Chapter 35 fight me
AMARA’S POV
Something heavy pinned my hips and instantly woke up from my sleep.
For a split second, my chest clenched, because after everything that happened last night, my body reacted with pure instinct but then a familiar giggle fully changed my thoughts from Leander's cruelty.
“Rise and shine, grumpy wolf!” Lyra chirped.
I blinked furiously when I heard her. My vision was still blurry and my breath ragged yet here she was. When the room came into focus, I saw her sitting on top of me like I was her personal mattress, knees on either side of my waist, hair a wild mess, grin far too bright for this cursed morning.
“What the hell are you doing?” I croaked, pushing at her thigh. “Get off me.”
Lyra just laughed harder, bending down until her nose almost bumped mine. “Amaraaaa, wake up. We’re going for morning training.”
“No.” I didn’t even pretend to consider it. “Absolutely not. I’m not going anywhere with you.”
“You are.”
“No, I am not.”
“Yes, you are.”
Her cheerfulness was an actual personal attack. I shoved her again, but she didn’t budge. “Lyra, move. I’m serious.”
“Oh please,” she said, flicking my forehead. “You survived your little meltdown last night, you survived my dumb brother embarrassing you, and you survived.....” she paused, eyes narrowing as she studied my face “....whatever the hell you escaped from before stumbling back into this room at dawn.”
I stiffened.
Her smile faded for just a moment. “Amara… seriously. Are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” My voice was clipped. Too quick. Too defensive.
She knew it. I knew it. The whole mansion probably knew it.
But Lyra didn’t push. Instead, she bounced lightly on my stomach, making me grunt. “Well, fine or grumpy, you’re still coming for training.”
“I said no.”
“And I said yes.”
“Lyra.”
“Amara.”
I groaned and covered my face with both hands. “I hate you.”
“No you don’t,” she sang. “Come on! Let’s go punch stuff. It’ll help.”
“I don’t want to punch stuff,” I muttered. "I want peace."
“Oh, you’ll get peace,” she said, standing up and yanking the blanket off me with unnecessary enthusiasm. “After training. Maybe.”
I curled into a ball on instinct. “Put that back!”
“Nope.” She tossed the blanket aside and crossed her arms like a stubborn child. “Up. Training starts in twenty minutes. And you smell like stress and emotional damage.”
“Thanks,” I snapped, sitting up slowly. Every muscle ached. Every memory from last night still clung to my skin like grime. “Really appreciate that.”
She smiled innocently. “Anytime.” I glared. “You’re annoying.” “And you’re slow. Shower. Now.”
“I said I’m not coming.”
She ignored me entirely, walked to my bathroom door, opened it dramatically, and pointed inside like some overly enthusiastic tour guide. “Shower.”
“Lyra.....”
“Amara,” she mocked my tone, “either you shower and join training, or I drag you there smelling like you just crawled out of a haunted well.”
My jaw dropped. “You wouldn’t.”
She raised a brow. “Try me.” I hated that she meant it. I truly did.
With a defeated groan, I slid off the bed. “Fine. Whatever. I’ll shower.” Lyra clapped her hands victoriously. “See? That wasn’t so hard.” I stomped toward the bathroom, muttering curses under my breath.
“Language!” she called after me with a laugh. “Bite me,” I snapped.
“After training!” she replied cheerfully.
I slammed the bathroom door, not hard enough to break it, but hard enough to make a point and leaned my forehead against the cool wood.
One breath.
Then another.
I had survived worse.
I could survive training too.
Turning the water on, I stepped inside the shower, letting the warm steam wash over me. And for the first time since last night…
I let myself breathe.
By the time I stepped out of the bathroom, towel-drying my hair, Lyra was already stretched out on my bed like she owned the place, tossing one of my pillows into the air with zero remorse.
“There she is,” she said, sitting up dramatically. “Miss Doom-And-Gloom herself. You look… slightly less terrifying.”
“Wow,” I muttered. “Thanks.”
“A compliment is a compliment. Take it.”
I rolled my eyes and grabbed my snickers. Lyra hopped off the bed and practically skipped toward the door.
“Come on, slowpoke. Breakfast before training. You need strength… especially after what happened last night.”
I stiffened midstep. “Lyra,” I warned. “What?” she asked, her tone annoyingly innocent as she held the door open. “I’m just saying. You looked like you got into a wrestling match with a dumpster.”
“Lyra.”
She snickered. “Okay, okay. I’ll stop. For now.” We walked down the long corridor, her practically humming, me dragging my feet.
But of course and I should’ve known this , Lyra never stays quiet for long.
“So,” she began, swinging her arms. “You and my brother....”
“Absolutely not.” I retorted abruptly. “I didn’t even finish!” She spoke too.
“You didn’t have to.”
She clicked her tongue. “You’re no fun. I wanted to discuss the little moment you two had when he said he will deal with you ” She murmured. “We had no moment.” I seethed.
Lyra gasped dramatically. “Amara! Don’t lie. we both know.....", She immediately stopped talking when we reached the dining hall and took in what was happening.
There were a lot of wolves out today. The dining hall was bustling with wolves, their loud voices booming over the clatter of dishes and the sizzle of cooking food.
They each fought for a place to sit down and eat their breakfast. Others kissed their mates, bidding them farewell before going to their posts for the day. It was chaotic, alive, a pack I didn't belong to up to now.
My scent caught their attention quickly before I could even walk further in the room "Hey, look!" A young man pointed, his mouth full of food. "Here comes, the one who was embarrassed at her own party!"
Their heads snapped to look at me in unison, then started to laugh loudly. I didn’t say anything.