"This is so wrong, Lyra! We should've waited for Alpha Kael before leaving!" Sarah said worriedly, her eyes darting around as she checked for any signs of rogues or hunters. The night had already fallen, making their journey even more dangerous.
"We're on our own now, Sarah. I don't want to burden him any more than I already have," Lyra replied.
Sarah sighed. "What I don't understand is how easily you left him. Haven't you been waiting for your mate for so long?"
Lyra hesitated. She had never told anyone about what had happened between her and Kael—he himself barely seemed to recognize her. But Sarah was her best friend, and if there was anyone she could confide in, it was her.
Taking a deep breath, she finally said, "I can't be with him."
"Why?" Sarah rolled her eyes. "And if you're about to say it's because you're wolfless, I swear, I'll march right back!"
Lyra chuckled, shaking her head. "No, it's not that."
"Then what is it?"
Lyra paused for a moment, gathering her courage.
"Alpha Kael… he was the one who killed my parents," she whispered.
Sarah froze. "What?"
Lyra stopped walking and turned to face her, nodding solemnly.
Sarah gasped, then pulled Lyra into a hug, gently rubbing her back.
"I'm so sorry," she murmured before pulling away. "But… how do you know?"
Lyra bit her lip. No matter how complicated her relationship with her parents had been, they were still her family.
"I… I saw his face before they were attacked, Sarah. We were in the woods when he came for them. My brother disappeared that night, too. I saw everything," she said, her voice trembling.
Sarah exhaled sharply and squeezed Lyra's hand.
"I… I don't even know what to say. You waited for your mate all this time, and now that he's finally here, this happens?"
Lyra forced a sad smile. "Maybe it's for the best. My parents may not have been good people, but they were still my family. And my brother… he wouldn't have been lost if not for Alpha Kael." She swallowed hard. "I don't know why he did it. I was too young. But it's something I can never forget."
Sarah nodded slowly. "Okay, Lyra. Let's take it one step at a time. For now, let's focus on getting your wolf back."
Lyra nodded. "Okay."
The two continued their trek through the dense woods. Lyra kept glancing at the enchanted mirror in her hand, making sure they were still on the right path.
Hours passed, and exhaustion began to weigh on them. They decided to set up a small tent and rest for the night. The forest was eerily silent, save for the occasional chirping of insects.
But Lyra was jolted awake by the sound of low snarls and growls just outside their tent.
She sat up immediately, shaking Sarah. "S-Sarah… wake up!" she whispered, her heart pounding. Dark shadows loomed just beyond the thin fabric of their tent.
Sarah groggily opened her eyes. "What is it?"
"Rogues!"
That got Sarah's attention. She sat up, eyes wide, scanning their surroundings. When she saw the moving shadows, her expression hardened.
"Get your weapon and stay behind me!" she ordered.
Lyra scrambled for the knife in her bag while Sarah got into a fighting stance.
The growls outside grew louder.
Sarah took a deep breath before calling out, "We're just travelers! We have nothing of value to you!"
Her words only seemed to enrage the rogues further. The growls turned into snarls, and more shadows appeared.
Lyra swallowed hard. "W-What do we do now?"
"Don't worry. I won't let them hurt you. But be ready to fight."
Lyra tightened her grip on the knife. She couldn't shift, but she knew how to fight—that had been her only escape back in the Crimson Fang pack.
"Go away now—"
Before Sarah could finish, a rogue lunged at their tent, tearing it open.
Sarah wasted no time shifting into her wolf form, while Lyra darted outside—only to come face-to-face with another wolf.
The fight erupted in an instant. Sarah took on multiple rogues at once, her wolf moving with deadly precision. Lyra did her best to fend off the ones attacking her, but they were much larger and stronger.
Her efforts weren't enough.
A rogue slammed into her, sending her crashing to the ground. Before she could react, it sank its fangs into her shoulder.
Lyra screamed.
Sarah's wolf snapped its head in her direction, distracted by her cry.
That moment of hesitation was all it took. Another rogue pounced on Sarah, sinking its teeth into her back. She let out a pained howl before crumpling to the ground, shifting back into her human form.
"S-Sarah!" Lyra called weakly, watching in horror as her friend struggled against the rogues.
Tears blurred her vision. This was all her fault. She had wanted to prove she could reclaim her wolf on her own, but now her best friend was dying because she had chosen to follow her.
If only she had her wolf.
If only they hadn't taken it from her.
Her vision darkened, her body growing numb. Just as she was about to lose consciousness, she saw a familiar figure standing over her.
The figure shifted—then launched itself at the rogues, tearing into them with terrifying speed and strength.