The Alpha Weredragon's Favorite -
CHAPTER 39 - Caught in a Trap
Lyra
Tomes and textbooks lay haphazardly across my desk, their pages filled with knowledge and wisdom that I tried to absorb... In vain.
No matter how hard I tried, the words swam before my eyes, refusing to form any kind of meaning.
Ryan's face, with its chiseled jawline and piercing blue eyes, haunted my thoughts like a ghost. The memory of his betrayal, of the pain he had inflicted upon me was a wound that no kiss... no touch could erase. My homework, lay forgotten and ignored. The fact that I was a pariah on campus did too. Every thing seemed insignificant compared to the war between my mind and heart.
Sally packed her bag with quick movements, her face showing excitement mixed with a touch of sadness.
"I'll miss you," she said, looking up at me.
I forced a smile. "I'll miss you too. But it's only for one night. Daddy has a meeting with the Silver Tail pack in the morning. I'll be back way before lunch."
She zipped her bag and stood up, pulling me into a tight hug. Her warmth made me feel both comforted and envious.
"Have fun with your dad," I said as we pulled apart.
She grinned. "I will. Don't get into too much trouble while I'm gone."
"For one night?" I laughed softly. "No promises."
Sally's smile faded slightly as she looked at me seriously for a moment.
"You'll be okay?" she asked. I knew she wanted to ask about the word flying around that I had no wolf and about Ryan, but she knew better. They were sore subjects with me, like Liam was to her.
"I'll be fine," I assured her.
Sally left, and the room felt emptier. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, brushing a stray hair back. Tonight, I had to meet Ryan and talk about everything-his betrayal and the pain I'd carried all these years. "Just wing it," I told myself in the mirror. He needed to know the hurt he caused so I... we could move past it.
Six hours later and a few doodles on my paper where there should have been words, I took a deep breath and grabbed my jacket, preparing to meet Ryan at woods' edge.
Leaving the dorm I startled at the slam of a door. I was more nervous than a long-tailed cat in a room of rocking chairs.
I trudged through the woods, each step bringing me closer to Ryan. The forest seemed quieter than usual, shadows stretching longer in the moonlight. My thoughts swirled with what I needed to say to-- AAArrrgghhh!
There was a sharp pull at my ankles. I stumbled and fell, hitting the ground hard. Ropes tightened around my legs, pulling me up and suspending me in the air. I struggled, but every movement made the ropes cut deeper into my skin. "Ryan!" I yelled, hoping he'd hear me.
Laughter echoed through the trees-female laughter, cold and mocking. My heart raced as panic surged.
"Who's there?" I called out, my voice shaking.
More laughter answered me, cruel and biting. "Look at the little bitch caught in a trap," a voice said.
I twisted my head, trying to see who it was. The darkness swallowed everything beyond a few feet. "Show yourself!"
"Why should we?" another voice chimed in. "You're nothing without your wolf."
I gritted my teeth, refusing to let them see my fear. "Ryan will come for me!"
The laughter grew louder, almost deafening. "You think he cares? You're just a toy to him."
My chest tightened with anger and fear. "You don't know anything about us!"
"Oh, but we do," the first voice said. "You're not one of us. You never will be."
Tears stung my eyes as I thrashed against the ropes again, feeling more helpless with each attempt.
"Ryan!" I screamed one last time, my voice cracking with desperation.
The voices faded into silence, leaving only the sound of my ragged breathing and the rustle of leaves in the wind. The forest seemed to close in on me, cold and indifferent to my plight.
My arms ached, my throat was raw from yelling, and I felt the fight drain out of me. I couldn't hold on much longer. My eyelids grew heavy, and before I knew it, I slipped into an uneasy sleep and dream... Ryan appeared through the shadows, his presence commanding even in the dim light.
"You're here," he said, his voice steady.
I nodded, taking a deep breath. "I need to tell you everything."
He crossed his arms, eyes narrowing. "I'm listening."
I felt a lump in my throat but pushed forward. "You left me. What did you do that?"
Tears sprang in his eyes as he wrapped me in his warm embrace. "I'm so sorry. So sorry. I meant to come back for you. I tried. But I was afraid you wouldn't want me."
I looked down at my feet. "I do want you. More than anything."
He tilted my chin up with his fingers, his gaze intense. "Even now?"
"Yes, even now," I said, meeting his eyes.
His arms loosened around me so he could see all of my face. "Why did you never try to find me in Moonshadow? You knew my name. You could have" "Because I was scared. Because I was weak. I only stayed her now to prove myself," I whispered. "To show that I'm useful. To find... love."
Ryan's grip tightened for a moment before he let go. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Have you found it?"
"Yes. Yes I have."
"With... me?"
I huffed out a laugh. "Don't act so surprised."
"Lyra, you have made me so happy. I lo—"
I woke with a start, dangling in the air. My body screamed in pain from the ropes cutting into my skin. I had to get out of this.
"Come on, Lyra," I muttered to myself, struggling to reach the knots with numb fingers. In the budding light, I could see where they were connected.
Minutes felt like hours as I fumbled with the ropes. My hands shook, and frustration built up inside me. "You can do this," I whispered, gritting my teeth.
Finally, one knot loosened, then another. The ropes slackened just enough for me to slip free. I fell to the ground in a heap, wincing as fresh pain shot through my limbs.
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