Unlocking her gift

Lyra

I looked up to see Calista, Jaxon’s wife, entering the room with a soft smile on her face. 

“How are you feeling, Lyra?”

I returned her smile, though mine was tinged with exhaustion. “I’m… better, thanks to you and Jaxon. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t taken me in.”

Calista waved her hand dismissively as she took a seat beside me. 

“Nonsense. You needed help, and we were here. That’s all there is to it. Besides,” she added, her eyes twinkling as she looked down at my son, “we couldn’t very well turn you away, not with this little one on the way.”

“Yet, you could have sent me back or even kept me anywhere else in your pack. Why did you choose to keep me in the main pack house with your family?”

“Well, it was the alpha’s call,” Calista said, throwing her hands in the air. “Jaxon said something about repaying for past sins. I don’t even understand what he was saying but I’m glad you are here. I love your friendship.” 

Tears welled up in my eyes again, but this time they were tears of gratitude. 

“Thank you, Calista. You’ve been so kind to me. I’ll never forget it.”

Calista reached out and gently brushed a tear from my cheek. “There’s no need to thank me, Lyra. You’ve been through so much, and you’re safe here. Jaxon and I will make sure of that.”

“Thank you,” I whispered, my voice thick with emotion. “But, Calista, what if they find me? What if my father—”

“He won’t,” Calista said firmly, cutting me off. “Jaxon is the Alpha of this pack, and no one crosses him. You’re under our protection now.”

“Okay,” I said.

“Though Jaxon said you need to let the father know,” she nodded towards the boy in my arms. “You can’t keep this sort of news away from him.”

“Yes, I’ve been thinking about that too. I’ll find a way to contact him. He has to know about his son.”

As if on cue, my son let out a small whimper, drawing my attention back to him. I rocked him gently, murmuring soothing words until he settled back into a peaceful sleep.

“He’s beautiful,” Calista said softly, her eyes warm as she watched him. “What will you name him?”

“Leo,” I whispered, the name slipping from my lips as naturally as breathing. “His name is Leo.”

Calista smiled. “A strong name for a strong little boy.”

We sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, the only sound was the soft breathing of my son. But then, as I gazed down at him, a strange sensation washed over me. It was as if a door in my mind had opened, and suddenly I could hear… thoughts. Calista’s thoughts.

She’s so brave, so much stronger than she realizes. I hope she knows she’s safe here.

I gasped, my head snapping up to look at Calista, who was still smiling at Leo, oblivious to the fact that I had just heard her innermost thoughts.

“Lyra, what’s wrong?” she asked, noticing the look of shock on my face.

“I… I don’t know,” I stammered, my heart racing. “I just… I think I heard you… in my head.”

Calista’s eyes widened in surprise. “You heard me? Like, my thoughts?”

I nodded, my mind reeling. “Yes. I don’t know how, but… I heard you say I’m brave, and that I’m safe here.”

Calista’s mouth fell open, but before she could respond, the door creaked open, and the healer came in carrying a bowl of herbal soup usually given to the wolves who have just given birth. 

Sable was a small, wiry woman in her late 50s with sharp eyes that missed nothing, and she had a calming presence that had been a godsend during the chaos of my labor.

“Sable,” Calista said, her voice still laced with shock. “Lyra just… she said she can hear my thoughts.”

Sable’s eyebrows shot up, and she immediately came over to where I was sitting, her gaze searching my face. 

“Tell me everything, child,” she said, her voice gentle but firm.

I explained what had just happened, my words tumbling out in a rush. Sable listened intently, her expression thoughtful. I also remembered hearing my son call out to me, when he just came into the world. When I finished, she nodded slowly, as if piecing something together.

Then she smiled gently. 

“Your gift has awakened, Lyra. The power to hear thoughts, to communicate through the mind. It’s a rare and powerful gift.”

“But it has never happened to me before,” I said.

“This is no ordinary gift, Lyra,” she told me. “It’s an inherent ability that usually manifests under the intense emotional strain. The pain and fear you felt during childbirth must have triggered it.”

“But… what does it mean?” I asked, still struggling to wrap my mind around it.

“It means the moon goddess has bestowed a rare gift on you,” Sable explained. “You can hear others’ thoughts and communicate with them mentally. But it’s more than that. This power is tied to your emotions, and the stronger your feelings, the more potent the ability becomes.”

I stared at her, my mind racing. “So… I can hear thoughts because of what I went through?”

“Yes,” Sable confirmed. “It often takes great emotion—pain, fear, love—to unlock such abilities. And now that it’s awakened, you must learn to control it, to harness it. This gift can be a powerful tool, but only if you know how to use it.”

I looked down at Leo, still peacefully asleep in my arms, and felt a surge of determination. “I’ll do whatever it takes to protect my son.”

Sable nodded approvingly. “Good. We’ll begin your training soon. But for now, rest.”

Tears welled up in my eyes, tears of gratitude, of hope. I had been a weak wolf from the time I could remember. But now I had a gift, something that could help me protect Leo and maybe even fight back against those who had wronged me. And for the first time in a long time, I didn’t feel so alone.

I looked at Sable. “I want to learn how to use it,” I said quietly but with conviction.

“You will learn,” Sable said with certainty. “It will take time and practice. This gift will become one of your greatest strengths. But you have to know, there are serious consequences that come with using this sort of gift.”