The stone hall felt colder than usual, the damp air clinging to Damon's skin as he stood before his tribe. The room was packed, but no one spoke. Their eyes bore into him—some accusing, others hesitant. He felt the weight of their judgment pressing down, but he refused to let it break him.
"She's gone to Kai," Elder Bren said, her tone sharp and unforgiving. "You all know what that means."
Damon's jaw tightened. He forced himself to stand taller, even as the words stung.
"We don't know why she's there," he said, his voice steady despite the tension in the room. "Lyra wouldn't betray us."
"She already has," snapped Marik, a grizzled warrior near the back. His scarred face twisted into a sneer. "She left. That's all the proof we need."
A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd. Damon's hands curled into fists.
"She didn't leave us," he said, his tone firmer now. "She left because of me."
The room fell silent. Damon felt the sting of his admission, but he pushed forward.
"I rejected her," he said, his voice lowering. "I pushed her away. And now she's with Kai because of it."
"And that makes her our enemy," Bren said coldly.
Damon's head snapped toward her. "No. It doesn't."
"Open your eyes, Damon!" Marik barked. "Kai is our greatest threat. If she's by his side, she's a weapon aimed at our throats."
Damon stepped forward, his chest heaving. "Lyra isn't a weapon. She's one of us. And I'll bring her back."
Bren crossed her arms, her expression icy. "You can't bring her back, Damon. Not after what you did. You shattered the bond. Do you think she'll listen to you now?"
Damon faltered for a moment, but his resolve hardened. "I'll make her listen," he said, his voice unyielding. "I'll fix this. And I'll protect her, no matter what."
Bren's lips twisted into a bitter smile. "Protect her? From us? Or from herself?"
The room grew still, the weight of her words pressing on everyone. Damon's heart pounded in his chest, but he met her gaze without flinching.
"If I fail, then I'll answer for it," he said quietly. "But I won't let anyone lay a hand on her."
Later, Damon sat alone in his quarters, the dim light of a single lantern flickering against the stone walls. The stillness around him was deafening, leaving him alone with his thoughts.
He closed his eyes and saw Lyra's face—her fierce eyes, her defiance, the hurt she hadn't bothered to hide the day he rejected her. Damon clenched his jaw. He had driven her away, but he wasn't going to lose her to Kai. Not like this.
A soft knock broke the silence.
"Come in," Damon said, his voice rough.
The door creaked open, and Ryn stepped inside. His dark hair was disheveled, and his eyes carried the weariness of too many battles fought.
"They're not with you on this," Ryn said without preamble. "You know that, right?"
Damon sighed and leaned back against the wall. "I figured."
"They want blood," Ryn continued. "If you bring her back, it won't matter. They'll see her as a threat."
Damon's eyes hardened. "Then I'll fight them, too, if I have to."
Ryn studied him for a long moment, then shook his head. "You're a damn fool, Damon."
"I know."
"But I'll come with you," Ryn said. "You'll need someone watching your back."
Damon looked up, gratitude flickering in his eyes. "Thank you."
The forest was alive with shadows and whispers as Damon and Ryn slipped through the trees. The moonlight filtered through the canopy above, casting silver streaks across the ground. Every sound set Damon on edge—a crack of a branch, the rustle of leaves—but he pressed on.
They moved silently, their footsteps muffled by the soft earth. As they approached the border of Kai's territory, the air grew heavier, charged with an unspoken threat.
Ryn held up a hand, signaling for them to stop.
"Are you sure about this?" he whispered.
Damon didn't answer right away. His eyes scanned the dark expanse ahead, his mind focused on one thing: Lyra.
"I have to be," he said finally.
Ryn nodded and drew his blade. "Let's hope she's worth it."
The scent of smoke reached them first. Damon's heart raced as he crept closer, the faint glow of a fire visible through the trees.
They stopped at the edge of the clearing. Damon's breath caught in his throat when he saw her.
Lyra sat by the fire, her face lit by its soft glow. Her posture was tense, her eyes distant. She looked like she was carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.
Kai stood beside her, his imposing figure casting a long shadow over the camp. Damon's blood boiled at the sight of him.
"Stay here," Damon whispered to Ryn.
Before Ryn could argue, Damon stepped into the clearing.
"Kai!" he called, his voice ringing out.
Kai turned sharply, his silver eyes narrowing. Lyra stood as well, her expression shifting from surprise to something unreadable.
"Well, well," Kai said, his tone dripping with mockery. "Look who's decided to pay a visit."
Damon ignored him, his gaze fixed on Lyra. "I need to talk to you," he said, his voice firm. "Alone."
Kai laughed, a cold, humorless sound. "You think you can just walk in here and—"
"I'll go," Lyra interrupted, her voice cutting through the tension.
Kai's eyes flashed with anger. "No, you won't."
Lyra turned to him, her jaw set. "You don't control me, Kai."
Before either of them could say more, a low growl echoed through the forest. Damon tensed, his hand instinctively reaching for his weapon.
Kai's eyes darkened. "You led them here," he said, his voice low and dangerous.
Damon turned to see a pack of wolves emerging from the trees. Their eyes glowed in the dim light, their snarls filling the air.
Ryn stepped into the clearing, his blade drawn. "We've got company."
The leader of the pack stepped forward, his gaze locked on Lyra. "She doesn't belong here," he said, his voice cold. "We're taking her."
Kai moved to stand in front of her, his body tense. "You'll have to go through me first."
The wolves snarled, and the clearing erupted into chaos. Damon's heart pounded as he fought to protect Lyra, but the pack was relentless.
In the chaos, Damon caught a glimpse of Lyra's face. She was fighting, too, her movements sharp and determined. For a moment, their eyes met, and Damon saw a flicker of something—anger, hurt, maybe even hope.
But before he could reach her, a massive wolf lunged at him, forcing him to the ground. As he struggled to fend off the attack
, a single thought burned in his mind: I can't lose her again.