Chapter 58
Chapter 58
Lyra’s POV
Night had settled quietly over Solhaven.
The bonfire from earlier had long since burned down to glowing embers, and the courtyard that had been full of laughter only hours ago was now still. Most of the pack had returned to their quarters, leaving the keep wrapped in a calm, sleepy silence.
But sleep refused to come for me.
Instead, I found myself standing at the far edge of the training field again.
The moon hung high above the forest, pale light spilling over the empty clearing. The same practice ring where Draven had trained me earlier that morning looked different now—darker, quieter, almost secretive.
Which was exactly why I’d come.
If the fire inside me was going to grow stronger, I needed to understand it.
And the only way to do that was to face it.
I lifted my hands slowly, staring at my palms.
For a moment, nothing happened.
Then I closed my eyes and focused.
The warmth came first.
A familiar heat spreading beneath my skin, curling through my veins like molten sunlight.
A flicker of flame sparked to life between my fingers.
Small at first.
Then brighter.
The fire danced softly in the air, casting orange light over the grass.
I exhaled slowly.
“Okay,” I murmured to myself. “That’s normal.”
The flame swayed slightly, responding to my breath.
Control.
That was the goal.
I remembered Draven’s voice during training.
Power without control is a weakness.
“I’m trying,” I whispered.
The flame grew a little stronger.
For a moment, everything felt steady.
Then the whisper came.
Burn.
The word slipped through my mind like smoke.
My eyes snapped open.
The flame surged.
I gasped and quickly clenched my fist.
The fire vanished instantly.
My heart pounded against my ribs.
“No,” I breathed.
The clearing fell silent again.
But the echo of that voice lingered.
Not loud.
Not even clear.
Just a faint presence brushing against the edge of my thoughts.
Hungry.
Waiting.
I shook my head hard.
“That’s not real,” I muttered.
But when I tried again—
When I let the flame return—
The whisper came back.
Burn.
The fire flickered wildly in my palm.
I stepped back, panic rising in my chest.
“No. Stop.”
The flame sputtered and died again.
For several seconds I stood there breathing hard, staring at my empty hands.
The silence pressed in around me.
“You shouldn’t practice alone.”
The voice behind me made me jump.
I spun around.
Draven stood a few steps away at the edge of the clearing, half-shadowed by the trees.
My heart skipped.
“How long have you been there?”
“Long enough.”
“That’s not comforting.”
He stepped closer.
“You’re shaking.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re lying.”
“I’m not—”
“Lyra.”
His tone wasn’t harsh.
Just certain.
I exhaled slowly.
“Okay,” I admitted. “Maybe a little.”
Draven studied my face carefully.
“Something happened.”
It wasn’t a question.
I hesitated.
Part of me wanted to brush it off.
But another part—tired of carrying the fear alone—gave in.
“There’s… something strange about the fire.”
His expression didn’t change.
“Explain.”
I looked down at my hands again.
“When I call it… sometimes it feels normal. Like before.”
“And sometimes?”
I swallowed.
“Sometimes it feels like it’s not just me controlling it.”
Draven crossed his arms slightly.
“What do you mean?”
“There’s a voice.”
The words hung in the air.
For a moment, I couldn’t look at him.
“I know how that sounds,” I added quickly.
“Like you’re hearing things.”
“Exactly.”
I forced myself to meet his gaze.
“I thought you should know in case I’m losing my mind.”
Draven was silent for a few seconds.
Then he asked calmly, “What does the voice say?”
The lack of panic in his tone caught me off guard.
“You… believe me?”
“I asked what it says.”
Relief washed through me unexpectedly.
“It’s not really talking,” I said slowly. “More like… whispering.”
“And the message?”
“Just one word.”
Draven waited.
“Burn.”
The night breeze stirred the trees around us.
Draven’s expression remained thoughtful, not afraid.
“That doesn’t surprise me.”
I blinked.
“It doesn’t?”
“Fire is destructive by nature.”
“That’s not comforting.”
“It’s honest.”
I rubbed my arms slightly.
“It felt like the fire wanted something.”
“What?”
“More.”
Draven stepped closer.
“How strong was the pull?”
“Strong enough to scare me.”
“Did you lose control?”
“No.”
“Then you’re still stronger than it.”
“I’m not sure that’s true.”
He shook his head slightly.
“You stopped.”
“Barely.”
“But you did.”
I hesitated before asking quietly, “You really don’t think I’m crazy?”
Draven gave me a dry look.
“If every wolf who heard instincts in their head was crazy, half the pack would need locking up.”
“That’s different.”
“Is it?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because this fire is… something else.”
Draven’s gaze softened slightly.
“Maybe.”
“That’s not reassuring.”
“But it doesn’t mean you face it alone.”
My chest tightened.
“You keep saying that.”
“Because it’s true.”
I looked away briefly.
“You’re an Alpha,” I said quietly. “You have a pack to protect.”
“I do.”
“And if this fire turns me into a danger—”
“Then we deal with it.”
I frowned.
“You say that like it’s simple.”
“It’s not.”
“Then why are you so calm about it?”
Draven stepped closer until we were only a few feet apart.
“Because fear doesn’t solve problems.”
“And trust does?”
“Sometimes.”
His eyes held mine steadily.
“I trust you, Lyra.”
Something warm and steady settled in my chest.
“You barely know me.”
“I know enough.”
I hesitated.
“Why?”
The question slipped out before I could stop it.
Draven didn’t answer immediately.
Then he said quietly, “Because you’re still fighting the fire instead of giving in to it.”
I looked down again.
“I was terrified just now.”
“Good.”
“That’s good?”
“It means you understand the danger.”
I huffed softly.
“You have a strange way of encouraging people.”
“It works.”
Silence stretched between us again.
Then Draven said gently, “Show me.”
My head snapped up.
“What?”
“The flame.”
“You’re serious?”
“Yes.”
“What if it happens again?”
“Then I’m here.”
I hesitated only a moment before lifting my hand again.
The heat returned quickly.
A small flame bloomed in my palm, glowing softly in the darkness.
This time I kept my focus steady.
The whisper brushed faintly against my thoughts.
Burn.
But softer now.
Further away.
Draven stepped closer, watching carefully.
“You’re holding it steady,” he said.
“I’m trying.”
“You’re succeeding.”
The fire flickered but didn’t surge.
After a few seconds I closed my hand again, extinguishing it.
Relief washed over me.
Draven nodded slightly.
“See?”
I exhaled slowly.
“Maybe.”
“Definitely.”
For a moment we just stood there in the quiet clearing.
Then I said softly, “Thank you.”
“For what?”
“For not looking at me like I’m a walking disaster.”
He almost smiled.
“I’ve already seen you set the courtyard on fire.”
“That was one time.”
“Technically twice.”
“Draven.”
“Yes?”
“You’re ruining the moment.”
His smirk returned faintly.
“Good. It means you’re not afraid anymore.”
I considered that.
He wasn’t entirely wrong.
The fear was still there.
But now it wasn’t crushing me the way it had earlier.
Because someone else knew.
Someone else believed me.
And somehow that made the fire feel a little less lonely.