Chapter 79 To the east

Chapter 79 To the east
~Lyra~
Something soft brushed against my nose. I stirred beneath the blanket, frowning as I buried my face deeper into the rolled cloak I had been using as a pillow. The morning air was cool enough to make me reluctant to open my eyes, and for a few blissful moments, I simply enjoyed the comforting scent surrounding me.
It smelled like flowers. My eyelids fluttered open.
Everything looked hazy at first. Bright streaks of sunlight bled into one another until I blinked several times, trying to clear my vision. I noticed almost immediately that something was blocking the harsh rays from falling directly onto my face.
I frowned. As my sight slowly sharpened, a bouquet of tiny white blossoms finally came into focus, and behind them stood Ariel.
She wore the widest grin, her loose hair dancing gently in the morning breeze while she held the flowers between us as though presenting me with the greatest treasure in the world.
"Hey, beautiful," she greeted with a chuckle.
A smile tugged at my lips before I could stop it. "Good morning."
I pushed myself upright, accepting the flowers from her. They smelled wonderfully sweet with a faint herbal scent beneath it.
"What are you doing?" I asked, bringing them closer to my face.
She shrugged. "I woke up before sunrise." She lowered herself onto the blanket beside me. "You looked so peaceful that I didn't want to wake you. I wandered into the woods instead."
"You went flower hunting?"
"I suppose I did." She laughed at herself.
"I found these growing beside a stream. By the time I returned, the sun had climbed high enough to shine directly into your face. You looked like you were fighting it even in your sleep, so..." She lifted one shoulder. "...I decided to block it until you woke."
I laughed. "You stood here holding flowers over my face?"
"For quite a while."
"You are ridiculous." I shook my head, unable to stop smiling. "Thank you."
My fingers gently traced one of the blossoms. "What are they called?"
Ariel leaned closer. "Sweet Woodruff."
The name sounded unfamiliar. "I've never heard of it."
"It grows in shaded forests." She carefully plucked one tiny flower from the bunch. "Most people overlook it because the flowers are small, but once they're picked, they become more fragrant. Herbal women dry them and use them to perfume clothes and bedding."
She smiled. "My grandmother always kept bundles of them hanging inside the house. She believed they brought peaceful sleep."
I looked back down at the flowers with newfound appreciation. "So you brought me flowers that help people sleep?"
"I thought after everything we've been through..." Her eyes softened. "...you deserved one peaceful morning."
Something tightened inside my chest. Without thinking, I leaned forward and kissed her.
It was gentle. The kind of kiss that made the entire forest disappear for a heartbeat.
When I pulled away, she was smiling even wider. "I was hoping that would happen."
"You planned this." I laughed. 
"I absolutely planned this."
I laughed again before looking beyond the trees toward the northern horizon. The mountains we had crossed yesterday were now behind us. Beyond the forests ahead waited another kingdom.
"If we leave early," I said thoughtfully, "we should reach that kingdom we spotted from the mountains before tomorrow."
Ariel followed my gaze. "A proper roof, a proper bed and a proper bath."
"I'll admit..." she smiled. "...the bath sounds tempting."
I nudged her shoulder. "Only the bath?"
She leaned close enough for our noses to brush. "I don't care if I spend another month sleeping on cold ground..."
Her voice lowered. "...as long as you're beside me."
Heat rushed straight into my cheeks. "You make it impossible to stay serious."
"I don't want you serious." She kissed me once more. "I like this version better."
I rolled my eyes despite smiling. "Well... we have a better option now." I squeezed her hand. "And I'll still be beside you."
We packed our camp together. The blankets were folded and the small cooking pot disappeared into my pack.
Ariel extinguished the last remains of last night's fire before covering the ashes with loose dirt.
I found myself watching her far more often than I helped. She moved confidently through every task, humming quietly to herself while tying our supplies together.
I smiled without realizing it. This journey would have broken me if I had walked it alone.
The loneliness and endless roads. Every difficult mile somehow became lighter because Ariel was there to complain, laugh or simply exist beside me.
My smile slowly faded slowly as my mind wandered even farther. 
I would be thirty soon. Most wolves found their mates years before reaching that age.
Some found them at eighteen, some at twenty. A few unfortunate ones waited until twenty five.
But thirty… That was very rare.
Maybe Ariel is right. Maybe the Moon Goddess doesn't choose everyone's future. At least not mine.
Because if she truly had… Wouldn't I have found him by now?
The thought lingered longer than I wanted it to. The truth was… I wasn't even sure I wanted to keep searching anymore. Not when every day beside Ariel felt more natural than the last.
She makes difficult days feel lighter and looks at me the way no one ever had. Almost as though she'd already chosen me.
As if sensing my thoughts, Ariel suddenly looked over her shoulder.
She caught me staring. "There you go again."
"What?" I responded with a slight frown. 
"Looking at me."
"I wasn't." I denied woefully. 
"You were. You've been watching me for the last five minutes."
"I was thinking."
"About me." she answered confidently. 
I scoffed and immediately looked away. "No."
She laughed. "Liar."
"I hate you." I mouthed. 
"No, you don't."
"No..." I smiled to myself. "I really don't."
Soon we were walking again with our fingers intertwined naturally. The morning breeze carried birdsong through the trees, and for a while, everything felt... peaceful.
Then it happened. Without warning...
My entire body went numb, every muscle stiffened and I stopped walking so abruptly that Ariel nearly stumbled beside me.
Before I could ask what was happening, my head slowly turned toward the east. Not because I wanted it to but because something made it.
Beside me, Ariel turned the same direction. Neither of us spoke or questioned it.
Our feet simply... moved. One step at a time. My mind screamed at my body to stop but it refused.
It was like watching someone else control my limbs while I remained trapped inside them.
I could feel Ariel beside me. I knew she was experiencing the same thing. But neither of us could even force our mouths to speak.
The forest gradually filled with people. Men, women and children.
Old wolves leaning on walking sticks, hunters still carrying bows, travellers and merchants.
They emerged from every direction.
We were all silent and we were all walking east. All wearing the same empty expression. We looked less like travellers and more like an army answering a silent command.
Time lost meaning at that moment,  and I couldn't tell how long we walked. 
Then… Just as suddenly as it had begun, everything stopped. It felt like invisible chains snapping apart.
Air rushed into my lungs and my knees almost buckled. Around us, dozens of confused voices erupted all at once.
"What happened?"
"I was sleeping!"
"I left my farm!"
"I don't even remember getting here!"
A horrified scream came from nearby. A young man looked down and realized he wore only his sleeping trousers. A woman wrapped herself in a blanket after apparently walking from home half dressed.
Panic spread quickly.
Beside me, Ariel grabbed her own arms tightly. "I couldn't stop myself." Her breathing became uneven.
"I couldn't stop."
I immediately reached for her. "Hey."
She looked at me with frightened eyes. "I hate losing control."
"I know."
I rubbed her arms gently. "But you're here now."
"What if it happens again?"
"We'll face it together."
She nodded, though the fear remained.
Someone nearby called out. "Does anyone know where we've been heading?"
Then a calm feminine voice answered and we all turned.
The speaker was a visibly pregnant woman. "Valerith Kingdom lies to the east."
The crowd immediately burst into discussion.
"Valerith?"
"Why there?"
"Was something calling us?"
"Or someone?"
The woman stepped toward me. "You are Lyra... aren't you?"
My heart skipped. "Who are you?" Why were strange things happening all of a sudden? 
She smiled kindly before extending her hand. "My name is Nira. I am Ryker's mate."
My breath caught.
"Ryker?"
She nodded. The name alone brought back memories I had spent weeks trying to bury. I never even met his mate. I only heard whispers that she'd arrived with information about Elira.
By then… I had already run.
Ariel stepped closer beside me. "Your Alpha?"
Before I could answer, Nira spoke. "He searched everywhere for you."
I looked at her. 
"He was worried." Her voice carried no accusation. "He wanted to speak with you."
I swallowed as she continued. 
"You should come. I think both of you deserve that conversation."
Ariel frowned thoughtfully. "If everyone was pulled here..." She looked around. "...then why isn't Ryker?"
I found myself asking the same question. "He should be here with you."
Nira sighed. "I wish I knew."
She rested a hand over her stomach. "It makes no sense to me either. Perhaps when we reach him..."
She smiled faintly. "...we'll finally begin getting answers."
Silence settled between the three of us.
Ariel looked at me. "Do you want to see him?"
I lowered my eyes.
For so long I had convinced myself running away had been the easiest choice. Now… It no longer felt that way.
"He deserves an explanation." I finally lifted my head. "I owe him that much."
I took a slow breath.
"I'll talk to him."