Author’s povAfter their silent stop at the café, King Greg and Lyra made their way to his sleek sports car. It roared to life as he backed out onto the road, and from there they went. Lyra sat with her legs crossed in front of her. Her hands lay perfectly calm in her lap. She was thinking through what they had said… what they were about to do… and while she hadn’t found the peace of resolution yet, she wasn’t as tense as she’d been before.The king looked over at her for a moment, then turned back to watch the street.“I am going to show you something,” he told her. Lyra turned to him, curiosity briefly flickering in her eyes. “What is it?”“My pack,” he said simply. “You’ve been here a while now – but you’ve not seen it. I want you to see what it is to be part of this world.”Lyra nodded slowly, though a small knot of anxiety formed in her stomach. She had spent most of her time in the castle, avoiding the other lycans. The thought of being out in the open, surrounded by them, made
Author’s pov When King Greg and Lyra got back to the palace, the king had a grand dinner. He was going to introduce Lyra to the rest of his family and some other important members of the pack. Plates were clattering, glasses were being filled with wine quickly, and laughter echoed through every corridor. He had the maids get Lyra new gowns as she wore them and the jewellery and showed up with him at the party he had made that night. The king led her down one hallway in particular where several doors spread out across each side. “Tonight you’re going to meet a couple more family members of mine,” he stated immediately as if expecting protest but also not caring either way. “They’re high up there in rank so they always stay pretty close by.” Lyra nodded, feeling nervousness turn her stomach. She wasn't accustomed to formal occasions like this, not in a place where she still felt so out of her element. But if Greg thought it was necessary, then she'd do everything she could to mak
Authors povThe grand dining hall was quiet now, the laughter and chatter of the dinner party had long since faded into the night. The table was empty, save for Greg himself. Clad in his regal robes, he rested at the head of the table with a wine glass in his hand. His face was a sea of emotions held back beneath a serene mask as he gazed forward into the flickering candlelight. The weight of his crown pressed down on him harder than it ever had before. In that moment he realized that wine did nothing to lighten one’s spirits.He heard footsteps breaking through the silence and looked up to see Sanchez walking towards him, a glass of wine in hand as well; calm yet reflective concern danced upon his face."Mind if I join you?" Sanchez asked though he was already seated.Greg shrugged, taking a sip of his wine. "Suit yourself."Sanchez studied his nephew for a moment, his sharp eyes taking in the tension radiating from Greg’s shoulders. “You’ve been unusually quiet since dinner ended. W
Authors povGreg leaned back in his chair, a frustrated scowl on his face. “You do this all the time. You never answer anything. I’m the damn king now, Sanchez. I should know what’s there.”Sanchez’s eyes softened as he leaned over and placed a hand on Greg’s arm. “You will,” he said. “I promise you that. Just not tonight.”Greg looked at his uncle, his chest moving with only slightly suppressed emotion. He nodded after a moment, though his irritation was still evident. “All right. But I’m not going to forgive you for this.”Sanchez smiled wryly and shook his head. “I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t.”The two men sat silently for a moment, the weight of all that was unspoken hanging in the air. Finally, Greg broke that silence, but his voice was less heavy now. “Why does everyone feel so strongly against lycans and wolves mixing? Why is it such a big damn deal?”Sanchez sighed deeply, sitting back in his chair as he regarded Greg with part pity and part caution. “Greg there are some
Authors povGreg’s eyes flashed with anger and he took a step closer to Tom, his voice rising as he countered Tom’s accusations. “I didn’t take her because I wanted to wage war against you and the pack!” Greg shouted angrily at Tom. “I took her because she was being mistreated! Because she deserves better than that! And if fighting for her is what it takes then so be it.”“You’re willing to put the whole pack at risk for one wolf? By the gods, do you hear yourself? She might hate you for all you’re doing and she isn’t even your mate. This isn’t your own personal power trip anymore. You’re supposed to be the leader of the pack.”Greg lunged forward grabbing Tom by his shirt and pulling him towards him. “I am thinking about that pack right now Tom. And I’m thinking about what’s right. Don’t piss me off.”Tom’s eyes widened, but he recovered quickly. He shoved Greg away and looked him in the eye. “Don’t threaten me, Greg. I’ve been loyal to you since day one. But if you push me, you migh
Author’s povDerrick paced the throne room of his packhouse, his boots creating soft thuds against the stone floor. He couldn’t shake off his frustration. He had spent hours trying to find Lyra and Helga but no one seemed to know where they were. Spotting Anna walking down a hallway, he called her as she looked at him. “Anna,” he said, his voice low yet demanding. “Where is Lyra and Helga? I haven’t seen them anywhere. Did anything happen to them?”Anna stopped, her face remaining calm though she looked slightly unsure. “Lyra and Helga? They’re not here. King Greg had them taken.”Derrick’s heart started pounding and he moved closer to Anna, his voice escalating slightly. “What do you mean King Greg had them taken? Taken where? When did this happen? And why?”Anna crossed her arms over her chest, her tone matter-of-fact. “I don’t know the details, Derrick. All I know is that King Greg came here and took them with him.”Derrick frowned as he was angry. “How dare he! Lyra is mine and s
Lyra’s povI wiped the sweat off my forehead feeling my already sore legs give out just a bit. The training hall was large and filled with different types of weapons to practice with, mats for combat, and other Lycans that had grouped off when they arrived. I could hear the sounds of fists hitting punching bags as well as swords clashing together while trainers barked out orders.Trying to copy some basic fighting stances alone I hear someone step behind me making me turn around to see that it's a very tall muscled-up Lycan with dark eyes and a long scar across his cheek. He crossed his arms across his chest smirking down at me.“Why are you even here?” he said, laughter in his voice.I lifted my shoulders and brushed my hands down the front of my pants. “Training,” I said.Sanchez shook his head. “Training?” He laughed shortly. “From what I see, you’re barely standing.”I frowned but said nothing.He sighed and stepped closer. His gaze became serious. “To be honest if you’re going to
Lyra’s povI smiled a little. “Thanks. But how did you get to fight like this? You make it seem so easy.”He smirked at me. “Funny story.”I turned to look at him, intrigued. “Tell me.”The man then gazed upon me with his elbow leaning against the floor as he then looked to the sky with a smile.It seemed like a lifetime before he answered.“When I was first developing my physical form, I was the weakest in my pack,” he said slowly. “I was smaller than all of them, I was slower and would always get beat up during training.”My eyes widened. “What?”He chuckled. “Yeah, hard to believe now, right?” He shook his head. “But it’s true. No one thought I’d ever be strong. I got bullied, left behind during hunts, treated like I didn’t belong.”I frowned. “That sounds awful.”“It was,” he said. “But one day, I got tired of it. I found an old warrior in the pack—one of the best fighters—and I begged him to train me. He laughed at first and said I wasn’t worth his time. But I kept showing up eve
Lyra’s povI hadn’t expected this.The grand ballroom was dazzling, golden chandeliers turning the light into shards that scattered through the room. People crowded around, the scent of wine and spices hanging in the air but beneath it all, there was no mistaking that this was a Lycan party. It hung heavy in the air, a heady thing that stilled my heart for a moment.I followed Greg through the crowd, feeling my heart pound in my chest. A ball that Greg had thrown me that night but I was still scared of how everything was going to go.I stood in the middle of the most powerful Lycans and Alphas in existence as my mated partner walked around trying to introduce me.All I could do was smile and try to be as polite as possible. I didn’t want to cause any war or trouble as I knew how lycans could be. They found so many things offensive and the minute most of them knew I was a wolf, they would flip.What was I even saying? Through my scent, I was sure they already knew I was a wolf. I gulp
Lyra’s povThe sun of that Noonday was white with heat. Multicoloured flowers drooped in their pots. The windows of the rooms gleamed as I sat on the bed, groggy. I hadn’t slept well since last night but now that I was here, I might fall back to sleep. As I got to my feet to dress up, I heard a knock. "Come in," I said softly.The door creaked open and Helga walked in, her smile always beaming. She was my personal maid of sorts and had become more like a friend to me as the weeks went by. She had a tray with tea and light snacks that she set on the small table before looking at me, “Good afternoon Miss Lyra,” she said to me warmly. “Feeling better? Aren’t you excited for tonight?”I sighed and ran my hand through my hair. “I don’t know, Helga. I don’t. I just want this all to go down without a hitch.”She laughed but her laugh was light and teasing. “Aw, come on, Lyra! It’s going to be great! You’ll see! You’re going to look radiant and everyone is just going to die over how wonderfu
Lyra’s povThe next morning, I woke up to sunlight getting in through the curtains. I yawned and stretched as I felt a bit groggy from last night. It was then that I heard a knock on the door as I got out of bed and looked at the clock.Who could be at the door this early in the morning, I thought to myself before I stretched again.Before I could even take a step to the door, the front door flew open and in walked a woman with fabric swatches and a measuring tape around her neck, followed closely by two others with boxes, and bags.“Good morning Miss Lyra,” the woman smiled brightly. “My name’s Clara, I’m the lead designer of the pack; Alpha Greg sent me here to get your measurements for tonight’s ball.”I blinked sitting up in bed, my mind in a whirl at what she had just said. “Ball? What ball?”Clara tilted her head, still smiling. “The ball that Alpha Greg will be holding tonight. It’s quite important and he would have you looking your best there if I heard it right, you’re going
Authors povThe sentence repeated in her head, and it hurt like a physical blow. Did he think that little of her? That she was somehow less? That she needed protection because she was incompetent?Pained, she turned and fled the hall, letting her anger seething through her with every stride.Greg saw her retreating figure as the meeting ended. “Fuck,” he sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. Without waiting, he followed her as he called after her.“Lyra!” He called as she didn’t stop but kept on running.It was clear she hated him. He used his speed to catch up with her as he held her arm and held her in place. But she shoved against him to take her arm back.“Why won’t you leave me be?” She asked in anger. “It’s clear you don’t care about me so how about you let me be.”“Lyra calm down,” he sighed. "Let me explain.""Explain to me?" she snapped, whirling on him. "You want to explain? Do you mean like I'm harmless? Like I'm not a real werewolf?"Greg flinched. "No, that's--"“
Authors povIn the dead of night, hidden by trees that reached towards the sky, a group of elders congregated in a clearing far into the deep forest. The moon illuminated them softly but the density of the leaves produced enough darkness to ensure that they would not be heard. They were all uneasy for one reason or another; some worried, others angry and a few even still bemused.“We cannot let this stand,” said Darius, a tall Lycan with loose silver hair. His eyes shone like fresh snow. “We just can’t.”“Agreed.” Another elder, named Rowan, grumbled. He was shorter but built like a warrior and his arms were crossed tightly over his chest. “A mere wolf cannot be Luna; this goes against everything we have built.”Again there were murmurs of agreement from a few of the elders and silence from others.“Maybe we should consider this.” Elder Magnus spoke calmly, his aged face held wisdom but also doubt. “Greg is our king. If he feels that this woman is right for him… then who are we not to
Authors povA comfortable silence settled between us.I looked around and closed my eyes as I felt like I was safe now.But before I could sleep off, something bothered me. I turned to look at him as I called out. “Greg?”His eyes met mine. “Yeah?”It took a moment for me to be calm before I sighed and went on to talk to him. “You’re not a bad person.”He laughed a bit before nodding, “Is that your way of trying to patronize me?”“Maybe.”He grinned. “You know, for someone who is just a wolf and not a lycan, you’re not bad yourself.”“What?!” I laughed, smacking his chest in a playful venture.Greg just laughed, his body trembling a little.But then, something in his face and voice shifted and he wasn't quite so entertained.There was something else in his expression now.Something that went beyond just being an alpha.I caught my breath as he leaned into mine.I knew I should look away.I knew I was in dangerous territory. But I couldn’t. I didn’t care and to be honest I didn’t want
Author’s povSanchez dragged Steven along the packhouse’s long halls, his grasp unbreakable.Steven fought, his fingers tearing at Sanchez’s hand, but he couldn’t do it.“Let go of me!” Steven hissed, panic rising in his voice.But Sanchez didn’t release him.His face was stone-cold and his eyes were burning with an anger Steven had never seen before.The packhouse doors swung open as Sanchez threw Steven out, causing Steven to roll out onto the dirt.The cool night air blew in Steven’s face, although he wasn’t aware of it. His mind had gone into overdrive.He could not believe that this was happening now.“Please don't do this. You have to stop. It’s not good. Please stop.”“I told you to stay away from her. It was very simple. Anyone would do that with half a brain. But you refused to listen.”But Stephen refused to listen. “I get it. I shouldn’t have done what I did. I wasn’t thinking.”Sanchez growled at this as he rolled his eyes in disgust.“Not thinking? You put your hands on
Greg’s povI made my way to the kitchen and dropped the heavy buffalo on the preparation table causing a thud that caused the maids to jump and turn towards me with wide eyes. “Prepare it for dinner,” I told them, rolling my shoulders to try and dispel some of the tension from carrying the massive beast all the way back.The head cook, a kind old woman named Martha, smiled happily at me. “Yes, Alpha.” She waved for a couple of the other maids to get going with her, quickly barking orders at them on how to deal with such a large amount of meat.Since there was nothing left for me to do, I turned around and left the kitchen.The minute I got to the hallway, I saw Sanchez waiting for me with his arms crossed over his broad chest. His gaze took in my dishevelled appearance.Satisfied, I turned and left the room, making my way out into the hallway.When I opened the door to the corridor, I found Sanchez waiting on the other side. He was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his
Lyra’s pov The forest stretched out in front of us, a green wave as we walked. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting odd shadows on the path ahead. The only sounds were the rustling of leaves, birds calling somewhere above us and an occasional branch cracking under our feet. Greg led the way, a dead wildebeest more than twice his size and weight weighed across his massive shoulders. His bare chest shone with sweat and every muscle moved easily beneath his skin. Meanwhile, I was shuffling along at a snail’s pace, my body in agony from hours of torturous walking; my stomach felt like it was eating itself, my legs were on fire and every step sent shooting pains through my lower back. Greg turned slightly, his eyes glinting in the low light. “How’s your training going?” I breathed in deeply, trying not to sound as tired as I felt. “It’s fine, I suppose.” He arched one eyebrow, a faint smile on his lips again. “Just fine?” I did an eye roll. “It’s difficult but I’m doing it