Lyra woke to sunlight streaming through the cream curtains, casting a golden glow across the room. She felt fingers on her arms and blinked to find Jake carefully examining her wrists. They looked perfectly normal from her view. While there had been some redness last night, everything had faded. There had been no pain.
“It’s fine, Jake,” she murmured, gently tugging her hands from his grip.
He looked up at her, his expression pained. “I didn’t want to hurt you again.”
She leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his collarbone. “You didn’t hurt me. I liked it. I was one hundred and ten percent fine with it. I would’ve told you if I wasn’t.”
He sighed, pulling her tightly into his chest. “I know. But after the other day…”
Lyra propped her chin on his chest so she could look into his eyes. “This wasn’t like the other day.
It’s different.”
He nodded slowly. “If you ever want me to stop, just use my full name. Jacob, not Jake. I’ll know you mean it, no questions asked. Okay?”
She gave a small smile. “Okay, Jacob.”
He grinned and rolled her beneath him. She felt the hard press of him against her and wiggled her hips with a sly smirk, earning a low growl in return.
He rutted against her, pressing his forehead to hers as heat spread through her chest.
“Jake?” she whispered.
“Yeah,” he breathed, brushing his lips over hers.
A knock at the door interrupted them. He sighed, dropping his face to her neck.
“That would be Callan.”
She frowned. “Why do you say that?”
“He’s been trying to mindlink me for the last half hour, and I’ve been ignoring him.” Jake pushed off the bed with a groan. “He doesn’t take it well.”
Jake crossed the room wearing only a pair of gray sweats that hung low on his hips. He opened the door just wide enough to block the view into the room.
“I wouldn’t have mindlinked if it wasn’t important,” Callan grumbled.
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“I’ve been busy,” Jake replied, leaning lazily against the frame.
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Lyra heard Callan scoff. “Yeah, I can smell Lyra all over you. I’m pretty sure I know what kind of busy‘ you’ve been.”
“What do you need, Beta?” Jake’s tone turned sharp.
“We need to talk. Patrols found something this morning. It’s… concerning.”
Jake’s back went rigid. “What did they find?”
Callan hesitated. “Is she awake? Can she hear me?”
“Yes,” Lyra called from the bed. Jake glanced over his shoulder, the corner of his mouth quirking up
in a smirk.
“Not trying to hide anything,” Callan said with a sigh. “But I’d prefer to talk privately.”
Jake looked at her again, and she gave a small shrug. “I’ll go find Megan and get some breakfast.”
“Let me get changed,” Jake told Callan, closing the door firmly.
**
Lyra dressed quickly and stepped out into the hall, still smoothing her shirt when the elevator dinged. The doors slid open and Christian walked out.
She froze. He did too.
His expression shifted in an instant, from surprise to something unreadable.
“Lyra.” His voice was even and polite. “Good morning.”
“Good morning, sir,” she replied quickly, her heart rate picking up speed.
He looked from her to the door behind her and back, his eyes narrowing slightly. “I see you’re… making yourself comfortable.”
She forced a thin smile. “Just heading to breakfast with Megan.”
“Of course.” He gave a curt nod. There was a pause. His mouth opened like he meant to say more, then closed again. “You look well,” he said finally. “I hear you’re training now. That’s good to hear.”
It was so unexpected, she blinked. “Thank you.”
“Jake insists you’re tough,” he added. “If you’re anything like your father…” He trailed off, his brow pinching slightly.
She nodded, unsure what to say.
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Christian glanced toward the door. “Jake’s supposed to be in a strategy meeting this morning.”
“He’s with Callan. Something about the patrols.”
“Mm.” His tone turned clipped. “I’m sure it’s all very urgent.”
Lyra didn’t answer. She shifted her weight from foot to foot. She could almost see it. An energy swirling around Christian, something dark and heavy.
His jaw ticked. “I imagine it’s been a strange homecoming.”
Lyra scoffed softly. “That’s one way to put it.”
“You were always… different,” he said carefully. “Even before Donovan was born. Your parents believed you were special. Gifted.” He blinked. “You look so much like your mother.”
His eyes met hers and held.
“I hope Jake’s right,” he said quietly. “That you really are tough. Things could get difficult… for all of
us.”
Lyra’s stomach twisted. “I’m not here to cause trouble.”
“No,” he said quickly. “I don’t doubt that. But trouble seems to follow you. And Jake… he isn’t
immune to it.”
Christian looked away, his forehead creasing. “He has responsibilities,” he said firmly. “A pack to protect. A legacy to uphold.”
“I’m not a threat to that.”
He turned back to her, studying her face. “I wish that were true.”
Then, as if remembering himself, he gave a faint smile. “Enjoy your breakfast, Lyra.”
With a nod that somehow felt final, he walked past her and down the corridor toward Jake’s office.
Lyra stood there, her chest tight and her pulse racing, unsure of what had just happened.
**
Megan was just slipping on a pair of sandals when Lyra arrived on her floor. She looked up as Lyra stepped off the elevator, her eyes lighting up.
“There you are! I was just about to come find you.”
Lyra offered a faint smile, still feeling uneasy. “Sorry. Got held up.”
Megan narrowed her eyes. “Held up how?”
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“Christian,” Lyra said simply, leaning against the wall. “Ran into him outside Jake’s room.”
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Megan raised a brow as she walked toward her. “And how was that? Civilized? Awkward? Tense as
hell?”
Lyra nodded. “All of the above.”
Megan touched her arm gently. “You okay?”
“I don’t know.” Lyra turned to hit the button for the elevator, which opened right away. “He was… polite. Supportive, kind of. Then cold. Then vaguely threatening.” The doors slid shut, and Megan pressed the button for the ground floor. “I think he meant well? Or at least he thought he did. But it was like every sentence had a hook in it.”
“Ah, classic Christian. The man who can make a compliment sound like a veiled threat.”
Lyra closed her eyes as the elevator shuddered. “I thought he hated me. But then he mentioned my mom. Said I looked like her. Told me he hoped Jake was right about me being strong.”
The doors opened, and they stepped out into the main lobby.
“That’s not nothing,” Megan said softly, glancing around to make sure no one was nearby. “He was your dad’s best friend, right? I know it’s messy, but part of him probably wants to believe in you. He’s just… unsure. And Drew’s probably making it worse.”
Lyra winced. “He said trouble follows me. That Jake isn’t immune to it.”
Megan’s eyes flashed. “Jake’s a grown–ass man who can make his own choices. He’s the alpha of this whole damn pack. Christian needs to remember that.”
Lyra smiled despite herself. “You’re very loyal.”
“To my friends? Always.”
They started walking toward the dining hall, the early morning light casting soft gold through the tall windows. The tension in Lyra’s chest began to ease, just a little.
“You’re not trouble, Lyra,” Megan said after a moment. “But you are different from other people, and that makes them nervous. Things they don’t fully understand tend to unsettle them.”
Lyra glanced at her. “Does it make you nervous?”
Megan rolled her eyes. “You don’t scare me. I’ve watched you cry when Mufasa died in The Lion
King.”
Lyra gasped. “That was the saddest scene ever.”
Megan laughed, and Lyra joined in, the sound cutting through the heaviness that had settled in her
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chest.
“Come on,” Megan grinned. “Let’s eat before someone gives us another crisis to deal with.”
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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.
