The Alpha Weredragon's Favorite
CHAPTER 55

Ryan

The day after Lyra was attacked, Conner had mind-linked me to say he was back from his mission. I already knew what secrets he'd uncovered about the situation among the Wolfsong pack, so there was no urgent need to meet right away... mainly because I was focused on taking care of Lyra since she had returned home.

With Lyra staying with me, things had slipped into a familiar routine. One I never thought I'd have without an official Luna. We woke up in the morning, snuggled in each other's arms. Took showers (unfortunately separate) I'd cook while she combed her hair and got dressed and at the kitchen table, we'd talk about anything and everything, my life after I'd gotten back, her life in Wolfsong (which made me only more determined to end them) and my father's death.

I told Lyra how rogues had come onto Moonshadow lands two years ago. My father died while trying to defend Liam's mate, who foolishly thought she could go into the fight without her wolf to help out.

Lyra's eyes widened in horror. "I would never do such a thing! It's a death sentence."

I nodded grimly, remembering the pain of that day. "Some blamed me, thinking that as the leader of the pups, I encouraged her to fight." I shook my head. "But that wasn't the case. Miriam always had a bloodlust in her that couldn't be tamed, not by Liam, her parents, or even her Alpha."

Lyra reached out and placed her hand on mine, her touch warm and comforting. "I heard the rumors that you had killed your father while I was in the Wolfsong pack, but I never believed them." Her voice was soft, filled with understanding.

I met her gaze, grateful for her trust. "Thank you for believing in me. It was a tragic day for our pack, losing both our Alpha and Miriam."

Lyra squeezed my hand gently. "I can't imagine the pain you must have felt, losing your father like that."

I swallowed hard, the memories still raw. "It was the hardest thing I've ever had to face. But I knew I had to be strong for the pack, to lead them through the grief and keep them safe." "You've done an incredible job, Ryan. Your father would be proud of the Alpha you've become."

With that thought in my head, I strode down the stone hallway that afternoon, my boots clicking rhythmically on the floor. The closer I got to my office my mind turned to Conner and the full report he needed to deliver. I reached out to him through our mind-link, pressing two fingers to my temple.

"Meet me in my office. I'm almost there," I projected.

Conner's voice immediately echoed back in my head. "On my way, Alpha."

Pushing open the heavy wooden door, I sank into the swivel chair behind my desk with a weary sigh, running a hand through my tousled hair. Jacques' recent explosive confession about conspiring with Vivian to take down Gregory replayed vividly in my mind. With Lyra's father gone, Blake now sat on the throne as Alpha, his mate Viola by his side. The thought of their twisted power grab churned my stomach into sickening knots.

Conner's presence interrupted my brooding thoughts as he entered, giving me a respectful nod. "Alpha, I have the full report on the emerging situation in Wolfsong," he stated plainly.

I nodded back, gesturing for him to take a seat as I leaned back in my chair, steepling my fingers pensively. "Go ahead, Conner. I'm listening."

As he launched into the disturbing details, my brow furrowed. Rogue attacks were spiking within the pack's territory, he reported grimly. Moreover, tensions were rapidly escalating with the neighboring Silver Tails pack over land disputes along the borders. But most alarmingly of all, there were increasing whispers of a growing rebellion starting to take root - many wolves were outraged over the treacherous way Blake and Viola had seized power, their resentment fueling talks of an insurrection.

While the unrest festering in Lyra's former pack was concerning, a part of me couldn't help but feel a twisted sense of satisfaction. From the way they had treated her, I didn't care if they broke out into a war amongst themselves and wiped each other from existence. It would save me the trouble. I was damn glad I didn't have such venomous snakes within my own pack, my father's teachings echoing through my mind once more.

The memory came to me vividly - my father's gruff voice summoning me one autumn evening as I played outside. I had hurried to his side, eager to please him. Though he was getting on in years, he still carried an authoritative presence as he settled into his favorite worn armchair by the fire, his keen eyes studying me intensely. "You're getting to that age where one day soon, you will take over this pack," he had stated solemnly. "And when that time comes, you need to remember this: The strongest packs are built on a foundation of complete honesty and trust between the Alpha and his wolves."

His piercing stare had bored into me as if branding the words onto my soul. I nodded obediently, a lump forming in my throat at the thought of him eventually stepping down. "Any hint of deception, of secrets kept from your packmates, it'll fester like an untreated wound," he warned, leaning forward intently. "The bonds holding you all together will start to rot away from the inside out. Don't ever take that sacred trust for granted, son. It's what separates us from the disgraceful rogues and keeps our pack strong."

The solemn memory echoed through my mind now in this present moment as Conner's words about the rebellion cycled on a loop. My father's teachings had been seared into me - I knew deep down that Lyra deserved complete honesty and transparency from me about what had happened to her father. No matter how difficult it would be to tell her the truth, I owed her that brutal clarity. To withhold the facts about Gregory's demise at the hands of treachery...wouldn't that just be poisoning the seeds of trust between us?

As Conner finally trailed off, I let out a heavy sigh, slumping back in my chair. "Thank you for the report, Conner. You've given me a lot to think about," I murmured distractedly, already dreading the painful conversation I needed to have with Lyra about her father's fate. He studied me carefully for a moment before rising. "Of course, Alpha. I'll leave you to mull things over." With a respectful nod, he left.

With Conner gone, my mind raced as I grappled with how to proceed - tell Lyra the devastating truth about what had happened, risking sending her into an emotional tailspin? Or try to maintain the illusion for now to keep her safe, betraying her trust in the process? The colossal choice loomed before me, a battle raging between the logic of my head and the honesty in my heart.

Groaning, I squeezed my eyes shut and pinched the bridge of my nose, the dilemma causing a dull throbbing in my temples. The truth was indeed a double-edged sword - one path would slice deep, ripping open fresh wounds of trauma and loss for Lyra. But the other would blindly protect her from that pain while cutting away the blindfold, allowing her to clearly see the threats lurking on the horizon. I would have to choose carefully which wound I thought she could best heal from.