CHAPTER <b>42 </b>


    <b>Lyra </b>POV


    I came to in a bed I didn’t recognize at all. Thest clear memory I had was hiding in my living room during a thunderstorm. Strange objects had been falling from the sky, terrifying me, and I had tucked myself away, hoping desperately that I wouldn’t get hurt. Then, I woke up here.


    I pushed the nket off and stood upright, immediately feeling a strange surge of energy unlike anything I’d experienced before. ncing at my arms, I saw sparks of electricity running along my skin.


    I left the bedroom and stepped into the hallway, scanning the unfamiliar house. I had no idea whose ce this was–there were no family photos or decorations to offer any clues. So I made my way to the front door and opened it to figure out where I had ended up. <fn7cb7> Content originallyes from Find~Novel</fn7cb7>


    I was on the far side of the packnds, and everything around looked eerily lifeless.


    Off in the distance, I could see the ruins of our home–what was left of it, anyway. But that wasn’t what truly caught my focus. It was the sounding from somewhere just beyond it.


    There was the unmistakable roar of battleing from the woods, and I didn’t hesitate. I stepped into the rain and took off running toward the direction of the noise.


    As I arrived, I spotted members of our pack locked inbat with Alpha Damon’s wolves. It was immediately obvious that Alpha Damon was getting thoroughly beaten.


    It was only a matter of time, I figured, before Elias stopped holding back and decided to eliminate them all -which would mean wiping out nearly an entire pack in one move.


    My breathing became heavier, and the energy inside me was only building, intensifying with every step.


    Without thinking, I mmed my fists into the ground. That rising force within me burst outward in one massive, blinding electrical shock, sweeping the trees harshly in a single direction and knocking down every wolf in front of me.


    As I stood again, I noticed Elias staring at me inplete disbelief. He shifted back into human form while watching me, but at first, my eyes could only register outlines and glowing edges around everything.


    I blinked several times until the white glow faded from my vision, and then I could see Elias slowly


    approaching me.


    “Lyra, can you hear me?” he asked cautiously.


    “I’m standing right here in front of you. Of course I can hear you,” I replied inly.


    “Okay. Just checking. You don’t really seem any different–aside from that little stunt you just pulled,” he


    said.


    “What the hell are you even doing, Damon? Are you really trying to get your entire pack ughtered?” I


    asked, ring in his direction.


    “I told Elias to take care of you,” Damon said through the mind link.


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    “Well, I think it’s pretty obvious Elias isn’t going to follow that order,” I replied coolly. Everyone turned to look at me in surprise. Somehow, I could hear Damon through the mind link–despite not being part of his


    pack.


    “How can you even hear me?” Damon demanded.


    “The same way I can hear Elias, even though I haven’t officially joined their pack either,” I answered.


    “Well, from our view, your presence here is a mistake. He’s putting my entire pack at risk,” Damon said.


    “This isn’t about your pack. And after what you just witnessed, maybe you should be thankful I’m this close. Because whether you like it or not, you’re going to need me before long,” I said firmly.


    “And why would we need your help?” he asked suspiciously.


    “Because a war ising. And you need to decide which side you’re on–the one that’s bent on destroying everything you care about, or the one that’s going to stand up and fight against it,” I said with urgency.


    “And you’re saying you’ll fight against them?”


    “Well, we’re definitely not going to help them ruin the world. Now gather your pack and get the hell off this


    territory,” Imanded.


    There was a moment of tense silence, but finally Damon gave the order for his warriors to retreat from ournd. As they moved away, Elias and Luke remained, both staring at me like I had grown a second head.


    “Someone’s going to try to destroy the world?” Luke asked, clearly stunned.


    “Is it your father?” Elias followed up quickly.


    “He’s not nearly smart enough for something like that. The witches are nning to convince the humans that vampires aren’t the only threat–that werewolves are just as dangerous,” I said.


    “The witches are going to start a war against us?” Elias asked.


    “Yeah. But humans won’t know they’re witches. That’s the trick,” I exined.


    “Alright, everyone. Return to your homes. Things are under control now,” Elias called out to his warriors.


    Elias and Luke brought me back to Luke’s ce, and while they went to change into fresh clothes, I slipped


    into something dry as well.


    We all made our way into the kitchen, where I started preparing coffee for everyone. Elias entered shortly


    after and wrapped his arms around me from behind.


    “I wasn’t sure you were ever going to wake up,” Elias murmured.


    “It’s going to take a hell of a lot more than that to take me down,” I told him.


    C CHAPTER 42


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    “Yeah, I’m beginning to understand that killing you isn’t as simple as everyone might assume,” he said with


    a small smile.


    “Apparently not,” I replied with a shrug.


    “How did you end up with so much more power after you woke up?” Elias asked curiously.


    “I don’t have an answer. I don’t remember anything after cking out. I woke up alone in this house, and there wasn’t anyone around. Then I heard the sound of fighting nearby, and something just started building inside me. That energy–it surged. I ran toward the sounds, and then that happened. I really don’t <i>know </i>


    how,” I exined.


    “Well, whatever it was, it was damn impressive,” Luke added.


    “You were about to kill every single one of them,” I said bluntly.


    “No, that wasn’t the n. We were only going to rough them up a little. I never intended to wipe out the whole pack–I don’t want the responsibility of managing them,” Elias replied. I nodded in understanding.


    “You mentioned something earlier about a waring. How do you even know that?” Luke asked.


    “I honestly don’t. I just… feel it. It’sing, and it’s going to be bad,” I answered.


    “Then we’d better start getting ready. If the witches are really nning a war against both vampires and


    werewolves, we can’t afford to sit around,” Elias said.


    “What about your father? Wasn’t he the one we thought was hunting you down?” Luke asked.


    “I’m not sure how–or if–he’s involved in this. Right now, there are bigger threats than him,” I said.


    “Your dad’s got a dark witch working with him. He might be the one stirring up this war. I thought you said witches were mostly good,” Elias reminded me.


    “They are–for the most part. But it only takes a few evil ones to bring about catastrophe. You’re underestimating how powerful they really are,” I said.


    “Okay, then. What do we do about it?” Luke asked.


    “I don’t have an answer. But whatever they’re nning, we need to uncover it. And fast,” Elias said.


    “That’s easier said than done. We don’t even know where to start looking,” I pointed out.


    “Do you think there’s a way you could track them? Using your power?” Luke asked.


    “I’m not sure. That’s a type of magic I don’t know anything about. Things like spellbooks, potions… I


    wouldn’t know how to begin with that,” I said.


    “We’re not putting Lyra in harm’s way just to try luring these witches out,” Elias said firmly.


    “No, that’s <i>not </i>what I meant. I was only thinking maybe she could discover a way to locate them,” Luke said quickly.


    “I doubt it. I wouldn’t know how to go about it,” I admitted.


    < CHAPTER 42


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    Not long after that conversation, we heard a stir outside and went to the front of the house. <i>One </i>of the


    patrol teams had apparently caught someone.


    “He says he’s here to see the Luna,” one of the guards informed us.


    “Who are you?” Elias demanded sharply.


    “My name is Holt. I came here because I needed to speak with Lyra,” the man answered.


    “Why?” Elias questioned, eyeing him suspiciously.


    “I know you,” I said, stepping forward slowly. I couldn’t quite ce him, but his face was familiar.


    “I used to be a warrior in your father’s pack. I didn’t know you had been locked away in the packhouse all


    those years,” Holt exined.


    “What are you doing here now?” Elias asked, still wary.


    “It’s taken me this long to locate you. Your father relocated the entire pack to a hidden area. I didn’t follow him, so I don’t know where it is. But he’s nning something–something massive,” Holt said seriously.


    “And why should I take your word for it?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.


    “Because if your father knew I was here, he’d kill me without a second thought,” Holt said.


    “Or maybe he sent you himself,” Luke countered skeptically.


    “He definitely didn’t send me. Look, I need protection if you want the information I can offer,” Holt said.


    “Who says we even want your help?” Elias challenged.


    “You do. Trust me–you’ll need it. He’s losing control. He’s working with a group of humans, some kind of military operation that already knows all about the supernatural world. They’re hunting Lyra. And they won’t


    stop until she’s dead,” Holt said.


    Perfect. Now I had an entire military grouping after me–on top of the witches who wanted to destroy the world. And, of course, my father, who still likely had ns to get his hands on me.


    There was no escaping any of this. No matter how far I ran, they would always find me.