LIRAThe scent of cedarwood and crisp mountain air filled my lungs before I even opened my eyes.I inhaled sharply, blinking against the morning light as I sat up. The familiar dark walls of my room were… different.I frowned.The once cold, imposing stone was now softened by rich fabrics—deep blue, silver, and cream draped along the walls. A large, fur-lined rug covered the floor, and at the foot of my bed sat a new chest, slightly ajar.Curious, I slipped out of bed, shivering as my bare feet sank into the thick rug. I crouched before the chest and gently lifted the lid.Clothes.Not just any clothes—gowns, tunics, warm cloaks, and boots, all clearly tailored to fit me perfectly. Every stitch and fabric choice spoke of care, not just practicality.Who…?The answer struck me instantly.Caius.I pressed my lips together, my heart doing something stupidly warm in my chest.A knock interrupted my thoughts."Come in?"The door swung open, revealing Ava, one of the omegas.She carried a t
CAIUS"This is ridiculous," I muttered, running a hand down my face.Across from me, Elias and Ronan grinned like a pair of fools."You," Elias snickered, "argued with a tailor over fabric.""She needed something comfortable," I said gruffly. "The tailor was an idiot."Ronan leaned back in his chair, smirking. "And what about the clothes? The cloaks? The boots? Did he force those on you, too?"I scowled.The truth was, I had chosen every piece myself.I had watched Lira closely, noticed the way she hugged herself in the cold, the way her clothes were still the ones she had been taken in—torn, worn, and unsuitable for the North.So I hava to fix it.Because it was my duty to take care of her.Not because I wanted to see her smile.Not because my wolf rumbled in satisfaction every time she grew more comfortable here.Definitely not.Elias crossed his arms, amusement flickering in his sharp eyes. "You do realize the entire pack sees it, right?"I exhaled through my nose. "Sees what?""Th
LIRAAt first, it was just small things.Caius was standing between me and the cold. Making sure my plate was full before his. He brought me fresh tea in the mornings, even when he had better things to do.It was subtle, almost unnoticeable if you weren’t paying attention. But I was. I felt it every time he lingered just a little longer than necessary. Every time his eyes found me across a room. Every time he spoke my name, his voice was quieter, softer than it was with anyone else.At first, I told myself it was nothing.But then… the pack started noticing.The omegas whispered behind their hands whenever they caught us in the same room. The warriors exchanged looks every time I walked into a space where Caius already was. Conversations would pause, eyes darting between us before continuing in hushed tones. Some days, I swore I could hear my name spoken in half-muffled murmurs.And Elias? He was the worst of them all.It started as small comments—offhand remarks at the dinner tab
LIRAI wasn’t sure when it happened. Maybe it was the way Caius protected me, even when I didn’t ask for it. Maybe it was the way he treated his pack—not like servants or subordinates, but like family. Maybe it was the way he looked at me, not just like his mate, but like I was something rare, something worth fighting for.I had spent weeks trying to resist this bond, but the truth had been staring me in the face all along. I was falling for him. And I hated it.Not because he wasn’t worthy. But because I wasn’t ready.I sat on the edge of the training grounds, absentmindedly pulling at the strands of grass between my fingers. The late afternoon sun stretched long shadows across the dirt, painting the sky in warm hues of orange and violet. The air smelled of pine and earth, with a crisp chill hinting at the coming night.Caius sat beside me, his posture relaxed, though I could tell by the way his fingers tapped against his knee that he was waiting for me to say something. He had
CAIUSMy wolf,Fenrir, had known it before I did.You are in love with her. Fenrir had growled.She’s our mate.It is more than that.I had denied it at first. I had told myself that my protectiveness was because of the bond. That my fascination was because she was different. That the ache in my chest when she looked away was because I wanted her to accept us.But it wasn’t.It was her.It had always been her.Now, sitting beside her, hearing the words I never thought I’d hear from her lips, I felt something settle deep in my chest. A finality. A peace.She was mine. And she was finally starting to realize that."Lira…" I murmured, my fingers tightening around hers.She swallowed, but she didn’t pull away.My wolf stirred, his growl of satisfaction echoing in my mind.Kiss her.Not yet, Fenrir. Not yet.Coward.I lifted a hand to cup her cheek, brushing my thumb over the soft curve of her jaw. Her breath hitched.Slowly, giving her time to stop me, I leaned in.She didn’t move.And whe
LIRAFalling for Caius came with consequences.One: His pack finally stopped looking at me like I was the enemy. Two: Elias and Ronan now smirked at me whenever I was near Caius, as if they had been expecting this all along. And three? I wanted to wipe that smug look off his face.Which is exactly why I found myself in the training fields at dawn, stretching my arms over my head as the morning chill settled into my bones. The sky was streaked with hues of pink and orange, the sun slowly rising over the treetops as the pack gathered for their daily training.I had been training with the general pack for a while now, and while it had been helpful in rebuilding my strength, I was growing restless. The sessions were structured, repetitive, and focused more on endurance and discipline than actual combat. While the other wolves seemed content, I found myself wanting more.Today's session started with a long run through the forest. The cold air burned my lungs as my feet pounded against the
LIRA I had sparred with some of the best warriors in Duskborne. I had beaten them all. But here, in the Northern Territory, I wasn’t fighting just any warrior. I was fighting Caius. The Alpha. The man who had single-handedly taken down a rogue army without breaking a sweat. The man who now stood before me, arms crossed, silver eyes gleaming with amusement.This is a terrible idea, I thought to myself.This is the best idea, my pride countered.Elias and Ronan stood at the edge of the sparring ring, leaning against the wooden fence. They looked way too entertained."Alright, lovebirds," Elias called out, smirking. "Give us a good show."Caius shot him a glare. "You can run laps after this, Elias."Elias just grinned. "Worth it."I rolled my shoulders and assumed my stance. Balanced. Ready.Caius tilted his head. "You’re serious about this?"I smirked. "What, scared?"A low growl rumbled in his chest. "Not even a little.""Then let’s begin."We circled each other.I was fast. I had al
CAIUSI led her out of the training hall, the warmth of the stone corridor a welcome relief after the icy chill of the training room. The dining hall wasn’t far, and it didn’t take long to reach the long wooden table where the evening meal had already been laid out. The fire crackled in the hearth, casting a soft glow over the room. The aroma of roast meat and freshly baked bread filled the air, making my stomach growl in anticipation.“After that workout, I could eat a whole feast,” Lira said as she sat down, rubbing her hands together in front of the warmth of the fire.I grabbed two plates, piling them high with food before sliding one toward her. “I think you’ve earned it,” I said, smiling.We ate in a comfortable silence, the occasional clink of utensils punctuating the otherwise quiet morning. I watched as Lira tucked into her meal, her appetite as sharp as her swordplay.“So,” I said after a while, setting my fork down and leaning back in my chair, “I’m taking you somewhere tod
Lira stood at the edge of the training grounds, her arms crossed tightly over her chest, as shewatched the warriors spar. The icy wind of winter nipped at her skin, but it was nothingcompared to the tension that was coiling tighter and tighter inside her chest. She could feel thepressure, the expectation, and it had been growing stronger every day. Only a week remainedbefore her birthday, and with it, the moment she had both dreaded and anticipated her entirelife.Her first shift.And four days after that—the full moon.Lira’s fingers clenched into fists at her sides as she thought about it. It had been a constantworry in the back of her mind for as long as she could remember. There was so much she hadto prepare for. The full moon would be the moment when everything changed. She would stepinto the world as a fully realized wolf, something she’d been dreaming about for years, but alsosomething she was terrified of. What if she wasn’t ready? What if she failed? There was no way
Lira sat on the log, staring blankly into the crackling fire before her. The flames danced in frontof her eyes, but she saw nothing. Her mind was a void, her thoughts nothing more than atangled mess of confusion, exhaustion, and pure embarrassment.She was numb. Emotionally, spiritually, mentally scarred.Her eyes were glazed, as though nothing in the world could pierce through the haze that hadsettled over her like a heavy fog. Last night’s events replayed in her mind over and over like anightmare she couldn’t escape.Caius sat beside her, an amused glint in his eyes. He wasn’t one to shy away from trouble—hewas the source of much of it, after all. His deep chuckle vibrated through his chest as hewatched her, obviously trying to suppress the amusement bubbling inside him. “You alright,love?”Lira slowly turned her head toward him. Her face was blank—empty, devoid of the usual spark.“I need therapy,” she muttered, her voice flat and devoid of any life.Caius raised an eyebrow,
*WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS R-18 SCENES*Lira was exhausted.The past few days had been a blur of non-stop training—magic training, combat training,strategy sessions. It was more than she could keep up with, especially with Caius constantlypushing her limits in ways she never thought possible. He was relentless, and while the resultswere impressive, she was starting to feel the weight of it all.Her muscles ached with every step, her mind heavy with exhaustion. All she wanted—no,needed—was a long, uninterrupted sleep. It had been days since she’d truly rested, and herbody was screaming at her for a break.She shuffled toward her room in the guest house, dragging her feet, rubbing at the tension inher shoulders. The cold air from outside nipped at her skin, but she didn’t care. She just neededto get inside, strip down to her pajamas, and crawl into bed.As she reached for the door handle, she heard it.A sound so wrong, so utterly nightmare-inducing that her soul nearly left
Lira stood in the middle of the training grounds, arms crossed tightly over her chest, watching asCaius and Ronan sparred. Their movements were a blur of speed and strength, fists connectingwith precision, growls echoing in the crisp air. The power behind each strike resonated throughthe ground, the thud of their feet against the earth punctuating their ongoing battle fordominance.Normally, Lira would have been fully immersed in their movements, analyzing each of theirtechniques, mentally planning her own training sessions, and preparing for the future. Buttoday?Today, she couldn’t focus. Her thoughts kept drifting back to the way Caius had kissed her lastnight—no, the night before that, too. She could still feel the heat of his lips against hers, the wayhis hands had pulled her closer, his touch igniting something deep inside her. Her bodyresponded to him in ways she couldn’t ignore. The warmth of his hands on her skin, the fire thatburned between them every time their ga
Later that evening, Lira sat in the pack house, exhausted from the day's training. The cracklingfire in the hearth provided a bit of warmth against the chill that still clung to her bones. Sheleaned back in her chair, savoring the quiet, a rare moment of peace amid the chaos that hadbecome her life.Then, it hit her.A scent, rich and familiar, so strong that it sent a rush of emotion through her chest. It wasunmistakable.Her heart stopped.No. It couldn’t be...Footsteps echoed down the hall, getting closer, until they stopped right outside the door.“Did you miss me, or did you forget about me completely?”Lira’s breath caught in her throat, and she turned sharply, her eyes widening in pure shock.“Kora?” she gasped.The blonde-haired, hazel-eyed she-wolf stood in the doorway, a grin spreading across her face,radiating the same confidence and energy that Lira had missed so much.“Oh my Moon Goddess,” Lira exclaimed, her voice cracking slightly as she surged forward. Shethrew
Lira tilted her head up, meeting Caius’s intense gaze. The concern in his sharp blue eyes sent awarmth through her chest, a warmth that was different from the fire she had wielded earlier thatday.“You’re pushing yourself too hard,” he murmured, brushing his knuckles over her cold cheek, histouch sending a shiver of comfort down her spine.She gave him a teasing smirk, trying to brush off the seriousness of his words. “I thought youwanted me stronger.”“I do,” he admitted, his voice softened with care, “but not at the cost of your health.”Lira sighed, allowing herself to lean into the warmth of his embrace. She relished these stolenmoments, the rare pockets of time where they weren’t Alpha and Luna, where there was noprophecy to fulfill, no looming war. In these moments, they were just two souls deeplyconnected, not bound by duty, but by something more personal.After a long beat, he gently pulled back, his smirk returning, laced with playful challenge. “You’renot done traini
The frozen winds of Grimhowl howled across the vast training grounds, biting at Lira’s exposedskin. Yet she stood firm, her body steady despite the numbing chill, her eyes narrowed inconcentration. In her palm, a small flame flickered, its golden light casting a warm glow againsther pale skin. The fire was a reflection of the power stirring within her, a force she was stilllearning to control.“Good,” Morgana’s voice cut through the cold, low and almost predatory as she circled Lira.“Now, expand it.”Lira inhaled deeply, focusing on the warmth in her core. The flicker of the flame responded,stretching and twisting, growing larger as she fed it more of her energy. The fire danced wildlyfor a moment, the air around it shimmering with heat, but Lira kept her focus, forcing the fire intocontrol. Slowly, the flame took shape, curling into an orb of bright golden light that hovered justabove her palm.Morgana stopped her pacing, her sharp eyes gleaming with approval. “Better. Now,
The revelations from Morgana lingered in Lira’s mind, gnawing at her as the night stretched on.Lying in the bed, the weight of everything she had learned pressed down on her chest, leavingher restless and unable to sleep. The cold moonlight filtered through the window, casting longshadows across the room, but Lira hardly noticed. Her thoughts were a whirlpool, eachrevelation adding fuel to the fire of uncertainty within her.Her birth had been destined. Morgana had known Malakar. The Dark Lord’s betrayal had turnedthe witch into an ally, yet the depth of Morgana’s story only deepened the complexity of theirsituation. The idea that she had been part of some cosmic design—her existence tied to aneclipse, an event that was supposedly beyond her control—was both comforting and terrifying. Itmade her feel like a pawn in a game that had been set long before she was born.But Lira didn’t want to be a pawn. She wanted to be the player.The sound of a knock at the door broke through he
Morgana led Lira through the winding corridors of Grimhowl’s grand estate, finally stopping at asecluded chamber tucked away from the bustling heart of the pack’s fortress. The room was small, its atmosphere thick with the scent of herbs, dried flowers, and the faint must of oldparchment. Candles flickered in the corners, casting long shadows against the stone walls,which were lined with ancient tomes—some so worn that the titles had faded to nothing morethan ghostly traces.The witch gestured to a high-backed chair, its fabric rich and deep in color, and Lira hesitatedonly for a moment before sitting across from her. The air was heavy with unspoken secrets, andLira could feel the weight of them pressing down on her.Morgana leaned back in her seat, folding her hands in front of her. Her eyes seemed to darkenas she began to speak, her voice low and steady, as though every word carried the weight ofcenturies.“I am older than most beings you’ve ever met, Lira. I have lived for