The Alpha Weredragon's Favorite
CHAPTER 66

I backed away from Ryan, taking a shaky breath. "Is it true what the woman said?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Ryan sighed heavily, his brow furrowing. "Lyra, it's complicated. There are pack politics at play, things you don't fully understand yet. I need you to trust me."

A burning sensation rose in my chest. I put it done to frustration. "Trust you? How can I when you keep me in the dark about everything important? Are you ashamed of me, is that it?"

"Of course not!" Ryan snapped, his eyes flashing with anger. "But I'm the Alpha. My actions, my relationships, they're all scrutinized. I'm trying to protect you."

"Protect me?" No wonder he wanted to go into the woods instead of sitting on a bench in plain sight. Granted I wouldn't have gotten the best orgasm of my life, but at least I wouldn't have been hidden away like some dirty secret. I blinked back angry tears, refusing to let them fall as I accused him of that very thing.

Ryan ran a hand through his hair, clearly agitated. "You're twisting my words. I'm not hiding you, I'm being cautious. Why are you being so difficult about this?" "Difficult?" I echoed, feeling hollow inside. "Wow. Okay. You know what, maybe this was all a mistake. Maybe I'm not cut out to be with you after all." Ryan's eyes widened in shock. "What are you saying? Lyra, the trials... you have to enter. The pack needs a Luna and I want you to be the one by my side."

"Do they? Seems like you're doing just fine on your own," I said bitterly. "I won't be your secret anymore, Ryan. Killian... all the others... they were right about you."

I stormed away from Ryan, my vision blurring with unshed tears. My heart felt like it was being ripped apart, piece by piece.

When I reached my dorm, I burst into my room, slamming the door shut behind me. I leaned against it, gasping for breath as the tears finally spilled over. They streamed down my face, hot and bitter. I slid to the floor, hugging my knees to my chest.

How could I let Ryan end up hurting me again and again? He was ashamed of me. He wanted to keep me hidden. And the way he'd accused me of having feelings for Killian... it was like a knife to the heart.

I wiped my eyes with the back of my hand, trying to steady my breathing. The Luna trials started at the end of the week, but one thing was crystal clear in my mind - I wouldn't be in them. Not now, not ever. Why fight for someone who wanted to hide me away?

I pushed myself to my feet, my legs shaking. I stumbled over to my bed and collapsed onto it, burying my face in my pillow. I let the tears flow freely, soaking the soft fabric. My body shook with sobs as I replayed the conversation with Ryan over and over in my head.

I don't know how long I laid there crying. Eventually, I heard the door creak open, but I didn't bother to look up.

"Lyra?" a soft voice called out. It was Sally. The bed dipped slightly as she sat down, her hand rubbing soothing circles on my back. "What happened?"

"Ryan... "I choked out. "It's always him... hurting me... using me."

Sally wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a comforting embrace. "Oh, Lyra," she murmured, her voice filled with sympathy. "I'm so sorry."

"I can't do this, Sally," I said, my voice trembling. "I'll have to leave here...soon."

"You don't have to," Sally said, her voice firm. "You're strong, Lyra. Stronger than you realize. You can get through this... let him go if you have to, but stay, okay?"

"But I don't have a wolf," I protested, my voice laced with despair. "All my troubles... my misery...everything boils down to that."

There was nothing Sally could say to that so as she enfolded me in another embrace, I truly wanted to believe that courage alone could heal the pain that shattered my soul.

I tossed and turned in my bed while the moonlight streaming through the blinds slashed patterns on my comforter. My mind raced with thoughts of Ryan, the Luna trials, and my own insecurities.

Exhausted, I closed my eyes. Suddenly, I found myself standing in a clearing, bathed in the soft glow of the full moon. The air was thick with a feeling of joy, and a gentle breeze rustled the leaves around me. I could hear the distant howling of wolves, their voices echoing through the night.

"Lyra." A voice, soft yet commanding, called out to me. I spun around, searching for the source. That's when I saw her - the White Wolf. She stood before me, her fur glistening like freshly fallen snow, her eyes shimmering with an otherworldly luminescence. A strange mix of awe and fear, coursed through my body, making me tremble. "Why do you deny your strength... your destiny?"

"What is my destiny?" I scoffed. "Seems like I'm destined to go a step forward only to get knocked three steps back."

"Lyra... nothing that comes easy is worth winning" she replied, her voice resonating with a deep wisdom.

"Then I must be in for one hell of a windfall because I feel like I've been losing, all my life."

The White Wolf tilted her head. "Greatness comes through suffering. That is why I am here... to guide you."

"Guide me?" I echoed, confusion furrowing my brow. "Guide me where?"

"To your destiny," she said, her gaze never leaving mine. "You stand at a crossroads, Lyra. The path you choose will determine not only your future but the future of those around you."

"The Luna trials," I murmured, understanding dawning on me. "You're talking about the Luna trials."

The White Wolf nodded. "Yes. You must compete, Lyra. It is the only way for you to prove yourself. Only then can we become one."

Yes, I wanted a wolf. More than anything. I wanted to belong somewhere and fit in. But did I want the responsibilities of a White Wolf? Was I even worthy?

The White Wolf's howled, an anguished cry. When she spoke, there was a steeliness to it that made me stand a little straighter. "Worth is not determined by the presence of a wolf, Lyra. It is determined by the strength of your heart, the depth of your courage."

Her words cut right to my heart, revealing the doubts I'd carried for as long as I could remember. I realized it was time to finally conquer my uncertainty. Win or lose, this competition gave me an opportunity to show everyone, but especially myself, that I deserved happiness, acceptance, and the devoted love of a mate.

I nodded, acknowledging the truth in her words. "You're right. I can't let my doubts hold me back any longer. It's time for me to embrace my path and trust in my own strength."

A newfound resolve surged through me, filling me with courage I hadn't known I possessed. I squared my shoulders and met the White Wolf's gaze head-on. "I'm prepared to face the Luna trials, with or without a wolf by my side. I'll show everyone what I'm truly capable of."

The White Wolf regarded me with a pleased expression, her eyes shining with pride. She inclined her head in approval before melting back into the forest, the shadows swallowing her form. As the dream began to fade, the moonbeams dimmed and the distant howls grew muted. Yet, despite the shifting landscape, a sense of peace settled over me a bone-deep knowing that I had gone through exactly what I was meant to in order to shape the she-wolf I had yet to become.