The Alpha Weredragon's Favorite
CHAPTER 70

Lyra

I stood there, pulse pumping as I looked between Sally and Whitney. I had wanted to ask Sally to be my second, but seeing the hope in Whitney's eyes, I hesitated. "I, um..." I stammered as my palms became wet with sweat.

Sally's smile faltered slightly. "Lyra?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. How could I choose between them? They were both my friends, and I didn't want to hurt either of them. Whitney bounced on her toes, her eyes shining. "We'd be unstoppable together, Lyra! Can you imagine?"

I swallowed hard, my throat dry. "Whitney, I..."

A loud commotion erupted from the sign-in tables, drawing everyone's attention. Raised voices argued heatedly, though I couldn't make out the words.

I let out a shaky breath, both relieved and anxious about the interruption. What was going on over there?

Sally frowned, craning her neck to see. "What's happening?"

More shouts rang out, followed by the sound of something crashing to the ground. My heart leapt into my throat. Was someone hurt?

Whitney grabbed my arm, her eyes wide. "Lyra, look!"

I followed her gaze to see the other two council members rushing towards the tables, their faces grim. Something was definitely wrong.

My stomach churned with dread. What if they were coming to kick me out of the trials? What if they had realized their mistake in letting me sign up?

I took a step back, my legs shaking. I couldn't breathe. The world spun around me, and I felt like I might pass out.

Sally's hand on my shoulder steadied me. "Lyra, are you okay?"

I shook my head, unable to speak, my throat clogged with a fur ball the size of a mountain as a shrill voice cut through the air like a knife.

"No! No! No!" It was Brittany, yelling about something...

No. Not something. Someone. Me.

"Lyra can't join the Luna Trials! She doesn't have a wolf and isn't an official member of any pack! How can you let this travesty happen?"

The courtyard fell silent as every head swiveled in my direction. Every eye in the courtyard was on me, judging, questioning. My cheeks burned with shame and anger, and I gritted my teeth so hard, I was afraid one of them would crack. Why had I done this to myself again? Why had I let myself believe that I could be part of this world, that I could compete in the Luna Trials without a wolf participating with me?

I turned to Sally and Whitney, my voice shaking. "I... I can't do this."

Sally reached out to me, her eyes full of concern. "Lyra, don't listen to her. You have every right to be here."

But I shook my head, tears stinging my eyes. "No, I don't. She's right. I'm not... I'm not like the rest of you."

"That's not true!" Sally protested, clinging to my arm to keep me from running even as she stepped forward to defend me. "Lyra is just as much a part of Moonshadow as anyone else!"

Brittany scoffed, tossing her long, blonde hair over her shoulder. "Oh, please. Everyone knows she's a fraud. She doesn't belong here."

I wanted to sink into the ground and disappear. I could feel the doubt and suspicion emanating from the other shifters, and it made my stomach twist into knots.

"Lyra has every right to compete," Whitney said, her voice trembling slightly. "The Luna Trials are open to all un-mated females, regardless of their pack status."

Brittany rolled her eyes. "Yeah, but what's the point? She doesn't stand a chance against real shifters like us."

I felt like I had been punched in the gut. Brittany's words echoed my own deepest fears and insecurities, and I couldn't find the words to defend myself.

"You're wrong," a deep, familiar voice said from behind me.

I turned to see Ryan striding towards us, his eyes blazing with an intensity that made my breath catch in my throat. The crowd parted before him like the Red Sea. Shifters stumbled over each other in their haste to clear a path for their Alpha. As he drew closer, I felt a spark of... happiness... gratitude... something I did not want to name ignite in my chest. It started out as a tiny flame and grew stronger with each confident step he took.

"Lyra is an official member of this pack," Ryan declared, his voice ringing out with unquestionable authority. It was a voice that commanded respect, a voice that could make even the proudest shifter bow their head in submission. "And she may also compete without a wolf. That is her right, and I will not see it denied."

His gaze swept over the gathered shifters, and I saw more than one of them flinch under the weight of his stare. "Anyone who says otherwise will answer to me personally. Is that understood?"

I met Brittany's scathing glare head-on, refusing to be cowed by her contempt. A flicker of defiance burned within me, fueled by Ryan's support. As she grudgingly bowed her head and retreated a step, her words dripping with false deference, I couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction.

"Of course, Alpha. I meant no disrespect."

Her tone might have fooled others, but I could hear the undercurrent of resentment simmering beneath the surface. In that moment, I had won this small battle, all thanks to Ryan's showing up. Right on time.

He fixed Brittany with a cold stare. "See that you don't."

He turned to me, his expression softening. "Lyra, don't let anyone tell you that you don't belong here."

I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes, and I blinked them away furiously. "Thank you, Alpha."

Ryan nodded, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "I'll see you at the trials, Lyra. Good luck." He mouthed "meet me-woods" before turning to walk away.

And damn if my heart didn't want to burst with happiness. Despite everything that had happened between us, Ryan still believed in me.