CHAPTER 101

LYRAThe morning sun was hitting my face when I finally opened my eyes, and the first thing I noticed was that the other side of the bed was empty. Kael was already gone. I sat up and ran a hand through my hair, feeling a pang of disappointment. We hadn’t actually done anything last night. We had just talked and eventually fell asleep, and honestly, I was frustrated. I had so much built-up stress from the council battle and the constant meetings that I just wanted a way to let it all out.I let out a long sigh and climbed out of bed. There was no point in dwelling on it. I took a quick shower, scrubbed the sleep from my eyes, and got dressed in my usual gear. I spent a few minutes grooming, making sure I looked like a leader and not a tired rogue, and then I left the cabin. I headed straight for the office the pack had allocated to me. I had finished the bulk of my work yesterday, but there were still a few loose ends regarding the supplies for my rogues that I needed to tie down to

CHAPTER 102

LYRA I shut the door to my office, and I could already feel a massive headache coming on. The interaction in the hallway had completely drained me, and I walked over to my desk and leaned heavily against the edge of the table. Kael walked right in behind me, but he didn't look bothered by the situation at all. He strolled over to the small bowl of fruit sitting on the corner of my desk, reached inside, and grabbed a green apple. He took a loud, slow bite, munching on it like we hadn't just been in the middle of a screaming match with the most dangerous Alpha in the territory.I watched him chew, and his absolute nonchalance made me incredibly exasperated. I let out a sharp breath and rubbed my temples, trying to stop the pounding behind my eyes. I was honestly not ready to deal with any more of this drama today. I still had so much work to do, and I had to plan my rounds to visit the smaller packs that had supported me during the battle at the council hall. They had risked their

CHAPTER 103

LYRAFor what felt like an absolute eternity, neither of us moved. We stayed locked in that exact position, leaning far across the desk and kissing right over the scattered piles of supply manifests and pack paperwork. Kael’s lips were warm against mine, and his initial shock made him completely still under my touch, but I didn't back down. I kept my grip firm on the edge of the desk, pressing into the kiss because I wanted to prove a point, and I wanted to shock him into silence.The heat between us grew quickly, making my chest tighten. When it finally felt like I was losing all the air in my lungs, I tore my mouth away from his. I pulled back slowly, my hands still resting on the smooth wood of the table, and I stood there panting hard as I tried to catch my breath.I looked straight into Kael’s face, and I didn't let my gaze waver for even a second. "Are you satisfied now?" I asked, my voice coming out rough and uneven as I gasped for air. "Is that enough proof for you, or do yo

CHAPTER 104

LUCIAN I stormed back into my personal chambers, and I didn't even bother to close the door gently. I kicked it shut with my boot, and the loud bang echoed through the empty room. My chest was heaving, and the anger inside me was burning so hot that I couldn't see straight. I grabbed a glass vase from the side table and hurled it against the opposite wall, watching it shatter into a hundred tiny pieces. It didn't help. The image of Kael walking out of Lyra's cabin was still stuck in my head, and it was driving my wolf completely insane.I started throwing stuff around the room just to vent the pressure in my chest. I grabbed a heavy wooden chair and smashed it into the floor, splitting the legs apart. I swept my arm across my dresser, sending books, grooming brushes, and metal containers crashing down in a loud mess. I was breathing hard, my knuckles throbbing from the desk I had broken earlier in my office, but I didn't care. I needed to destroy something. I needed to break thing

Chapter 105

LYRAThe sun wasn't out yet, and the sky was still a deep, purplish tint, but I was already awake. I lay flat on my back for a few minutes, staring up at the ceiling, and then I slowly turned my head to the side. Kael was lying right next to me, sleeping soundly."You look entirely different when you're not trying to provoke someone," I whispered under my breath.I leaned on my elbow and looked down at his chest, watching it rise and drop. He looked completely relaxed, and the usual, mocking smirk was entirely gone from his face, leaving him with an innocent look on his face. I couldn't help but smile at the sight, and I reached out, gently brushing a stray lock of dark hair away from his forehead so I could see his face better.After a while, the chill in the morning air started to make me shiver, so I stood up from the mattress."Brilliant, it's freezing," I muttered, gritting my teeth.I grabbed the heavy cotton sheets from the edge of the bed, pulling them along with me, and I wra

Chapter 106

LYRA"Lyra, you need to get up," Kael said, his voice serious. "Darren is at the door, and he says it is urgent."I let out a loud groan and rolled my eyes toward the ceiling, feeling a fresh wave of irritation. "Tell him to go away, Kael," I muttered into the pillow. "The sun isn't even fully up yet.""I don't think he can wait," Kael replied, walking back toward the front room. "He looks completely stressed out."I sighed deeply and grudgingly climbed out of the bed, dragging my feet as I grabbed my clothes from the floor and quickly slipped into them. I was still incredibly cranky and tired from the long day before, and I walked down the hallway with a scowl on my face, swearing under my breath that if this wasn't something truly serious, I was going to make my beta pay for waking me up at this hour. I arrived at the open front door and found Darren standing on the porch, looking anxious."You had better have a very good reason to disturb me right now, Darren," I said, my voice sha