SIX

LYRA

I keep stealing glances at the formidable Alpha sitting beside me as the carriage moves steadily along the dirt road. He’s seated a few feet away, but it feels like he dominates the entire space. His presence is imposing and unreadable. Even in silence, he radiates an aura so commanding that it makes my skin prickle.

His profile is just as intimidating as when he faces forward. He is not a man who smiles. He rarely speaks, but that does not make him look any less deadly. If anything, the silence makes him more terrifying. I shiver inwardly at the thought.

I take a deep breath, willing my nerves to settle before I finally find the courage to speak. “Thank you… for protecting me back there,” I murmur, my fingers twisting into the fabric of my dress.

The only response I get is a slight tilt of his head in my direction, accompanied by a low hum that rumbles deep in his chest. I lower my gaze, pressing my lips together. I still don’t trust werewolves, not even this one. Despite his kindness toward me, a part of me still holds back. Trust is not something I can give easily, not after everything I’ve endured at the hands of his kind.

And yet… there’s something different about him. Despite my wariness, I can’t deny that for the first time in years, I feel something unfamiliar around a werewolf. Safe. Maybe it has something to do with his missing sister, his reason for helping me. Maybe he sees her in me. Or maybe… I just want to believe that someone, anyone, in this world isn’t as cruel as the rest.

I let out another slow breath, my fingers instinctively reaching for my neck, brushing over the place where my collar used to be. It’s gone. He had told me I was not traveling with him as his slave. A small smile tugs at my lips as I recall the moments before we left Shadowmoon Pack.

After dealing with Nathan, the Alpha had tossed me some clothes and led me out of the room, while Nathan, humiliated and seething, had cursed and threatened me, vowing that I would regret everything. He bade farewell to Alpha Lucian and his household. Then, to my shock and to the shock of everyone in the pack, he ushered me into his carriage. Slaves don’t ride with their masters. Slaves don’t sit beside Alphas.

Once we were inside, he had reached for the metal collar around my neck and unclasped it without a second thought. The weight of it fell away, but the phantom feeling remained. I had worn it for so long that my body still expected its heavy presence. Then, he had reached for the band holding my hair in its usual tight bun, and pulled it free, letting my blonde waves spill down my back. Slaves always tie their hair up. Only freeborns let their hair down.

I had been too stunned to speak since then.

His deep voice pulls me from my thoughts. "This is the best option at the moment."

I blink and turn to look at him, realizing he is speaking to me. His piercing blue eyes are fixed on mine, unreadable as always. I don’t know how long he has been talking, and I have no idea what he’s referring to. But I don’t dare ask him to repeat himself. I stay silent, waiting. After a beat, he looks away, facing forward again.

“That is, if you wish to see your family again,” he continues. “We can help you reconnect with them. My men and I are working tirelessly to dismantle this trafficking organization, and we’ve uncovered some leads. So, staying in my pack is your best option for now."

That gets my attention. I turn fully to look at him, eager to hear what he has to say. He doesn’t meet my gaze, but I can feel he knows I want to hear more.

"Do you remember any markings on the people who took you?" he asks.

My brows furrow as I sift through the memories I usually try to bury. “Markings?” I murmur as my mind strains to recall details I never thought would matter. "Not on the wolves, but… some of the girls had burns. I assumed it was just another form of punishment.”

His body tenses ever so slightly. "A crescent moon with a slash?" He now turns to face me fully.

I nod slowly as I recall that mark. "Yes. How do you know that?"

He leans back against the plush carriage cushion and exhales deeply. “We’ve seen that mark before. Some of the humans we rescued had the same brand. At first, we thought it was just a way for traffickers to track their 'merchandise.' But now, I’m starting to believe it means something much bigger.” His voice is calm, but there’s an undercurrent of something darker, something unsettled. “We once raided one of their rings, but they have a more secured hideout. A stronghold we haven’t been able to find or break into.” He pauses and turns to me. “Can you remember anything?”

I shake my head. “I was blindfolded as soon as we crossed my village boundaries and must have slept off on the journey because when I awoke, I was in Shadowmoon."

Alpha Kael nods, as if he expected that answer. “Don’t worry about it.” His voice is reassuring. “Do you still remember where your parents lived?”

A sudden thrill of hope rushes through me. For so long, I convinced myself that going home was impossible, that I had been lost forever. But now, there is still a chance, however small, that I could still go home. But then another thought settles over me like a shadow. My parents must have moved on. What if they don’t even remember me anymore? What if, after all these years, they accepted that I was gone? What if they had other children? The thought makes my chest tighten with sadness. But even so, I cling to hope.

“I can describe them,” I murmur softly. “And I remember what my village looked like. But my memories… they’re hazy.” I swallow the lump forming in my throat, blinking back the tears stinging the backs of my eyes.

“That’s fine,” Alpha Kael replies, his voice is softer than before. “We’ll take our time to find them.”

I nod, and he turns his gaze away, staring out of the carriage window. The rest of the journey passes in silence.

I must have dozed off at some point because I jerk awake when the carriage suddenly comes to a halt. My heart pounds as I sit upright, blinking in confusion. The door on Alpha Kael’s side swings open, revealing a man in a guard’s uniform, his head bowed in deference. Alpha Kael steps down first, then, the guard turns to me, offering his hand to help me down.

I step out, and my breath catches in my throat.

I am met with a sight that makes my heart race. Warriors in armor of leather and steel stand around a host of cool-eyed noble elders. Tension twists in my belly as they all bow to Alpha Kael and raise their heads. There are no welcoming smiles from the elders. They watch me in silence, spearing me with their unblinking, cold, and haughty gazes.

So much for his pack being different.

Instinctively, I take a small step back, moving behind Alpha Kael’s broad frame. But before I can fully retreat, his hand reaches out, gripping mine. He pulls me to his side. He doesn’t look at me, doesn’t say a word, but the message is clear: Stand your ground. Do not cower.

My fingers tremble in his grip, but I force myself to straighten. I might be overwhelmed by their cold gazes, but I am no coward. Alpha Kael just reminded me of that. Drawing strength from him, I lift my chin slightly, meeting their gazes head-on.

One of the elders steps forward. He has sharp, weathered features, and his gray hair is pulled back neatly. His expression remains neutral, but his eyes hold unspoken words. “Welcome home, Alpha,” he says.

“Thank you, Bandy,” Alpha Kael replies, inclining his head. “It’s good to be back. To what do I owe this gathering?”

A flicker of hesitation passes between the elders. I don’t miss the way their eyes dart to me before settling back on their Alpha. Bandy is the one who speaks.

“She is human, Alpha,” he states calmly, though there’s a quiet edge to his voice.

Alpha Kael’s gaze sharpens. “And you think I don’t know that, Bandy?” His voice drops to a warning growl.

The elder doesn’t flinch, but his eyes flicker with something; concern, perhaps.

“I do not wish to challenge your authority,” Bandy says evenly. “But bringing a human into our pack is a dangerous gamble, Alpha. You know well that their presence has never ended well for us. The past should have taught us that much.”