All Chapters of THE RUTHLESS ALPHA'S MARKED BRIDE : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Lyra’s PovSecurity around me triples overnight, and Theron won't tell me why.I woke up in Theron's bed again, his arms wrapped around me like he was afraid I would disappear. The mark on my neck still glowed faintly in the morning light, a constant reminder of how much had changed in one night. I turned in his arms to look at him, but he was already awake, staring at the ceiling with a tense expression. His body was rigid against mine."What's wrong?" I asked, voice still sleepy.He did not answer right away. Instead, he pulled me closer, burying his face in my hair for a long moment before speaking. "Damon showed me the note. And we got intelligence overnight. Someone put a bounty on you."The words hit me like cold water. I sat up, pulling the sheet around me. "A bounty?"Theron sat up too, running a hand through his hair. His face was hard, but I saw the fear underneath. "My enemies know you are my true mate now. Targeting you is how they hurt me. The bounty is substantial. Any r

‎Lyra’s Pov ‎ ‎ ‎Damon finds the connection three days later, and it leads somewhere we didn't expect. ‎ ‎The war room was tense. Maps covered the long table. Photos of the dead rogues from the attack were pinned to boards. ‎Theron's inner circle was already gathered around the table when we arrived. Damon, two trusted enforcers I recognized but did not know well, and two senior advisors who leaned in close over the evidence talking low among themselves. ‎ ‎I sat beside Theron and my hand rested on his thigh under the table. He had not wanted me here, but I had insisted. This was about me. I needed to be part of figuring out who had tried to take me. ‎ ‎Damon pointed to a report. "Bodies of the rogues were examined. Belongings searched. The trail leads to a rogue network operating out of neutral territory. They are hired muscles, nothing more." ‎ ‎Theron’s hand tightened under mine. "Funding?" ‎ ‎"Comes from somewhere with resources," Damon said. He looked down at the pa

‎‎Lyra’s Pov ‎ ‎ ‎My mother was murdered because of what she was, and I inherited her death sentence. ‎ ‎We were back in the Northern Territory, in the main war room. The emergency Council meeting had been called the moment we returned from Crescent Hollow, no time wasted, no formalities observed. Helena was in custody somewhere in the compound, broken down and talking fast, trying to make deals to save herself from execution. Fear had a way of loosening tongues faster than any interrogation technique, and Helena's fear of dying had loosened hers completely. She had spilled everything, desperate to trade information for her life. ‎ ‎The room was packed with Theron's most trusted advisors, Damon stood at his side, and me sitting next to Theron. The air was thick with shock and anger. Helena's voice came through the recording, cold and bitter, as she confessed everything she had hidden for years. ‎ ‎"My mother Mira was from an ancient Oracle bloodline," I said quietly, repeat

‎Lyra’s Pov ‎ ‎ ‎I knock the wine from Theron's hand, and everything explodes into chaos. ‎ ‎The glass shattered on the floor. Red wine spread across the polished stone like blood. Theron turned to me, shock flashing across his face. "Lyra, what—" ‎ ‎"Poison," I said, my voice shaking but sure. "I saw it." ‎ ‎The server dropped his tray with a loud clatter that drew every nearby eye, and in one smooth, practiced motion he pulled a blade from beneath his jacket. That single movement was all it took. Chaos erupted across the banquet hall in an instant. More assassins revealed themselves from positions scattered around the room, six total, each of them placed exactly where they could do the most damage, like they had planned this in days. Guests screamed and scrambled for cover, knocking over chairs in their panic. Alphas shifted instantly to protect their mates. Tables overturned with a crash, glasses shattering everywhere. ‎ ‎Theron shoved me behind him and shifted in an ins

Lyra’s PovI see her in my dreams every night: Theron's sister, alive, begging me to find her.The visions had grown stronger in the week since Magnus died. They came during the day now, sudden and clear, pulling me out of whatever I was doing. I would be in a meeting or walking the halls and suddenly I was somewhere dark, hearing her voice. The young woman had Theron's gold-red eyes and the same stubborn set to her jaw. She was chained in darkness, her voice hoarse but determined. "Brother. Tell him I'm alive."I spent hours in the library researching Theron's family history. Sera Blackridge disappeared during the coup nine years ago when she was sixteen. Everyone assumed she was dead. There had been blood at the scene, too much blood, and no body was ever found. Theron never talked about her. The grief was too deep. He had lost his whole family that night. Bringing her up felt like poking at an open wound.But the visions would not let me go. I saw glimpses of her location — undergr