Damon's heart pounded in his chest as the wolf's jaws snapped inches from his face. The stench of blood and fur filled his nostrils, and the sound of claws scraping against the earth was deafening. He gritted his teeth, throwing everything he had into pushing the massive creature off of him. The wolf growled a sound that made Damon's blood run cold, but he didn't have time to think. He just had to survive.
His fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword, and with a grunt, he shoved the wolf away just enough to get his feet beneath him. It was no use; the creature was too strong. With one final push, Damon tried to roll away, but the wolf lunged, sinking its teeth into his arm. Pain exploded through him, but he didn't cry out. He couldn't. Not when he was this close to losing everything.
Before the wolf could strike again, a flash of silver cut through the air. Ryn's sword found its mark, striking the beast in the side. The wolf howled in pain, but it collapsed, its body going limp against Damon's.
"Don't just lie there," Ryn growled, pulling Damon to his feet.
Damon staggered, his arm throbbing from the bite. "I was handling it."
"Sure, you were," Ryn muttered, clearly unconvinced. "Let's go. There's more of them coming."
Damon's vision blurred for a moment as he tried to catch his breath. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, glancing around at the chaos unfolding before him. The air was thick with the sounds of wolves and men fighting, but it wasn't just the battle that was on Damon's mind—it was her.
Lyra.
He had to find her. Had to make sure she was safe.
The noise of the battle seemed to fade as Damon spotted her across the clearing. She was surrounded by two wolves, both much larger than her, their yellow eyes locked on her as she fought them off with a branch. Her movements were swift and graceful, but Damon could see the exhaustion in her eyes. She wasn't as strong as she used to be.
Without thinking, Damon pushed forward, charging through the chaos toward her. He barely noticed the wolf that lunged at him, but he wasn't quick enough to avoid it. The beast's claws raked across his chest, leaving deep scratches.
Ryn stepped in, his blade flashing as he cut down the wolf before it could do more damage. "You owe me," he muttered, shaking off the blood.
Damon didn't answer. He couldn't afford to. His focus was entirely on Lyra.
When he reached her, she was backed up against a tree, struggling to keep one of the wolves at bay. She looked over at him, her eyes widening in surprise.
"You're late," she said, her voice strained but still sharp.
Damon didn't have time for words. He grabbed the wolf by its hind legs and yanked it off her, throwing it several feet away. The creature growled but didn't get up right away.
"Go," Damon said, pulling Lyra to her feet. "Get out of here."
But she didn't move. She stood there, staring at him with a coldness in her eyes.
"I don't need you to save me," she said quietly.
Damon's heart sank. "I'm not trying to save you. I'm trying to bring you home."
Before she could respond, the second wolf charged at them again. Damon barely had time to pull Lyra out of the way before it lunged. He swung his sword, and the wolf fell, its blood spilling onto the ground.
Kai, having fought his way through the battle, appeared beside them. His eyes, glowing with power, were fixed on Damon.
"What are you doing here?" Kai's voice was low and dangerous.
Damon didn't hesitate. "I came for her."
Lyra turned to Kai, her expression unreadable. "Don't. Not now."
Kai, seemingly unfazed, stepped closer to Damon. "You can't just take her back. She's made her choice."
Damon swallowed hard, his voice thick with emotion. "You think this is a choice for her? Do you think she wants this?"
Lyra's eyes flicked to Damon, but she didn't speak. The silence between them was unbearable.
"You're wasting your time," Kai said, his voice as cold as stone. "She's with me now. She stays with me."
Damon's hands clenched into fists at his sides. "I'm not leaving without her."
Kai stepped even closer, his imposing presence making Damon feel smaller than he cared to admit. "Then you'll be leaving without anything. Leave now, and I'll let you walk away. Stay, and I'll make sure you regret it."
Damon's chest tightened. He looked at Lyra, searching her face for something—anything—that would tell him she wanted to go with him. But she just stood there, her arms crossed, her gaze distant.
He finally turned and walked away, but it wasn't easy. Every step felt like a betrayal.
The journey back was silent. Damon's heart weighed heavy in his chest as he and Ryn walked through the darkened forest. The pain from his injuries barely registered—he was too lost in thought to care about his wounds.
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" Ryn asked, his voice cutting through the silence.
Damon didn't answer.
Ryn sighed. "If you think you can go back there and change her mind, you're wrong."
Damon's eyes remained ahead, his mind elsewhere. "I'll figure it out."
Ryn didn't push it. They walked in silence until they reached the border of their territory. The enforcers, a silent, towering presence, stepped aside as they crossed.
"Tell Kai this isn't over," Damon said, his voice low.
The enforcer eyed him warily but didn't respond.
Damon didn't care. He had to get back to his tribe, to regroup. But the thought of Lyra, alone in Kai's territory, gnawed at him.
Back in the heart of Kai's domain, Lyra stood on the edge of the clearing, her eyes lost in the darkness. The howl of wolves echoed in the distance, sending a shiver down her spine. She didn't know what she felt anymore.
She had made her choice, hadn't she? She'd chosen Kai, chosen this new path, this new life.
But why did it feel like something was still missing?
A rustle of leaves behind her broke her train of thought. She didn't have to turn to know it was Kai.
"You didn't have to let them go," he said, his voice smooth but filled with something she couldn't quite read.
Lyra didn't respond, just kept her eyes fixed on the horizon.
Kai stepped closer, his presence casting a shadow over her. "They'll be back."
"I know," she replied quietly, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Then you'll have to make your choice, Lyra." His words were sharp, but there was an edge of something else beneath them.
She turned to face him, her expression hard. "I already have."
Kai studied her for a long moment before nodding, as if accepting her answer. But something in his eyes made her uneasy, and she couldn't shake the feeling that things weren't as they seemed.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Kai said.
"I do," Lyra said, but even as the words left her mouth, she wasn't sure she believed them.
In the distance, Damon watched from the shadows, his eyes locked on Lyra's figure. She hadn't looked back. Not once.
He knew he couldn't leave her like this—not when he still had a chance to fix things. Not when he had to bring her home.
This isn't over, he thought to himself, his jaw set in deter
mination.
He wasn't going to lose her again.
Not like this.