The Bitter Betrayal

I stood in the bustling hall of our pack’s gathering house, surrounded by members preparing for the evening feast. My mind wandered back to Lyra, imagining her joy at the sacred spring. The celebration was supposed to be a day of happiness and unity, but a strange unease tugged at my thoughts.

Suddenly, my phone rang, jolting me from my reverie. I glanced at the screen and saw it was from Tobias, Aiden's Beta and one of Lyra's companion. My heart skipped a beat as I answered the call, hoping it was just a routine check-in.

“Mira here. What’s going on, Tobias?” I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

[Luna, it’s urgent!] Tobias's voice was frantic, crackling through the static. [Lyra and the guards have been ambushed by rogue wolves near the old logging road. We’re pinned down!]

A wave of panic surged through me, and I felt my knees go weak. I forced myself to focus, clutching the phone tighter as though it could somehow bring me closer to my daughter.

“What do you mean, ambushed?” I demanded, my voice trembling despite my best efforts. “Is Lyra okay?”

There was a pause, filled only by the distant sounds of chaos on the other end of the line. I could hear snarls, shouts, and the unmistakable clashing of wolves in combat.

[She’s hurt, Luna. Really bad.] Tobias finally replied, his tone grave. [We’re trying to hold them off, but she’s not responding. We need backup, and fast!]

I felt the blood drain from my face. My worst fears were realized. “Stay with her, Tobias. Protect her at all costs. I’m on my way!”

Without wasting another moment, I slammed the phone back into my pocket and turned to the nearest warrior. “Sound the alarm! We have rogues attacking near the old logging road. We need reinforcements now!”

As I raced toward the pack’s armory, grabbing whatever I could find to arm myself, a terrifying thought crossed my mind—why would rogue wolves target Lyra and our men so brazenly? And was Aiden critically injured, too?

Minutes felt like hours as I tore through the forest on all fours, my wolf form pushing to its limits. My heart pounded with every stride, each beat echoing Lyra’s name in my head. I prayed silently, hoping against hope that she was holding on.

When I finally reached the scene, the sight before me was more horrifying than I had imagined. The guards were engaged in a fierce battle with a group of rogues, blood and fur flying in every direction. And there, lying amidst the chaos, was my daughter.

Oh...goddess.

I shifted back to human form and rushed to her side, my breath catching in my throat as I took in her condition. Her small body lay crumpled on the ground, bruised and battered, blood trickling from a gash on her forehead. She was unconscious, her skin pallid and her breathing shallow.

“Lyra, my baby,” I whispered, cradling her head in my lap. My vision blurred with tears, the reality of the situation hitting me like a physical blow. “Please, stay with me. I’m here.”

Tobias staggered over, his face etched with worry.

“Luna, she needs medical attention now. The rogues scattered as soon as they realized reinforcements were coming. They knew exactly what they were doing.”

I nodded, brushing the tears from my eyes.

“Get her to the pack’s infirmary immediately. I’ll handle things here.”

As Tobias carefully lifted Lyra, I turned my attention to the fallen rogues. Something about them seemed... off. Their eyes held an unnatural glint, and a strange scent lingered around them—a scent that was disturbingly familiar.

My gut churned with suspicion. This was no ordinary rogue attack. Someone had orchestrated this, and before I could even ponder on that thought, my gaze zeroed at one of the guards.

"Where on earth is Aiden? Was he injured, too?"

It was Tobias who answered. "I will explain later, Luna. For now, we need to get the princess to safety."

I nodded, despite the heavy shaking that I was feeling.