Chapter 3

LYRA

“The absolute nerve of all of them!” I growl aloud to myself as I pace back and forth in my bedroom.

River sits quietly in the back of my mind while I throw my temper tantrum. “You know you are talking out loud. Anyone can hear you.”

“I do not care who hears me,” I scream at my bedroom door. “I have done nothing for myself. Nothing in 17 years but be the perfect daughter. They groomed me for this.” I turn to the door and yell louder. “They groomed me for this. Made sure that when the time came I would never find my true mate and settle for Cain.”

Shaking with anger I walk over to my bed and flop on my back. I will myself not to cry. “If you cry you will appear soft,” River says quietly.

“If I cry I will appear human.” I respond with more venom than I mean to. “My future has been stolen from me.” Hot tears burn my cheeks. I do not know if I am crying out of anger or sadness, but either way I let the tears fall.

A loud knock at my door stops my tears from falling. I sit up and wipe my cheeks, trying to hide any traces of crying. “Come in,” I choke out, trying to sound brave.

My father peeks his head around the corner of my door. “Can I come in, Princess?”

“Do I have a choice?” I respond curtly.

“No, I do not suppose you do.” He says without giving me a chance to respond. “This discussion is long overdue.” He sits down on my desk chair and gives me a sorrowful look. “You know your mother and I were not true mates. Our marriage was born out of an alliance between our pack and the Golden Moon Pack. We were promised to one another when we were just children. Neither one of us were very happy about the arrangement but we made it work. We made it work for the better of our packs. About 20 years ago your mother found her fated mate. I tried to keep them apart, but the pull of the mate bond was too strong, and she left me. Twelve years ago she finally gave into the mate bond and left me for a lowly Omega. So I killed him and in return your mother killed herself. She broke the arrangement that was put forth by our parents. She deserved her fate. The story that we told the pack, and the Golden Moon Pack was that she was taken down by rogues. That kept the alliance secure.”

My brain was trying to replay every memory of my mother that I ever had. Tears threaten to fall from my eyes, as I search my father’s face for any indication that he is lying. “Why are you telling me this?”

“Because now it is your turn to make a sacrifice for the greater good of the pack. Your brother is not fit to be Alpha. His disregard for authority and the rules prove that he would not make the appropriate Alpha. You will make Cain your chosen mate and then you and Cain will run this pack together. Your brother will step to the side, he does not have the fight in him to secure his position.”

“And if he refuses to step down?” I ask not sure if I want to know the answer or not.

“With my support Cain will challenge him for the title,” my Father said without even a look of remorse for his son.

“He is your son,” I say in disbelief.

“I seriously doubt that. But your golden hair and brown eyes mean that you could belong to no one but me.”

My head is spinning with the information I was just given. Was my brother the product of an affair that my mother had with her true mate. “I do not believe that mother was unfaithful to you.”

“You are a fool. In ten days’ time Alpha Andrew will come back to our pack and try to claim you as his own. He believes you are his mate. But you do not belong to him. You belong to me, and I will determine your fate. You will reject him, and you will never speak of any of this to your brother, or you will never see the light of day again.” His Alpha Aura rushes over me, trying to seal his words. I turn my head in submission but he’s unaware that his Alpha Aura stopped working on me years ago. With those last words he stands and places a gentle kiss on my forehead and leaves me with tears streaming down my face.

“Lyra,” River whispers quietly in my mind. “Lyra, are you okay?”

“No, I do not think that I am.” I respond silently, “We cannot let any of this happen.”

“Agreed, I would rather die that let Cain become our mate,” River growls angrily.

“I do not know about you, but I need some air.”

Looking in the mirror I compose myself and erase any signs that I have been crying. Putting on my best “good girl” face, I bound down the stairs and run for the front door. “Daddy. I am heading to the stables.”

Pulling on my riding boots one by one, my Father yells from his office. “Take Cain with you. We cannot be too safe.” Within seconds Cain is at my side, putting his arm over my shoulders and pulling me in close. I cringe under his touch.

“Of course, Daddy.” I glare at Cain as we walk out the door. It does not matter if Cain follows me to the stables or not. He doesn’t have the temperament to work with horses. Once I am on Snowflake’s back I will be free with my own thoughts for as long as I wish.

“Want to take my car, Sweetheart?” Cain asks.

I shutter at the thought of being in an enclosed space with him. “No. I would rather walk.” Cain looks as if he is going to start an argument. “It’s just such a nice day for a stroll,” I add quickly. That seems to satisfy him, and I turn to walk towards the stables.

Cain jogs a bit to catch up with me. “So, did your dad go over the plan with you?”

Deciding it was better to keep playing the innocent girl, I quickly devise a plan of my own. “What plan is that?” I ask stupidly.

Confusion takes over Cain’s face as he searches mine to see if I am playing games or not. “The plan about you and I being mates of course.”

“He mentioned that we were mates. But I am not yet 18 so I guess I have to wait ten days to see what the moon goddess has planned for me.” I smile sweetly up a Cain and I can tell it erases any confusion from his idiot mind. We continue the stroll to the stables in silence and I formulate a plan in my mind.

“We need to find a way to get to Alpha Andrew. He’s the only one that can help us now.” I silently tell River and she nods in agreement. “Do you know the way Alpha Andrew’s pack?”

“I do not even know the name of his pack,” River admits.

“We probably should have paid more attention to Father’s ramblings at dinner,” I chuckle to River. “How stupid do you think Cain is?”

“Is there a scale we should be using?” River laughs loudly in my head.

I put on my most innocent face and widen my eyes before I link my arm into Cain’s. He stiffens at my touch a little before relaxing. “Cain,” I say as sweetly as I can. “Who was that Alpha that was hear earlier? He seemed slightly disturbed.” I tighten my arm around his just a little as I speak.

“That was Alpha Andrew. He thinks he can waltz in here and change everything.” Cain growls.

“How terrible,” I whisper. “What pack is he the head of? I do not think that I have ever heard of him before.”

“The Red River Pack. He’s a nobody. You will not have to worry about him anymore.” Cain pats my arm gently as we approach the stables. “I think I will stay out here if you do not mind. I find the horses… unsettling.”

“Of course,” I grin up at him and push the barn doors open. I glance behind me, and Cain is sitting up against the outside of the stable playing on his phone.

I rush to Snowflake’s stall, and she greets me eagerly. “Hello, pretty girl. Would you like to go for a run?” She neighs in response, and it reminds me of my mother. One of my only memories of her is when she was teaching me to ride. She swore that I could speak to the horses, and they would obey any command I gave them. A tear runs down my cheek as I remember her laughing loudly riding her beautiful brown stallion. I pick up Snowflake’s saddle and a piece of paper drifts to the ground.

I gently place saddle on the ground and retrieve the piece of paper. There is a note written on one side of the paper.

Little Wolf, I think you should break the rules one more time and meet me at the border. Tonight at midnight.

My heart skips several beats as I reread the letter again. It has to be from Andrew, no one else calls me Little Wolf. I carefully tear the note into little pieces. I cannot leave any traces of evidence.

“We do not have a chance of getting to the border undetected unless we shift.” I tell River as I saddle Snowflake for our ride.

“I can do anything for our mate.” River says proudly in my head.

“We do not even know he is our mate.” But River is no longer listening. She is prancing wildly in my mind.