All Chapters of TWO ALPHAS ONE BOND : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

LYRA "Zeviar," I whispered, my voice shaking. "What's happening to my sister?" Before he could answer, Willow screamed again. Her back lifted off the floor, her body bending in a way she shouldn’t be. The sound of breaking bones filled the room, sharp enough to turn my stomach. "No, no, no—" I tried to reach for her, but Zeviar caught my arm. "Don't," he said firmly. "You can't touch her right now." "She's dying!" I tried to break free from his grip. "Let me go!" "She's not dying." His grip tightened. "Lyra, look at me." I couldn't. I couldn't look away from Willow writhing on the floor, her body contorting in ways that shouldn't be possible. "Lyra." Zeviar's voice was sharp now. "Look. At. Me." I finally tore my eyes away from Willow and met his eyes. "She's not dying," he repeated, his voice steady. "I need you to trust me." "Then what's happening to her?!" My voice cracked. Willow screamed again, and copper-colored fur began to spread across her arms. I froze. "She's s

[The Next Morning - After Willow's shift] LYRA I woke up to pale morning light filtering through the curtains. For a moment, I didn’t know where I was. Then it all comes rushing back. Orion’s betrayal. Karleen’s smile. The way he didn’t deny it. And Willow. God, Willow. I turned my head and saw her lying beside me, still asleep. Her breathing was light and even, her face finally peaceful after hours of pain. My sister was a wolf. And I had no idea how to help her. I sat up slowly, careful not to wake her, and slipped quietly out of the room. The hallway was empty and silent. I didn't know where I was going. I just knew I couldn't stay in that room with my thoughts anymore. I turned to a corner and nearly bumped into Zeviar. He held me steady with his hands on my shoulders, his eyes studying me. "Lyra." His voice was rough, like he hadn't slept either. "Did you sleep at all?" "Not really." His expression softened. "Come with me." "Where?" "Somewhere quiet." I nodded, too e

LYRA I barely slept. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the anonymous summons. The blank space where a signature should have been. The fear in Zeviar's voice when he said, they never do this unless they find something out. What could they have found? I got up before dawn, and went to check on Willow. She was awake too, sitting on the bed with her knees pulled to her chest. "Hey," I said softly, closing the door behind me. She looked up, and I saw the fear in her eyes. "Lyra, what's happening? Why do they want me?" "I don't know." I sat beside her and took her hand. "But whatever it is, we'll face it together." "I'm scared." "Me too." "We'll be okay," Sky said, though she didn't sound convinced. We sat there in silence until Zeviar knocked on the door. "It's time," he said quietly. The Grand Council Hall was massive. The place was massive. I'd never been inside, and I felt so small walking through it. Huge stone pillars went all the way up to the ceiling, and old banners

LYRA The door clicked shut, and the sound just hung in the air. I stopped dead, and suddenly the room felt small, the walls closing in. This wasn't our room anymore. It was a cage. Willow went to the window, moving almost awkwardly, like she was struggling to stay on her feet. She put her hands on the glass, and looked down at the guards. "They're really keeping us locked in here," she said, her voice empty. "Like prisoners." I couldn't speak; my throat was locked up. My chest felt tight, constricted. Everything from the council chambers kept replaying in my head. Morgana's evidence. The letters. The amulet. Thalia was a witch. The council's accusations. Losing Zeviar. Kael's cold words: ‘Lyra Selene and Willow Chen will be banished.’ "Lyra?" Willow's voice pulled me back. She was still at the window, but now she was looking at me, and I saw her starting to crack. "Say something," she whispered. "Please." "I don't know what to say." She turned away from the window and wrapped he

LYRA I couldn’t sleep. How could I, after they dragged Willow away hours ago, leaving me clueless about where she was or what they were doing to her? I’d worn a path into the floor from pacing. I screamed at the guards outside the door until my voice was raw. I begged Sky to tell me if she could sense Ember, if Willow was okay, if she was even still alive. But the fact that she couldn’t feel her made everything feel even worse. So I kept pacing, waiting, trying desperately not to imagine the worst. It was almost dawn when I finally heard footsteps in the hallway. I rushed to the door, pressing my ear against it. I caught snippets of voices–the guards talking to someone. Then the lock clicked. The door swung open, and Willow stumbled inside. I caught her just in time before she could fall. "Oh my god. Oh my god, you're okay." I pulled her into my arms, holding her so tight I probably hurt her. "Are you okay? What happened? What did they want? Did they hurt you?" She didn’t say a w