Chapter 93: The Alpha's Burden

Lyra's POV

The weight of leadership had never felt heavier than it did now. As I stood before my pack, their faces a mix of fear, confusion, and barely concealed mutiny, I couldn't help but wonder if this was how it felt to stand at the edge of an abyss.

"We've faced challenges before," I began, my voice steady despite the turmoil in my gut. "This is no different."

But even as the words left my mouth, I knew they rang hollow. The discovery of the Fae ritual site, the prophetic murals, Lyra's burgeoning powers – nothing could have prepared us for this. We weren't just facing a threat to our pack or even our world. The very fabric of reality hung in the balance.

A low murmur rippled through the crowd. I caught snatches of whispered conversations, none of them encouraging. "...cosmic threats..." "...child of two worlds..." "...destroy reality..."

My eyes found Lyra's in the crowd. She stood tall, her chin raised defiantly, but I could see the strain in her eyes. The prophecy weighed on h