CHAPTER <b>74 </b>


    I sensed the precise instant Lyra made the decision to release her grip. Every thought, emotion, and sensation mmed into me like a tidal surge.


    and watched my entire


    My attention wavered during the fight with Thorne as I looked up and watched world copse–Lyra had fallen into the portal.


    Thorne seized the opportunity, tackled me hard to the ground, and pinned me as he aimed straight for my neck.


    All of my strength was focused on keeping him off me, holding him back–until Luke came sprinting over and jumped onto his back, giving me the opening I needed to escape.


    “Move, Luke,” I barked. Luke immediately jumped off of Thorne and retreated to a safer


    distance.


    I charged at Thorne and managed to knock him down, but he got to his feet almost immediately.


    Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Luke waiting nearby, poised to jump in again if needed. He wasn’t going to let Thorne win this fight.


    Thorneunched himself at me once more, but this time something stopped him–and when I looked, ir was using her powers to restrain him.


    I took the chance, leapt at Thorne, and in one swift motion sank my jaws into his throat and tore it straight from his body.


    His corpse dropped to the earth, limp and lifeless, and I felt the shift of energy ripple around me–but I didn’t have time to dwell on it.


    I rushed <i>to </i>where the portal had been and realized it had vanished. Nothing remained but solid, undisturbed ground. My wolf instantly began digging in desperation.


    All <i>we </i>uncovered was grass and soil–no trace of her, not even a hint.


    I slowly began to shift back, though my hands kept digging. I couldn’t stop. I had to find Lyra, bring her back–but she was gone.


    I had no idea how long I’d been wing at the dirt, but a wide hole had formed from the efforts of my wolf and myself.


    I didn’t stop until Luke came over and physically pulled me away.


    :


    < CHAPTER 74


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    When I looked back, Rowan was still standing in ce, tears streaming down her face, while the vampire and the werewolf had already fled.


    The first light of dawn was breaking across the sky, and members of Thorne’s pack were cautiously stepping into the clearing.


    They clearly understood what had taken ce here, though most of them looked terrified. None seemed eager to approach us directly.


    Their eyes scanned the area, searching–and I knew immediately they were all looking for


    Lyra.


    One of my warriors handed me a pair of shorts, and after putting them on, I walked straight


    over to ir.


    “Open the portal,” I said firmly.


    “I can’t,” ir replied quietly.


    “Your sister managed to. You’re just as strong as she is.”


    “She spent twenty years perfecting it. She had the rightponents and tools. The items she used are now gone. And from what I saw, to recreate it, I’d need a vampire, a werewolf, and I’d have to kill Rowan to reopen it,” ir exined.


    “Just do something. Anything. Bring her back,<i>” </i>Rowan sobbed.


    “I’m sorry. I truly am. But I can’t. Like I said, we don’t have any of the ingredients left,” Scarlett


    said.


    “Alpha, we’ll find another way. I swear it. We’re going to bring our Luna home,” Luke said.


    “Where exactly did that portal go? Which dimension?” I asked, ncing at ir and then over at the members of Thorne’s pack.


    “He never shared anything like that with us,” one of them responded.


    “All I know is that it leads <i>to </i>a dimension that should never be disturbed. I don’t know its name. And with millions of dimensions out there, I have no way of knowing which one she ended up in,” ir said.


    “The library–it has books on different dimensions, doesn’t it?” I asked Rowan.


    “Yes, the ones that have been documented. But Elias, none of them mention anyone actually entering those dimensions,” Rowan said.


    “So? What’s your point?” I asked.


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    < CHAPTER 74


    “How do we even know she survived going through it?” Rowan asked.


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    “Because she’s Lyra. She’s a damn survivor. She lived through that. We’re heading back to the castle, and we’re going to figure this out. We’ll track down where she is, and we’ll find a way to bring her back. Now move,” I ordered.


    “Alpha, one more thing,” Luke said.


    “What?” I snapped, turning to him. He looked toward Thorne’s pack.


    “You killed their Alpha. You would’ve felt the shift. The power went to you. That makes <i>you </i>their Alpha now,” Luke exined.


    “I don’t want his pack,” I growled.


    “Well, now it’s yours. Look at the way he made them live. I don’t think they were here because they wanted to be. Just look at them,” Luke said.


    “Fine. Take them to one of our other safehouses. But they’re your responsibility now,” I said firmly. He nodded in response.


    Then I turned and headed back into the woods, running straight toward where we left the


    vehicles.


    I climbed into the driver’s seat, ready to start the engine–but I couldn’t bring myself to do it.


    I knew Lyra was in there. The portal had taken her, and I knew deep down she was still inside somewhere. I couldn’t walk away. I didn’t have it in me.


    So I got back out of the car and found one of my warriors nearby in the woods.


    “I need <i>you </i>to collect every item on this list,” I said, handing him the paper.


    It was a list I’d quickly scribbled down–basic camping supplies I’d need–and I headed straight <i>back </i><i>to </i>the clearing where I’dst seen Lyra.


    I had no intention of leaving this ce. I gave everyone orders to return to the castle and begin researching.


    But I wasn’t going anywhere. I knew Lyra would make her way back to me–if I didn’t get to her first. And I wasn’t about to miss that moment. When that portal opened again, I was going to be here. That was the promise I made–to her and to myself.


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