Chapter 47 All about Lyra
~ Taren's POV ~
The first thing I did after being released was go into the privacy of my room and take a long, lingering shower. The hot water beat down on my skin, washing away the sweat, the tension, and the heavy residue of fear that had clung to me for days. I stood there longer than necessary, letting the steam cloud my thoughts, letting myself breathe again for the first time since the trial began.
When I finally stepped out, exhaustion claimed me completely, and I collapsed onto the bed, surrendering to the kind of deep, dreamless sleep I had not been fortunate enough to experience in days.
I had been granted six hours to take care of myself and rest before resuming duty, six fragile hours that felt both merciful and fleeting. I knew that the moment those hours elapsed, I would be summoned to answer to the Alpha once more, and that knowledge lingered at the back of my mind even as sleep pulled me under.
I slept for four solid hours before the sharp sound of the alarm clock dragged me back into consciousness. My body protested as I stirred, heavy and sluggish, but before I could fully sit up, a knock sounded at the door. Almost immediately, Kaitlyn stepped inside, balancing a tray of food in her hands.
“I guess I came at the right time,” she said lightly, her eyes scanning the room.
I nodded as I pushed myself upright on the bed, running a hand through my hair.
“You came just in time,” I replied, my voice still rough from sleep. “Its almost as if you were timing me.”
She crossed the room and carefully set the food down on the small side stool beside the bed. The scent of warm broth and freshly baked bread filled the air, making me realize how little I had eaten lately.
Her expression sobered. “You should try not to be careless now. Not everyone is happy that you were found not guilty of the crimes labeled against you.”
I paused, watching her closely.
“Beta Dagan is especially not happy,” she continued. “I heard him complaining bitterly as I was coming here.”
I exhaled slowly, the tension creeping back into my shoulders.
I let out a sigh, narrowing my eyes. “I don't know if it is just me, but I have noticed he has been acting quite differently lately. He is always irritable, and short-tempered. I can't help but wonder what is going on with him.”
“I have noticed the same,” she admitted after a moment. “But I am not interested in questioning anything. Still, you should be very careful around him.”
I nodded, my lips pressing into a thin line. “I will. Thank you for the warning.” I glanced at the food again, then back at her. “And thank you for this too. You are a lifesaver.”
A faint smile softened her face. “You have a meeting with Alpha in two hours. Eat up and stop talking.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I replied, managing a small smile of my own.
She walked out of the room, leaving me with the food and my thoughts. I ate slowly, savoring every bite as I tried not to imagine what my fate would have been had things not turned out the way they did.
Hours later, after cleaning up and gathering myself, I found myself standing before Alpha Kael once again. The office felt heavier than usual, thick with the kind of air that usually surrounds him.
“Sit down,” he ordered.
I obeyed immediately, lowering myself into the chair opposite him.
“Alpha, I want to apologize once again for everything that has happened,” I said earnestly. “And I want to thank you for your help during the trial. I know I would not have made it out if you had not offered your assistance.”
His gaze remained fixed on me, sharp and assessing. “Tell me everything you know about Lyra.”
Okay, that wasn't what I was expecting, but still I straightened slightly, choosing my words with care. “She is the witch the prophecy speaks of. The one who would either end or save the packs.”
He said nothing, urging me on with his silence.
“I don't know exactly how she will do that,” I continued, “but I believe that if she is meant to save anyone, then she must be properly prepared. Every piece of information about who she truly is and the kind of power she wields has been deliberately hidden from her since birth. It was done to protect her from predators who would have exploited her abilities.”
He didn't say anything, but with the way he was looking at me, I knew his complete attention was on me.
I drew in a slow breath. “I don't know much about witchcraft myself, but I was given certain books and very specific instructions. They were meant to help her unlock her wolf and her most basic abilities.”
I hesitated briefly before continuing. “We succeeded in unlocking her wolf, but the process was never meant to end there. The merging between her wolf and her magic was supposed to be completed.”
“Her wolf is tied directly to her magic,” I explained. “Once that merging is complete, she will gain access to deeper knowledge, information that will expand her understanding of her role in the coming fight against the Void Wolf.”
Alpha’s attention sharpened.
“That information,” I added, “is locked away in the archives beneath the strongholds of Iron Fang. They are sealed inside a vault that only she can access.”
I lifted my eyes to meet his. “We are fortunate to have her in our custody, Alpha. It gives us the advantage. When trouble comes knocking, we will not be caught unprepared.”
He leaned back slightly, considering my words. “Do you think you can continue her training today?”
“Of course,” I answered without hesitation. “It would be my pleasure. However, I will need access to the book to retrieve another page.”
“The page I took from you is still here,” he said calmly. “You can continue with that one. I believe you were unable to complete it the last time.”
“That is correct, Alpha,” I nodded.
“Good,” he said after a pause. “You can resume during dinner time.”