Chapter 64: Riven’s Confession

Moment later after the earth shattering crumbling the castle walls, she closed her eyes, trying to calm the swirling thoughts that had taken root in her mind. The weight of the curse, the goddess's whispers in her ears, Kael’s anger, the betrayal of the pack—it was all too much. But there was one thing she couldn’t escape. One thing that constantly haunted her: Riven.

The sudden sound of footsteps behind her made her stiffen, but she didn’t turn around. She already knew who it was. Riven. She could feel the presence of his wolf, steady and patient, but always watching, always waiting.

“I thought I’d find you here,” Riven’s voice broke through the night air, low and soft. She turned to face him.

His eyes—those piercing, silver eyes—locked with hers, and she could feel the pull of his gaze, but she was tired. Tired of the games, tired of the lies. Her gaze faltered for just a moment, then steadied, determined. She couldn’t afford to let him in, not again.

“I needed some air,” she said, her voice steady despite the maelstrom swirling inside of her. “I needed to think.”

Riven took a slow step toward her, his movements smooth. But he didn’t speak immediately. He just watched her.

“What are you thinking about?” he asked softly.

Lyra exhaled slowly, pulling her arms around herself as if to shield against the growing intensity between them. She wanted to be strong. But there was something in Riven’s presence that unraveled her, bit by bit. Something that she couldn’t shake, no matter how hard she tried.

“I’m thinking about everything,” she replied. “About Kael. About the pack. About the curse... and about you.”

At the mention of his name, Riven’s lips quirked, though there was no smile in his eyes. There was only something aching that she didn’t know how to address.

“You can’t keep running from it, you know,” he said, his voice quiet but firm. “You can’t keep pretending that there isn’t something between us.”

Lyra swallowed hard, the knot in her throat tightening. She wanted to deny it. She wanted to push him away, to remind him that she was already tangled in the chaos of Kael’s world. But the truth was—she couldn’t. She couldn’t deny the pull, the heat between them, the way her body responded to his presence in ways she hated and wanted all at once.

“I’m not running from anything,” she said, though her words felt hollow, as if she wasn’t even sure they were true anymore. “But I’ve made my choice. I’m with Kael. I—”

Before she could finish, Riven stepped forward in one fluid motion, closing the space between them in an instant. His hands shot out, cupping her face with surprising tenderness, his thumb brushing against her cheek as he leaned in, his breath hot against her skin.

Lyra froze, her heart racing as his lips hovered just inches from hers. She should have pulled away, should have told him to stop. But she couldn’t. Her body, traitorous and weak, refused to listen to her mind.

“You’re not with Kael, Lyra,” Riven whispered, his words full of certainty and pain. “Not yet. Not truly.”

The rawness in his voice made her chest tighten, but she pushed it down. She couldn’t—wouldn’t—let herself be swayed. She had chosen Kael. The bond between them was undeniable, even if the world around them was crumbling. She couldn’t walk away from him, not now.

“I am with Kael,” she replied, her voice sharper than she intended. “And I’m not—”

But before she could finish her sentence, Riven’s lips pressed against hers in a kiss that was as devastating as it was inevitable. The moment his mouth touched hers, something inside her cracked wide open. Her body betrayed her instincts, her hands reaching for him, her breath catching in her throat as the kiss deepened.

It wasn’t like the kiss with Kael—the rough, desperate kiss that felt like a storm was brewing inside them. This kiss was different. Softer. More insistent, like a plea that had been buried for far too long.

But then, just as quickly as it had started, it ended. Riven pulled away, his eyes dark and filled with emotion, but there was something else there too. Something she couldn’t quite name.

Lyra stepped back, her chest rising and falling with the effort to control her breathing.

“Riven, don’t,” she whispered, her voice shaking. She lifted a hand to her lips, still tingling from the kiss, and for a brief moment, she couldn’t think, couldn’t breathe. Everything was too much.

“I didn’t mean to,” Riven said softly, almost regretfully, his eyes searching hers for some sign of understanding. “But I can’t help it. I can’t keep pretending that this—you—don’t matter to me.”

Lyra’s eyes fluttered shut as the weight of his words sank in, heavy and suffocating. She could feel her pulse in her ears, the conflicted emotions swirling. She didn’t know what she was supposed to say. She didn’t know what to feel. She had always trusted Kael, always been certain about him—until now.

“You don’t love me,” Lyra said, though the words didn’t feel like the truth, not anymore. Her voice was thick with emotion, but she forced herself to look Riven in the eye. “You’re not supposed to love me. Not like this.”

Riven’s gaze softened, and for a moment, his usual bravado slipped away, revealing the vulnerability beneath.

“I don’t love you, not like Kael does,” he admitted, his voice a whisper. “But I know one thing for sure. You won’t survive him. Not if you’re his mate. Not with what’s coming.”

"What are you saying?" Lyra’s stomach twisted at his words.

Riven’s hand slid down her arm, his touch lingering on her skin before he let it fall away. His eyes didn’t leave hers, and in them, she could see the depth of his concern.

“I’m saying that Kael’s curse—his bloodline—it’s going to consume you. He’ll turn, and when he does, you won’t be able to stop him. No one will.”

Lyra shook her head, a sudden ache in her chest at the finality of his words. “Then what do you want me to do, Riven?”

The words were out before she even realized. She wasn’t sure if she was asking him for answers, or simply looking for reassurance.

Riven’s expression was unreadable, his silver eyes clouded with something that might have been regret. “I want you to live,” he said finally. “I want you to live long enough to make your own choices.”

With those words hanging in the air between them, Riven turned and left, disappearing into the shadows of the castle.

Lyra stood there, alone again, her body still trembling from the kiss, from the emotion, from the weight of what had just happened.

As Lyra stood there, still reeling from Riven’s confession, the faintest sound reached her ears—the howling of wolves, distant and mournful. She turned, she recognized the sound. It was coming from the direction of the woods... and it was too close.

Kael’s wolves were calling. And Lyra feared that Kael might not be the one leading them.