Chapter One: The Painful Truth

AKIRA’s POV.

I opened my eyes to find myself in the dark, dungeon. The offensive stench of waste and decay filled my nostrils. I tried to sit up, but a sharp pain went through my head, making me wince and close my eyes:

"Akira, you're a disgrace!" Kaida's voice echoed in my head, followed by the sound of the dungeon door slamming shut.

I slowly got up, my body aching from the emotional adulation I suffered before I was thrown here. I stumbled towards the door, pounding the door with my fist.

"Kaida, please! Let me out! I'll try again, I promise!"

The only response was silence. No one was there to listen to me.

I slumped against the door, tears rushing down my face. Why was Kaida doing this to me? I had always been a loyal member of the pack, dedicated to healing and helping others. Everyone in the pack had always come to me, why this harsh treatment.

The sound of footsteps outside my cell made me look up. The door was flung open, and a figure entered.

"Akira, you're wanted in the infirmary," one of the pack's guards said, his eyes filled with hate as he glared at me.

I stumbled out of the cell, my legs shaking. What did they want me to do now? Try to heal Lyra again, only to fail and face more punishment.

As I entered the infirmary, I saw Lyra's frail form on the bed, her eyes deep in their sockets and her skin pale. Kaida stood beside her, a frown on her face.

"Akira, you're supposed to be our pack's healer," Kaida sneered. "But you can't even save one of our own. What good are you? Useless omega.”

I felt a surge of anger and frustration, but I bit back my rage. I knew it wouldn't do any good to argue with Kaida in her current mood.

"I'll try again," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I won't give up on Lyra."

Kaida scoffed. "You'd better not. If she dies, so do you."

I felt a chill run down my spine at her words, but I refused to back down. I approached Lyra's bedside, taking her hand in mine. I closed my eyes, focusing on my healing energy. But as I reached out to Lyra, I felt a strange resistance from her side. It was as if her body was rejecting my attempts to heal her.

I opened my eyes to find Kaida glaring at me. "What's wrong, Akira? Can't even manage a simple healing?"

I gritted my teeth, trying to think of a solution. But before I could try again, Lyra's body began to convulse. Her eyes rolled back in her head, and saliva began to come out of her mouth.

"Lyra, no!" I cried, holding her down as she thrashed around on the bed.

Kaida walked over, her face contorted with rage. "You're making her worse, Akira! Get out! Get out of my sight!"

The guards dragged me away, throwing me back into the dungeon. I landed hard on the floor, I was left all alone again.

As I lay there, I realized that Kaida was right. I was a failure as a healer. And if I didn't find a way to save Lyra, I would pay the ultimate price. The previous alpha had tried her best to make sure I learned the ways of healing, something that would help me add value to the pack. But Lyra’s cause was difficult.

But I refused to give up. I thought back to all my training, and all my knowledge of healing. There had to be a way to save Lyra. And I was determined to find it.

With determination, I began to think, to reason, to search for a solution. And as I did, a bit of hope began to come to life within me.

Maybe, just maybe, I could still save Lyra. And myself.

As I lay on the cold floor, I began to think back to my training. I remembered a lesson from my mentor, a wise old healer named Elara. She had taught me about the importance of balance in healing, and how the body and the mind need to be one for the healing to be a success.

I realized that I had been so focused on Lyra's physical wounds that I had neglected her spiritual and emotional health. I remembered a technique Elara had taught me, a way of using my energy to balance the patient's.

I closed my eyes and tried to use an ancient way of healing. l tried very hard to concentrate and eventually, I was able to get into her mind.

But just as I thought I had succeeded, a loud growl echoed through the dungeon. The sound sent chills down my spine. I opened my eyes to see Kaida standing in the doorway, her eyes blazing with rage.

"Akira, you're a monster!" she snarled. "You're using dark magic to heal Lyra!"

I protested, but Kaida wouldn't listen. She summoned the guards, and they dragged me away, deeper into the dungeon.

As they threw me into a dark cell, I realized that I was in grave danger. Kaida had condemned me as a witch, and I knew that the punishment for such a crime was death, either by hanging or being burnt alive.

But I refused to give up. I knew that I had to find a way to clear my name, to prove that my healing was genuine.

And so, I waited in the darkness, my mind racing with thoughts of escape and how to justify my actions. But as I waited, I heard a faint whisper in my ear.

"Akira, help me. Please." The voice said, echoing in my head.

It was Lyra's voice, weak. I smiled in the darkness, hope, there was still hope.

I would find a way to save Lyra, and myself. No matter what it took.

But just as I thought I had hope left, the cell door creaked open. A figure stood in the doorway, its eyes glowing with a red light.

"Akira…” the voice called out.

“Who are you!”