Lyra sat on the edge of her bed, the wooden box resting on her lap like a fragile treasure. The intricate carvings caught the soft glow of the bedside lamp, and for a moment, she traced the patterns with trembling fingers. She drew in a shaky breath, her emotions tangling in a mix of anticipation and fear.Her wolf stirred in the back of her mind, calm yet alert.“This is her. Our mother.” The voice was steady, grounding her.“I know,” Lyra whispered aloud, her voice barely audible. “It’s just... what if I don’t live up to what she wanted me to be? What if she’s... disappointed in me?”Her wolf huffed softly, almost reassuringly. “She gave us life, Lyra. She would love us. No matter what.”That simple truth settled something deep within her. Taking a steadying breath, Lyra carefully lifted the lid of the box.Inside, the past greeted her with an intimacy that both thrilled and frightened her. She hesitated, her hands hovering over the contents as if touching them too quickly would sha
Lyra woke the next morning with the journal still beside her on the bed. The sunlight streamed through the curtains, warming her skin, but her thoughts were still with the words she had read. Each sentence was a doorway into a life she had never known, each page a connection to a woman she could finally begin to understand.She traced the cover of the journal with her fingertips before sitting up. There were still so many unanswered questions, so many pages left to read. But Lyra also felt a new strength, a sense of purpose driving her. Her mother had written not just to leave a legacy but to guide her.Her wolf stirred within her. “The answers will come. One step at a time.”Lyra nodded to herself. She got out of bed and dressed, choosing something simple and comfortable - a sign that she was still adjusting to having her own clothing, her own choices. Today, she knew, was a day for digging deeper.When Lyra entered the dining hall, Kane was already waiting. His eyes softened when he
Kane POVKane leaned casually against the doorframe of Lyra’s room, his arms crossed but his posture loose. He didn’t want to crowd her, but he couldn’t bring himself to leave either. Watching her carefully sift through her birth mother’s belongings, her face shifting between wonder and trepidation, was mesmerizing.To anyone else, she might seem fragile - thin from years of mistreatment, her scars visible beneath the soft fabric of her shirt. But to Kane, she was radiant. Her strength wasn’t just physical - it was in the way she carried herself, even after everything she had endured.She was beautiful in a way that was uniquely her own. The curve of her cheek as she tilted her head to study a photograph, the delicate way her fingers brushed the pages of the journal, and the faint crease in her brow as she read - it all captivated him. He could barely remember a time when he’d been so drawn to someone.Kane’s wolf stirred within him, its thoughts a reflection of his own. “She’s perf
Kane paced his room early the next morning, his thoughts spinning as he replayed the events of the previous day. The map Lyra had uncovered was clearly important, its markings suggesting something her mother wanted to hide or protect. His instincts told him it wasn’t just a map; it was a clue, a breadcrumb leading to answers Lyra deserved to have.But alongside the map lingered a question neither of them had voiced last night: What happened to Alpha Killian?Kane had always known the basic outline of Lyra’s tragic history. Her parents had been framed, betrayed, and ultimately eliminated as threats to Regina’s grasp on power. But where Killian fit into the story had remained a mystery. If he was supposed to protect his mate and child, why had he disappeared? And why had her mother been left to fend for herself?He glanced at the adjoining door to Lyra’s room. It was slightly ajar, signaling she was awake. She had probably spent most of the night reading, piecing together fragments of a
Lyra sat across from Kane in her room, the dim glow of the bedside lamp casting a golden hue over the aged map spread between them. Its edges were worn, the ink faded in places, but the markings still held an undeniable sense of purpose. She ran her fingers lightly over the parchment, her thoughts racing. Kane, sitting across from her, studied her intently. His posture was relaxed, but his eyes betrayed the weight of his thoughts.“This map is important,” she said quietly, more to herself than to Kane. “It has to be. My mother wouldn’t have kept it otherwise.”Kane leaned forward, his forearms resting on his knees, his gaze steady. “I don’t doubt that. But maps like this don’t just lead to answers - they lead to risks. If we decide to follow it, we have to prepare for anything. This isn’t just about where it leads; it’s about who - or what - might not want us to find it.”Lyra paused, her fingers stilling on the map. She looked up at him, her brow furrowed. “Do you think someone’s alr
The forest stretched endlessly before them, its towering trees shrouded in mist and shadow. The air was alive with the rustle of leaves and occasional bursts of birdsong, but beneath the natural symphony, an unshakable tension loomed. Lyra walked beside Kane, the map clutched tightly in her hand. Each step they took into the wilderness seemed to pull them further from the safety of the pack’s territory and deeper into uncertainty.“This place feels... different,” Lyra murmured, her voice low as her eyes swept the unfamiliar landscape.“That’s because it is,” Kane replied, his tone protective. “We’re far beyond the pack’s usual borders now. This is unclaimed land - neutral at best, hostile at worst.”The warriors flanking them moved with quiet efficiency, their sharp eyes scanning every shadow. Jared, a seasoned tracker and Kane’s trusted lieutenant, led the group, his senses as finely tuned as a predator’s. Reina, the scout, walked a few paces ahead, her every movement precise and deli
The forest grew denser as the group pushed forward, the trees forming a thick canopy that blocked out much of the daylight. The air was cool and damp, the earthy scent of moss and decaying leaves heavy around them. Every step felt charged with anticipation as Lyra, Kane, and their small group of warriors followed the map’s path deeper into the uncharted wilderness.Lyra glanced down at the parchment in her hand. The faded markings seemed clearer now, as though guiding her movements. She brushed her fingers over the inked symbols, trying to decipher their meaning.“Do you think we’re close?” she asked, her voice breaking the silence.Kane walked beside her, his sharp eyes scanning their surroundings. “Hard to say,” he replied. “The map is vague, but the way those rogues attacked us… they wouldn’t have been here unless there was something worth protecting.”Lyra nodded, her mind racing with possibilities. What could her mother have hidden that was so important?The path led them to a sm
Seraphine POVThe dense forest felt alive with tension, its canopy casting dappled light over Seraphine as she stood in the shadows, watching Lyra and Kane move below. Her heart thrummed with a mixture of bitterness and anticipation. From her vantage point, she could see Lyra kneeling in the dirt, carefully working at the ground where the map had led her group.Seraphine clenched her fists at her sides. That girl - the one who had ruined everything for her family - was now on the brink of uncovering what her mother and father had sought for years.The low, commanding voice of her mate, the Alpha King of Rogues, filled her mind through the bond they shared. “Wait. Let them do the work.”Her jaw tightened at his command. It was always the same with him: calculated patience.“Why should we?” she shot back through the mind link, frustration lacing her tone. “That belongs to us. To me.”His growl was immediate, a deep rumble of authority that made her spine stiffen. “The prophecy was clear,
Lyra’s Point of ViewThe northern stronghold was vast, its foundations built into the heart of the mountain itself. Hallways of cold stone stretched endlessly, twisting in intricate patterns as if the fortress had grown like roots over time, each tunnel a passageway to secrets long buried.Lyra followed her father in silence, her boots echoing against the polished floors as they descended deeper into the stronghold. The torches lining the walls flickered, their golden light barely reaching the shadows that seemed to press in from every side.She could feel it.The weight of history. The whispers of those who had come before.They were walking into the old places - the ones that had not been disturbed in centuries.Killian had said little since they left the war room. His expression remained unreadable, but Lyra didn’t miss the tension in his shoulders, the slight furrow in his brow.Finally, he spoke. “The archives were sealed after the war between the First Queen and the Demon God. N
Lyra’s POVThe chamber was silent after her father’s final words, but inside her mind - inside her soul - there was no silence.The First Queen was awake.She could feel her, a whisper in the back of her thoughts, a presence curling around her consciousness like smoke."You are not ready."Lyra stiffened, her nails digging into her palms.She had spent her life believing she was in control of her own destiny. That her choices, her victories, and her losses were her own. But now?Now, she wasn’t just herself anymore.The First Queen’s presence had been lingering since the moment she woke after the battle with the Demon God. At first, it had been subtle - a whisper here, a flicker of something in the corner of her mind. But now, it was like an ember catching fire, waiting to consume.Lyra closed her eyes, exhaling slowly."You are my heir."The words weren’t just memories. They were hers - the Queen’s voice brushing against her thoughts, curling into her mind like it belonged there.No.
Lyra POVThe flickering lamps lining the corridor cast elongated shadows on the stone walls as Lyra followed her father into the war room. The weight of what she had asked settled heavily on her chest, but she did not waver.She needed answers.Kane walked beside her, silent but present, his silver eyes watchful. He had been there when the First Queen had taken over her body - he had spoken to her - and now, he would hear the truth alongside her.Killian dismissed the guards stationed outside the chamber before stepping in, his presence commanding as ever. The heavy wooden doors groaned shut behind them.The room was dimly lit, with a large, circular table in the center, covered in old maps and ancient texts. The scent of parchment and aged leather filled the space, mingling with the faint traces of smoke from the brazier in the corner.Killian remained standing, arms crossed over his chest. "What do you know of the First Queen?" he asked.Lyra inhaled sharply. "Only what the historie
Lyra POVThe weight of her father’s words clung to the air like a storm waiting to break.We prepare.For what?A war against gods who had existed before time itself? A battle against something no mortal could ever hope to understand?Lyra’s fingers curled into fists against her lap, her nails biting into her palms. Every instinct in her screamed that something was wrong, something beyond the devastation left behind by the Demon God.She had survived. But at what cost?The presence inside her had not faded.The First Queen still lurked in the shadows of her soul, coiled like a predator biding its time. Lyra could feel her - not an overwhelming force taking control, not yet, but there. A whisper at the back of her mind, a weight that had settled into her very bones.A force that did not belong to her.Kane’s grip on her hand was steady, grounding. But even he couldn’t quiet the turmoil inside her.Across from her, her father watched, his sharp amber eyes filled with something unreadabl
Lyra POVThe chamber door opened.A presence - strong, unwavering, familiar.Lyra’s gaze lifted, and there he stood. Alpha Killian. Her father.Despite everything - the battle, the wounds, the exhaustion - he was still the mountain of a man. Power clung to him like a second skin, his aura crackling with dominance. His broad shoulders were squared, his sharp golden eyes scanning her with a mixture of relief and something deeper - concern.But there was something else. Something guarded. As if he had already guessed why she had summoned him.Lyra sat up, ignoring the way her muscles ached. Kane remained beside her, ever-watchful, his silver gaze flickering between her and her father.Killian exhaled, stepping closer. "You're awake."Lyra swallowed hard. Barely.She didn't say it.Instead, she met his gaze head-on. "I need answers."A muscle in Killian's jaw twitched. "I had a feeling you might say that."He pulled a chair closer, his heavy boots echoing against the stone floor as he sat
Lyra POVThere was nothing.No light. No sound. No sense of up or down. Only a vast, endless void.Lyra drifted, her body weightless, her mind unanchored.She tried to move, but there was no ground beneath her feet, no air in her lungs. It was like she had been ripped from existence itself.Then - a pulse.Faint at first, like a whisper through the dark.Then again. Louder. Stronger. A rhythm she recognized. Her heartbeat.The void trembled, a ripple coursing through the blackness like a stone cast into still water.And then - a presence. Low. Powerful. Ancient.“You were never meant to wake.”The voice was cold, steady, a whisper of command laced with undeniable authority.The darkness rippled again.And suddenly - Lyra was falling. The impact rattled through her bones, though there was no visible ground beneath her. Gasping, she pushed herself up, her limbs trembling.And that was when she saw her.A golden glow flickered in the distance, illuminating a figure standing still in the
Kane POV The night was too quiet.Kane sat by Lyra’s side, his fingers curled tightly around her wrist, as if his touch alone could anchor her to him.But she didn’t stir.Not once since they had left the ruins of the castle.She had always been a fighter - fierce, untamed, unwilling to yield even in the face of gods. Yet now, she lay motionless, her breathing soft, steady, but… wrong.Not once had her Lycan stirred.Not once had she reached for him through their bond.The firelit chamber in the northern stronghold was warm, but Kane felt cold.Briane hovered over Lyra, her brows furrowed in concentration as she murmured incantations under her breath. Symbols of ancient magic pulsed at her fingertips, flickering across Lyra’s skin before fading like dying embers.Nothing worked.With a frustrated sigh, Briane pulled back, wiping sweat from her brow."I don’t understand," she muttered. "Her body is… stable. No wounds, no curses, no poisons. But something is keeping her from ...""From
The moment the golden light faded, Kane knew something was wrong.The chamber stood still, thick with the lingering echoes of power that had just torn through reality itself. The last remnants of the Demon God’s existence had been obliterated, its monstrous form reduced to nothing but dust and shadow. The battle was over.And yet something was off.. Lyra collapsed.Kane lunged forward, catching her just before she hit the cracked stone floor.Her body was limp in his arms, her hair falling in a tangled mess over her face. He could feel the rapid, shallow rise and fall of her chest, but it was too weak - as if something inside her was slipping further and further away.His heart slammed against his ribs, a soundless snarl tearing through him as he shook her gently."Lyra," he called, his voice steady, but beneath it, there was a razor-sharp edge of fear. "Wake up."Silence.He tried again, gripping her tighter."Lyra!"Nothing.She wasn’t responding.Not through their bond.Not even
The chamber exploded with fury.The castle itself screamed, the magic woven into its very foundation fracturing under the sheer weight of the entity’s rage.Towers above them cracked, the stone splitting apart as if the very bones of the fortress could no longer withstand the force of what had been unleashed. The great warning horns of the city rang out, a desperate call for warriors to take up arms, for the innocent to run, flee, escape before it was too late.But in this chamber, there was no escape.The Demon God’s form twisted, its shadowed body shifting, growing impossibly large, expanding until the darkness swallowed the last remaining torches, leaving only the faint, pulsing glow of the shattered Grand Stone to illuminate the void.It no longer shifted like a specter in the dark.It had taken shape.A monstrous being, its body formed of writhing shadows and endless malice.Its head was crowned with jagged horns, piercing through the air like the twisted roots of a cursed tree.