Chapter 2 - The Alpha Chose the Girl Everyone Else Had Rejected
The second Lyra entered her cabin, she locked the door.
Then she leaned against it and covered her face.
“He didn't choose me.”
She whispered the words as though saying them aloud could make the impossible disappear.
“He couldn't have.”
Her heart had not stopped racing since Nathaniel carried her through the village.
Outside, the pack was already awake.
Whispers moved from cabin to cabin.
She could hear them through the thin walls.
“Did you see him?”
“He carried her.”
“Her?”
“The broken one?”
“Maybe he was only being kind.”
“No Alpha carries a servant through the central square.”
The word servant cut deeper than it should have.
Lyra had lived with it so long that she should have been immune.
She wasn't.
She looked down at her dress.
Bloodstained.
Torn.
Her hair tangled.
There was nothing about her that resembled a Luna.
She touched her face.
Maybe Nathaniel had simply mistaken exhaustion for something else.
Maybe he had pity.
Pity wasn't love.
It wasn't a mate bond.
And it certainly wasn't enough to stand against the council.
A knock sounded.
Lyra opened the door.
Aunt Marin stood there.
Her expression was unreadable.
“You heard?”
Lyra nodded.
“Yes.”
“What are you going to do?”
“Nothing.”
Marin frowned.
“You don't get to decide that alone.”
Lyra stepped aside.
“He probably means someone else.”
“Then why did he tell you the ceremony would continue tonight?”
Lyra didn't answer.
Marin sat on the edge of the bed.
“You know what will happen.”
“The council will reject me.”
“Not just the council.”
“Kira.”
Marin nodded.
“Kira's father controls most of the southern hunting territory.”
Lyra stared at the floor.
“I don't want a war.”
“This isn't about wanting one.”
“It always becomes about me.”
Marin reached for her hand.
“Your mother said the same thing.”
Lyra's eyes snapped up.
“You knew she thought that?”
“She said she wished you could grow up without carrying the burden of what happened to your bloodline.”
Lyra froze.
“What bloodline?”
Marin immediately looked away.
Lyra felt the shift in the air.
“Aunt Marin.”
“Forget it.”
“You said bloodline.”
“I made a mistake.”
“What did my mother hide?”
Marin stood.
“Tonight isn't the time.”
“That means it matters.”
“Lyra.”
“I deserve to know.”
Marin stared at her for several seconds.
Then she whispered:
“Your mother was not who the pack believed she was.”
Before Lyra could ask more, another knock sounded.
This time, it was not Marin.
It was the Alpha's personal guard.
“Lyra Blackwood.”
She froze.
“Alpha Nathaniel requests your presence.”
Marin's eyes widened.
Lyra followed the guard.
The entire path toward the Alpha's hall seemed to stretch forever.
Every wolf she passed turned.
Some bowed.
Others stared.
Kira stood near the council chamber.
Her eyes burned.
She stepped directly in Lyra's way.
“You think this is funny?”
Lyra stopped.
“No.”
“You embarrassed me.”
“I didn't do anything.”
“You existed.”
The words landed like a slap.
Lyra's jaw tightened.
“I have no intention of taking anything from you.”
Kira laughed.
“You don't even know what you're taking.”
Then the door opened.
Nathaniel stood inside.
His gaze immediately found Lyra.
“Come in.”
Kira looked at him.
“Alpha, we need to discuss—”
“Not now.”
Kira stiffened.
Nathaniel closed the door.
Inside stood the council.
Elder Bram.
Elder Rowena.
The warriors' commander.
Healer Tessa.
And Nathaniel himself.
Lyra stood near the entrance.
“You requested me?”
Nathaniel nodded.
“Yes.”
Elder Bram spoke first.
“Alpha, this is unacceptable.”
Nathaniel looked at him.
“You will speak when I ask.”
The elder fell silent.
Nathaniel turned to Lyra.
“Do you know why I rejected the seven candidates?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“Because none of them felt right.”
Elder Rowena frowned.
“The mating ceremony is sacred.”
“I know.”
“A Luna must strengthen the Alpha line.”
Nathaniel's voice became colder.
“Or perhaps a Luna must strengthen the pack.”
The elder said nothing.
Nathaniel walked toward Lyra.
“You risked your life carrying medicines through enemy territory.”
“I was only helping.”
“You crossed the border path alone.”
“I didn't know.”
“You stayed with the wounded after everyone else was evacuated.”
“They needed someone.”
“You refused food until every child in the cave had eaten.”
Lyra blinked.
“How did you know that?”
“I watched.”
Her heart stumbled.
“You watched me?”
Nathaniel nodded.
“Long before last night.”
Lyra's breathing changed.
“What do you mean?”
He reached into his jacket.
He removed a small silver object.
Her mother's pendant.
Lyra's hand flew to her throat.
“This is mine.”
“No.”
Nathaniel opened his palm.
It wasn't the pendant.
It was a matching silver crescent.
Same shape.
Same engraving.
But broken down the middle.
Lyra stared.
“My mother had the other half.”
Nathaniel nodded.
“She gave it to my family eighteen years ago.”
Lyra's eyes widened.
“Why?”
“Because she saved my sister during a rogue attack.”
He paused.
“She also saved me.”
Lyra shook her head.
“I thought I was seven when that happened.”
“You were.”
“You remember me?”
“I remember a little girl hiding behind your mother.”
A strange warmth filled her chest.
“You saw me?”
“I saw you trying to carry water bigger than you were.”
Lyra almost smiled.
Then Nathaniel stepped even closer.
“I have known your name since before you knew mine.”
Her heart stopped.
Elder Bram slammed his hand onto the table.
“Enough.”
Nathaniel turned.
“The ceremony is not completed until I name my chosen mate.”
The room became silent.
Nathaniel looked at Lyra.
“I choose Lyra Blackwood.”
Lyra's breath left her lungs.
Someone gasped.
Then another.
Elder Rowena rose.
“You cannot be serious.”
“I am.”
“She cannot shift.”
“I know.”
“She has no demonstrated warrior strength.”
“I know.”
“She is from an unranked branch.”
Nathaniel's gaze hardened.
“I said I know.”
Bram stood.
“Then she will weaken Silver Crest.”
Nathaniel stepped toward the council.
“No.”
His voice became an Alpha command.
“She is the reason Silver Crest survived last night.”
Silence.
“She treated our wounded.”
He looked at Lyra.
“She carried medicine through a war zone.”
Then he faced the council again.
“You measured worth in claws and strength.”
His gaze swept over the elders.
“I measured it in courage.”
Kira burst into the room.
“Alpha!”
Nathaniel turned.
She was crying.
“Please.”
Nathaniel's expression softened for only a second.
“Kira.”
“I have trained for you my entire life.”
“I never asked you to.”
“You smiled when I presented myself.”
“I smiled because you were proud.”
Her face crumpled.
“And now you choose her?”
Nathaniel nodded.
“Yes.”
Kira looked at Lyra.
“You're going to ruin him.”
Lyra finally spoke.
“I don't want this.”
Everyone went silent.
Nathaniel looked at her.
“You don't?”
“I don't want to be chosen because everyone else was wrong about me.”
He studied her.
“Then I won't choose you for what you're not.”
He stepped closer.
“I choose you because of what you are.”
Lyra couldn't answer.
Nathaniel extended his hand.
“Come with me.”
She hesitated.
“Where?”
“The old moon shrine.”
“Why?”
“Because the ceremony must be completed.”
Lyra looked at the council.
Then at Kira.
Then at the Alpha.
She took his hand.
The instant their skin touched, something exploded through her body.
Heat.
Light.
A silver pulse raced from her fingertips up her arm.
Nathaniel inhaled sharply.
His pupils widened.
Lyra nearly stumbled.
A mark appeared on both their wrists.
A crescent surrounded by a wolf's head.
The moon shrine began glowing.
Elder Rowena whispered:
“Impossible.”
Nathaniel looked at Lyra.
And for the first time, his control cracked.
“You're my mate.”
The entire clearing heard him.
Lyra stared at their joined hands.
And somewhere deep inside her, something ancient woke up.
Her wolf.
Not broken.
May you like
Sleeping.
Waiting.
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