Chapter 173

Lyra's POV

I stood frozen in Kassak's office, my body turned to stone as Riley's words hung in the air like poison.

"Kill him."

Those two simple words seemed to echo against the walls, each repetition stealing another breath from my lungs. The coldness in her voice, the casual way she demanded the death of an innocent child—Theo's death—made my blood run cold.

Riley's eyes, fixed on Kassak, burned with hatred so pure it seemed to radiate heat. "That woman's spawn has no place among us," she continued, her voice dripping with venom. "The child of our enemy cannot live."

A shiver ran down my spine as I watched Kassak's expression. Something flickered across his face—hesitation, perhaps, a momentary struggle against Riley's influence through their mate bond. His jaw tightened, and for a terrible moment, I thought he might agree.

"No!" The word burst from my lips before I could stop it, my voice shaking but determined. "He's just a baby!"

Riley's head snapped toward me, her eyes narrowing dangerously. She looked at me as if just remembering I was still in the room, like I was nothing more than an insect that had dared to make noise in her presence.

"Your opinion wasn't requested, soldier," she spat, dismissing me with a flick of her wrist. She turned back to Kassak, pressing against him possessively. "Kill him, my love. This is Freya's child—our enemy's blood flows in his veins."

Leona growled deep inside me, hackles raised at the threat to a pup we had claimed as our own. The sound almost escaped my throat, but I swallowed it down, knowing it would only make things worse.

Kassak raised his hand, silencing Riley with a gesture that carried the weight of his Alpha power. "The pup still has use," he said, his voice cool and measured. "He can serve as leverage in negotiations with Moonshade, or bait to lure Freya into a trap."

Riley's face contorted with displeasure, but she didn't argue further. Instead, she stepped back, a calculating look replacing her initial rage. "Fine. Keep him alive—for now."

Her gaze slid to me, cold as winter frost. "Watch him closely, Lyra. Don't let him disappear." The threat behind her words was unmistakable.

I nodded stiffly, not trusting myself to speak. Every instinct screamed at me to run—to grab Theo and flee as far as possible from this place.

"You're dismissed," Kassak said, already turning away from me.

I backed out of the office, maintaining my composure until the heavy door closed behind me. Only then did I allow myself to take a full breath, my heart hammering against my ribs like it wanted to escape my chest.

My legs carried me through the main building on autopilot, every muscle tense and ready to spring. I forced myself not to run, though Leona urged me to move faster. Running would draw attention. I needed to appear calm, unaffected by what had just happened.

As I crossed the compound, I noticed changes that had escaped my attention before. Near the food distribution center, a line of pregnant females waited for their rations, their faces drawn with hunger. One of them—Mara, who was six months along—looked gaunt, her cheekbones too prominent for a wolf carrying a pup.

A warrior I'd trained with for years passed me, leaning close as we crossed paths. "Luna has ordered all decisions not directly related to Alpha to go through her for approval now," he whispered, his expression grim. "The council of elders has been suspended."

I nodded my thanks for the information and continued walking, my mind racing. Riley wasn't just after Theo—she was systematically weakening the entire pack. Rovak had been right.

When I finally reached my quarters, I pushed the door open to find Theo sitting up in his small bed, chewing contentedly on a wooden toy. The moment he saw me, his face lit up with a smile so bright it pierced straight through my fear.

"Lywa!" he called, reaching his small arms toward me. His voice was surprisingly clear for a child his age—I'd noticed how Theo seemed to develop faster than other wolf cubs I'd seen.

In just the short time he'd been with me, he'd grown noticeably and had already begun forming simple syllables when most wolf pups his age would barely be making coherent sounds. Something about him—perhaps his unique heritage—made him special in ways I was still discovering.

I crossed the room in three strides and scooped him up, holding him close against my chest. His small body was warm, solid, real. His little hands immediately tangled in my hair, tugging gently as he always did when excited.

"I've got you," I whispered, tears spilling down my cheeks before I could stop them. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you. I swear it."

I pulled back just enough to look at his face—those round cheeks, the golden flecks in his eyes that flashed when he was happy. As if sensing my distress, he reached out with one chubby hand and patted my wet cheek, then made a small growling sound that was his attempt at comforting me. Despite everything, I found myself smiling.

I sat by the window with Theo in my lap, watching as he drifted off to sleep, his small chest rising and falling with each breath. Outside, the compound was growing dark, shadows lengthening across the training grounds.

Everything I thought I knew had been a lie. Kassak, whom I had served loyally for years, had ordered the death of our child. The pack I had devoted my life to was falling under the control of a woman who was deliberately weakening us from within. And now, this innocent child was in danger simply because of who his parents were.

"My child's life has already paid your debt, Kassak," I whispered into the gathering darkness. "We're even now."

My decision crystallized, hardening like steel in my heart. I would not let Theo suffer the same fate as my own child. I would not stand by while Riley destroyed everything around her. I had to get Theo to safety.

But first, I needed Rovak. He knew Riley's true nature, and despite his injuries, he was still one of the strongest fighters in the pack. More importantly, I'd seen the way he looked at me, the guilt and something else in his eyes when he'd confessed. He would help us.

I began gathering supplies, moving silently around my small quarters. I created a special sling that would allow me to carry Theo against my body even in wolf form. It was an old design, something the warrior mothers in our pack had used for generations during emergencies.

After checking that Theo was still sleeping soundly, I moved to the window and studied the compound layout. The dungeon where Rovak was being held was on the eastern side, with two guards posted at the entrance and likely one patrolling the cells. The guard rotation happened every four hours, with a brief window of only a few minutes during the changeover at midnight.

That would be our chance.