Chapter 154: Unwanted Guardians

Gabriel POV

I watched the pain flash across Lyra's face, each emotion as clear as if it were my own. Her green eyes, usually so vibrant, had dulled with the weight of betrayal. The mate bond between us pulsed with her hurt, making my chest ache. I'd failed her by keeping these secrets, damaged the trust we'd been building since the attack on Kade's camp.

"She's been getting closer," my wolf reminded me. "Several times she's almost took you."

It was true. I'd felt Lyra's hesitation during our intimate moments, sensed her wolf urging her to complete our bond. And yet, I'd continued withholding crucial truths from her.

Every time I looked at her, something in my chest constricted painfully. From the moment she'd stumbled into my territory, soaked with fear, something about her had called to me. Not just the mate bond I couldn't recognize right away—but her resilience, her fierce determination to protect herself in a world that had shown her little kindness. I'd watched her transform from a frightened runaway into someone who stood tall beside me, challenging me when needed, supporting me when it mattered.

I'd wasted precious time with half-truths and omissions when we could have been strengthening our bond. The memory of her scent—wildflowers mixed with something uniquely Lyra—had become my anchor. The way she fit against me when we were close, her steady heartbeat synchronizing with mine, the trust she placed in me despite everything... I'd risked it all with my misguided protection.

How could I explain that every secret I kept was driven by fear of losing her? That the thought of her walking away, of rejecting our bond once she knew everything, terrified me more than any enemy I'd ever faced? My wolf knew better—had always known that our mate deserved the truth, no matter how painful.

"I won't make the same mistake again," I promised quietly, both to myself and to her. "From now on, I'll be honest with you."

Lyra's eyes narrowed, her posture stiff as she sat across from me in the living room of my Alpha house. "Then start being honest. Start with why you didn't tell me all this."

I ran a hand through my hair, the guilt weighing heavily on me. "I should have told you everything—about your past, about Jason, about all of it. But I thought keeping it from you was protecting you from more pain." I met her gaze directly. "I was wrong."

Lyra's shoulders slumped slightly, her voice barely above a whisper. "So I really did kill Jason."

"You were trying to save him," I said gently, moving to sit beside her but maintaining enough distance to respect her space. "He was in critical condition. Whether you administered that injection or not, he wasn't going to survive." I paused, choosing my next words carefully. "If anything, you may have eased his suffering."

Lyra's hands trembled slightly in her lap. "I wish he was still alive so I could tell him the truth... so I could apologize..."

"Jason was a good man," I said softly. "Even though your father manipulated his memories, he still cared deeply for you and Isabella. He tried to protect you both, in his own way."

Lyra looked up at me, her expression shifting to curiosity beneath the pain. "I heard Ethan say Isabella and I were separated right after birth. How did we end up connected to Dominic? How did all this happen?"

I hesitated, weighing how much to reveal. The mate bond between us throbbed with tension, and I knew this moment would either strengthen or permanently damage what we had. With a deep breath, I committed to the truth.

"Isabella was adopted by the Rourke family when she was very young," I began. "She and Dominic grew up together. They considered themselves mates from an early age, though they never formally confirmed it." I paused, remembering the competition. "At the Blood Moon Games five years ago, Isabella and I realized we were true mates. But she loved Dominic too."

Lyra's eyes widened. "So she was torn between you two?"

"Not exactly. During the games, Dominic pushed himself beyond his limits trying to prove he was stronger than me, worthy of Isabella. He was critically injured, dying." My voice grew distant with the memory. "Isabella was desperate to save him. She sought out a witch who gave her a potion containing wolfsbane."

"Wolfsbane?" Lyra gasped. "But that's lethal to our kind."

"In most forms, yes. This was part of a ritual sacrifice—Isabella's life force for Dominic's. The potion saved him, but left her in a coma and..." I hesitated, "...unable to bear children."

Lyra absorbed this, her brow furrowed. "And then?"

"Two years later, Dominic found you near his territory. You were running from something—we now know it was the attack on your pack. He recognized you immediately as his mate." My jaw tightened. "And he was shocked by your resemblance to Isabella."

Understanding dawned in Lyra's eyes. "So he married me because I looked like her? Because I could give him what she couldn't—children?"

I nodded grimly. "When you discovered his plan, you fled. That's when you came to Silver Moon."

Lyra stood abruptly, pacing the room. "I need to be alone. I need to think about all this."

"No," I said firmly, rising to my feet. "This isn't something you should face alone. We'll work through this together."

Lyra turned to me, her eyes flashing. "But I want to process this by myself. Unless..." She studied my face intently. "Unless there's something else you haven't told me? Is there anything else I should know that I've forgotten?"

I looked into her searching eyes, feeling the weight of my final secret. The pregnancy she'd lost after fleeing Dominic. I took a deep breath, gathering courage to reveal everything, when a knock interrupted us.

"Alpha, you there?" Raiden's voice called from outside.

I felt a surge of frustration. Always interrupted at the crucial moment. "What is it?" I called, unable to mask my irritation.

"I can't reach you through the link, Alpha," Raiden answered, his voice concerned. "There are two Alphas requesting an audience."

I realized then that I'd been so immersed in my conversation with Lyra, I'd completely blocked out the pack link. But the mention of two Alphas surprised me. "Which Alphas?" I asked, moving toward the door.

"Alpha Callum and Alpha Dominic," Raiden replied.