The first hint of danger came on a quiet morning as the fortress began to stir with the bustle of daily life. Lyra was in the forest just outside the pack's borders, gathering herbs for Maelis. The fresh scent of pine and wildflowers filled the air, and the early sunlight filtered through the trees, warming the earth beneath her feet.
She had almost started to feel a rhythm to her life here—cautiously settling into the dynamics of the Midnight Crown pack, her wariness of Kaelen softening into something tentative but solid. Yet, she could never shake the sense of being watched, of unseen eyes following her every move. It was a paranoia that she attributed to her past, to the scars left by her rejection and ostracization.
But today, the feeling was different. Sharper. More immediate.
Lyra froze, the weight of the herbs in her basket suddenly forgotten. Her wolf stirred uneasily, her senses prickling as the forest's familiar hum faded into an unnatural silence. The chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves were replaced by the faint crunch of footsteps—steady, deliberate, and too far away to belong to a Midnight Crown patrol.
She slowly crouched, her hand brushing the handle of the small blade she carried for foraging. Her heartbeat quickened, her wolf poised to shift at the slightest hint of danger. Whoever it was, they weren't making an effort to conceal their approach, which meant they were confident—or reckless.
Then she caught the scent. Acrid, unfamiliar, and undeniably human.
Hunters.
It had been years since Lyra had last encountered humans who hunted werewolves, and she had hoped she'd never face them again. Her old pack had taught her to fear the hunters, to avoid human territories and never risk exposing her wolf. But something about these humans felt different—more organized, more determined.
Lyra pressed herself against the trunk of a tree, her heart pounding as the footsteps grew louder. She peeked out cautiously, her breath hitching as she spotted two figures moving through the underbrush. They were dressed in dark, practical clothing, their movements precise and purposeful. One of them carried a crossbow slung over his shoulder, while the other had what looked like a net laced with faintly glowing runes.
"Are you sure she's here?" one of them asked, his voice low but clear.
"Positive," the other replied. "The reports are consistent—there's a wolf with strange healing abilities in these woods. If we bring her in, she could be worth more than all the others combined."
Lyra's blood ran cold. They were looking for her. The whispers and rumors that had followed her from the forest had reached the wrong ears, and now the hunters were here to claim their prize.
She clenched her fists, her wolf growling softly in the back of her mind. She needed to get back to the fortress, to warn Kaelen and the others. But the hunters were too close, and she knew she wouldn't make it without drawing their attention.
Lyra took a slow, steady breath, her thoughts racing. She had spent years running, hiding, and avoiding confrontation. But now, she wasn't just protecting herself—she was protecting the pack that had given her shelter, even if she still wasn't sure she belonged. She couldn't let the hunters find their way to the Midnight Crown.
Her decision made, Lyra stepped out from behind the tree, keeping her wolf in check as she faced the hunters. Their eyes snapped to her immediately, their expressions a mix of surprise and triumph.
"Well, well," the one with the crossbow said, a smug grin spreading across his face. "You saved us the trouble of looking."
Lyra's lips curled into a faint, defiant smile. "You should have stayed lost."
Before they could react, she shifted, her wolf taking over in a blur of silver fur and sharp claws. She leapt at the hunter with the net, her powerful jaws snapping inches from his face as he stumbled back in shock. The other raised his crossbow, but Lyra was faster, darting into the shadows before he could aim.
The forest became a battlefield, the hunters shouting orders as they tried to pin her down. But Lyra knew the terrain better than they did, and she used it to her advantage, weaving through the trees and striking from unexpected angles. Her wolf reveled in the fight, the adrenaline surging through her veins like fire.
But she couldn't keep this up forever. The hunters were relentless, and she was only one wolf against two highly trained opponents. As she lunged for the crossbow again, a sharp pain shot through her side, and she realized too late that the net was now tangled around her body.
The runes glowed faintly as the net tightened, sapping her strength and forcing her to shift back into her human form. Lyra collapsed to the ground, her breaths coming in ragged gasps as the hunters closed in.
"Not so tough now, are you?" the first hunter sneered, his crossbow aimed directly at her.
Lyra glared up at him, her fists clenched even as her body betrayed her. She refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing her fear.
A low growl rumbled through the forest, sending a chill down the hunters' spines. The sound grew louder, deeper, until it was joined by the unmistakable thud of heavy footsteps. Lyra's heart leapt as Kaelen emerged from the shadows, his wolf form towering and menacing. Behind him, several of his warriors closed in, their eyes glowing with the promise of retribution.
The hunters hesitated, their bravado faltering as they realized they were outnumbered. Kaelen shifted back into his human form, his silver eyes blazing with fury as he stepped between Lyra and the hunters.
"If you value your lives," he said, his voice cold and unyielding, "you'll leave. Now."
The hunters exchanged a panicked glance before dropping their weapons and retreating into the forest. Kaelen watched them go, his gaze hard and unrelenting until he was sure they were gone.
He turned to Lyra, his expression softening as he knelt beside her. "Are you hurt?"
Lyra shook her head, though her body trembled with exhaustion. "I'm fine," she said quietly. "I didn't want them to find the pack."
Kaelen's jaw tightened, a mix of anger and admiration flickering in his eyes. "You're brave," he said. "But you don't have to fight alone. Not anymore."