Chapter 30 The Threat
Lira POV
We made our way through the packhouse in tense silence. Wolves stopped their conversations to stare as we passed, some curious, others openly hostile. I caught fragments of whispered discussions.
"...never even shifted before last week."
"...weak as a human child."
"...alpha's gone soft over a pretty face."
Each comment chipped at my confidence, but Selwyn stirred in my mind, offering quiet strength. They fear what they don't understand, my wolf said. Show them what moonblood truly means.
Our room felt like a sanctuary after the chaos we'd just faced. Kael immediately began pacing, his agitation filling the space.
"This is insane," he muttered. "You're barely recovered from twenty years of abuse, your wolf just awakened, and they want you to fight seasoned warriors?"
"I fought Garrick's companions at the temple," I said.
"That was different. You were channeling the goddess's power, connected to your ancestral magic." He stopped pacing to face me. "Tomorrow you'll just be you."
The words stung more than they should have. "Just me isn't good enough?" I asked, my voice wavering slightly.
Kael's expression softened. Through the bond, I felt his regret. "That's not what I meant."
"Isn't it?" I sat heavily on the edge of the bed. "You're terrified I'll fail. That I'll embarrass you in front of your pack."
"I'm terrified you'll get hurt." He knelt in front of me, hands resting on my knees. "Or worse. These aren't games, Lira. Pack combat trials can be deadly."
"So can living in a cellar for twenty years. So can having your parents murdered. So can being told you're worthless every day of your life." I covered his hands with mine. "I survived all of that. I think I can survive this."
"But you shouldn't have to," Kael said.
The fierce protectiveness in his voice made my chest tighten. This was the Kael few people saw—the one who felt too much and hid it behind walls of control.
"Maybe not," I agreed. "But this is the world we live in. I can either let them see me as the broken girl from the cellar, or I can show them who I really am."
"And who is that?" Kael asked.
I stood, moving to the window where moonlight spilled across the floor. Outside, I could see pack members gathering around fire barrels, their conversations animated. Word of tomorrow's trials had spread quickly.
"I'm the daughter of Vera and Dmitri Ashborne," I said quietly. "The last of the Moonblood line. I survived two decades in hell and came out whole enough to forgive my captors."
I turned back to him, and for a moment, silver light flickered in my eyes.
"I'm strong enough to be your Luna, Kael. But first, I need to prove it to myself."
Before he could respond, a sharp knock interrupted us.
Ryn's voice came through the door, tight with worry. "Lira? You need to see this."
We opened the door to find Ryn holding a folded piece of paper, his face pale.
"Someone slipped this under my door," he said, handing it to me.
I unfolded the message, my blood chilling as I read the words scrawled in red ink:
The trials are just the beginning. Win or lose, you'll never be safe here. Some debts can only be paid in blood.
\- A Friend
"Who would" I began, but Kael was already moving, his nostrils flaring as he tested the air around the paper.
"No scent," he said grimly. "Whoever delivered this knew how to mask themselves."
"It could be anyone in the pack," Ryn said quietly. "Half of them think you're an outsider who doesn't belong."
I stared at the threatening words, feeling the weight of tomorrow's trials pressing down on me. I'd thought the hardest part would be proving my strength to the council. Now it seemed like staying alive might be the real challenge.
"We should tell Thomas," Kael said, his voice heavy with concern.
I shook my head firmly, my jaw set with determination. "No. This is exactly what they want—me running scared, hiding behind you for protection."
"Lira" he started, reaching for my arm.
I stepped back, my eyes flashing with defiance. "I won't be the weak Luna who needs constant protection. Not anymore."
"I said no." My voice carried a hint of alpha authority that surprised all three of us. "I'm not backing down. Not from the trials, and not from anonymous threats."