The Alpha Weredragon's Favorite
CHAPTER 109 - Traitors in Our Midst

Ryan

I sprinted over to Lyra, my heart racing with worry. Without hesitation, I whipped off my t-shirt and covered her with it, shielding her from the roving eyes of the crowd. The sight of her exhausted, weakened body filled me with a fierce protectiveness. I cradled her in my arms, feeling the warmth of her skin against mine.

Lyra's lips moved, trying to form words, but only slurred sounds escaped. "Ryan...dark...magic...necklace..." she mumbled before her eyes fluttered closed, causing my heart to clench with fear.

Suddenly, Killian called out to me, his voice laced with urgency. "Ryan, come take a look at this!" He held up a delicate silver chain, a pendant dangling from its end. As I stepped closer, I could see his eyes were wide, a look of startling realization dawning on his face. "It's the necklace Wista crafted for Lyra, the one meant to ward off dark magic." He turned the pendant over in his hands, examining it closely. "Someone must have used dark magic against her during the fight with Brittany. That's the only explanation for her current state."

My mind raced as I processed Killian's words. A sense of dread settled in the pit of my stomach. If dark magic was involved, then Lyra was in even greater danger than I had feared. I clenched my fists, a surge of protectiveness rising within me. We needed to find out who was behind this and put a stop to it before they could cause any more harm to Lyra or anyone else.

My mind raced, trying to process this new information. Who would dare use dark magic against my Lyra?

Shelia came over trailed by the three other committee members who looked as if they would rather be anywhere else. "What do you have in your hand, Professor Harbringer?"

"It is Lyra's necklace. She-"

Shelia snatched the necklace out of Killian's hand quicker than my eyes could move, holding it up for all to see. She drew in a deep breath and said loud enough for those in the next territory to hear, "Lyra Evergreen cheated! She used a magical necklace to give her strength!"

I gently placed Lyra into Killian's arms to address the issue. I wanted my hands free just in case. Stepping to Shelia, I locked my eyes on hers. "That's not true," I growled, "Lyra would never cheat."

Shelia sneered, holding the necklace so that it winked in the dusky sunlight. "Then how do you explain this?" she retorted, her voice dripping with venom.

"It's not what you think," Killian interjected, Lyra mumbling in his arms. "The necklace was a gift from Wista, to protect Lyra from dark magic."

Shelia scoffed, "A likely story. And I suppose you expect us to believe that you had nothing to do with it, Alpha Thornton? everyone knows she's your favorite wh—"

I grabbed her by the neck, squeezing before she could finish her sentence.

Wista approached from the nearby trees, her expression stern. She looked directly at Shelia, who still clutched the necklace in her hand even as her eyes bulged from her head.

It was my guess that no air flowing up her throat and through her mouth was the root cause of that condition.

"That necklace was not meant to give Lyra strength," Wista said, her voice calm but firm. "It was a protective charm, designed to shield her from dark magic."

I let her go Shelia go. She put her hands on her knobby knees and coughed like she was hacking up a fur ball. It took her a minute to recover but she finally said, "Dark magic? What are you talking about?"

Wista stepped closer to spell it out plain and clear. "Someone has been using dark magic against Lyra throughout the trials. I created that necklace to protect her. There is nothing against her wearing it, I checked the rules just in case." "The Witch is right about that," Shelia's husband and fellow committee member said.

"Shut up, Harry!" Shelia wheezed.

I turned to face the crowd, my voice booming across the arena. "Lyra did not cheat! She fought with honor and courage, even in the face of dark magic. She is the rightful winner of the Luna trials!"

The crowd erupted in cheers, their voices rising in support of Lyra. My pride and love had no bounds as I gently lifted Lyra from Killian's arms and held her in my own. This woman of mine, this she-wolf, had faced unimaginable odds and still emerged victorious.

Just then, Sally and Liam burst into the clearing, dragging a reluctant Whitney behind them. "We found her!" Sally exclaimed, panting heavily. "She was hiding in the woods."

Whitney glared at them, trying to pull her arm free from Liam's grip. "Let go of me!" she snapped. "I didn't do anything wrong."

I turned to face them, my expression stern. "What's going on here?" I demanded, my eyes flicking between the three newcomers.

Sally took a deep breath, her eyes on Shelia. "We have witnesses who saw Shelia and Whitney talking to Brittany before the fight," she said. "Those two had it all planned out. How Brittany's fights would be easy while Lyra's would be harder than hard." Sally turned and motioned for two pups to come forward, their parents in tow. "It's true one," girl-pup piped up as she put a comforting arm around her sister. "We heard everything while we was hiding in a bush from Tommy Linder. He's awful mean sometimes. He pulls Caitlyn's hair."

All eyes turned to Whitney, and Shelia. They both paled at the accusation.

"I-I don't know anything," Whitney stammered, her gaze flicking to the ground. "I swear."

Shelia remained defiant to the end. "I am a Council Woman of the Luna Trials. I am above reproach."

I studied them carefully, my eyes narrowing as my wolf howled and my dragon roared to be free. These two dared to hurt my mate? They didn't need to be breathing for much longer. "If you're lying," I warned, "there will be consequences."