Chapter 41
Chapter 41
+25 Points
Trisha had joined them for breakfast, and afterwards, Donovan appeared, asking to read more of the journals. Lyra was genuinely surprised to see him venture out to the packhouse without anyone prompting him.
They settled into Megan’s sitting room, each of them absorbed in their own task. Donovan and Lyra with journals in hand, while Trisha painted Megan’s nails. Russ showed up not long after, searching for his mate but instead launching into a rant about the strategy meeting that neither Callan nor Jake had attended.
“Christian said he was going to get Jake,” Russ complained, “but the either.”
ver came back
“You can run those meetings in your sleep,” Trisha muttered from where she sat cross–legged on the floor, carefully painting Megan’s toenails. “You’re always saying what a waste of time they are anyway.”
“Yeah, but if my time has to be wasted, so should theirs,” he retorted.
Lyra barely looked up from the journal she was flipping through. So many of Mary’s entries were mundane, notes on what she’d cooked, random thoughts, anecdotes about Lyra as a baby. Apparently, Lyra had been a colicky infant, and Lyle had a habit of pretending he couldn’t smell dirty diapers to avoid changing them.
There was little of value when it came to what Mary actually was, or what secret Christian and Drew were guarding. Donovan had told her it was much the same in the journals he’d already read. Vague references to auras or colored mists, but nothing explained. Mary hadn’t been writing to leave behind answers; she’d been trying to make sense of things for herself.
Still, it stirred something in Lyra. She barely remembered her mother, and these journals, even in their aimlessness, gave her a glimpse into a woman she’d only ever known through fragmented memories and stories.
The elevator doors slid open. Lyra didn’t need to look to know it was Jake. His scent reached her first, warm and grounding, but the tension in it made her chest tighten. She twisted in her chair and spotted Callan just a step behind him.
“She’s painting your nails again,” Callan muttered to Megan with a dramatic eye roll.
“She’s pampering me,” Megan replied smugly. “Like the queen I am.”
Callan rolled his eyes again but leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead.
1/5
< Chapter 41
+25 Points
Lyra watched as Jake crossed the room toward her. His eyes were dark, his posture taut. Without a word, he scooped her up and sank into the chair with her in his lap.
“How’s the reading going?” he murmured, brushing his lips lightly against her neck.
“Nothing of real interest,” she replied, trying to keep her voice steady despite the way her skin tingled under his touch. “Saw your dad a little while ago.”
Jake tensed. “He mentioned. Was he respectful?”
“He was.” She shrugged. “Mostly.”
“Glad to see you two are ok after abandoning me this morning,” Russ to let it go.
learly not ready
Jake rolled his eyes. “You’re fine. You always are. You could run those meetings in your sleep.”
Trisha gave Russ a look, and he stuck out his tongue at her like a child.
“What was so important that you had to miss it?” he asked, pushing his red curls off his forehead.
“Witches,” Callan answered, settling onto the couch beside him.
“Witches?” Lyra echoed, her brow furrowing.
Callan explained the patrol, the scent trail, and finally the scroll. Jake pulled the animal hide from his pocket and passed it to Lyra. Her stomach twisted as she read it, then handed it off.
“Half–breed?” Donovan scoffed. “Even the witches are using that tired insult? You’d think a magical society could get more creative.”
“I don’t get it,” Russ said, reading it over again. “Why would witches care about Lyra and Donovan? They’re half–human. That doesn’t exactly scream ‘threat.”
A heavy silence fell over the room.
“We’re clearly missing something,” Trisha said finally, shaking her head and turning back to Megan’s fingernails.
“Seriously.” Russ looked around. “What are we missing?”
Lyra held up her journal. “That’s why we need to go through all of these and why we can’t keep them at the house.” She filled them in on everything she and Donovan had pieced together so far.
2/5
0:
< Chapter 41
+25 Points
“Well, you’re way more interesting than I ever thought,” Russ said when she finished. “This is movie–level mystery stuff.”
“Glad to be so entertaining,” she muttered.
“You’ve got to bring something to the table.” He shrugged, smirking.
She laughed despite herself.
“Holly’s coming over tomorrow,” Megan announced.
“My mom?” Callan raised a brow.
Megan nodded. “She knows what Mary Hart was. So do Jake’s and P’s parents. Surely someone will talk.”
Callan scoffed. “My mom won’t. She won’t go against my dad.”
“Maybe.” Megan shrugged. “I thought I might find a way to bring it up… gently.”
“You have the subtlety of an elephant on roller skates,” Russ said dryly.
Donovan snorted as Megan glared at them all.
“Best of luck,” Callan muttered. “Let me know what time, so I can be somewhere else.”
“If my dad calls, I’ll ask,” Russ offered. “But he probably forgot I exist. You know how he is. Out of sight, out of mind.”
Lyra frowned. Royce was a kind man, but scatterbrained didn’t even begin to cover it. How Russ ended up functional was anyone’s guess.
“You need to shift today,” Jake whispered against her neck. “Before lunch.”
She nodded, her stomach knotting at the thought. The last shift had left her raw, unsettled.
“I got the wolfsbane for you,” Russ added, his expression serious. “It’s in my office if you want it.”
“Wonderful,” Lyra muttered.
**
Jake led her into the woods behind the training center. The clearing wasn’t far, and on the way, he stopped in Russ’s wing to retrieve a small black container. Inside was a single measured dose of wolfsbane, just in case.
The sight of it sent a cold shiver down her spine.
3/5
< Chapter 41
+25 Points
By the time they reached the clearing, Lyra’s nerves were frayed. Her hands trembled. Her mouth was dry. A faint sheen of sweat clung to her brow, even in the cool air.
Jake pulled her close. “It’s okay,” he murmured into her hair. “You’ve got more energy today. We’re prepared. I’ve got you.”
She nodded, trying to absorb his calm into herself. Slowly, he stepped back, setting the container on the ground and tugging off his shirt.
Lyra stripped quickly, her fingers stiff. She didn’t wait for encouragement. She dropped to the ground and closed her eyes.
Jake knelt beside her, brushing her hair from her face. “Whenever you ready.”
ก
sitation. The pain
She sank into herself, releasing control. Juno surged forward with came, sharp and deep, but it was cleaner now, less jagged. Her bones shifted, her spine bent, but she didn’t lose herself to the agony. This time, she endured it.
When Juno stood, Jake smiled. “Hey there, beautiful,” he said, stroking her fur. “That one wasn’t so bad, huh?”
Juno licked his chin in reply, making him laugh.
Jake shifted in turn. Rome bounded into the clearing, and they took off together. Juno ran freely, but carefully, mindful not to push too hard. She didn’t want to lose control again. Not in front of him.
They hunted, played, and even splashed through a stream, soaking their coats and sending water flying.
After an hour, they returned. Juno sat quietly while Rome shifted back. Jake dressed quickly, picked up the container, and sat before her.
“Whenever you’re ready,” he said, turning the case over in his hands. “But I’d really rather not use this.”
Lyra took a breath and braced herself.
The shift back came smoother this time. It still hurt, but not as deeply. She felt more present. More herself. As soon as it was over, Jake gathered her into his arms and kissed her face over and over.
“Thank the Goddess,” he whispered against her skin, finally capturing her mouth.
“I think it’s getting easier,” she said, breathless.
4/5
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425 Points
He pressed his forehead to hers, his fingers brushing down her cheek. “Good. That means you’re getting stronger. That’s exactly what we need.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
