Chapter 106 The Mad Alpha’s Nemesis
Lyra felt her heart race as she was led inside, but she kept her face blank.
Beside her, Wayne remained on his knees. He looked small and defeated. His shoulders were hunched, and his head was bowed.
He was doing a perfect job of acting like a man who had lost everything. The blood on his chin was starting to dry, making his injuries look even more realistic
The guards stepped aside as a tall figure walked through the opening. It was Alpha Darius.
He was taller than Lyra remembered, his silver hair was pulled back tightly, and his eyes were sharp. He looked like a man who spent every waking hour thinking about war.
Darius stopped a few feet away. He looked at Wayne for a second, but then his eyes shifted to Lyra.
Instantly, he froze.
“Irene,” he said. His voice was a raspy whisper, like he had seen a ghost.
Lyra felt a chill go down her spine, but she didn't react. She knew this was the moment where the plan would either work or fall apart.
Wayne moved immediately to draw the Alpha's attention. “That’s not her name, sir,” Wayne said. He lifted his head just enough to look at Darius, but he kept his posture humble. “Her name is April. She’s my wife.”
Darius didn't seem to hear him at first. He blinked several times, his eyes scanning Lyra’s face as if he were trying to find a flaw. “What did you just say?” he asked, finally looking at Wayne.
Wayne stood up slowly. He acted like his legs were weak and sore. He kept one arm around Lyra, pulling her close to his side. “I said her name is April,” Wayne repeated. “She is my wife and the mother of my son.”
Darius took another step forward. He was so close now that Lyra could smell the alcohol in his breath. “No,” Darius said. “That is impossible. I know that face.”
“You must be mistaken,” Wayne said. He sounded tired and desperate. “We just arrived at the border tonight. We have never been here before.”
Darius’s jaw tightened. He looked like he was getting angry. “You are lying to me. I have seen her in Ashvale and she was brought here! I know exactly who she is.”
Wayne shook his head. He looked like he was on the verge of tears. “We came from a territory far to the north. We don’t even know what Ashvale is. We only crossed into your land because a group of rogues attacked us. They took my boy, Alpha. They took our son.”
Darius didn't look at Wayne. He kept staring at Lyra. He looked confused and pained. “Look at me,” he commanded.
Lyra slowly lifted her head. She made sure her eyes looked wide and full of confusion. She didn't let any recognition show. “I’m sorry, sir,” she said. Her voice was soft. “I don’t know you. Why do you keep calling me that name?”
Darius winced as if she had hit him. He reached for the sword at his hip and drew it halfway out of the sheath.
“How dare you,” Darius said. His voice was cold now. “Do you think you can come to my gates and play games with me? Do you think I am a fool?”
Wayne dropped back to his knees instantly. “I swear on my life and the life of my missing child,” he cried out. “I would never mock an Alpha. I am a common man. I am just asking for a safe place for my wife to stay while I go back into the woods to find my son. If I am lying, kill me now.”
Darius leaned down, placing the edge of his blade near Wayne’s throat. “Tell me the truth. Who is she really?”
Wayne didn't blink. He looked straight into the Alpha's eyes. “She is my wife, April. That is all she is.”
Darius turned his focus back to Lyra. “And you? You swear you have never seen me? You swear you don't know who I am?”
“I swear it,” Lyra said. She managed to keep her voice from shaking. “I have never been to this part of the country until tonight.”
The silence lasted for a long time. Darius looked like he was searching for a lie in her expression.
His hand on the sword handle was trembling. Finally, he let out a long breath and pushed the sword back into its sheath.
“If this is a trick,” Darius said, “it is the most cruel thing anyone has ever done to me.”
Wayne bowed his head until it touched the grass. “It is no trick, Alpha. Thank you for your mercy.”
Darius stepped back and signaled to his men. “I will keep her safe,” he said. “She will have shelter inside the walls. She can stay in the guest quarters.”
Wayne stood up and looked at Lyra. He squeezed her hand one last time. It was a signal that everything was going as planned. “Thank you, Alpha. I will go now and find my son. I will return as soon as I can.”
Darius looked at his guards. “Six of you, go with him. If there are rogues near my border, I want them dead. Help this man find his child.”
The guards saluted. “Yes, Alpha!”
Wayne looked worried for a second, having six guards follow him wasn't part of the original plan, but he couldn't argue without looking suspicious. He nodded to Lyra and walked back toward the dark woods with the guards following him.
Darius turned back to Lyra. His expression had softened significantly. He looked almost like a different person. “I apologize for my behavior,” he said quietly. “It is just.. you look exactly like my daughter.”
Lyra acted surprised. “Your daughter?”
“I lost her a long time ago,” Darius said. He looked toward the horizon. “My life has been empty since she was taken. I have spent months planning my revenge against the IronFangs pack.”
He looked back at Lyra and smiled. “But seeing you here tonight, it feels like a sign. It feels like fate is giving me something back.”
“I’m just a traveler,” Lyra said, trying to stay in character.
“Maybe,” Darius said. “But you are safe now. Come with me. You will stay in my home. You will have a warm meal and a bed.”
He gestured for her to follow him through the inner gates.
Lyra hesitated for a split second, thinking about Ryker hiding in the trees behind her. She knew he was watching. She knew he was probably furious seeing Darius look at her that way. But she had to move forward.
“Thank you, Alpha,” she said.
Outside, Ryker hissed in anger.
He had heard every word. He had seen the way Darius looked at his wife. His wolf was pacing inside his mind, wanting to tear the gates down.
He knew that Darius wasn't just offering her a room; he was looking at her like a replacement for what he had lost.
Dax put a hand on Ryker’s shoulder. “Stay calm,” Dax whispered. “She’s in. Now we move to the next phase.”