone Kingdom,” the man who had pinned me sneered, jerking his chin at me. “A spy, no doubt. Or a fool. She trespassed on our land. I say we kill her and be done with it.”

Murmurs of agreement rippled through the gathered wolves.

But the man standing at the front said nothing.

He stared at me, eyes cold, thoughtful.

“Beta,” the first man growled. “Say something. She’s the enemy. She deserves death for her audacity—”

“No,” the Beta said finally. His voice was deep, quiet but firm. “The King will decide her fate.”

I stared, heart pounding.

King? Beta? My head spun.

What King? There was no ruler here. No civilization. The Forbidden Forest was supposed to be death, madness, ruin. Not this.

“I beg you…” My voice cracked. “Please. Kill me. End it now. Don’t take me to him. Just… please. I don’t want to suffer anymore.”

The clearing went silent.

I felt their eyes on me and filled with curiosity.

“No one’s begged for death in these woods before, rather they beg to be spared.” the Beta murmured. “And no one from Moonstone has entered willingly in decades.” He glanced at the others. “The King will want to see this one.”

A wave of dark amusement spread through the gathered wolves.

I began to shake.

What were they going to do to me? Who was this King?

Rough and merciless hands hauled me to my feet. My legs buckled. My vision swam. I barely felt the iron grip on my arms as they dragged me through the forest, deeper and deeper into the darkness.

Tears streamed down my face.

I’d escaped one death only to meet another.

But this one felt worse.

As the forest swallowed us whole, I felt it, the hum of strange magic, old and dangerous, flowing around the trees. Whispers in the air, ghostly and cold. My stomach twisted, fear eating at me like a living thing.

The Beta walked beside me, silent and watchful.

I dared to glance at him.

“Who... who is your King?” I rasped.

His lips twitched in the barest ghost of a smile.

“You’ll see soon enough, little wolf.”

My heart stuttered.

Gods help me.

What new nightmare had I stepped into?