Lyra was standing in a moonlit field when she noticed Julian standing several metres away from her. While she watched, he turned and started walking in the other direction, getting farther from her.
“Julian!” she called to him as she started walking towards him. He did not appear to hear her, so she tried again, louder this time. “Julian!”
No matter how loud she called him, he did not turn to look at her. And, no matter how fast she walked towards him, she could not seem to get closer to him. Rather, it appeared that he got farther and farther away.
Suddenly, someone stepped out of the shadows and stood in front of Julian, blocking his way. The stranger rushed towards Julian, attacking him. As Lyra watched, the two of them started fighting, trading blows and kicks.
Lyra started running. This time, she got closer and closer, and she could see the two of them fighting hard. Just as she was getting close enough to interfere, something
Lyra was not happy to leave the pack in the middle of everything, but she could not ignore her instincts. Fortunately, she had established a framework that they could follow in her absence to ensure that everything ran as smoothly as before. If it turned out that nothing was wrong, she would be back soon to keep up with the work there.As soon as it dawned, she summoned Rick and a few select werewolves who were in charge of various sectors. When she told them of her plans to leave, they looked anxious.“We need you here,” Rick told her. “Everything has been going well so far because of your leadership. The pack members are also reassured because you are here with us. If you leave now, I'm afraid our progress will be lost.”“I'm not leaving forever,” Lyra told him. “I think something is wrong in the palace, and I need to go and check. As soon as I've settled any matters there, I'll be back. All of you have been doing a go
As Lyra drove through the city, she did not notice anything out of the ordinary. Everyone was going about their business as usual, and she saw a few patrol guards along the streets.There was no sign that there had been an attack, and she could not sense any suspicious foreigners.Had she been overthinking? Maybe her wolf's capabilities were not fully consistent yet, which explained why she could not reach the others through her mind.It was also possible that Zero, Beryl, and Anna were sent on a mission somewhere else when Zero and Beryl got back to the palace. If they were in remote borderlands, it would explain why they were unreachable.Convincing herself that it was all a coincidence, she felt her worry subsiding a bit. She arrived at the palace gates without incident and waited to be let through.However, instead of being allowed in, one of the guards walked up to her car. When she lowered her window, he asked what she wanted in an aggressive
With only a split second to decide, Lyra turned and rushed around the back of the building. She went around the far corner just as the two guards came around to her previous position.“See?” one of them said. “I told you there was nothing. Our shift is over anyway, we are done here.”“I must have imagined it,” the other one said. “Alright, let's go.”The guards walked away and Lyra waited a while before looking around the building. After confirming that they were gone, she retraced her steps. It was a good thing that they were changing shifts, which would make it easier for her to slip past the most heavily guarded areas without notice.It took her a while to get to the building that housed the dungeons. The place was more deserted than usual, which made it easier for her to sneak into the lower levels. The deserted hallways made the gloomy atmosphere even more noticeable, making her apprehensive of what she
Lyra left her hiding spot and rushed towards the cell. The door was not locked, so she pushed it aside and hurried inside right away.“Julian!” she shouted his name, taking his attention away from Anna. As soon as he turned from Anna and to her, she stomped towards him. “What the hell do you think you are doing?”Lyra thought he would engage her, but to her surprise, he lurched forward to attack her. She had not expected such a reaction from him–first, maybe surprise that she was there. Why would he attack her?Because he caught her in surprise, Lyra did not react in time, and he was able to punch her, sending her reeling backwards and crashing into the cell's metal bars.Lyra touched her jaw and looked at him with unbelieving eyes. “What's wrong with you?” she demanded.“Lyra!” Zero shouted her name. “You should leave!”Leave? No. She would not leave until she saved the two o
They moved slowly through the dungeons, being extra careful to not make any sound. Lyra walked ahead of Zero to check the hallways ahead, ensuring they were deserted before they went ahead.“Where should we go?” Lyra whispered as they took the stairs to the upper level.“There's a storage building not far from here,” Zero told her. “It's rarely frequented, and nobody stays there throughout. I think we can get there without being noticed.”“Okay,” Lyra told him. “Once we get there, I'll try to locate Beryl.”They walked through the door at the top of the stairs and came to the ground floor of the building. They had just walked a few steps towards the exit when they heard the sound of laughter coming from one of the inner rooms. They froze in their steps, listening.“That's the break room,” Zero whispered. “Let's hurry before one of them shows up.”Nodding, Lyr
After ending the communication with Beryl, Lyra told Zero about it and told him she knew a shortcut they could take to get to her location.“Is she okay?” Zero asked.“Yes, she is fine.” Her eyes rested on Anna. “How's she doing?”“A little better,” he said. Getting up, he carried her on his back, and Lyra led the way out of the shack. From what Lyra had sensed, Beryl was in one of the older guest villas in the palace that were rarely used.The building was dark when they got there, with no sign of being occupied. They went through the back door, where they found Beryl waiting with a candle in hand.“The electricity here is not working,” she let them know. “But I have enough candles.”She led them to the room she had been using. The windows were heavily draped, which meant someone could not notice the candlelight from outside.Zero lay Anna down on the bed and ste
When they got to the other Villa, they went into the bedroom. While Beryl resumed treating Anna, Zero and Lyra covered the window with heavy drapes and sent up several candles in the room, providing adequate lighting.After that, they went through the house with torches, ensuring all the doors and windows were locked. They also identified escape routes they could use in case of an ambush.In the kitchen, they found enough food items to feed all three of them. Zero, who was worried that Anna was too weak after being poorly fed in the dungeons, immediately started pulling out ingredients to make food.While he got busy in the kitchen, Lyra went back to the bedroom to check on Beryl and Anna.Beryl had already dressed most of her wounds, and Lyra was happy to see that she wasn't as pale as she had looked a while back.“She is stable now,” Beryl told Lyra. “But she has fallen asleep, so we'll wait until she wakes up to find out whether she has any complaints.”Lyra nodded and stepped up t
“Master Aldus!” Beryl called when she saw the man's face clearly.“Do you know him?” Lyra asked her.“Yes,” Beryl replied. “He is a respected member of the royal pack, and he was once Julian's teacher.”“Let's get him out of here first,” Lyra said, looking around. They were in an open place, and anyone who passed by would see them.Helping him up, they led him behind a building and out of sight.“What happened to you?” Beryl asked, using her flashlight. His clothes were bloodied from an obvious beating.“The king tried to ask me about sensitive secret information, and I realised he is the Rogue King Nile. I had my suspicions before, but I wasn't sure. When he asked me about things His Majesty definitely knows, I realised my suspicions were right. I tried to expose him with a few questions, but he realised I had discovered his true identity. He tried to force me to give him the information he wanted, and when I refused he ordered my execution.” He looked from Beryl to Lyra. “I owe you
Lyra left Nile’s side and went to stand beside Julian, which caused another stir among the guests.“Lyra, what are you doing?” Nile asked, pretending to be hurt and confused. “Who is he? What’s the meaning of this?”“It’s over, Nile,” Lyra said, calling him by his real name. “The real Lycan King is here.” Looking around, she addressed the guests. “That is the Rogue King who has been trying to take over the kingdom. He imprisoned His Majesty and forced me to work for him.”“How absurd!” Nile yelled. “Lyra, how could you do this to me? I trusted you despite what everyone said about you, and this is how you repay me? Have you been working for the rogues all this time?”“He could be right,” someone said. “Nobody knows anything about her background. Maybe she is a spy sent by the rogues.”“I knew something did not make sens
“Where have you been?” Nile asked when Lyra appeared at his side a while later. After separating with Julian, Lyra had gone to her room to freshen up to get rid of any scent that would give away the fact that she had been with Julian.“I went on a walk with some of the guests and we wandered around the palace,” she told him. “Was I gone for long?”“Yes,” he said, his voice tinged with displeasure. “Stay by my side from now on.”“Of course,” she agreed, giving him a smile.“There are some important guests you haven’t met,” he said, steering her towards a group of guests. “They are from the Northern Packs Alliance. You know what to do.”Lyra knew of the Northern Packs Alliance. It was a group of three packs–Sky, Northern, and Ferun. The northern part of the kingdom had once been overrun by rogues, but the three packs came together and defeated
“It worked,” Julian said in awe, lifting his hands in front of his face. He could feel his wolf’s power surging through him, potent and unrestricted.“Really?” Lyra asked, rising on her elbow. They were lying side by side on the examination table after a frantic lovemaking session that left their bodies slick with sweat and out of breath.“Yes,” Julian confirmed. “He is fully restored.”“Great!” Lyra exclaimed, feeling thrilled. Leaning towards him, she gave him a kiss. He sunk his hand into her hair and held her in place, deepening the kiss. When they pulled apart, there was an amused smile on Julian’s face.“What is it?” she asked him, curious.“Yuri is impatient to tear that bastard into pieces,” he revealed.Lyra nodded. “That makes four of us.”Rae was also excited and already urging Lyra to get out there and ruin Nile’s grand plan. With Yuri by her side, she felt invincible. Lyra felt the same way about having Julian with her, but she knew it was crucial to have a good plan befo
“Julian?” Lyra whispered, an overwhelming relief washing over her.Julian jumped down from the examination table and met her halfway. Their arms went around each other. When they pulled back, her eyes were shining with tears.She raised her hands to his face and cupped his cheeks, examining his face. It felt like it had been forever since she had last seen him. This was the same face that Nile was parading around, and yet, there was such a huge difference.This was Julian. Her Julian.“Are you okay?” she asked him, lowering her hand to his chest and moving his robe aside. There was a dark mark where he was stabbed, but the wound had healed up.“I’m fine,” he told her, taking her hand. “Almost.”Feeling relieved, Lyra embraced him again, resting her face on his chest.“What about you?” Julian asked, palming her hair.“I’m alright,” she told him. “Don’t worry abut me.”He pulled her back and looked at her with a concerned frown. “Are you eating well? Where are you staying?”“I’m staying
After confining Lyra in her room for a few days, Nile arrived with news of a royal banquet.“This is your chance to show me whose side you are on,” he told her after presenting her with the gown she was to wear for the occasion. “I have invited Alphas, Lunas, and Elders from all around the kingdom. The banquet is in your honour as the future queen, so I expect you to act the part. Will you have a problem with that?”“No,” she said, eyeing the gown. It was a red gown, embellished with glimmering gems. Alongside it was a beautiful diamond tiara which Lyra recognised as being one of the royal family’s heirlooms.“Good,” he said, holding her chin and lifting her face. “If you help me get through this banquet, you'll have done your job well, and I'll make sure Julian continues getting the best medical care. But if you make a mistake…” He trailed off, moving his hand to her throat and resting it there. “...you'll pay.”“I understand,” she told him. Such a gathering could go very wrong for h
“Approximately five hundred years ago, there was a tyrant Lycan King,” Nile started his narration when Lyra agreed to hear his version of the story. “He oppressed all other packs for the benefit of the royal pack, which amassed wealth and unmatched power at the expense of others. While the royal pack lived in luxury, the rest of the kingdom was barely getting by. The king forced them to send slaves and tributes, stripping the packs of their best talents and driving many werewolves to poverty and near starvation. Nobody was brave enough to stand up to the king, but one day, the Scarlet Alpha said enough was enough.”Lyras frowned, because she had never heard of a Scarlet Alpha or a Scarlet Pack for that matter. “The Scarlet Alpha? From which pack?”“The Scarlet Pack,” Nile replied. “You wouldn't know it. It has long gone extinct, and the royal family saw to it that it was wiped from history. After long enough, most werewolves forgot anything like it ever existed.”“Did the Scarlet Alph
“What's the meaning of this?” Crystal demanded as soon as the shop attendant left the room. “Why would you pay that much for her but refuse to pay mine?”“I invited her to go shopping,” Nile replied coolly, “but I don't remember inviting you. I also did not promise to pay for your stuff at any time.”“What?” Crystal screeched. “I am your partner! How can you treat me like this, especially in front of her? You did not even punish her for attacking me that day and locking me in the secret chamber. Aren't you supposed to be on my side?”“What does that have to do with this?” Nile asked, losing his cool. “I don't have to explain what I do to you.”Crystal scoffed. “So then, you are just going to humiliate me?”“Just because we work together does not mean you are in control of me,” Nile told her. “It's not in your place to tell m
Lyra sighed for the umpteenth time as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. She reached for the hem of her skirt and tugged, but it had reached its full length, somewhere several inches above the middle of her thighs.She huffed in annoyance at the ridiculousness of the situation. Nile had come out of nowhere and announced that they were going shopping and took the liberty of choosing Lyra's outfit.He had chosen an extremely short skirt paired with a soft cashmere sweater. The outfit might have been perfect for a night out, but why on earth would she wear like this to go shopping? Forget a night out, the skirt was way too short for her liking, she felt like she would be flashing her bottom with every step she took.He had refused her attempts to choose a different outfit, so she was stuck with this. Slipping her feet into a pair of stilettos–yet another poor choice for the occasion–she left her room and went downstairs.She found Nile a
When Julian woke up, he found himself in a sterile room with white walls. It was filled with the stench of disinfectant and medicine.When he tried moving his body, he realised that his limbs were strapped to the bed, restricting his movements. He turned his head to look around, but the room was empty. He lifted his head to check his wound. His torso was wrapped with bandages, so he could not see anything.He lay back and tried to recall what had happened. The last thing he remembered was being in the dungeon with Nile and Lyra. When he recalled the deal Lyra had made with Nile, he shut his eyes in regret.A sudden sound made him open his eyes just in time to see someone walk into the room. Julian was surprised to see that it was the royal healer, Spencer.“You are finally awake,” Spencer said, moving to the bedside table and placing a metallic tray carrying various medical items there. “How are you feeling?”“Spencer?” Julian called his name in disbelief. “Do you know who you are wor