The Alpha Weredragon's Favorite
CHAPTER 77

Ryan

Twilight fell around me as I walked to Wista's cabin. She had sent for me, saying that she finally managed to glean some information about who had attacked Lyra in the woods. After a brief knock, I entered the cabin, wiping my boots on the mat. Wista looked up from the herbs brewing in her fireplace, making sure my soles were clean.

"Why don't you use your stove for that?" I asked, pointing to her bubbling concoctions.

Wista laughed. "Using the old ways makes my potions stronger."

I shrugged. Who was I to tell a witch how to brew her magic? That would be like a rogue telling an Alpha how to govern his pack.

"Alpha... I need to tell you something?"

I lifted a brow. "Yes... that is why I am here, correct?" I picked up a "Witch Monthly" magazine off a stool, resisting the urge to thumb through it. Instead, I sat and placed the magazine on the coffee table made from a log, giving Wista my full attention.

"It's about Brittany. She attacked Lyra on my watch. I dealt with her, and Lyra was fine."

I sighed heavily. News I eventually expected, but not what I came here for. "I feared Brittany would do so... despite my warning."

"That she-wolf is pure trouble," Wista said with a grimace.

"I'll double Lyra's guard during training, but I can't interfere during the trials." I ran a hand through my hair, frustration building inside me. The trials were a sacred tradition, a rite of passage that a potential Luna had to face alone. As much as it pained me to think of Lyra facing danger without my protection, I knew I had to let her stand on her own. She was strong, stronger than anyone gave her credit for. But still, the thought of Brittany or anyone else threatening her made my blood boil with barely contained rage.

Wista's voice was gentle but firm. "I know you are worried about her, but Lyra has a protector. She won't let any harm come to her."

I crossed my arms and gazed out the window, lost in thought. Killian, Wista, and even Lyra herself believed that she was the next White Wolf. I couldn't shake the doubt that still lingered within me, and I needed to figure out why. But between drafting an agreement with Silver Tail, dealing with the daily pestering from the Luna Trial Council, and my constant worry and longing for Lyra, I barely had a moment's peace to think about that or anything else.

Wista came to stand by me, her scent of cinnamon and cloves oddly comforting. "I sense your reluctance to believe in her destiny. That is your right after all. But know this, if you deny what Lyra is now, how can you accept her as your Luna later, knowing she will be more powerful than you will ever become... even with your dragon."

I stared at Wista in shock. "You know about my dragon? How?"

Wista gave me a knowing smile, her eyes twinkling with a wisdom that seemed to span centuries. "I've known since the day you were found in the woods as a boy, Ryan. Even then, I sensed it within you, a power unlike any other. It was faint at first, like a whisper on the wind, but as you grew, so did the strength of your inner dragon."

I shuffled on my feet, unease trailing down my spine. I only wanted Liam to know my secret. No one else... not even Lyra.

"I knew way back then that you were meant for big things, Ryan," Wista said, looking off into the distance like she was remembering something from long ago. "The dragon inside you is powerful and... as much as you would like to get rid of it, you will never be able to. It's a part of who you are."

"And you never said anything to anyone? Not in all these years?" I asked, my voice so choked it sounded strange to me.

"No, and I never will. I'll always keep your secret safe, Alpha," she said, looking me straight in the eye. I could tell she meant every word, like a serious promise. Then she said something that shocked me to my core. "You can control your dragon... if you want to. All you have to do is let go of your need to dominate, stay in power."

I looked at Wista, my heart pounding in my chest. "What do you mean, let go of some of my power? My will is what keeps everyone safe."

Wista put her hand on my shoulder. "The dragon is a part of you, Ryan. It's not a separate thing. If you try to keep it locked up all the time, it will fight you."

I shook my head. "But it's a monster. It only wants to kill and destroy."

"That's not true," Wista said. "The dragon is a powerful creature, but it's not evil. It's like your wolf. It needs to be understood and worked with, not against."

I felt like I couldn't breathe. The idea of letting it choose its own course terrified me. "I don't know if I can do that."

"You can," Wista said. "But you have to trust yourself and your dragon."

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. The thought of the dragon being a part of me, not just a thing to be controlled, was hard to wrap my mind around. "How do I do it?"

Wista smiled. "Start small. When you feel the dragon stirring, don't push it down. Let it breathe. Let it stretch its wings. Show it that you're not afraid of it."

I nodded, trying to imagine it. It was hard, but I knew I had to try.

I let out a shaky breath as the tension slowly left my body. Maybe I did have a chance to co-exist with my dragon after all...

"Alpha... I need to tell you something else. Lyra was sabotaged while taking her test... magic was involved."

Dread cold and slick filled my chest. Brittany... I had expected she would try something despite my warning, but the fact that Lyra had been sabotaged during her test, and magic was involved, threw me for a loop. "How could this happen?" I growled in anger.

Wista gave me a sympathetic expression then crossed the room to a table covered in various herbs and potions. Picking up a small vial, she handed it to me. "Unfortunately, the magic used was very powerful. It was almost impossible for me to find the marker used behind the witchcraft. After many tries, I managed to find something interesting." She pointed to the vial. "This is a sample of the magic used in the attack. It's a very rare and dangerous type of magic, only used by the most skilled witches and warlocks."

I examined the vial, the liquid inside shimmering with an otherworldly glow. "Do you know who could have done this?"

Wista paused before responding. "There are just a handful of witches in the world capable of using this caliber of magic... and it's the same magic that was used on Lyra during her examination." Her face turned so grim, my heart seized. "There's only one witch in the area with such formidable power, and I believe I know who it is."