All Chapters of The Man I Buried : Chapter 1 - Chapter 10

Lyra POV The first time Kael fought for me, he was ten and bleeding from the nose.I remember because I’d been the reason.The creek behind the western ridge was our place. It wasn’t claimed territory or sacred ground — just a narrow bend in the water where the trees dipped low and the rocks were warm from the sun. We used to say it belonged to us because no one else bothered climbing that far down the slope.That day, I’d slipped.The moss along the bank was slick, and I’d been trying to cross it without getting my sandals wet. One wrong step and I went tumbling into the shallow water with a splash loud enough to echo.The boys heard.Of course they did.Three of them came crashing through the trees, older, louder, already laughing before they saw me struggling to stand. My braid had come loose. My dress clung to my skin. My knees stung where they’d scraped against stone.“Well,” one of them drawled, folding his arms. “Future Luna can’t even walk.”I hated that title back then. It f

Lyra POV The elders confirmed it three nights later.But I already knew.You don’t mistake the feeling of your wolf waking up and choosing someone.It started with restlessness.I couldn’t sleep. Every sound outside my window felt amplified — the rustle of leaves, distant laughter from the lower houses, the steady hum of pack life winding down for the night. My skin felt too tight. My pulse too loud.And beneath it all—That pull.It stretched from my chest toward somewhere beyond the trees.Toward him.I lasted until midnight before giving in.I slipped from my bed, pulled on boots, and climbed out the window like I’d done a hundred times before. The air was cool and silvered with moonlight. Clouds drifted lazily across the sky, but the moon itself shone bright enough to make the world glow.My wolf stirred eagerly.She wasn’t confused.She wasn’t afraid.She was certain.I followed the pull without thinking about it, feet carrying me down the familiar path toward the eastern cleari

Lyra POV The forest was quiet, but it didn’t feel empty. The way sunlight filtered through the leaves made patterns on the ground, soft and shifting, like it was moving just for us. I followed Kael along the narrow path, keeping my pace matched to his. Every step carried that subtle hum—the bond—and I couldn’t ignore it, no matter how much I tried.“Why here?” I asked softly, my voice almost lost among the rustle of the trees.“To get away,” he replied, calm and steady, but there was an edge under it, a tension that only I could feel. “Away from everyone watching.”I glanced at him, taking in the way his shoulders squared unconsciously, the muscles beneath his tunic taut even as he tried to appear relaxed. He was always alert, always aware, but here, something had softened. He wasn’t just Kael the warrior, the fighter—he was Kael, the man who stood beside me and carried the weight of something I couldn’t yet name.The trail opened into a small clearing, framed by towering oaks whose

Lyra POV The council clearing was buzzing with tension when we arrived. Warriors had formed ranks, and elders stood in their usual places near the stone platform, but there was a new energy in the air—a hum I couldn’t ignore, threaded with curiosity, speculation, and expectation.I kept close to Kael as we stepped into the center, the bond thrumming between us, insistent and unrelenting. My pulse was still high from the forest, from the near-kiss, from the realization that had settled deep in my chest. Being near him was like standing in the eye of a storm, calm and chaotic at the same time.Alpha Darius cleared his throat, and the clearing stilled. The sound carried far, drawing every eye toward him, but mine stayed on Kael. He shifted slightly beside me, muscles taut, gaze fixed forward, but I could feel the tension radiating from him. It matched my own.“We gather not only to address threats,” the Alpha began, voice steady, carrying over the crowd, “but to honor bonds that strengt

Kael POV The first light of dawn barely touched the village when the war horns sounded. Low, echoing off the ridge. Even from my hut, I felt the vibrations travel through the ground, hammering at my chest.I was already awake. The bond with Lyra pulsed gently, a reminder that she was here, connected to me, and yet I could feel the weight of the day pressing down before it had even begun.The council clearing was already alive with movement when I arrived. Warriors ran drills, their forms precise, their weapons moving with deadly efficiency. The air was thick with tension, the kind of pressure that made every breath a conscious effort. Alpha Darius stood at the center, his presence commanding immediate focus.“Kael,” he barked as soon as he saw me. No greeting, no softness. Just authority. “You’re behind today. Move.”“Yes, Alpha,” I said, voice tight. My wolf instincts flared, matching his intensity. There was no room for hesitation. Not today.The exercises began in a blur. Push-u