Lyra's POV
I woke to the dim light of the infirmary, my head pounding and my body feeling like it had been hit by a truck. Every part of me ached, but the worst pain wasn't physical—it was the void inside me. Something was missing, something vital.
Melora's face hovered above me, her lips pressed into a thin line. Her usually calm expression was tinged with worry, and it made my stomach sink.
"What... what's wrong?" My voice came out hoarse, barely above a whisper.
She didn't answer right away, and that silence sent a ripple of panic through me. I reached out instinctively to my wolf, searching for the familiar presence of Hope.
Nothing.
No, no, no, I chanted in my mind, desperation clawing at me. "Hope," I whispered, tears welling in my eyes. "Hope, please... where are you?"
I pushed harder, reaching deeper, begging to feel even the faintest connection. "Hope!" I called, my voice breaking. "Please, answer me."
Still nothing.
"No!" I cried out, sitting up abruptly, only for pain to shoot through my body. My hands gripped the sheets, and tears streamed down my face. "No, this can't be happening!"
"Lyra, stop!" Melora's voice was firm, but there was an edge of sympathy to it. She placed a hand on my shoulder to gently push me back down. "You're going to hurt yourself even more."
"Where is she?" I demanded, my voice shaking. "Why can't I feel her? What's happening to me?"
Melora hesitated, and the look in her eyes made my stomach twist.
"It didn't work," she said softly.
"What didn't work?" I asked, my breath hitching.
"The antidote," she said, her tone filled with regret.
The words hit me like a physical blow.
"No," I whispered, shaking my head. "No, you're wrong. Try again. There has to be something else you can do!"
"Lyra," Melora began, her voice gentle, "you're weak—both you and Hope. Your wolf has been forced to retreat. Right now, she's completely shut off, and we don't know when, or if, she'll return."
Her words echoed in my mind, and the weight of them made it hard to breathe.
"No," I said again, louder this time. "This can't be happening. I can't lose her. She's part of me."
Melora gave me a sympathetic look but didn't say anything.
Tears streamed down my face as I called out to Hope again. Please, Hope. Don't leave me. Come back to me.
Silence.
"Who did this to me?" I asked, my voice trembling with anger and despair. "Who's responsible for this?"
Melora sighed. "I don't know, Lyra. But whoever it was has been feeding you wolfsbane for a long time. This wasn't an accident—it was intentional."
"They wanted to bind my wolf," I whispered, the realization making my heart pound. "They did this. Selena and the elder—they did this!"
"We can't make assumptions," Melora cautioned, though her eyes told me she didn't entirely disagree.
"I don't care!" I shouted, my voice breaking. "They wanted to get rid of her, and now they've done it. They've destroyed me."
Melora shook her head. "You're not destroyed, Lyra. You're still alive, but you're going to need surgery. Right now, your body is unfit to fight, and if we don't act quickly, you might not make it."
"Surgery?" I echoed, my voice barely audible.
"I've already mind-linked the Alpha. We need to move you to the wolf hospital in town. They have the resources to help you." Melora said.
I stared at her, the weight of her words pressing down on me. Surgery. Hospital. My wolf gone. It was too much.
"No," I whispered, shaking my head. "No, I can't do this."
"You don't have a choice," She said. "If we don't do this, you'll lose more than just Hope—you'll lose your life."
I bit my lip, trying to hold back the sobs threatening to break free.
"What if... what if I never feel her again?"
Melora hesitated, her expression softening.
"There's a chance you won't," she admitted. "In cases like this, the bond can be severed permanently. But Lyra, your wolf is strong. She won't go down without a fight. For now, you need to focus on surviving. We'll figure out the rest later."
I felt hollow, like a part of me had been ripped away.
"I can't lose her," I whispered, staring at the ceiling. "She's all I have."
"You have more than you think," Melora said quietly. "But you need to trust me, Lyra. We're going to do everything we can to bring her back. For now, just rest. Save your strength."
Rest. How could I rest when everything I was, everything I knew, was slipping away?
I turned my head to the side, tears soaking the pillow beneath me. "Hope," I whispered again, my voice barely audible. "Please don't leave me."
Silence.
The door slammed open, and Kael stormed in, his face etched with panic. His usually calm and collected demeanor was gone, replaced by sheer desperation.
"What do you mean by surgery?" he demanded, his voice sharp as he turned to Melora. "You said she'd be fine after the antidote!"
Melora exhaled heavily, rubbing her temples before meeting his frantic gaze.
"The antidote didn't work, Alpha. Whatever she was given—it's too potent. Her body's rejecting it, and her wolf has retreated. If we don't act fast and move her to the hospital, we risk losing both her and her wolf permanently."
Kael's jaw tightened, his hands curling into fists. "No," he growled, shaking his head as if he could will away the truth. "That's not possible. You're supposed to fix this, Melora!"
"I'm doing everything I can! But this isn't something I can handle here. She needs specialized care, and she needs it now."
I couldn't hold back anymore. My tears continued to spill over, streaming down my face uncontrollably. Kael's head whipped toward me, his expression crumbling as he saw the devastation in my eyes.
"Lyra," he breathed, rushing to my side. He dropped to his knees by the bed, his strong arms wrapping around me, pulling me into his chest. His warmth was overwhelming, but it did little to fill the void inside me.
"I can't lose her," I choked out, my voice muffled against his shirt.
"Kael, I can't—she's all I have."
"You're not going to lose her," he said firmly, his hand gently cradling the back of my head.
"You hear me, Lyra? I won't let that happen. I'll do anything—anything—to make sure you're okay."
I clung to him, sobbing harder as his words washed over me. It should have been comforting, but all I could think about was the emptiness where Hope used to be.
Melora cleared her throat, her voice cutting through the moment.
"We don't have time. If we're going to save her, we need to move now. You need to get the transport ready, Alpha. I'll handle the arrangements with the hospital."
Kael's grip on me tightened, and I felt him press a kiss to my forehead. "You'll be fine," he whispered, his voice cracking slightly. "I promise, Lyra. You'll be fine."
He pulled back, his hands cupping my face as he looked into my tear-filled eyes. His gaze was fierce, and full of an unspoken promise.
"You have to trust me," he said softly, his thumb brushing away a tear from my cheek.
I nodded weakly, though my heart was far from convinced. My wolf was gone, and a part of me wondered if I'd ever feel whole again.
Kael stood abruptly, his movements sharp and determined. "I'll get everything ready," he said to Melora.
As he strode out of the room, I caught one last glimpse of his face—set in a mask of panic.
I collapsed back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling as Melora began prepping me for transport.
"Hold on, Hope," I whispered, more to myself than anyone else. "Please, hold on."