Lyra woke in the middle of the night, her thoughts turning over and over in her mind. Someone had gone to great lengths to keep her from learning what her mother truly was. Someone wanted those journals. Someone wanted to bury the truth and push her out of this pack.
But with each passing day, Lyra felt more certain that she couldn’t just walk away from Jake.
He had nearly marked her the night before. She had felt his teeth graze her marking spot, his desire crackling through the bond like wildfire. Juno had been all but begging and whimpering in her head. And the scariest part was Lyra had wanted it moment, she had wanted him to claim her. The thought had filled her with
it, pacing
st for a
.ch and hope.
But almost as quickly, the fear followed. Once marked, rejection would be more than emotional. It would be physical. Tangible. Nearly impossible.
Thankfully, Jake had pulled away, clearly fighting for control. She had felt a mix of relief and disappointment, both emotions tangling tightly in her chest.
It amazed her, how two opposite feelings could coexist so completely.
Now, she rolled onto her side, watching Jake sleep in the soft moonlight that filtered through the curtains. His jaw was slack, his face relaxed, free of the tension he carried all day. He looked younger like this. Like the boy she remembered from long ago. Loud, brash, cocky, always quick to laugh.
She didn’t want to hide anything from him. Jake had been nothing but open and sincere with her since she’d returned, and she liked the honesty between them. She wanted to keep that
trust.
But this was bigger than them.
She had to find the truth. About her mother. About herself. And the only person who might have real answers was the witch Dylan had told her about.
It was dangerous. She would have to go alone. And she couldn’t tell Jake.
If he found out…
She shivered. He’d be furious. Rightfully so. But she couldn’t risk him stopping her, not when this might be the only chance she had to understand her mother.
**
1/4
< Chapter 48
Lyra woke to an empty bed and a note on the nightstand, scrawled in Jake’s familiar handwriting.
Early meetings all day. I’ll be gone until dinner. Miss you already.
+25 Points
She traced the curve of his signature with her fingertip. She didn’t like the idea of not seeing him until the evening, but if she was being honest, it worked perfectly for her plan.
She dressed quickly and quietly, pulling on comfortable clothes and slipping her hair into a braid. The first thing she did was head to the hospital to find Dylan Rockwell.
He didn’t look surprised to see her.
After a brief conversation in a quiet hallway, he gave her the information
Jed. Where
to go. Who she was meeting. The exact spot in the forest just beyond neutia ground.
But his expression had turned grave. “Lyra,” he said quietly, “I’m serious. Don’t tell anyone. Not even the Alpha.”
Lyra nodded, her stomach tight with nerves. “I understand.”
That was how she now found herself slipping into the woods behind the packhouse when she should have been walking toward the training fields. She moved with quiet, deliberate steps, the trees swallowing her whole as she crossed the boundary lines.
The air felt different here. Heavier. Still.
She didn’t know exactly what she expected from the witch, but she knew one thing for sure. She was about to cross a line there would be no easy return from.
Lyra found a spot in the woods and carefully stripped her clothes, slipping them into the bag she had brought. She inhaled slowly, closing her eyes for a moment, listening to the trees around her. Birds chirped softly. Squirrels scurried about. Bugs danced and buzzed in the air. She hadn’t shifted by herself in a long time, not in over three years. She knew that the only way to get to the place Dylan had described was to shift, but the thought of shifting without Jake to help was terrifying.
We can do this, Juno said soothingly. Trust me. Trust yourself.
Lyra listened to Juno, sitting down on the ground and slowly letting herself sink back. Juno surged forward taking over the shift. Pain hit her, white hot and sharp, as her bones began to snap and reform. She focused on breathing, imagining that Jake was sitting beside her, speaking to her gently like he always did. It was slow, but the shift was happening as her body slowly reformed until finally Juno took shape.
2/4
<Chapter 48
I told you we could do it, Juno cheered, stretching her back.
+25 Points
She took off through the trees, her coat a blur of gray as she moved silently through the underbrush.
It felt good to run by herself. Freeing even.
Lyra had been terrified to venture into the woods by herself for most of her life, but suddenly she was there, Juno darting along through the trees, the wind whipping in her fur. The air smelled fresh, like pine and dirt and a hint of lavender.
Eventually she reached the marker that Dylan had described: a hollowed tree base, with a swirl of moss that grew up one side like ivy. Juno paced over, s
tree.
C
near the
round the
The smell was distinct, though Lyra realized she had never actually smelled it before. But she knew it instinctively. A sharp acrid smell. Witches.
Juno started the shift and Lyra took over. This one went even smoother than the last and Lyra was thrilled to find that the shifting was, in fact, becoming easier.
She quickly dressed and then stood, looking around.
The air was different here. It felt… aware.
Lyra turned slowly, her skin prickling.
You’re being watched.
The thought came unbidden, but she could feel it, like the eyes watching her carried a certain weight. She sniffed the air but all she smelled was dirt, pine and that lavender scent again.
She shook her head. It was probably a fox. Or a racoon. She adjusted her shirt and looked around.
She spotted a small rock outcropping that matched Dylan’s description. Beneath it was a narrow passage that led down into the hill. Stone steps, older than she could guess, worn smooth by time, disappeared into the shadows.
This was it.
Swallowing her fear, she approached the passage, feeling the weight of unseen eyes following her every step. Her pulse pounded in her ears as she placed one foot on the first stone.
Then the second.
< Chapter 48
+25 Points
The light above her dimmed as she descended, and the earthy scent of moss and damp stone grew stronger. Somewhere below, a faint flicker of candlelight danced across the stone
walls.
Someone was waiting for her.
And Lyra was finally ready to find out what they knew.
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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.
